True Colors

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Many times people ask us why our tomato sauce orange. There are two reasons. First, during the summer we use only local, award-winning heirloom tomatoes which come in a variety of colors from purples and reds, to yellows and greens. When making the sauce, the colors combine and make orange. We all know when you mix yellow and red, it makes orange. It’s not magic or butter or vodka. It’s from tomatoes with names like Brandywine, Solar Flare and Mint Julip.

Second, we do not use tomatoes with additives, preservatives, or citric acid. Added citric acid in particular keeps the tomatoes redder. We only use fresh tomatoes without added citric acid which is why our sauce is lighter and orange.

Cultivators, geneticists and big manufactorers have all had their fun experimenting with the tomato. Transforming it inside and out. In many cases, going too far and producing a tasteless tomato. Perhaps when it comes to bringing out the full potential of the tomato, there are too many cooks in the kitchen. So, my philosophy is to let the tomato be itself. It should be free to express it’s true colors…even orange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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More Than Just Desserts

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Leaving Cibo’s after a wonderful meal without trying a delicious dessert wine is like leaving the movie theatre before the credits are over. You’re going to miss out on the full experience. Remember “Anchorman” and “Shrek 2”? Don’t be in such a rush. Stay for that last laugh and dip some biscotti in your Vin Santo.

We have four delicious dessert wines to choose from that we know you’ll enjoy. The Selvapiana with it’s hint of butterscotch. The “Ben Rye” you’ll love for it’s sweet apricot and honey. The Chapoutier from Banyuls, France teases you with cocoa. The “Casa Lola” has a wonderful combination of almond and honey.

When your meal is cleared, and the Vin Santo is presented in the long-stemmed, tulip-shaped glasses, everyone starts to relax and conversations really start to flow. We chose these special dessert wines with that perfect ending in mind. They are worth waiting for!

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 2005 Selvapiana – Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina

Butterscotch, sweet date fruit and a real almondy finish.

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2011 Donnafugata “Ben Rye” – Passito Di Pantelleria

“On the nose intense notes of apricot and peach
followed by sweet sensations of dried figs and honey, aromatic herbs and mineral notes.”

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2012 M. Chapoutier – Banyuls

Fruity with cocoa aromas

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Tre Monti “Casa Lola” – Albana Passito

Apricot, honey and almond

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Celebrating the annual National Farmers Market Week

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Some of our favorite meals wouldn’t be complete without the certified organic produce from Langwater Farm in North Easton. So everyday we have many reasons to celebrate farmers markets as we believe Langwater Farm has the most amazing fresh produce around. The colors alone send off sparks of inspiration for daily specials. Their family heirloom tomato makes our Caprese Salad a perfect summer appetizer. Our goal at Cibo’s is to perpare our dishes with all-natural ingredients, with as little junk, chemicals and pesticides as possible…just a good dose of vitamin C and A!

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Our Wagyu Beef Sliders

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What does Hello Kitty and Wagyu beef have in come? They are both highly prized and sought after Japanese treasures. But unlike the Hello Kitty world takeover, Wagyu beef arrived in small increments, in the form of sliders, big burgers and meatballs, slowly working it’s way onto the palettes of very satisfied customers, and will occassionally show up on our “Special’s Menu.”

So, should you Wagyu? Absolutely. Here is the short history. The Wagyu, which means “Japanese beef”, toiled for centuries cultivating rice on top of it’s high alltitude dojo, being feed beer and messaged, resulting in a genetically superior, tasty and tender beef, far surpassing Angus. No offense. Not to be outdone, US ranchers crossbred the Angus with the Wagyu. It’s a tale of East meets West, a hard working, lean machine from the US falls for a pampered, fatty bovine from Japan, producing a nice, rich, flavorful alternative to all-American. 

The best Japanese Wagyu breed is Kobe, a delicacy and national treasure, and it’s nearly impossible to find 100% Kobe in the US. If you do, don’t pay the $350 unless the chef can show you the birth certificate saying “Born in Kobe.”

In addition to the unique nature of the meat, our wagyu is grass-fed, hormone free and rich in healthy fatty acids. We prepare our sliders California style with herb mayo and avocado, and Southwestern style with fried onion strings, chedder cheese and bbq sauce.

One other thing. Hello Kitty is also not 100% Japanese. While she originated in Japan, she was actually born in London, England. How did she slide that past us. HELLO!?

 

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Our Top Three Olive Oils.

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True story… The Spartans used olive oil to accentuate their chiseled bodies in battle, circa a long time ago.  We, however, use it to accentuate our fresh baked bread. What a versitle little fruit, eh?

