Napa & Company Recap: Ode to a Blogger's Feast

Sometimes, a culinary experience is so sublime, Calliope is evoked. On Monday evening, 16 bloggers were invited to experience NAPA & CO, featuring their talented Executive Chef Arik Bensimon. We came, we ate, we were inspired. Tiny tidbits were passed, 6 courses were served, and wines were perfectly paired . But prose wouldn't do it justice. Only through poetry and some visual food porn can you, too, feel a part of our pilgrimage to edible rapture:

HAIKU

Duck egg gently poached

Hatched atop Fontina bed

Truffle chip pillows

Pork Belly Skewers

 Pickled Rhubarb Tangy, Sweet

Caramelized Delight

Oh, Hen of the Woods

Fennel Pollen Blanketing

Halibut Heaven

A SOUS VIDE SONNET

 Lamb Belly, Slow Cooked, Delicately Glides

 Resting, Dreaming upon its Fava bed

 Of oval, green lily pads lifting high

Medallions of glory, perfect tears shed

Under - it's magic. A pureed potion,

Beans are gently pummeled, drizzled, mashing

Like the spray of wild and feral ocean

Upon the taste buds, flavor waves crashing

Yet more awaits, forks descend, penetrate

White yogurt ribbons, goat's milk for the gods

Wrapped sweet morsels, surrendering to fate

Plump, fava clouds transport the savory pods

Paired with Chianti - Ambrosia, delight

Gourmand's nirvana, lamb belly, done right.

A BRISKET TALE

B etter than Bubby's

R aised on local grass

I nfused with jus

S avory, succulent, slightly sweet

K runchy Korn Kompote

E xquisite heirloom tomatoes

T ender, tantilizing, to DIE for

"Oolii" Oo lala!

Oolii - Croatian mushroom 

Oolii - "google" stumper 

Oolii - bride to the fettucine groom

Oolii - shitake trumper

Oolii - saffron sponge

Oolii - Chardonnay's friend

Oolii - take the plunge

Oolii - latest trend

DESSERT- A Mathematical Equation

Mascarpone cheese cake fluff + sweet basil infusion + fresh, infused raspberries = sublime finish + 16 sated foodies

LIMMERICK

There once was a girl from Nantucket...(oops - wrong limmerick!)

The Kitchen at Napa & Co

Really knows how to put on a show

With Bloggers around

To Impress and Astound

They certainly know what they know!

 A LITTLE LATIN DIDDY:

 Amo ergo edo.

 Edo ergo amo.

And now, some heartfelt prose to finish - Thank you, Mary, Charlie and Arik Bensimon for a most poetic evening. With admiration from CTbites.com.