De Gustibus Cooking Class with Tony Mantuano and Sarah Grueneberg

Welcome foodies! A few days ago I went to Tony Mantuano and Sarah Grueneberg's De Gustibus Cooking Claas. They are both from Spiaggia in Chicago.

Tony and Sarah taught a very educational and fun class. Most of their dishes were things that they made on Top Chef and Top Chef Masters. The Amuse Bouche was a piece of Parmigiano Reggianio with Spiaggia Balsamico. Tony and Sarah wanted to show what good quality balsamic vinegar was. "Real" Balsamic Vinegar should only have one ingredient, grape must. Many Balsamic Vinegars are made with ingredients like red wine vinegar, which does not have the same quality. The two places were Balsamic Vinegar can originate from is Modena and Reggio Emilia. 

The First Course was Shaved Prosciutto di Parma with Braised Artichokes with Date Puree. This dish was delicious, especially the date puree. Sarah made this dish on Top Chef: Texas during the Don't Be Tardy for the Dinner Party Episode. When preparing the artichokes it must be firm with no brown areas. There should be purple on the bottom, which shows freshness.  For a garnish, there was nepitella, which is an herb like a cross between  mint and oregano. 

The Second Course was a Roasted Sea Scalp with Abalone Mushrooms, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Parmigiano Reggiano. The scallops were so tender and rich and had a delectable truffle essence. This is President Obama's favorite dish at Spiaggia. 

The Third Course was a Goat Cheese Ravioli with Braised Goat and Goat Horn Peppers. The home-made pasta was so good and the tangy goat cheese was scrumptious with the deep flavors of the braised goat. The goat horn peppers were not a spicy pepper, but rather more smokey. Tony made this dish on Top Chef Masters during the Scary Surf and Turf episode.

The Fourth Course was Stuffed Cabbage with Crispy Shallots and Balsamic Vinegar. This dish was incredibly rich from the smoked bacon and pork butt. The brown butter and balsamic on top made it even better. This dish was made by Sarah on Top Chef: Texas during the Tribute Dinner episode (with Patti Labelle).

The Fifth Course was Mascarpone Stuffed Dates. On top was shaved dark chocolate. It was a perfect and delicious way to end a great meal. They simply cut the date in half, filled it with mascarpone cheese, and shaved dark chocolate on top (* I tried it with some vanilla beens inside the mascarpone and it was so good and easy).

Tony Mantuano and Sarah Grueneberg ran a very fun and informational De Gustibus class. I cannot wait to go to Spiaggia when I am in the Chicago area! For more pictures of the class go to Foodie Finders NYC's Facebook page.


-Mike