Novemberplus more...

What’s New...Baskets & Catering Options

November 2012ISSUE 33

NEWSLETTER

Panettone!

Raclette Season

250-592-4080www.ottaviovictoria.com2272 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, B.C.

November 2012ISSUE 33

NEWSLETTER

DID YOU KNOW?

Now, having introduced all these new products, we also create beautiful gift baskets, that you can preorder, as well

as charcuterie boards full of cheese, cured meats, olives, and more. Please check our website for more detail, and

when you are ready, or have any queries, please ask for Maylia and she will take

care of your requests. Please don’t forget to pre-order bread and sweets as well, in

this upcoming busy season.

Italy’s delicious Christmas bread, baked fresh for Ottavio in Victoria by Cliff at Fol Epi with all organic

ingredients. Look for this to appear at the end of November and remember, that they keep very well, can be shipped to friends and relatives, and they improve with aging. Don’t leave it until the 24th, pick yours up

before Christmas so you are sure to have it!

Well, we sure have had a gorgeous Autumn, but now is the time to ‘baton down the hatches’, so to speak, & prepare for change as it makes life interesting. The best part is the great comfort food we can eat. Some suggestions of items we have recently made, and products that are in, or on their way:

Ottavio Antipasto, made in house with local vegetablesKusmi Teas - Gift tubes in little tins, and muslin tea bag sampler packs from a company that dates back to the 1800’s, & still elaborates and searches the best flavours to make sophisticated, unique and contemporary teas.Bovetti Artisan Chocolatier in assorted varieties including Maple Sugar Crystals! Chocolate Organiko, Milk and Dark Chocolate with fleur de sel from Ibiza, phenomenal!Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters, (aged to maturity, in Oaken barrels) a must for your cocktail bar!Anna’s Gluten Free Potato Gnocchi (comforting and delicious with your favorite sauce, without the wheat flour)Fine Cheese Company from Bath, England, Toasts for Cheese(assorted flavours to pair with cheeses) & Parmigiano Reggiano or Roquefort Mini Bites.

Baskets and Catering

Panettone

Visit Ottavio Online & follow us on Twitter

(www.twitter.com/ottaviovictoria)

for upcoming events, new products,

exciting arrivals & more.

250-592-4080www.ottaviovictoria.com2272 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, B.C.

Preheat oven to 450°. Cook onions in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add butter and toss onions to coat. Remove pan from heat and stir in Calvados. Return pan to heat and continue cooking until Calvados is absorbed, about a minute. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until soup is reduced to about 4 cups, about 5 minutes.Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among ramekins. Top each ramekin with 1–2 slices of bread. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each. Transfer baking sheet with ramekins to oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 4 minutes. (Adapted from Bon Appetit).

It’s Raclette season, and for those not familiar with the ritual of eating this beautiful cheese, here is a little history: The dish featuring Raclette cheese dates back more than 700 years, when it was called Bratchäs, Swiss-German for “roasted cheese.” The distinctive flavor and texture of Raclette was important in the development and history of the dish. Made from unpasteurized cows’ milk, Raclette is pale yellow, with small holes throughout and a brownish orange rind. When heated, it has a creamy consistency, and its balanced fat content and moisture allow it to melt evenly without separating or becoming oily. The semi-hard cheese was easy to transport, and it was eaten by shepherds and farmers, who would place a block of cheese by a hearth or a campfire. There, it would

become soft, and the melted cheese would be served with potatoes, onions and pickles. Today we can use a raclette grill, and incorporate meat and seafood if desired. It is great for entertaining, like Fondue!

We have 3 Raclette cheeses in to entertain with: Swiss, Smoked French, and local Little Qualicum. We also have a few other High Alpine cheeses for you to try, so come in and ask us for a taste. Make sure to ask us for the accompaniments like cornichons, pickled onions, and cured meats. If you buy over 1kg of raclette, we’ll loan you one of our grills for free!

Because Christmas falls on a Tuesday this year, in December, we have decided to stay open through the week before & including the Sunday and Monday. We will be open on the 23rd, and 24th, then closed the 25th, and 26th. We reopen on the 27th, and stay open straight through to Dec 31st including the Sunday and Monday. We are

closed from January 1st to the 15th

Village Light Up: Sunday November 25th, Cafe will be open from 3-6Truck Parade: December 1st

Ottavio Open House, and Gallery Walk: Thursday December 6th from 6-8

The only fats we use in our kitchen, are either Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or pure unsalted butter.

2 medium onions, finely chopped1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 tablespoon Calvados, or other brandy4 cups Ottavio Beef or Chicken stockDiamond Crystal Kosher Salt (on our shelves) & freshly groundblack pepper4 -8 1/2”-thick slices of Ottavio’s baguette, cut to fit ramekins1 cup grated Gruyère or Raclette cheese (in our cheese case)Special Equipment:Four 10-oz. ramekins or oven proof bowls

French Onion SoupHere is a simple recipe for French onion soup that also uses Raclette cheese. Enjoy!

November 2012ISSUE 33

NEWSLETTER

RACLETTE SEASON

DID YOU KNOW?

CHRISTMAS ODD IMPORTANT DATES

EVENTS