Italian themed menu for the annual boys' get together at the cottage.

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pictonguy

pictonguy

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Joined
Sep 11, 2023
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Every year in September we get together to eats lots of food, drink plenty of nice wine, cocktails and beer with everyone showing up very early this Saturday morning and leaving late Sunday afternoon.

Photo's will be provided.

Anyway every year we agree on a culinary theme or culture and this year it's Italian. So I've put a menu together and thought I would share the event for people that might be interested.

Cucina al Lago

Saturday Menu

B
Cornetto's, cannoli and biscotti, espresso and fancier cappuccino's

L
Tortellini en Brodo rabbit, mortadella, prosciutto filling
Mortadella & Provolone Sandwich, home made sourdough kaiser.

Wine: Lambrusco

D
Lamb Papardelle, braised lamb and stock with tomato and veg, parmigiana reggiano
Basic mixed green salad, lemon and evoo.

Wine: Super Tuscan-Liano

Dolce
Peach Zabaglione with Canadian Ice Wine.

More than likely I'll put out some salumi and bruschetta around 4ish with dinner at 7:30ish.


Sunday Menu

B
Frittata
Grilled buttered focaccia

Cocktail:
Bellini's

L
Burrata Caprese salad
more focaccia for it's absorption properties, lol.

Wine
Prosecco or Pinot Noir

Most leaving around 4 ish and any stragglers, we'll just eat what's available.
 
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I designed a magazine article about Ice Wines, and needed some samples to photograph. I was sent a very nice selection -- American and Canadian. My family enjoyed them. I miss all the free stuff I used to get.

CD
 
Sounds wonderful @pictonguy Do you do the mains and everyone else the sides? Or how do you work the split.
I see that lamb became available at the right time for your weekend! 😉

(think I wrote this at about 11 am - LOL)
 
dragnlaw said:
Sounds wonderful @pictonguy Do you do the mains and everyone else the sides? Or how do you work the split.
I see that lamb became available at the right time for your weekend! 😉

(think I wrote this at about 11 am - LOL)
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I pretty much do all the food at the cottage, although it was Toms Idea for the mortadella and provolone sandwich which he will be making. He saw a Bourdain recipe that he wants to try. Angela my partner who is a baker will be making the kaisers for the sandwiches and will make the focaccia.

I just finished the brodo and will be braising the lamb soon. I've made the filling for the tortellini and will make the pasta and tortellini later today and then IQF. The pappardelle I'm buying instead of making, mostly for convenience but the la Molinsana is a better product than I can make anyway. A few will help in any way with clean up a big one which is never been a problem, everyone is willing to help. Al generally is my sous who looks forward to these events, he loves to cook as well.

All the wine and spirits are supplied by Tom and Tom will be making all the cocktails. Tom is a bit of a wine connoisseur (under statement) and his brother is a broker and imports and sells wine which was instilled from birth by their parents. Both are small investors in a vineyard in France through a family connection, yeah they're both fully engaged in the drinking, storage and selling of wine, lol. Anyway Toms personal wine collection will be suppling all the Italian wine not to mention the citadel gin and other appropriate spirits I'm sure, we'll see, but Tom has a generous soul. And the boys always surprise, so we'll see what they bring.
 
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Taking my 97 VFR for a ride this morning to Belleville to pick up the pappardelle, my local Metro is out so I get to enjoy the ride and check one more thing I have to do. :)
 
caseydog said:
I designed a magazine article about Ice Wines, and needed some samples to photograph. I was sent a very nice selection -- American and Canadian. My family enjoyed them. I miss all the free stuff I used to get.

CD
Click to expand...
Yeah Canada is a leading producer of Ice Wine and actually the world's #1 producer and considered the best in the world, at least the last time I checked. I picked up a vidal from Inniskillin who back in the day was the winery that put Canada on the map for Ice Wine.

Anyway I found a recipe "Peaches and Cream Zabaglione" from Abbie Zanders a romance novelist who also loves to cook and with the Italian and Canadian connection I thought I'd give it a go.

Here's her recipe.

https://abbiezandersromance.com/peaches-and-cream-zabaglione/
 
pictonguy said:
Yeah Canada is a leading producer of Ice Wine and actually the world's #1 producer and considered the best in the world, at least the last time I checked. I picked up a vidal from Inniskillin who back in the day was the winery that put Canada on the map for Ice Wine.

Anyway I found a recipe "Peaches and Cream Zabaglione" from Abbie Zanders a romance novelist who also loves to cook and with the Italian and Canadian connection I thought I'd give it a go.

Here's her recipe.

https://abbiezandersromance.com/peaches-and-cream-zabaglione/
Click to expand...

Inniskillin was one of the brands I got. The writer of the must have gotten that too, as it was featured in the magazine article. I wanted my own unopened bottles to photograph and place in the article ;) , which IIRC, was a six pager. I took a few bottles down to Houston to have at Christmas with my family that year. I drank the rest with friends at home.

CD
 
caseydog said:
Inniskillin was one of the brands I got. The writer of the must have gotten that too, as it was featured in the magazine article. I wanted my own unopened bottles to photograph and place in the article ;) , which IIRC, was a six pager. I took a few bottles down to Houston to have at Christmas with my family that year. I drank the rest with friends at home.

CD
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Interesting. In 1991, Inniskillin Winery won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo in Bordeaux for its ice wine, catapulting Canada onto the world wine stage and also put Icewine into the public perception. It's still a niche product though, even in Canada I don't see much traction (advertising) either and haven't actually bought or ordered Ice-wine in a restaurant, although I have quite a few times ordered a Vidal at dessert.
 
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dragnlaw said:
how much did you pay or with what, did you bribe your neighbour to buy out all the pasta at Metro?
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Haha, I would find time to ride regardless. My local Metro carries pappardelle it seems when they feel like it and for the last month, none, lots of tagliatelle though. I called Belleville Metro last night to make sure they had it in stock, and yep 8 boxes, I took 3.



20250903_094545.jpg



And my ride.

20250903_071443.jpg
 
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