A cool, refreshing classic cocktail made from tequila, triple sec and freshly squeezed lime juice served with a salted glass rim either on the rocks or frozen. That’s great, but we don’t sell these. What are the other “margarita” items we provide to our clients?  They are spelled a little different, so think about it first.

That’s correct; the pizza and the wine.

The Margherita Pizza – Legend has it that this classic Neapolitan dish was named after Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889. On a visit to Naples, the Queen and pizzeria chef Raffaele Esposito created the pizza with red tomatoes, white buffalo mozzarella and green basil – resembling the colors of the Italian Flag to honor her husband King Umberto I.

In 2009, Pizza Margherita joined Pizza Marinara (tomato, garlic and oregano) and Pizza Margherita Extra (mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, fresh basil and tomatoes) as the three Pizze Napoletane with an official EU classification as a STG, or Specialità Tradizionali Garantite  (Traditional Guaranteed Specialty). This means that this particular food product possesses specific characteristics which differentiate it from all others in its category, and that its raw materials, composition or method of production have been consistent for a minimum of 30 years. Today, this timeless pie is widely recognized as an Italian classic.

Santa Margherita Wine – Sometime in the late 1990s, the US consumer stumbled on a jewel of a wine the Italian’s have had the pleasure of knowing intimately for over 80 years: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. Produced from Pinot Grigio grapes, this light and fruity wine is a result of soft-crushing and stainless-steel casking. To this day, the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is one of our customers’ top requested wines.

But, did you know that the Santa Margherita Winery produces more than just Pinot Grigio? Santa Margherita Wine Group was established by Count Gaetano Marzotto in 1935 when he purchased a large agricultural estate from a local Venetian family. Today, the winery group produces several other varietals including but not limited to proseccos, spumantes, chardonnays, gewürztraminers, roses, malbecs, merlots, and cabernets.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or flight crew culinary training, contact me at rpeterson@airculinaire.com. For questions about in-flight catering, contact weborders@airculinaire.com.