Enrico Battisti & Lou Di Palo - Soilair Selection & Di Palo Fine Foods
WHO: Enrico Battisti of Soilair Selection and Lou Di Palo of Little Italy’s Di Palo Fine Foods.
ABOUT: Born in Trieste, in the northern Italian region of Friuli, Enrico Battisti grew up immersed in the culture of food and wine. His father worked in distribution of fine wines and spirits while his mother was a restaurateur. Experiencing an industrious and epicurean household at an early age, Enrico learned the importance of hard work and Italian culture and developed his own passion for food and wine.
He began his career in Friuli after studying to become a sommelier and soon followed his craving to broaden his horizons. Moving to the US in the 1990’s, Enrico honed his sommelier skills at some of the top restaurants in NYC including Jean-George’s Mercer Kitchen, Daniel, and Felidia. After transferring to wine distribution at Vinifera, where he worked for 10 years, Enrico had a vision to gather and introduce his own genuine collection of Italian wines. In 2005, he created SoilAir Selection presenting select wines that expressed quality, excitement, and purity of terroir. For the last 20 years, Enrico has expanded SoilAir Selection immensely to include wines from the United States, France, Austria, Argentina, Germany, Portugal and Spain, as well as spirits and a sake portfolio showcasing artisanal small-scale producers from around the world.
Lou Di Palo is a noted trade member, epicurean and fourth-generation purveyor of authentic products of Italy. His family-run business, Di Palo Fine Foods, opened its doors in 1925 in New York City’s Little Italy where it remains today. Lou and his family are personally involved in every facet of the business as their customers remain their first priority. Lou travels to Italy several times a year to personally select the country’s best handcrafted specialties, ensuring excellence with every season.
When he’s not in Italy, Lou is behind the counter at the store, where crowds of faithful customers brave the wait for knowledgeable and personalized service. Lou explains the traditions and history behind the products, offering tastes to store patrons, many of whom have known Di Palo’s through the generations.
In September 2014 Lou released his first book, Di Palo's Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy: 100 Years of Wisdom and Stories From Behind the Counter, to further share his passion and knowledge of Italian food throughout the U.S. Lou has appeared on many radio and television broadcasts and been featured in numerous magazine and newspapers including The New York Times, Vogue, Gourmet, Wine Spectator, and various publications on Italian cuisine.
WHAT: Join us for an afternoon tasting of the wines and foods of Emilia Romagna and its surrounding areas. Experts Enrico Battisti of Soilair Selection, along with NYC legend Lou Di Palo (of Little Italy’s Di Palo Fine Foods), will guide us through wines, cheeses and salumis, served with a selection of balsamic vinegars from Acetaia Giusti, the oldest producer of balsamic vinegars in the world.
WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 1:00 - 3:00 PM EST
WHERE: De Gustibus Culinary Studio