food
Can’t beat the Originale Deli offers sandwiches and ingredients straight from Italy By Shannon Kuhn
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sure hope there is focaccia bread in heaven. Homemade, that is. And baked by Chef Roseli Anzilotti, drizzled with olive oil and topped with sea salt. Luckily for me (and you), there’s a little bit of heaven located in midtown and it is served fresh daily. Originale is a new deli and market that offers real Italian sandwiches, antipastos, coffees, and dried goods. The word deli originates from the French word délica- Zuccotto “Tuscan Cake,” filled with a cream of nuts and chocolate mousse and garnished with apricots. tesse, meaning “delicious things (to eat),” and you won’t be disap- Photo by Shannon Kuhn pointed. Husband and wife team Sergio and Roseli Anzilotti are former owners of Anzilotti’s Tuscan Market in South Anchorage. Although Anzilotti’s continues to be successful, Sergio and Roseli wanted to cuts, but the quality of ingredients transcends the sandwich from expand from selling mostly imported goods to focusing more on “just a sandwich” to “one helluva a sandwich.” Seriously. Maybe it’s the delicatessen side. Born in Brazil with Italian roots, Sergio is still the olive oil drizzled on top of the fresh focaccia, or the salty, spicy deeply connected to Italy. His family travels back to the country ev- aged salami. Or maybe it’s just refreshing to eat something so unasery year to reconnect with their heritage, strengthen relationships, suming that tastes so good. With 14 choices, all slightly different, it’s and see what’s new in the world of Italian food. a tough menu choice but I don’t think you can go wrong. Originale In fact, everything in the store has a connection to Italy. It feels also offers a constantly evolving “Special of the Day,” made in small personal, like you are in the Anzilotti’s own home. The walls are batches, as well as a soup du jour. decorated with photos of the family and there’s a wood stove blazA tasty secret customers might not know is that you can buy fresh ing cheerily from the center of the room. Small tables for two to four homemade pasta at Originale. Great for a dinner date, they always people are sprinkled throughhave six varieties of fresh pasta availOriginale out one side, with counter seatable (and make pizza dough to order). ing available if you want to see I tried their panzerotti with porOpen Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Chef Rosali work her magic. cini mushrooms ($14.48 per pound), Closed Sunday and Monday One entire wall is devoted to which I ate with only with a drizzle 530 East Benson Blvd, Ste 9A shelves of typical Italian goods, of olive oil on top, and potato gnoc907-868-7900 and www.originaleak.com ranging from extra virgin olive chi stuffed with gorgonzola cheese oil and tomato sauce to cookies. ($11.80 per pound). They also have Sergio is committed to findfiocchi pasta purses filled with four ing top-notch suppliers in Italy, cheeses and pear ($15.90 per pound), bringing high quality products and round ravioli stuffed with trufto Alaska. His New Year resofles ($22.50 per pound). Originale The #2 Arrivederci: a cold sandwich with spicy coppa and cheese. Photo by Shannon Kuhn lution is to increase the variety also hosts popular dinners once a and number of products availmonth, serving 30 people a five able in the store and says to course traditional Italian meal. These expect “new products every are a pretty hot item and usually fill month.” up in about a day, but in a couple months Originale will also begin Originale practices the art of real Italian espresso, so don’t go in to offer Italian cooking classes (two hours, $45-60). expecting your Starbucks 20-ounce soy caramel frappuccino. Do Oh, and the dessert. The dessert! Displayed in a glass case, they go expecting a mighty strong and flavorful cup o’ joe. Coffee fiends usually have at least two or three different choices to make your will leap around in caffeinated delight after slurping down a caffe mouth water. I had a slice of the coconut cream pie ($4) as well as con panna (espresso with whipped cream) or cappuccino. One of the Zuccotto “Tuscan Cake” filled with a cream of nuts and chocomy favorite memories of visiting Italy is sitting outside in tiny cafés, late mousse ($5). Not overly heavy or cloying, and without artificial drinking espresso and people watching. It’s fun knowing there’s a sweeteners, each bite was truly enjoyable. place that I can do this in Alaska. So if you’re craving a taste of Italy, head to Midtown and check Originale’s opens at 10 a.m., but the work starts many hours ear- out Originale. Take home some fresh pasta to your family, order an lier, at five in the morning. Everything is homemade by Chef Roseli, antipasto platter for your next work party, or just come and savor a from the bread to the pasta to the desserts. I have been there a few real Italian cappuccino. You will be glad you did. times and am currently in love with their cold sandwiches. The esBuon Appetito! sence of simplicity, they are no more than bread, cheese, and cold
The quality of ingredients transcends an Originale sandwich from “just a sandwich” to “one helluva a sandwich.”
A everybody has one. B Get interesting opinions and unique pespectives, every Wednesday on page 6.
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January 10 - January 16, 2013