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Vermentino di Sardegna, Argiolas, 1999 A wonderfully perfumed dry white produced primarily from vermentino grapes from northern Sardegna. Crisp and refreshing with delicate floral and citrus aromas and flavors, this wine has a lingering finish which makes it a great match with fish, shellfish and pasta. $25.00 bottle $6.75 glass $3.75 half glass |
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Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva, Sella e Mosca, 1997 This medium-bodied dry red wine is produced from 100% cannonau grapes (also known as grenache in other wine growing regions) cultivated near Cagliari, the capital of Sardegna. It has intense aromas and flavors of rich, ripe berry-fruit and a hint of black pepper. Its excellent structure and balance make a good pairing with lamb and full flavored pasta dishes. $33.00 bottle $8.75 glass $4.50 half glass | |
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Nicola Nieddu |
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| Nicola Nieddu was born in Santa Teresa Gallura, a port city on the northern tip of Sardegna. At age twelve he began to work part-time at the hotel owned by his aunt and uncle, as a bus boy and dishwasher, typical jobs for a boy just starting out. When it came time to make a decision about his direction (continue with school or start working full-time) he chose hotel school, where he could train to be a bartender, waiter or cook. "I fully intended to learn to be a waiter, in fact that is what I signed up for on my first day. But I was very shy, and suddenly realized I would be happier in the kitchen, where no one would see me." | ||
| After school, Nicola returned to his uncle's hotel as an
apprentice. "I really began to learn once I moved to another hotel in town.
But it wasn't really my style, the continental cuisine of a hotel that catered
to tourists. I wanted something closer to home cooking. So I decided to
come to the the United States; we had always heard it was the land of opportunity.
When I arrived here, I didn't speak much English and felt a little lost.
But a voice inside me said, 'Stay and try.'" Nicola worked in restaurants from Las Vegas to Los Angeles to Napa, making friends and kitchen connections along the way. He eventually came to Il Fornaio in Corte Madera because many of his friends had ended up there, and he liked the systems in the kitchen. "The quality and the recipes are of the highest standard; I can do the kind of cooking I love." Nicola has worked at over seven restaurants in the Il Fornaio group. His next venture is to help open an Il Fornaio in the Flat Iron Crossing Village near Boulder, and run the kitchen. Nicola has traveled far from his home in Sardegna, yet he still connects with his culinary roots. "The food of Sardegna is so simple. Many recipes have only two or three main ingredients, to me that is why this region is so special. I started cooking because I like to eat well, and even though Sardegna is often considered a poor region, the ingredients are of the freshest and best quality. Not many people have heard of Sardegna and few travel there. With this dinner, I hope you take away a good memory of this experience and that you will remember the island of Sardegna. "Buon Appetito!" |
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 ardegna
(Sahr'DAYN'yah) is the second largest island in the Mediterranean (Sicily
is the largest). Separated from the rest of Italy by the Tyrrhenian Sea,
it has not fallen victim to the foreign influences brought to the rest of
Italy through conquests and has changed little over time. Due to its climate and geography, Sardegna has little arable land and is sparsely populated. Few vegetables grow in the region, but livestock thrive in the abundant pastures. In Sardegna, agriculture means grazing; raising livestock is the backbone of the economy. In fact, Sardegna accounts for 25% of all the sheep raised in Italy. Sheep's milk is made into pecorino cheese, one of the most popular of all Italian cheeses. (Pecorino is featured in our Culingionis.) Because individual shepherds have no way to keep the milk fresh in remote areas of the island, they often make cheese right on the spot. It is more piquant than the pecorino made by most cheese factories. |
| The chief crop of Sardegna is wheat and bread making is almost
a religious rite on the island. Bread often takes the place reserved in
most other regions for pasta. Among the most common vegetables grown are
artichokes (Risotto Polpa Granchio e Carciofi) and tomatoes (Spaghetti all'Aragosta).
The bounty of the sea does make its way into the Sardinian kitchen, although
curiously, the proportion of fishermen is small compared to that of farmers.
Shellfish is very popular, especially lobster. Cagliari, the capital of
Sardegna, is the dominant fishing port. You will find the culinary style of Sardegna to be simple and unspoiled, much like the Sardinians themselves. Courteous, generous and essentially reserved with an acute sense of honor is how they are often described. |
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