Cari Amici di Sotto Sopra,

It was a beautiful month here in my kitchen where we cooked up amazing specials with a lot of flavors.

We're getting whole lambs from Green County, Pennsylvania now every 2 weeks. They come from Elysian Fields pure bred lambs and are simply the best lambs in the world. The quality is absolutely incredible and they are worth every dollar. We're offering a ramp risotto with the lamb chops, lamb ragus with amazing ricotta gnocchi. The leg of lambs are stuffed and braised slowly for hours and served with beautiful French lentils and fava been puree. I'm going absolutely crazy for these creatures!

I've developed a great relationship with a lovely lady, Maria, who is originally from Germany, who has a substantial garden. Maria is dedicated to good farming practices and is willing to share her bounty. Actually, she just brought me unbelievable baby spinach, lemon thyme, arugula, and asparagus. She said it was just for me! Maria is so sweet, I love her.

This month I'm working on different ideas: blue crab stuffed morel mushrooms (check out morels in the photo), lobster cannoli with Maine lobster, fried green tomatoes with smoked trout, homemade mozzarella rolls sushi style (yes, I'm crazy), housemade burrata with caviar -this one is an  experiment, morel and ramps and white cheddar crepe with a duck egg over easy, goat milk panna cotta, rhubarb-almond crostata, rhubarb crème brûlée and sweet corn gelato. I'm having the best time in the word..... salt cod gnocchi anyone?

Monika and the baby are in Poland, so that may explain my rise in energy level  I also work out 2 hours a day to cool off if you believe that!!!.

I will be going to Puglia at the end of June con la famiglia on a culinary exploration. I never had Pugliese food, so I'm excited to get to eat like a king in about a month. I will be back at the end of July so you will not be getting the July newsletter. That is why this newsletter is packed with more news from Italy, a recipe, photography we love, three video picks this month. In July you will get our gentle reminders on the special events.

The restaurant will be commanded by my lead server Virginia Allen who has shown unbelievable dedication to Sotto Sopra this year and she is a perfectionist much like me. You can contact her  at 540-539-7856 or e mail vecallen@gmail.com. She is the point person for any special events or requests.

The kitchen has been terrorized enough by me in the last year so I'm sure they will give 100 % to make sure I don't kill anyone when I get back- just kidding, well maybe.  Seriously, I have great cooks and a really determined Sous Chef Shadeed who has already endured my tyranny for 6 months. God bless his soul.

I wish all of you a great summer; hopefully I will get to see you before I depart.  Ciao a tutti. Enjoy life every day, it is just too short. Eat healthy, but most importantly.... Eat Italian!

 Riccardo  

 (like I said above, it's just me this month - Monika and Amelia are in Poland)