Let the Festivities Begin!: Panzanella's Enewsletter

Ciao from your local goodie, Panzanella!

Let the Festivities Begin!

If you haven't tried the Braised Niman Ranch Pork Shank on the current dinner menu, these cold nights provide the perfect setting for this satisfying dish, served with creamy polenta and garlicky greens. Pair it with the Tres Palacios Carmenere Reserve '05, from Chile, or really treat yourself like royalty, with the exquisite Sesti Brunello di Montalcino '98.

On the lunch menu, we're featuring a special vegan entrée - Roasted Carolina Squash stuffed with basmati rice, ruby sweet potatoes and dandelion greens. Try this with a glass of Höpler Grüner Veltliner '06, from Austria.

Events

Save the Date!

Gallery

Recipe

December Wine Dinner: Sparkling Wines!

Monday, December 10, 7 - 9:30 pm You - in the holiday spirit! A few tickets are still left for Monday's Sparkling Wine Dinner. This is the way to discover what sparkling wine qualities please you the most, without purchasing a bottle of each. According to The Oxford Companion to Wine, sparkling wine is "a wine which bubbles when poured into a glass." To many people it is more than just that simple explanation. Sparkling wine, and specifically Champagne has always been associated with elegance and celebration. Its allure increases with the abundance of different styles in which it is produced. Just the tiniest hint of effervescence can change a simple white wine into something fun and exciting to drink. Sparkling wine can vary as much as still wine; it can be white, pink and even red. It can be made in a sweet style or bone dry. Other aspects of sparkling wines, like alcohol level and the character and strength of the bubbles themselves, can be part of wine's unique identity. Join us for this festive dinner as we enjoy a wide range of sparkling wines and see just how well they match with elegant, delicious dishes prepared by Panzanella Chef, Chris Capron. The cost of this event is $45 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro. New Year's Eve Dinner Menu Monday, December 31, 2007, 5 - 10pm Puree of Cauliflower Soup with Spiced Carolina Shrimp or Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Pear and Champagne Vinaigrette or Stuffed Crepes with Duck, Fig and Marsala ~ Braised Lamb Shank with Red Wine, Fregola Pasta and Italian Greens or Alison's Chicken with Prosciutto, Sage, Mascarpone Mashed Potato, and baby Arugula or Sweet Potato Gnocchi with White Asparagus, Black Truffle, Brown Butter and Pumpkin Seed "Pesto" or Crab Stuffed North Carolina Trout with Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Porcinis Mushroom and Lemon Butter ~ Chocolate Hazelnut Semifreddo with Gianduia Biscotti or Apple Crostata with Mascarpone Vanilla Crema Certain items on the New Years Eve Menu may change based on availability.

Save the date!

Save the Dates! We've set aside these Monday evenings in '08 for our monthly wine dinners. Mark your calendars now, and we'll keep you updated on the details. January 14 February 11 March 17 April 21

Holiday Hours

Panzanella will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 24th and 25th. We'll be open for dinner only on Wednesday, the 26th. On New Year's Eve, we have extended hours from 5 to 10pm. Seating is limited. Please call ahead for reservations for any size party: 919.929.6626 Tuesday, January 1st, we will be open for dinner only, 5:30 - 9:30 pm.

Gallery

"The Conversation"
New Paintings by Steven Silverleaf
Exhibit: Now - February 4, 2008
Public Reception: January 21, 2008, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Steven Silverleaf was born in 1954 and grew up between New York City, Athens, Greece and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He attended the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee during the 1970s, where he studied painting and drawing. He was active in the local art, poetry and experimental theater scene in Milwaukee.

In the mid-1980s he returned to North Carolina, living in the mountains and on the coast before becoming a leading figure in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill art community. He has taught privately and led intensive workshops on life drawing and painting at the Durham Arts Council, Durham Technical Community College, and The ArtsCenter, and at other arts organizations. Silverleaf now maintains a studio in Chapel Hill, NC.

Recipe

Spaghetti Squash
By Chef Chris Capron

A very simple dish that I have always enjoyed is the old spaghetti squash. It is super simple to make and really tasty!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Get a good size spaghetti squash. It should have a nice yellow color, feel firm, and heavy, and not have too many blemishes on it. Wash the skin to get off any dirt particles.

Very carefully, cut the squash from end to end (lengthwise). Scrape out all of the seeds. Set the squash in a baking pan that is deep enough to hold about an inch of water. Place the squash cut side down. Add an inch of water to the pan and place in the oven. Bake for one hour or until the walls of the squash are soft to the touch. I use a fork to push on the wall of the squash. Not to pierce it, but just to test the doneness.

When the walls have softened, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Even more carefully remove the hot squash from the pan. Scrape the inside of the squash with the fork. All of the strands of spaghetti will come away from the walls. Remove these strands to a large mixing bowl. I like to season with salt, fresh ground black pepper, butter, chopped parsley, and Pecorino Romano cheese. You could just as easily use extra virgin olive oil in place of the butter, and exclude the cheese for a vegan dish.

This is something my family and I have at Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy it, too!