Happy Hour Tuesday: The Corsican

Happy Hour Tuesday!

If you are not Italian or French you may not know that Corsica is a small island located to the West of Italy or to the South-East of France, thus a territory that in the past has been fought over between these two countries. Today Corsica belongs to France and it’s also called Island of Beauty, as it offers a variety of sceneries, from its beautiful beaches where scuba diving is almost a must, to its great trails along the mountains.

The Corsican Cocktail, similarly to the inner nature of the island, mixes a bit of French and a bit of Italian: the aperitif Lillet Blanc with Rometti limoncello. Given the refreshing, zesty taste of limoncello, these two ingredients marry well together since Lillet Blanc contains wine, orange peel and quinine. Their flavors combined make a remarkable, balanced, modern drink, not extremely bitter and with a moderate sweetness. In addition to Lillet Blanc and Rometti Limoncello, eldelflower syrup and club soda are added, which increment the sweet, floral taste that makes this cocktail an enjoyable treat for every occasion.

Ingredients:
3 ounces Lillet Blanc, chilled
7 ounces Rometti limoncello, chilled
3 1/2 ounces elderflower syrup
1 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 (10-ounce) bottle club soda, chilled
6 lemon twists (optional)

Combine the Lillet, Rometti limoncello, elderflower syrup, and lemon juice in a large measuring cup or medium bowl. Using a funnel, transfer to a 3-cup-capacity bottle (or 750-ml bottle) with a tightfitting lid and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
When ready to serve, pour about 4 ounces of the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and top with about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces of the club soda. Garnish with a lemon twist, if desired, and serve. (Alternatively, you can combine all of the ingredients except the lemon twists in a 5-cup punch bowl and serve immediately.)

~Enjoy!

Recipe from http://www.Chow.com

Image from OHSOBEAUTIFULPAPER.COM

Happy Hour Tuesday: Sorrentini

Happy Hour Tuesday!

Vacation, vacation.. it’s the end of July, and it seems like a lot of people have left town lately to spend time with the family before the end of school break. Regardless of the recession, I know of many lucky ones that have a trip to overseas planned just ’round the corner. If you, dear Reader, are fortunate enough to be able to get away towards a European country, you will probably want to make a stop in the beautiful Sorrento, Italy, the land of limoncello, and if it wasn’t in your plans it should be!

Sorrento is a charming town that raises on top of limestone tuff cliffs, in a way that seems to flow, thus the name Sorrento, from a Greek word that means “flowing“.
Located just Southern than Napoli, Sorrento is connected to Amalfi through the Strada Statale 163, better known as the Amalfi Drive, a stretch of road runs along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sorrento has an incredibly rich history that starts from the Corinthians and continues through the Roman Empire, the Goths and the Byzantines. The signs of history are still very much readable throughout the city, which is characterized by medieval streets, Roman ruins an blooming terraces. If you wanter why there are watch towers along the coast, it’s because back in the 16th century Pirates coming from the Harbor of Pisa used to sack the town of Sorrento, which today is richer than ever with orange, lemon, and olive trees.

This week’s drink is a praise to this wonderful city, from which it takes the name: Sorrentini. This version of limoncello martini uses Cointreau, a French orange-flavored triple sec which adds a little tanginess to the drink.

Here’s to Sorrento the birthplace of Limoncello! Salute!

Ingredients:
100 ml Vodka
50 ml Cointreau liqueur
100 ml Rometti Limoncello
25 ml Martini
40 ml fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
25 ml sugar-water
ice

Juice the lemon. Set the lemon juice aside. Fill 3 martini glasses with ice. In a cocktail shaker mix vodka, Cointreau, Rometti Limoncello, martini, fresh lemon juice and sugar-water with ice.

~Enjoy!

Recipe and image from http://www.marthafied.com

Cook N Bake British Series: Fish and Chips

Food – any type of food!..seems to taste better eaten in good company or savored outdoors.  Being Italian, I love meals with family  gathered around the diningroom table, however I remember (with a little nostalgia) those cold winter afternoons on my way back home from school.  Walking past bundled up street vendors that would sell you crackling castagne, chestnuts, in a newspaper cone. There’s just nothing quite like the taste of freshly roasted chestnuts on a cold afternoon walking through Milan no less!

Similarly, the dish that we are going to talk about this week, shared a similar humble beginning once served in urban streets in newspapers, and later  became an iconic British dish that restaurants all around the world that try to replicate the light yet flavorful, crispiness of Fish and Chips!

