Italian Market Holiday Hours and Announcing Happy Hours on 9th Street!

Anthony’s Gelato

Part of the Italian Market for over 70 years. A neighborhood favorite in the Italian Market for its highest quality goods, exceptional customer service and attention to detail. A family-owned business spanning generations. Sound familiar? Well, we shouldn’t be the ONLY folks you’re thinking of…

Anthony’s Gelato, now being served at Di Bruno Brothers, shares many qualities and values with us. The Anastasio family has been a mainstay of the Italian Market for four generations, and is committed to sharing the most authentic Italian products with the public.

In 2001, Anthony’s began by selling gelato made by an Italian company. When the company decided to move back to Rome in 2007, Anthony’s purchased the company, and trained for 1 whole year with the Italian Gelato maker to ensure consistency and the highest quality, most authentic gelato. Now you can find Anthony’s Gelato all around the Philly area.

But let’s get down to it - what makes it so tasty?

Each batch of Anthony’s Gelato is made fresh to order in Chester Country, with only the finest and freshest ingredients: no additives, shelf-life enhancers, or artificial flavors. The gelato and sorbetto are both made using the “hot process” method, which involves cooking a base with either milk, eggs and sugar (for gelato) or fresh fruit, filtered water, and sugar (for sorbetto) and then allowing the base to sit for at least 12 hours to fully develop the flavors before processing. (There’s also a “cold process” which just involves adding a powder to water before processing. As Alton would say, this would NOT be good eats.) The small batches mean the utmost in flavor and texture!

Gelatos and sorbettos may taste indulgent, but gelato actually has much less fat than regular ice cream. Anthony’s Gelato has less than 6% fat, and the Sorbettos have less than 2% fat. However, since both are processed with less than 10% air (called overrun in the biz), the flavor is actually MORE rich and intense than any commercial products. Indulgent, yes; sinful, NO!

Anthony’s Gelato can be found at both our Chestnut Street and Comcast locations. What better way to break up a long, steamy summer afternoon than a sweet, icy treat that won’t kill your beach bod? Both stores carry a wide variety of flavors including Pistachio, Stracciatella, Raspberry, a killer Blood Orange Sorbetto, and my new favorite, Almond Biscotti… really, do you need any more convincing??

Click below for a printable coupon for $1 off a large gelato at Di Bruno’s Comcast!

Why America is Awesome!

(Read this article to find out how to save 20% off one of our great products).

America is a product of its heritage. A hodge-podge of hundreds of different ethnicities, religions and beliefs. The same can be said of the beers and cheeses being produced in the US. Interestingly enough, only a few true originals can be boasted of in either category despite the thousands of cheese makers and brewers operating here today. Americans have taken the recipes our grandfathers and great grandfathers brought with them and used them to keep in touch with something important - our history. There are niches and markets carved in almost every city and state across the US, allowing us to reach back in time and taste a little bit more of home. While a lot of our food and drink culture comes from our ancestors, the one binding tie that makes all the great things in our country unequivocally American is our desire and ability to make it bigger and better.

For instance, take Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA I'm drinking and the Fiscalini 18 month bandaged cheddar I'm eating right now. Both inspired by very traditional British fare. They are proudly brewed in Delaware and hand made in California, respectively. If you've never had this big beer, you're in for a surprise. This beer is continuously hopped for 90 minutes, but it's not very dry and overly puckery. This beer is balanced with a generous amount of barley and a solid malt presence. At 9% abv, it's not the kind of beer you should drink by the case, but if you want to sit back and relax with a well-crafted beer, this one's for you.

The question now is; what can be paired with a beer like that? One of my favorite is a big, unabashedly sharp and complex farmhouse cheddar. There might not be a better one for than Fiscalini. It delivers in such a big way that you'll know a good sharp cheese once you taste it. Fiscalini cheddar is much more than a one-note cheese. You get all the earthy, leathery and faintly herb and garlic notes you'd expect from a farmhouse cheddar. There's also a hint of sweetness before you feel the sides of your tongue start to tingle from the bite.

