Abbondanza! 8 Wines + 8 Courses = 1 Great Evening!
Happy Wine Wednesday New Jersey!
If you follow me on social media, then you know that on Friday, September 11th, I attended an Italian wine and food event at North End Bistro in Princeton. This event was hosted by Get Forky and Cool Vines.
This enchanting evening began at a long table of 32 guests, all of which I did not know prior to being there. By the end of the night I had exchanged business cards and stories with my end of the table. Shout out to Michelle, Donna, Chris, Michael, Chris and Doreen!
Anyway…
The multi course meal was paired with different wines from the volcanoes of Italy. The event was titled “Abbondanza” an Italian word that translates to abundance. By the end of the night I was full and happy, and had a better knowledge of Italian wines. Our host was a lovely Italian man who was an expert on the wine and made sure we all had a great time.
First course: Italian cured meats, cheeses and nuts paired with a Prosecco (Sommariva Prosecco).
First Course Thoughts: Meat and cheese to start this meal was a good choice. The Prosecco paired well with everything on the plate. The wine was sweet, but not too sweet. And it was so good, I had seconds.
Second Course (paired with 3 white wines: Ippolito, Ciro Blanco Res Dei; Fattoria Alois, Caulino; Firriato, Etna Bianco)
Risotto con Gamberi e Basilico
Creamy Basil Pesto Shrimp Risotto
Ravioli con Porcini e Tartufo
Porcini and Black Truffle Ravioli
Pollo Ripieno
Stuffed Chicken with Fontina, Spinach and Prosciutto
Second Course Thoughts: My favorite of the three meals was the chicken, but overall everything was delicious. All three wines paired well with all three courses. White wine pairs well with pasta, seafood and chicken so to have three wines with three meals that sample everything was a great choice by our hosts. Having three Italian wines paired with Italian food? Awesome. Everything just went so well together!
Third course (paired with 3 red wines: Ippolito, Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore Colli del Mancuso Riserva 2011 from Calabria; Fattoria Alois, Campania Aglianico Campole 2013 from Campania; Firriato, Etna Rosso 2013 from Sicily)
Polpetti di Vitello, Manzo e Maiale
Homemade Veal, Beef and Pork Meatballs
Costatine con Sugo di Funghi
Short Rib with Mushroom Ragout
Costoletta di Agnello
Rosemary and Parmesan encrusted Baby Rack of Lamb
Third Course Thoughts: Meat and red wine is always a winning combination. The short rib with a side of mashed potatoes was a very nice touch, but everything that was put in front of us was excellent. Everything was cooked perfectly and the wine was dry but not too dry.
Dessert (Paired with a Dessert Wine: Fattoria Viticco Vin Santo Dolce)
Osteria Procaccini Tira Mi Su
Imported Gorgonzola and Dried Figs
The Tiramisu was sweet but not too sweet. I was full by the end of the night, but there is always time for tiramisu. The wine was VERY sweet, but I love a sweet wine. You could easily just have the wine for dessert. The gorgonzola cheese with dessert was an interesting choice, but it worked.
Overall:
I hope all these pictures made you hungry and inspires you to attend another one of their events! The meal itself cost $90 which included everything (tax and tip etc). Well worth it for all the food and wine that was consumed. The wines, which are sold at CoolVines, were all reasonably priced if you want to purchase them seperately. They ranged from $15 to $35.
If you would like to experience a lovely evening as well, they have two upcoming events. Details and tickets coming soon!
- Oktoberfest – Friday, October 9th, 2015: Burgers and Tacos served with Craft Beer
- California Dreaming – Friday, November 13th, 2015: A Change of Season Menu with California Wines.