Charles Dickens is one of the first writers to mention the existence of a “fried fish warehouse” in his masterpiece Oliver Twist, which makes us think that fish and chips must go back to at least the 19th century. If we want to pin down the year of the very first fish and chips shops opening, records tell us that it is attributed to Joseph Malin in 1860 in London. It is during that time in fact that Great Britain started developing railways to facilitate transportation of material and food, including fish from the North Sea. If we still have this dish today it’s because Fish and Chips is one of the truly traditional British dishes that survived the World War II when rationing affected most of the culinary traditions.

The secret to make a very good Fish and Chips is to use a batter made of flour, water and a little bit of baking soda which adds that beautiful golden color once fried  Beer and milk batter can also substitute water: if beer is preferred you can decide whether to use a lager or a bitter beer which will also change the color from golden to an orange-brown.

Frying can be done with beef dripping or lard, or vegetable oil.

Although in the United States Fish and Chips is usually served with coleslaw, ketchup and tartar sauce, the original British dish is served with salt, pepper and a few drizzles of vinegar. Instead of coleslaw, mushy peas are often served aside.

If you are in London, we recommend making a stop a the Sea Shell restaurant, where fish and chips has been one of the main popular dishes for over 40 years. But if, like us, you live in LA and the surrounding areas, we suggest you check out the Fat Cow at the Grove, owned by Chef Gordon Ramsey. Here Fish and Chips is served traditional-style in a casual, modernly rustic and welcoming environment.  If your feelin fancy , we recommend another Chef Ramsey’s restaurant, the London West Hollywood Hotel. The London After Five bar menu offers a California-style reinterpreted fish and chips served with tartar sauce and English pea puree.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

sunflower oil, for deep-frying
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
225 g white fish fillets, from sustainable sources, pinboned, ask your fishmonger
225 g flour, plus extra for dusting
285 ml beer, cold
3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
900 g potatoes, peeled and sliced into chips
For the mushy peas
1 knob butter
4 handfuls podded peas
1 small handful fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
1 squeeze lemon juice
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To make your mushy peas, put the butter in a pan with the peas and the chopped mint. Put a lid on top and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. You can either mush the peas up in a food processor, or you can mash them by hand until they are stodgy, thick and perfect for dipping your fish into. Keep them warm while you cook your fish and chips.

Pour the sunflower oil into your deep fat fryer or a large frying pan and heat it to 190ºC/375ºF. Mix the salt and pepper together and season the fish fillets on both sides. This will help to remove any excess water, making the fish really meaty. Whisk the flour, beer and baking powder together until nice and shiny. The texture should be like semi-whipped double cream (i.e. it should stick to whatever you’re coating). Dust each fish fillet in a little of the extra flour, then dip into the batter and allow any excess to drip off. Holding one end, lower the fish into the oil one by one, carefully so you don’t get splashed – it will depend on the size of your fryer how many fish you can do at once. Cook for 4 minutes or so, until the batter is golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, parboil your chips in salted boiling water for about 4 or 5 minutes until softened but still retaining their shape, then drain them in a colander and leave to steam completely dry. When all the moisture has disappeared, fry them in the oil that the fish were cooked in at 180ºC/350ºF until golden and crisp. While the chips are frying, you can place the fish on a baking tray and put them in the oven for a few minutes at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 to finish cooking. This way they will stay crisp while you finish off the chips. When they are done, drain them on kitchen paper, season with salt, and serve with the fish and mushy peas.

Enjoy!~

Recipe by Jamie Oliver 

Image © Morgans, Gareth

Happy Hour Tuesday: Limoncello Negroni

Happy Hour Tuesday!

Back in 1919 Count Camillo Negroni asked Caffe’ Casoni (now Caffe’ Cavalli)’s bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to prepare him a cocktail similar to the Americano but with more gin than soda water. They didn’t know right away that in the bar in Florence would have become the birthplace of a popular drink called Negroni, in honor of the homonymous Count. Almost a century later, here we are introducing a variation of the cocktail called Limoncello Negroni.
The traditional Negroni, still very popular in Italy, is an aperitif made with gin, vermouth rosso and bitter, usually Campari. Vermouth and dry wine are often common ingredients of aperitifs as they are served before a meal in order to stimulate one’s appetite.
The addition of Rometti Limoncello to the traditional ingredients for Negroni subdues the bitterness of Campari, while it increases the sweetness of vermouth and smoothens its taste. Also, limoncello combined with the sharp flavor of gin increases the refreshing taste yet it adds warmth to every sip.
Ordered straight up in a Martini glass, Limoncello Negroni is the perfect fancy drink to savor till the last drop before a tasty, Italian style dinner.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 1/2 oz Campari
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz Rometti Limoncello
Orance slice or twist for garnish

Pour vermouth, Campari, gin and Rometti Limoncello in a mixer half filled with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

~Enjoy!

