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Bill’s Bucatini with Rabbit and Spring Vegetables

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Here at Via Umbria, we really live and breathe our products, as we believe in the producers and farmers that make them. This means that our everyday choices are guided by the integrity of the products we sell; we really are rooted and knowledgeable about what we are selling and use and eat those products every day.

Last week, our very own Bill Menard whipped up some bucatini with rabbit, and sautéed spring peas, fava beans, and artichokes with mint. Made wearing the top line of chefware from Italy (quite stylish if we do say so ourselves) and plated on a Geribi handpainted ceramic, this meal is a seasonal Umbrian classic that he made with pride.

The Bucantini with rabbit recipe you can find the The Geometry of Pasta, but for the rest you’ll have to consult our Pinterest.

Buon appetito!

–Via Umbria

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An Umbrian Classic Read more

  Here at Via Umbria, we really live and breathe our products, as we believe in the producers and farmers that make them. ...

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Recipe: Fennel Meatballs from Vickie Reh

Last week this time, we were sitting down to a four course meal to celebrate Liu Pambufetti of Scacciadiavoli Vineyards. As the heat of the day sifted off, we enjoyed typical Umbrian fare under the stars.

While the mood outside was lively, the feeling of relaxation and perfect conversation prevailed at the dinner table. But, as usual, in the kitchen it was a different story! The timing of the lamb was especially imperative, but with the assistance of our friend, chef, and sommelier Vickie Reh, we were able to pull off the dinner without a hitch.

After the last drops of the passito were had, and the guests wandered home, content and with full bellies, we sat down around the fire pit.

Vickie reminisced about sitting outside in the summer to celebrate Suzy’s birthday, which she also helped cook for. We were able to track down the recipe for the classic fennel meatballs she made for the occasion, which we are sharing with you here!

IMG_8259IMG_8302 The third course: lamb, roasted potatoes and asparagus, paired with Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino 2006. IMG_8366The women who helped plan and execute the event!

Do these photos make you drool? We have plenty of opportunities for you to experience the food and wine of Umbria. Check out our upcoming events to find something for every price point.

Ci Vediamo!

 

— Via Umbria

One of our all time favorites! Read more

Last week this time, we were sitting down to a four course meal to celebrate Liu Pambufetti of Scacciadiavoli Vineyards. As the ...

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Simone’s Spring Bucatini

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Our dear friend and chef Simone gave us his recipe for the perfect spring pasta, which we paired with the Montefalco Rosso from Scacciadiavoli last Thursday night. We needed a simple yet impressive dish to serve for a party of 30, and this pasta was perfetto. Fava beans are in season, both in Umbria and the US, and serve as the protein for this vegetarian dish, which can easily be altered to be vegan and/or gluten-free for guests with dietary restrictions. Ready in under 30 minutes and packed with the vibrant flavors of spring, it was a huge hit.

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Ingredients:

1 package all-natural Bucatini
1 bunch green onions
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup fava beans peeled
aged pecorino cheese
olive oil

 

Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt and put on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are soft and lightly browned.  Peel fava beans (both layers) and steam just until soft and still bright green. Remove from heat immediately.

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Boil pasta until al dente and drain.  Mix pasta and tomatoes in a large pasta bowl adding olive oil as necessary.  Toss in fava beans and green onions.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (you can add a pinch of chili pepper if you like).  Top with grated pecorino and serve!

 

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Our dear friend and chef Simone will be returning to Washington DC for a few days at the end of May.

 

He has two evenings still available for private dinners in your home Friday, May 29 or Sunday May 31, where you can host up to 10 guests for $1,250. Or, you can book a seat at the table at the Menard’s where Simone will be working his magic for $125 a plate.

 

Contact Suzy at suzy@viaumbria.com or 202.957-3811 to book or for more details.

Taste the flavors of spring Read more

Our dear friend and chef Simone gave us his recipe for the perfect spring pasta, which we paired with the Montefalco Rosso from Scacciadiavoli last ...

