Swine and Wine

Shannon, Avery, Tony and I attended a wine dinner with a little piggy theme at Andrew Micheal Italian Kitchen last week. We had a great time and I was really adventurous and tried (almost) everything.  Our menu read: We welcome you to our first "Swine and Wine" dinner to showcase pork in all its glory. This is traditionally the time of year, in Italy, when the hogs are prepared for the feast. To honor that tradition, we felt it was appropriate to celebrate our first wines for your enjoyment. This evening we are featuring Newman Farm Berkshire Pork."

Ready to Swine and Wine

Our table set up looks so elegant

The surprise 1st Course Hogshead Cheese, I tried but could not eat this course. And yes I told the chefs, they were ok with that. 

2nd Course-Baby red perella salad, blistered grapes, almonds and crispy pig ear. To be honest, the strangest thing in the salad to me were the blistered grapes, but I still ate them and really liked them. The pigs ear tasted like a chewy pork rind. The wine with this course was La Carraia Orvieto-loved it and ordered two bottles of it! 

3rd course and my favorite :) Braised pork trotter agnolotti dal plin, barbera sugo and figs. Yes this was pigs feet and tail ravioli, it was wonderful!! I loved the flavor with the figs, it was sweet and almost bbq flavor, but Michael said it had not bbq in it. The wine paired with it was Prunotto Barbara d'Asti, Barbara is the grape grown in the Northern Region of Italy and means strong young boy. Hmm, I like those strong young boys, so we bought a bottle of this too. 

4th Course-Porchetta, smashed cannellini beans, wilted spinach and fennel two ways. This reminded me of a pork tenderloin and the spinach and fennel were actually IN the pork. It was yummy, but I don't do beans, so I skipped them. This was paired with an Allegrini Palazzo del Torro, it was the most expensive wine, so of course Tony loved it and bought a bottle of it 

5th Course-Butterscotch budion and vanilla shortbread cookie. Wow, this was amazing! I would call this a butterscotch mouse, bc it was so light and cool. And if you cant tell the sugar is caramalized on top and it was yummy to eat too. The Zardetto Prosecco was paired with this and we didn't order it, we actually have a fridge of Bubbly now! 

With one of the Chef's Michael Hudman

The whole gang, Tony, me, Brian, Amy Katie, Michael, Shannon and Avery.

Michael gave Shannon and Tony some Hogshead Cheese to go! They couldnt resisit ripping it open and eating it in the car! 

Tutto ma la oink!