The Culinary Yes! Of Nonna’s
By Norm Wheeler
Sun editor
It’s a quiet evening in The Village at The Homestead. Months of heavy equipment excavations and re-shaping around the parking area at the base of the ski hill are nearly complete, and four days of constant rain have settled the dust and painted the hillsides the lush green of a cool, wet June. But inside the elegant eatery called Nonna’s, it’s warm and welcoming. Mimi and I are meeting dear friends Bronwyn and Joe to share an intimate evening and to celebrate the men’s June birthdays by indulging in the offerings of Chef John M. Piombo. With wife Sarah and daughters Alessia and Giovanna, Chef Piombo is back in the cool north after a brief hiatus in Miami. By his smile you can see he’s pleased with the return. And soon so are we.
We get right after it with a bottle of Shiraz Nine Stones Barossa, which Mimi declares is “peppery and excellent,” and then we give ourselves over to the expert care and radiant enthusiasm of Carly Krull, our fabulous server and another friend. Before we have reached a consensus regarding the Primi Piatti (appetizers), Carly arrives with servings of ‘amuse brouche’ for each of us. These are tiny tastes to “tickle your mouth” and awaken your appetite. Tonight it’s thick slices of golden beets topped with a basil leaf and then a mozzarella medallion. Fresh and savory, with balsamic salmoriglio and herbs (and some crushed pepper) on top, these beautifully presented summery flavors really ring the dinner bell and raise our expectations about the meal to come.
We agree to proceed by sharing the Polpette, and we must also try the crab cakes, because Joe remembers a story. The famous author James A. Michener lived for a time in Massachusetts while writing Chesapeake. In order to keep his reason for being there a secret, he told the curious that he was just “writing a little book about crab cakes.” Wanting to be mentioned in his book, the locals kept showing up with plates of crab cakes for the great man to sample throughout his stay!
Envious of his forethought, and now even hungrier, we gush at the beauty of the Primi Piatti when Carly sets the warm plates on the table. The veal and Duroc pork Polpette with baby arugula, lemon, radish and celery salad is a lovely combination of greens topped with cheese shavings, and Joe says “Yum!” The tang of the spring greens and the lemon zestiness is the perfect counter-balance to the grilled meaty flavor of the pork. “And the fennel is important,” Mimi adds. We turn to the warm crab cakes, topped with a basil leaf, sundried tomatoes, and roasted red pepper. Each bite is warm and piquant, softer and moister than any crab cake I have ever tasted, and here again Chef Piombo has created a fine counterpoint between the rich fish and the fresh chopped vegetables and the gremolata. All of the delicate flavors are perfectly matched.
We take our time and revel in these moments because we are all unapologetic foodies. Mimi is the owner and artist of Grocers Daughter Chocolate in Empire, and Bronwyn and Joe run the Fresh Food Partnership in Traverse City, a nonprofit that raises money to help get fresh produce from local farms to the food pantries in the area that serve the needy. We learn that Cassidy Edwards from Glen Arbor is now helping to coordinate those fresh produce pick-ups and deliveries. And that Crystal Wilcox, one of the organizers of the popular New Year’s Eve Cherry-T Ball Drop in Traverse City (she’s not the one who stole some of the money) will organize the next big Teleganza, one of FFP’s fundraising events.
All of Nonna’s pasta is homemade and hand-made. And the saffron and asparagus risotto of the day sounds tantalizingly delicious. But tonight we go for the Piatte Principali. Bronwyn wants the grilled Atlantic swordfish with capers, peppers, and zucchini, Mimi chooses the wood-fired lamb chops in a chocolate-espresso glaze with mint pesto, my intuition leads me toward the veal scaloppini with foraged mushrooms “stock” brandy, cream, and truffle peelings, while Joe really man’s up and goes for the huge Porterhouse steak rubbed with sea salt and herbs.
Each of us tucks in when Carly arrives with the big plates. First she puts a communal plate of roasted asparagus spears and rosemary potatoes in the middle for all to reach. As I am also hungry for good copy for this story, I challenge my dining mates to allow the flavors to transport them, and then to tell me where they have gone. Bronwyn lifts her fork with an ample piece of swordfish and closes her eyes. “I’m in Montauk, Long Island,” she says. “It’s late April, and there are very few people. You can taste the salty fog near the ocean, but the capers, red peppers, and zucchini bring in overtones of Spain and Italy, Mediterranean flavors to go with the cold Atlantic.” Again she’s astonished by how the flavors are so well balanced.
When Joe carves into the big rubbed Porterhouse, he remembers going with his high school creative writing class to visit the Chicago stockyards. After the tour they were led to a private room that was dark and lined with tables. Everyone ordered a steak. The Swedish exchange student ordered Steak Tartar. When it arrived and he pointed out to the server “It isn’t cooked,” the waiter scoffed, “It comes that way!” The shamed Swede ate it all and then disappeared for a while. Joe acknowledges that this is much better than the steak he ate at 17, and “It goes a lot better with Shiraz!!”
My veal scaloppini smothered in mushrooms immediately takes me to South Texas. I can hear the calves worrying the herd. Captain Call and Gus McCrae from Lonesome Dove are rounding up the cows and the cowhands, and through the meat and mushrooms come lovely, smooth, earthy flavors that capture the hearty immediacy of an outdoor meal eaten with the time to savor every mouthful.
Nonna’s is laid out so that you can dine at the bar, in the lovely, intimate dining room, or privately at the Captain’s Table, an even more elegant dining area for six or more with its own big window. The staff is warm, informative, and thoroughly helpful, and Chef Piombo’s flavorful balancing act of deft food making is an art to behold.
Especially the dessert! As we lean back, satisfied and sated, glowing with the accumulated joy of outstanding food and great company, Carly Krull returns smiling to our table with the seasonal treat: strawberries and ice cream (or is it gelato?). But this is laved in a balsamic vinegar reduction laced with black pepper. It is a heavenly, erotic, totally unexpected combination of flavors. This finale is tangy and spicy and sweet and bold and cold, an adventure for your mouth. “It’s as if,” Bronwyn says, “Carmen (from the opera) does dark, sexy strawberry dessert. It’s very creative, and stunning!” You can also choose from chocolate truffle cake, torta della Nonna, banana fosters, fragole and gelato, apple tart, or vanilla gelato with seasonal berries. There are selections of fine cheeses, great “digestivi,” and interesting dessert martinis.
We have had a rewarding, delicious, and carefully balanced evening at Nonna’s with Chef Piombo. You will too. It’s simple, unpretentious, and good! Call (231) 334-5150 for reservations.
