Take a Trip to the Regions of Italy at Il Fornaio
Imagine if you will once a month tour one of 6 different regions of lovely Italy, each month of the first 6 months of this year: Friuli, Lazio, Puglia, Liguria, Abruzzo and Sicilia (my ancestorial birthplace), to sample the native cuisine and taste the region’s distinct wines.
Il Fornaio and its 20 restaurants, from Seattle to San Diego has been diligently showcasing this format for a few years now, setting the table for its guests, as a native restaurant would in the aforementioned districts of Italy. The last 6 months of ’08 will find 6 more regions including Tuscany and Umbria. I visited Il Fornaio Del Mar in December when they were featuring Umbria.
Perfection and an exact replication is the goal of each “Festa Regionale,” so the restaurant sends one of their top chefs, in this case Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon to meet with One of Umbria’s master chefs, in preparing unusual and perfectly crafted dishes. The Del Mar location manager is Ulisse Vicinanza (shown on the right in the accompanying photo with me, displaying Umbria’s lovely Caprai wines). “All Il Fornaio cuisine is made from scratch,” he declared. “There are no preservatives. We are true to the Italian countryside where you may have to wait a little longer but the result is as it is in the small Umbrian villages… delicious creations.”
I had the Umbricelli con Guanciale, a twisted penne pasta with grape tomatoes, asparagus, herbs and Umbrian pecorino shaved cheese. The “Secondi” entrée was the Guancia de Maezo Stracotta, braised beef cheek, with organic sautéed spinach and puree of potato. The wine chosen was one of my past “best tastes,” The Arnaldo Caprai Montelfalco Rosso 2003.
It’s a blend of Sangiovese with the native Sagrantino grape and a small amount of Merlot. The Caprai estate is about 370 acres near the village of Montefalco. Now through January 20th, you can go to any Il Fornaio and enjoy the cuisine and wines of Friuli, an area in Italy that snugly fits in the North East corner next to Austria and Slovenia. There you will find a rustic, peasant style of cooking, rich and robust, like homemade potato dumplings with Italian Sausage.
Also lots of game and grilled meats, seafood, polenta and risotto. Tocai Friulano is the local white wine, highly aromatic. The Refosco red grape is the native red and the recommended wine is Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2004. When you dine on this first region’s cuisine, ask for a “Passaporto” that shows each region and the dates featured. You will get a complimentary gift. If you get all regions stamped, you will receive a beautiful Italian plate and a chance to win a trip to Italy for two. Buon Viaggio at Il Fornaio!
The Local Sip
- Temecula Wine Country has two very attractive events this month: on Saturday, January 19th from 2pm to 4pm, Thornton Winery is staging a “Blending Party” with its great winemaker Don Reha. Don will guide visitors through a tasting and blending workshop in the Champagne Caves. It will be a small group setting with learning and doing a top priority. You will complete your own blend. Cost of $65 per person includes a winemaker-signed bottle of your own blend. RSPV at 951-699-0099.
- Twenty Temecula Wine Country wineries greet you at the two day “Barrel Tasting” on Saturday and Sunday, January 26 and 27, 10am to 4pm. Meet the winemakers and their future releases and taste gourmet food as well. Advance tickets are $85 for both days and include an attractive glass. Check in at Leonesse Winery. Details at 800-801-9463, or www.temeculawines.org.
- South Coast Winery will send you to school Saturday, January 19: cooking school that will treat you to wine and food pairing and increase your knowledge of both. Executive Chef Alessandro Serni and Master Winemaker Jon McPherson preside. $60 per person. Call 951-587-9463, ext. 7210.
- Elsewhere, John Alonge of the prestigious San Diego Wine and Culinary Center in downtown San Diego brings to town Caymus Wines of Napa Valley, which has to be the wine-bistro style dinner of the month, on Friday January 25 from 7 – 9pm.
This is a great name in Napa wines and that night Caymus combines with a great chef, Patrick Heymann, of Loews Coronado who will cook live, along with international cheeses. An unforgettable night for just $45 per person. RSVP only by calling 619-231-6400.
Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. He is one of the top five wine commentators on the web. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410
