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What to eat in April? Mention Italy and many instantly think "Food!" Images of pasta, pizza, parmigiano and prosciutto float through our minds. Yet, Italian food is so much more than the conventional dishes we find in the U.S. and spring is the time to learn and explore the culinary union within Italy’s borders.  What we love about il cibo italiano, Italian food, is that it is always created with fresh and seasonal ingredients. Those traveling to Italy can find an abundance of fresh peas, asparagus, fava beans, fennel, and artichokes among some of April and May’s offerings. Also keep an eye out for Marostica and Vignola cherries, as well as white asparagus, a delicacy of the Bassano del Grappa region.
What Americans may find intriguing, however, is the presence of vegetables that we aren’t familiar with here in the States. A popular Roman treat is agretti, a slightly salty or bitter entanglement of greenery. Some say it’s an acquired taste, but give it a go! Another seasonal Roman treasure is le puntarelle, which is a seasonal kind of chicory. This classic vegetable is often mistaken for a weed, but makes a beautiful salad when accompanied with a garlic and anchovy dressing. There is no better way to come closer to Italian culture than by sampling its local cuisine. During your next trip to Italy, schedule in some good market time to explore the native aspect of Italian cooking. While the hustle and bustle of a market may seem intimidating, there are ways to easily navigate the Italian shopping style. We recommend a cooking class that includes a market visit, such as our Cucina Romana or Cucina Fiorentina cooking classes in Rome and Florence. You will accompany your cooking instructor and shop together, selecting the freshest ingredients for the meal you will prepare. After visiting the market, you then learn the true Italian way to coax the freshest flavors from your food. Plus, you’ll leave Italy with something more valuable than just the experience of native cooking: the ability to bring this newfound knowledge to your own kitchen. Prova. Give it a try. Leave your apprehensions at home. Select Italy offers cooking classes with market visits in Rome, Florence, Chianti and Parma, as well as other food and wine services in all major cities across Italy. For more information, visit http://selectitaly.com/food or call 800-877-1755. 
350g (12.25 oz) arborio rice800g (1.75 lb) fresh asparagus 4.5 cups chicken broth 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2.5 tbsp butter 1 small white onion or 2 shallots 0.5 cup of dry white wine, Chardonnay 2 heaping tbsp of parmigiano salt and pepper Preparation: Clean the asparagus to remove any dirt. Begin cutting the asparagus horizontally in long pieces and remove the white ends. Dice your onion or shallot finely and sautÈ it over medium heat with oil and butter for about 5 minutes. Be sure not to brown the onion or shallot. When the onion is translucent, add the asparagus. Cook the asparagus for about 5-7 minutes, or until softened. Then add your risotto, slightly toast the risotto in the oil (along with asparagus and shallots). Be sure to stir, so rice does not stick. Begin adding ladles (one at a time) of stock or broth. Keep an eye on the risotto to be sure it absorbs all the stock before adding more. (After adding 3 ladles of stock, go ahead and add your wine). Continue to ladle in the stock until it is gone, and risotto is creamy. Garnish with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.  In collaboration with our very talented friend, Chef Andrea Tiberi, Select Italy has launched its new Food Delivery & Catering service Eatinstyle, available online at http://www.eatinstyle.net. The service brings to your table the authenticity of tastes obtained with the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients.
Eatinstyle offers a unique variety of dishes that would be quite difficult to find outside of Italy. Simply visit the website and select from an extensive menu of traditional, innovative, and inspired meal options to be delivered to your doorstep. Delivery is available daily in the Greenwich, Stamford and Westchester areas. To complement the services of fine food catering and delivery, Eatinstyle also holds special events and offers cooking classes in the New York and Connecticut area. Imagine dinner in Italy, a feast created by nonna, enjoyed while chatting and visiting with friends. This is the kind of experience you will obtain. The Eatinstyle team believes that great food preparation requires skilled chefs, the finest ingredients, and the Italian history and heritage that are so inspirational to us!  At Select Italy, we believe that Italian cuisine is at once a unique art and a powerful tool that allows us to travel through our senses. If you have already visited Italy, an Italian meal brings back memories; if you haven’t yet, the authentic tastes on the table give you one of the most convincing previews of what you are on the brink of discovering with a trip overseas. In both cases, happiness will encircle the table. Sometimes, it is not only about going places, but also about bringing places to you.
With our main offices located in New York City, our kitchen in Stamford, CT and our bakery facility based in Norwalk, CT., we are at a hub of the culinary world, ready to share the art of Italian cuisine with you. To find out more about Eatinstyle, view sample menus and products, visit our website at http://www.eatinstyle.net. Chef Andrea Tiberi toured the world with his culinary vision and settled in the United States to share his experience and insights. He has cooked for the Pope and the President of Italy, and is the chef-select of the Italian Language and Inter-Cultural Association (ILICA) and the Italian Embassy in Washington D.C. Select Italy Travel is lucky to call him a colleague. Here are a few of his thoughts on Italian cuisine and Eatinstyle:
Compiled and researched by Select Italy.
For reservations or travel arrangements from the US, please contact: info@selectitaly.com or the toll free number: 800-877-1755. |
Select Italy, 303 W. Erie St., Suite 410, Chicago, IL, 60654 Toll-free: 800-877-1755, Phone: 312-664-4200, Fax: 312-664-4201 Unsubscribe? |
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