Last week I had the privilege to be invited to an amazing event at the Kings Food Markets that presented a variety of Italian products. This showcase recreated a traditional Italian market or “piazza” featuring a collection of hand-curated products that participants sampled and learned about directly from Italian artisans.
The event started with Jeff Binder, Kings VP with an overview of Piazza Italia, followed by a talk with Cecilia Ercolino.
Next there was a live cooking demonstration led by Chef Fabio Auguadro with support from Rossella Rago (and her Nonna).
Participants were able to taste bite-sized entrees as they walked through. Some of the samples included: Prosciutto san Daniele and mozzarella
Assorted grilled and marinated vegetables
Mussels with lemon and extra virgin olive oil
Main Course first dish: Delicious “Le Paste”: Gnocchi del Poeta with Anfosso basil pesto and Kings Food Markets tagliatelle with olives and caper sauce. It was very tasty!
Main Course second dish: Lentil stew with mussels, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil.
The lentil stew was delicious!
Dessert dish: Vanilla gelato with Amarena cherries and Domori chocolate.
I had a chance to talk to my new friend Chef Fabio and asked him for some tips on how to make my favorite dishes.
Thank you Kings Food Markets and Piazza Italia vendors for the generous gift bag. I will try some of these for my next meal.
Finally, I had a chance to meet my favorite chef Rosella Rago and her Grandma and get her book “Cooking with Nona”.
Check out the book here: http://cookingwithnonna.com/Products/the-cooking-with-nonna-cookbook.html