Happy Hour Tuesday: Tryst in Trieste

Happy Hour Tuesday!

after almost a month of recouping from the madness of shopping malls throughout Christmas time, this past weekend I was finally able to go to a shopping mall without succumbing to the stress of the gift rush and..surprise! Left behind the whole Christmas extravaganza, vendors have already started to adorn their shops with sparkling, fuchsia and red, heart-shaped decorations. Yes, Valentine’s Day is only less than a month away but you can already start feeling the love and romance in the air! We too can’t help but falling in love with emotions, and the celebration of love inspired us to present you with a fun drink dedicated to all the friends and lovers out there. To remind us that we don’t need to wait for Valentine’s Day to enjoy a romantic dinner with the person we love the most.
This week’s cocktail is called Tryst in Trieste. For those who have never heard the word tryst, it is a rendevouz between lovers; and for those who have never heard of Trieste, it is a city in the North East of Italy. It’s a quite catchy cacophony, however Trieste, which is not so far from Venice but it’s conveniently located next to Germany, Slovenia, and with one of the biggest ports on the Adriatic Sea, is indeed a place that offers romantic locations and beautiful sunsets.
Tryst in Trieste is made with orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier, and Scotch to which limoncello and soda water are added. The smokiness of the Scotch softnesses the citrusy of the Grand Marnier and limoncello, while the soda water dilutes their zesty flavor in favor of a more sophisticated, yet bubbly sweetness. A touch of red color is added by muddling a cherry and a lemon wedge in the glass before pouring in the mix. We want to believe that the color and consistency of this delicious drink were inspired by the sunsets in the romantic city of Trieste.
Valentine’s Day or not, there is always some good reason to prepare a delicious dinner for two, and there is no better way to indulge in sipping some Tryst in Trieste while watching the sun go down behind the hills – or building silhouettes.
Ingredients:

2 oz orange liqueur
2 oz Scotch
1-1/2 oz Rometti Limoncello
Splash of soda water
1 cherry
1 lemon wedge

Muddle one cherry and a lemon wedge into a mixing glass. Add ice, Rometti Limoncello, orange liqueur and Scotch. Shake well.
Pour into a rock glass with a splash of soda.

~Enjoy!

Happy Hour Tuesday: Limoncello Granita with Raspberry Sauce

Happy Hour Tuesday!

After surviving the end of the world,, wrapping an uncountable amount of gifts, and packing for a Christmas holiday break, Rometti is finally back! The decorations are gone and our house looks a little empty without the Christmas tree, but we are ready to start this year in a fresh and bubbly way!
As soon as Christmas is over, it almost seems so natural to start looking forward to the Spring and Summer months. It might still be cold outside but if we close our eyes we can surely imagine the sunshine and those bright, playful colors that the snow has been covering up with its white mantel. If like us you want to anticipate the warmth of the Summer months then it’s time to start making some Limoncello Granita with Fresh Raspberry Sauce!

For this of you who are not so familiar with granita, it is a water and sugar semi-frozen dessert typical of Sicily, Italy. There are different consistency of granita throughout Italy, but the most common one has a tiny, little, crystalline ice texture. Granita can be served by itself or mixed with other ingredients, like coffee or almonds. So why not mix it with Rometti Limoncello and turn it into a delicious drink!, just ilke Jennifer from Spoon With Me suggests.

To make Limoncello Granita you just need to make a sugar and water syrup, to which we’ll add long strips of lemon zest, lemon juice and Rometti Limoncello. A puree of raspberries will increase the consistency and give it an inviting, fun color.

Ingredients for the Granita:

6 Lemons
2/3 Cup sugar
5 Tbsp Rometti Limoncello
2 Cups water

Peel the lemons to make long, thin strips. Use the same lemons to make 1 cup of fresh, lemon juice.
Heat 2 cups of water with the 2/3 cup sugar over a medium-high heat. Stir until dissolved. Add lemon zest, and simmer for 30 additional seconds. Stir in Rometti Limoncello and the lemon juice. Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Discard the zest and strain the mixture into a baking pan to place into the freezer. After 45 minutes scrape the first ice crystals with a fork. Put it back into the freezer and repeat scraping every 20-30 minutes until the liquid is all granular.
When it is time to serve, in each glass place some raspberries and cover them with the granita. On top add some rasperry sauce and decorate with fresh raspberries and lemon zest.

~Enjoy

Recipe and image from http://sponwithme.com

Wine Spotlight: Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 2001

 This wine spotlight shines on a tremendous wine producer in Montalcino, Italy.  Altesino has long been one of Montalcino’s top producers.  Founded in 1972 Altesino has brought on a new era of top quality Brunello wines.

All Brunello di Montalcino wine is made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes grown on the hillsides of Montalcino just 20 miles (30km) south of Siena. The word Brunello translates roughly as ‘little dark one’, and is the local vernacular name for Sangiovese Grosso, the large-berried form of Sangiovese which grows in the area.  You could say Sangiovese grapes have adapted well in the region…planted here impressively since 800 AD.