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Cocktail Corner – Vodka Cedrata

This weekend we have been outlandishly busy. With the Georgetown French Market in full swing we were clamoring to get everything done (though is anything really new?). After a long day, sometimes we just want a cocktail that is refreshing, delicious, and takes two seconds to make.

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Enter the Vodka Cedrata. Cedrata Italian Soda is our most popular flavor, and so we thought it was high time that we combined it with some booze. It tastes like a elevated, all natural Sprite, and is intensely refreshing, with notes of saffron flower and citron flower.

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Simply zest a little bit of a lemon, and pour one part vodka and two parts Cedrata Italian Soda into a shaker. Shake well and serve in a chilled glass, with a garnish of lemon. Sip for instant refreshment and relief.

 

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Cheers!

–Via Umbria

A Simple and Refreshing Recipe Read more

This weekend we have been outlandishly busy. With the Georgetown French Market in full swing we were clamoring to get everything done (though is ...

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Cocktail Corner – Sipping Spring

IMG_2897Lent is almost over. It’s ok to break out a little booze.

When this Easter Sunday rolls around, be sure you are prepared with the most floral of cocktails, to get you in the mood for spring, and to make Aunt Margaret slightly more tolerable.

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Violet scented Italian soda is the base of this cocktail, and gives it a truly floral tone, over which we layer rose syrup, peach nectar, and gin.

We love how spring-like this cocktail is, and we can sip it without risking any allergies!

The Italian soda smells like the first blossoms of spring but tastes surprisingly crisp. The Rose syrup adds another flower into the mix, and it is made from organically grown roses in a convent garden in western Liguria, making it an even more appropriate Easter selection.

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3 parts Violet Italian soda

A drizzle of rose syrup

1 part peach nectar

1 part gin

Layer and stir! Sip and enjoy!

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— Via Umbria

To get you in the mood! Read more

Lent is almost over. It’s ok to break out a little booze. When this Easter Sunday rolls around, be sure you are prepared ...

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Recipe – Lara’s Red Pesto Chicken

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Wanting to try something different from the standard pasta + sauce combination, I decided to put Seggiano’s Red Pesto sauce to a more creative use. I had previously tried the all-natural sauce on the Mancino’s whole wheat Orecchiette and loved its flavorful combination of basil, tomato, and creamy nut base, so I decided to use it to add a burst of flavor to some chicken thighs.

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I like to keep my recipes simple ( and mostly paleo and gluten-free for my boyfriend), and this quick dish only required a few steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • Lightly oil, salt, and pepper raw chicken pieces. Add a coat of Seggiano’s Red Pesto sauce to soak in while in oven
  • Place seasoned chicken on baking pan and leave in oven for 30 minutes (15 minutes on each side)
  • Heat Seggiano’s Red Pesto sauce on a stovetop for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat
  • Remove chicken from the oven, and glaze a second coat of Seggiano’s Red Pesto sauce while it cools

The chicken can pair nicely with many things, and I prepared it alongside a kale salad with raisins, tomatoes, and almonds as well as roasted portabella mushroom slices.

 

Simple and delicious, buon appetito !

 

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Lara enjoys simple, quality, home-cooked meals. Although she does not consider herself to be a cook, she knows to appreciate all kinds of cuisine and has tasted unbelievable dishes from her travels around the world. Fairly new to the DC area after living in France and Tunisia, Lara is discovering all that the city has to offer, including the specialty foods at Via Umbria!

 

A twist to the traditional pesto Read more

Wanting to try something different from the standard pasta + sauce combination, I decided to put Seggiano's Red Pesto sauce to a more creative ...

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Goat Curds and Little Herds

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How cute are these little white goats!?  Bill and and son Teddy and daughter Lindsey, along with Via Umbria favorite Simone Proietti-Pesci, got a chance to visit the goats last week when they stopped by the farm of local cheesemaker and winemaker Diego Calcabrina. Diego is well known and respected in the area for making goat cheese, alongside small batches of hand crafted Sagrantino wine.  He is very passionate about his work as a farmer and a winemaker. He holds himself out as a biodynamic farmer, which means he practices organic farming, as well as many other strictures about following the phases of the moon and getting in touch with nature’s natural rhythms.

