Hello Friends,
Just a quick update from my last Email.

First of all, a warm welcome to all the new RigaTony’s fans who have signed up over the past several weeks! I will do my best to make these infrequent emails informative and delicious.

In my last email I offered a challenge to you for a chance to be Guest Tasters in our next Wine Dinner Development Meeting. The challenge was to write to me and make your case as to why you are the most qualified person to be a food/wine taster. This is a chance to be locked in a room for several hours with Mike & Chrissy, Chef Hutson and our wine vendor, and critique the many food courses and countless wine varietals that will ultimately comprise our next Wine Dinner. It came down to two finalists, both of whom made compelling cases for different reasons. One begged to be chosen in the name of her Italian grandmother, saying that being chosen would finally give Grandma something to be proud of her for. The other is a long time customer who is attempting to intimidate me with his private collection of 300 wines, regular visits to Napa and 20+ years of culinary pursuits in his home kitchen. In the end I couldn’t say no to either one of them so congrats to both Jim and Jennifer who have been awarded the title of Guest Tasters at our next development meeing. Pictures of the event will be forthcoming. (The actual wine dinner is scheduled for Monday September 12th, and soon we’ll send out a detailed announcement.)

As you may remember I offered all of you a scoop of our cool delicious Spumoni Ice Cream if you said “Mike is Cool” when you visited us earlier in the summer. The response? Well, some of our servers have developed carpel tunnel symptoms from scooping spumoni all summer. Some of you think I’m so cool that you were compelled to come in several times! I also offered “extra points” for anyone who could work “Mike is Cool” into a memorable conversation. The extra points would include a video of your conversation posted on our web site. Well the operative word is “memorable” and under that criteria Bob Auffert wins hands down. It is admittedly a little off-color but hilariously delivered, so I will risk any negative comments and post away! Congratulations Bob!

Oh and regarding my pledge to develop a delicious cannoli to add to our menu. I am pleased to announce that Chef Hutson has nailed it. He has perfected a delicious shell and developed various exotic fillings and the results are to die for. All that remains is to expand the recipes and our production, but I predict a surprise for all of you in a few days, so keep your eye on your email boxes.

Thanks for a great summer and I’ll be in touch soon.

Mike Lopercio