A Taste of Gibbston Valley opens country’s first Pizzelle Shop in Arrowtown

Summer is coming and to celebrate A Taste of Gibbston Valley is opening New Zealand’s first specialist Pizzelle shop tomorrow Friday December 13.

The sweet Italian delicacies are the latest addition to the Gibbston Valley business.

The Pizzelle Shop will feature traditional pastries and cold pressed iced coffee served as takeaway-style treats to enjoy on the go.

Located on Buckingham Street next to A Taste of Gibbston Valley, the Pizzelle Shop will offer chocolate and vanilla flavoured pizzelles served in various styles, perfect for enjoying on a summer afternoon in historic Arrowtown.

Pronounced with a ‘ts’ sound, like "pizza," pizzelles are thought to have originated in ancient times to mark annual celebrations.

Believed to be the oldest cookie in Italy, the word pizzelle means small, flat and round, much like a pizza.

According to Italian legend in 700 BC snakes infested Abruzzo in southern central Italy. After they were banished the townspeople celebrated by eating pizzelle and to this day they are eaten to celebrate the Festival of the Snakes, now known as the Feast Day of San Domenico.

Pizzelles are made by pouring a batter into a pizzelle iron, a small version of a waffle iron. Along with cooking the batter, the iron also imprints a snowflake-like pattern.

Once cooked the pizzelles can be flattened, rolled into a tube (like a cannoli) or moulded into another shape before they cool and harden. The end result is a crisp, sweet, exquisite-looking and delicately-flavoured Italian biscuit.

The Pizzelles will be made to order and available in four different styles; traditional - a stack of four flat pizzelle biscuits, cannolis - pizzelles that have been rolled into tubes and filled with a choice of two fillings, tart – a flat pizzelle served with a layer of rich mascarpone cheese custard topped with fresh seasonal fruit, or sandwich – a choice of vanilla or chocolate served as a sandwich with a choice of three fillings.

Gibbston Valley Winery Executive Chef Mark Sage has developed a special pizzelle recipe for the Arrowtown shop featuring locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients.

“It’s fantastic that we can bring a piece of Italian history to historic Arrowtown. We fully embrace our town’s heritage and so to be able to make these fabulous and historically significant delights is a privilege,” he said.

“Pizzelles are hugely popular in Italy and are synonymous with summer. Coupled with a refreshing iced coffee it’s the perfect way to spend a warm summer afternoon strolling around the town absorbed in its history.”

Pizzelles and iced coffee will be handmade on site daily from 11am to 4pm.

Gibbston Valley’s expansion in Arrowtown is part of the company’s “Good Wine. Good Food. Good Living.” concept.

Inspired by the winery’s focus on providing locals and visitors with a premium experience, it showcases the region’s best locally-sourced and natural ingredients, whether it’s fine wine or gourmet food items.   

Gibbston Valley Winery CEO Greg Hunt said the last 12 months had been a “phenomenal and exciting time” in the company’s history.

“It’s certainly been a year of growth for Gibbston Valley Winery. “The launch of the Pizzelle Shop is part of the next phase and it perfectly complements everything we stand for as a business. It’s a great way to end a fantastic year.”

Within the last year Gibbston Valley Winery also launched its Vintner’s Kitchen experience in Gibbston and opened the hugely popular Rabbit Ridge Bike Resort as a joint venture with Around the Basin.

Gibbston Valley Winery recently won three Pure Gold Medals, including a fourth straight Pure Gold for its premium 2012 School House Single Vineyard Pinot Noir at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

“We’ve had an overwhelmingly successful year and we can’t wait for 2014 to unveil yet more exciting projects,” said Mr Hunt.

TWEET IT: A Taste of @GibbstonValley brings Italian pastries to Arrowtown with the opening of its new Pizzelle Shop, just in time for summer.