Did You Know Bologna is considered the food capital of Italy? Located in the northern region of Emilia Romagna, this medieval town of endless arcades & porticos has a historic tradition of local cuisine that still thrives today. The daily usage of meat, pasta & rice remains part of the city’s gastronomic universe which dates back to the early Middle Ages. Still a food lover’s paradise, one can discover a bakery, bar, café, delicatessen, food shop, open air market, restaurant, pub & osteria (tavern) every day & never finish! From mid-morning coffee, to early evening aperitivo, in Bologna it’s always a good time to think about eating & drinking!

Looking for an easy week night side dish? Search no more with balsamic sautéed mushrooms!  We tweaked an all recipe version using Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive & 8 Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar di Modena. Sassy & tangy, they can be prepared ahead of time & refrigerated, delicious with grilled turkey burgers or barbequed chicken.  Makes 8 Servings.

Easy Ingredients

• 1 lb. white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely minced  
• Sea salt freshly ground pepper to taste

Simple Directions

1. Wash & dry mushrooms 
2. Slice in half, set aside
3. Heat olive oil in a medium sized frying pan or skillet
4. Add garlic & sauté garlic 3 minutes without garlic turning brown 
5. Add mushrooms cook 3-5 minutes or until mushrooms become tender, water evaporates 
6. Add vinegar stirring occasionally 2-3 minutes
7. Add salt & pepper, stir to coat evenly
8. Sprinkle with parsley
9. Serve & enjoy with Villa Graziella artisan crafted 2012 Chianti DOCG Riserva wine.  

HOW DID THIS RECIPE GO? DID YOU ADD ANOTHER INGREDIENT TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER? PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS & FEEDBACK WITH US! WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A HEALTHY & DELCIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH OUR PRODUCTS!

GRAZIE DA TEAM VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellaorganic.com

Villa Graziella sits down with respected author &  wine educator Tom Hyland as he breaks down the concept of biodynamic wines. Be sure to watch to learn about this hot new trend that in fact has been around for ages.

Villa Graziella sits down with talented journalist & wine expert Tom Hyland who penned the book “The Wines and Foods of Piemonte” which features interviews with the region’s leading winemakers and chefs. Click here to understand Tom’s insight into Italy’s famed Piemonte region and its wineries and food producers. 

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of each.”

— Henry David Thoreau

Once a year time stands still and we are all called upon to honor this planet of ours—Earth. 

Earth Day, celebrated on April 22,  is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Mother Nature and all that she does for us. Earth Day got its beginnings in the 1970s thanks to its founder Gaylord Nelson. Then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Nelson tirelessly fought to push for the rights of the environment and rallied the American people for environmental protection.

His passion pursued and Earth Day was born on April 22, 1970.

The reasoning behind this was simple but profound. Nelson decided to have citizens ask some tough and noteworthy questions—”What are the particular pollution problems in your area? What needs to be done to alleviate them? How do you make the public aware?"

And thus, Earth Day manifested itself into a life changing experience for society as a whole. Communities stretched far and wide across this country began to ask these questions.

Throughout the decades, Earth Day has transformed the public’s perceptions of how to protect the environment that we live in. Grassroots efforts have led to numerous changes that now protect Mother Nature.

Fast forward to Earth Day 2017—this year is set to be even bigger than ever. According to the Earth Day Network “more than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year making it the largest civic observance in the world.” A great reminder that the Earth is for everyone! 

From everyone here at Villa Graziella artisan crafted wines made with organic grapes & Villa Gabriella organic foods we hope you have an earth-filled day on April22nd. We invite you to consider celebrating our earth in your own personal way, for we believe individual activity contributes to the greater good for all of us!

Who doesn’t like potatoes?  Using Villa Gabriella Organic 8 year aged Balsamic Vinegar di Modena & Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we tweaked a recipe from faithfullyglutenfree for a healthy & delicious side dish. The rich caramelized natural vinegar flavors enhance chicken, fish or meat, you’ll certainly want a second helping! 6 Servings

Easy Ingredients

• 2 pounds small, red potatoes washed, patted, dry & quartered
• 3 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup Villa Gabriella Organic Balsamic Vinegar
• 6 gloves of garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced 
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Simple Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400◦F
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12” inch skillet over medium-high heat
3. When hot, add potatoes, garlic, shallot, herbs & cook for 5-8 minutes
4. Add thyme & nutmeg, mix well & cook until the potatoes are heated through 
5. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a parchment lined cookie sheet
6. Transfer potatoes to the cookie sheet & spread in a single layer
7. Bake until potatoes are golden & tender, 20-25 minutes, turning once midway
8. Add the vinegar, salt & pepper toss well
9. Remove from the oven, toss again
10. Serve immediately, enjoy with Villa Graziella artisan crafted Chianti DOCG made with organic grapes. 

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Villa Graziella enjoys a merenda with wine lecturer & writer Tom Hyland to discover the local foods of the beloved Piemonte region of Italy. Known for their distinct chocolate, cheeses, meats, pasta dishes and more, check out to discover these local treasures!

Villa Graziella shares a glass of wine with author & wine educator Tom Hyland to gain a deeper understanding of the delicate and fruitful findings of the wines of Piemontesi. Watch to learn more about the region’s treasured wines!

Using Villa Gabriella Organic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we tweaked a recipe from the spruce for a moist, delicious dessert. Easy to make, suitable year-round, enjoy it after dinner, the next day for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. 

Easy Ingredients: 8 servings 

• 1 cup Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for bundt pan
• 6 large eggs room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated turbinado sugar(Sugar In The Raw) 
• 1/3 cup lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice, divided
• 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Icing ingredients 

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon almond soy milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Simple Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, lightly oil & flour a 12-cup Bundt pan set aside 
2. In a small bowl, combine soy milk & 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, mix until just combined, set aside
3. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt & nutmeg together until well-mixed, set aside
4. Combine wet ingredients; in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on a medium-speed, beat together sugar, eggs & olive oil
5. Beat for 4-5 minutes, until mixture is pale yellow color, add remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice & beat until combined
6. Add the flour mixture with soy milk-lemon juice mixture; alternate between dry & wet ingredients. Start & end with the flour mixture, beating well between additions 
7. Mix until incorporated, do not overmix
8. Pour batter into prepared Bundt cake pan, bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean
9. Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, carefully turn the cake onto a plate or wire rack to cool completely
10. Dust with confectioners' sugar or prepare below icing onto cooled cake
11. Serve & enjoy at room temperature or cold. Can’t finish it all in 1 day? Cover tightly to prevent from drying out

Icing Directions

1. Combine confectioners' sugar & poppy seeds in a medium bowl 
2. Gradually whisk in the almond soy milk & lemon juice until the mixture is smooth
3. Icing should be runny enough to run down the sides of cake, but not too runny that it doesn't dry white on the cake
4. If mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon more of almond milk, if too runny, add a tablespoon more of confectioners' sugar 
5. Once cake has cooled completely, drizzle icing over top. Allow icing to set completely before serving

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Villa Graziella sits down with wine expert Tom Hyland to discover Italy’s hidden gem—the Piemonte region. Regarded for its breathtaking views of the vineyards amidst the backdrop of the Alps, Piemonte is also grounded in authentic winemaking. Be sure to watch and discover why!