Trentino-Alto Adige Pairing Dinner
/“When we started talking about the last pairing dinner of the year, we knew it had to be unique. Luckily the timing worked out and when we tried the Teroldego wine (our newest M’tucci’s Private Label Wine), we knew we had to highlight this melting pot of Italy. Selfishly, I was very excited to do this region as they have a lot of German influence and I grew up eating a lot of German food,” said Company Chef Shawn Cronin.
“Alto Adige was fun to highlight as there are a lot of rich, hearty dishes due to it being in the mountainous part of Italy. Being sandwiched between Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, it provided a whole new way to look at what Italian food really is,” he added.
The terrain here is breathtaking, with the Dolomite mountains and one of the world’s most spectacular drives, the 68-mile Strada delle Dolomiti, which starts in Cardano, near Bolzano and ends at the famous ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The Trentino-Alto Adige Pairing Dinner on 12/12 at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will feature six courses paired with three wines and three cocktails. The cocktails were created to showcase the produce and products of the region.
Notes from Olivia Jordy, bar manager at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: “Our goal with creating the cocktail pairings for this dinner was to challenge ourselves to explore the traditional flavors and drinks of this region. It’s no secret that Trentino-Alto Adige produces some amazing wines; in fact, it’s one of my favorite wine regions. The challenge for this dinner was to deep dive into their world outside of wine. We wanted to explore the spectrum of local flavors, cocktails and amari, as traditional as the Negroni and as innovative as the Hugo Spritz. Not to reinvent, but to dissect those flavor profiles and deliver them as interesting cocktails and perfect pairings.”
The spritz dates back to the 1800s in Veneto Italy, when Austrians visiting Italy would dilute their wine with a ‘spritz’, (German for splash) of soda water to make them more palatable to their tastes. The Italian wine in the spritz evolved to Prosecco, and the Italians began adding amari and fortified wines. In the 1950s, the Aperol Spritz recipe became a classic in Italy, and soon after, the rest of the world. In 2005, an Italian bartender in Alto Adige added mint and swapped the Aperol for St Germain, an Elderflower liqueur traditional to the region and the Hugo Spritz was born.
The Second Course with Wild Boar and Cherry Sausage is paired with a Smoked Negroni, which uses Cappelletti Aperitivo instead of Campari. Cappelletti has been made near Trento since 1906 and was popular with Austrian soldiers during WWI, who added it to the local prosecco to give it more depth. It became known as a Specialtino and is a signature cocktail of the region. In addition to Cappelletti, the Smoked Negroni features Averell Damson Gin Liqueur, an ode to the prevalent flavor of plums in the region. This spirit is made from the fresh-pressed juice of Damson plums and rich with a botanical blend of juniper and warm spices. This liqueur is tart and bright, a unique substitution for a London Dry or Old Tom gin in this balanced Negroni.
Apple strudel is a staple dish of Trentino-Alto Adige. A traditional Austrian dish, and a great example of the influence Austria and Germany have had on this Italian region.
“At the beginning of this pairing dinner journey, we knew we wanted to make a cocktail that tasted like strudel in a glass: rich and layered, balancing both sweet and savory. Playing into the flavors of the apple strudel; cinnamon, nuts, and of course, apples. Using Calvados Apple Brandy as the base, Apple Cider Syrup full of baking spice flavors, Pedro Ximenez Sherry with notes of raisins and figs, and Black Walnut Bitters for a nutty and complex body,” Jordy said.
Since the region is one of the largest apple producing regions in Europe, this final cocktail of the evening was a no-brainer.
But wait, there’s more. An intermezzo cocktail!
The inspiration for our Intermezzo comes from a very Italian and very traditional drink: Parampampoli. Now say that 10 times, fast. The recipe of Parampampoli is a well guarded secret, but the story of its creation is well known across Trentino. As the story goes, in the 1950s Giordano Purin was preparing two hot drinks in separate copper pots for guests; one with coffee, wine, and sugar, the other with coffee, honey, and grappa. Guests joked that he should mix the two pots, and when he did, they caught ablaze and the guests shouted “Parampam!”. Thus, Parampampoli was born. A unique mix of coffee, grappa, brandy, honey, wine, caramelized sugar, and spices, heated on the stove and set on fire with a match before serving in small, ceramic cups. To create a Parampampoli of our own, we created a red wine gelato with our M’tucci’s house Teroldego, a wine varietal native to the Trentino-Alto Adige region and blended uniquely for M’tucci’s. Paired with a blend of Cutbow coffee, Calvados brandy, Piloncillo, and baking spices to create a one-of-a-kind affogato that might not be on fire but will knock the socks off of your Nonna.
