“Small Bytes” E-Newsletter - Kansas City

Vol. 1
“Small Bytes” E-Newsletter
Italiano 101
The aperitivo is a little drink before the
evening meal. It is both a ritual and an
element in Northern and Central Italy.
People meet with friends or business
contacts in the numerous bars about town
in order to nourish relationships or simply
to take a little break between the business
day and family life.
Latest News
Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market
got off to a great start here in the
Crossroads thanks to all of you!
After opening in mid-April we
have been loving the Kansas City
area and enjoying visits from
Mayor Sly Jones and Channel 38,
with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
thrown by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and
great reviews by The Pitch and KC Star. We look forward
to serving the Crossroads area for days to come!
This festive start to evening leisure time
is particularly popular in Milan, Italy’s
second largest city – Milan is said to be
the birthplace of the aperitivo. Before the
meal a pleasant aperitivo can stimulate the
appetite and help you let go of a stressful
day.
Mercato
Frizzante (semi sparkling wine), spumante
(sparkling wine) or talento (sparkling wine
fermented in the bottle) all make great
drinks for the aperitivo hours, since they
are all tingling and refreshing to the palate.
Italians believe that a successful start to
the evening begins with leisurely aperitivo
hours, sipping a refreshing aperitif amongst
friends.
One of the greatest pleasures for most travelers
to Italy is taking a leisurely stroll around one of
the many colorful mercati (markets) that appear
in every village and city district. Nowhere else
are alimentari (foods) presented so appetizingly
and overwhelmingly appealing as they are on the
streets, plazas and in the covered markets of Italy.
Vegetables, meat, fish, homemade pastas, cheese,
sausage, bread and even wine come directly from
local producers and vintners. Needless to say, Italian home
cooks are extremely flexible. Their meal plans are based on
whatever they have just bought at the local market.
Join us at Pezzettino for aperitivo, between
4:00 and 7:30 P.M. Monday through Friday,
with extended hours on First Friday. Try
one of our classic Italian drinks then stay
for the featured special! Ci sono tanti bevi
buoni a Pezzettino! Join us!
The Pezzettino Mercato features a variety of products
from many regions in Italy. Some of our select lines include
imported gourmet pastas, olive oils, sauces, seasoning and
even Italian chocolates. The mercato deli cases have been
carefully crafted to include both domestic and imported
meats and cheeses.
Cooking Tips
When cooking pasta or blanching
vegetables, add salt to the water after
it comes to a boil. Allow the water to
come back to boil prior to added your
ingredients. Salted water takes longer to
boil than tap water.
So join us for lunch, then leisurely browse the Pezzettino
mercato and take home dinner. Our staff will assist with any
questions you may have regarding preparation.
Artist of the Month
Travel Tips
A big thanks to Marianne Maurin Kilroy for being
Pezzettino’s first “Artist of the Month” and kicking off a
great way to showcase local artists.
When choosing a restaurant in Italy, one
tried and true method is to follow the
locals to their favorite eateries. Italians love
to dine out regularly and are sure to know
the best places.
Her photos pictures her most recent
trip of Italy. Each photo represents
the multiple experiences travelers
encounter throughout both urban
and rural parts of Italy. Some of
Kilroy’s shots capture the essence of
an everyday life while others focus on
some of the most notable and iconic
views throughout Italy.
Dalla Cucina
Herbs and vegetable blossoms: This is the
time of year for fresh herbs and vegetable
blossoms. Blossoms are a nice touch for
edible garnishes as well as used as a main
course. A great example would be chives
and wild onions.
Her work can be found at www.mariannekilroy.com
This month, our featured artist is Kansas City based fine
artist David Elrod.
Now Catering!
Please visit our website for more info.
“I am seriously considering moving to be in walking
proximity to Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market. You have
made an instant fan. I understand word-of-mouth is still
the best form of advertisement and will ensure people in
my kinesphere join me there for lunch, happy hour, and
any future catered events.”
-Bryan K
Elrod says of his craft: “My deepest passion is for the arts,
the fine arts. How carefully I have listened to voices that
are no logner here, but who passionately left expressions
of themselves in their art. How many artists have I fallen in
love with, empathized with, and recognized as my master
teachers and that they were speaking most powerfully to
future generations?” Elrod works as a K-12 art teacher and
aims to teach his students to “see things differently”.
