BAKER'S DOUGH
A Northern European inspired bakery, but with many good products from Campania: Dough Bakery.
Present in the guide Bread and bakers of Italy 2024 of Gambero Rosso with the rating of Due Pani (the equivalent of “very good”), Cesto Bakery is much more than just a bakery. It aims to be a baking and research laboratory, a guardian of Campania's traditions and a place of welcome.
THE LOCAL
Cesto Bakery is the creation of the master baker Catello Di Maio, third generation of a family of bakers, than in 2015 created its brand aiming for quality: carefully selected ingredients, sourdough and many hours of leavening to obtain many types of bread, at least twenty every day.
From the latest concept products, up to the more traditional ones of Campania and Torre del Greco in particular, for example semolina (sandwich prepared with Senatore Cappelli wheat semolina flour and sourdough) and the usual bread (a large bread made with soft wheat flour and two types of spelled).
Cesto Bakery also shines for its excellent croissant, for breakfast leavened products, for the excellent pizza on the shovel and in the pan. Thanks to Catello's great gastronomic curiosity, graduating in Food Technologies and experimenter by vocation.
Naturally, panettone could not be missing during the Christmas period.
BAKER'S DOUGH & FRIENDS
Dough Bakery & Friends is a format created a few months ago: a series of thematic meetings – organized in collaboration with Nadia Taglialatela – reserved for press operators, a "dialogue" between Catello Di Maio and various professionals from different food sectors.
Monday 4 December Cesto Bakery hosted the chef Domenico Candle the George, the restaurant inside the Grand Hotel Parker's in Naples, which recently achieved two stars in the Michelin Guide 2024 (which).
The signature breads and fillings were accompanied by the bartender's cocktails Jack Prisco, patron di Prisco Pizza & Spirits in Boscotrecase and a leading author of Italian mixology.
The rendezvous opened with cereal bread with amberjack topping marinated in Aka miso (intense variation of the classic Asian miso, a fermented red paste made from soybeans), mullet roe mayonnaise, citrus fruit gel and Controne beans, Slow Food Presidium.
The citrus notes were taken from the matching cocktail, Mexico & Mandarins: Reposado Tequila, Artisanal Mezcal, fresh lime juice, zucchero, mandarin liqueur.
A seguire, Rude bread with cured lard, the home made “ciauscolo” by chef Candela, apricotpellicchiella forest (variation of umeboshi, Japanese plum-based condiment, here dedicated to apricots from Vesuvius), with friarielli “in the plural” (in the form of icing and raw).
A recipe with a bitter tendency, also very interesting for the presence of the torzella to give the crunchy part; I must say that I love those who are not afraid to dare with slightly more extreme flavours, like acid and bitter.
Come pairing, Gin Tonic all’Italiana: Gin Italian Sox (botanicals of vanilla and tonka bean), cedar water, grapefruit pepper cordial, Brillante Sanpellegrino water (leggera, with a silky bubble).
Last savory taste, Curry bread with Foie gras escalope, Neapolitan pumpkin chutney (Asian-inspired preparation with a sweet and sour and spicy flavour), with eremorange gel (citrus fruit of Australian origin).
Catello Di Maio borrowed the use of curry from chef Candela, who offers it in his cuisine in the form of a sauce. An excellent harmony has been established between the two, which led to an extremely constructive discussion.
His, Un, Due, Three… Witch!: Gin London Dry, Vermouth Bianco, Strega Alberti, Ginger Beer Sanpellegrino. A match based on chromatic assonance, given the presence of the Strega liqueur with its intense saffron yellow colour (ne abbiamo parlato which), with Ginger Beer to give a bitter and aromatic note.
As a sort of pre-dessert, Maritozzo al gingerbread (miscellany of spices used in Northern Europe, similar to our “pisto”) with hints of pastiera, that is, a cream-based filling, ricotta and neroli (orange blossom essential oil). Very delicious.
In the glass, Grappa alla Ribalta: Aged grappa, chamomile liqueur, honey mix with peach honey, fresh lemon juice.
Closing with a panettone tasting. Five flavours, all delicious: classico, with pistachio, barley and chocolate, Campania (Giffoni hazelnut dough, black cherries from the Colli di San Pietro in Piano di Sorrento and lemons from Sorrento) and my favorite, the one with apricot pellecchiella from Vesuvius (homage to the Vesuvian territory that hosts the bakery).
If you are from Campania I absolutely suggest you come here “all’assaggio”; but even if you are from outside, nessun problema: i panettoni (and other products) they are available on the Cesto Bakery e-commerce site.
Dough Bakery
Via Salvator Noto, 26 - Tower of Greek, Naples
such. 081/8492086
www.cestobakery.it