The Grand Blogger Dinner 2019 in Rome, Italy

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 3/04/2019

The Grand Blogger Dinner 2019 in Rome, Italy

On 22 February, the second edition of The Grand Blogger Dinner took place again in Rome, Italy. The event, a part of the European tour in some key capitals organized by Alwin Pascal Jager, owner and Marketing Manager of Mr. Goodiebag from the Netherlands, was to put together 45 food and lifestyle bloggers of Rome, serving five courses, each sponsored by a food brand. The night was a distinctive way to boost the social media presence of the eight food and interior specialist brands that provided for the night.   

The venue for the night was the VOI Donna Camilla Savelli Hotel in Trastevere, which is housed in a 17th century monastery of Agustinian nuns. It was projected by the famous architect Francesco Borromini in 1642 and commissioned by Duchess Camilla Savelli, a Roman noblewoman who was married to Pier Francesco Farnese. The 4-star hotel had been awarded at the World Travel Awards with the prestigious Italy's Leading Lifestyle Hotel where history and luxury merge impeccably.

The VOI Donna Camilla Savelli Hotel was a dramatic location for the event which gave the guests a glimpse of the past with a brief tour of the hotel starting from the underground cellar that is believed to be an ancient Roman thermal bath, wherein the original walls were kept. The rooftop terrace overlooks the capital's enchanting panorama. The dinner was set up in the Gran Sala Borromini, once the refectory of the ex-convent furnished with Renaissance paintings, original seats in walnut wood and coffer wooden ceiling.   

The dinner began as the doors of Gran Sala Borromini were opened by the host, Alwin Pascal Jager. An outstanding candlelit long imperial table was meticulously laid out with with Casa Shops decors and cutleries of gray and mustard tones accentuated with burgundy and green floral arrangements. The whole dinner was accompanied by San Pellegrino sparkling water, Acqua Panna still water and Feudi di San Gregorio wines from the Campania region of Italy.  

The dinner commenced with a plate of Antipasto with Prosciutto di San Daniele and focaccia paired with Feudi Dubl+ Metodo Classico made with 100% Greco. Prosciutto di San Daniele is a kind of aged ham produced exclusively in San Daniele of Friuli, a 35 square kilometer commune in Udine, the northern part of Italy, recognized with the Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin).  

The second dish was Spaghettoni alla Carbonara of Leandro Lupi made with Le Naturelle eggs paired with Feudi Cutizzi Greco di Tuffo DOCG 2017. Le Naturelle is a part of Gruppo Eurovo, a company specializing in eggs and egg products committed to quality since the 1950s.  

Polpo Incavolata, the third plate prepared by the chef of VOI Donna Camilla Savelli Hotel, was a composition of roasted octopus, brussels sprouts and a thin crisp of quinoa. The wine that accompanied the plate was Feudi Campanaro Irpinia Bianco DOC 2017.

  Petto d'Anatra Croccante alle Mele Marlene was a refreshing salad of a mixture of endives, rocket, crispy duck breast and Marlene apples from South Tyrol, which was served with Feudi Aglianico dal Re, Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2016.   

The dinner was concluded with a Tiramisù al Pistacchio using the Savoiardi Vicenzovo biscuits of Matilde Vicenzi paired with Feudi Privilegio Irpinia Fiano Passito 2016. Matilde Vicenzi is a family-run pastry company that started in 1905 that is dedicated to fine Italian pastries. It was started by a young Matilde making homemade amaretti, Vicenzovo ladyfingers and millefoglie puff pastries in a small town in the Italian province of Verona.  

After an incredible night, Alwin sent everyone home with amply-stuffed goodie bags containing products of the sponsors of the night plus Marvis toothpaste tubes, Ponti vinegar, Sagra extra virgin olive oil and Delicius anchovy packs.  