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2019

Christmas Carols Brunch

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Christmas Carols Brunch

Sunday, December 15th

This special brunch will feature live music with a variety of singers and musicians bringing your favorite Christmas Carols to you while we wine and dine you!

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Top 10 Tips to Make a Great Risotto

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Top 10 Tips to Make a Great Risotto

Risotto is one of the most loved and traditional dishes of Italy. Yet preparing it well isn’t as simple as it seems. There are some easy to make, common mistakes which can put the excellent results of your recipes at risk. Here are our top ten tips to make a great risotto.

1) THE POT

Let's start with the pot. A perfect risotto must cook evenly. For this you have to choose the right pot: it can’t be too high or too narrow. Ideally, you want it to be large with medium walls and it has to easily contain the rice and broth in a layer of two to three inches high.

2) THE RICE

Not all rice is created equal. To make a good risotto it is essential to choose the right quality: Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano are the most popular and ideal varieties.

3) TO RINSE OR NOT TO RINSE?

Raw Risotto rice should never be washed prior to cooking (as is often suggested) since it causes the grains to lose their consistency and they will begin to shed during cooking.

4) “THE SAUTE”

The onions and shallots used to start the risotto must always be the size of the grain of rice or cooking will not be optimal. Try gently drying them out, without letting them brown. The best way to achieve this is to wet them little by little with hot broth. Make sure, however, that the sauté remains fairly dry in the end before adding the rice

5) ROASTING

The risotto must be toasted at the start of cooking. Don’t worry, it won’t burn!

6) ALCOHOL

Always add a bit of alcohol: wine, liqueur, or whatever you prefer. It will help remove the oils from the grains after toasting them.

7) BROTH

Its important that the broth is added bit by bit and always at the point of boiling.

8) “LA MANTECATURA”

Melt the butter in a spoonful of hot broth or wine and stir into your risotto slowly and away from the fire.

9) NEVER REHEAT

Risotto is a dish that must be served immediately and doesn’t lend well to reheating.

10) THE DISH

The serving dish must always at be room temperature or cooler, otherwise the rice will continue to cook past its ideal consistency.

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