The Secret Behind a Perfect Panini!

A panini is a grilled pressed sandwich that originated in Italy. These sandwiches are assembled cold and then pressed for the optimal amount of time.

Sometimes there are sandwiches we just eat because we're hungry and then there are sandwiches we get excited about eating. The latter of these two are almost always grilled -- like a panini. Generally, food is more appetizing when it's toasted golden brown and filled with delicious melted cheese. We all know the panini will always win over the lifeless un-grilled sandwich, but how do you get it crisped so perfectly?

There are three main components of a panini: bread, cheese, and all the extras (meats, condiments, spreads, vegetables, etc.). But the panini is more than just a fancy name for a grilled cheese. When crafted with quality ingredients, the finished grilled sandwich is bursting with flavor. One of the best attributes of a panini is that they’re infinitely versatile and customizable to whatever you like.

For that night when you just don’t feel like slaving in a kitchen, make it a panini night!

How could you tell the Panini is done when cooking it at home? By the sizzle of a whole lot of cheese that escapes and bubbles all over the grates! However, due to the fact that you cannot regulate the height of the grill, the sandwich becomes too squished and causes the cheese to ooze more than would be desired.

While sandwiches are great, warm sandwiches are even better. La Bottega of Farmingdale has all the right fixings; fresh meats, juicy tomatoes, melted cheese, flavorful pesto, and crispy breads. For example, the Chicken Trieste Panini from La Bottega of Farmingdale is perfect for any occasion. Your favorite grilled chicken gets a boost from black olive peste, grilled zucchini, and melted mozzarella on a fresh ciabatta roll.

At the end of the day: who is better to do it than La Bottega of Farmingdale?

Benefits of Eating Soup

Soup can be enjoyed with a meal or even as one! A bowl of soup is packed full of nutrients and highly regarded for it’s health benefits.

Some of the many health benefits to eating soup are as follows:

Vegetables

Vegetables are the main ingredient in a large number of soup recipes. Eating vegetables is part of a healthy diet and veggie soups are highly recommended. The American Heart Association recommends adults consume eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day and soups can contribute to that total. Almost any vegetable lends itself to use in soup, from creamy squash or tomato bisques, to beef or chicken vegetable soup.

Nutrients         

A bowl of soup as a meal can make you feel much more energized, full, and take a few inches off that waistline! Soups made with beans and lean meats, such as fish, provide fiber and lean protein. Tomato soup is a very popular choice and is a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant helping reduce the risk of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. Vegetables in soup contain Vitamin A and C and cream soups supply both calcium and Vitamin D.

Filling

A bowl of hearty soup is a comfort food that will fill you right up! Soup is mainly made of water and fills you up without the calories. The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan, a book published by Barbara J. Rolls in 2000, explains how eating soup and other high-volume, low-calorie foods can help you lose weight.

At La Bottega of Farmingdale, we have a variety of delicious soups to keep you warm on these brisk autumn nights. We offer traditional Italian soups such as the Minestrone Lenticchia (made with Lentils), Zuppa di Pollo (an Italian chicken soup with pasta and cheese), or tortellini in brodo (a stuffed pasta in broth). For the pickier eaters, La Bottega of Farmingdale offers timeless classics such as crème of broccoli or vegetable chicken noodle soup. Our most popular soup, the Zucca Butternut Squash Soup, provides the delicious flavors of autumn in a light and healthy way!

Eating in Farmingdale

Cruising through Main Street in Farmingdale can get a little hectic, especially when you’re hungry and there are so many different types of eateries to choose from. Any possible option you can think of is on Main Street, from Italian, Continental, Chinese, Japanese, European, and Mediterranean. You name it, and Main Street has it.

La Bottega is also located on Main Street and it offers many different variations of Italian food. This restaurant was created to introduce the authentic tastes of Italy with an American flair and focuses on quality house-made ingredients, assembled to order, and served as fresh as possible.

Looking to eat healthy or gluten-free? There are delicious gluten-free options that residents of Long Island have come to discover and love. An example of one of our gluten-free dishes is salmon with baby spinach, endive, red pears, toasted pecans, roasted beets and cherry tomatoes with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. If you’re not into fish, they also offer a wide variety of delicious paninis, including a portabello mushrooms and mozzarella with tomato, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic dressing. La Bottega also offers an Angus steak with mixed greens and cherry tomatoes. For dessert, top it off with some delicious gelato to fulfill your italian cravings. We also offer our world-famous margherita pizzette, a symbol of Italian culture for years.

Gaze through the menu and feast your eyes on our sixty gourmet Panini’s, twenty-five salads, a variety of homemade soups, and our chef’s specialties featuring many different main courses and pastas. Not only is the food to die for, but it’s very reasonably priced. No reservations required! Just walk right in and enjoy our version of Italy with the La Bottega staff!

Chicken Noodle Soup

With the changing of the seasons comes a reemergence of our favorite fall foods! Of all the classic foods associated with autumn, the most popular has to be chicken noodle soup. Whether it’s a handed-down family recipe or straight out of the can, it’s hard not to appreciate the old nostalgic feeling associated with this simple but hearty meal. Chicken noodle soup has fan base worldwide and is deeply routed in many different cultures.

