Our Favorite Meals of 2024: Part Three
For the 13th year, we have asked some folks to recap their favorite meal of the calendar year. Part three features 8 contributors talking about meals they've had locally and around the world.
We’ve been asking people about their favorite meals for 13 years now and it’s still one of our favorite annual traditions. For those who are not familiar, here’s the deal. We simply ask some friends of Eats, new and old, to send us some words about a memorable meal of the calendar year.
The meal write ups we receive range from home cooked meals with family, trips to Michelin star restaurants in Europe, a local dive bar and everything in between. We hope you enjoy the following meals, the people who wrote these descriptions took time out of their busy lives to share with us meals that made them happy in 2024.
Additionally, we make an effort to reach out to people that we either admire or genuinely enjoy their work and recommend you check out their social media accounts or businesses. All are linked below.
Adam Zyglis
Pulitzer Prize Winning Cartoonist at The Buffalo News, 3x Contributor
My favorite all around experience was definitely the Dinner Club at Black Iron Bystro. I just love their concept - a four course food and drink pairing, and the whole menu is a culinary surprise that changes weekly. Yes please. It’s definitely for the slightly adventurous and not-so-picky eaters, but fully worth it. Sitting down in their sleek and intimate dining space in Kenmore, it was a nice feeling knowing that we didn’t need to make any decisions the rest of the evening. I especially loved the crab dumpling dish (pictured above) and the duck with black rice. They were smartly paired with a mix of unique cocktails and wine. Homemade donuts and sorbet were presented for a winning dessert.
My favorite go-to comfort meal this year (and in year’s past) is the lentil wrap at the Parkside Meadow, our beloved neighborhood establishment. The PM is like Cheers for Parkside - everyone knows your name, and you know theirs, including owners Nancy and Len. The lentil wrap is warm and gooey, with the combo of sriracha mayo and other ingredients exuding a spicy vegetarian Big Mac vibe. Satisfying every time.
The meal this year that unexpectedly hit the spot, was a post-hike meal in Schroon Lake.
After we climbed Mount Marshall on a long cold Adirondack day, we arrived at Pitkins, absolutely famished. I ordered a local beer and a giant crock of their French onion soup with fries. The sodium hit from the French onion helped to quench my dehydration, while the warmth soothed my bones.
My favorite cocktail this past year was the Toronto I ordered at Saint Neri. I’ve been on a Toronto cocktail kick, and theirs was pitch perfect.
Jay Langfelder & Amanda Jones
Owners of Pizzeria Florian, 4x Contributors
When you work in the food and restaurant industry, you eat a lot of food. We love what we do—constantly eating, tasting, and enjoying—but sometimes eating so much starts to make everything taste boring.. That’s why the moments when you eat something that makes you smile and laugh because it is so good - those moments stand out.
For us, one of those moments this year was at a restaurant called Kiin in Toronto. We had their 12-course vegan tasting menu, and multiple times during the meal, we just looked at each other and started laughing at how incredible each bite was. The meal was spectacular in every sense—every dish, every drink, every detail was flawless. It was an experience I haven’t had in a long time and one I’ll always remember.
While in Toronto, we always go to Egg Club. Think Egg Slut but better. The breakfast sandwiches are some of the best we have eaten served on Japanese-style milk bread with a folded egg and in various flavor combinations, simple but absolutely perfect. And don’t forget the hashbrowns! They’re perfectly crispy on the outside with a soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet and tangy interior. Every time we’re in Toronto now, it’s a must-have.
We’ll be quick and to the point for our pizza recommendation. We have gone to various cities hitting up all their pizza places. We have had it all, and if we had to give you one place to go it would be Mamma’s Too (upper west side NYC or East Village). Every time we’re in New York, we make it a point to go. Whether it’s their traditional round pie or their square slices, the pizza is the kind you crave. There’s something about it that hits all the right notes: nostalgia, great ingredients, and elevated technique. Forget all the other places food writers are constantly hyping up, save your time and money and go here.
Sticking with NYC we always go to Superior Burger, which has quickly become another favorite of ours in New York City. Both the food and the vibe are offer something new - fun, loose, quirky and ever changing. Whether you are a vegetarian or not it’s a must stop and you’ll never get bored with their innovative menu items.
