I was on the way to the Duke of Brunswick Hotel and wondering, how will they pull a Tasting Australia event off. Well, in a pub style using everything gluten free with an Italian theme, that’s how. Greeted by one of the hosts, I was ushered to a beautiful part of the hotel which had been styled with a little taste of Italy featuring their iconic red and white checkered tablecloths, a bottle of olive oil on each table (using Pendleton brand) and to add to the theme, there was a live accordion playing in the background. This atmosphere was still casual yet intimate and perfect for family friendly events. Our host mentioned that there would be plenty of food to share on each table and that they would keep it coming. He was right.

Aperitivo

Crumbed Valente Seafood Gulf Prawns
Wow! First bite, just wow. Perfectly crumbed. The crunch and the flavouring of the coating was second to none. Squeeze a little lemon and dip in the aioli and you get that tantalizing tingling sensation. You just cannot stop.

Crumbed La Casa Del Formaggio Baby Bocconcini Balls
At first I thought they were tater tots but then quickly remembered they were baby bocconcini. Also lightly crumbed and fried. When it was served to us we took a bite and immediately felt it melted in our mouths. I personally love bocconcini but hadn’t tried it cooked this way before. I love it.

Antipasto
Beautifully curated a plate full of goodness. Lightly grilled asparagus and thinly sliced zucchini drizzled with Pendleton Olive Oil which are also part of the San Remo Family Festa Tasting Australia this year, they were absolutely divine. Prepared on our table was the Pendleton lemon infused olive oil which when drizzled, gives a subtle citrus flavour which cuts through the sweetness of the vegetables. What followed was rock melon, two types of olives that were (already pitted) and selections of cold cut meat from Barossa Fine Foods complete with a selection of cheese from La Casa Del Formaggio. believe it or not we were quite full at this stage. Not that we were complaining but the portions here are very generous.

All the food that came out had been quick and efficient, it didn’t make us feel rushed. A steady pace where you don’t have to look around wondering when your next course was coming. You just knew they had it covered. Kudos to the team at the Duke of Brunswick for working hard and being so organised to make sure everyone was having a good evening. The fact that it was a full house that weekend also proved that these guys know what they are doing and their speciality of delivering good gluten free dishes are no doubt one of the best in town.

Mains

Penne Mac & Cheese Pasta Baked
This came out first with creamy cauliflower sauce and four types of cheeses from La Casa Del Formaggio. Hot from the oven, the steam comes pouring out as you dig in. This dish is vegetarian and deliciously creamy. The tricky part of making or using gluten free products is the texture. Gluten free products (in this case pasta) tend to be drier than the regular pasta. However, our experience with Duke Of Brunswick in conjunction with San Remo Tasting Australia has been fabulous so far. The pasta was cooked al dente yet stayed moist.

Gnocchi Ragu
Sweet and tasty. We liked our ragu mixed with gluten free gnocchi. Everything was tender and even though we had our share of carbs, we could definitely fit in this light and easy gnocchi. It was too hard to stop at one mouthful. I’d say don’t gnocchi til you try it!

Bowtie Pesto Trapanase
We thought something was missing with the dish, it was the pine nuts. Then we realised this dish was cooked for us to experience their take on vegan, gluten free, and nut free Pasta Pesto. Still very tasty nonetheless. This was a winner in my book, it was al dente, with a generous serving of sundried tomatoes, basil, garlic and vegan parmesan cheese to finish.

Spaghetti Vongole
Valente seafood SA cockles finished with white wine, garlic, chilli and parsley
This came out with angel hair spaghetti which was great as we were already full by the time this dish came out. Angel hair spaghetti is light and with the cockles we just kept munching on it like a snack. They were tender and the infused olive oil definitely added extra flavour to the dish. We really thought we would have to leave a lot on the plate just because of how full we were but we ended up finishing the whole plate.

Dessert

What would be the perfect end to a perfect Italian Fiesta? A very wholesome gelati. And what’s better than our own S.A gelati, Gelista Gelati! We have had our share with this brand yet we cannot get enough of it. Yes we admit, we were very full but who can resist when they come out in small little tubs with a choice of Chocolate, Vanilla Bean and Coconut and Raspberry Swirl with biscotti.

When we were offered tea or coffee we had to politely decline as we almost had to unbutton our pants to be able to roll out the door.

This event is not only perfect for people who’s gluten intolerant but also for anyone who would like to try why San Remo gluten free option pasta is so popular among us.

We sincerely thank the team at Duke of Brunswick for their hospitality that night and for making sure that we were well fed and taken care of.

Words by Dee Pene from Adelaide Food Authority

WHERE: 207 Gilbert St, Adelaide