El dulce sabor del amor
Todo está listo para el día más romántico del año. La casa está decorada con adornos en forma de corazón, la mesa está puesta con manteles rojos e iluminada por la cálida luz de las velas, y el menú, tentador y ligeramente afrodisíaco, ya está decidido.
Everything is ready for the most romantic day of the year. The house has been decorated with heart-shaped ornaments, the table is set with red tablecloths and bathed in warm candlelight, and the menu, tantalizing and slightly aphrodisiac, has been decided. All that remains is to head down to the cellar to find the perfect wine for the occasion. The Asti Spumante Brut and the Moscato d'Asti seem perfectly suited: they are light, fragrant, and sparkling, as joyful as a newly blossomed romance.
Asti Spumante Brut is the most popular aromatic wine in the world. Along with Moscato d'Asti, it has been protected by the DOCG (Controlled Designation of Origin) since 1993 and is produced in 51 municipalities in the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo, covering a total vineyard area of nearly 10,000 hectares. Both wines, historically popular in Italy, are renowned worldwide: Russia is the leading consumer of Asti Spumante Brut, and the United States is the biggest admirer of Moscato d'Asti. Italians traditionally uncork both wines with dessert, but the Piedmontese know they pair well with savory dishes as well, often drinking them during the merenda sinoira, a sort of aperitif featuring cured meats, cheeses, omelettes, anchovies, bread, and pickled vegetables. Pairing Asti Spumante Brut and Moscato d'Asti with savory dishes is a growing trend in gourmet restaurants around the world, where they are paired with fish and vegetable dishes, sweet and sour fusion dishes, and used to refresh the palate after spicier dishes.
Are you going all out for an aperitif this Valentine's Day? Indulge in the sweet-savory contrast of a glass of Asti Spumante Brut with oysters, or pair its smoothness with spicy morsels. Meeting for a snack? Uncork a Moscato d'Asti with a platter of strawberries and tropical fruit. Prefer to host a dinner party? Pair it with shellfish and shellfish. Or try our recipe featuring Asti Spumante Brut, both as an ingredient and as the perfect companion to the dish.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 250 ml Asti Spumante Brut 250 g yellow cherry tomatoes 5 g gelatin sheets 8 frozen prawns 5 radishes 2 courgettes 1 carrot 1 celery stalk 1 fennel 1 lemon 1 orange thyme mint extra virgin olive oil salt pepper
Procedure
Clean the shrimp, removing the head, shell, and intestines; cut them in half lengthwise and marinate them for about 20 minutes in oil flavored with a few sprigs of thyme and the grated lemon and orange zest. Clean the vegetables and chop them into small pieces. Blend the cherry tomatoes with a couple of tablespoons of oil and the juice of 1/2 lemon, seasoning with salt and pepper. Soak the gelatin in cold water; meanwhile, heat the Asti Spumante Brut in a small saucepan. Add the well-squeezed gelatin and transfer the mixture to a baking dish; let it set in the refrigerator. Divide the cherry tomato cream among the plates, then the vegetable tartare, shaping it into a circle using a pastry cutter. Arrange the marinated shrimp on top of the tartare and garnish with the diced Asti Spumante Brut gelatin. Garnish the dish with mint leaves and drops of oil and serve.