STYLE“Great wine and great food are important,” says
Alberto’s general manager Benjamin Brown. Add to that
“great service”, something you’d see in classic restaurants,
and you have the formula to a standout event.MENUAs for one of the key elements of a party – the food
- shared plates are the order of the day. “I like menus that
are designed to be shared. Dishes ranging from small plates
like olives, to larger dishes of saltimbocca or roasted fish
are ideal to keep the guests happy,” says Brown.
PL AY LI STWhat type of tunes does the group lean towards
for casual gatherings? “We like to play more chilled-out tunes
for lunch, and then as the evening arrives and it gets busier,
we like to go from some great funk to disco and back again.”DRINKS There is nothing like a perfectly chilled glass of
wine or cocktail to start the festivities. Brown agrees, saying
the ideal drink journey is “the perfect Negroni at the start,
then move on to a large selection of wines (white, rosé,
orange and red) and lots of amaro to finish.”PISTACHIO GEL ATO
MAKES 1L
Begin this recipe at least 4 hours ahead.
You will need an ice cream machine and
a kitchen thermometer.
50g skim milk powder
20g dextrose (from health food shops)
24g glucose sugar (from health
food shops)
145g caster sugar
670ml milk
(^1) / 2 cup (125ml) pure cream
180g pistachio paste
Combine the skim milk powder, dextrose,
glucose sugar and caster sugar in a bowl.
Place milk and cream in a saucepan over
medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until
mixture reaches 100°C on a kitchen
thermometer. Slowly add sugar mixture and
cook, stirring with a whisk, for 5 minutes or
until combined. Chill, then strain into a bowl.
Add the pistachio paste to the milk
mixture and using a stick blender, blend
until well combined. Transfer to an ice
cream machine and churn according to
the manufacturer’s instructions until thick
but soft enough to spoon into a container.
Freeze for 3-4 hours or until set.
Espresso
martini
ENTERTAINING.