Italian Christmas at Punchinello’s
November 9th, 2011 by Susan Reynard | Categories: beverages, food, hotels, industry, people, products, restaurants, tourism
The Punchinello’s Restaurant Chefs of Distinction dinners have become regular and popular events at Southern Sun Montecasino. They see top chefs pair their cuisine with top winemakers. The 100-seater restaurant, headed up by chef Gerard Vingerling, carries a Mediterranean theme in keeping with the casino and entertainment resort and hotel.
The latest dinner is being hosted on 7 December 2011 by respected restaurateur Gianni Mariano of the Mastrantonio group and winemaker Elize Coetzee from Zonnebloem. It is entitled “An Italian Christmas” and consists of a four-course menu specially paired with wines from Zonnebloem for R275 per person.
The menu is as follows:
- Amuse bouche: A selection of traditional canapés, served with Zonnebloem Sauvignon Blanc 2011
- Antipasto: Crema di Piselli al profumo di Vaniglia con Capesante (vanilla infused creamed pea soup with fresh scallops), served with Zonnebloem Chardonnay 2011
- Primo: Stelle di Pasta con Cioccolato al Gorgonzola a Noci (dark chocolate pasta stars with gorgonzola and walnuts and egg pasta stars filled with ricotta and chocolate), served with Zonnebloem Shiraz 2010
- Secondo: Duetto di Nodino Di Vitello e Rollata di Tacchino al Tartufo Nero e Balsamico bianco (a duet of veal loin and turkey roulade with black truffle and white balsamic reduction served with polenta and vegetables), served with Zonnebloem Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
- Dolce: Tartina di Pera e Amaretti Con Panna Cotta al Limoncello (caramelised pear and amaretto tartlet with a white chocolate ganache and Limoncello panna cotta with a berry coulis), served with Zonnebloem Pinotage 2010
Gianni Mariano was born in South Africa to a family with a long history and heritage in the food business. His cultural roots are from the Val Di Sangro in the Abruzzi region of central Italy, which has produced some of Italy’s top chefs.
Elize Coetzee is the white winemaker at Zonnebloem. She has a degree in viticulture and oenology from the University of Stellenbosch and joined the Zonnebloem winemaking team as assistant winemaker of the white wines in 2005. Once of the highlights of her career since joining Zonnebloem has been the launch of the Zonnebloem Limited Edition range of wines.
For more information on the Chefs of Distinction dinners, telephone 011 367 4367.
