Last night I had the opportunity to visit the famed James Beard House, a performance space for visiting chefs from around the world in New York City’s Greenwich Village, for a multicourse dinner from two-starred Michelin Chef Francesco Bracali, the consulting chef for the luxury boutique hotel of Borgo San Felice in the heart of the Siena countryside. Chef Bracali and his team gave an excellent performance, presenting several dishes paired with wines from the historic San Felice vineyard, offering diners a true taste of Tuscany. Following appetizers — including Tuscan chicken liver pâté-grape costini, melt-in-your-mouth pizza bites, fried mozzarella and prosciutto bites and pappa al pomodoro with basil sauce paired with Vermentino 2013 — dinner began with fresh cuttlefish, shaped like tagliatelle pasta, served with chickpea cream and rosemary oil. The presentation was beautiful, and a glass of Ancherona Chardonnay from 2012 enhanced the dish’s unique flavors. Next up was an onion flan dish with foie gras cream, delicious sautéed mushrooms, toasted pine nuts and sweet blueberry foam, paired with Chianti Classico from 2011. Following this rich plate, potato dumpling with white ragu and pistachio sauce was served. The wine pairing, Il Grigio da San Felice Gran Selezione Chianti Classico from 2010, was fantastic, tasting of ripe black cherry with refined tannins. The last dish was my personal favorite, featuring perfectly cooked lamb with celeriac purée, delicious sweet-and-sour shallots, spinach and sweet pears, paired with Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino from 2009. As I learned from Achille di Carlo, the hotel’s general manager, Chef Bracali offers these unique flavors in the property’s exclusive Il Poggio Rosso restaurant using top-quality, locally sourced ingredients. In addition to enjoying the scents and tastes of Chianti and Tuscany through genuine recipes, guests of the hotel have access to a variety of unique experiences and amenities, including 5-star accommodations scattered throughout the historical buildings of the medieval village, relaxing and rejuvenating spa treatments in a completely renovated oil mill, and tours of the Agricola San Felice farming estate, boasting acres of vineyards that have been producing wines since the 14^th century. Check out Borgo San Felice for a taste of true Tuscan soul in the peaceful Chianti hills. — Monique Barrett, eFlyer editor/associate editor