Letter from the President

Gianfranco Sorrentino

Greetings! We hope that you are all enjoying the end of winter and ushering in the spring season. GRI has some exciting developments in the works that we are eager to share with you. Right now, we are looking forward to our annual member trip at the end of this month. We will be sure to tell you all about it when we get back.

We would like to dedicate this second of two special edition newsletters to our partners and the title sponsor from the 2008 Vino e Cucina gala, the Sassari Chamber of Commerce from the region of Sardinia.

As with the previous issues we will feature some producers from this beautiful region to provide you with the opportunity to learn about the exceptional local products from Sardinia that you may want to bring to your kitchens. With its unique territory and history, Sassari offers gastronomy unmatched by anything found elsewhere.

Sassari's cuisine is a product of both the cultures that have inhabited the area and the ingredients that have been available locally. Eating your way through Sassari will take you from the land to sea with plentiful meat dishes, a plethora of seafood and everything in between. Be sure to check out Sassari's featured producers in this issue.

Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani looks forward to a long partnership with the Sassari Chamber of Commerce.

Italian Cuisine Forever,

Gianfranco Sorrentino, President, GRI

GRI New Members

GRI is proud and pleased to announce the newest members of our organization:

Ginger Betty Bakery
215 Samoset Ave.
Quincy, MA 02169
www.gingerbettys.com.

When In Rome Restaurant
1108 S Coast Highway 101
Encinitas, CA 92024
www.wheninromerestaurant.com.

Anaheim White House
887 South Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
www.anaheimwhitehouse.com

Antica Posta Ristorante
519 East Paces ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
www.anticaposta.com

Carmelo's Ristorante
14795 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77079
www.carmelosrestaurant.com

Macelleria
48 Gansevoort Street
New York, NY 10014
www.macelleriarestaurant.com

Caracalla Ristorante Italiano
102 West Jericho Turnpike
Syosset, NY 11791
www.caracallaristorante.com

Il Pasticcio
2 East Broughton Street
Savannah, GA 31401
www.ilpasticciosavannah.com

Buon Appetito Ristorante
856 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
www.minobuonappetito.com

Please join us in welcoming these fine establishments to our group!

In the News

At the end of last month, Harold McGee of the New York Times explored an interesting topic pertaining to Italian culinary tradition: how much water does pasta really need? McGee happened upon the idea while straining his pasta and realizing there was an abundance of water.

McGee posed that by placing the pasta in cold water before bringing it to a boil and reducing the amount of water we use by half or even more, Americans alone could save several trillion B.T.U.s of energy every year. He did, however, know that this would stir debate among defenders of Italian tradition, so he decided to speak with a couple of renowned traditional Italian chefs.

After experimenting, the first chef concluded that reducing the water by one third (not by half as posited by McGee) is feasible, however the pasta must be placed in boiling water or else it loses some of the nutty flavor. The second chef found that the noodles stick together very easily when placed in cold water and said that you must work much harder by continuously stirring the pasta in order to save energy.

Tradition holds that one should place pasta in boiling water four times the weight of the pasta. The thinking goes that more water recovers the boil more rapidly, gives the pasta enough room so the noodles do not stick together and dilutes the starch so the pasta does not come out with a gluey surface.

This is an interesting debate for our times when mitigating energy consumption is a theme constantly presented to us through the media. At current oil prices, McGee posits that cutting pasta water by half would save Americans between $10 million and $20 million. What are your thoughts? Would you consider using half the amount of water to cook in your restaurants? Let us know what you think. Send a message to info@gruppo.com.

FEATURED PRODUCERS FROM SASSARI, SARDINIA

In the Santa Maria la Palma vineyards, we cultivate - first and foremost - traditional Sardinian grape types. The most famous of these are perhaps Cannonau and Vermentino, which have nowadays become synonymous with Sardinian winemaking. These two grapes, the former red and the latter white, are like night and day.

One is all about power, the other about subtlety, like two sides of the same coin. But our vineyards also play host to other - equally precious and equally Sardinian - grape types.

One of these is Monica, a gentle name for one of the island's longest-standing grapes. The name possibly derives from the Camaldolite monks (monaci in Italian), who introduced the grape to Sardinia in the 11th century or thereabouts. Another of the varieties we grow is Cagnulari, a black grape that probably came from Spain during the Spanish domination of the island and one that has found its ideal habitat here in Alghero.

We know the history of each one of our grape types, so we understand what it takes to get the very best out of every bunch.This is how great wines come into being - through knowledge, dedication and, of course, excellent vines.

In line with the agricultural development plans in the 1950's, an immense area of former grazing land was reclaimed and allocated to farm laborers. Following the settlement of the families on different plots, experiments were initiated with the objective of identifying the crops most suited to the local climate and soil conditions.

It immediately became clear that the area would be perfect for high-quality vine cultivation. The plots, situated in the delightful landscape that stretches from the Gulf of Alghero and the bay of Porto Conte, soon showed what they could do when given the opportunity.

The particular properties of the plots were leveraged as effectively as possible by the intelligent approach of the winemakers, and the wines produced here started to make a name for themselves in next to no time.

The wines began to make inroads throughout the island. This success provided the winemakers with the motivation to establish the eponymous cooperative at the center of the grape-production zone in Santa Maria La Palma.

For more information please contact:
Joseph D'Arienzo, e-mail j.darienzo@frederickwildman.com
FREDERICK WILDMAN & SONS, 212-355-0700
www.frederickwildman.com

TANDA & SPADA S.N.C.