While chicken noodle soup is often prepared differently depending on the style of cooking, the overall process usually stays the same. The soup is made by simmering chicken in water and mixing in a variety other ingredients. The broth is clear with pieces of chicken, vegetables, and noodles. In many countries, it is considered a comfort food and has acquired a reputation of a folk remedy for various illnesses.

Chicken noodle soup is often associated with the changing of the seasons because it has been believed to possess medicinal properties for centuries. Originally, chicken soup and noodle soup started off as different foods, both used for medicinal purposes in ancient times, with the former being used in ancient Greece. Physicians and philosophers believed that chicken soup cured everything from bedwetting to leprosy. As for noodle soup, it’s been around as early as the thirteenth century in Asia. In the 1700’s, Italians fed noodle soup to the sick because it is digested easily. In 1934, Campbell’s combined the two foods and was accredited for the creation of the now famous chicken noodle.

Chicken based soups are extremely popular and different spins are put on the classic chicken noodle soup in order to spice it up a bit! Any soup fan can find something to enjoy in our wide variety here at La Bottega of Farmingdale. The cold weather for us means we can keep our customers warm with a nice bowl of soup!

The Best Fall Wines

With the season changing and the leaves turning colors, what is better than switching up the type of wine you drink. The best fall wines this season to drink are full-bodied whites and light-to-medium bodied reds.

A wine body is broken down into three different groups: light body, medium body and full body. There are many different aspects that influence how the wine is categorized but the main factor is the alcohol. The more alcohol in the wine the heavier the body and the more fuller it tastes.

When wine is under 12.5 % alcohol it said to be light bodied, wines between 12.5 % and 13.5 % are considered to be medium-bodied, and any wine over 13.5 % is considered to be full-bodied.

This season the best full-bodied white wines to drink are Oaked Chardonnay, Unoaked Chardonnay, Roussane and Viognier. Each of these white wines are top choices of crisp full-bodied whites that you should drink.

Some light to medium reds that are a must for this fall are Soft Red Blend, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syruh and Merlot. Each of theses reds differ in that some give you a sweeter flavor and others give a more dry taste. All are equally as good as the next and are perfect for this fall weather!

Another way to choose your wine between a red and a white is to go by what you are eating. When eating white meat such as chicken or turkey you should pair it with a white wine. When eating dark meat you should pair it with a medium bodied red wine.  

With the beginning of a new season, it is the perfect time to try something new! Trying a new wine to match the fall season is a perfect start for change, and the best one’s to try for this season are the full-bodied whites and light-to-medium bodied reds.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta, a word once used to describe a piece of toast rubbed and drizzled in garlic and olive oil, has come to mean several different things over the years. There are many different types of bruschetta toppings, including chopped tomatoes and basil, and they are always served on a single piece of toasted or grilled bread. While some people insist bruschetta must be topped with olive oil, toppings can vary from recipe to recipe.

In its most basic form, bruschetta is a piece of bread grilled on a wood fire and rubbed with a cut of garlic. A traditional Italian appetizer, the bread slices are rubbed with olive oil and topped with diced tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and served warm with melted cheese on top.

With the change of seasons, our appetites change as well, and if you are ready for something a bit heartier, La Bottega of Farmingdale offers a variety of delicious bruschetta. No food is as robust as this classic Italian fare.

A number of bruschetta variations are available today. Classic Bruschetta, which consists of tomato, garlic and fresh basil, is the most common. Mozzarella, roasted peppers and basil pesto is another well-known variant. For non-tomato fans, goat cheese, golden raisins and walnuts are added to the recipe as a complementary flavor. Seared steak is also available, including the addition of roasted jumbo shrimp with hot peppers.

All You Need to Know About Tiramisu

Dessert after a meal often marks a special occasion. Italian desserts are notable for presenting lavish arrangement of ingredients as well as unforgettable flavors, and of the most popular is tiramisu.

Tiramisu can be described as a creamy layered dessert with a jamocha flavor aftertaste. Everybody knows how much Italians love and value their food, and tiramisu is one of their best imports. Tiramisu layers espresso-soaked savoiardi—another name for crisp, sugary ladyfinger cookies—with a heavenly mixture of whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, and a cooked egg, sugar, and Marsala wine mixture called zabaglione.

If you are looking for this delicious dessert, you do not have to look no further than La Bottega Farmingdale.

An intense, yet refined, dish emerges through the grouping of these diverse ingredients. The delicate flavor of the mascarpone cheese and Italian custard are blended in with the robust presence of espresso and the sharpness of cocoa powder. When all these flavors come together, it brings forth a velvety texture providing an indulgent treat.

A number of tiramisu variations are available today. Chocolate tiramisu is a popular alternative which replaces the coffee flavor with chocolate. Fruit tiramisu is another well-known variant. Berries, peaches, and other fruits are added to the recipe as a complementary flavor. Frozen tiramisu recipes are also available, including the addition of gelato, frozen yogurt or ice cream in place of the custard. The popularity of tiramisu over the last couple of decades has prompted bakers to adapt the essential ingredients used in the dish for a number of recipes such as cakes, ice creams, cheesecakes and puddings.