High Spirits!

We have all heard of matching food with wine, but with whisky? Well why not! In the friendly and informal surroundings of Palma d’Onofrio’s cooking school, CUCINIAMOCI, we have planned two ‘whisky dinners’. 4 single malt Scotch whiskies will accompany each dinner.  Whisky no. 1 will be served as aperitif and whisky no. 4 as a ‘nightcap’ while whiskies 2 and 3 will each be paired with a dish prepared by Palma. Rachel will introduce you to the whisky regions of Scotland and help you explore the story ‘behind the labels’. Cost of the evening: €35 all inclusive.

THURSDAY 10th APRIL:
Here are the whiskies:
Glen Keith 10 year old
Scapa 14 year old
Highland Park 12 year old
Ardbeg 10 year old

THURSDAY 8th MAY:
Here are the whiskies:
Bunnahabhain 12 year old
Tamnavulin 12 year old
Glenfarclas 10 year old
Caol Ila 12 year old

VENUE: CUCINIAMOCI, Via Fogliano 2, 00198 Rome at 20:00.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: info@cuciniamoci.it  Tel: 339 2815792
SITO WEB: www.cuciniamoci.it

Wine List G.P.S. – a guide for the uninitiated!
Italian wines from north to south.  Enjoy a whistle-stop tour of the regions with Zagara’s wine list in hand.

SATURDAY 29th MARCH: Taste, try and talk about 6 delicious, distinctive, and very different white wines from Zagara’s cellar, paired with tasty trios of appetizers, pastas and main dishes from the kitchen.  During dessert, we’ll take your vote on the best matchings. Book now!
Cost for the evening: €55 all inclusive.
VENUE: Zagara Restaurant, Via Paola 26 – 00186 Rome
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: Tel. 06.6832075: zagara@fastwebnet.it
WEBSITE: www.zagararistorante.com

FRIDAY 18th APRIL: Sicilian? Tuscan? Venetian? Piedmontese ? Maybe, but unquestionably RED!  In the best democratic tradition 6 red wines chosen from Zagara’s labels will receive ‘equal opportunity’ and ‘equal exposure’. Paired with both conventional and more daring food choices, the final verdict on the best combination will rest with you. Book now!
Cost for the evening: €55 all inclusive.
VENUE: Zagara Restaurant, Via Paola 26 – 00186 Rome
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: Tel. 06.6832075: zagara@fastwebnet.it
WEBSITE: www.zagararistorante.com

FEBRUARY 2008

14th FEBRUARY: Valentine’s Day in Spain – favourite Spanish dishes accompanied by a sparkling Cava, an easy drinking ‘Crianza’, a rich red ‘Reserva’ or a glass of finest sherry.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:00.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

21st FEBRUARY: Tickle your palette this Thursday with a traditional Scottish menu accompanied by single malt Scotch whiskies (yes really!) and refreshing beers.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:00.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

25th FEBRUARY: This month’s chilly days and chillier evenings have prompted us to organise a promotional single malt whisky tasting in collaboration with our friends Antonella and Ciro at their charming restaurant Zagara in Via Paola 26. Four whiskies will each be paired with something sweet and something savoury – you can vote for the best combination - and if you’re still hungry afterwards you can always decide to stay on for dinner! Places for the tasting are limited so booking is a must.
VENUE: Zagara Ristorante, Via Paola, 26 - 00186 Roma
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.zagararistorante.com Tel. 06.6832075

JANUARY 2008

10th JANUARY: our first themed dinner in the new year takes us to PUGLIA, to taste a white and a red wine from ‘the heel of the boot’, paired with the chef’s choice of traditional dishes from this sun-drenched region.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

24th JANUARY: this Thursday we head northwards to sample a white and a red wine from the spectacular terraced vineyards of LIGURIA, paired with dishes chosen to reflect the region’s culinary traditions from both land and sea.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

DICEMBER 2007

6th DECEMBER: Leave the November chill outside and join us in a trip to sunny Sicily where the FINA family store their wines in a traditional ‘baglio’ near Marsala. A white, a red and a dessert wine will accompany an evocative Sicilian menu.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490

13th DECEMBER: Our last themed ‘dinner with a producer’ before the festive season starts in earnest takes us north to Piedmont and the PRUNOTTO winery of Alba. Although the region is best known for its red & sparkling wines, expressions of which will accompany the evening’s menu, white wine lovers will not be disappointed!
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

NOVEMBER 2007

22nd NOVEMBER: Destination Veneto, to taste a white and a red wine from the cellars of the MASI wine estates paired with two dishes inspired by the culinary traditions of the region. The sweet will be served with a delicious sip of single malt Scotch whisky.
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

29th NOVEMBER: This Thursday we’re off to Tuscany to sample a white wine from the FOLONARI family estates and a red from those of the FERRAGAMO family. The menu will of course have a truly Tuscan flavour while once again the sweet will be accompanied by ‘a taste of Scotland’!
VENUE: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome (Metro Cavour), at 20:30.
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490.

SEPTEMBER 2007

27th SEPTEMBER: Dr. Antonio Santarelli, owner of the well known Casale del Giglio wine estate situated near the town of Latina, some 30 miles south of Rome will present a range of the estate's delicious wines to compliment a menu of mouth-watering dishes inspired by traditional recipes from the Lazio region.

VENUE & TIME: La Cicala e La Formica, Via Leonina 17, Rome at 20:30
INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS: www.lacicalaelaformica.info Tel. 06 4817490