We Love

When it comes to Italian food, it’s often impossible to narrow down just a few favorites. Stravino’s makes it easy for guests to find exactly what they need to bring the flavors of Italy to their own kitchens or special events. The market offers fresh sausage and fresh pasta salad that are both made daily, along with fresh ravioli selections, fresh ricotta, prepared or frozen meatballs, tough-to-find guanciale (pork jowl), and catering entrees like lasagna, rosemary chicken, and chicken cutlets prepared with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and broccoli rabe. All 21 hoagies—like Italian, turkey, roast beef, tuna, the Porker, the Stravino special, and lots of others—are made to order with Thumann’s, Citterio, and Mortadella deli meats paired with domestic or imported cheeses. For a unique twist, look for Drunken Cheese, soaked in flavorful wines and perfect atop crackers. Beyond the savory Italian fare, Stravino’s stocks an infused olive oil and flavored balsamic bar where guests can experience the taste of nine balsamic variations and 13 olive oils before they buy.

Sweets

Stravino’s knows a thing or two about how to satisfy a sweet tooth. Traditional tiramisu never disappoints and the limoncello cake brings a burst of tart and tangy decadence. Stravino’s gelato selection features favorite flavors like tiramisu, hazelnut, pistachio, and vanilla, to name a few. The desserts change with the seasons and the holidays, of course, trading Christmastime Panettone and Pandoro tree cake for Eastertime Colomba cake, the Italian traditional Easter Dove cake. Italian cookies hailing from New York add depth to the massive dessert side of the business. Seek out the market’s traditional biscotti, seven layer “rainbow” cookies, pignoli, and amaretto cookies. Finally, among the most beloved sweets are the market’s made-to-order cannolis filled with Stravino’s own cannoli cream that come in flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, and traditional plain.

What’s the Vibe Like

On your visit to Stravino’s Italian Market, the enticing aroma of fresh cheeses and meats greet you at the door. An old-fashioned ambiance with cozy seating for 10 allows an intimate group to indulge amid the heart and soul of the Italian food scene. All the while, seemingly endless ingredients and offerings make it more than convenient to take pieces of Stravino’s home with you. You absolutely can’t miss the olive oil and balsamic bar in the front of the store, which is the first thing you’ll see after the welcoming whiff of savory Italian ingredients whets your appetite.

Q&A with Owner Carla

What do you like most about running your business here in the Lehigh Valley?
The people! We enjoy hearing stories of their hometown within or outside of the Lehigh Valley, along with tales about the culture and their family traditions. More than likely, those traditions involved food. We like to share food variations from different regions of Italy as well as hints of our own family traditions.

What is the philosophy behind your food?
We work hard to maintain our Italian culture of family sharing the freshest and finest foods around the table. Just like Nonna’s house! We enjoy hearing “this place reminds me of my Nonno and Nonna.” It makes us smile when we hear this warm remembrance of beloved family members and Italian traditions.

What makes Stravino’s stand out from other markets?
The combination of our specialty products and our knowledgeable staff. If you have any questions, anyone here could help you as far as putting a recipe together or choosing what type of olive oil or cheese to use for a dish. We truly enjoy the one-on-one contact with the customer.

Can you share a few exciting plans you have in store for the coming months or year(s)?
We plan to expand our store with a kitchen where we can prepare pizza and hot foods daily. We also want to incorporate food preparation demonstrations for small groups. Additionally, we may look to expand the seating and to make some updates to the entrance. All these improvements will be made with our guests’ best interests in mind.

What inspired you and your brother Giovanni to take over as owners of Stravino’s?
Stravino’s is a staple in the Lehigh Valley. When Don Stravino announced that he wanted to retire, we jumped at the chance to take over a business that had been around since the 1920’s.

Stravino’s Italian Market

269 5th St, Whitehall, PA
stravinositalianmarket.com
610.432.2551

Italian Chicken Cutlets with Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Pepper, and Broccoli Rabe

INGREDIENTS

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
• Frying oil or blended oil
• Fresh mozzarella
• Mancini brand roasted red peppers
• La Cerignola brand broccoli rabe (comes in jar)

DIRECTIONS

Butterfly the chicken breast. Pound the chicken thin between two pieces of wax paper. Dredge the chicken cutlets in flour, then egg, and then seasoned breadcrumbs. Fry the cutlets in oil, browning them on both sides. Drain the cutlets on a paper towel. Top them with fresh mozzarella, roasted red pepper, and broccoli rabe.

Serves 6 – 8

Stuffed Pandoro Tree

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pandoro cake
• 500 g (2 1/4 cups) Mascarpone cheese
• 150 mL (about 2/3 cup) heavy cream
• 60 g (about 2/3 cup) grated white chocolate
• For decoration: powdered sugar, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Combine the Mascarpone and heavy cream, mixing well, and then gradually add the grated white chocolate in intervals. Cut the pandoro in about 4 to 5 slices sideways and adjust each layer to create a star shape. Place the mascarpone-white chocolate mixture in between the layers. (If desired, you can also mix together mascarpone and Nutella and then alternate the layers.) Make sure you situate the layers so you have mini ledges to place your fruit on. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate with blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. This cake makes a great holiday centerpiece.

Serves 20