Bulletin Board 27

Going deep on slow food and fast cars in Italy, my latest made in UK summer collab, and the finest American flag money can buy

WORKS IN PROGRESS

I’m super excited about my two latest collabs with my friends at Hemingsworth. First up, the Tropical Short, which is inspired by a pair of super-short, French army camouflage shorts that I dug up at a military surplus store outside of Médoc. They had both a front tab button and loops, meaning that you can wear them with or without a belt.

We kept those elements in our redesign while adding a button back pocket and switching from the camo pattern to a very fine khaki herringbone twill to make them more wearable. Most importantly, we didn’t touch the inseam, which hits at a glorious 3.5”. Joie de vivre!

They’re what I imagine a French Foreign legion trooper might have worn. And just a heads up, these do run a little small—I’d advise going up to your next size, particularly if you might be a “gentlemen’s 32”, etc. And maybe best of all, the 100% cotton shorts are made in England by a factory responsible for outfitting the British army from WWII onward. In fact, the buttons used on the front tab closure and that back pocket are both genuine British army surplus.

Next up, we’ve revived the Flynn aviators we originally released last year. Unlike 99% of the aviators out there, these are made from acetate—deadstock Italian acetate, to be precise—rather than metal. This gives them a decidedly different look and feel, and I’ve been wearing the hell out of them so far this summer.

This time around there are two different colorways: a brown-over-black acetate with a dark green lens, and then a caramel tortoise acetate with a whisky lens (currently my favorite!). They’re handmade (in a very limited supply) by one of the last workshops of its kind in the UK, which just makes them that much more special. – M.H.

Both collabs will be up on my site tomorrow!

FURNISHINGS

Whether it’s hanging on a dive bar’s back wall, flying from a sailboat off the coast of Maine or flashing on screen at the end of Saving Private Ryan (wipes solitary tear), I love to see an American flag. Naturally, there’s no better time to reflect on the world’s greatest flag (sorry, but where are the Ralph Lauren maple leaf sweaters?) than on the eve of Independence Day.

When it comes to a Stars and Stripes to hang on the inside of your abode, I consider Savarin the grail. The maker, which I first encountered at an American Field event in Boston many years ago, makes weighty wool flags in Ohio using yarns sourced in New England. The wool picks up the colors beautifully, and I love that you can see the sewing on each star. And thanks to the material’s drape, it looks fantastic hanging from a wall, though you can also order them framed. Flags come in three different sizes, from a modest 2” by 3” to an apartment defining 5” by 8”.

Sure, you can get a little funky with Savarin’s more artsy options—they also do a black and white American flag, and white or black tonal versions in wool and silk. I must admit that my inner Anglophile loves their Union Jack, too.

But when it came to acquiring my own, I knew there was only one choice. And I remain mighty proud of that not-so-ragged old flag. —ERIC TWARDZIK

THE COOKBOOK

Slow Food, Fast Cars—if that doesn’t entice you as a cookbook title, what will? The tome takes us inside the kitchens (and more) of Casa Maria Luigia, the guest house operated by Lara Gilmore and chef Massimo Bottura, the husband-and-wife team behind the three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena.

Casa Maria Luigia—or “Casa ML”, as Gilmore calls it—allows the duo to showcase Emilia-Romagna’s culinary traditions and its proud history of making beautiful automobiles, art and design objects, all of which are a presence on the property. We reached out to Lara, to learn more about how this unique cookbook, split between recipes and personal essays, will allow readers to indulge in everything the enviable property has to offer. —E.T.

The following interview has been edited and condensed

What was the genesis of Casa Maria Luigia?

I often ask myself, “When did it all begin?” When Massimo and I met in New York City in 1993 and organized parties at my parents’ house in Westchester around the pool and gardens?  With the opening of our small restaurant with big dreams (Osteria Francescana) in the center of Modena in 1995? Or when we first laid eyes on the property in October 2016? 

Many of these seeds have been planted over the years. I think all of them come together under the umbrella of Casa ML and the experiences we create here. Moreover, Casa Maria Luigia is named after Massimo's mother and ML are our initials. 'Casa' is the Italian word for Home.

This property, this project; and this book are home to many ideas, memories, and passions. 

Most importantly, Casa ML is about a sense of place. We ask ourselves how we can invite our guests to feel 'at home' and to discover the treasures that this lesser-known part of Italy holds. We believe that if our guests feel at ease, comfortable, welcomed, then they are in the best condition—physically and mentally—to experience this very special part of Italy.

Both Massimo and I fell head over heels in love with the property, its proximity to Modena (15 minutes by car – 12 kilometers from the city center) with the heritage oak trees, a turn-of-the-century fountain, a pond, fields for corn, hay and wheat, multiple barns, garages and houses, as well as a view of Mt. Cimone, the highest point in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. 

We placed a bid in late May 2017 and by July we had the keys to the property. That is when we began imagining how to bring everything that we created and built at Osteria Francescana to the Emilian countryside. In less than two years, we opened our doors (May 2019) to begin the adventure with 12 rooms, one restaurant, a vegetable garden and a wood-fired oven.

We were naïve to the world of hospitality beyond the doors of our restaurant. Our intention was not to do something “new” but to enhance, enlarge, and stretch everything we were already doing into a full, 24+ hour experience.

We brought our passion for contemporary art, music, and fast cars to the property.

We open the doors to our home away from home to share the things we love about Italy, Emilia, Modena, and the Countryside. And that is what we continue to do. We remind ourselves (and our team) every day that Casa ML is not about a ceiling; It is a feeling.

