Gourmet Tasting Menu with Parmigianino

Gourmet Tasting Menu with Parmigianino

 

The Christmas festivities have come to an end. Let’s return to the usual routine, all holed up in our homes, enjoying some well-deserved peace and quiet.

This is also known as the ‘January effect,’ a month when there’s little desire to go out. But drink less wine? Never!

So, let me propose a gourmet tasting menu, featuring our Parmigianino extra-brut sparkling wine, to offer to your loved ones. Perhaps during one of these silent evenings, they come to visit and share a peaceful and carefree evening together.

What better wine than Parmigianino for lightness and carefreeness?

In pairing, simple and less elaborated dishes that are pleasantly cleansed by the delicate bubbles of Parmigianino. The key word here is indeed ‘cleansing.’

In fact, when choosing a wine or a dish, it’s always important for perfect gourmets to coordinate the sense of palate cleansing.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Parmigianino, one of the most beloved wines by our guests who visit here at Cantina Il Poggio.

Parmigianino presentation

Parmigianino goes against the typical tradition of Parma, which always prefers a sweet and easily drinkable Malvasia. Here, at Cantina Il Poggio, however, we don’t quite fancy sweet wines 😉

An extra-brut sparkling wine (thus with a residual sugar content of less than 6gr/L), just by approaching the glass, we can perceive how extremely fruity and floral this wine is, with notes of all white-skinned fruits and yellow/white flowers that sommeliers elegantly list.

But peach and sage will be the two scents guiding this splendid product. It replaces a very ordinary prosecco, perfect as an aperitif but also to accompany buttery first courses.

Have you ever heard about Malvasia grape variety? If you’re curious, here’s an article from our blog where we delve into the variety and its history.

In Parma, we have the ‘Malvasia Aromatica di Candia’ type (Candia, which originally was the name of the island of Crete) and it represents our territory. ‘Let’s have a Malva’ is a bit of a saying for every respectable citizen of Parma when they find themselves at the winery with friends and want to drink a sparkling white wine without much commitment.

Today, thanks to the oenological and viticultural revolution we’re experiencing, marvelous Malvasias are available in the market, complex and structured wines, such as our Gelasio 2022 – macerated Malvasia, aged in acacia barrels, far from being just a simple bar white wine.

Now let’s dive in to our food proposals, but if you have other ideas and insights you want to share, don’t hesitate to comment under this article or DM us on our social media channels!

 

1. Starter of anchovies in green sauce

Because the history of Malvasia originates in open waters, during the Middle Ages, between the Republic of Venice and the port of Monemvasia, I also want to start this tasting menu with anchovies, a simple dish, once poor, flavored by this green sauce.

Here’s the recipe from Food&Wine.

💡🍷 Why do anchovies in green sauce go well with Parmigianino? The floral and fruity notes of the sparkling wine envelop and enrich the herbal notes of the sauce. The bubbles cleanse away the rich sensation left by the anchovy. Once you’ve finished the bite, your palate is balanced.

2. First course of Tortelli d’erbetta

In Parma, there’s a saying, ‘Drown in butter, dry off with Parmesan‘

And that’s the idea behind Tortelli d’erbetta. Partly tradition, partly because traditions arise from needs and what was available in the past, in Parma, malvasia wine always goes hand in hand with a slice of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Here’s the recipe directly from the Parma City of Gastronomy website: arm yourself with some patience because rolling out the dough is certainly no child’s play, but with a good pasta machine and a super sous-chef lending a hand, you’ll see it’s not difficult!

💡🍷 Why do Tortelli d’erbetta well with Parmigianino? It’s not easy to pair a sparkling wine with a first course: usually, sparkling wine is thought of as an aperitif or popped to celebrate significant moments. Here, too, we want to go a bit against the tide and ensure that the bubbles continue to cleanse the amount of butter you’ll find in the dish 😉

3. Main course of white Hunter-style rabbit

Pairing meat with sparkling wine isn’t easy, but here at Cantina Il Poggio, we always make the impossible possible!

Here, I found this sicilian recipe, so I feel confident recommending it.

💡🍷 Why does white Hunter-style rabbit go well with Parmigianino? The real question is, why not? The juicy and succulent sauce will dance between one taste bud and another, in rhythm with the sage aroma of Parmigianino. And so, the last glass is finished.

 

Save this article among your favorites and propose the Tasting Menu with Parmigianino to your loved ones. Don’t forget to take a photo and tag us on social media!

Oh, I almost forgot! You still have some Parmigianino at home, right? If not, you can order it here! 😉🍾