Closer to home, one of our regular go-to spots is Butter Block. It’s a favorite for us and our staff, especially for a little midday pick-me-up. Everything they make, from pastries to treats, is the kind of food that brings instant joy. No trips to NYC or Paris needed. These pastries are world class. Thanks for saving us all the trip Butter Block fam!
Rounding out our list is Rosie’s Ice Cream. When you eat their treats you can tell they take the same approach to food we do - just do it right. Make it yourself and do it right. Get the waffle cone, it’s full of flavor and is delicious on it’s own. You can’t go wrong with any of the flavors but the vegan ice cream and sorbets truly shine.
Regina Schrambling
NYC Based Food Writer, 7x Contributor
My best meal of 2024 was in a city I never thought I would get to experience again. The food was spectacular, but what made it so memorable was a combination of deja vu and hope&change — we had eaten blissfully at this osteria on previous trips to Italy, and this time the arty dining room had a painting of a beaming Barack Obama with a Negroni and the bathroom had souvenir condoms.
Ever since Covid lockdown I’d been longing to get back to Turin, my second-favorite city in the world (after New York, of course). So my former consort finally agreed to go if we tacked on a trip to Bologna, too. (A first for both of us.) And every meal in both cities was a revelation, but the one that sticks in my cranial sieve was lunch at Ristorante Consorzio, which has an emphasis on Piemontese wines.
So we were thrilled to see the blackboard menu listed timorasso (a rare grape being revived) and for all of 7 euros a glass. For starters we shared a gutsy crunchy-but-oozy fresh egg with Swiss chard and bacon and then a plate of anchovies presented three ways: breaded and fried, simply fried and garnished with red onion, and fried atop buttered toast. (One thing about Italy: They do simple with great variety.)
Our mains were roasted asparagus blanketed in saffron sabayon and bee pollen, followed by quintessential agnolotti, the Piemontese take on ravioli. All of it sounds straightforward but tasted phenomenal.
This is a Michelin one-star restaurant, after all, one that is also on some of those (admittedly suspect) “best in the world” lists. But so much of it was just about being back in Turin, a magical city that is partly magical because so few Americans go there (unlike Bologna, I might add).
For anyone interested in closer-to-home happy meals, though, I can wholeheartedly recommend Parla and Foul Witch and King and El Fish in Manhattan and Mawn and Illata and El Chingon and Alice in Philadelphia and Amparo and Albi in Washington, D.C., and especially Mon Lapin and Foxy and Violon in Montreal. (Pro tip? Ask the servers in a restaurant you love where they eat. And take notes.)
PS: We braved Buffalo in the blizzard via Amtrak (delayed a day) and had two excellent dinners, at Saint Neri and at Toutant. We also picked up a t-shirt at Bread Hive after an unsurprisingly great meal.
Worker-owned cooperatives should be the future.
Camera Guy Bill
Lead Content Producer at First We Feast, 2x Contributor
What’s up?! Camera Guy Bill here, back for Year 2 of sharing some of my favorite meals of 2024!
First on the list is some good ol’ Texas BBQ. I had the privilege of being invited down to Austin, Texas, this past February to sample some of the best BBQ the great state of Texas has to offer, and man, they did not disappoint. I ate SO MUCH BBQ that by the end of the shoot day, I felt like I was going to explode, just like that guy at the end of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. While everything I ate hit a spot I didn’t even know needed scratching, one BBQ joint stood out above all the rest.
La Barbecue in East Austin blew my taste buds out of the water. I don’t think I’d ever had BBQ this finger-licking good in my 32 years on this planet. What was wild is that this was stop #3 on the BBQ tour, and although I was already uncomfortably full, I took it upon myself to eat as much from the sampler plate as I could stomach. The brisket was cooked to perfection, with each bite of glistening meat melting on my tongue just like a perfect snowflake at the North Pole. I was giddy, eating every last bite. Next up on the meat odyssey came the spicy jalapeño and chipotle homemade sausages. These puppies packed a PUNCH. Each bite delivered a satisfying snap and pop from the casing, exploding with heat and spice from these Tex-Mex behemoths. I couldn’t eat all that meat without some vegetables, so I topped it off with an order of whole pickled jalapeño peppers, which I dunked in some smoked macaroni and cheese. If you’re ever in Austin, DO NOT skip this place. Wait in line for as long as it takes, because I can guarantee your life will be forever changed. YEEEHAAWWWWW!
