The History of Cannolis

Although cannolis are one of the most popular desserts throughout Italy and the United States, not many people know the history of the cannoli. Cannolis originated in Palermo, Italy during times when Italy was still under the control of the Arabs. Cannolis were made specifically for Carnevale. Carnevale was a festival that took place in Italy right before Lent. Carnevale could be compared to Mardi Gras today with parades, parties, tons of food and masquerades. Cannolis were believed to be a symbol of fertility during these times. Today, cannolis are featured year-round at all different festivities and holidays.

The original recipe for cannolis used ricotta cheese or sweet mascarpone cheese as the base for the filling. The cheese would then be flavored with different ingredients including wine, pistachios, honey, vanilla and chocolate. Today, most cannolis that are enjoyed feature ricotta cheese. However, some cannolis contain no cheese at all. The filling in these cannolis is made of milk, sugar and custard. In the United States, there are many different twists that are put on the original cannoli recipes. These twists include different sizes, different toppings that are added, and dipping the shells in chocolate.

Although the filling of a cannoli is what gives this pastry most of its taste, the shell is the part that could make or break the dessert. Cannoli shells are typically made of flour, butter and sugar. Other spices and ingredients may be added in to give the shell some flavor. The important thing to remember about cannoli shells is that they should be light, thin and crispy. This is so the dessert is not too filling with a heavy filling and thick shell. The other important thing to remember about cannoli shells is that they can quickly absorb the moisture from the cannoli filling. If the shells absorb the moisture, they will become soggy and limp as opposed to hard and crispy. To avoid this, cannoli shells should be filled right before they are being served so they do not sit long. Also, the filling should be cold to avoid the filling becoming runny and not filling the shell properly.

Please stop by La Bottega of Farmingdale and give ours a try today!

How to Choose the Right Caterer for Your Event

Are you in charge of Hosting an event soon? Too stressed to cook and don’t even know what to serve? A great option is to cater your event and leave all that stressful meal prepping and cooking behind you. If you are considering booking a caterer service for your next event here are some pointers you should keep in mind beforehand. First off there are many catering restaurants to choose from. Therefore don’t be afraid to ask questions or get recommendations from people who have catered here before. Figure out what type of food you're looking to serve.

The first main step when choosing a catering service should be setting a budget. One big mistake people make when booking is they haven't settled on a budget yet they are willing to spend. If you set your budget beforehand you will have a better understanding as well as the caterer as to what you want and need. Once you figured out how much your you want to spend, you can sit with a caterer and learn all the possibilities to make your event turn out perfect with great food. Ultimately the food and refreshments are at the heart of your catering needs. Once your budget is set you should walk through a bunch of sample menus that fit your range. Menu tastings should be provided and include everything they are willing to cater to your event. A caterer should be able to offer both buffet and dietary restrictions peculiar to your guests.

If you are in the Long Island area looking for a well established excellent restaurant find your way to La Bottega of Farmingdale. They cater special events with an exquisite Italian menu that includes anything from paninis to pizza, salads and gluten-free foods. Don’t hesitate to stop by and meet with us to figure out a perfect catering menu for you and your special guests. We even offer a 10% off coupon if you spend $100 or more which can be found on our own website labottegafarmingdale.com. Again, stop by and check out what we have to offer. We’ve yet to disappoint!

Transforming Any Meal into a Panini Meal

What is a panini? A panini is basically a sandwich, only it is so much better. What sets a panini apart from other sandwiches is that it is made on Italian bread and toasted.  Most people consider paninis as being a lunch food when really, it can be an anytime food.

Breakfast Paninis: If you haven’t had a breakfast sandwich yet you’re missing out and if you have then switch from a breakfast sandwich to a breakfast panini and your world will be changed.  Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, you name it and you can put it on your panini. Combined with a melty cheese and your choice of vegetables - even add avocado- putting your breakfast sandwhich onto a panini press allows for all of the flavors to melt into each other that leads to a perfect taste to start your day.

Lunch Paninis: You can put anything on a lunch panini. Enough said.

