February 21, 2006
Primi e Apertivi
There is always bread baking at Falai, a small oasis of whitewashed walls on New York City's battered Lower East Side. A quiet hum emanates from the open kitchen as a small hassle of chefs intently focuses on putting out plates; a waiter circulates with a basket of focaccia just out of the oven, handing small warm discs out like Halloween candy to delighted guests. Guests murmur excitedly-whether over the wine, the food or the day doesn't matter. Falai radiates happiness and warmth, and every time I go there I wonder, can I do this at home? I asked chef Iacopo Falai and his partner, sommelier Alberto Taddei, and this autumn they agreed to help me plan a holiday party.
Read the rest of the article at Wine & Spirits Magazine.