Celebrating Aleatico… everyone to the table, arm in arm with Nature and Spring

Article by LALLA – COOK AND SOMMELIER AT YOUR HOME

And here we are again: spring has arrived – or rather, it has burst out in all its overbearing, wild beauty, and with it all the positive, typically springtime sensations and emotions that more or less all of us feel and that, on this strip of land called the Island of Elba, take on an even stronger meaning, because strong is the nature that surrounds us.

And it is in honour of Spring and as a tribute to our loyal readers, to lovers of good food and good wine, to occasional and regular visitors alike, that I dedicate a short – and I believe intense – VIRTUAL journey to the discovery of this place and of the beautiful things it can offer us: a journey that all of you will later be able to turn into a more stimulating and REAL path of taste. Not only recipes, because I will lead you to discover and get to know a few products and their bond with this land, imagining that in this way the emotions may arise in you even before you taste the dishes we will then go on to prepare. A slightly special path, since the preparations do not belong to a traditional kind of cooking but all share a common denominator: the use of local, short-supply-chain products. Native products, unfortunately not always easy to find, but of unquestionable excellence. Moreover, given the time of year we are in – Spring, precisely – I deliberately wanted to suggest using the herbs of the Elban maquis, far easier to find (you just need to know how to recognise them), which our marvellous island gives us in abundance: products that mother nature offers without asking anything in return.

The preparations described in this and in the coming articles are part of an ideal Spring Menu and are the fruit of my past experiences alongside masters of astonishing skill, of personal reworkings, of moments of experiment and research. Unrepeatable moments that have traced my path, and which I gladly hand on, hoping thereby to move you as they moved me.

Among the first products I want to tell you about are Honey and Aleatico: two marvellous nectars produced on our island. It is worth underlining in particular that every year an interesting event is dedicated to this wine, entitled “ElbAleatico, a bunch of history”, created and grown through the extraordinary commitment of the Sommeliers of AIS Isola d'Elba (the Italian Sommelier Association). An event held in the cloister of the Centro Culturale de Laugier in Portoferraio, which next Sunday 17 April will celebrate its 6th edition.

As you all know, producing good honey is no easy matter, but the Elban beekeepers have succeeded – and what is more, they have earned important quality awards locally, but also regionally and nationally. The honeys are produced inside protected areas. It seems that the “island” bees are of the Ligustica strain, a particularly pure strain that our beekeepers defend strenuously. The resulting product, in its many varieties – thistle, chestnut, strawberry tree, heather, eucalyptus, wildflower, rosemary – comes from essences all characteristic of the Archipelago. The honey with a predominant rosemary aroma is the one we shall be using, and it has been named the best honey in the whole of Tuscany.

Finally, but certainly not least in importance, we shall talk about Aleatico, which recently became the eighth D.O.C.G. of Tuscany, further confirmation of a product of excellence. Personally, I like to describe it as the “meditation” wine par excellence. Besides the more traditional pairing with the typical “Schiaccia briaca” – of which it is one of the ingredients – it goes remarkably well with chocolate. The vine is the native variety par excellence and covers about 40 hectares; the grapes have a delicate, thin skin and cannot bear a long stay on the plant after ripening. The yield is very low and must not exceed 35% of the fresh grapes.

After careful tending in the vineyard and scrupulous selection, the grapes must undergo a minimum period of 10 days of drying in the air or in suitable rooms, until they reach a minimum sugar content of 30%; they are then pressed, followed by fermentation in contact with the skins. Once the desired alcohol content is reached, the wine is separated from the skins and may be refined in steel or in wooden barrels; from the pomace, on the other hand, an excellent grappa can be obtained.

The production rules provide that Aleatico dell'Elba Passito DOCG may be placed on the market from 1 March of the year following production; indeed most producers tend to sell the latest vintage. It is a natural Passito (I want to stress: NOT a fortified wine), of extraordinary elegance and aromatic intensity, with characteristic notes of red fruits. It gives its best when young; only a few producers prefer to wait a year of ageing.

There are at least 16 producers who, working hard and with dedication, have been able to enjoy great personal and professional satisfaction. A scene of great interest for both quality and quantity. Indeed, with this superb passito they have contributed not only to enriching the island's wine landscape but also to relaunching the image of “Elba” in Italy and abroad.

At “ElbAleatico, a bunch of history” the presentation of the 2015 vintage Aleatico will, as is now traditional, be accompanied by various creations from local pastry chefs, ice-cream makers and barmen; there will be no shortage of tastings of DOC wines and oils. In short, an intense programme rich in interesting events not to be missed, a unique chance to get to know Aleatico and also several other marvellous local products by tasting them, and to support those who, like AIS, have been committed for years to a project whose sole aim is to make visible to everyone a land that has a great deal to offer.

The little chocolate cake we are going to prepare comes from an old recipe whose origins lie in the land I come from, Emilia. I have revisited it to pay homage to “ElbAleatico, a bunch of history”; needless to say, the ideal pairing is Aleatico.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH ALEATICO DOCG ELBA AND ROSEMARY HONEY (see the recipe)

In a decidedly unusual way, we have begun this path of taste by starting from the “sweet moment” of an indulgent dessert. Do forgive us… and keep following us to discover the next dishes of the Spring Menu. 

ENJOY YOUR MEAL!!!!

LALLA – Cook and Sommelier at Your Home