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Welcome to Ellie's Table's official blog, where you'll find a chronicle of our cuisine and local events. Experience Homemade Happiness at Ellie's Table.  Our chefs use only the finest ingredients and the freshest produce available to create unique menus for each event. 

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Flavors Of Italy

January 16, 2019

In 2018 we hopped on a 13 hour flight to Italy to take in the picturesque sights, but more importantly, to soak in the family history and bring us back to our Italian roots. We tasted dishes in Rome at the renowned Pierluigi and Amalfi Coast at Michelin star restaurants, Zass, La Sponda, and Conca Del Sogno. Our sweet tooth was fed at Andrea where we filled up on fluffy, melt in your mouth pastries. And what’s a trip to Italy without sampling the local fruits, aka, wine! We visited the centuries old vineyards of Tenuta San Francesco and sipped on the most delicious Per Eva white wine paired with fresh tomato and cheese.

Rome skyline at dusk
Travel group posing beneath a tall arched window
Guests dining outside Pierluigi restaurant in Rome
Server presenting a large lobster at Pierluigi restaurant
Sliced steaks on hot platters with peppers and potatoes
Server carrying a whole fish outside Pierluigi restaurant
View over central Rome from a stone balcony
Modern lounge with armchairs and a wine cabinet
Restaurant terrace illuminated at night
Rocky mountains rising above the Amalfi Coast
Positano climbing the hills above the Mediterranean
Three women raising glasses in an ornate dining room
Plated seafood dish served on colorful Italian tableware
Positano rising above the sea
Two bite-size appetizers served on a patterned plate
Stuffed pasta arranged in red, green, and white sauces on patterned tableware
Server carving a whole fish tableside
Grilled whole fish presented on a serving platter
White domed dessert on a decorative Italian plate
Chocolate cake dusted with powdered sugar
Assorted pastries in a bakery display case
Visitors outside Andrea Pansa pastry shop in Amalfi
Assorted pastries displayed at a bakery counter
Four pastries presented on a tray beside a window
Group seated around a restaurant dining table
Long gallery with a frescoed arched ceiling
Ornate archway and statues at St. Peter’s Basilica

105 miles east of Rome lives the little town, Pacentro. Though the town may be small, it holds a big place in our hearts. Eleanor Mastroianni, the first cook of Jay’s Catering, can accredit her culinary expertise to her parents who resided here. We ate everything from cheesy, truffle pastas and artfully prepared meats, to rich, indulgent desserts. The beauty of these prominent dishes was in their simple, wholesome ingredients. A little goes a long way. Each plate of food was reminiscent of the earliest Jay’s Catering menu designed and prepared by Eleanor herself that included Italian specialties like lasagna, meatballs, sausage and peppers.

Pacentro welcome sign beneath a mountain ridge
Powdered-sugar tart slice, bread, and juice on a dining table
Garden patio beneath rocky mountains, with a cat in the foreground
Stone homes of Pacentro on a green hillside
Stone buildings and garden along a narrow village lane
Interior of an ornate stone church
Stone village steps lined with potted plants
Fresh pasta topped with shaved truffle
Pizza topped with mushrooms and cured meat on a patterned plate
Sliced grilled steak served over greens
Round chocolate dessert topped with chopped nuts
Wide pasta ribbons served on a white plate
Ice cream dessert drizzled with chocolate sauce
Grilled meat over leafy greens with rosemary
Wide pasta ribbons topped with sliced mushrooms
Sautéed beef with mushrooms and arugula
Beef medallions in peppercorn sauce over arugula

We left Italy with full bellies and even fuller hearts and are happy to bring back the flavors of this breathtaking country with us. That’s amore!

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