Snack Paninis: Make an assortment of paninis! Breakfast paninis, lunch paninis, vegetarian paninis. Combine all of your favorite tastes and flavors to use in a panini and then cut the paninis into small sections to serve on a platter that can make a whole group of people happy.

Dinner Paninis: Want a burger? Panini it! Want a bacon cheeseburger with avocado, onion strings, and pickle? The panini press will not only make this meal better, but just like the breakfast sandwich it can melt it all together and compress it for a more tasteful and less wasteful dining experience.

The best part of a panini is that there are no limits.  You can stack on as much or as little food and flavors as you want and you can count on ending up with a sandwich that doesn't collapse when you pick it up or taste plain and dry. What’s better is that paninis can be as healthy or as hungry man as you want them to be depending on your mood and your diet. Remember there is also no rules on how to eat your panini, if you are trying to watch your calorie intake or are simply not that hungry you can easily arrange your panini so that one side of bread can be removed (after it is taken off of the panini press) and the panini can be eaten as an ‘open faced’ panini. So load it up, press it down, and enjoy the wonders of a panini meal any time of the day.  Be sure to stop by La Bottega of Farmingdale for some of our great panini’s today!

Why You Should Never Skip Dessert

Why You Should Never Skip Dessert

Dessert is tempting. While many choose to skip the added calories, they are almost always jealous of those who indulge themselves. Dessert does not always have to be fattening, there are many lighter options that you can choose from so that you can sweeten your palate after a savory meal. Also, if you are following a gluten free diet there are many dessert options that you can treat yourself too.

One delicious Italian dessert that you should never skip out on is Tiramisu! Tiramisu is an italian coffee dessert that means “pick me up” in Italian. The dessert is made up of layers of coffee soaked cookies and a whipped filling. If you do not want to have a cup of coffee, tiramisu is the perfect alternative. This light dessert is the perfect way to end any meal.

Another Italian dessert to sink your teeth into is a cannoli! At La Bottega of Farmingdale they offer mini cannolis which are perfect for sharing a sweet treat after a big meal. Instead of eating a big dessert, you can have a mini cannoli to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping the calorie count down. The crisp cannoli shell is filled with a delicious ricotta and chocolate chips mixture. This dish is perfect for sharing with the table because it comes with three mini cannolis for everyone to enjoy while they are drinking their coffee.

For those who are on a gluten free diet, La Bottega of Farmingdale offers gluten free dessert options for them to enjoy. One gluten free dessert is their Nutella Layer Cake. The cake is made up of layers of chocolate nut cake with nutella spread in between. The whole cake is then iced with milk chocolate to top off this delicious cake. This cake is great for not only gluten free eaters but also for nutella lovers! So do not let the gluten free label drive you away, try this nutella layer cake next time you are in La Bottega of Farmingdale!

Dessert is often skipped but never should be! These decadent options are the perfect way to end your delicious meal. So, next time you are at La Bottega of Farmingdale make sure you save room for dessert!

Why You Should Never Skip Dessert

Dessert is tempting. While many choose to skip the added calories, they are almost always jealous of those who indulge themselves. Dessert does not always have to be fattening, there are many lighter options that you can choose from so that you can sweeten your palate after a savory meal. Also, if you are following a gluten free diet there are many dessert options that you can treat yourself too.

One delicious Italian dessert that you should never skip out on is Tiramisu! Tiramisu is an italian coffee dessert that means “pick me up” in Italian. The dessert is made up of layers of coffee soaked cookies and a whipped filling. If you do not want to have a cup of coffee, tiramisu is the perfect alternative. This light dessert is the perfect way to end any meal.

Another Italian dessert to sink your teeth into is a cannoli! At La Bottega of Farmingdale they offer mini cannolis which are perfect for sharing a sweet treat after a big meal. Instead of eating a big dessert, you can have a mini cannoli to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping the calorie count down. The crisp cannoli shell is filled with a delicious ricotta and chocolate chips mixture. This dish is perfect for sharing with the table because it comes with three mini cannolis for everyone to enjoy while they are drinking their coffee.

