L'amore Italian Restaurant

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March 15, 2016 by Kim Abbott

6 Great Italian Wines And Exactly What You Should Pair Them With

How To Pair Italian Wines CorrectlyFoodies are fond of saying, “If it grows together, it goes together.” The statement could not be more true of Italian wines. Italy’s widespread vineyards generate some truly amazing red and white wines from premium quality grapes. These wines pair well with all different types of Italian dishes as well as some other ethnic cuisine.

Chianti

Chianti is a powerful, bold red wine. It is best served with entrees that are heavy on flavor. Order a glass of Chianti with a dish that features a rich sauce to create the perfect combination of food and drink. Chianti pairs well with just about any type of pasta dish. Though many claim that this wine tastes best with a tomato based sauce, it can also pair with cream sauces as well. Chianti has a particularly high level of acidity that tastes fantastic with fatty meats such as steak and game meat.

Prosecco

The Vento region of Italy produces this lovely sparking wine. A glass of Prosecco is the perfect way to start your meal. Drink it alongside any type of seafood (like our Chilean Sea Bass!)  and your taste buds will be awash with the perfect combination of flavors. Prosecco tastes especially good with oysters. This wine also pairs nicely with shrimp, prosciutto, chorizo and Marcona almonds.

Vin Santo

If you are on the prowl for a particularly sweet wine, Vin Santo is the answer. This wine is made with grapes from the Malvasia and Trebbiano sections of Italy that have been thoroughly dried. Take a sip and you will immediately notice the considerable amount of sugar and acid in Vin Santo. The unique flavor jives nicely with biscotti, dried fruit, cheese, tarts and pies.

Sangiovese

If you love Italian food with a kick, a strong red wine like Sangiovese is the perfect way to wash down each forkful. It works especially well with Italian entrees that have beef, cheese or red sauces. Yet some foodies are adamant that Sangiovese also pairs nicely with cream sauces and oil based sauces.

Soave

Soave is one of the most flexible white wines around. It tastes great with just about any type of food. Order a glass of Soave with your salad, pasta or grilled vegetables and you won’t regret it. The only types of food that it doesn’t jive with are those that are especially rich or heavy.

Barolo and Barbaresco

Italy’s Piedmont region creates one of the country’s best grapes, the Nebbiolo. This grape is the foundation of two of the world’s tastiest red wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. These wines are best enjoyed with entrees that have a considerable amount of protein and/or fat such as pot roast, ribs or beef stew.

Filed Under: Cooking Tips Tagged With: chianti, Italian Wine, vino, wine

March 7, 2016 by Kim Abbott

You Say Tomato – I Say Superfood!

You Say Tomato - I Say SuperfoodThe tomato has been called many things throughout history: Peruvian apple, love apple, and even, by Americans at least, a vegetable.

Today, however, this lovely fruit is fast becoming known as Superfood!

While not able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, this super hero of the nutrition world is able to do some pretty amazing things. For example, some studies show the tomato may help decrease the risk of prostate cancer, as well as breast, lung and stomach cancers.

And the Herald Sun reported in 2003 that the yellow jelly around the seeds have yet another benefit: They may stop blood cells from clumping together, which sometimes leads to strokes and heart attacks.

What is it about this little red fruit that makes it so amazing?

Answer: Lycopene.

Okay, so the word lycopene doesn’t sound very appetizing, but this powerful antioxidant is the chemical in tomatoes that not only is responsible for it’s red color, but also responsible for its disease-fighting powers.

Just ask an Italian.

Italian cooking relies very heavily on tomatoes and tomato products. And, some studies have suggested that this heavy intake of tomatoes by Italians has resulted in a lowering of cancer of the digestive tract.

Do I have to eat tomatoes by the truckload?

Now, you’re probably thinking you have to consume tons and tons of fresh tomatoes to enjoy any health benefits. Not true.

In one research study it was reported that people who ate tomatoes at least every other day had greater lung capacity. And, the tomatoes don’t even have to be fresh! Again, research shows that the lycopene in tomatoes is more easily absorbed by the body if processed into ketchup, sauce and paste. So, not only are tomatoes a superfood, they’re an easy superfood to include in your diet.

Of course, fresh tomatoes are still beneficial, and packed with wonderful nutrients (not to mention delicious). Just remember the one rule of fresh tomatoes: don’t put them in the refrigerator. The refrigerator destroys not only the flavor, it also destroys the nutrients.

So, go ahead, do something good for your health tonight. Have a tomato!

Filed Under: Healthy Food Tagged With: castup, ketchup, superfood, tomato, tomatoes

March 1, 2016 by Kim Abbott

Rosso or Bianco? Veneto or Toscana? How to Pair an Italian Wine with Your Dinner

10405143_SThe food and wine pairings that often appear at the bottom of a restaurant menu might seem like a difficult thing to dream up, but the reality of an elegant and unforgettable dinner party does not have to be hard to execute. If you’re organizing a dinner soon and are considering food and wine pairings that will be sure to impress, here are a few guidelines that will make for a successful evening replete with a meal your guests won’t soon forget.

