- Left: Derek Dammann, Top right: Paolo Macchi and Nathalie Rivard: Bottom right: Kim Vallee and Hivron “MrsMacchi” Turanli
On the launch of my Blog, the first product that I introduced was our key product: The Citterio Prosciutto. Kim Vallee sent me a message on twitter and let me know that she had by then only had one kind, of the five kinds of prosciutto that we are supplying and I quickly responded to her and offered her to have a Prosciutto tasting with us over a lunch at restaurant DNA in Montreal. With me I brought my husband and the President of our company Macchi Inc. Paolo Macchi and Kim were accompanied with the all so pleasant foodie friend of hers, Nathalie Rivard. As we all installed our selves at the table, there were 4 cameras and one video camera, one computer and 3 iphones covering our table and I was just thinking; “will there be any room for the plates?”
– Of course, there was :)!!!
We started our lunch with introducing ourselves, since this was the first time I’ve met with Kim Vallee and her being a veteran in the blogging world and me being a new beginner, there was a lot of excitement on my part. But to think that there would be any kind of silence or awkward moments at the table since this was our first time meeting, is terribly wrong. The conversation was flowing between the four of us and everything was so interesting, from Kim continuously coming up with new ideas of potential new projects and Nathalie’s endless travelling experience, to Paolo’s knowledge and family secrets and tips on our products, this would have been for anyone, ease dropping a “wikipedia heaven”.
Then the first plate arrives and there is an immediate silence!
Executive Chef and part owner Chef Derek Dammann presenting us with Prosciutto (local), Prosciutto San Daniele 18 month and Culatello
Paolo starts explaining about the prosciutto and Nathalie quickly picks up the video camera and starts filming, this is how it went on for five courses introducing our five kinds of prosciutto “crudo” (raw). This lunch went on for aprox. 4 hours and let me tell you that if we all didn’t have other things to go to after it could have easily gone on for another two hours!
On the picture above we have:
1. Prosciutto, local – Quebec charentes melon, lemon juice, baby basil
2. Prosciutto San Daniele, 18 month – Grilled Ontario peaches, Mint, horseradish
3. Culatello – Fingerling potatoes, mustard vinaigrette, mustard seed, mustard oil, DNA pickles, micro herbs
Throughout the tasting we were enlightened with the presence of Derek Dammann coming to our table explaining the dishes that he had made. The manager and part owner Alex Cruz made sure that his very pleasant and professional serving staff catered to all of our needs and that the water and wine glasses were never left empty at the table. Finished plates were quickly removed and bread basket always filled.
Prosciutto di Parma 24 month, Prosciutto di Parma 14 month and Pork blood and chocolate panna cotta with strawberries
The next two plates that were brought out;
4- Prosciutto di Parma, 24 month – Mostarda di castagne, Mustard greens
5- Prosciutto di Parma, 14 month – Bliss maple vinegar, Parmigiano reggiano shavings
We were now all in a place of complete satisfaction and mutually agreed that the ‘Mostarda di Castagne’ (candied chestnuts flavored with mustard and vanilla), another one of our products, was a perfect way to finish our last plate of prosciutto with.
Thinking that we were now done since we were all very satisfied and not to mention stuffed, Derek comes out asking us if there is any room for desert?
Now to say there was room for more, wouldn’t be entirely true, but we were a female dominating table and just as they say that you reach a mans heart through his stomach, I think I could comfortably make the statement that you reach a woman’s heart with a good desert, you will at least keep her satisfied!
And he did!
6. Pork blood and chocolate panna cotta with strawberries
In one sentence; Man ( pork blood) meets woman ( chocolate )!
Tasted like something i’ve never tasted before, and I would recommend everyone to give it a taste on your next visit at DNA Restaurant.
I would like to end this by thanking Kim Vallee, Nathalie Rivard and Paolo Macchi for a really enjoyable lunch and to give Derek Dammann and Alex Cruz a standing ovation, not only for this specific day but for always making us and whom ever we are accompanied with, leave their restaurant extremely happy and content.
Thank You!
-MrsMacchi-