Second on my list of favorite meals was the Buffalo Chicken Wing Tour (video above) that I hosted for First We Feast. After almost eight years of pestering the heads of First We Feast, they finally allowed me to return to my hometown to film a quick chicken wing documentary. We ran around the city for 36 hours, filming as much chicken wing content as we could muster. We hit up Duff’s, Wingnutz, Doc Sullivan’s, and Bar Bill in East Aurora. The latter two, I’m ashamed to admit, were first-time visits for me, and I’m sad I waited so long to try them. I ate so many chicken wings, with so many cool Buffalonian guests, that they had to wheel me back to the airport. I’m very proud of how the episode turned out, and I’m thrilled that I was able to showcase a city and a food that I love with all my heart.
Honorable Best Meal Mention: The Costco Hot Dog
I just had my first child, so my wife and I moved from NYC to the suburbs of Long Island. We now take weekly trips to Costco to stockpile diapers and other baby supplies. No matter what kind of day I’m having, the Costco Hot Dog is always there for me. Its large sign smiles down upon me with its $1.50 price tag, and I know all is right in the world. It’s the perfect five-bite meal, topped with mustard and relish that comes out of a pump, and sprinkled with chopped white onions. If I ever get to have a large last meal, this hot dog will definitely be making the spread.
Lily Fischer
Buffalo Eats, First Time Contributor!
The best meal I had in 2024 would have to be from Max's Allegheny Tavern in Pittsburgh, PA. Some quick back story on how I stumbled upon this restaurant: A week before our trip to Pittsburgh this past October, all I could think about was a long since closed German restaurant from West Seneca, called Scharf's and how much I missed their food. So with a hope and prayer, I Googled "German restaurants Pittsburgh" and Max's was the first to appear. Do yourself a favor and look at their interior photos and tell me you wouldn't enjoy a meal there. My cousin Anna and her boyfriend Derek, our generous hosts, were on board to try it out with us.
Walking into the restaurant you immediately feel at home with the visual warmth of the room and the aromas from the kitchen. You're not sure who's home, but it feels familiar. The entire waitstaff is about the same age as your mother or grandmother. After bringing us our steins of beer, we ordered soft pretzels with homemade mustard and the sausage & cheese plate. For dinner, starting with my plate, I had the classic Wiener Schnitzel, Anna had the Weisswurst sausage (I still wake up thinking about it), my sister had the Bratwurst with a side of kase spatzles, and Derek had the show stopping Schnitzel ala Holstein, served with a fried egg, anchovies, and capers on top.
With the incredible food and the warm, homey atmosphere, and the good company, it was truly the best meal of 2024.
Marybeth Sandy
Executive Pastry Chef and Sous Chef at Harvest Restaurant, First Time Contributor!
When I think back to all the food I’ve ate and cooked in the last year, my favorite memories come from my time on Stillwater Farm. A peaceful, family run lamb farm, right here in Western New York. Each summer, they put on a series of dinners featuring WNY chefs and restaurants, in support for C.A.R.E. at Stillwater. C.A.R.E. at Stillwater is a non-profit program that invites pediatric patients from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and their families to join the family at the farm for a special day of outdoor fun, farm education, and healthy eating experiences. C.A.R.E. at Stillwater also works with the PUNT Cancer Collaborative directly supporting their bereavement program.
I learned of this beautiful farm and family in the early months of Harvest Restaurant being opened. After dining as a guest with the Harvest kitchen staff and family at Stillwater, we were invited with open arms to be featured in a dinner in the 2023 summer season. This past summer, I was able to cook at the farm twice, once with Harvest and once with 5 other talented and well known WNY chefs for a special 6 chef 6 course dinner. I was also able to attend two dinners as a guest and enjoy some time under the guest tent.
When I try and pick which meal and day was my favorite, it’s extremely difficult. The meals I attended as guest were both unforgettable. Both Black Iron Bystro in Kenmore and the final dinner for Chef Ross Warhol’s Perennial. Being a guest on that farm is like being welcomed into a distant family you never knew you had.
My days as a chef on the farm, under the chef tent, stand tall in my mind as the best days of my year. There is a different feeling you get when working towards a strong cause and the feeling of togetherness. Those days also weigh just a little heavier. The chef tent is set directly across from the memory orchard, a fruit tree planted for each child who has passed in the PUNT program. Looking onto those trees reminds me just how precious each life is, especially the small lives. You can feel the love, pain, sorrow, grief, and passion on those grounds the moment you step foot on the property.
