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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2015 34 Food It is undoubtedly the first Pinot grape variety imported from Burgundy, no doubt because of the similarities in topography and climate between Burgundy and Alsace. This prestigious red grape variety was prominent in Alsace in the middle Ages, but then disappeared, except for certain places where red wine was still appreciated. It is becoming increasingly popular today because of its freshness and fruitiness. The nose is open, intense; it is based on red fruits, cherry pulp, blackberry and red current. Airing enhances the cherry character and one finds again the red current notes. In the mouth, the onset is fresh, marked by a slightly sparkling note. One evolves on a medium with a frank vivacity. The range of flavors is based on red fruits, cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant and blackberry. The tannins are already subtle and pleasant. The finish shows a length marked by the freshness of the vintage with a pure, distinguished and fleshy side of the well ripe fruit. Pinot Noir 'Les Princes Abbess' 2012 Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Schlumberger, Alsace – France Rachel Agius takes a look at a restaurant and brings a recipe, wine and delicacy of the week. Write to us with your comments on restaurants or submit your own recipes to rzammitcutajar@mediatoday.com.mt Resto of the week ANYONE who has ever lived abroad can appreciate just how wonderful Maltese bread is particularly when it is still warm. Of course everyone should appreciate it but its not until you have to live without it that you fully understand how comforting Maltese bread really is. The only thing that can make bread even better is melted cheese. At Emanuel's Bak- ery they mix the two, using fresh bread dough to make pizzas. Fresh, warm and oozing with gooey cheese and lots of top- pings, they are the perfect comfort food on a cold and windy day or the perfect cure for a hangover. Just outside Emanuel's Bakery in Qormi a crowd of people hurry back to their cars and turn their dashboards into make shift tables while they sink their teeth into the soothing comfort of the Gozo inspired piz- zas, topped with sliced potato and sesame seeds. Qormi bread has a reputation for being the best on the island. And the Mangions at Emanuel's Bakery carry that beacon proudly. Matthew Mangion tells me about life at the bakery. The bakery was set up by Emmanuel Mangion over 60 years ago. In that time very little has changed, though his son, Edwin, and later his grandchildren, Mat- thew, Mark, Joseph and David, took over the running of the bakery. The secret, Matthew says, is sticking to tradition. The wood oven is the most im- portant part of any bakery and the one at Emanuel's is made from a rare stone from Gozo that radiates the right amount of heat for a crispy loaf, with a feathery-soft inside. Insofar as ingredients go, there is little that goes into Maltese bread – water, flour, yeast, salt and of course a portion of sour dough made from yesterday's batch. The traditional oven is still used as it was years ago when few people had their own ovens – for the Sunday roast. "People still bring their roast over to us in the morn- ing before they go to Sunday Mass to slow cook in our ovens for three or four hours." Just imagine the smells of bread and a va- riety of roasting meats on a Sunday morn- ing! Enough to make your mouth water! Although the hobza Maltija is at the heart of the bakery, it is not the only thing on the menu. Over the last year, Matthew has developed a following for his phenomenal pizza ftiras. Like the ones from Gozo, these hunks of bread contain all sorts of toppings and have garnered a following from as far away as Mellieha. Pulled pork, barbeque chicken or the Italian style Parma ham and rucola are just some of the toppings avail- able at Emanuel's. And of course, the real Gozo influence can be seen in the finely sliced potato that covers some of their piz- zas. "Working in a bakery is tough. The hours are long and it can get really hot in here. But what keeps me coming back is the satisfaction of people who really appreci- ate our product. A loaf of bread isn't just a loaf of bread. People come for our bread from all over the island and that, in itself, is a great reward." This isn't a restaurant as you know it. The pizzas come out of the oven and go straight into a box so you have to take them home to eat them. I challenge you to make it to your destination without taking a bite or five out dinner before you make it! Emanuel's Bakery is open from 3:30pm until 10pm for bread and from 6:00pm un- til closing for pizzas. Emanuel's Bakery Triq il-Mithna Qormi Tel: 21482239 Find them on Facebook: Emanuels-Bakery The warm comfort of bread and melted cheese Emanuel's Bakery