Start Out with Sparkling

There are few more impressive ways to begin an evening than with a good glass of sparkling, so if you’re offering up olives and an antipasti tray, reach for a Prosecco or Spumante that will pair great with this first course. It’s a great way to get conversation flowing and will quickly engage your guests in the excitement of the evening.

Following with White Fish or Seafood?

There’s a standard rule that white wine is the best option if you’re serving a main dish like fish, seafood or anything that includes a cream sauce. While the crisp finish of a white will pair ideally with almost any food in these categories, a chardonnay or pinot bianco will provide further compliment.

If You’re Indulging in Red Sauce

If fish and cream sauce are not on the menu and you’re planning for traditional tomato sauce, it would be wise to reach for a bottle of light or medium-bodied red. While this type of wine will do well with tomato sauce, if you’re also serving veal or chicken, a merlot or chianti will be among the most perfect of pairings.

Go Bold with Game or Roast

The choice of a meaty main dish that is carried off without a hitch will likely impress your guests on its own, but a wine pairing that goes well will be sure to make it truly sing. You’ll want to stick with red for an entrée of roast or game, but make sure it’s something full-bodied like a rich cabernet sauvignon.

Aged Cheese and Amarone

If you plan to finish off the meal before the final course with a selection of cheeses, stick with a full-bodied red of the Amarone or Montepulciano varietal. It might seem like these would overpower each other, but the boldness of wine and cheese actually works in the favor of the other.

The Final Course

It’s in keeping with the tradition of dessert to offer coffee, but you may want to consider one last wine pairing to finish off the evening. Instead of something heavy, go back to the beginning with a sparkling wine like Asti Spumante or something sweet like Vin Santo.

There are many easy rules to follow that will make for an impressive dinner party wine pairing, but if there’s a bottle you’ve been waiting to try this can be a good guideline for taking a risk! Whatever the occasion, a wine pairing is an easy way to kick up your party a notch and impress upon your guests your menu-making savvy.

Filed Under: Wine Tips Tagged With: Italian Wine

February 14, 2016 by Kim Abbott

Ready for Dessert? Impress Your Dinner Guests with This Delicious Tiramisu Recipe

10741889_SFrom affogato all the way to gelato, there are many popular Italian treats that tempt the palette, but few desserts are more iconic than the espresso-infused Tiramisu. While most people have enjoyed this decadent treat in a restaurant – or in the country of origin with a little luck – it is not as complicated to make as it might seem. With a little background and a few simple ingredients, here’s how this dessert came to be and how you can make your very own version of this old favorite.

The Tradition of Tiramisu

There are many contradictory accounts of how the popular dessert Tiramisu came to be. While one account claims that it was given to soldiers during World War I to provide them with energy as they went off to war, the most common belief is that it was invented in the restaurant Le Beccherie around 1971. It is said that the popular dessert, whose name means “pick me up”, was created by the restaurant owner, Roberto Linguanotto, and his assistant Francesca Valori, whose maiden name happened to be Tiramisu. The mystery around the creation of Tiramisu persists, but it’s worth noting that no mention of the popular dessert appeared in print before the 1980s.

How to Make Italy’s Most Popular Dessert

With layers of mascarpone and espresso, Tiramisu is a rich but airy dessert that delights the senses with its delicacy. It is the Ladyfinger biscuits that are soaked in espresso that give the dessert its unique texture and hard-to-define taste. When planning a party with an Italian theme, this simple recipe should provide approximately 8-10 servings and will take about 30 minutes to prepare.

The Ingredients
2 Cups Hot water
3 TBSP Espresso powder
1 TBSP Sugar
3 TBSP Tia Maria liqueur
4 Egg yolks
1/3 Cup Marsala wine
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 1/2 Cups Mascarpone cheese
1 Cup Heavy cream
36 Ladyfinger biscuits
Unsweetened cocoa powder

The Recipe

In a shallow, wide bowl stir together the water, espresso powder, 1 TBSP sugar and the Tia Maria liqueur, and then place in the fridge to cool.

Once this is complete, combine the egg yolks, Marsala wine and ½ cup sugar in a double boiler or saucepan over boiling water. Beat the mixture until it has increased in volume (approximately 5-8 minutes). Remove from the heat and beat in the Mascarpone cheese.

Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl until peaks form and fold in the mascarpone mixture until combined.

Dip each Ladyfinger biscuit into the coffee mixture until they are all coated, and then begin creating your layered dessert by placing 1 layer of biscuits into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Once you have created your first layer, top with the mascarpone mixture. The ingredients should make approximately 3 layers of biscuits and mascarpone, but continue until all the ingredients are used up.

Dust the top of the layered Tiramisu with cocoa and cool it in the fridge for at least 6 hours and remove from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Dessert, Recipe, Tiramisu

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3159 E Lincoln Dr
Phoenix , AZ 85016
Phone: 602.381.3159

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Lunch
Mon – Fri: 11am–2:30pm
Dinner
Mon – Fri: 4pm–close
Saturday Dinner: 5pm–close

Note: We're closed from 3pm–4pm
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Mon – Fri: 4:00pm–6:00pm
No happy hour on Saturdays
Credit for most photos: Kay W. Eskridge: Images By Kay

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