Cucina del Museo, Modena

Pan-fried Goose Liver with Balsamic Vinegar

I turned a year older yesterday and while it didn't merit me a present from the Hub, he did for once remember the occasion and bring me out to dinner. I have always wanted to try this restaurant Cucina del Museo since I found it on the Net last year as they have a creative cuisine and the couple who own it used to run, more than 20 years ago, the now famous Osteria Francescana.

How does it feel to be a year older? Not much different truth be told. But the wrinkles on the forehead are more visible (too much frowning) and I can now confirm that the fat won't burn (lousy metobolic rate). I worry about the Babies growing up so fast that I couldn't catch up with them, it's difficult to explain this but how does one immortalise the joy that one feels when one holds one's young child in one's arms? I fear not being able to remember it later on; I fear what I would feel when I do remember it. Meanwhile I already have one rebellious teenager on my hands, I do not risk forgetting my age.

Cucina del Museo

The dining hall is small with about 6-7 tables and the terracotta ceiling low. The inside looks like the abandoned second part of my house - rustic and cozy. It used to house another restaurant and one with a very long history in Modena. We are very fond of old things so we felt at home dining in this place.

Amarone

Alberto the owner served us complimentary glasses of bubbly when we arrived. Hub chose a bottle of Amarone to go with our meal that would make up nearly half of the evening's total. But it was a good bottle, we enjoyed it thoroughly. Amarone wines are special in that it's a rich dry red wine made from dessicated grapes (like with ice wine and Sauternes) but is not sweet. From time to time we tested our host's knowledge about this and that, one reason why you would pay alot for your meal would be for the exchange and learning as part of the dining experience.

I chose to start with Raviolis stuffed with crab and fish and served with a cream of prawns. Half of the ravioli wraps were made with squid ink which you may know by now I cannot resist. They were light and quite tasty allowing the natural subtle savours of the seafood to come through.

Seafood Raviolis with Cream of Prawn Sauce

Hub had Tartufo bianco (white truffles) with poached eggs, a classic that brings out the heady (horrible to me) aroma of the truffles.

White Truffles with Poached Eggs

For our main course we both had Scaloppa di fegato grasso d’oca all’aceto balsamico tradizionale su letto di spinaci novelli (aka Pan-fried Goose Liver with Balsamic Vinegar) which was perfectly marinated and cooked. Only thing negative about the dish was the dry brioche that came with the foie gras, the Italians here just are not good with their bread.

Gongonzola

For dessert, Hub had Gongonzola with a glass of sweet dessert Sherry, the sweet wine going nicely with the tart cheese. I had a classic chocolate cake with a molten heart served with marmelade. Though on this occasion I wouldn't mind a thick light cake with lots of whipped cream...

Fondant au Chocolat with Marmelade

It was a lovely evening spent en tete-à-tete with the Hub as the Teenager babysitted his siblings for a fee. I had some difficulty finding something to wear seeing my ample waist nowadays and managed at the last minute to squeeze into a Pinko silk-cotton ruffled-collar shirt and a slim Ferragamo linen-cotten skirt that I've forgotten existed. I was in black all the way to my pointed leather heels from Mango. Buon Compleanno to me.

Cucina del Museo

via Sant'Agostino 8, Modena centro

Tel : 059 217429

www.cucinadelmuseo.it