Sweet Super Bowl Sunday

America’s sport has transcended over time with glorifying the championship game to include much more than football.  The NFL’s Super Bowl Sunday is just as much about the food and the entertainment as it is about tossing the pig skin making the event enjoyable, all-inclusive, and indulgent.  New Orleans is the host city this year allowing for an amazing influence on food and beverages served at parties across the nation.  While there are certain food staples associated with Super Bowl Sunday, dessert is often overlooked amongst them.  Gelato is a superb way to sweeten up the fare and drink for Super Bowl XLVII.

We have dessert covered this year.  For an impressive yet simple option serve or bring our Pino Gelato custom gelato cake shaped and made to look like a football for guests to ogle over until dessert time.  The cake itself adds instant thematic décor and is a favorite for all ages.  Another convenient option for hosting or attending a party is to bring pints or quarts of various gelato flavors that can be used to top just about any dessert.  An idea would be to have handheld mini pies, cakes, and other assorted favorite treats with a station for guests to self-serve scoops to accompany their selection.  Similarly, the gelato can be used with a coffee bar set up to allow guests to create a pick-me up with espresso or coffee and a variety of after-dinner liqueurs poured over their gelato flavor of choice. The possibilities for gelato and dessert are endless and an ideal fit for wowing people over on food-day/game-day. 

New Orleans lends easy menu selection in terms of drinks this Sunday with an array of drinks representative of The Big Easy.  Gelato can be used to add a fun and sweet flair to the traditional preparation of The Hurricane, rum and tropical juices, topped with a mini-scoop of coconut gelato will provide a sensational presentation.  NOLA is bustling with stands peddling Frozen Daiquiri’s acclimating tourists with the local’s adoration of the sweet concoction. Serve up vodka (or leave it out for a great non-alcoholic option) blended with ice, fresh berries, and a scoop of fruit flavored gelato or sorbetto to do the same for your crowd.  Additionally, Craft beer and the Pimm’s Cup, Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur and lemon-lime soda with a cucumber garnish, are important drinks to the local region but are likely to be gleefully over looked against the gelato infused beverage options.

Eat and drink a bit sweeter this Super Bowl Sunday courtesy of gelato!

 

Health behind Gelato

To stay congruent with the overall health vibe January induces in many American’s homes, the information here intends to lighten the load and expose the actual health perks gelato offers. 

Gelato is made predominantly with milk, which means it is 93% fat-free. By law, ice cream must contain more than 10% butterfat in the United States to be considered ice cream.

Manufacturers typically whip air into their ice cream products, which results in over 50% of air by volume. Gelato does not have all this air whipped into it, which means it is a dense, rich product full of flavor. This texture makes it thick and “creamy” without the use of heavy cream.  Because ice cream contains more than twice as much air as gelato, the high fat content in the heavy cream allows ice cream to maintain a creamy texture.  Sorbetto, gelato without milk, is dairy-free, gluten-free and fat-free. Making these Italian treats all-inclusive.

Gelato is produced in small batches with only the best available premium ingredients versus the mass production of ice cream made months prior to consumption. Gelato is lower in fat content per serving and lower in calories per serving versus ice cream.  The rich texture and flavor of gelato allows for true indulgence and satiety in lesser quantity.

Often gelato varieties have flavors with fresh seasonal fruits or the best chocolate products. Used are products such as whole fruits, real espresso and premium high cocoa content chocolate to give gelato the best possible flavor. Chocolate has benefits conducive to health as well, from antioxidants, to stress relief, and a natural metabolism booster from the caffeine content.  Fresh fruits are an everyday staple as they provide a bevy of vitamins and recommended nutrients. Some ingredients are imported from Italy, to keep the true flavor of authentic Italian gelato.  The combination with the healthy fats in gelato allow consumption of these pairings to go unhindered and become a celebration, a choice, and a delicious portion to achieving a healthy lifestyle. 

Eat gelato!

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!

Gelato Cocktails

Ladies and gentlemen, let us celebrate in spirit with spirits of the sweetest variety this year.  One of the top elements to a holiday gathering is the beverage options, in order to create the most spectacular offerings serve a couple of signature cocktails that incorporate gelato.  Truly brighten the crowd and atmosphere with a gelato addition to a traditional Bellini or a dark stout beer.  

Giuseppe Cipriani the founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy created the most famous champagne cocktail in the world, The Bellini, although it is made with prosecco.  A traditional Bellini is made with one part white peach puree to three parts prosecco. All items should be as cold as possible.  To create a memorable twist to the traditional Bellini serve all ingredients with a small scoop of peach sorbetto, blood orange sorbetto, or vanilla gelato right in the champagne flute.  The cold, sweetened, and colorful beverage will be a party favorite with the gelato and sorbetto adding an exceptional component to a delightful drink. Beyond the delectable taste, the color in the flute looks fabulous.



At Harry's Bar, photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Options are encouraged when entertaining, so in addition to having a full bar of spirits and wine (or a selection of personal favorites) have another featured gelato cocktail, such as a dark stout beer float.  Offer chilled beer glasses filled with dark stout beer and in a make-your-own fashion present three flavors of gelato next to the poured beer. Hazelnut, caramel, or vanilla gelato is a flavor that complements the notes present in the dark beer.  If there is a full bar display then use the gelato in combination with after-dinner drinks such as Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur from Northern Italy, or Sambuca, an Italian anise-flavored liqueur. Serve alongside or within an espresso, of course. 

Signature beverages display an extra effort for the host, a seemingly flawless plan to use the simple gelato drink preparations above to wow a crowd. Creating special cocktails with gelato will rally enthused guests and spike creativity, who knows, gelato margaritas could be on the menu at a friend’s Cinco-de-Mayo party, trendsetter!  Enjoying the festivities this season sweeter than ever before will keep a crowd smiling, saying “I’ll have another”, with  these glorious gelato cocktails.  Salute!

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.