Friday Night at Issimo

Friday Night at Issimo

Ya got a favorite go-to spot for Friday nights?  Sure you do.  Me too. Friday night spots are special, without a lot of planning.  Your fav spot dances into your mind; you invite a couple of friends and order some wine and noshes….hey, what else do you need?  One of my favorite spots is a small Italian deli in Homburg, Issimo.  You know that Italians are famous for their appreciation for family.  And when you walk through the door at Issimo, you’re immediately part of the family.

What’s special about it?  Glad you asked because I can tell you what makes any Friday night place special, yours and mine.  Friendly staff is number one.  It’s a place where the manager and wait staff call you by name and always throw smiles at you as you walk through the door.  Of course, you also greet them by name!

At Issimo, we know Franco and Vecenzo, Afërdita, Sylvia, and Leonardo.  How come?  They’re friendly enough to invite conversation. Always smiling.  The men shake my hand, the women give me hugs.  It’s only about two minutes before I have a glass of wine in my hand.  I don’t get that kind of welcoming service at home.

Second things that are mandatory for a fav are super food and wine.  At Issimo you can count on every wine, every cheese, every olive and slice of bread being wonderfully delicious.  Yes, it’s all from Italy and the staff knows what part of Italy it came from because they picked everything out and didn’t just order it from a supplier.  For the wine, you tell any of them your taste and it’s as if they know your taste buds better than you do.  It’s that way with the food as well.  Parma ham is not just a style, it came from Parma and not just any ham from Parma.  Issimo’s Parma ham is a tenderly cured and thinly shaved piece of ham that crosses the palate as a gift from the heavens.

Third requirement is atmosphere.  In my case, an Italian deli should feel like Italy.  Issimo is in Germany, but there’s nothing phony about it. No plastic rounds of cheese or plastic sausages hanging over the counter.  Step through the door and inhale deeply.  Yep, this is the place.

But, it’s like that with any fav place, right?  A hamburger joint should feel comfortable and welcoming and have the smoky smell of burgers and fries.  In a BBQ joint, your nose should lead you there and your clothes better smell like BBQ when you leave.

At Issimo, with the whole package of staff and food and atmosphere, this is Friday night as it should be. Great wine and cheese and ham and even better conversation.  Politics?  No way.  This is the time to chat about books you’ve enjoyed, and places you’ve been, and places you want to go, and the fine points of where this and that wine came from.

At Issimo it’s more than a Friday night, it’s a special Friday night.  Just like yours, right? Saluti! 

More Than An Italian Deli: It's Issimo!

Issimo!  Walk through the door into a wonderland of Italian delicacies, a hundred varieties of succulent hams and sausages, cheeses from the soft and luscious to the hard and enveloping, verdant basil pesto, shimmering green olives, wines from a thousand vineyards, liquors, and bulging gift baskets that scream “You deserve this!”

Yes, it’s all here, wrapped in the warm atmosphere of old-world hospitality and comfortable service.  You may be in Germany, but you just stepped across the border into the Mamma Mia! wonders of an Italian gourmet paradiso.

Issimo, which should really be called Bellissimo (lovely), is owned and manned by two Italian brothers, Franco and Vincenzo, aided by a host of always smiling, always delightful young ladies.  Stride to the deli counter and even if it’s your first trip, Franco will treat you as his favorite customer.  Not sure what you want?  Samples abound and if not, just ask.

Signor Franco at work

So of all the delectable deli selections, which do I favor?  Way too personal a question, but today I’m in a sandwich mood, pecorino cheese dotted with peppercorns, tender truffle filled ham, emerald green, almond stuffed olives, and paper thin slices of red, spicy salami, similar to oversized Spanish chorizo.  Oh, yes, and a couple of bottles of Bulgarini Lugana, and a bottle of Iris’ rose tinted Isabella Spagnoto Prosecco.

Ok, so it’s a fab deli…what else?  Oh, it’s much more than that.  You’ve come to the home of the best party platters!  And what about those sumptuous gift baskets?  Dried pasta, sauces, jams, jellies, and of course a couple of bottles of wine.  All of them direct from the fragrant farms and vineyards of Italy.

Jessica behind the bar.

Down a short hallway, behind the deli is a whole different Issimo, the bistro Issimo.  On a sunny day, I often sit outside on the porch and sip an espresso, a glass of wine, or dine like a king on one of Issimo’s light lunches.  If the skies are drizzling, I go inside and join friends at the mahogany bar for more of the same.

Tucked away behind the bistro, in the back room, featuring shelves and shelves of delicious wines, is a long, dark wood table for wine tastings that are a hell-of-a-lot more than simple wine tastings!  An Issimo wine tasting is an eating, drinking extravaganza, and one you’ll want to share with a dozen or more of your closest friends. Vincenzo, with his all-encompassing knowledge of Italian viniculture, will be your guide.

Vincenzo, our guide to the pleasures of Italian wines

Aferdita sets the table and oh what a table!

At a recent wine tasting, we began with the Prosecco I mentioned earlier, moved on to a Pinot Bianco (2015), the Indolente Bianco (2015), followed by Amir DOC Reserva (2008) and finishing with Singe 1974 DOC (2013) Primitivo di Manduria.

A note about Primitivo.  Often described as Zinfandel, Primitivo is actually a genetic cousin and unlike its light colored and often denigrated American kin, Primitivo is dark red, fruity, and dry to semi-dry.  Surprisingly complex, it’s my favorite Italian red.  One of those wines you sip over dinner and conversation, accompanied by satisfied smiles. “OH yeah! And by the way, I’ll need a couple of bottles to take home.”  

According to Vincenzo, Primitivo is the oldest grape varietal in the world.  Mellow, smooth, rounded finish, it’s no wonder it’s still around.

Another little tidbit imparted by Vincenzo:  Italy grows 348 varieties of grapes, while Germany has 40 and there’s a big reason.  The climate in Italy ranges from the very sunny, Mediterranean south to the much cooler Alpine north.

The wines we tasted came from tiny vineyards, which may produce only a few thousand bottles.  Doesn’t sound tiny?  A big producer like Gallo produces millions of bottles more than Germany’s total output. 

In whatever country, the small vineyards appeal to my romantic instincts.  I picture small farms, with a few acres of gnarled vines covered in fresh green leaves, with tight bundles of dark purple grapes peeking through.  In the stillness of the countryside, hawks soar overhead, mountains rise majestically in the background, and dedicated vintners in muddy boots nurture wine instead of industrializing it.

Sylvia kept the wine flowing.

Back to Issimo:  At the normal wine tasting, you get a sip here and there, with not enough juice to let your taste buds pair it with the food.  But, as I said, Issimo’s wine tastings are not like any other.  Vincenzo, Sylvia, and Aferdita replenished our goblets throughout the two-hour meal.

Bellissimo indeed!

By the way, one vine can produce 2.5 Kilos (5.5 lbs) of grapes, or two bottles.  At an Issimo wine tasting, you’ll strip several vines.

Never been to Issimo?  Here’s the web site.  http://issimo-feinkost.de (Closed Mondays)

‘Bout time you find yourself a cutie, or someone else’s, and head to Issimo.  Ciao Baby!  And a little more Primitivo, per favor!