Gift Certificates with Glee

Dull, thoughtless, uneventful… not exactly the message most would wish for a present to convey.  Let’s face it, gift certificates get a bad rap. While plain gift giving does happen and can be defended in some cases, spread the revamped view for giving and receiving gift cards that spread joy this season.  Gift certificates can be worthy of the most important people on this year’s list. 

In certain instances, a generic gift card is exactly the right choice.  A teacher moving into a new home (large housewares store), to donate for a charity raffle, and for corporate gift exchanges with a required minimum cost, are all suitable for gift certificates.  There is an overtone when handed to family or close friends: the gift is seemingly inadequate, as if the time was not spent to find something better.   But the truth is, giving a gift certificate can actually be one of the best presents of the holiday.  It is the ticket to ensuring a person gets exactly what they want, a vessel for an experience one may not spend money on themselves to try, or a way to share with family and friends personal favorites courtesy of the giver.

Photo credit: NY Times

People living away from family, particularly in a desirable destination, can entice loved ones to book travel plans to visit during 2014. To do so, send  gift certificates for a favorite restaurant, gelato shop, and activities to do in order to rally visitors to come stay and enjoy the family from out-of-town.  The opposite is just as thoughtful, sending a gift card for the newly opened buzz worthy spot such as a cheese shop, seafood store, or cafe in the town the person receiving resides.   An adventure gift ticket, such as paddle boarding, golf lessons, or an extreme race challenge brings people together to try something new or to share a skilled hobby with those novice.

Presentation is key as well, outline the thought process behind the gift. Savvy packages and careful displays will depict the meaning behind the holiday season and the joy of giving. Wow factors can include attaching travel incentive gift cards to a map of the location, placing a gelato gift certificate among a stocking filled with luxurious goodies, and wrapping the big adventure ticket in the largest box in house.

Gift certificates are amazing presents that carry an enormous potential to spread happiness this season and into the new year.  

What is a favorite gift certificate you are giving this year?

Scoop Some Happiness to loved ones, ‘tis the season. $5 for $10 gift certificates at Pino Gelato through December 31, 2013 at HHI store only.  

Gelato on Top

A la gelato for the holidays! Thanksgiving and pies are synonymous, the innovation presented by mixing traditional with ingenuity are countless, delicious, and often served a la mode.  Elevate the after dinner experience by topping pies with gelato.  

The decadence of a slice of pie adorned with the more intense flavor gelato provides above other frozen desserts, will dazzle friends and family delighted to taste- even after the turkey overload. Pairing suggestions are truly limitless; presented below is a list of arrangements for seasonal, traditional, and even painstakingly overlooked gelato flavors and favorite pies that jibe.  

Truly advantageous bakers can begin preparation for insurmountable combinations, yet even in simple form authentic gelato is certain to ignite ‘dessert-time’ this year. 'Tis the season to Scoop Some Happiness.

Warm wishes (and pie) for a Happy Thanksgiving!

Top ‘em!

Sea Salt Caramel Gelato-

Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pecan Pie (recipe Southern Living)

Chocolate Bourbon Tart
photo credit Food and Wine

Chocolate Bourbon Tart (recipe Food & Wine)

Cinnamon Gelato-

Apple Pie with Spiced Apple-Caramel Sauce (recipe Bon Appetit)

-vanilla gelato is completely acceptable with apple varieties.

Sweet Potato Pie

Chocolate Gelato-

Malted Walnut Pie (recipe Bon Appetit)

Pumpkin Pie

Pistachio Gelato-

Butterscotch Mousse Pie (recipe Food & Wine)

Cherry Pie

Raspberry Swirl Gelato-

'Impossible Pie' (Coconut) (recipe Food & Wine: Jennifer Nettles)

Triple Berry Pie

photo credit
CupcakesandCashmere.com

What is your favorite Thanksgiving pie?  Gelato flavor to top it with?  

Easter Sunday

Vatican City photo courtesy of ds-lands.com

The holiday of new beginnings could not be more appropriately timed with the two words, "Habemus Papam", delivered from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Easter is a holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and to spread universal joy for our salvation. The world's Catholic community is filled with hope and a renewed ambition for faith through the installation of Pope Francis. Easter Sunday should be celebrated with extra special attention through traditional Italian food served given all of the recent events in Vatican City.

While certainly it is not a requirement to be Catholic or Italian to feast on the decadent Italian Easter Pie, known as Pizzagaina, a pie filled to the maximum with various Italian meats and cheeses served on Easter Sunday is meant to be enjoyed by all. The Easter Pie is a perfect community dish, for its massive size and for its palatable components. There are multiple versions of the Italian Easter Pie, even sweet variations, mostly handed down within families (particularly from Nonna- grandmother in Italian), with a recipe to their meat and cheese liking. For a lovely and authentic rendition follow the Pizzagaina recipe here on Always Order Dessert, which also provides suggestions for adapting the recipe to taste preference and accessibility. 
Easter has been represented with candy, eggs, and bunnies in the modern versions of celebration, but can be wrangled back to traditional with another nod to Italy by serving gelato. Spring, new growth, and a fresh attitude towards an Easter Sunday menu align with serving a simple scoop of gelato to guests. For the theme and thrill that children have come to experience in connection to holidays, gelato in the form of an Easter egg shaped cake can be served to adhere to those visions. Spend Easter Sunday with an expanded guest list and traditional Italian menu components and dive into sharing the community celebration that is well deserved this year.

