March 28, 2015
Nothing says refresh and revival like a new spring menu after the long cold winter; new vegetables, breads and citrus flavors, fresh basket cheese, sweet & savory pies and cakes. As always, our culinary team came to the table (literally) with a menu packed full of amazing dishes. Many of these items have been passed down from Mama Carlino who began the business with her husband and two sons in 1983. Although she personally taught and worked alongside most of our head chefs who are here with us today, her recipes and notes are still preserved in little black books we refer to as her “bibles”.
After reviewing the menu contents with the culinary team our mouths watered and the wheels in our minds began to turn. We started thinking about the types of scenes that would play out in Mama’s very own kitchen. Pulling back stories we heard that reflected what dining with Mama was truly about; how she put so much care into the food then in-turn to her table to carry out an entire experience. We then went to the drawing board and began to gather together dishes, fabrics and materials that would give each dish a scene to play out and live in; Representing a style, time and place that perhaps Mama would have loved.
Dishes & Fabrics Of course as designers Mama’s ideals were not lost on us, after all you don’t put a roast on a paper plate, it needs something much more special. The items we chose tried to reflect something you would have perhaps seen in her kitchen years ago with intricate antique-like floral designs, colors and shapes. For the cake image we wanted to create a more playful scene that would intrigue and inspire. The antique espresso maker was actually borrowed from Angela Carlino’s collection, passed down to her from her grandmother. To recreate this look visit anthropologie.com to find most of the dishes. The fabric was pulled from Purl Soho in NYC.
Wooden Boards Probably the most special item we used were the wooden boards found in most of photos from our spring menus. These were stumbled upon during a random trip though our bakery and kitchens at our West Chester location. The boards are the original boards built 30 years ago when the Carlinos first began making bread. These are still used today to rise the bread we bake in-house. Each board has a dusting of flour that never seems to leave giving the boards a rustic worn look that speaks to the longevity and authenticity of the business.
Creating a Scene with Carlino’s Products In this photo we used the Poco Dolce Chocolate Bunny as a sweet and edible place card holder. In the background you see goat cheese and edible flowers on a wooden pedestal. You can find both the Poco Dolce Bunnies and Goat Cheese with Edible Flowers at our stores from now until Easter Sunday
In the image above we used our Easter Candy Jars and Easter Colomba Bread to add to this scene, both of which are available in our stores. The wooden place card holders were actually recycled from a Christmas tree, cut from its branches and then slit down the middle to hold the card.
Visit carlinosmarket.com to view all of our Easter items that can be used both for your basket or table settings.