A notable fact about Fiscalini is that in 2007, it won "Best Mature Cheddar" category at the World Cheese Awards in London. This is a contest of cheddars held in the country that invented cheddar! While I have the utmost respect for cheeses from other countries, these days I'm just as likely to recommend a great American cheese, as I am a European classic. America is after all a country of dreamers and innovators, and I invite you to come to Di Bruno's and see just what America has to offer you!

To receive 20% off Fiscalini Cheddar online, enter the promotion code fisca1. To place an order click here.

Click on the image below for a printable PDF coupon to save 20% off Fiscalini Cheddar at the 1730 Chestnut Street & 9th Street locations.

Fries Done Right

By Amanda Ruzann

Pommes Frites  - Chips - Pappas Fritas.  No matter what you call them, French fries have got to be one of the most beloved foods the world around; something about that crispy, salty, starchy goodness appeals to nearly everyone.

The problem with French fries is that our standards have been lowered.  Shiny with grease?   Weeks of time and a half inch of freezer burn from when this product actually was a potato?  Does it actually taste like it ever WAS a potato?  Fries shaped like smiley faces and squiggly dos???   Heap enough salt on it and chances are, people will order it. 

NO MORE.  Do not settle for subpar fries!  Fries should be freshly cut, crispy, hot, and taste like a real potato.   

We here at Di Bruno Comcast like fries...a whole lot!  So when we began serving our fries, we knew we had to do it the right way.  We cut our fries fresh, from real potatoes.  Our fries are first blanched quickly, at a cooler temperature to release the starch, and then fried a second time, in small batches.   This ensures that you get the crispiest fries possible.

And of course, because this is Di Bruno's, we couldn't let you eat our delicious fries with just plain old ketchup (although we'll give you that if you ask nicely!)  Our chefs have come up with an array of gourmet dipping sauces like Roasted Tomato Aioli, Olive Ketchup, Wasabi Mayo and even a sauce featuring our famous Abbruzze cheese spread. The fries are delicious plain - these just take it to an amazing new gourmet level. 

So come on and try our fries here at Comcast as soon as you can... but please be warned, you'll be completely spoiled for any other French fries.  

Click on the image below for a coupon for a FREE gourmet dipping sauce with your purchase of a large fry!

It’s Comcastic!

By Amanda Ruzann

Mother Nature’s been playing tricks with us this winter. We think we’re getting a taste of the springtime to come, and then boom – back to 35 degrees, chilly, and windy. Let’s face it – we have a little while before the balmy weather we all want. When you’re done your work day, the last thing you want to be bothered with is thinking about dinner. You want to get home, put on a comfy robe and slippers, and eat a delicious gourmet meal. And we can help - we’re nice like that.

Di Bruno’s at the Comcast Center offers dinner specials every night, prepared fresh by our expert chefs. We feature entrees like Chicken Parmigiano a la Melanzana, a breaded chicken cutlet topped with fried eggplant, gooey mozzarella and marinara sauce – sure to warm you up on those winter nights. Our marinated Beef Short Ribs with a rich jus flavored with red wine and rosemary especially hit the spot when blood sugar drops to alarmingly cranky-causing levels. Add in favorite Di Bruno sides like our Artichoke Rice Pilaf, Roasted Asparagus with Truffle Oil, and Chef’s decadent Mashed Potatoes, and you have a perfect hearty dinner. We also offer all of our Prepared Foods items to bring home for dinner. And we’re open until 7:30 pm every weeknight, so even if you’re feeling creative, you can swing right by after work to grab some delicious cheeses or that special Olive Oil to finish your dish.

Another fun fact which you may not know – Di Bruno’s Comcast is open on Saturdays! If you’re headed into the city to check out the new Cezanne exhibit or to show your guests the sights of the city, why not come into Suburban Station and visit us, just next door? We offer unique lunch specials prepared by our CIA trained chef along with our full range of paninis and salads. (Insider tip: Saturdays are also great days for samples around here!)