On September 30th, over 10 different WNY service industry professionals came together to craft the most beautiful menu for the most beautiful cause. Leading up to that day was a lot of nerves on my end, I was given the responsibility of creating the final course of the night, dessert of course. Being a very young pastry chef, new to the scene, I was up with a lot of big dogs who have shown their strength and pride in the work over many years. I knew this was a time for me to shine and show what I was capable of. I set out to create something different, something fun, but most importantly something challenging. Finally I landed on a dessert trio consisting of a fig leaf Paris-Brest, an old fashion cocktail caramel chocolate tarte, and lemon basil panna cotta topped with aged balsamic and strawberry gel. In the days leading up to the dinner, some things went perfect, some didn’t, but I worked through the problems and finally found my dream outcome.
Finally, the farm dinner day came and it was time to meet some new people, enjoy a farm day and serve some killer food, and that’s what we did! From hanging with the animals, to laughs under the chef tent, and finally serving our guests, the day was perfect. The menu was perfect. The night started under the welcome tent with a beautiful spread from Artigiania and a killer cocktail from Graylnn and Ballyhoo. Once under the dinner tent, dinner started with a bang, Chef Brad Rowell brought out an intriguing lobster toast for course 1. Next up was Chef Ed Forester of Waxlight with a beautifully crafted carrot gazpacho, garnished with a pickled shrimp, now that was cool. Third course we had Chef Michael Dimmer of Marble + Rye with wood grilled chicken, cooked on the open wood fire at the farm. Chef Valentina Garcia Montano came next with a delicious humita with grilled veggies with her signature chimichurri. Final savory course was left to Chef Ross Warhol, a huge WNY inspiration of mine. Without fail, he brought a perfectly plated and balanced Waygu Pastrami Short Rib. Man was I nervous to end the meal after that line up, but it was my time.
By the end of the night, I knew I did it. Not only did I impress myself but the other chefs and guests there. My mom and aunt were also in attendance to the dinner that night and seeing the pride of their faces was unforgettable. I’ll never forget that day on the farm or really any day on the farm. Sometimes I still wonder how I ended up on that lineup but the farm owner, Jay Braymiller, will always remind me he put me on that list for a reason. Not only can my desserts stand tall with a menu like that, but I am a true supporter of the cause they are working so hard for. Stillwater farm holds a very special place in my heart and there’s no other meal in 2024 that can compare to a meal that was cooked and ate on that farm.
Jessika Schreiber
Vocalist with XOXO Pop Band, 3x Contributor
Two-foot nachos and a dream.
Well, two dreams. Finish the nachos and win the game. We came real damn close on both. Was this my "best meal of 2024" in the culinary sense? Not even close. However, getting the chance to take my soon-to-be step-daughter (although we just say daughter now) out alone for the night to watch some good ole Buffalo sport and mow down two feet of indulgent nachos with free tickets and a parking pass (thank you, sweet baby Jesus) gifted to us an hour before the game? Nothing better.
Dylan England
Director of Coffee Operations at Spot, Singer/Guitarist of Del Paxton, 5x Contributor
I’m always flattered and excited when I receive this email request from Buffalo Eats! Huge love and respect for the team there; I appreciate you giving me a chance to talk about food.
This year, my band Del Paxton played seven shows in the UK, so many of my best meals were from that week. We had everything from proper curry to full English breakfasts and banoffee flapjacks. We also had a lot of not-so-great Americanos. Shout out to Papercup in Glasgow and Crick’s Corner in London for our filter coffee fix! Our last show of the tour was in Brighton, where we enjoyed fish and chips right on the English Channel. The fish was fine, the fries were good, but the mushy peas and chip butty were the real highlights. Mushy peas are exactly what they sound like, and a chip butty is a French fry sandwich on bread. We may or may not have been imbibing Buckfast on the train ride down to Brighton, which I cannot fully recommend—unless you have a chip butty waiting to soak it all up.