 

The Menard family visited Diego for the first time last fall, and Lindsey, Teddy and Bill (along with Simone) revisited on the first day of their current trip. Cheese first.

 

And just how difficult is it to make goat cheese? The process is not too complicated but requires completely clean and unadulterated goat’s milk, which is an art in itself. Those goats are not always the most cleanly, or easy, to milk. And it requires a cheesemaker’s niche knowledge of the right feel of curd, and the correct temperatures during the different stages of the cheese process.

 

But you should try it at home. Goat cheese is best when ultra-fresh. You can still taste the…goats…which most of the time is a good thing. Yours may not end up as good as Diego’s, but you can always drop by Via Umbria and pick up a bottle of Sagrantino to wash it down.

 

Simply follow these few steps:

In a medium saucepan, we heat the fresh goat milk until it reaches about 180 degrees.

Then we remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. This separates the curds (the fat and protein, which becomes cheese), from the whey (the liquid).

We shake the little curds into their cheese containers, and place them on a tray that allows the excess whey to run off into the pail. One the desired amount of liquid has come off, the curds all set in their containers, making a solid block of cheese.

 

Ci Vediamo!

– Via Umbria

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How to make goat cheese at home Read more

  How cute are these little white goats!?  Bill and and son Teddy and daughter Lindsey, along with Via Umbria favorite Simone Proietti-Pesci, got ...

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Cocktail Corner – Italian Soda Please!

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Ah, the classic gin and tonic. We begin our cocktail series slowly, with a recipe in which we are well versed and think we have mastered (if we do say so ourselves).

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When making our cocktails, we always turn to the Italian Sodas of J. Glasco. This company in Torino uses only natural ingredients, without the use of colors or preservatives.

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Hand carved olive wood corkscrew

Their quality Indian Tonic is the perfect size for one personal cocktail.

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Sterling silver jigger available in store or online.

So this hump days lets shake it up with a little gin and tonic!

Add 3cl gin to a chilled glass with ice. Pour 6cl J.Gasco Premium Indian Tonic over the gin. Serve with a dash of lime.

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Nebbiolo glass. 

Cheers!  Perugia!

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–Via Umbria

The classic Gin & Tonic Read more

Ah, the classic gin and tonic. We begin our cocktail series slowly, with a recipe in which we are well versed and ...

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Chef Simone’s Spinach Risotto

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I recently had a dinner party, and reached out to our favorite Chef Simone for a quality risotto recipe. Risotto is wonderful for serving a crowd because of its long simmer time. After you throw the first ingredients in, it just takes a small stir every few minutes while you prep the other courses and make drinks. When my guest arrived 20 minutes late, it was no issue, as I just turned the rice to low and let it simmer for a little while why we waited.

This simple recipe was a huge hit, perfect for a cozy winter night in with some friends and a bottle of wine.

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INGREDIENTS:

one large shallot

one cup white wine

vegetable or chicken stock

butter

1/2 cup parmigiano cheese

two cups Gli Airioni rice

zest of one lemon

three cups spinach

 

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INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large saucepan, cook the diced shallot in two tablespoons butter over medium-low heat, stirring until softened, for about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stirring constantly add the white wine, until it is absorbed.

Continue adding stock, stirring constantly and letting each batch be absorbed before adding the rest.

Reduce the heat to moderate, if necessary, to keep the risotto at a simmer.

Continue adding the stock in the same manner until the rice is tender and creamy looking but still al dente, about 20 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, add the parmigiano. Mix well. Add the spinach and the lemon zeste and continue mixing. Serve with some more parmesan on top!

 

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You'll want to have it everyday Read more

I recently had a dinner party, and reached out to our favorite Chef Simone for a quality risotto recipe. Risotto is wonderful ...

