Pizza Cones for the Family!

The kids are out of school for the summer, now it is time to figure out what to do with them.  Long hot summer days, rainy days, or once the crew officially has had too much beach, camp, and kickball, the place to turn is in the kitchen.  Pizza cones are the route to take to entice little chefs to learn to prepare a quick, fresh, and mess-free transformation of the beloved pizza slice. 

Pino Gelato’s pizza cones lead as forerunner of the Crispycones state-side debut a few years ago, stemming from the popularity abroad.  The pizza cones immediately took off after coverage on the Food Network’s television show “Unwrapped”, and have been a lasting hit since. Crispycones, based off of an Italian company’s creations, are made with special flaky dough with a seal on the bottom that is filled with a variety of quality ingredients from cheese to Caesar salad.  The individual cones are prepared fresh daily and baked to perfection on the spot. 

Here comes the fun part for the kids!  Stop into a Pino Gelato location offering pizza cones and allow them watch custom pizza cones be prepared in front of their eyes.  A handful of pizza cone making kits are available for order online to truly delve into the DIY project, and purchase the fresh ingredients at a grocery store or via our store.  Pino Gelato plans to have a pizza cone making class at their Hilton Head, SC flagship location (potentially at others) later this summer.  Stay on our social media radar and website for specific details, and keep the kitchen clean by bringing the kids to ours! 

The pizza cones are best described by Pino Gelato CEO, Ramona Fantini, “This product is a healthy, easy meal for patrons in need of a quick lunch, children who want a fun meal and everyone in between”. Certainly, the entire family benefits from an activity that encourages creativity in the kitchen and enjoying the delicious creations the kids made.  Let the little ones venture out from summer boredom and become pizza cone masters. 

La Famiglia

 

Mamma Agata, facebook.com

Family is everything.  Beyond raising wholesome, successful, and loving individuals that conduct themselves with regard to society, family life as Mecca is the ultimate goal of many households in our country.  Italy and the USA share many similarities as far as family and celebration are concerned. 

A mecca is a point of recreation, gathering, and center for a particular group.  Italian mothers are known to be the axis on which their family spins, the matriarch is held with the most regard.  Italians are drawn to their homes by mamma to dine on traditional cuisine and share stories from the day (or  at least on a weekly basis, even once grown).  Italian-Americans typically do not move far from each other considering this tradition and the glue the Italian mother has laid doesn't stretch very far. 

In Italy, Mother's Day is celebrated the second Sunday in May, same as ours this year! The day starts with church and focuses on showering the mother with love, gifts, and treats throughout the day, she is not expected to cook or work.  Though certainly most do not hand over their kitchen to just anyone.  Mother's Day is a chance to bring about tradition to the epicenter of love in the family and to dine and to help spread the joy to all that she provides all year.  Families are there for each other, daily, in business, and in a place that draws us back time and again.  Family is home. 

Certainly all families have traditions that bring them together, allow for those to shine bright this Mother's Day. The base of the family, the love that keeps the group together, the mother created core, is what family is all about.   Show appreciation for family-based culture and become proof of that time being worth everything.  Make being together a bit sweeter and a bit more Italian this year and allow us to  Scoop Some Happiness to your family on Mother's Day!



A scoop of Pino Gelato for Mom = smile!

Healthy Italian Style

Anno nuovo, vita nuova in Italian translates to: New Year, new life (let’s make a fresh start).  To eat and live healthy in 2013 the Italian food culture will steer any lifestyle into a better, fresher way of dining.  There are numerous staple ingredients indicative of Italian cooking that have immense health benefits.  Commit to a fresh start through reengaging the focus of food to time shared with family and friends with an appreciation for the preparation and elements of the meal and a courtesy to refrain from over indulgence.



No Italian grandmother wants to hear a family member is on a diet, food should never qualify as a stipulation.  Instead, while the average mind jumps to hearty pasta dishes and decadent treats while imagining Italian food, the focus is naturally on wholesome dishes meant to bring families together over a respect for the meal.  In Italy the mid-day meal or lunch is the larger portion over any other daily meal. The longer break during the day allows for time to gather with family and friends and leaves dinner to typically be of lighter fare much like an American lunch. Try to implement this on the weekend or days off to start.  Another benefit of this structure is to include others in the process. Cooking together will teach children or family and friends of all ages that allotting time to prepare a meal with whole foods ignites a connection to the kitchen that will result in fewer processed meals and create the proper guidance for eating well.  Commit to any opportunity to cook or eat together as a daily celebration of life, an excellent way to become healthier this year.

Italian cooking is simple and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry, dairy, and healthy fats such as olive oil.  Tomatoes, a staple in many dishes, have health benefits such as lycopene a type of antioxidant and vitamin c.  Garlic has both anti-fungal and antibiotic properties and adds a tremendous amount of natural flavor.  Olive oil is used as the primary cooking oil and is high in monounsaturated fat, when used in place of butter the saturated fat in dishes are reduced.  Dark leafy greens, vegetables, and herbs are appreciated by Italians and used often in whole grain pasta dishes.  This Mediterranean style of diet has been rejoiced as both decadent and beneficial. 



Antipasti salad The Food Network

Beyond the health benefits of the commonly used foods, portion control is important when implementing the Italian way of dining.  Due to the socialization aspect of meals and the rich fresh ingredients present it is simple to stop when a person is full. Moderation of real foods allows room to indulge on a small sweet treat.  Gelato or pastry on occasion, is a right and a much better choice over processed sweets.  Espresso and coffee products are part of daily intake and do aid in boosting metabolism and digestion.  It is ritual to share an espresso after finishing a meal in Italy and a welcomed tradition to help set pace over the busy American, often rushed, mealtime.

Incorporate the Italian lifestyle and cuisine and discover a new quest for the perfect balance of life and food.  Shift the way food is consumed with leading example. Enjoying the best foods with the best people in a respectful manner will allow for an added abundance of health and happiness in 2013. Vita Nouva!