Eau De Vie Julie Anne

What better way to start out in Jewels from The Roving Stove’s new home, than announcing the release of Eau De Vie Julie Anne in Italy and France, a limited edition bottle of Grappa named after yours truly by the venerable Simini Catering in conjunction with Antica Grapperia Bosso. Here’s to raising a glass to the new website and a new business venture.

Let me introduce you to the people bestowing this enormous honor. World class Chef Giuliano Simini’s haute cuisine has graced the buffets of major film sets to the most prestigious of international events…

… including Milan fashion week, and a recent gala dinner in honor of David Beckham.

Monica Simini, the creative director of Simini Catering (I think you will agree from the photos) has an exquisite sense of style and dramatic flare. She approached me last November about this exciting new venture, and I’ve been dying to tell you all about it! I asked Monica to answer a few questions to explain this to you better:

J: Monica, I am so flattered! What inspired you to name the grappa after me?

M: The owner of Grapperia Bosso asked me some good ideas for a new product. Some days ago I found your website for personal chef, and when I saw your name I thought it will be the right choice. I was looking for an international name that could be pronounced as well for English people as for French people and I think that Julie Anne is a good choice for the pronunciation. For Italian people the name Julie Anne sounds like someone very elegant with a high level of natural class.

J: Where will Eau de Vie Julie Anne be sold?

M: I decided to give the packaging in 3 differents shops in the centre of Turin:

1) It will be a famous jewellery in the centre of Turin that will show the product 2) It will be a fine oldest pastry and delicatessen in the centre of Turin 3). It will be an elegant shop of fashon dresses in the centre of Turin”

J: You also mentioned making it available in Gerard Deparieu’s restaurants in France…

M: Yes, and the packaging will be also utilized for elegant wedding parties in wedding bags so that it will be a good present for the customers in a beautiful locations such as Italian castles or villas.”

If all goes well, hopefully one day the grappa will be made available here in America too. Thank you so much for this great honor, and please thank Chef Guiliano Simini for sharing his fabulous recipe with us. As you know, I do not drink, but I can certainly cook up a storm with Eau de Vie Julie Anne.

BTW, Chef Guiliano highly recommends using Acquerello rice which is unhusked and aged for at least one full year, whitened slowly, and finally restored with the germ intact. Acquerello rice grains absorb flavor exceptionally well, and do not bind together or lose their starch, proteins or vitamins. What are your favorite risotto recipes?