Adelaide taste buds will be treated to the authentic flavours of Italian winter cuisine, as CIBO Espresso launches 18 new Italian delicacies as part of its new Winter Menu.
CIBO Directors Claudio Ferraro and Salvatore Pepe spent more than four weeks tasting their way across Northern Italy in search of new ideas for the seasonally inspired menu, which includes eight savoury and 10 sweet items.
“We spent the trip visiting a range of small pasticcerie and trattorie, sampling beautiful food and gathering ideas to take home and test in our kitchen,” Claudio said.
Claudio said tailoring the menu to include the best of local produce is something that CIBO Espresso is passionate about.
“In South Australia we are spoilt with incredible produce – the range and flavours are world-class –so we certainly want to continue adapting the menu to reflect what’s in-season and available locally,” he said.
One new dish combining traditional Italian flavours with quality local ingredients is the Tortino di Fichi e Noci – a sweet moist cake folded with caramelized figs and walnuts.
The recipe uses local Willabrand figs from Houghton in the Adelaide Hills that are handpicked ripe and preserved for use over winter.
The new Winter Menu also includes Torta Fiorentina – a traditional sponge cake made in Florence for the Carnevale Festival in February, and Torta Gianduia – a winter cake famous for the rich chocolate and hazelnuts that come from the Piedmonte region in Northern Italy.
For those with less of a sweet tooth, there are a number of savoury items on offer, including the Schiacciata Mortadella – spicy Italian bread with mortadella, grilled zucchini and pecorino cheese.
Claudio and Salvatore discovered the dish in the heart of Florence, where Salvatore spent many years working. The schiacciata is a traditional bread made with freshly squeezed extra virgin olive oil – giving it a spicy taste – and is eaten in Italy at any time of the day.
“This new menu reflects those dishes that we enjoyed most during our time in Italy so we’re really excited to be able to share our culinary journey through our new menu offering,” Claudio said.
The new menu will be available at all 14 CIBO Espresso stores across Adelaide from 5 May 2010.
For further information on CIBO Espresso visit www.ciboespresso.com.au
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