Arriving in southern Tuscany’s Montalcino region you feel as if you have done just that, arrived as if there was nowhere else you should be.  The lush landscape of the spring is nothing short of heavenly, and the winter is quiet yet calming in its rustic brittle nature.  You could say its the hibernation of things to come as wine makers look to the harvest of the new year.  But work doesn’t stop on a cold December morning.  Rometti had the great pleasure of meeting up with Altesino’s General Manager Claudio Basla who started with Altesino from their very first vintage.  Basla is quite the joker, but one thing is curtain he is truly passionate about his wine.  He shared with us what makes their wine tick, and talked about what makes the Montalcino region one of the most prized places in the world to produce wine, as well as how Altesino is positioned very well to consistently be one of the great authorities in Italian wines.

Altesino’s Claudio Basla (Center)

The Altesino estate covers approximately 80 hectares.  The vineyards consist of ~45 hectares, sub-divided into the “crus” of Altesino, Macina, Castelnuovo dell’Abate (in the district of Velona), Pianezzine and Montosoli.  Other than Sangiovese di Montalcino, the majority of the grapes grown (used to make Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino Palazzo Altesi), there is Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (blended with Sangiovese di Montalcino to make Alte d’Altesi and Rosso di Altesino), Trebbiano and Malvasia (for Vin Santo) and Vermentino, Chardonnay and Viognier used to make Bianco di Altesino.

Because the Altesino vineyard plots are spread out in parts of the region giving different exposures to the vine, how does this put you at an advantage?. “different winds and  temperatures, northern parts are protected by the winds, when there are hot vintages the north facing vinyards will give ideal production, in complicated vintages the south faceing vineyards can also deliver ideal productions.  There are merely different exposures, plots and microclimates.” says Basla.

What is it that makes Brunello’s stand out from other wines? “…the particularity of Brunello di Monatlcino is that there is compulsory longer aging.  At least two years in wood, then at their discretion they can continue to age in barrels, tanks, or bottles. Many factors such as vintage, size harvest, and capacity of barrels dictate the true aging process. This aging extends to four years prior to selling to the market.”

We later cracked a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino 2001 in the Siena’s Piazza del Campo after a great day of tasting.  The wine opened up nicely with a matured strawberry, and cherry notes, it later evolves with dark tones of chocolate, and light oak, perhaps hints of tobacco.  Once it rolls off your tongue your hit with some acidity but the tannins hold firm to a nice smooth velvet finish.

Altesino continues to produce some impressively elegant wines with 90+ ratings on their ’04, (WE 94) ’06 (SP 91, WE 90) ’07 (SP 92, WE 91).

Altesino – Brunello di Montalcino 2001

Rometti Score:  92

Wine Spectator: 90

Wine Enthusiast: 91

 

Altesino s.p.a. – societa’ agricola
Località Altesino, 54 53024 Montalcino (Siena)
Tel. 0577 806208
Fax 0577 806131
E-mail: info@altesino.it

Top 10 Most Interesting Limoncello Facts

1.  Lemons are nature’s top source of citric acid, a life essential found in the cells of all living creatures. 2.  Limoncello is one of the most popular liqueurs in Italy. (Other popular liqueurs are Sambuca, Campari, Amaretto.) 3.  Christopher …

Happy Hour Tuesday: Dry Lemon

Happy Hour Tuesday is back, after a couple of weeks in Italy!
While there, we experienced the joy of dining with friends and family, and what other digestif would have been the perfect way of ending our Italian Summer nights but limoncello?

This week we would like to enlighten you with a cocktail recipe that we savored just recently, Dry Lemon.
Other than Campari and Rometti Limoncello, which you should all now be familiar with, we introduce Angostura, which is a concentrated bitter made of water, alcohol, gentian root and vegetable extracts. Although a German Surgeon General came up with the recipe, Angostura takes its name after a town in Venezuela where the ingredients were easily available. Believed to have restorative properties, Angostura seems to be great to cure hiccups and upset stomach!
In addition to Angostura, Dry Lemon uses also the British Tanqueray Gin (from Charles Tanqueray, its first distiller), a London dry gin made of double distilled grain.

Dry Lemon is a dry, refreshing cocktail which will both quench your thirst and satisfy your tasting buds!

Ingredients:

1/4 Rometti Limoncello

1/4 Campari bitter

a few drops of Angostura

2/4 Tanqueray Gin

1 Lemon wedge

Add Rometti Limoncello, Campari, a few drops of Angostura and Tanqueray gin into a cocktail shaker filled with some ice cubes. Shake well and pour into a glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

ENJOY!~
Recipe courtesy of DBRicette.