I know what you are having for dinner..

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM SISSY'S BOYFRIEND GABE!

Happy Sunday! I asked Gabe to explore his childhood as a first gen Italian. Below is his response, which includes a killer recipe just in time for a Sunday night dinner.

Mangia Mangia!

Growing up as the first born in an Italian-American family, there was constant talk about Ischia. That’s the Island, off the coast of Naples where both of my parents were born and raised. In fact, Ischia was referenced so often, and in nearly every way possible, that at some point it felt like I was actually growing up in a mystical land I referred to as “Little Ischia.” My paternal Grandparents, and other relatives were still there, so we visited pretty often, usually in the summer. Not surprisingly, many of my memories of time spent visiting Ischia revolve around food and fresh produce. In my mind’s eye I can still picture the copious lemon trees surrounding my grandparents’ home, and importantly the size of those lemons, which were massive compared to what we see in America. another thing that was in incredible supply, were figs, lots of figs. There were plenty of tomatoes and other veggies too, but the lemons and figs, paint an indelible picture in my mind. The thing with the figs is that my dad, uncles, etc. basically all grew figs in their yards in Brooklyn or NJ. Fig trees aren’t exactly native to the northeast, so there’s an intense level of dedication involved in wrapping the trees for winter, so they won’t freeze. That’s next level fig love!

As my mind drifted back to those summers spent in Ischia, I started thinking about the big family meals we enjoyed. So, I started planning a meal for everyone, that would encompass many of those memories. Me being wired the way I am, I knew I’d need wine, so I picked that first and planned the meal around those choices. Those family childhood meals were all served alongside homemade wine. Much like the figs, my dad, grandfathers, and uncles all made homemade wine. And of course they debated over whose was best. But for the meal I planned I wanted more diversity in my selections. To provide that, I looked to the wines of Donnafugata. They’re an excellent producer from Sicily, another, albeit much larger island. They have a 5-generation history of sustainable grape growing and family winemaking that represents Sicily in a multitude of ways. That starts with genuine, site driven wines, all the way to labels and packaging that nod to local colors and culture. The influence of Mt. Etna and volcanic soils on their wines is a thread that runs through when you drink their offerings. I prepared four courses, one for each wine. The foods all nod back to memories of traveling to Ischia in the summer and growing up in the U.S. in “little Ischia.”

Donnafugata Sul Vulcano - Etna Bianco DOC ($40)

This is largely Carricante with a small number of other grapes as well. Looking at it in the glass and taking in the first whiff, the words, eternal sunshine come to mind. Lemon zest and minerals are prevalent. Sul Vulcano is layered and tart with depth and racy acid. Lemon thyme emerges on the persistent finish. Resist the temptation to overchill this beauty. It shines at cellar temperature. I paired this white with a salad I grew up seeing my mom make all the time, in the summer. It’s one of those dishes that everyone on Ischia has their own variation of, so basically, it’s the Ischia Salad. The full recipe is below. The main components are tomato, potato, and onions left to marinate in a simple dressing of olive oil and salt for at least a few hours. In short, this pairing worked as a perfect marriage between wine and food. There’s a depth to the salad after comes together that belies its simple preparation. And isn’t that the beauty of great Italian food?

Donnafugata Rosa Dolce & Gabbana - Sicilia DOC Rosato ($48)

Composed of Nerello Mascalese and Nocera harvested a couple of weeks apart. This Rosé is a creative partnership between the winery and Dolce & Gabbana. The winery creating a new blend and Dolce & Gabbana handling the creativity on packaging. In the glass it’s a perfect light salmon hue. Red florals and stone fruit drive the aromatics. Strawberry, nectarine and hints of apricot flavors are all evident. This is an elegant Rosé that’s also somewhat fruit forward. It’s serious, it’s fun, but most of all it’s delicious and a marvelous partner for the right foods. In my view Italy doesn’t get enough credit for their Rosés. Perhaps it’s because, unlike Provence, there isn’t a specific region with oodles of great ones, concentrated in a given area. Instead, most regions have some notable ones that will make you take notice, because they stand up on the quality scale with any, the world over. Count Rosa Dolce & Gabbana among their number. I paired this Rosato with the sweet and sour tastes of Eggplant Caponata. There are as many variations on this classic, as people making it, but I went with a Sicilian variation here. It works marvelously alongside those flavors as well as the earthy and nutty elements naturally coming from the eggplant itself. Eggplants are certainly the signature vegetable of growing up Italian. My love for it has grown exponentially over the years.