A Pino Gelato Easter Cake

Feel the Love, an Italian Christmas Eve

In the infamous words of The Beatles, “All you need is love, love is all you need,” the lyric instills an even greater impact on a holiday.  It is the time to gather and share with the people we love most.  Italian tradition may argue in addition to the great sentiment shared all over the world by those very words, you also need some great food! 

On La Vigilia (Christmas Eve) a coveted tradition Italian’s share is a seven fish dinner with family and friends.  The Feast of the Seven Fishes originated from a partial fast during which no meat is served in honor of the night Jesus was born, a typical reflection in the Roman Catholic Church.  Beyond the religious symbolism the night is now long captured by enjoying lavish amounts of seafood. 



Baccala

The fishes typically consist of a variety of shellfish preparations such as mussels, clams, and shrimp while other dishes may include calamari and anchovies. Many of the fishes are prepared with numerous incorporations of other Italian foods such as homemade pasta. Two staples of the Feast of the Seven Fishes are Baccala, a salted cod fish and baked eel.  Baked eel is not as distinct upon the Italian American versions of the dinner, but it is easily accessible through a local fishmonger who will skin and gut the eel upon request making it a simple recipe thereafter.  The fishmonger is the resource for recipes and preparations for the seafood dishes.  For a simple guide and menu suggestions a quick Google search of “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” will produce both recipes strict to adhering to tradition and others with interpretations of the meal that may seem more suitable for enjoyment of those adventurers trying or sharing the meal for the first time.

The celebratory Italian Christmas Eve dinner is a true food centric annual occasion that springs a feast of delight through to Christmas day.  Antipasti (hold the meat) and aperitif are up to the creation of the host that can vary on cheese, olives, and roasted vegetables and a drink of choice.  Serving the meal with an Italian white wine from a southern region such as the Amalfi coast is a commonly recommended pairing.  Serve an after dinner drink featuring limoncello, a lemon liqueur from Campania, served with espresso and a sweet dessert (gelato!) for an exceptional way to cap the evening.

 

The Feast of the Seven Fishes certainly does boast a spread that harbors all the love across a bountiful table and fills up all, needing nothing else on that special evening. 

 

There are so many Italian foods that are a lasting tradition over the holidays.  A Pino Gelato location in Marietta, Georgia has been participating in a 12 days of Christmas contest amongst businesses in Marietta Square and featured “Italian Style” as their theme. Shop owner Barbara Jostworth sums up all of the other Italian foodie delights of Christmas in the wonderful poem she created:

The 12 Days of Christmas Italian Style:

On the first day of Christmas … my true love gave to me: Pino Gelato at every meal

On the second day of Christmas … my true love gave to me: Panettone cake on my plate with Pino Gelato at every meal

On the third day of Christmas… my true love gave to me: Tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate with Pino Gelato at every meal

On the fourth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me a Sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, with Pino Gelato at every meal

On the fifth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me:  Honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, a tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the sixth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me: Hearty lasagna, a honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, Tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the seventh day of Christmas… my true love gave to me: glazed pistachios, hearty lasagna, honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the eighth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me: Baci Italian chocolates, glazed pistachios, hearty lasagna, honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the ninth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me; an aged prosciutto, Baci Italian chocolates, glazed pistachios, hearty lasagna, a honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the tenth day of Christmas… my true love gave to me a tangy bruschetta, honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the 11day of Christmas… my true love gave to me a lovely linguini, a tangy bruschetta, Honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco, tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

On the 12^th day of Christmas… my true love gave to me a beautiful Feast of Seven Fishes… (La Vigilia), a lovely linguine, Tangy Bruschetta, honey almond Torrine, a sparkling Prosecco,  tortellini Bologna, Panettone on my plate, and Pino Gelato at every meal

 

Buon NatalE! Merry Christmas and Buon Appetito!

From Pino Gelato/Marietta Square

Recipe Corner: Italian Orange Cookies

We have gone through our recipe book and that one looked particularly good at this time of the year.

Give it a try and let us know how it turns out or how long the cookies last on the dessert plates! 

 Photo by Taste of Home Recipe

This recipe yields about 24 dozen cookies and will take about 6 hours if rolling/twisting the cookies, or about 4 hours if cookies are made into balls. 

Ingredients:

½ lb. vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)

1 c. granulated sugar

6 large eggs

2 oranges (for zest)

2/3 c. orange juice

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. vegetable oil

½ tsp. salt

2 ½ lbs. flour (approx. 9 cups)

½ c. baking powder

Topping:

1 lb. confectioner’s sugar

½ stick butter, softened

Milk, room temperature

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Multi colored decors (round shaped sprinkles)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   

Beat together shortening and sugar; 

Add eggs one at a time while beating. 

