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Help diciphering a menu item

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Maria Samms

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Help diciphering a menu item

by Maria Samms » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:32 pm

I was wondering what you would all interpret this as:

Braised Veal Shank, Sweetbread Cappelli, Carrots, Bouillon

What is a sweetbread cappelli? I know what sweetbreads are (and I love them btw) but I have no idea what Cappelli means. Any ideas?
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Stuart Yaniger » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:35 pm

Probably a hat-shaped pasta.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Thomas » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:36 pm

Stuart Yaniger wrote:Probably a hat-shaped pasta.


Or sweetbreads wearing a few hats...
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Jenise » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:10 pm

Or a pasta with bits of diced sweetbreads in there somehow. Basically, Maria, that one's open to interpretation--and the chef's imagination.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Bill Spencer » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:21 pm

Maria Samms wrote: ... but I have no idea what Cappelli means. Any ideas?


%^)

Good ol' Google !

"The variety of durum wheat known as Senatore Cappelli was selected in the early 20th century by Nazareno Strampelli, recognized internationally as the father of modern cereal culture. The variety attained record yeilds per hectare that were unsurpassed until the 1960s. Senatore Cappelli is a beautiful plant, standing over 180 cm tall. The ears, of a warm ash blond color, have long black whiskers and very large grains. Senatore Cappelli is a durm wheat variety of excellent quality, robust with short ears that tend to tear away from the stalk rather than grow longer. In its dry state, the pasta has a protein value of about 17 percent. The pasta retains its ash blond color when cooked, giving off a spicy fragrance reminiscent of freshly baked bread from a wood-fired oven. Its rich flavor and firm texture make it an exhilarating mouthful."

Clink !

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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by John Tomasso » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:00 am

I'm thinking it's angel hair pasta, tossed with, or otherwise accented by, sweetbreads.

I've always referred to angel hair pasta (which I can't stand, BTW) as capellini, but I think it's aka capelli d'angelo.

Would you mind calling the restaurant and getting the definitive answer on this? My curiosity is piqued.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Thomas » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:21 am

John Tomasso wrote:I've always referred to angel hair pasta (which I can't stand, BTW)


Hear, hear. Horrible stuff--like eating cobwebs.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Robert J. » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:57 am

Thomas wrote:
John Tomasso wrote:I've always referred to angel hair pasta (which I can't stand, BTW)


Hear, hear. Horrible stuff--like eating cobwebs.


Or little worms. And I believe that this is the translation of 'cappellini'. Could be wrong but I'm not going to mess with Google right now.

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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Mark Willstatter » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:48 pm

If you Google on "sweetbread cappelli", you'll find somebody's food blog about a visit to the restaurant in question (Tru) where the blogger mentions the pasta being cooked al dente, so it's clear this is pasta. Then you have at least two choices. As Bill found, Senatore Cappelli refers to a clone of durum wheat, named after an Italian minister of agriculture, which is made into pasta in all the usual shapes. But since menus usually refer to the shape of pasta, I'd lean toward the other theory, that here "cappelli" is short for cappelli d'angelo, or angel hair pasta. But whether that means conventional pasta accompanied by a sweetbread preparation or pasta that somehow incorporates sweetbreads, I have no guess. It looks like Tru is the sort of place that likes to play with foams and that kind of thing, so I suppose either is possible.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Maria Samms » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:34 pm

Stuart Yaniger wrote:Probably a hat-shaped pasta.


DING DING DING!

I believe Stuart is right on.

Mark Willstatter wrote:If you Google on "sweetbread cappelli", you'll find somebody's food blog about a visit to the restaurant in question (Tru) where the blogger mentions the pasta being cooked al dente, so it's clear this is pasta.


Mark...thanks for this...I am speaking of Tru because I will be dining there tomorrow evening and I wanted to pick out my food and wine.

Anyway, I found the blog you mentioned, and I don't think you noticed, but there are pics of the meals as well...I believe this is a pic of the braised veal dish with sweetbread capelli:

Image

Here is the blog:

http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/sear ... t%20review

Anyway, this is dish I am looking to order...but even if I don't, I will ask about the shape of the pasta for inquiring minds and report back. I do hope it's not Angel Hair, since I really am not a big fan, but I do believe that pic depicts the dish.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Bill Spencer » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:59 pm

%^)

Nothing better to do so googling again -

"Cappelletti is a version of tortellini coming from eastern Emilia-Romagna. This pasta is folded and then twisted to form the shape of a small hat. Like ravioli or tortellini, cappelletti can be stuffed and then sauced."

You would think the menu description would have used the word "cappelletti" instead of "cappelli" if the dish uses this "hat-shaped" version of pasta ...

Just my $0.02 ...

Clink !

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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Kyrstyn Kralovec » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:15 pm

Maria Samms wrote:
Anyway, I found the blog you mentioned, and I don't think you noticed, but there are pics of the meals as well...I believe this is a pic of the braised veal dish with sweetbread capelli:

Image

Anyway, this is dish I am looking to order...but even if I don't, I will ask about the shape of the pasta for inquiring minds and report back. I do hope it's not Angel Hair, since I really am not a big fan, but I do believe that pic depicts the dish.


I hope that's an appetizer!!
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Maria Samms » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:46 pm

LOL K...NO, it's actually an entree, although, I think the blogger had the tasting portion...so the entree may be bigger. We'll see!
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Mark Willstatter » Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:00 pm

Is the thing on the left of the picture the pasta, then?
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Robert J. » Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:05 pm

Mark Willstatter wrote:Is the thing on the left of the picture the pasta, then?


That or a used condom.

K, if it's an app then it will cost $18. If it's an entree then it will cost $35. Either way, that's all you get.

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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Maria Samms » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:09 pm

Robert J. wrote:That or a used condom.


THANKS ROBERT :roll: sheesh...now I'm REALLY looking forward to my meal! :lol:
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Robert J. » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:58 pm

Maria Samms wrote:
Robert J. wrote:That or a used condom.


THANKS ROBERT :roll: sheesh...now I'm REALLY looking forward to my meal! :lol:


I've been taking lessons from Stuart. If it helps, it probably looks better in real life.

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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Stuart Yaniger » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:02 pm

...which is more than you can say for me.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Ian Sutton » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:28 pm

If I recall my Italian correctly, Cappelli can mean both 'hats' and 'hair' (in the plural). I suspect from the comments above, it's the latter meaning of cappelli.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Maria Samms » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:28 pm

Ok, so using "freetranslation.com" I found that "Cappelli" (spelled with 2 p's) translates as "hats" and "Capelli" (spelled with only 1 p) translates as "hair".
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Stuart Yaniger » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:59 am

Always get your Italian advice from a Jew.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Robin Garr » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:27 am

Robert J. wrote:Or little worms.


Jumping back belatedly to this point, you're thinking of vermicelli.
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Howie Hart » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:50 am

Robin Garr wrote:
Robert J. wrote:Or little worms.


Jumping back belatedly to this point, you're thinking of vermicelli.
As pointed out in "Young Frankenstein". Of course, my favorite line from the movie is "But......I was going to make espresso" (Gene Hackman as the blind guy).
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Re: Help diciphering a menu item

by Robert J. » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:59 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
Robert J. wrote:Or little worms.


Jumping back belatedly to this point, you're thinking of vermicelli.


Yes, indeed. Thanks, Robin.

rwj
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