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Cool Food for a Hot Celebration
It is a nice thing to enjoy the company of your co-workers. Ben Slocum, the young president of Avanti Savoia is one of those enjoyable people. I consider Ben to be a computer wizard, although I’m sure that he would quickly disagree. In the almost two years that I have been Avanti’s Chef Consultant, I have spent many hours working with Ben and have grown to like and respect him very much.
Computer illiterate meets cyberspace guru
Ben has become my cyberspace guru. I think it is fair to say that at the onset of my employment, I was a computer illiterate. It has been through Ben’s patient and expert instruction that I have (at least to a limited degree) joined communications in the 21st century.
This is a great time for Ben. He graduated from Tusculum College in 2004 with a degree in Business Administration and a MBA from the University of Tennessee in ’06 and now, he is the president of Avanti Savoia Imports. He is also a big sports fan, having played soccer in both high school and college. Somehow, he still finds time to be a volunteer soccer coach at the local high school.
The perfect excuse to celebrate
Other exciting news in Ben’s life is the recent purchase of a new home and his upcoming marriage to his dynamite fiancée, Erin. Ben’s recent 27th birthday was the perfect excuse (as though we needed one) to celebrate with my employer and friend. It was on a recent hot summer’s evening during a dramatic cloudburst that we gathered for the occasion.
The weather was much too hot for elaborate cooking at the party, so we decided on a cold three course menu that was mostly prepared ahead. The menu relied on our garden and a number of our good Avanti Savoia products and hopefully might suggest some party ideas of your own. Doug and Kathy Slocum (Ben’s parents) graciously hosted the party and provided some great vinos.
The Wines
Walter Hansel Winery Russian River Chardonnay ‘05
Siduri Russian River Pinot Noir ‘03
Tasmania Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon ‘01
The Menu
(*available at Avanti Savoia, http://www.avantisavoia.com/)
Starters
Endive leaves stuffed with Pimiento*(Spanish Sweet Peppers #34500) Cheddar Cheese
Choux Paste puffs filled with White Tuna Salad*(Albo White Tuna Fillets#70010)
Fried Pappadums (Indian crisp bread) with Podina (cilantro/mint) sauce
Main Courses
Fresh Garden Salad (hand picked from our garden the morning of the Party)
Served with Chunky Tomato Balsamic*(Giusti Gold Medal #20007) Vinaigrette
(For this Vinaigrette recipe, see our July 25 ’08 post, “In Love with the Love Apple”)
Pasta Salad *(Tortiglione #60030) with Shrimp and Toasted Pecan Pesto
Layered Fruit Bowl of Watermelon, Blueberries and Oranges with
Gail’s Poppy Seed Dressing
Dessert
Double Mocha Chocolate Pound Cake (recipe to follow) with
Chocolate Buttercream *( #50015 Castagna Extra Fonente) and Wild Raspberry Coulis
Served with Bonny Doon Vineyard Framboise (Raspberry Dessert Wine)
DOUBLE MOCHA CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE with CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 60 to 70 minutes
Makes one 9” by 5” Loaf Cake
Ingredients: (*Available at Avanti Savoia, http://www.avantisavoia.com/)
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour loaf pan.
2 oz. dark chocolate, *(Castagna Extra Fonente, #50015) coarsely chopped
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 cup very strong hot coffee
½ cup (one stick) butter, unsalted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp.
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
½ cup sour cream
Recipe:
Combine chocolate and instant coffee in a small bowl and add hot coffee. Set aside and allow to cool.
Cream butter, vanilla extract and sugar. Beat very well.
Add eggs and again beat very well.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. At low speed in mixer, add dry ingredients and mix until just smooth- do not over mix.
Add sour cream and again mix slightly.
Add cooled chocolate until the batter is just mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes and remove from pan. Ice with Chocolate Buttercream when completely cool.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING
Ingredients:
7 oz. or two bars of dark chocolate,*(Castagna Extra Fondente #50015) coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temp.
¼ cup cocoa powder *(Red Venezuelan Cocoa Powder #50120)
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 Tblsp.Bourbon
Pinch of salt
Recipe:
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl place over a pan of hot water.
Cream butter and sugar, adding sugar a little at a time. Add vanilla and beat at high speed for 3 or 4 minutes until mixture becomes very pale. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after addition, then add cocoa.
Blend together instant coffee, Bourbon and salt. Beat one more time until blended.
Place Buttercream in refrigerator for a few minutes to firm it up. Ice cooled cake and place cake in refrigerator until about 30 minutes before serving.
RASPBERRY COULIS
Did you know? Coulis is a cooking term for a puree or sauce. It can be either sweet or savory, such as this sweet dessert Coulis or savory as in a tomato Coulis. There is plenty of room here for improvisation and making your own calls. For instance the amount of sugar in this recipe depends on the tartness of the particular raspberries used. Any number of flavor enhancers can also be used, such as a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange, a splash of complimentary liquor or even a pinch of salt. The important thing is not cover up the natural taste of the raspberries. So, in this recipe we will give you a very basic outline with which you can come with your own version of a delicious dessert sauce. Please note that other fruits can be substituted for raspberries.
