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 Verdicchio Classico dei Castelli di Jesi Villa Beatrice, Marche, 1997 A crisp and light-bodied dry white produced from verdicchio grapes cultivated in the foothills of the Apennines around the town of Jesi, in the neighboring region of Marche. The wine has layers of citrus and vanilla in the aroma and crisp apple flavors. A great match with seafood and poultry. $22.00 bottle $5.75 glass $3.00 half glass Sangiovese di Romagna, Riserva Umberto Cesari, Emilia-Romagna, 1995 bottle $22.00 glass $5.75 1/2 glass $3.00 This medium-bodied, full-flavored red is produced by one of Il Fornaio’s great friends and one of Emilia-Romagna’s premier winemakers. The wine is produced from 100% sangiovese grapes - the primary grape variety used in Chianti. Well-balanced and full of ripe berry fruit with hints of tobacco and spice, it is a great match for grilled meats or a variety of full-flavored pasta dishes.
$5.75 glass $3.00 half glass
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Gianluca Sarti was born in Bologna, considered by some to be the culinary center of the world. So it is not surprising that he developed a passion for food at a very young age. When Gianluca was fifteen he left home to pursue his dream of becoming a renown chef. “I loved to eat as a child. You can imagine, with all the food I was exposed to in this great region, that I would want to enter the culinary profession!”
Hotel Le 3 Vaselle in Perugia gave Gianluca his first job. It was his introduction to the excitement and activity of the kitchen. Realizing that being a chef required more than a passion and flair for cooking, he enrolled in culinary school in Rimini to learn as much as he could. With culinary school and his obligations in the military soon behind him, Gianluca was offered a job at the Hotel Baglioni in Bologna. A curiosity of international foods led him to jobs in France and New Zealand before he returned to Italy as chef at La Lumiera. When asked by a friend in 1994 to come to Los Angeles to create an Italian menu for a new restaurant in Beverly Hills, Gianluca jumped at the opportunity. Once in Beverly Hills he met Giuseppe Consarino, Managing Partner of Il Fornaio, who later asked him to be a sous-chef in the restaurant. His passion and skill quickly led him to his current position of Chef-Partner of Il Fornaio in Pasadena, where his says, “Now my dreams as a child have finally come true.” Gianluca explains why he feels so happy in charge of his own kitchen, “It is here that I can truly express myself as a chef. I respect the traditions of the regions of Italy, yet create new dishes that are unique to my vision. This menu of Emilia-Romagna takes advantage of the bounty of excellent ingredients we have, the reggiano-parmigiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, but allows me to offer it to you in a way you may not have experienced before. Buon Appetito!”
Perhaps no product from Emilia-Romagna is more famous than Parmesan cheese. Originally from the province of Reggio, it is now also produced in neighboring Parma, hence “Parmigiano Reggiano”, the true Italian name of this world-famous cheese. It is aged for at least one year and its authenticity and quality are regulated by the Italian government. The province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna produces one of Italy’s most precious commodities: balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico). Balsamic vinegar is made with as much care as wine and is strictly regulated. Traditionally, the vinegar is aged progressively in twelve different casks, where it absorbs the qualities of each cask. Only casks made of oak, chestnut, mulberry and juniper may be used, and with each cask the vinegar becomes richer than its predecessor. After several years of blending, aging and moving from cask to cask, the vinegar is a dense dark brown, with a mixture of tart and sweet. The longer it is aged, the richer it becomes; some are aged as long as 50 to 70 years. Petti di Pollo Modenese (roasted chicken breast rolled with sage, prosciutto and fontina cheese) gets its flavorful sauce by using a balsamic vinegar reduction. The capital city of Bologna is believed by many to be the culinary capital of Italy. Bologna is legendary for its origination of tortellini, the pockets of pasta stuffed with the freshest meats and vegetables, that now are found in numerous regions in Italy, and around the world. Agnolotti dell’Osteria ai Cavalier (spinach pasta filled with rotisserie chicken, leeks, potato and ricotta in sage-cream) are a variation on the tortellini. The name of Bologna has become part of the English language as “baloney”, a pale imitation of Bologna’s special sausage, mortadella. It is found in salumerie (delicatessens) around the world as well as an ingredient in pastas and meat dishes. With all of Emilia-Romagna’s resources, it should come as no surprise that it is a region of hearty eaters. Buon Appetito!
Coming October 4-17: the food, bread and whine of Marche.
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Sangiovese
Emilia-Romagna is arguably one of the finest culinary regions in all the world. The plain that runs the length of the region has some of the richest soil in Italy, creating abundant food resources. Emilia-Romagna leads Italy in the production of wheat, tomatoes; pigs and cows are raised in large numbers.