I have always been passionate about food and its origin, all things France and Julia Child. Travel tugs at my heart, luring me to new places where I can feast my eyes and senses, taste local foods -mostly via the open air markets- explore ancient sites and listen and learn from stories told by its people. Thus, the reason for beginning this blog…
My friend Roberto, musician, teacher and lover of food, especially Italian, came to visit last weekend. He brought us the best gift. He cooked for us! Did I mention Roberto is Sicilian? His recipes are not what you would find in any restaurant and probably rarely what would be published in a trendy cooking magazine. They are true-to-the-culture dishes that are a bit out there and really pushed my culinary boundaries. Skeptical as you may be, this recipe is so delicious, your stomach will be begging for seconds, as mine did.
Pasta Con Le Sarde, or Pasta with Sardines, is a representative dish of Sicily from Palermo. What makes this dish so interesting is its Arab influence and how the middle eastern ingredients found their way into Sicily’s culinary history. Examples of this are raisins, pine nuts and saffron included in this pasta.
Roberto told me of his mother and aunt making Pasta Con Le Sarde for family dinners. He fell in love with his first taste of the dish even as a young child. As he grew older, and eventually moved to California, Roberto became more interested in the food and ingredients of his homeland. To help with the surges of homesickness most foreigners experience, he began cooking from a cookbook of ancient Sicilian recipes he brought with him from Sicily. Here is the recreation of the recipe he fondly remembers.
The beauty of this dish is that you can have a few things going at once and while they simmer, sit down and enjoy a glass of wine.
This recipe will not spell out exact measurements because Roberto made it off the top of his head. Still, it is easy to create and this dish is not an exact science! Serves an army or about 4 hungry diners.
1cupraisinssoaked in warm water to soften, then drained
1/2cuppinenutstoasted
generous pinch saffron
Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sauté the onion in the olive oil with the anchovies.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt.
Add the chopped fennel fronds and boil for about 45 minutes or until very tender and soft.
As the onions cook and soften, add spoonfuls of the fennel water to the mixture to keep it moist.
When the fennel is cooked, strain it out of the water using a slotted spoon and add it to the onion mix.
Do not discard the water! This water will be used to boil the pasta.
Add the pasta to the boiling fennel water and cook until just al dente or firm to the teeth.
Meanwhile, to the fennel onion mix, stir in the sardines, raisins, pine nuts and finally the saffron.
Gently stir in the cooked pasta and coat it with the fennel sauce.
Use olive oil, we prefer the Lemon Extra Virgin, to coat a 6 quart baking dish. Pour in the pasta mixture. Generously drizzle the entire dish with lemon extra virgin olive oil, about 2 Tablespoons.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.
In Italy, Roberto uses wild fennel, Finnochio Rizzo, that he gathers from the side of the road.The marriage.The nose is telling Roberto how many more sardines to add. The sardines smooth out the strong flavor of the fennel. Of course, in Sicily, fresh sardines are used.The finishing touch – generous drizzles of Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
So, how many of you will attempt this dish? It is quite tasty, not fishy and flavorful to a fault.
“And anyone who has once known this land (Sicily) can never be quite free from the nostalgia for it.” D. H. Lawrence
Tomato sauce recipes are ubiquitous. Ask your friends and they will all have their own versions which most cling to like a plum pit. If you grow your own tomatoes like I do, you want to do something really special with your precious harvest.
San Marzanos in abundance!
This year I am growing Italian San Marzano heirloom tomatoes. Originating from the town of San Marzano sul Sarno in southern Italy near Naples, they are a prized Italian treasure. You can usually find the canned version in specialty stores but rarely will you see them in the fresh fruit section of the grocery stores or even at Farmer’s Markets. They are a smaller, more elongated version of an American plum tomato or Roma, with a thick pulp and low acidity which makes them perfect for preserving. As if overnight, about five pounds of them ripened simultaneously in my garden. It was time to can.
