Carmela's at the Loft's
"cicchetti crawl” 5 course wine dinner
Saluti amici miei e fedeli mecenati !! (Greetings my friends and loyal patrons!!)
Each of the five courses were created to showcase the culinary culture from different regionsof Italy.
The Cicchetti Crawl showcases the appetizers from the capital city of Veneto: Venice.
The wines are carefully selected to perfectly complement each course.
Please join us as we visit the grapes and plates of Italy
WHEN: Tuesday, October 13th, 6:00pm
COST: $130 per person, non-refundable
Pre-payment of 50 % with Credit Card required with reservation,
by using the Event Ticket button below to purchase your event tickets
CAPACITY: Seating limited to 30 people
RESERVATIONS: Accepted on a first come, first serve basis
RESERVATION DEADLINE: Saturday October 10th
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Each course includes a 4oz pour of paired wine
You can purchase the event wines by the glass, bottle or order by the case
The evening begins with some very special entertainment provided by violinist, Ellen and cellist, Bruce Habitzruther.
While enjoying your time with fellow friends of Carmela's at the Loft,
our special guest and Master Sommelier,Marilee Billingsley walks us through the grapes and plates of the tour
You can read more about our special guest below the menu items
First course: On the bar we have the cicchetti crawl the melting pot of Venice’s street food.
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Baccalà Mantecato: Creamy whipped cod spread on toasted bread
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Crostini ai Funghi: Toasted bread topped with sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and herbs.
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Beetroot & Burrata: Roasted beetroot slices topped with creamy burrata, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and a sprinkle of walnuts.
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Smoked Salmon & Ricotta: Toasted bread spread with ricotta cheese, layered with smoked salmon slices, capers, and a squeeze of lemon.
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Fig & Gorgonzola: Thinly sliced figs paired with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, drizzled with honey, and finished with a touch of fresh thyme.
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Assorted meats, cheeses, grape and olives
Second course : Orange, Radish and Fennel salad
Served with an orange vinaigrette
Third course: pasta with pumpkin cream sauce,Taglia and romano
Forth course: Coffee/ Pistachio crusted -Roasted Fillet of Beef
with mushrooms and Calabrian chili broth.
Final course: Carmela's Affogato
Vanilla bean gelato, Mascarpone whip into a cream topped with Grind Espresso Shot Liqueur, a coffee and rum-based liqueur blending medium-roasted Colombian Arabica espresso with smooth Caribbean and chocolate covered espresso beans
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Marilee is a native Virginian, born in Richmond and raised all over. She grew up in the arts community – her father was the preeminent theatrical photographer for Richmond’s theater scene for thirty-plus years, and she danced semi-professionally for companies up and down the east coast. Out of necessity, she developed a love for the F&B industry that supported her other passions. After a tour-de-Mid-Atlantic during high school she attended undergrad in St. Louis, did a stint in culinary school, and attended graduate school in DC before finding her way back to central Virginia.
After landing in Gordonsville (G-Vegas, affectionately), she turned her experience in the restaurant industry into a passion for wine. During her time in Gordonsville, she achieved her Court of Master Sommeliers Certification and began to seriously consider a career in wine. She worked through every level of the process: serving, managing, buying, retail, wholesale, and distribution and has found herself, happily, with Banville. While she “specializes” in French wine, she drinks Italian most nights - and will try anything twice!
Back in her native Richmond, she lives with her husband, two dogs, and lots of wine. Her dedication to continuing industry education, a true passion for wine, and a belief that everyone deserves the chance to embrace their inner oenophile makes Marilee your go-to consultant for quality wines to suit your needs.
Marilee currently serves as an Accounts Specialist for Southern VA at Banville Wine Merchants and can be reached at marileebillingsley@banvillewine.com.
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Lynchburg is incredibly blessed to have Bruce and Ellen as part of our community. Both are very gifted and accomplished string musicians with careers spanning music venues around the world.
Bruce and Ellen
Bruce graduated with a degree in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He studied in his junior year at the Royal Conservatory and Royal Academy of the Arts (conducting and cello performance) in Antwerp, Belgium.
Ellen’s early violin study was with Einar Hansen of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She received her degree in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music-part of the University of Rochester.
Both won Ford Foundation Grants to study for their Master’s Degree in violin/cello performance degree from Wichita State University in Kansas. During their time in Wichita, they played in the Wichita Symphony and the Graduate String Quartet.
In Lynchburg, Bruce was the Director of Strings for the Lynchburg City Schools, adjunct faculty at Lynchburg College (now U of L), a member of the Roanoke Symphony, Conductor of the Fine Arts Center Orchestra, founder and Music Director/Conductor of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra and co-founder of the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra. Since retirement, he continues to play for various events in a string quartet, trio and duo. He is a national ranked pickleball player.
Since moving to Lynchburg, Ellen has been a String Specialist for the Lynchburg City Schools, a member of the first violin section of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, adjunct faculty at Lynchburg College (U of L), Concertmaster of the Fine Arts Center Orchestra and Concertmaster of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra. She is co-founder of the Junior Strings/Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra (along with Bruce) and manager of the groups. Since retirement, she continues to teach violin and is first violinist of a string quartet, trio and duo.
Bruce and Ellen have played in back-up orchestras for such artists as Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Jim Nabors, Marian McPartland, Liza Minnelli and Tony Orlando and Dawn.