All Things Italian Tour - October 2012 - Call us to join

Bookings are being taken for our Our All Things Italian Tour of Italy in October 2012....  "October 2012 will see us saluting the Tuscan sunsets with a vicious drop of Chianti, trekking Mont Blanc in search of the most perfect Truffle, devouring our body weight in elementary Italian cuisine. Our degustation will take the form of a 14 day Family Festa that will weave nonchalantly through Rome, Tuscany, Venice, the Dolomites, Lake Maggiore and Piedmont. For your delight we will partake in a heart stopping evening at the world famous open air Opera - Arena di Verona. We promise to never take part in clichéd sight-seeing and will look forward to singing all the way through the Alps in crisp October. Our guarantee is that we will live with the contadini and feast like royalty. Our lips will shine with freshly pressed golden dew (Olive oil), our senses will pay homage to the glorious sounds on market day, our minds will have moments to wonder and times to dream. Our hearts will beat slowly and purposefully as do the seasons of Italy. This, our darling cousins is a gift you cannot refuse - take it and enjoy"
Julia Black – Crave Italy Tours
and the Puglisi Family
Departure Date: 7^th October 2012, 14 days. Approx $9200 + taxes.  Incl breakfast and a variety of lunches and dinners.

Homemade Tomato Puree (for the best pasta and pizza sauce)

Contributed by Zia Mary Scalora (nee Puglisi)

Homemade tomato puree is made by washing, cutting in half and squeezing some of the “water” out of fresh and very ripe tomatoes. These are then passed through a machine which removes the skin and seeds, leaving only the crushed pulp. This is the puree.

Some people boil the tomatoes before passing through the machine.
The puree is then put into bottles along with a sprig of fresh basil, sealed and then placed into a very large container (eg 44 gallon drum) under water and then boiled for up to two hours.
The Puree can last sealed in this way for several years. In our family we have reused the same large beer bottles over and over for many years, placing them lying down and packed in tightly into the old 44 gallon drums, or one cut in half for smaller amounts. It is desirable to put weights such as wood lengths on the top, before filling with water and placing some sort of cover on top. Some wrap the bottles in newspaper for padding. The trick is to make sure the bottles boil steadily, but not too hard that they break. Watching the amount of logs put on the fire under the drum(on a stand made of bricks or such like) to burn, is the key to success.
Traditionally large amounts are made yearly or even every few years, as it is such a prolonged process, and messy, and usually many members of the family are pressed into service for the day. Of course, included is a Pasta lunch, with the Pasta sauce being made from freshly-pureed sauce, reduced in a pan with just oil, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and a little sugar.           Buonissimo!!!

Ciao Italian Cousins…
We have changed our minds, but thats OK, it’s what Italians do… when they’re not eating! 
We have moved our Scampagnata (Italian Picnic) to 2012.  But, we have 2 other fantastic functions to invite you to for the remainder of this year at the winery in the Barrelroom Café. 
(Note: there is no longer a Scampagnata on the 26^th of November 2011)

You are welcome to join us for the following functions:
November 20^th  2011 Primi Piatti (Italian Yum Cha).  A twist on the traditional yum cha.  Featuring a huge array of savoury and sweet options, from Arancini, meat balls and fried baitfish to Cannoli and biscotti.  Wines available by the glass or bottle at cellar door prices.  Plates start at $4.50.  11am to 3pm.

Primi Piatti (Italian Yum Cha)

December 11^th : Pranzo Italiano.  The Pranzo is a fabulous 5 course long lunch of way too much food, including antipasto, beef Carpaccio, baked ricotta, homemade chicken raviolini soup, beef lasagne, chocolate zuccotto bombe and almond and cherry biscuits.  All this accompanied by house wine and traditional Italian music.   Seating is on long tables so you can meet new friends and after lunch decks of cards will be available to play traditional card games.  $40 pp.  Starts 12.30pm

Pranzo Italiano

For bookings please contact the winery on 46841226
P.S.  The new Italian Cousins packs will be delivered to you in the first week of November.   Put your aprons on and invite some friends over for some kitchen fun, and we hope your vege patch has some space in it.  Don’t forget to make some time for coffee.
P.P.S.   Italian Cousins….All Things Italian Tour of Italy.  Tentative starting date: 7^th October 2012, approx. 16 days.
We hope to see you soon
The Puglisi Family
Ballandean Estate Wines

The Italian Cousins packages have been delivered!

OMG

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What can I say, its such a fantastic thing you have created - WELL DONE!

I'm so happy to be part of the family...and am looking forward to my next package...

Will be planting my seeds later today...

First Packages on their way

It was with great excitement that the first Italian Cousin Packs went out a couple of weeks ago and we have had a terrific response so far. 
Our new Cousins have enjoyed the recipes, the goodies and the gifts.  The Torrone (nougat) has been a great hit and we are sure everyone will want to give the recipe a go at some stage.  There have been a number of pasta recipes shared and some great photos included on our Facebook page.