For those who are on a gluten free diet, La Bottega of Farmingdale offers gluten free dessert options for them to enjoy. One gluten free dessert is their Nutella Layer Cake. The cake is made up of layers of chocolate nut cake with nutella spread in between. The whole cake is then iced with milk chocolate to top off this delicious cake. This cake is great for not only gluten free eaters but also for nutella lovers! So do not let the gluten free label drive you away, try this nutella layer cake next time you are in La Bottega of Farmingdale!

Dessert is often skipped but never should be! These decadent options are the perfect way to end your delicious meal. So, next time you are at La Bottega of Farmingdale make sure you save room for dessert!

History of the Margherita Pizza

For many pizza lovers the margherita pizza is their favorite. It is a common pizza found at many Italian restaurants, but what may be unknown to those who frequently order this type of pizza is the rich Italian history that is behind its origin. The margherita pizza is more than just a different variation of pizza, it is a symbol of Italy that has represented Italian culture for years.

In 1889, King Umberto I of Italy was taking a tour of Italy with his wife, Queen Margherita of Savoy. The King and his Queen traveled all over Italy and during their stop in Naples Chef Raffaele Esposito created something special for them. Chef Esposito knew that the Queen loved “pizza breads” and decided to use this information to make her a special creation. The chef created a pizza bread for the Queen that would represent Italy. This is how the margherita pizza was created!

The chef decided to create a pizza that resembled the colors of the Italian flag. The three colors came from fresh ingredients that were vibrant on the pizza.He started with the tomato sauce. The tomato represented the red in the Italian flag. Next, he added the mozzarella. The mozzarella made up the white of the flag. Last, was the green. Chef Esposito added basil to the pizza and created the margherita pizza. The Queen loved the pizza and from the time it was created until now, margherita pizza is one of the most famous Italian pizzas!

If this blog has you craving a margherita pizza, or if you have never tried margherita pizza before and are curious about what this royal creation tastes like, stop into La Bottega of Farmingdale and try their versions of the margherita pizza! La Bottega of Farmingdale has delicious food that are made from the best ingredients. Besides various types of pizza, La Bottega of Farmingdale also offers a great variety of dishes for you to stop in and enjoy!

5 Menu Items that Mae for a Delicious Gluten- Free Brunch

5 Menu Items that Make for a Delicious Gluten-Free Brunch

A gluten-free diet is one without the protein gluten. Foods such as wheat, barley, and rye carry gluten. Celiac disease is a common sickness associated with gluten-free diets because the gluten is said to make symptoms worse. Gluten actually causes inflammation in the small intestines for people with celiac disease. Therefore eating gluten-free helps prevent complications and symptoms for people suffering with this disease. Finding restaurants or delicious meals that are gluten-free can be difficult to find.

Switching to gluten-free is a drastic change and can be depressing if you can’t enjoy the foods you normally love. However there are ways around it and with restaurants like La Bottega in Farmingdale you can experience a great meal gluten-free. A large group of people have whats called non-celiac sensitivity where they have the same symptoms as the celiac disease. Symptoms include bloating, gas, stomach aches, headaches, and itchy skin rashes. The reason it’s so hard to find gluten-free diets because you have to eliminate breads, grains, pastas, cereals, cakes,..etc People with sensitive stomachs can’t absorb this protein putting their health in danger. Reducing gluten in your diet has also seen to help with weight loss.

Five delicious meals I want to express that are gluten-free can be found again at La Bottega in Farmingdale. One meal you can get is a beautifully prepared tricolore salad which has radicchio, baby arugula, endive, gaeta olives and shaved Parmigiano with a balsamic dressing. You can find yourself a gluten-free salmon with baby spinach, endive, red pears, toasted pecans, roasted beets and cherry tomatoes with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. There are also a number of gluten-free paninis which include portabello mushrooms and mozzarella, tomato, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic dressing. They offer an angus steak with mixed greens and cherry tomatoes. Lastly you can satisfy your diet with grilled chicken avocado meal with delicious sides.