Il Fornaio Embarks On Seventh Annual Culinary Tour of Italy; 2001 Festa Regionale Begins Tonight With a Taste Of... Austria?

Food/Lifestyle Editors

CORTE MADERA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 2, 2001

Il Fornaio (Nasdaq:ILFO) continues its ongoing exploration of the authentic food, wine and bread of Italy's twenty regions with this month's stop in Trentino -- Alto Adige, the country's northernmost region. The 2001 Festa Regionale, which begins tonight at Il Fornaio's restaurants and bakeries across the United States, will continue throughout the year with a new menu each month full of unusual, authentic Italian delicacies. This year's calendar can be viewed by pointing your browser to: http://www.ilfornaio.com/Festa/festa_index_cal.html.

January's menu, created by Chef-Partner Germano Minin, reflects the mountainous terrain, sparkling lakes and strong Austrian influence of this unheralded region of Italy. Classic Trentino-Alto Adige dishes are ideally suited for the colder weather this time of year. The bakers of Il Fornaio complement this hearty cuisine with a rye bread that is sprinkled with caraway and fennel seeds. The entire menu can viewed on Il Fornaio's website at http://www.ilfornaio.com/Festa/festa_0101.html.

Though overlooked by most tourists, Trentino-Alto Adige produces some great wines, including Italy's most famous white wine, Pinot Grigio (a 1999 Maso Canali is featured), along with the virtually unknown Marzemino (a red from Basotti, 1999) and a Teroldego Rotaliano (a `98 Foradori). For tasting notes on these special wines, go to http://www.ilfornaio.com/Festa/festa_0101.html#wine.

From the polenta topped with porcini to the mesquite-grilled double pork chop, Minin has created a menu to capture the unique multi-cultural traditions in the region's cooking. Of the region, Minin says, "Trentino is the bridge that connects Italy to the rest of Europe; these foods are unique and you won't find them anywhere else. Except, of course, at Il Fornaio."

Two provinces, distinctly different

The people of the province of Trentino are almost entirely Italian speaking, yet the cooking from this area reveals unmistakable Austrian influences. Due to its numerous lakes and mountain streams, Trentino is known for its freshwater fish preperations, along with some of the best flyfishing in Europe. Because of its climate, many oenephiles believe that Italy's highest quality Pinot Grigio hails from this area.

Trentino's compliment is the province of Alto Adige. With a long history of being a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the large majority of Alto Adige's residents speak German. The cooking of Alto Adige reflects its history. Pork is a primary ingredient in many dishes; a special smoked ham called speck is a classic ingredient. The food of Alto Adige has extremes -- some dishes are heavy and coarse, while others are light and delicate -- for this province, meals seem to have no in between.

Chef-Partner Minin attended culinary school in Piano D'Arta, just twenty minutes from the Austrian border. His first cooking job was actually in Austria where the nuances of this style of food became ingrained in his technique. "The food from Trentino is so different from what many people think of as Italian," Minin says. "I am delighted to show our guests how varied real Italian food can be, even if it they can hardly believe it's really Italian!" The Trentino-Alto Adige menu will be served at dinner from January 2nd through the 14th. The next stop for Il Fornaio's Festa Regionale 2001 will begin on February 5th and feature the authentic foods of the central Italian region of Marche.