What do its different elements—food, interior design, contemporary art, cars—share in common?

There are many working parts to Casa ML—the common spaces, the outdoor spaces, the guest rooms, the house kitchen, the restaurants, and the entertainment (the pool, the tennis courts, the vineyards and the playground). We activated all of these areas with our aesthetics but even more with our sense of play. Nothing is too precious. Nothing too perfect. Everything is authentic. We brought our books, our furniture, artwork from our home and restaurants to create an intimate and personal space. 

This is a passion project, a dream that Massimo and I have been cultivating ever since we began in 1995. Our desire and our work have always been to introduce Modena and the treasures of the Emilian countryside, food and car culture, to our guests, both from Modena and from abroad. We try to make visible the invisible, bring out the interconnectedness of landscape, industry, artisanal products, culinary traditions, and sense of place. Casa ML is a place where guests discover the slow passage of time and how powerful it can be to restore creativity.

What do all the elements share in common? Us—Massimo and I—and our quirky and eclectic style. We love to mix things up in order to keep a curious eye about everything.

How does its design philosophy carry over to the food, and the recipes included?

Actually, the way we think about food - over all these years - has influenced our sense of design. For nearly 30 years we have been working with food and recipes as solutions to problems, storytelling vehicles and ways of looking at the world. Our food design philosophy led to the design of the property.

We always try to keep our eyes open for the unexpected. We try to be generous with our ideas, flavors, and inspirations: cross pollinate and let ourselves be open to wise contamination.

Being local is essential. Our design choices lean predominately on Italy. We also work with local artisans. Our style is personal, and we are specific about choices. We tell stories through design, art, and food. Those stories become the memories our guests bring back with them.

How are those non-edible parts of its experience represented in the book?

The stories and the photographs bring the book to life while the recipes are a way to bring our guests' experience to life at home, literally. As mentioned above, our practice as a restaurant has always been based in storytelling. We continue that tradition here at Casa ML and the book is half cookbook and half storybook. The photographs were taken during different seasons to see how much it changes with the seasons. The images are also juxtapositions of art, cars, objects, music, and food because that is the way it is experienced here—everything all at once.

How is its culinary offering different from Osteria Francescana—and how is it similar?

The culinary experiences at Casa ML are siblings of Osteria Francescana. Francescana at Maria Luigia, our evening dinner service, in a renovated carriage house celebrates the history of Osteria Francescana in a warm and inviting setting around four shared tables with an open kitchen. 

From the book: "The layout invites our guests to gather while we tell stories of the most iconic dishes served at Osteria Francescana and the flavors that have consolidated over time: Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, Crunchy Part of the Lasagna, Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart, just to name a few."

The breakfast comes from Massimo's childhood memory of his grandmother, Nonna Ancella, and the elaborate Christmas feast she prepared every December 25th. Add an outdoor wood-fired oven, a Canadian head chef, Jessica Rosval, with years of Osteria Francescana training, and what happens is a breakfast that becomes a celebration!

As we do not offer lunch service (as of yet) we fill our house kitchen with individual portions of savory and sweet snacks and flavored waters to keep our guests satiated without getting too hungry or too full. The house kitchen is a social area where guests will land around 3pm and sometimes stay until dinner, snacking, talking and meeting people. The offerings are seasonal, fresh, and tasty - and mostly vegetarian. For our kitchens it is a way to use the vegetables, flowers, and herbs from the garden.

Do you have a favorite recipe from the book?

Impossible to choose one! My favorite recipes from the book are from La Colazione (breakfast).

I love a savory breakfast and these recipes are not only very Italian, they are very Emilian in flavor and culinary tradition. Of course, using the wood-fired oven adds a special smoky flavor, but they can be made without it.

Erbazzione is a traditional savory bite from this region. Ours are filled with spinach, swiss chard and Robbiola cheese. We do not use pork, lard or garlic. Many traditional recipes do. Our version is a healthy vegetarian way to start the day.

Frittata is my absolute favorite thing in the world! The ones we make at Casa ML change every day according to the seasons and what vegetables we have on hand. Frittata are a great way to use up extra vegetables in the refrigerator (reduce food waste!) They are also a good source of protein and full of energy to start off the morning - or eat any time of day. 

We change the vegetables seasonally from asparagus to mushrooms, tomatoes to pumpkins. When you read the recipe, you will see, there is a lot more in there than just eggs. This rich and creamy frittata is worth every calorie.

What's the one recipe from the book that everyone should learn to make?

There are two recipes that I think everyone should learn to make. The first one is a truly Emilian gem: gnocco fritto. Beware: Once you learn how to make this, your family and friends will keep asking for it.

Gnocco fritto literally is fried dough. Making the dough is the easy part; learning to fry it takes practice. Gnocco fritto can be served really any time of day – breakfast, light lunch, pre-dinner snack, or starter for a casual gathering. I love it with a thin slice of mortadella or even plain and dipped into my cappuccino.

Then there is zabaione .... and, really what is life without zabaione? It sounds complicated, but it is not. It does take time to make - mostly whisking - but we can all use a little work on our arms, right? This Italian delicacy is such a treat—and creates a thrill when it arrives, yellow, creamy, sweet and delicious in the bowl. No one can resist. Add your espresso, gelato, dollop on top of a slice of chocolate cake, apple pie, any fruit or just dive in by the spoon. It is one of those magical ingredients that turns ordinary into extraordinary.

Casa ML (left) and Gnoccho Fritto (right)