Tastemakers: Mario Batali - Toast TO T.C. Film Fest

Aug. 2, 2006

Food Network star, cookbook author and award-winning celebrity chef Mario Batali has become a summertime fixture around Northern Michigan. Batali, along with his wife and two children, have a summer home on Lake Michigan near Northport. Last year he was the main attraction at the September Traverse Epicurean Classic. Family responsibilities will keep him from the Classic this fall, but there is still an opportunity to enjoy a meal prepared by Batali while picking up a few pointers in the kitchen.
Batali has again offered up his culinary skills for the Leelanau Conservancy’s annual auction. Last year’s dinner for 12, with wine, cooking lessons and a gourmet meal prepared by Batali went for $25,000. This year Batlai is donating an afternoon luncheon for 12 to take place at the Epicure Catering kitchen at Cherry Basket Farm in Omena.
“This will be a Sunday afternoon lunch in true style of Rome,” said Batali. “I am going to have guests arrive at 1 p.m. and taste wines from Leelanau Peninsula’s fabulous L. Mawby Vineyards and the best of southern Italy along with some hand-made salami from Babbo Ristorante in NYC. Guests will then participate in the creation of the meal that will include frascati and crostini to start, artichokes, fava beans, pecorino, fettuccine, lamb, cherries, peaches and the bounty of the Leelenau Peninsula married to the delightful sentiment that is Roman cooking at its most divine starting at 1 in the afternoon and going until the Roman mindset is achieved.”
Batali, who last year received the top chef designation in the world, didn’t have to think twice to offer up the auction item. “Leelanau is an incredibly beautiful, unique place that I hope will retain its character and natural treasures. What you have here is invaluable and I am delighted to help the Leelanau Conservancy in its efforts to protect it,” he said.
To learn more about this fabulous opportunity and to participate in the annual Leelanau Conservancy Silent Auction and Picnic this Thursday, August 3 visit
www.theconservancy.com or call their office to buy tickets (231) 256-9665.


A Toast to the Traverse City Film Festival
During the Traverse City Film Festival there will be several parties to celebrate the week’s happenings. Celebrities, VIP’s, the media and others will gather at these open-to-the-public affairs to converse, see and be seen. Thanks to the vision of festival founders Michael Moore, John Robert Williams and Doug Stanton, locally made wines from the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas along with brews from Bellaire-based Shorts Brewery will be “seen” and “tasted” by those who partake in the many celebrations.
The Festival has a huge budget and there are financial pressures that would make it easy for organizers to accept the temptations of mega-California or Australian-based winery sponsorships. But they have chosen not to, instead setting forth to make the Traverse City Film Festival a celebration of the area. So kudos to Moore, Williams and Stanton for realizing that while the Festival is about “just great movies,” it is also about all the wonderful things and people that make this area great.
The Film Festival will kick off with an opening ceremony on Monday, July 31 with Governor Granholm and Moore honoring actor Jeff Daniels with the first-ever Michigan Filmmaker Award. Daniels will be presented with a one-of-a-kind magnum of Talismøn from L. Mawby Vineyards on the Leelanau Peninsula, followed by a toast. Glasses will be filled with sparkling wines from 10 of the area’s 22 wineries. So we offer a toast to the 700+ volunteers, the 200 businesses and individuals who have sponsored various aspects of the Festival and to the community of Northern Michigan for embracing the event. To purchase tickets to the parties visit
www.traversecityfilmfest.org or call the box office at (231) 929-1506.