July 27 - “Shop with a Chef” Dinner @ Solare

“Shop with a Chef” with Solare and Chef Accursio Lotà. It’s Thursday, July 27. The evening begins at 5:45 pm, when you will assemble at Solare. Here, you will have a behind-the-scenes introduction to Solare’s culinary program and discuss what is currently featured at the Liberty Public Farmers Market. Next, Chef Accursio will guide the dinner guests through the market on a personal tour, visiting the local farmers who’ve harvested the ingredients for the evening’s dinner and who will provide tastings of the fresh produce and ingredients. Along the way, Chef Accursio will reveal his thought process and inspiration behind that night’s menu. Finally, we will all walk back to Solare where we will enjoy a farm-fresh multi-course dinner, using the ingredients found and purchased directly from the market earlier that day. The cost for the event is $50++ per person (alcohol not included, but available). Reserve today via email or call 619-270-9670.

Sicilian-born Accursio Lotà brings authentic Italian and Sicilian style and flavor to his executive chef position at Solare Ristorante. After growing up watching his mother and grandmother prepare family meals at their home in Menfi, Sicily, Lota pursued an Italian-grown cooking career gaining experience from top kitchens around the world including five-star Grand Hotel de la Minerve in Rome, the Four Seasons in Milan and “the Biltmore” in Santa Barbara, as well as the local fine-dining classic, The Marine Room.

July 16 - “Spirits of San Diego” Dinner with Tommy ~ The Spirits of Summer!

This is a fun “Spirits Dinner”! An evening with Tommy … and 4 San Diego Distillers (local spirits!)
Yes, we are having a 4-course Dinner featuring “Farm to Bar” Cocktails by Tommy with 100% of the spirits coming from 4 local San Diego distilleries – and each cocktail featuring local produce, fruits, and herbs. For each course, you will enjoy a fun cocktail designed by Tommy to pair well with a dish in a collaboration with Chef Accursio. Come join us ~ $68/person ~ 6pm dinner. RSVP Today ~~ Seating is Limited.

July 04 - Solare is closed all day on July 4th

To allow our Team to be able to spend the 4th of July with family and friends, Solare will be closed all day on Tuesday, July 4th. We will be open again at 11:30am on Wednesday, July 5. Oh! And July 4th is Petra’s Birthday!!

July 03 - July 08 - Sicily Adventure!!

Join us on a Trip (no, an Adventure!) to Sicily! Yes, Chef Accursio and I are leading a small group of friends and customers to Sicily. The trip begins and ends in Palermo, Sicily, Italy … and it is from July 3 to 8. 6 days and 5 nights. Limit 14 persons total and we have 8 confirmed. Please send us a note if you’d like more info on logistics, pricing, etc.: [email protected]. Accursio was born and raised in Sicily (in the town of Menfi) … so this is a very special behind the scenes trip. Caio!

June 28 - Boutique 16 person Wine Dinner with Anne Moses of Patz & Hall

Think amazing Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the best single vineyards in California! Patz & Hall was founded in 1988 by four talented individuals – Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz. Anne is leading this dinner! Together, they have turned Patz & Hall into one of California’s most highly regarded wineries, with a celebrated portfolio of single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. For over 25 years, they have remained committed to handcrafting small-lot and single-vineyard wines, with an exclusive focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Produced using grapes from storied vineyards in the Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, Mendocino County, Sonoma Coast and Santa Lucia Highlands. Limited to 16 persons. $94 for the 4-course dinner designed by Chef Accursio and 5 Patz & Hall wines. 6:45pm Dinner and 6:15pm Reception with Anne Moses. Reserve now!

June 24 - Cooking Class: Lasagna from scratch … with Maria!

Baked pasta … Lasagna! A whole lesson dedicated to traditional Italian baked pasta – with a focus on the best Lasagna. The incredible one-of-a kind, Maria, will teach you how to master the technique of baking pasta, and everything you want to know about lasagna. The lesson will be held in our kitchen with Maria!! Don’t forget to bring your baking glove! The fun starts at 10:30am at Solare with an Italian-style coffee of your choice and a pastry. Italian wine is served for students interested in “cooking with wine”. Limit 10 – $75/student that includes the class, wine, and lunch. Contact us for details. Reserve now!

Lasagna, one of the most celebrated of the Italian food staples, has a long and luxurious history. The term “lasagna” comes from the Greek word, “lasagnum,” meaning dish or bowl. The ancient Greeks used baking dishes of that name, which they eventually transferred to the Romans. The Romans, who ended up using the same style of dish, also developed a type of food which they used the term “lasagnum” for: it was served in said dish, with layers of a pasta-like food with other fillings in-between. With the extent of the Roman empire, this new “lasagnum” dish spread all across Europe, eventually reaching Britain, where it was published in the very first cookbook.

After remaining dormant for many decades, the early form of lasagna once again surfaced. The early Italians changed the name from “lasagnum,” to “lasagna,” which is the current form. Over the years, the word “lasagna” began to change definitions; the word previously referred to the serving dish it was baked in, but began to simply mean the delicious pasta meal in the dish itself. In modern cooking terms, it now means layers of thin pasta, with meat, cheese, and tomato sauce squeezed in between. Lasagna sure has come a long way.