RecipeMuncher

This week’s addition of The Culinary Sherpas/ Tampa Tribune/ Flavor July 16, 2008

We first met Francesco Lafranconi at the 2007 Tampa Bay Food and Wine Fest. There he was, in white linen pants and a pink pinstriped tailored shirt, sleeves rolled up, quarantined to an oak barrel just a stones throw from the painted naked lady. He was mixing a heavenly concoction of Dom Perignon, rose nectar, and fresh blueberries. Sweat poured from his European brow caused by the Florida humidity.

You could tell he was a little perturbed that he had been reduced to the top of a barrel. Yeah, it may have fit the theme, but this guy has designed cocktail menus for Thomas Keller (owner/ Exec Chef of The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon and well, God to any chef of talent) a…