I also went to California this year on holiday with my wife. As soon as we landed in LA, we went to Night + Market in Silver Lake. Thai food and natural wine are two of our favorite things, and this place nailed both. We stayed in Joshua Tree and had an incredible lunch at La Copine. Their house salad was the best salad I’ve ever had—hard stop. It featured a mix of fresh lettuces, asparagus, radishes, and fried capers, topped with smoked salmon and a poached egg. I also had the steak sandwich there, which was made with Japanese BBQ sauce, salty cabbage, and really good bread.
Locally, my best meal goes to Saint Neri. From caviar sandwiches to arancini and oysters, you really cannot miss at a restaurant that has Gedra at the helm. Plus, now you can get Ellen’s Sticky Toffee Pudding at the Farm Shop right around the corner. A real “we are so back!” moment. Cheers, everyone, I can’t wait to read all the entries.
Joe Leta
Co-founder of Buffalo Otaku & Former Buffalo Eats, 7x Contributor
It was an overcast morning. It had been raining heavily for the last two days, dampening both our spirits, and our vacation. While Bologna was gilded with world famous porticoes, there were gaps, necessitating an umbrella. We were haggard from so much walking, and moistened to the core.
We left for the mountains outside of Modena early. Not only did we have a morning appointment, but we had to try make it out of Bologna--no easy task. Renting a car on this trip taught me that the Italian drivers are the most aggressive humans on the planet, causing constant backups by absolutely (and loudly) refusing to cede the right of way. Once I learned to match their aggression, rolling down the windows, shouting VAFFANCULO to offenders, it became a bit more enjoyable. However, with the rains, and the famously poor Italian city engineering there was extensive flooding. On the night before, the main thoroughfare was a parking lot.
That morning, we were lucky, only being re-routed twice on the way to the highway. Things were looking up. We cranked some Andrea Bocelli, sang some opera together, and forged ahead through the beautiful Italian countryside. There was excitement in the air.
It was my parent’s first trip to Italy. Sure they have the map of the “Boot” on their faces, and swear at me in the mother tongue, but for some reason they had never been. There was always a part of them that wanted to go, but an opportunity never arose. Plus, one of them (not to be named) is notoriously impatient, making for a poor traveler. They were perfectly content with their yearly pilgrimage to Disney, where they recently spent their 50th Wedding Anniversary, holding hands, while riding the Jungle Boat. Big Mama and Dad were cute, but also could be giant pains in my butt. Being a large pain in the ass myself, I love them very much despite any flaws.
When they heard we were going to Italy, I was visible shocked when they asked to join. After 47 years of intimately knowing someone, it is amazing they can still shock you. Of course, they were reluctant. It had been a few years since we traveled together. While we bickered when I was a teenager, we were getting along real well now. However, a bad trip could push the scales, and there was no part of me that wanted to regress. Plus, I now had a Wife. While their relationship is quite wonderful, seeing everyone “unmasked” could prove disastrous. I just had to trust the players here. In retrospect, I am glad that I did.
We survived and thrived in Venice, and Florence, and it was now our final leg of the trip. The day before I brought them to visit Guiseppe Giusti Acetaia in Modena, the world’s oldest (and in my opinion, the best) Balsamic factory. We saw the blackened solera barrels crystallized with grape sugars. The aroma was intoxicating. They taught us the process, and some of the secrets. We sampled a 100 year old Balsamic, that technically could not even be called a DOP Balsamic because it was too old. It was viscous, and rich with umami, with only the barest hint of sweetness remaining. They thought it could not get any better than this. It was time to shock them.
In my family there was one Italian specialty that ranked far above all other others, Prosciutto di Parma. Whenever there was a special occasion we would go to Latina’s Import Store on Pine Avenue (when the air still stung the nostrils with piquant Pecorino Romano), and obtain several pounds sliced razor thin. They would roll the slices into cigarillos, presenting an overflowing platter to my boisterous relatives. The family would cheer.
However, when reminiscing, prosciutto was spoken of in uncharacteristic hushed tones, causing eyes to glaze longingly. These salted pig legs were special, and it clearly defined what we believed was our intrinsic cultural identity--even though we were all from Southern Italy.
My parents knew Prosciutto. I mean they really knew it. In the last few days they had consumed a “modest” amount throughout Bologna. I wanted to present them with something special. I gambled on Prosciutto di Modena. I learned that Modena is to Parma, as Armagnac is to Cognac. These are regions very near to each other, both known for their quality DOP products, though one is far more famous than the other. I also happen to prefer the products from the far less famous regions, as their relative obscurity helped forge their distinctiveness.