See his artwork for sale now on the walls of Pezzettino!
Fan Fotos
#pezzettinokc
Yelp
Kyle F.
FourSquare
Erica B
FourSquare
Brian F.
What’s your fav menu item?
The prosciutto, arugula and
gorgonzola piadina
Q&A
Meet the Staff
Executive Chef Tomas Digregorio
first realized his love of the culinary
arts at the young age of four. At his
grandmother’s side he began to learn
the fundamentals of his craft, and
experience a quintessential labor of
love, cooking.
Chef Tomas has honed his skills in
prestigious restaurants all over the
world. He shared his talents with
restaurants in Italy, Spain, Buenos Aires
and Argentina before settling down
and starting a family in Kansas City.
Fake vs. Authentic Italian
READ THE LABEL:
DOP – Denominazione di Origine Protetta
Food products whose production and processing
are achieved in a specific geographical area
Examples: prosciutto di Parma, mozzareall di
bufala Campana
IGP – Indicazione Geographica Protetta
Food products that have had at least a phase of
their production in a specific area
Example: Pomodoro di Pachino
STG – Specialita Tradizionale Garantita
Most common of food products made in Italy
where a traditional method of production is
noted from Italy without referencing to a particular geographical area
WHAT TO LOOK FOR!
UPCOMING EVENTS
• July 4, First Friday Hours11am-2pm
• Pezzettino’s “Bella Notte” Chef’s Table Dinner
Tuesday, July 22 at 6:30pm
Pezzettino itroduces a unique culinary experience
as we bring together Piedmonte Italy regional
recipies with Missouri farm fresh ingredients. Join
us for a “Bella Notte” under the Missouri evening
skies! Six courses. $55 per person. Limited spaces.
Visit www.pezzettinokc.com/small-bytes to learn more.
Please contact Audra Kenney 818.219.2148 or
[email protected].
Words of wisdom?
A tip from an old chef and good friend of mine: Never take shortcuts when cooking, each step adds a dimension to the dish.
Wine Tips
In 2010, the Italian governent waged a war against “fake
Italian food.” Thus began the “Italianissimi” project-dedicated
to educating American consumers about what products are
authentically Italian.
• Any one of the 3 seals mentioned above would be on the label
• “Made in Italy” with an italian address and italian website. Remember, real Italian websites end in “.it” NOT .com
• Look for S.r.l. after the name of the company. Most likely this is a small family owned business. All S.r.l. companies have to be located and do business in Italy in order to be registered as an S.r.l
• Just because it says “Italian style” doesn’t necessarily means it’s from Italy
• When in doubt, google the name of the food product or check out their website. Go to their “Contatti” page and confirm their Italian address in Italy
What’s your fav destination?
Going to Amalfi in Italy is always a
treat! Architecture, food and
scenery will not let you down.
1. Champion the Wine
The number one guideline is to
bring out the best characteristics
of a wine. A high tannin red wine
will taste like sweet cherries when
paired with the right dish. Focus
on the characteristics that you
want to champion and make sure that the wine will
shine instead of fighting against the dish.
2. Wine Should Be Sweeter
As a general rule, make sure that the wine is
sweeter than the food and you will have a
successful wine pairing. If the wine is less sweet
than the food it’s matched with, it will tend to taste
bitter and tart. This is why Port wine is perfect with
dessert.
3. Bitter + Bitter = Bad
Since our tastebuds are very sensitive to bitterness,
it’s important to pay attention to not pair bitter
food and high tannin wine. Green beans with
Cabernet Sauvignon will multiply bitter tastes. If
you want to pair a high tannin wine, look to foods
with fat and salts for balance.
Mercato Featured Product
This month’s featured product is
Riso Carnaroli … $7.54
A superfine rice grown on
Principato Di Lucedio, one of
Italy’s finest rice growing estates.
Pick some up in the mercato and make your
own delicious risotto and recreate our delicious
arancinis at home!
Friends of Pezzettino
Pezzettino is proud and
excited to join the Crossroads
neigborhood. We can’t think
of a better area to be located.
Check out our friends at
Crossroads Community Association to hear the
latest and greatest about this vibrant neighborhood.
www.kccrossroads.org
Cool space, very friendly
staff...
- Michelle
Beautiful space with
great big windows. Will
be back for happy hour!
- Sara