It's been a strange time lapse since I returned from the States.
Having sampled the very best that Chicago has to offer....in four days I tested: Roka....exquisite Asian nibbles and Saki, Benny's, the Tavern on Rush, Smith and Wollensky's (treated to oysters + Lobsters by Stephen Scarr), Gibsons (where I sang My Way after too many cocktails), Piano Terzo (where I rapped with the group HoddiiboysTV.....yup)' the Purple Pig and finally Ralph Lauren (tasted the delectable Perch).
We drove in Jodi's off roader Cadillac out to the Hamstra Golf Club and savoured classic hot dogs before Greg Hamstra explained his plans for all the earth moving and additions to the course.
After lunch Tony Bos took me on an intense and extensive tour of his world famous dairies. It was simply fascinating to see what he had built up over his lifetime. The sheer scale of his farms is awe inspiring... Something like 20'000 cattle being milked three times per day in an automated milking parlour built by Greg Hamstra.....who is now taking his designs to Russia.
Tony was very generous with his time and information, giving me a full afternoon, and explaining his visitor centre and cheese making plant. Afterwards Mary Beth Bos served us delicious wine. Jodi Hamstra took me to her lovely country home to admire her lovely paintings before driving me back to the city and out to dinner at Roka.
I was able to quickly pop in to see Stephen Scarr's empire and then the offices of Norm Bobins and meet Ann his secretary who had become a friend over emails and phone calls.
I arrived in London to go straight to a wonderful Thanks Giving lunch at the Savoy. My guests were Olinda Adeane and the lovely Connie and Natale Rusconi. Olinda introduced me to the Rusconi's when we drove to Venice a couple of years ago.
Natale Rusconi is the hotel legend that ran the Cipriani for some 40 years or so. It was an exquisite and long lunch with charming and amusing anecdotes. A lot of the staff remembered serving him over the years and I believe Natale was touched by the warmth and attention he received.
Having sampled the very best that Chicago has to offer....in four days I tested: Roka....exquisite Asian nibbles and Saki, Benny's, the Tavern on Rush, Smith and Wollensky's (treated to oysters + Lobsters by Stephen Scarr), Gibsons (where I sang My Way after too many cocktails), Piano Terzo (where I rapped with the group HoddiiboysTV.....yup)' the Purple Pig and finally Ralph Lauren (tasted the delectable Perch).
We drove in Jodi's off roader Cadillac out to the Hamstra Golf Club and savoured classic hot dogs before Greg Hamstra explained his plans for all the earth moving and additions to the course.
After lunch Tony Bos took me on an intense and extensive tour of his world famous dairies. It was simply fascinating to see what he had built up over his lifetime. The sheer scale of his farms is awe inspiring... Something like 20'000 cattle being milked three times per day in an automated milking parlour built by Greg Hamstra.....who is now taking his designs to Russia.
Tony was very generous with his time and information, giving me a full afternoon, and explaining his visitor centre and cheese making plant. Afterwards Mary Beth Bos served us delicious wine. Jodi Hamstra took me to her lovely country home to admire her lovely paintings before driving me back to the city and out to dinner at Roka.
I was able to quickly pop in to see Stephen Scarr's empire and then the offices of Norm Bobins and meet Ann his secretary who had become a friend over emails and phone calls.
I arrived in London to go straight to a wonderful Thanks Giving lunch at the Savoy. My guests were Olinda Adeane and the lovely Connie and Natale Rusconi. Olinda introduced me to the Rusconi's when we drove to Venice a couple of years ago.
Natale Rusconi is the hotel legend that ran the Cipriani for some 40 years or so. It was an exquisite and long lunch with charming and amusing anecdotes. A lot of the staff remembered serving him over the years and I believe Natale was touched by the warmth and attention he received.