Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Passobianco

Alois Lageder 'Porer', Alto-Adige, IT 2022

PINOT GRIGIO

Nino Barraco 'Fior di Bianco', Sicily, IT 2024

GRILLO

Athletic Dawn 'Upside Down', Milford, CT 0.5% ABV

GOLDEN ALE

PROSECCO ROSATO

Other Half 'Forever Ever', Brooklyn, NY 4.7% ABV

PILSNER

PINKY RING

Smoked Vodka Sauce, Spicy Polenta Tortelli, Lobster Polpette

whole roasted lobster

Italian Sausage Bolognese, Whipped Robiolina

our lasagna

Gigante Beans all'Amatriciana

SCALLOP CRUDO

Lucano

Nonino

Pasubio

Berta DiBerta

Della Sacra

Braulio

Housemade Nocino

Fernet Branca

Amara

Montenegro

Averna

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash the Japanese sweet potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Leave skins on. Cut each potato into 3/8–1/2 inch thick rounds or 1-inch thick wedges, keeping pieces uniform for even cooking.

Preheat and prepare potatoes

Place cut potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbs olive oil, then add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.

Season potatoes

In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp ground sumac, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Sprinkle the spice mix over the oiled potatoes and toss so the sumac mixture adheres to all pieces. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, leaving space between pieces for crisping.

Roast with sumac seasoning

Roast in the preheated oven 22–28 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until edges are golden and centers are tender when pierced with a fork. For crispier edges, broil 1–2 minutes while watching closely.

Roast

While potatoes roast, heat 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the finely minced shallot and cook 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup heavy cream to the skillet. Stir and bring to a very gentle simmer for about 1 minute. Whisk in 2 tbs mascarpone (or cream cheese) until fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbs grated Parmesan, 2 tbs chopped fresh basil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir and warm through just until sauce slightly thickens, about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning; if too thick, thin with up to 1–2 tbs water or milk.

Make sauce

Keep the sauce over the lowest heat or transfer to a warm bowl until the potatoes are ready. Stir occasionally to prevent skin forming.

Keep warm

Transfer roasted Japanese sweet potatoes to a serving platter. Spoon the creamy Italian sauce over the warm potatoes in an even layer or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

Scatter 2 tbs toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts over the sauced potatoes. Sprinkle an additional 1/2 tsp ground sumac across the top for bright acidity and color. Tear 6 fresh basil leaves and scatter them as a final garnish.

Serve immediately while warm. Leftovers: store sauce and potatoes separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat potatoes in a 400°F oven to crisp, and rewarm sauce gently on low heat, adding a splash of cream or water if needed.

Japanese sweet potatoes (Satsumaimo), medium

olive oil

salt

black pepper

ground sumac

smoked paprika

garlic powder

extra-virgin olive oil

shallot, finely minced

garlic clove, minced

heavy cream

mascarpone or cream cheese

fresh lemon juice

finely chopped fresh basil

grated Parmesan

toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts

extra sumac (for sprinkling)

fresh basil leaves, torn

Juice the Sicilian (blood) orange(s) and lemon so you have 2 oz orange juice and 0.5 oz lemon juice. Strain the juices through a fine sieve to remove pulp and seeds for a smooth cocktail.

Prepare citrus

If using the egg white for a silkier texture, add the egg white, orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and gin to the shaker and shake vigorously without ice for 15–20 seconds to emulsify.

Dry shake (if using egg white)

Add ice to the shaker, then add the passito, orange bitters and a few ice cubes (if you haven't already). Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is cold to the touch and the exterior is slightly frosted.

Build and shake

Using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh (or julep) strainer, pour the cocktail into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass to remove ice shards and any remaining solids, ensuring a clean, silk-textured drink.

Double strain

Express the oils from an orange twist over the surface, rub the rim with the peel if desired and drop the twist or a thin orange wheel onto the drink. Finish with a light dusting of grated nutmeg or dried orange zest if using.

Garnish and finish

Serve immediately while cold. The Passito adds a rich, raisiny sweetness that balances the bright acidity of Sicilian orange and lemon. If the drink is too sweet for your taste, reduce passito to 0.75 oz or cut simple syrup slightly.

Variations: substitute sweet Marsala or Vin Santo if passito is unavailable. Use blood orange segments for garnish to emphasize Sicilian origins.

Sicilian (blood) orange juice, freshly squeezed

Passito di Pantelleria (sweet Sicilian wine) or other passito

Dry gin (preferably Italian or London Dry)

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Simple syrup (1:1)

Orange bitters

Egg white (optional for texture)

Thin orange wheel or twist

Grated nutmeg or dried orange zest (optional)

Ice cubes (for shaking and serving)

Cocktail shaker

Hawthorne strainer

Julep or fine strainer (optional)

Coupe or chilled cocktail glass

If the bottle is at room temperature, place it in an ice bucket filled with ice cubes and enough water to surround the bottle. Let chill 15–20 minutes until the wine reaches 8–10°C (46–50°F). If refrigerated, remove 5–10 minutes before serving to avoid being too cold.