How did I decide on what kind of sauce to make with these coveted tomatoes? I consulted my library of traditional Italian cookbooks from Giuliano Buglialli to Ada Boni. The suggestions ranged from complex to simple. From my travels in Italy, I know that the true Italian version of “sugo di pomodoro” or tomato sauce is not to embellish it with too many flavors. The intention is to keep it simple so the tang of the tomato can shine. I liked Bugialli’s technique of simplicity so improvised with my own twist.
Handful of basil chiffonadethinly sliced basil leaves
Method
Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.
Place in a deep saucepan.
Stir in Garlic Olive Oil
Stir in basil. The basil helps bring out the flavor of the tomato.
Cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until juice is released and tomatoes break down. This took about 2 hours.
The finished sauce, thick and juicy and delectable.
Most people will pass it through a food mill to eliminate the skins and seeds. Not me. I am ok with seeing and eating the entire fruit. You can either pour it over hot pasta and sprinkle with parmesan or preserve it by canning like I did. Instead of placing my jars in a water bath and sealing my cans, I opt to freeze my sauce in the jars. It lasts nicely, keeps its vibrant red color and is easy!
Yield: About 6+ cups of sauce. I could just eat it with a spoon out of the jar.
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” ― Miles Kington
Color is the theme of this vibrant and hearty side dish that delivers both bold flavors and textures. Reminiscent of something Italian, it is the picture-perfect picnic dish. Using a mandoline or vegetable slicer will make quick work of prepping the veggies. Be sure to slice them thinly, 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick, or you will be waiting forever for it to finish cooking. I used my herbal olive oils from The Virtuous Olive, to really push the flavors. It’s ok to use different veggies from the ones I chose. This is delicious hot or cold. Just paint your palette and be prepared for rave reviews!
1-2tsp.chopped fresh herbsthyme, basil, parsley or your choice or use herbs de Provence
salt
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8 X 10" pan. The size of the pan is not important. If you are feeding a crowd, use a larger pan and prep more veggies.
Toss veggies lightly in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Layer zucchini slices along the side of the pan. Sprinkle with garlic, scatter the herbs and lightly salt. Repeat layering with tomatoes, garlic, herbs and salt, then the eggplant, garlic, herbs and salt. Continue layering until you've reached the end of the pan. If there are gaps, like I had in mine, roll up thin slices of zucchini and tomato to form mini roses. They serve a purpose and look pretty too. Drizzle entire dish with Bel Tocco Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Bake for 1 hour or until veggies are soft but not soggy. Let cool and serve either warm or cold.
This story is re-published from a July 2015 post. It is the perfect way to use those fresh, summer veggies.
“Summer night– even the stars are whispering to each other.” — Kobayashi Issa
How can you not help falling in love with birds? Every morning as I write, I gaze into a wonderland of constant fluttering and tune into their radio station. Finches share the seed feeder with mourning doves, pigeons and even crows. If a hummingbird isn’t drinking from my bottle of homemade sugar syrup, it’s sucking nectar from my wild and overgrown purple salvia, and the bountiful orange and lemon blossoms. Occasionally, a hawk visits. When this happens, a hush comes over my garden and life freezes. Clans of wild parrots swoop in just to shake things up, with their bright green flash of feathers and loud squawking alerting the neighborhood that they have arrived.
Nyjer seed breakfast. Yum.
Many days I wish I could join them, dipping and soaring, watching the world anonymously. I would enter another realm, and embrace that sense of freedom and exploration wings provide. Oh to dream!
I couldn’t help sharing this gorgeous creation of nature.
Although my garden is not unique, I feel like I have created an environment for a multi-cultural group of winged species who harmoniously co-habitate. How can we capture this state of being and use it as a model for we humans? I think a good place to start is to close our eyes to color and size, and focus on sharing more of our real, vulnerable selves. What are your ideas?
Ciao and take flight to your dreams,
Mary
“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.” ― Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds: Fifty-four Variations on Voice
Today’s breakfast! Granola topped fruit and yogurt.