This led me to Proscuittificio Leonardi. I had our concierge make 11 am reservations for us, and we were on our way. We arrived a few minutes early, greeted by an unassuming storefront. As we browsed we noticed a vast selection of prosciutto from all over Italy. Not only did they sell their own product, but showcased all of their competitors as well. This was a wonderful sign.
This is also when we met Gary Ciardullo, a hero of this tale, and whom we later learned was the son of one of the founders. His dad was also a former Armani model, but that was neither here, nor there. As came to be de rigueur in Italy, the hotel concierge improvised, and set the appointment for 1 pm without telling us. Gary looked as us quizzically as we yearned to see his meat. My heart sank.
But Gary was accommodating. He asked to closed up shop as we ran to a nearby bar for a shot of espresso, and Bolognese Amaro Montenegro. A short while later he had us don blue cover-ups, and we were ready to enter the factory. You could almost hear the twinkling of the mysterious opening bars of Wonka’s theme. We stepped through a heavy door, then saw it.
What would have been a pig’s worst nightmare caused us sheer delight. There were thousands of disembodied legs curing in a large cavernous space, perfuming the room which the richest porcine umami. “If you want to view paradise...”
In the next hour we explored every inch of the factory. All of the secrets were revealed, including the temperature and humidity of all of the curing rooms. He gave us the recipe for their sugna, which protects the portion of the leg not covered by skin, and even allowed us to paint a few of the legs pre-cure. They use rice flour in the mix to accommodate gluten allergies. He walked us through the DOP process, and their exacting standards all in the hope of having their coveted firebrand applied to the leg. Should a product fail, its value would drop considerably, and the meat would be used in various other commercial applications. He even demonstrated the olfactory Puntatura test where the DOP inspectors use a horse bone needle to test for quality. The horse bone is porous so it captures scents better than a non- organic product. As he stabbed different areas of the meat close to the bone, close to the fat, etc. we were able to detect the vast scent differences, and what the ideal product would smell like. This experience was invaluable.
Gary explained to us that since they were not in the geographic region of Parma they could not make one of Parma’s signature DOP products, Culatello, utilizing the larger of the two main muscles in the pig leg, with the name derived from the Italian word for the “ass”--not the donkey. The smaller muscle creates a less famous, but equally delicious product called Fiocco. Here, instead of stuffing the meat into a cow bladder as they would with Culatello, they left the skin on and treated it like a Prosciutto. He told us the skin contact created a far superior product. It is called Culatta, and we can attest that it is as wonderful as the finest Culatelli we sampled.
After getting to know him better, he opened up about his plans. He knows his product is world class, and claimed he would put it side by side with any Prosciutto di Parma, or even a Jamon Iberico de Bellota. He loved having DOP inspectors, forcing all of the producers to maintain a very high level of quality. However, he saw the DOP as only the starting point, and something to try and surpass. He spoke of purchasing pigs with large fat backs, like mangalitsa, treating those pigs like a Wagyu--including messages for more marbling. Though, he explained that cows just stand there when you massage them. Pigs on the other hand…
He also has plans of expanding to some of the large markets in America, shipping the product nigh worldwide. We would highly suggest you keep your eyes out for this artisanal brand.
After this long tour, he provided us with lunch prepared by his gracious, and talented zia. Paired with a wonderful Lambrusco we started with local-favorite, tortaloni stuffed with nearby mountain ricotta, and tossed in a butter sauce. These were the simple, but glorious flavors that we learned to love in the last week of exploring Emilia Romagna. This course contrasted strikingly with the giant plank of cured meats that was to be dropped before us.
Sliced razor thin, and sweaty at room temperature was a glorious selection of his products, utilizing all of the meaty parts of the pig. There was Coppa di Testa, Guanciale, Mortadella (never with pistachio), Pancetta, Lardo, Culatta, salami, and various ages of their Prosciutto di Modena. They even had a truffled product for the more gilded diner. The meats were served with hot tigelle, small biscuits tattooed like a pizzelle, and meant to be pried open like an English muffin. While piping hot we were encouraged to stuff-in some Lardo, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. As the Lardo melted into the bread, we took our first bites...
I remember everyone with glazed eyes, hugging Gary.