Ingredients:
2 to 3 pints raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 ½ cup sugar
¼ cup Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
Recipe:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve and taste for a balance of flavor- adjust according to your own judgment. Also, make a call concerning the consistency of the Coulis, if it is not quite thick enough, the strained sauce can be reduced a bit more.
Chill Coulis in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to serve pour a small pool on your serving plate and lay a slice of the pound cake in the middle. If you really want to gild the Lily, add a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
The weather was much too hot for elaborate cooking at the party, so we decided on a cold three course menu that was mostly prepared ahead. The menu relied on our garden and a number of our good Avanti Savoia products and hopefully might suggest some party ideas of your own. Doug and Kathy Slocum (Ben’s parents) graciously hosted the party and provided some great vinos.
The Wines
Walter Hansel Winery Russian River Chardonnay ‘05
Siduri Russian River Pinot Noir ‘03
Tasmania Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon ‘01
The Menu
(*available at Avanti Savoia, http://www.avantisavoia.com/)
Starters
Endive leaves stuffed with Pimiento*(Spanish Sweet Peppers #34500) Cheddar Cheese
Choux Paste puffs filled with White Tuna Salad*(Albo White Tuna Fillets#70010)
Fried Pappadums (Indian crisp bread) with Podina (cilantro/mint) sauce
Main Courses
Fresh Garden Salad (hand picked from our garden the morning of the Party)
Served with Chunky Tomato Balsamic*(Giusti Gold Medal #20007) Vinaigrette
(For this Vinaigrette recipe, see our July 25 ’08 post, “In Love with the Love Apple”)
Pasta Salad *(Tortiglione #60030) with Shrimp and Toasted Pecan Pesto
Layered Fruit Bowl of Watermelon, Blueberries and Oranges with
Gail’s Poppy Seed Dressing
Dessert
Double Mocha Chocolate Pound Cake (recipe to follow) with
Chocolate Buttercream *( #50015 Castagna Extra Fonente) and Wild Raspberry Coulis
Served with Bonny Doon Vineyard Framboise (Raspberry Dessert Wine)
DOUBLE MOCHA CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE with CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 60 to 70 minutes
Makes one 9” by 5” Loaf Cake
Ingredients: (*Available at Avanti Savoia, http://www.avantisavoia.com/)
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour loaf pan.
2 oz. dark chocolate, *(Castagna Extra Fonente, #50015) coarsely chopped
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 cup very strong hot coffee
½ cup (one stick) butter, unsalted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp.
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
½ cup sour cream
Recipe:
Combine chocolate and instant coffee in a small bowl and add hot coffee. Set aside and allow to cool.
Cream butter, vanilla extract and sugar. Beat very well.
Add eggs and again beat very well.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. At low speed in mixer, add dry ingredients and mix until just smooth- do not over mix.
Add sour cream and again mix slightly.
Add cooled chocolate until the batter is just mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes and remove from pan. Ice with Chocolate Buttercream when completely cool.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING
Ingredients:
7 oz. or two bars of dark chocolate,*(Castagna Extra Fondente #50015) coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temp.
¼ cup cocoa powder *(Red Venezuelan Cocoa Powder #50120)
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 Tblsp.Bourbon
Pinch of salt
Recipe:
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl place over a pan of hot water.
Cream butter and sugar, adding sugar a little at a time. Add vanilla and beat at high speed for 3 or 4 minutes until mixture becomes very pale. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after addition, then add cocoa.
Blend together instant coffee, Bourbon and salt. Beat one more time until blended.
Place Buttercream in refrigerator for a few minutes to firm it up. Ice cooled cake and place cake in refrigerator until about 30 minutes before serving.
RASPBERRY COULIS
Did you know? Coulis is a cooking term for a puree or sauce. It can be either sweet or savory, such as this sweet dessert Coulis or savory as in a tomato Coulis. There is plenty of room here for improvisation and making your own calls. For instance the amount of sugar in this recipe depends on the tartness of the particular raspberries used. Any number of flavor enhancers can also be used, such as a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange, a splash of complimentary liquor or even a pinch of salt. The important thing is not cover up the natural taste of the raspberries. So, in this recipe we will give you a very basic outline with which you can come with your own version of a delicious dessert sauce. Please note that other fruits can be substituted for raspberries.
Ingredients:
2 to 3 pints raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 ½ cup sugar
¼ cup Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
Recipe:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve and taste for a balance of flavor- adjust according to your own judgment. Also, make a call concerning the consistency of the Coulis, if it is not quite thick enough, the strained sauce can be reduced a bit more.
Chill Coulis in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to serve pour a small pool on your serving plate and lay a slice of the pound cake in the middle. If you really want to gild the Lily, add a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
Happy Birthday buddy!
NEW: Visit VitosCiao.com, an exciting new interactive forum in which Avanti Savoia’s legendary Italian partner shares his astounding knowledge of gourmet cooking and eating. Buon Appetito!
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