Grate orange rinds fine and add to mixture. 

Add orange juice, oil, and salt and mix well

Alternate between additions of flour and baking powder, and mix well.

Scoop a teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball or roll long and then twist upwards.   

Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes (don’t let them get brown, only a touch on the bottom). 

Cool completely.

Topping: a loose icing

Mix all ingredients together slowly.  

Dip cookies into topping 

Sprinkle the decors on top while still wet.   

Allow cookies to dry well.

And Enjoy!

Tis The Season

Tis the season, ladies and gentlemen! Amongst the spirit and visual aspects of the holidays the taste of this time of year reigns supreme.  Peppermint swirls are just one of the true delights worthy of adding to just about anything.  Notably fastened upon gingerbread houses, this year’s peppermint has an upgraded appearance making it into gelato. Peppermint flavored gelato, albeit delicious in original form, can change the way the holidays are enjoyed when incorporated with the traditional.  

A cup of hot chocolate topped with peppermint gelato will leave the marshmallows in the pantry to go stale. Adorned atop any pie or cake, the perfect escort to Christmas cookies, and a visual delight with an array of candy toppings there is no limit to the decadent, creamy, peppermint-y gelato’s use. Holiday party attendees will be wowed by the means of the flavor, but then again the same reaction is warranted eaten alone straight from the bowl… it is that good.



Spumoni Gelato

Ways to add new sentiment and flavor to the traditions shared within families is to share spumoni gelato with those that matter most. Spumoni or known to Italians as spumone is combination of cherry, chocolate, and pistachio layers folded with cherries and nuts. If spumoni is unfamiliar with friends or family, it is such an exciting combination to introduce. 



Try serving the gorgeous scoop of spumoni gelato in tea cups when hosting family or an intimate sized crowd, beyond ideal for a friend’s wedding or baby shower in the next couple months. A bonus for tea cups that have been handed down from previous generations they will be a wonderful portal to expose something new while bringing a modern use to a treasured item.  Otherwise be on the lookout for all different patterned and sized tea cups on each shopping trip and set the dessert table early on, once with the spumoni gelato added the eclectic display will be just as appreciated by friends and acquaintances.  The table never looked so pretty and no grandparent ever swooned so gleefully at a new holiday dish.



Traditions with a twist and creating new ones are part of the joy in the passing of each season.  Be it the comfort of an old friend, peppermint, or the excitement of trying a new food for the first time, spumoni, a holiday with gelato is bound to be the most enjoyable addition this year and fixed in the food line-up for many years to come. 

Taste of the Season 2011

Ice Sculpture

The holiday season officially began with one of Hilton Head's most anticipated event... Taste of the Season.
For the 22nd edition, the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce gathered thirty local restaurants and eateries including The Jazz Corner, Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana, Alexander's Seafood Restaurant, Aqua Ocean Grill and Red Fish to name a few at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa to offer locals and visitors signatures dishes and desserts. The ball room was filled with aroma that tickled your taste puds at every step. Whether you prefer seafood or steak, Hilton Head's finest chefs had prepared it fabulously. When visiting the island on your next summer vacation, whether you are beach goers or golfers, you won't want to miss these great places to eat. Among our favorites were Ela's Water Grille's seared diver scallops with truffled beurre blanc with lemon, Berkeley Hall's mesquite grilled bison strip loin, cranberry demi served with dual white and orange sweet potato puree, and the butternut squash bisque, topped with crab nugget and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Lined up for Pino

 Fortunately, guests saved a little room for dessert and had a choice of brownies and cookies, chocolate fettuccini alla panna (cocoa crepes) and of course, Pino Gelato!
After winning the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce "Small Business of the Year Award", we could not miss this culinary event and wanted to add our famous Pino Gelato Brand to the mix. Earlier in September, when we were invited to Gourmet Sensation with Wolfgang Puck (see the complete story on our blog), we offered our unique gelato and sorbetto classic Italian flavors. On Friday night, we added the new seasonal flavors to bring our own taste of the season here on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The authentic Italian gelato flavors Spumone and Tiramisu were the hit of the night, along with Christmas favorite Candy Cane. Some preferred the pallet cleansing sorbettos: Mediterranean citrus and Mojito served as "icing on the cake" after such delicious food for many.

A taste of Italy

All the participants efforts to decorate each table with ornaments, Christmas trees, lights and classic children's books made the spirit of the Holidays come to life.

Daniel's had an elegant presentation

Our beautiful table

 

Pino Gelato donates

 The silent auction tables were full of gifts, including some from Santa Claus himself! Choosing between dining and entertaining such as  Crazy Crab and Old Oyster Factory gift certificates, indulgent escapes including weekend getaways to Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, The Inn at Harbourtown, the Westin or the Hilton Oceanfront Resort and other golf and spa packages made it a lot of fun to bet and support our community!


Not only was the food amazing, but the drinks were a treat as well, and the fact that it was all served among great company, with live jazz music playing in the background, made this event all the more special!

The music men