Chill bottle

Use clean tulip or white wine glasses. If glasses are warm, rinse briefly with cold water and dry. Hold glasses by the stem to avoid warming the bowl when serving.

Prepare glasses

Wipe the top of the bottle with a clean cloth. Cut and remove foil at the neck. Insert a waiter’s corkscrew and carefully remove the cork. Inspect the cork for any off-odors; the wine should smell fresh and varietally crisp.

Open bottle

Pinot Grigio like Alois Lageder 'Porer' is typically enjoyed without extended decanting. If you prefer slightly more aeration, pour the wine slowly from one glass to another for 1–2 minutes or let the bottle rest open for 5–10 minutes.

Decide on decanting (optional)

Pour about 120–150 ml (4–5 fl oz) per glass, filling to the widest part of the bowl (roughly one-third full) to allow aromatics to develop. Avoid overfilling.

Pour

Tilt the glass against a white background to observe color: expect a pale straw to light gold. Note clarity and legs (viscosity).

Observe

Swirl the glass gently (one or two circular motions). Bring the glass to your nose and inhale: look for aromas of green apple, pear, citrus peel, white blossom, and the distinct mineral or saline notes characteristic of Alto-Adige terroir.

Smell

Take a small sip and let it coat your mouth. Notice the bright acidity, fruit flavors (apple, pear, lemon), subtle almond or almond blossom notes, and a clean, mineral finish. Evaluate balance between fruit, acidity and finish.

Taste

If desired, garnish each glass with a lemon twist on the rim (optional). Serve with a light snack such as 100 g of mixed olives or mild cheese to complement the wine’s acidity and minerality.

Garnish & pair

If not finished, re-cork the bottle with the original cork or a wine stopper and store upright in the refrigerator. Consume remaining wine within 2–3 days for best freshness. For longer preservation, use a vacuum wine preserver.

Bottle of Alois Lageder 'Porer' Pinot Grigio (Alto-Adige, 2022)

Ice bucket

Ice cubes

Clean wine glasses (tulip or white wine glass)

Lemon twist or thin lemon wheel

Light snack (e.g., mixed olives or mild cheese)

If the bottle is at room temperature, chill it to around 8–10°C (46–50°F) before serving. For a quick chill, place the bottle in a bucket with ice and cold water for 15–20 minutes. If using only ice, wrap the bottle and roll gently for 20–25 minutes. Alternatively, place the bottle upright in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.

Chill the bottle (recommended)

Hold the bottle steady and remove the foil capsule. Use a waiter’s corkscrew (or preferred opener) to remove the cork cleanly. Wipe the bottle neck with a clean napkin to remove any sediment or foil fragments.

Open the bottle

Grillo is typically a bright, aromatic white and usually does not require decanting. If you prefer aeration, pour slowly into a clean decanter and allow to rest for 10–15 minutes to open aromatics.

Decanting (optional)

Pour 120–150 ml (about 4–5 fl oz) per glass. Serve chilled at approximately 8–10°C. Taste the wine and adjust temperature by returning the bottle briefly to ice if it warms quickly in warm environments.

Serving temperature and portion

Select a clean white wine glass. If desired, twist a thin slice of lemon peel over the glass to express oils and either drop it in or serve on the rim as a subtle complement to Grillo’s citrus and floral notes. Do not overpower the wine with heavy garnishes.

Place glasses on the table and serve immediately after pouring. Provide small water carafes or a clean jug for guests who may want to top up without opening a new bottle.

Nino Barraco "Fior di Bianco" Grillo, Sicily (2024)

Ice (optional, for chilling quickly)

Cold water (for an ice bath)

White wine glasses

Mill the grains (if whole) to a coarse crush. Heat 4.5 gallons of strike water to approximately 162°F (72°C) to achieve a mash temperature target of 150°F (66°C).

Mill & Heat

Add the crushed grains to the strike water and stabilize mash at 150°F (66°C). Hold for 60 minutes. Stir and recirculate as needed to maintain even temperature. If mash pH is above 5.6, add up to 0.25 tsp lactic acid in small increments to target pH 5.2–5.4.

Mash

Raise temperature to 168–170°F (76–77°C) for 10 minutes for mash out, then begin vorlauf until runoff is clear.

Mash Out

Sparge with ~3.5 gallons of 170°F (77°C) water slowly until you collect ~6.5 gallons of wort in the kettle (adjust volumes for system losses).

Sparge

Bring collected wort to a rolling boil. Watch for boil-overs.

Bring to Boil

At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 0.25 oz Magnum hops. Boil for 60 minutes total.

Bittering Addition

With 15 minutes left in the boil, add 0.5 oz Cascade. With flameout (end of boil), shut off heat and add 0.5 oz Cascade and let steep for 5–15 minutes (whirlpool) to extract aroma without extracting harsh bitterness.

Late Hop Additions

Cool the wort quickly to 64–68°F (18–20°C) using an immersion chiller, plate chiller, or ice bath. Aim to get wort into the yeast pitching range used for the chosen low-ABV yeast (check yeast specs).