Don't forget, it is possible to share the joy buy purchasing a second package for friends and family - a great idea for a birthday gift or Christmas present.

Roasted Chicken in a Vine Ripened Tomato Sauce w/ Homemade Tagliatelle

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• ½ lemon
• Sprig of thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 1 kg Tomatoes
• 50mL Olive oil
• 1 bulb of Garlic
• 400g Flour
• 4 whole Eggs
• Chopped parsley to serve

Place the half lemon inside the chicken along with the thyme and half a bulb of garlic. Place in a roasting tray and put in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

While the chicken cooks;
Put on a pot of seasoned water on the boil
Mix the flour, a pinch of salt 20mL of olive oil in a bowl. Make a well with the flour; crack the eggs in the centre. Slowly work the eggs into the flour, making a dough. Keep kneading till the dough is smooth.
Cut the dough into smaller pieces. Run each piece through a pasta machine on setting one to continue the kneading process. Once there are no holes in the dough, let it rest for ½ hour.

Whilst the dough rests;
Roughly chop the tomatoes, place in a tray with the other half of the garlic and remaining oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in a 200 degree oven until the juices come out.
Roll the pasta through the machine, working your way through to setting 7. Cut into 40cm lengths and run through the pasta cutter. Place on a floured tray. Once all the pasta is cut, quickly blanch and place on an oiled tray and straight into the fridge to cool down.
When the tomatoes are ready, bring them out of the oven. Taste for seasoning. And squash the tomatoes with a spoon, until pulpy.

To serve pull apart the chicken, add to the tomato sauce. In a pot heat the tomato and chicken to a simmer. Quickly warm the pasta in boiling water, add to the sauce, check seasoning, add parsley and serve with a glass of Viognier.
Matt and Bobbi Wells
Barrelroom Cafe

Who do our Cousins remind you of?

Thought it would be a fun idea to ask you all who our three 'Italian Cousins' in the logo remind you of?  We are sure there would an Italian friend or relative that our cute little characters remind you of.

We love Italian Food - What about Italian Wine Varieties?

Italian wine varieties are taking hold of Australian wine drinkers and winemakers. 
New styles like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Fiano and Nero D'Avolo are becoming more available to the wine drinking public - but do you know what to do with these wines?
Well, as with most things Italian, drinking these wines is all about the food!  Even the Australian wines made from these varieties are considered 'food wines' and when the match is right.. it is soooooo right!
The Ballandean Estate range features only one Italian variety at the moment and this is our delicious Nebbiolo.  This wine is fabulous with an Antipasto platter featuring prosciutto, olives, sundried tomato etc.  The wine boasts lovely cherry overtones with a strong tannic finish - flavours well suited to strong flavoured foods.
Fiano is a new variety planted in the past few years on our vineyard.  The wine should be available in the next year or two and is reminiscent of Pinot Grigio and we believe will be the 'next big thing' in Australian Wine.
So, when you are planning an Italian meal with friends, don't forget to seek out and enjoy an Italian Varietal wine.

Its All About the Food!

Don't you think?
Not a day goes by at the Cellar Door, when a conversation doesn't end with 'It's all About the Food'.  Its generally followed by a short but satisfying dreamy silence when both sides of the counter are lost in a great food memory.  That oh...so... satisfying vision includes the aromas, the flavours, the colours, the wine, the friends, the conversations, the sounds and the emotions. 
To me, 'Its All About the Food' really means so much more...

Isn't it

Italian Cousins! A celebration of All Things Italian

Enter the world of Italian life, with food, recipes, wine, language, arts, culture, anecdotes and more....

The Ballandean Estate family would like to share with you what makes being Italian so special.  Join the family and enhance your life with sensory packages, blogs and connections with all things Italian.

Italian Cousins is an Italian Food, Wine, Cultural and Educational Experience.  It arrives at your door every four months as a package of food, wine, goodies and surprises!  Italian Cousins communicates with you throughout the year All Things Italian through blogs, emails, facebook, links and gives you the opportunity to journey to Italy bi-annually.

Cousin Benefits:
Every 4 months Italian Cousins brings you:

• 6 Premium Ballandean Estate Wines
• A tempting food package
• Homemade Goodies
• Authentic Italian cooking Ingredients
• Collectible recipes
• Surprises (we love to surprise family)
• An exclusive invitation to our annual Scampagnata (Italian Picnic)
• 10% off wines purchased at the Ballandean Estate Cellar Door
• 10% off a la carte dining in the Barrel Room Cafe
• First Access to our Italian Cousins - All things Italian Tour of Italy (approx every 2 years)

When do I receive it and what does it cost?

Italian Cousins arrives at your door every March, July and November and costs $199 + $8 freight per package.

Call toll free 1300 791 641