Imagine a ray of Sicilian Sun...
Anna Tasca Lanza, of the Tasca d'Almerita - Regaleali Winery in Sicily, made a stop in Philadelphia at Fork! Anna prepared some of her family's time-honored recipes from her book, The Flavors of Sicily and Herbs and Greens from the Sicilian Countryside, on Wednesday, February 19th and Thursday, February 20th. In addition to authoring several books, Anna, who lives in Palermo, has a cooking school at Tasca d'Almerita - Regaleali. Wines from her family's winery accompanied the four-course dinner. The menu included an assortment of antipasti such as the Sicilian specialty Arancine (Saffron Rice Balls filled with Meat). Other highlights included Macco (Dried Fava Bean Soup with Croutons), Spaghetti al Pesto di Case Vecchie (Anna's Tomato Pesto), Agnello al Vino (Roasted Lamb with Red Wine), Pollo all'Arancia (Orange Roasted Chicken) or Timballo alla San Giovannella (Vegetarian Eggplant Timbale). Anna's cooking school at Tasca d'Almerita - Regaleali is internationally renowned (one of the top ten cooking schools in the world according to Conde Nast Traveler UK).
Put yourself in the hands of a chef...
On Friday, March 14, Fork welcomes Jody Adams, chef and co-owner of Rialto, the chic, sophisticated, highly regarded Boston restaurant, as part of Philadelphia's annual The Book and The Cook Festival. Jody's innovative cuisine, based on Mediterranean classics, has earned Rialto accolades from Food and Wine, Gourmet, and The Boston Globe, which awarded Rialto four stars. Jody was also named best Chef of the Northeast from the James Beard Foundation in 1997.

Her book, In the Hands of a Chef, co-written with her husband, writer Ken Rivard, illuminates Jody's culinary philosophy in which home cooked food is prepared with care and great ingredients - "artisanal home cooking". The book also features some of Rialto's signature dishes.  With her focus on fresh local ingredients and her interest in the arts, Jody is a great match for Fork's bistro-style straight-forward cooking.

Don't miss this great dinner. Seating is sure to sell out. Call 215.625.9425.

  • Northeast Local. Philadelphia playwright Tom Donaghy and the Arden Theatre's Terry Nolen began crafting plays together as childhood friends in Delaware County. The Philadelphia premiere of Northeast Local, is a moving drama that skillfully follows the lives of a couple who face many changes as their lives progress together.  Northeast Local runs through March 23rd. Subscribers can stop by Fork before or after the theatre for a 10% discount!

  • The Philadelphia Flower Show runs from Sunday, March 2 thru Sunday, March 9th. Fork is a perfect place to take a break from the crowds. Mid-day menu is available between 2:30 and 4:30 Monday through Friday. Fork serves late night Thursday through Saturday.

  • Dining Out for Life. On March 13th, Fork will contribute 33% of its total food sales to Action AIDS to benefit AIDS research and patient programs. Over the past five years, Fork has raised over $12,000!

  • Book and the Cook Dinner with Jody Adams, March 14th.

Featured Wine - Isole E Olena, Chianti Classico, Sangiovese, 1999, Italy

You don't have to be a wine aficionado to appreciate this outstanding Tuscan wine. Chianti, in the past, has gotten a bad wrap for jug wine in the basket. But over the past twenty years, Chianti has become known for producing some of the best and more affordable wines in Italy. Isole E Olena is considered one of the top 10 small producers in the world. This wine was on Wine Spectator's Top Ten Wines of 1999. The wine maker, Paolo De Marchi, is one of the most respected winemakers in the region. This wine is full of dried cherry fruit and moderate tannins and would be a perfect match for lamb, duck or even Fork's rib eye steak. For a special occasion, ask us about some of our reserve wines, which include De Marchi's Cepparello 1997, Antinori's Tignanello 1997 among others that we have bought and cellared over the past five years.


Recipe - Vegetarian Chili with Scallion Cornbread

Vegetarian Chili is one of the most popular winter lunch dishes among our staff. It's healthy, filling and delicious. Christina McKeough, lunch chef, has converted her special chili into an easy to make at home recipe - perfect for a Sunday afternoon get together, lunch or light supper. At the restaurant, we use dried beans and soak them overnight in cold water. Of course, most of us do not plan so far in advance, so a short-cut is to boil the beans, simmer for approximately two minutes, then remove from heat, cover and let stand one hour. Cooked beans should be tender, but not mushy. The best way to tell if beans are cooked is to break one open. If there is no white center, but the bean is approximately the same color all the way through, it is cooked. Use approximately 12 cups of water per one pound of beans for cooking. Here the recipe calls for canned beans in the event time is of the essence!

Vegetarian Chili
  • Olive oil
  • 2 large red peppers, diced
  • 2 large poblano or green peppers, diced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can Black Beans (8 oz.)
  • 1 can Black - Eyed Peas (8 oz.)
  • 1 can Kidney  Beans (8 oz.)
  • 1 can White Beans (8 oz.)
  • 1 bulb fennel, diced
  • 4 TB chili powder
  • 3 TB cumin
  • 3 TB coriander
  • 1 TB cayenne pepper
  • 3 large cans whole peeled tomatoes
In a large stock pot, heat oil (enough to cover bottom of pan). Add garlic, onions, peppers and fennel. Cook until soft. Add spices, beans and tomatoes. Turn heat to low, and simmer one to two hours until thickened, stirring occasionally. Garnish with any or all toppings.  Garnishes include cheddar cheese, scallions, sour cream, avocado, red onion and cornbread.

Scallion Cornbread
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 4 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 2 TB melted butter
  • 1 bunch chopped scallions
Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9" cake pan. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in center, add eggs and stir to incorporate. Add milk and buttermilk. Stir until just combined. Stir in melted butter and scallions. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake 25 minutes until golden.
Get in touch
If you are still receiving a paper version of this newsletter, but would prefer to receive the newletter electronically, please e-mail us at forkrestaurant@aol.com. Our e-mail recipients receive notification of many events that are smaller and less publicized.
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Casual dress.