The first episode of Mandra Chef Online: a sparkling start with Calamossa
The right harmony between sugars and acidity: the perfect white to revive a fresh summer aperitif
Mandra Chef Online started on Wednesday May 6th, 2020 at 6PM with an episode dedicated to our Calamossa and two delicious dishes paired with this wine that comes from the best white grapes, named after a beautiful inlet, set between vineyards and the sea. The right balance between sugar and acidity makes Calamossa a harmonious wine, perfect to liven up a fresh summer aperitif.
Who prepared the perfect dish to pair with Calamossa for the first episode of Mandra Chef Online?
Valeria Raciti debuted by suggesting an aperitif, a delicious and innovative “anchovy Arancino”, perfect combination of Sicilian traditions and Mediterranean hints of fresh anchovies. To prepare her arancino, Valeria used rehydrated Pachino cherry tomatoes, sultanas raisins, caciocavallo cheese, salted capers and stale bread with fresh mint leaves and parsley. A dish to be paired with the summer and Mediterranean freshness of Calamossa, perfect with octopus salad, vegetable omelettes and aperitifs.
Andrea Lo Cicero, on the other hand, was inspired by the feelings Calamossa evokes, reminding him of the sea, the salt and the beaches of Menfishire, which made him prepare a perfect dish for an apericena (aperitif/dinner), a “Stuffed squid with tomato sauce”, prepared with Tuscan bread, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Between one sip and another of Calamossa, in the company of a careful and interactive audience, Andrea found the lively minerality of Calamossa as the right inspiration to win the challenge to find the perfect pairing. Valeria, however, tried to find in the stuffing ingredients of her seafood arancino the right pairings with the hints of flowers, acacia, wisteria and honey that make Calamossa unique and unmistakable.
Which pairing did the Mandra Chef Online audience choose?
More “hearts” for Valeria’s dish or more “thumbs up” for Andrea?
Calamossa was convincing with both dishes. Both Andrea and Valeria were captivated by the idea of freshness of the sparkling white and the evocative image of a seaside aperitif…
But right after the last cheers, the verdict was in, declaring the winner of the first episode of Mandra Chef Online the paring between Calamossa and the “Stuffed squid with tomato sauce” suggested by Andrea Lo Cicero.
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