www.paesanosannarbor.com 

FOOD & WINE SPECIALS

for the week of

april 20 '08

 food

ANTIPASTI

GRILLED BELGIAN ENDIVE $9.50

wrapped in smoked pancetta and served over soft polenta with a drizzle of

 balsamic reduction

INSALATA

RICOTTA, SPINACH, AND PINENUT SALAD $8.95

This recipe comes to you straight out of Isabella’s cookbook “Perbacco Isabella!”

This lovely spring salad is dressed with a shallot-dijon citronette; with any entrée $5.95

PESCE DEL GIORNO

BROILED SALMON $22.50

served over an artichoke veloute with sauteed ramps

BLACKENED HEBI-SPEAR FISH $23.95

BAKED STUFFED SOLE $23.95

with a mediterranean salmon filling and a creamy tomato sauce

SAUTEED SHRIMP CAKES $21.95

accompanied by a horseradish, chive aioli

PASTA CREATION

LINGUINE PUTTANESCA $19.95

Red onions, capers, and Kalamata olives accent this spicy classic pasta from Southern Italy.

PIATTO SPECIALE

PEPERONCINI AND ARTICHOKE CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN $21.95

Another recipe featured in Isabella’s cookbook, this crusted pork is finished with melted provolone cheese

wine

white: ‘05 Girlan Pinot Bianco

When the weather warms, a cool white often makes great sense, but for the primarily red wine drinker, simple fruitiness isn’t enough.  We need savor and tang, and this Pinot Bianco delivers just that, nicely packaged with deep set, persistent, flavors of stone, dried lemon, and quince.  It’s intense enough that you might even find yourself keeping it around for the main course!  I’m thinking Shrimp Cakes would be great…

$7.75/glass     $31/bottle                                 take a bottle home $15

white: ‘06 Kofererhof Kerner

No, this isn’t a German, although the influence of Germanic culture is strong here, in the Alto Adige region of northern Italy.  The Kerner grape shares characteristics with Riesling, like nectarine notes and racy acidity.  Add some tropical fruits like pineapple and some apple, and you’ve got a good picture of this brilliant, lively, dry white.

$14.25/glass   $19/quartino  $57/bottle             take a bottle home $32

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red: ‘04 Santa Giustina “Villa Soldati”

Coming from the very northernmost extremity of the Emilia-Romagna region, and sharing the same geologic foothills as the Barolo area, this wine carries the Gutturnio appellation, meaning it is a blend of Barbera and Croatina.  Aromas revolve around cocoa and black cherry, and the flavors reflect those elements, too, adding a woodsy note.  It’s a full, supple red offering lots of flavor, detail, and length.  It’s also fairly rare. 

$8/glass     $32/bottle                                      take one home for $16

red: ’01 Le Paturnie Brunello di Montalcino

Despite the recent drama involving the blending of grapes other than Sangiovese into Brunello, the fact remains that they are great wines.  A case in point I offer here, from Le Paturnie.  The classic medium garnet hue suggests it’s unadulterated Sangiovese, and the racy red berry fruit, the savory acidity, aromatic leather notes, and elegant muscularity all are marks of the traditional style.  Similarly, the food pairing versatility afforded by those characteristics means you can enjoy it with lighter dishes as well as richer ones.  ’01 was a great vintage, too.

$20/glass   $26/quartino(25cl)  $80/bottle               take one home $47