"Sotto il sole Toscano"~Under The Tuscan Sun

"A culinary adventure through Tuscany"

09.16.2018 - 09.16.2018

INVITO (The Invitation)
"a una cena"

You are cordially invited to a culinary adventure through Tuscany - culture, music, food and, of course, wine. Bring a regional appetizer or dessert and your favorite Tuscan wine to share.

Hope you can join us as we celebrate Terry, Lisa and Bob's upcoming trip "Under the Tuscan Sun" with dinner at our home on Sunday, September 16 starting with cocktails at 4:30 p.m.....

On a beautiful September Sunday in the Adirondacks, we enjoy an Italian get-together to celebrate our friends who are about to embark on a trip to Tuscany.... we could not have asked for a more perfect day in Warrensburgh, NY.

LA POSIZIONE (The Setting)

First of all, the house and gardens are always a thrill to visit...and the lake just adds another element of beauty. Our host and hostess, John and Teresa put their heart into every detail from the music, to the props, the flowers, the straw-woven bottle of Chianti... to the map and book of Tuscany, the sunflowers and, of course, il cibo (the food). Another treat for me was having the privilege to browse through Johns book of drawings and a study he did as well as a photo album when he was living abroad several years ago. What a treat! John and Teresa...your passion for entertaining and your love of family and friends is obvious.

IL MENU (The Menu)

APERTIVO, ASSAGGINO (Appetizers)

Caprese
Olives
Antipasto
Garlic, Rosemary and Sea salt almonds
Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus w/rosemary
Crudités
Tuscan cheese/ bread/breadsticks

PRIMO (1st Course)

La Minestra/Zuppa (soup)

Ribollita - a hearty Tuscan bean soup made with Oscars smoked bacon, cannelloni beans and lots of deliscious vegetables. The rind from some good Italian cheese cooked into the soup gives it extra flavor and substance.

IL SECONDO (Main Course)

"Chicken under a Tuscan Brick" marinated with lemon and herbs... and grilled to perfection

Peposo -(Peppery Tuscan Beef Stew)- a traditional Tuscan beef stew cooked with a bottle of wine and very generous amounts of black pepper. This is an old recipe invented by the furnace workers who baked the terracotta tiles for the Brunelleschis famous Duomo in Florence. They mixed up beef shank, salt, lots of black pepper and Chianti wine and let it all bake slowly in terra cotta pots in their furnace. (I learned this from Teresa whose tremendous effort in the meal planning (beside the cooking) is evident. "It's all in the details!"

Panzanella- a delicious bread salad complete with homegrown tomatoes
A melange of potatoes
Fresh green salad with vinigrette dressing