An Evening in Sicily

When I first met Miguel at one of the monthly French groups in Atlanta, one of the topics he spoke passionately about was his oven. While I politely listened to his conversation, I secretly wondered, “Well what on earth could be so remarkable about an oven?” I then asked, “So is this a custom built wood-burning oven or something?” When he answered yes, I then became curious.

I later learned that Miguel is originally from Sicily and apparently back home in Italy, having an outdoor wood-burning oven is not only common, it’s an essential detail to La Dolce Vita. Family and friends gather around the counter, enjoying laughter and conversation over Prosecco and Amarone wines. The pizza chef, using only the finest home grown or locally made ingredients prepares specialty pizzas for the hungry guests….pear and Italian blue cheese, Sicilian pizza, and arugula and prosciutto. Delizioso!

This is exactly the experience Miguel creates in the backyard of a subdivision home in a suburb of Atlanta. Miguel not only grows his own herbs including sage, Rosemary, thyme, and oregano, he also has the Mozarella hand made by a local cheese maker, and the dough prepared by a pastry specialist. Sauces are made from scratch on the stove indoors. And just like in Italy, everything is served in courses allowing plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company, savor every bite and drink more wine! The best part, this exclusive Italian-American experience will be opened to the public soon. Stay tuned for details!