There are hundreds of olive oils to choose from, with a huge range of flavors, and we are lucky enough to sample so many of them. The next time you need to replenish the pantry, try something new. Pick one that says “peppery” and try it with your steak. Soak them up with some bread to taste the differences. You will be amazed. Here are our three top choices with flavors ranging from fruity to peppery that enhance, if not define, the taste of all our dishes. It’s also important to note that all our salad dressing are made in house.

First is the Corto extra virgin from California’s Central Valley.  It’s served with the salt and pepper tray and fresh bread when you first sit down to eat. It makes a great first impression.

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Second is the Francesco De Padova extra virgin from the hills of Puglia. We serve it with our bread and salads. It’s described as having “A light fruity taste, with hints of green tomato, ripe olives and light pepper on the finish. It is well balanced and has a lovely aroma.” We concurr.

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Third is the Frantoio Salvagno extra virgin olive oil which is cultivated naturally in Verona, Italy, without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. It has a nice fruity back-taste that is perfect with our fish, salads and chicken dishes. It makes for a nice drizzle on top of the risotto. We respect Salvagno as a company because, like we do, they have chosen to deliver cleaner, fresher and safer food to your table.

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Risotto – Inside and Out

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Cooking risotto is like building a sand castle. The thoughtfullness in choosing the right sand that is firm under pressure, yet smooth for carving, is the exact same thoughtfullness used in choosing the prefect rice for risotto that must be creamy and sticky enough to roll into an arancini…If you don’t get it right, the whole thing collapses.

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Well, we think we got it right. The vialone nano is a stubby, small grain rice that can absorb twice it’s weight in liquid, making it much creamier and tasty. The perfect choice for the arancini. It’s also the unanimous choice in Veneto and is provided to us by the Giuseppe Melotti farm in the South of Verona where rice is life, and worth celebrating at the yearly “Risotto Festival” in the village of Isola della Scala this fall. The classic rice dish at the festival is the “Risotto all’Isolana” with veal, sirloin, pepper, cinnamon, rosemary, and parmesan cheese. Book my trip now.

They have a wonderful website.

The vialone nano risotto is the heart and sole of our arancini (“little oranges”), and it’s filling of spicy pork, scallion, and home-made mozzarella was inspired by cousin Dotty, which is why our arancini is so close to our hearts.

Many customers tell us their first arancini was at Cibo. They had never seen such a foreign object at their table, let alone identify the risotto inside. Do I use a fork or my fingers? It was only the long, warm string of cheese that was familiar. We’re proud to be their first.

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Cherry, Spice and Everything Nice: The New, All-Natural, Organic Wine at Cibo Matto

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Exciting news from the wine bar at Cibo Matto. Now introducing the 2012 “Helluva” Pinot Noir from Donkey and Goat in the Anderson Valley. This is a cutting edge wine, unfiltered, unrestricted, and as natural as it gets! We added this exceptional wine to our grand list of wines because it has a wonderful and complex flavor, it pairs perfectly with our signature dishes like the herb-crusted organic salmon, veal piccata and antipasto, and it furthers our commitment to using only tasty, all natural, and organic ingredients.

We have the opportunity to taste new wines every week from purveyors and when we asked for “all-natural and organic”, the Helluva was, by far, the best. The folks at Donkey and Goat describe it poetically as…”on the nose cherry, spice and forest floor dance out of the glass and tickle the olfactory. The mouth is equally nimble as more fruit flavors laced spice skip across the palate. This is a light-bodied, feminine wine that illustrates the beauty of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.” Ooh La La!

Another helluva good wine from Donkey and Goat that we carry is the 2011 “Five Thirteen” blend described as having “gamey notes that dance with crushed free berries, herbs, cola, leather and floral hints. The palate shows off the wine’s stuffing with chewy tannins, respectable acidity and lingering flavors of cranberry and cassis.” Man, I could read these poetic descriptions all day.

So, why unfiltered? We believe those small particles left inside hold a lot of flavor and aroma that keep it authentic. You can taste and smell it immediately. Plus, it’s kind of fun to swish your glass around, and bring that flavor to the top while trying to impress your dinner partner.

Also, it’s foot stomping good! Literally! To crush the grapes to perfection, they use the tried and true method of pigeage à pied. Foot stomping. Yes. It made a great comedy skit for Lucy and Ethel, but it’s taken quite seriously by Donkey and Goat, a company that believes in biodynamic farming and sustainable agricultural practices, which pair perfectly with our own passion for organic, locally produced, and all natural foods.

And for that, we are proud and honored to serve to you this delicious “Hellava” pinot noir.

p.s. The name “Donkey and Goat” was inspired by the idea that donkeys are hardworking but stubborn, which was a problem until farmers discovered that donkeys’ ideal best friends are goats, who somehow calm down the donkeys attitude, creating a perfectly balanced partnership.

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