Which wine with the world's most expensive Cannoli?

from the “nicest things sometimes happen for no reason whatever” department

The world's most expensive cannoli (o) James Ferris Photography

Down in Deep Ellum this morning I happened to meet a fellow Sicilian (and customer I might add, in Kansas City, MO), Jasper Mirabile. One of the nicest fellas I’ve met in a long time, Jasper owns the eponymous (and great) restaurant, Jasper's, and being a lover of cheese, he was visiting our mutual friend Paula Lambert, who is the iconic cheese goddess of New American cooking. I grow (and just harvested) Hoja Santa and Epazote for Paula (it’s an Herbs for Cheese barter program) and we all met on the steps of the Mozzarella Company. Jasper and his wife Lisa were in town visiting their daughter Alex, who is attending SMU.

Anyway, after we talked about some of the new Italian spots in town (Lucia, Dough, Nonna and Il Cane Rosso) Paula and I both asked if he had made it to Jimmy’s yet.


Down the street 5 minutes from Paula’s Mozzarella Company in Deep Ellum, Jimmy’s is in Old East Dallas, where many Italians settled in the early 1900’s. My grandmother and aunts; one aunt still lives there (at 95). So I get this email from Jasper:

"After Paula took us on a tour, we went to Jimmy's. I am in trouble. I bought so much I have to get a suitcase. How about that deli and the sausage? Wow!"

Yeah, wow! Jimmy’s and Jasper that’s an Italian-American combination made in heaven.

James Ferris Photography

Jasper recently was in the news for his Worlds Most Expensive (@ $26,000) gold leafed cannoli (really a cannolo because it is the singular use for the word – cannoli implies more than one).

I was thinking what wine would be best with it? The article about this special dessert had a picture of the Roederer Cristal, and that’s a pretty good choice. I also think something closer to the Sicilian mainland would be good, like a delicate Marsala, say from Marco De Bartoli, or a dessert wine from Planeta or Rapitala? Maybe too sweet, might be a little overkill in the sugar department.

But the Marsala from De Bartoli , two that I would love to see with a cannolo (or more, say like two cannoli?) would be the Vecchio Samperi, made according to their web site, “using the traditional Solera method, in which small quantities of young wine are added to wines of older vintages as they pass through a sequence of wooden barrels. The complex, harmonious result celebrates the fruit of many harvests.” Or the Vigna La Miccia, “classified as an ‘Oro’ or gold Marsala, which is a sweeter, fresher dessert wine produced using a cold vinification process.”

All this to say, it’s Friday, find some sweetness on the world to celebrate. Soon enough Monday and all that it implies will be back on our shoulders . Buon Weekend, y’all!

L-R Paula Lambert and her "grower" Alfonso, Lisa and Jasper Mirabile

written and reposted from The Blend by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy