The Epic Sirman Lx 350 Slicer

Sirman, renowned manufacturers of fine culinary equipment, have released their anniversary tribute to the piece of equipment for which they are, arguably, most famous for: The meat slicer.

The gorgeous Sirman Lx 350 slicer stands regally on its own lustrous red stand, shining in epic glory; ready to shred any parma ham, mortadella or salami that comes its way into the perfect slice. And we really, really wish we could fit one into our own kitchen!

Not Just A Pretty Face

The slicer works by manually cranking the handle to spin the blade and move it forward and backward to finely slice the ham, which is securely held by the spiked platform.

Technical Specifications

• Quality material, design and engineering
• Classical, elegant styling
• Easy to use
• Easy to assemble / disassemble
• Solid cast iron with epoxy resin.
• Carriage and other details made of anodised aluminium alloy.
• Self adjusting blocking arm with stainless steel removable pusher.
• Carriage easy to remove.

 

Watch this video of a man slicing: ham, parma ham, salami and mortadella from every angle to understand just how beautifully this piece of equipment works.

 

Ciro Molinaro from La Cucina di Ciro, happily slices antipasti for guests at his restaurant on his new Lx 350

The Sirman Lx 350 is available at Adriatic.

Barista Essential Toolkit

Motta Metallurgica, makers of fine metal household products, have made a name for themselves producing excellent quality barista equipment for coffee making.

Their product range offers full-kit barista equipment and individual items. We explore the range in light of the everyday necessities that any professional or at-home barista would use.

Milk Jug

Milk jugs are used for steaming and frothing milk in the making of latte, cappuccino and macchiato.

Two jugs are recommended for the best latte art as the steamed milk can be divided to have a more consistent pair of cappuccinos.

As you separate the frothed milk between the two, pour the runny milk first and top up with the frothier for a perfect cappuccino.

Smaller jugs may suit individuals who are looking to make one milky coffee at a time.

These gorgeous milk jugs come in three striking colours: black, red and white; and you can have one of each at the price!

Knock-box

Knock-boxes are used to dispense with the tightly packed coffee grounds from the porter-filter after the coffee shot is pulled.

The grounds can then easily be repurposed in your garden as compost, or thrown away.

Gently tap the rubber pole in the centre of the knock-box with the porter-filer and, if you have tamped correctly, the puck (or round of coffee grounds) will easily fall out in a solid mass.

Looking at the shape and texture of your puck can give you a good idea of the shot you have just pulled.

It should be firm and hold its circular shape, even once it has been tapped out into the knock-box. If your puck comes out of the porter-filer as a squishy lump of mush; start again.

Tamper

A tamper is a personal thing.

Choosing one is like choosing a watch or handbag; it has to suit your sense of style as well as feel comfortable in your hands.

The tamper is pressed directly into the porter-filter over the coffee grounds and neatly swivelled to obtain a smooth finish.

The weight with which you tamp and the evenness of the tamp will determine the consistency in your shots.

Tamping Mat

A tamping mat is where you secure your porter-filter when you tamp it with 20kg of weight to get the perfect consistency with your puck.

Rest your porter-filer on your mat when you press down with your tamper to get that perfect shot or when you are not using your coffee machine.

Tamping Station

A tamping station can hold your tamper, porter-filter and other accessories while you are working, and for easy access or storage.

Milk Thermometer

Using a thermometer helps the barista to get the milk just right.

You want your cappuccinos to be about 60 degrees Celsius to be perfect.

Over-steamed milk can ruin the taste of your cappuccino as it will add an unpleasant burnt flavour to the coffee and be too hot to drink.

A good cappuccino needs to meld coffee and milk in the same sip at the perfect temperature.

Latte Art Pen
If you want to show off a little, use the latte art pen / spoon to decorate your milky coffee by dipping it into the coffee and marking the frothed milk with twirls, dots and writing.

Get creative by adding faces, words and other objects to your drink.

Cleaning Brush

When cleaning your coffee machine, it is important to regularly use a good descaling powder when you back-wash your coffee machine.

Use the porter-filter brush to clean out any coffee grit from the sieve in the porter-filter, which can become blocked with the fine particles.

A clean coffee machine makes more delicious coffee because there are no stale grounds to pollute the espresso.

Barista Kit
Choose a barista kit to get great value for money and all the essentials you will need to be an at-home barista.

Marsala Wine: The Florio Terre Arse

Adriatic has recently introduced the Florio Terre Arse Marsala wine to list of speciality wines. What follows is a history about this enigmatic beverage and tasting notes for your interest.

Marsala – A History

Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily that is produced within and surrounding the region that shares its name. Marsala wine may only come from this region in order for it to be labelled Marsala.

The story goes that during the Napoleonic occupation in Italy, Englishman John Woodhouse landed at the port of Marsala and discovered that the local wine was fortified in wooden barrels and tasted similar to the Spanish and Portuguese Sherry and Port. The English needed a wine for use on ships for long-distance sea travel in order to ship it back to England. By adding brandy to the wine, Mr Woodhouse developed in the wine a resistance to temperature changes and subsequently invented Marsala.

The wine proved successful in England, and Mr Woodhouse eventually returned to Sicily to begin commercial production of the wine. Florio bought the Woodhouse production and is still one of the largest producers of Marsala.

Florio Marsala – Terre Arse

There are various types of Marsala wine. Some are better for aperitif, while others are best suited to being consumed after the meal, and others still are considered to be ‘meditation wines’: a wine to be sipped slowly while in quiet contemplation, each sip a new discovery of the characteristics of the wine.

The Florio Terre Arse is a meditation wine if served between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, or an aperitif at 8 to 10 degrees.

The Grillo grapes used to make the Terre Arse Marsala come from the coastal strip in the northern part of Marsala. The area is a D.O.C (Designation of Controlled Origin) region. Grown in arid soil on vines facing the sea, this Marsala wine shows a distinctive dry vanilla-liquorice flavour and burnt honey aroma to be savoured and enjoyed.

Rainy winters and hot, windy summers allow the grapes to have high sugar content if left to ripen into September.

The grapes are pressed and fermented at a controlled temperature. The wine is then blended with wine distillate as per tradition. The wine is then left in oak barrels for at least 8 years and a further 6 months in the bottle to create its distinctive golden colour.

If this Marsala is stored at about 14 degrees Celsius in a dry place with no direct sunlight, it has a lifespan of practically forever. Florio Terre Arse has been produced since the 1981 harvest to great acclaim.

Discover this wine at Adriatic.

Paone Pasta

History of the Brand

Pasta Paone began in 1878 in a town called Formia, situated on the Gulf of Gaeta on Italy’s west coast, north of Naples. In the beginning, Domenico Paone built a small shop to produce pasta, using the sea-breeze swept terrace as a drying area. 

The Nonino Method

Grappa is traditionally a grape distillate made from the pomace (skins, pulp, stems) that is left over after wine production. The Nonino family, however, has perfected the usual process to optimize the flavors of their grappa and guarantee maximum quality at every step.

Amaro Averna Cocktail Recipes

Amaro Averna is an Italian bitters that is very much a part of Italian culture.

It was invented by a Sicilian monk about 100 years ago and the Averna company has maintained this same recipe to this day.

Amaro Averna is often drunk neat or on ice, but it makes a supreme cocktail. Here are a few recipes:

Italian Hot Chocolate

Any of you who have travelled to Italy during the winter time know that when you order hot chocolate, or ‘Cioccolato’ at an espresso bar, what arrives in your cup is not the usual watery cocoa drink you find back home.

A Tale of Two Tomatoes

One of the most important ingredients in Italian cuisine, tomatoes, forms the base of many dishes: from parmigiana di melenzane to pizza bases to a myriad of pasta sauces. It’s no wonder that Italian cooks insist on the best quality tomatoes possible, since it is usually the main ingredient of their dish.