Saturday is the last Day to Order Your M’tucci’s Pie
Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
topped with Vanilla Chantilly and Pumpkin Seed Brittle- $35
Lavazza Black Bottom Pie $19
Old Forester Bourbon Pecan Pie $21
Order in person or call the M’tucci’s restaurant closest to you by November 23. This is the last day to order, no exceptions. Pick up your pies on Tuesday or Wednesday, 11/26 or 27. We remind you that we are closed on Thanksgiving Day.
M’tucci’s Italian: 505-503-7327
M’tucci’s Moderno: 505-891-2432
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: 505-554-2660
M’tucci’s Bar Roma: 505-508-3948
Martinis That Matter!
Tito’s Handmade Vodka & M’tucci’s
Beginning today, November 15, for every cocktail we make with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, they will donate $1 to the Roadrunner Food Bank. The donation period is from 11/15 - 12/31. Cheers!!
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Lobster Ravioli - Shrimp, Spinach, Oyster Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Capers, Lemon Cream Sauce, Pecorino, Microgreens $27
12 oz. Veal Chops - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $36
Pan-Seared Arctic Char - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $33
Confit Octopus - Spanish Chorizo & White Bean Stew, Red Peppers, Red Onions, San Marzano Tomatoes, Garlic, Carrots, Parsley $25
Weekend Cocktail
Ruby Gin Fizz - Sipsmith Orange Gin, Cranberry Juice, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Mint Garnish
M’tucci’s Moderno
14 oz. NY Strip - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Italian Salsa Verde $37
Pan-Seared Corvina - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $35
Prosciutto & Shrimp Pasta - Prosciutto, Shrimp, Chicken, Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce, House Made Campanelle Pasta $25
Weekend Cocktail
Chocolate Cherry Cozy - Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Chocolate Liqueur, Kahlua, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Espresso Shot, Mexican Chocolate Syrup, Topped With Cream
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Seafood Cannelloni - Pasta Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese, Crab, Spinach, Lobster Cream Sauce, Parmesan, Basil $28
Pan-Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Zucchini, Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33
8 oz. Picanha - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Creamy Horseradish Remoulade $33
Weekend Cocktail
Wicked - Hard Truth Coconut Rum, Midori, Lillet, Egg White, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Topped With Crushed Freeze Dried Glittered Strawberries
M’tucci’s Bar Roma
Pan-Seared Grouper - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Braised Arugula with Garlic, Seared Stem-on Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $35
Bianco Braised Lamb Leg - Cacio e Pepe Farro, Marinated & Cold Smoked Eggplant, Braised Greens, Local Microgreens $35
Weekend Cocktail
Tiramisu-tini - Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Amaretto, Baileys, Espresso Shot, Cream, Topped With Cinnamon Dust
Live Music for November & December
M’tucci’s Bar Roma - 6:30pm Wednesday & Noon Sunday
11/24 Shane Wallin
11/27 Myles Chavez
12/1 Michael Rascon
12/4 Shane Wallin
12/8 Lani Nash
12/11 Robb Janov
12/15 Cali Shaw
12/18 Javier Ortega
12/22 Shane Wallin
12/29 RJ Perez
M’tucci’s Moderno - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
11/22 Myles Chavez
11/29 Rob Janov
12/5 Jacob Chavez
12/6 Chris Dracup
12/12 RJ Perez
12/13 Michael Rascon
12/19 Shane Wallin
12/20 Robb Janov
12/26 Gilbert Uribe
12/27 Cali Shaw
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
11/22 Cali Shaw
11/29 Matt Jones
12/5 Mya Gutierrez
12/6 RJ Perez
12/12 Shane Wallin
12/13 Robb Janov
12/19 Cali Shaw
12/20 Gilbert Uribe
12/26 Myles Chavez
12/27 Michael Rascon
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
