We Were There: Federal Hill Pizza's Wine and Food Pairing

Wednesday night was Federal Hill Pizza’s first (we hope of many) wine and food pairings and learning never tasted so good. Guest instructor Steve Krohn of Somerset Wine School (by Somerset Liquors) explained the six different Italian wines as they complemented each course and gave a bit of a background about the region, varietal, producer and method used to create each wine.

The best part of the instruction was that it was casual. It felt more like a conversation than a lesson. Often with wine classes you feel like you need to be a sommelier to even understand the lingo, but Steve and his company made us all feel completely comfortable and we definitely learned a lot. For instance, did you know the term passamento refers to an intense and elongated drying process which gives grapes a deeper, richer flavor? Well, I didn’t either, but now I do and I’m glad it exists because the Pinot Grigio/Verduzzo we tasted from the Venezia region was unlike any white wine I’ve ever tasted – and I’ve got passamento to thank for that.

Chef Billy Manzo of Federal Hill Pizza was responsible for the food portion of the pairing, and it certainly didn’t seem like his first time doing so. Each course was delicious as a stand-alone dish, but paired with the wines became elevated to a whole new level. The food was served family style with big platters at each table. It was the perfect environment to meet some new people and enjoy a family meal away from home. The dinner was bookended with a Sicilian Orange Salad to start, which was bright and clean, and Italian Doughboys to close, which were infused with orange sugar and lick-your-plate good. A fan favorite at our table was the “Poor Man’s Meatball Sandwich” which came open faced on sliced Italian bread with two huge meatballs and a marinara sauce that had been simmered with pancetta. Paired with a Sangiovese wine from Tuscany, the dish became a meal on its own.

We knew as soon as Chef Billy started the night with a colorful and hilarious background story about his history with cooking – which dates back to his expansive Italian family – that we were in for a fun night. His passion is apparent in each dish he puts out; you can tell you’re eating the same food he would cook for his family, his friends, himself. The event was sold out and every chair was filled, but each dish had the same attention to detail as the next – a true testament to Chef Billy’s abilities and dedication. Everyone left happy, full and excited for the next one.