Click on the image below to print out a coupon, good for every weekday after 4 pm and all day Saturday!

River & Glenn Duck Prosciutto, Cured to Perfection

by Angelo Colavita

Among the vast array of cured hams in the charcuterie department... Among the salami, the sausages and soppressatti... Beyond the realm of confit, rillette and foie gras, lies the tender, savory, totally organic and locally-produced Cured Duck Breast (or “duck prosciutto”) from the Warminster-based artisans at River & Glen.

Drawing from organic farms in both Bucks and Chester Counties, River & Glen use 100% heirloom Moulard Duck breast, harvested to order and cured to perfection. Compared to other “pig prosciutto”, the cure is rather light: salted for three days, then hung to dry for four weeks until they are ready to go. Each breast is handcured and rubbed with indigenous herbs which are grown and dried on-premesis. The result is an unadulterated, forward flavor of foliage up front, followed by a fruitiness found frequently in big red wines like Montepulciano, Malbec and often Merlot. Hold it on your palate, letting first its natural oils sweep you off your feet. Its tender texture and frangrance to follow beg for a bite of warm baguette. Top it off with a lighter, sweet cheese like Mozzarella di Bufula or perhaps Arina, a semi-soft goatsmilk gouda to balance out the pepper, and a light drizzle of 15-year-old Campari Balsamico di Modena, a decadent ornament for a delicate, finishing touch.

Give the River & Glenn Duck Prosciutto a chance to awaken tastebuds you never knew were there. You’ll only find it here, at Di Bruno Bros. Charcuterie. I’ll be there with samples.

God Bless America and Its Cheese

by Jordan Rock

This is a perfect time to love America. Goodness knows she needs it right now. Even during a devastating economic downturn, we can find some joy in a few things: We are about to inaugurate our first African American president. The Super Bowl is right around the corner. And most importantly (to us, at least), there is an ongoing surge in the creation of ever more interesting American cheeses.

Waning are the days when American cheesemakers attempt to imitate traditional European styles in a half-hearted attempt to sell their product on name recognition alone. An American Parmigiano can never really be Parmigiano, so why call it that? Most of the best American cheeses are what all good American things should be: a blend of their multicultural influences in a result that is wholly unique. New names are being created to reflect the creativity of the cheesemaker and to honor the mystique of a brand new cheese: Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Mixed Emotions, Bloomsday, Humboldt Fog, Hooligan, Constant Bliss. Aren’t you curious?

To pique your curiosity a bit more, we’re offering a 20% discount on all artisanal American cheeses through the rest of January (and no, that doesn’t apply to the ubiquitous loaf of salty, bland cheese we all grew up on). Come to any of our locations for a taste of our favorites. We can almost guarantee you’ll discover something new, and at a considerably lower price, there’s never been a better time to expand your palate beyond the old stand-bys.

Jordan’s All-American Cheese Plate

Contant Bliss: Raw Cow, Jasper Hill Farm, Greensboro, VT
-Though its name could simply be a description of the experience of eating it, this cheese is actually named for a revolutionary war scout killed in Greensboro, VT. Production of this small, rich and velvety round begins immediately after the cows are milked.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar: Cow, Cabot, VT
-A far cry from Cabot’s vacuum sealed blocks of cheddar found in most grocery stores, this is a small-production gem that results from a unique collaboration with the master cheesemakers at Jasper Hill Farm. Bright sharpness is complemented by light vegetal notes.

Truffle Tremor: Goat, Cypress Grove Creamery, Arcata,CA
-Celebrate the end of truffle season in style with the newest cheese from the makers of Humboldt Fog. The earthiness of black truffles is perfectly balanced with the tanginess of the soft-ripened goat’s milk.

Hooligan: Raw Cow, Cato Corner Farm, Colchester, CT
-Selected by Saveur Magazine, Slow Food USA, and this friendly DiBruno Bros. cheesemonger as one of the top American cheeses. The small rounds are washed weekly in brine and buttermilk to bring out a pleasant pungence and notes of roasted peanuts and asparagus.