Cool Wort

Rehydrate or make a small starter per the yeast manufacturer's instructions if using a conventional ale yeast. For specialty low-alcohol strains follow the package directions. Add 1 tsp yeast nutrient to the wort before pitching.

Prepare Yeast

Transfer cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter. Top up with water if pre-boil volumes were low to reach 5 gallons. Aerate the wort thoroughly (shake, splashing, or oxygenate to ~8–10 ppm O2). Pitch the yeast at the lower end of its recommended range (often ~60–64°F / 16–18°C for low-alcohol styles) to encourage moderate fermentation and preserve delicate hop aroma. Ferment for 5–10 days or until gravity stabilizes — because this recipe targets ~0.5% ABV, plan for higher mash fermentability and possibly early harvest; monitor gravity frequently and stop fermentation early (or blend with sterile wort) if necessary to keep ABV low. Aim final gravity consistent with target 0.5% ABV (~1.010–1.016 depending on OG).

Pitch Yeast & Ferment

If using the optional 0.5 oz dry hop (Citra or Mosaic), add to the fermenter after main fermentation slows (day 3–5) and leave for 48–72 hours, then remove/dry-hop bag and proceed to cold crash.

Optional Dry Hop

After fermentation and dry-hop (if used), cold crash to 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 24–48 hours to help clarify the beer.

Cold Crash & Clarify

Sanitize bottles, caps, and bottling equipment. If bottling, dissolve 3 oz priming sugar in 8 oz boiling water, cool, and add to bottling bucket before racking beer onto it. Bottle and cap. For kegging, carbonate to ~2.4–2.6 volumes CO2 (typical for a golden ale) using CO2 gas. If you want slightly lighter carbonation for a sessionable 0.5% beer, 2.2–2.4 volumes works well. Age bottles/keg at room temperature for 10–14 days for natural carbonation, then chill before serving.

Carbonation & Bottling / Kegging

Serve chilled (40–45°F / 4–7°C) in a clean pint or tulip glass. Expect a pale golden color, low alcohol presence, a light bready malt backbone, soft mouthfeel from dextrins, and bright citrus-floral hop character.

Serving

Dissolve 0.25 tsp gypsum and 0.25 tsp calcium chloride in mash or strike water to adjust mineral profile for a balanced malt-hop character. Add small amounts dissolved and mix thoroughly; this is optional and most Pilsen-forward water works fine without additions.

Pilsner malt (base)

Pale Ale / Golden Light malt

Carapils / dextrin malt

Light crystal malt (10–20L)

Rice syrup solids or dextrose (to help fermentability / keep body light)

Water for mash and sparge

Boil water top-up

Magnum (60 min bittering)

Cascade (15 min)

Cascade (flameout / whirlpool 5 min)

Optional: Citra or Mosaic dry-hop

Low-alcohol specialty yeast or attenuative ale yeast (e.g., SafBrew LA-01 or a high-attenuation ale strain)

Yeast nutrient

Mash acid or lactic acid (if needed to adjust pH)

Priming sugar (for bottling) or keg carbonation

Gypsum (calcium sulfate)

Calcium chloride

Ensure the Prosecco Rosato is well chilled to 6–8°C (43–46°F). Place bottle in refrigerator for several hours or in an ice bucket for 20–30 minutes.

Select a clean, chilled Champagne flute or white wine glass. If desired, chill glass in freezer for 5–10 minutes beforehand.

Prepare glass

Slice the strawberry in half lengthwise. Thread or rest one half on the rim of the glass. Add a small lemon twist on the rim or floated in the glass for an aromatic note.

Garnish

Open the bottle gently to avoid excessive foam. Pour Prosecco Rosato into the glass, filling to about two-thirds (approx. 120–150 ml per serving) to preserve bubbles and aroma.

Serve immediately while effervescence is lively. Encourage sipping slowly to enjoy the fruity aroma and delicate bubbles.

Serve

If making the spritz variation, chill a pitcher and glasses. Add 2 tablespoons Aperol to the pitcher.

Prepare pitcher

Pour the entire chilled bottle of Prosecco Rosato into the pitcher over the Aperol. Gently add 60 ml chilled soda water and stir once carefully to combine without losing too much carbonation.

Add Prosecco and soda

Add about 1 cup of ice to the pitcher (optional). Halve 4 strawberries and add to the pitcher or place one half in each glass. Add lemon twists to each glass.

Add ice and garnish

Pour into glasses, trying to keep the bubbles intact. Serve immediately, offering extra soda on the side if guests prefer a lighter spritz.

Serve spritz

Prosecco Rosato (chilled)

Fresh strawberry

Lemon twist

Ice (optional for pitcher service)

Aperol

Soda water (chilled)

If you prefer your beer colder, place the tulip or pint glass in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes or set it briefly over ice. Do not freeze the glass. If using ice, fill the glass with ice, chill for 1–2 minutes, then discard the ice and dry the glass with a towel before pouring.

Chill glass (optional)

Check the can or bottle for damage and ensure the beer is within the recommended serving temperature range (around 40–50°F / 4–10°C for many hoppy pale IPAs). If the beer was stored cold, allow a minute at room temperature if overly cold to let aromas open.

Japanese Sweet Potatoes

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