Cucina

Fresh from the atlantic & pacific every day

Available as appetizer or entrée

Located in northeastern italy & bordered by the austrian alps, friuli is known for producing white wines emphasizing freshness & fruitiness. Their reds are fresh, fruit-driven & light to medium bodied. This region is heavily influenced by germanic & slavic traditions. He vast cornfields lend to the extensive use of grain in many dishes. Local specialties include hearty bean soups, polenta & prosciutto.

Veneto is known for italy’s beloved prosecco, a sparkling wine & soave, a white wine w/ freshness & acidity. In addition to whites, veneto produces reds such as valpolicella, which is soft & foodfriendly & the dry, power house amarone. With its many famous waterways, venetos’ cuisine is influenced by seafood as well as wild game that reside in the marshes. Risotto is a versatile dish which allows for many flavor combinations. One of the most popular cheeses, asiago, is made in this region.

Bordering austria & switzerland & known for pinot grigio, trentino’s alpine region produces cooler climate varietals, w/ a focus on german varietals as well. This region shares similar culinary traditions w/ its germanic neighbor also. Gnocchi, a dumpling, & speck, bacon style cured ham, were popularized in this region.

Barolo & barbaresco are two of italy’s finest traditional reds produced in the region. Both made from purely nebbiolo grapes, barbaresco is very food friendly while barolo pairs well w/ rich foods & sauces. This region is known around the world for its porcini & white truffles. Piedmont is most known for antipasti, where as many as 20 may be listed on a traditional menu.

Italy’s best known wine region, tuscany is home to the ever popular chianti, a blend comprised mainly of sangiovese. Also home to the “super tuscan” a non-traditional blend of italian & non-italian grapes. Hearty dishes comprise the majority of tuscany’s cuisine. This region is home to excellent olive oil, sheep milk cheeses, & roasted meats.

Known more for its white orvieto, umbria produces fine reds blending native grapes w/ varietals such as cabernet sauvignon & merlot. It is also home to italy’s best black truffles, hand-made pastas, & prosciutto. Umbria is responsible for the production of much of the dried pasta consumed throughout italy.

Known more for the city of rome, lazio produces red wines from merlot & sangiovese. Traditional foods of this region are prepared using few ingredients & uncomplicated cooking techniques. Lamb & artichokes are two important components in cooking from lazio. Bruschetta, a now very popular italian dish, originated from this region.

Campania’s volcanic soils, especially around mt. Vesuvius, are home to aglianico & piedirosso, an ancient campanian grape, w/ both producing full bodied wines w/ firm tannins & superb fruit flavors. Campania is home to the first pizzeria, which started in the streets of naples. The volcanic soils of the region grow italy’s prized san marzano tomatoes. This area also produces buffalo mozzarella, italy’s most famous cheese.

Producing more wine than any region in italy, puglia shipped most of its wine north to turin to make vermouth. Today, the focus has turned to balance & structure, w/ primitivo, zinfandel’s distant cousin, & aglianico, showing promise. Puglia most commonly uses orecchiette & bucatini pastas served w/ olive oil & garlic or tomato sauce. Its staple vegetable includes artichoke, fava beans, & eggplant.

Sicily's climate is mainly mediterranean, hot & dry on the coasts, where most of the wine is made. The native grape, nero d’avola, is reminiscent of new world shiraz. This italian island is home to many varieties of olives, lemons, & oranges. The warmer climate lends itself to lighter dishes such as veal marsala & eggplant caponata.

This is the most isolated area of italy. Vermentino is a white grape varietal known for being crisp, w/ citrus flavors & usually no oak. Cannonau is a native grape varietal that is grenache like in its spicy, berry-like flavor & soft tannins. These are the predominant grape varietals grown in this climate of hot, dry summers & mild, rainy winters. This mediterranean island produces some of the best lamb in all of italy. Uniquely, each sardinian village bakes its own bread, all of which have their own variations on the classic round bread, tondus.