Since its establishment in 1990 in Thiesi, Tanda & Spada S.n.c. has come a long way. The starting point was the production of typical types of Sardinian durum wheat semolina pasta. In the beginning there were just the typical gnocchetti sardi, fregola and malloreddus.

Then came the gigli tricolori, namely penne tinged with cuttlefish ink, the strozzapreti flavored with salvia or enriched with tangy bottarga (fish roe), the homemade rigatoni, linguine, spaghetti and the organic food line. Today, no less than 40 types are produced. The Tanda & Spada Company also produces and packages semolina malloreddus for the Sapori e Dintorni line of the Conad, one of the most important national supermarket chains in Italy.

All of their products are fully in line with current statutory regulations. All of the ingredients that Tanda & Spada uses are completely free of genetically modified organisms.

Work processes followed in the Thiesi factory still follow thoroughly tested artisan procedures, with three production lines divided by product type.

In the factory, side by side with state-of-the-art machinery, the management and quality control of all phases of product preparation are still based on the human element - the skill and experience of company partners. Tanda & Spada strives for a true "family-run affair," a winning policy not only at the regional level, but also throughout Italy and abroad.

For more information please contact:
Antonio Spada, e-mail info@tandaespada.it
www.tandaespada.it

PANIFICIO GIULIO BULLONI & FIGLI

Panificio Giulio Bulloni was established in 1970 by Celestina Catte Bulloni who, when she was 25 years old, decided to set up a little bakery to produce some typical Sardinian crispy bread, the pane carasatu, in its three variants: normal, wholemeal and organic.

Since then the bakery has become larger not only in terms of size but also in terms of daily production and staff.

As a matter of fact, it's considered one of the greatest bakeries in Sardinia. Beside the pane carasatu, they produce the pane pintatu, a thicker type of bread, and the pane guttiatu, bread flavored with extra-virgin olive oil and salt.

To achieve a wider and more demanding customer base, the company mission is to consistently supply carasatu bread with fixed characteristics, consistent with standard requirements of quality.

The company produces this bread using Sardinian flours, yeast, water and salt, without preservatives. The product has a yearly duration, keeping intact its crispness.

Moreover, the Bulloni family is present on the international market (France, Germany, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, United States, Canada, Japan and Australia), which represent 30% of the total production. The remaining 70% is destined for regional and national markets.

For more information please contact:
Barbara Bulloni, e-mail panificio.bulloni@tin.it
www.giuliobulloni.it

GRI Welcomes new Coporate Member the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano

Grana Padano has been part of Italy's proud gastronomic tradition and culture since the dawn of the second millennium and today is the best selling PDO cheese in the world. The Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano was founded in 1954 and today encompasses more than 200 Grana Padano producers, maturers and retailers. The organization supervises the production of Grana Padano, as well as the promotion of the cheese around the world.

Aged from nine to more than 24 months, Grana Padano PDO cheese has a flavor that changes from sweet and mellow to fruity and nutty as it continues to mature. The three ages of Grana Padano PDO (described below) present restaurateurs myriad options when used as a base ingredient or as the perfect way to finish off a pasta dish. The three distinct ages of Grana Padano PDO are:

Grana Padano PDO - Ripened 9 to 16 months
The most noticeable characteristics of this type of cheese are its mild texture and pale color; its taste is delicately creamy.

Grana Padano PDO - Over 16 months
This age features a soft straw-yellow color and a more significant grainy texture. It has less internal moisture so the cheese becomes more crumbly and therefore can easily be used as shavings or slivers. It omits scents of milk, cream and butter, as well as dried fruits.

Grana Padano PDO - RISERVA 20+ months
The most mature age, RISERVA is aged for at least 20 months (and up to 24 months). This version features a grainy texture with a clear flaky structure and is pale yellow (yet darker than its younger counterparts) with aromas of butter and hay, and floral hints of nuts. It has a delicate and fragrant, yet distinctive, taste. Either grated or used as part of recipes, Grana Padano RISERVA also works well when served as part of a cheese board with nuts and fruits.

Quality assurance checks performed by the Consorzio ensure compliance with the conditions established by the Production Disciplinary so that the product is entitled to be branded with the designation Grana Padano and the diamond-shape marks that certify the cheese has all characteristics to become a Grana Padano PDO cheese.

GRI Welcomes When in Rome, New Member Restaurant from San Diego
When In Rome (www.wheninromerestaurant.com) owners Rosemary & Giuseppe (Joe) Ragone are joining their son-in-law, Daniel Shaffer, daughter, Antoinette Shaffer, and their partners Mr. & Mrs.Jon Werner on the special GRI trip to southern region of Puglia. Joe is a native of Bari where the tour is to begin March 22. "When In Rome is the only Italian restaurant of 27 along the 3-mile strip at Encinitas (San Diego Country) that is joining the tour," reported Kitchen Manager, Natalie Darst. "We're proud of the GRI association and chance to visit Puglia." As Daniel and Antoinette are passed the torch of When In Rome, they hope to bring back scores of recipe ideas and products to incorporate into their spring menu that comes out in April. Being on the coast and having a similar climate to Puglia, When In Rome feels a real connection to the seacoast region. On April 23, When In Rome is hosting a tasty wine paring dinner for 40-50 diners featuring wines from the Diamond Oaks Winery in Napa.