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Our Italian Library

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Join us with this new blog series, Our Italian Library, as we read and collect the best books about Italy on our shelves!

 

When you are lucky enough to get your hands on an advance copy of a biscotti cookbook, there is nothing to do but push aside all other work, get yourself an authentic Italian biscotti, and some Venetian coffee, and read.

Today marks the release of the new book “Ciao Biscotti” by Domenica Marchietti, a delightful cookbook chronicling Italy’s favorite cookie. We loved Maerchietti’s previous cookbook, Rustic Italian, which we stock in our Georgetown store. We were curious to see what this book contained in its pages!

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Delivering up a myriad of flavors, this book leaves no biscotti stone unturned. While suggesting the normal combinations of chocolate, citrus, and nuts, she also ventures into the savory biscotti territory, with unexpected flavors like Sun Dried Tomato and Fennel, and Mountain Gorgonzola and Walnut. Who knows if they will hold up once we make them, but they look pretty dang good on the page!

She also includes drinking pairings, from specific wines to lattes to inventive coffee liquor drinks.  Which makes us wonder…could we go through an entire day eating and drinking nothing but biscotti and their liquid compliments?…

Stop by the store and get your hands on this adorable, brand new book! Or, if your not the baking type, then come by and pick up a bag of one of our dozens of types of biscotti, which we’ll gladly crack open with you over a cup of coffee.

 

— Via Umbria

Ciao Biscotti Read more

  Join us with this new blog series, Our Italian Library, as we read and collect the best books about Italy on our shelves!   When ...

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Simone’s Super Bowl Snacks

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This Super Bowl Sunday, ditch the store bought salsa for some real food. These recipes from Chef Simone are an Italian twist on some classic favorites to keep you warm, full, and happy (no matter the outcome) this game day.

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And why not complete your foodie football day with some beers from Birra Perugia? Stop by our store in Georgetown to get your hands on the most unique imported brews and view the game in style.

 

POLLO ROLLO:

Ingredients: 

Ground chicken meat

Salt

Pepper

Parmigiano cheese

Oil

Garlic

Sundried tomatoes – chopped

Sundried tomatoes –  paste

Materials: Carta Fata Paper, available at Via Umbria

Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, setting aside part of the tomatoes.
Lay out the Carta Fata on a table, put the meat in the middle of the paper. Press and spread the chicken out until is about half an inch thick.
Put the rest of tomatoes in the center of the chicken. Wrap the meat well until you have formed a tube.

Close the top and the bottom of the tube with string.
Boil for 20 minutes in hot water. The Carta Fata will not melt because it is magic!
After boiling, slice and serve with fresh salad by the side. Drizzle olive oil over the entire plate and serve!

 

MEAT BALLS WITH HOT SAUCE:

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Ingredients:

Beef ground 30% fat

Bread crumbs

Milk

Garlic parsley

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese

Egg yolks

Tomato sauce

Garlic

Chili pepper

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Instructions:

Mix the meat with Rosemary and sage, and then the breadcrumbs, egg yolks, and parmesean. Start to make little ball.

In a pan, sauté the garlic and add the tomato sauce. Cook the sauce with salt and hot pepper until it thickens. Add the meat ball and go on to cook for 20 minutes.

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BEAN SOUP

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Ingredients:

Beans

Carrots

Celery

Onion

Garlic

Tomato sauce

Chili pepper

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Instructions:

Sauté the greens in a pan with the herbs too. When they are fragrant and cooked, add the beans (if using dried beans, they must be hydrated. The day before, put them in a bowl with water, and then boil them for 30 minutes and let stand). Sauté all of the ingredients little more and then add the tomato paste. Heat on low flame, simmering until soup becomes thick. Garnish with sour cream or Italian cheese and serve!

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— Via Umbria 

American Football with Italian Food Read more

This Super Bowl Sunday, ditch the store bought salsa for some real food. These recipes from Chef Simone are an Italian twist ...