Olive oil? In granola? Certo! (Certainly!) This idea offered to me by my sister-in-law Mirna, was worth exploring. I’ve made plenty of granola in the past and recently started craving it with my morning yogurt and fruit. A quick label read at the local healthy grocery store revealed that every single brand on the shelf from medium-priced to expensive all contained canola oil. As a canola oil rebel, I was disgusted that all these companies creating so-called nutritious and healthy cereals would be reluctant to add anything other than canola! Yes, I realize that canola oil has its benefits for some but I choose to eliminate it from my diet – GMO’s, pesticides, high heat processing – you get the picture. When the suggestion was made to substitute olive oil for canola oil, at first I suspected it might have a flavor incongruent to the cinnamon and maple syrup in the granola. I took the chance anyway. The results – the best granola I have ever made. I used my Galantino medium fruity EVOO but think it would be extraordinary with lemon or mandarin oil as well. The granola cooks at a very low temperature so the oil remains stable and holds onto all its health benefits. Because the ingredients in granola are personal, feel free to substitute your own favorite nuts or fruits. I love coconut and feel this adds the amount of sweetness I like. One trick I’ve learned over the years is to add the nuts and coconut nearing the end of the baking time so they do not over-toast. I stir in the dried fruit when the granola has cooled. So for you brave hearts that try this delicious snack, please send me a comment and let me know how you liked it. I think it will make a great nibble at work!
1Tablespooncinnamon I used a bit more and love King Arthur’s Vietnamese Cinnamon
3/4teaspoonsalt
1/2cupextra virgin olive oil
1/2cupmaple syrup
1cupnuts: I used 1/2 cup slivered almonds and 1/2 cup pecans
3/4cupdried fruit of your choice: I used dried cherriesgolden raisins, dried cranberries, and dried blueberries
3/4cupsweetened or unsweetened coconut or as I just discoveredcoconut chips
A sprinkling of chia or flax seeds is nice too.
Method
Mix together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine the olive oil and maple syrup.
Pour olive oil/syrup mixture over oats and stir to combine well.
Pour out onto a 13 X 18 baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I do this so the pan stays cleaner! You can also use two smaller cookie sheets. If you use two cookie sheets, the layers are thinner so watch carefully as it will cook faster.
Bake for about 2 hours or until desired crunchiness and well-browned. Stir every 20 minutes to evenly brown.
Just before the granola is finished, stir in the coconut and nuts and cook just until browned.
Cool and stir in the dried fruit of your choice.
This granola is not clumpy. If you prefer it clumpy, give it a gentle stir in the beginning and then allow pieces to stick together.
A word of caution: Do not be tempted to increase the heat to cook the granola faster. I did this the last time I made it and it burned very quickly!
“The olive tree is such a beautiful reminder that this isn’t how it’s going to be forever. On the other side of the harsh wind is fruit. On the other side of the process of being broken and waiting is a useful heart free of bitterness. On the other side of being pressed and crushed is oil . . . the most valuable part of me set free to emerge.”
The delicate beauty of the rich orange pomegranate flower always amazes me. My tree this year, its third, is flush with flowers which means lots of fruit this fall!
Sometimes neglect yields great surprises. My garden is my sanctuary and I feel very disconnected when I am not able to spend time weeding and cultivating. These times when I feel so overwhelmed by life, my friend Mother Nature steps in as if to say, “I’ve taken care of your garden for you so you can catch your breath.” This seems to be a frequent occurrence in my land of fruits and vegetables.
Handfuls of mini, almost wild-like strawberries suddenly propagated prolifically in their fertile home.
The month of March entered and left so quickly that when I finally took time yesterday to purge the lettuce gone to seed, I was able to take a closer look at the activity. It was as if a magic spell was cast upon my garden and my fairy godmother left behind a few things to surprise me.
A layer of gravel lays between my raised garden beds. It’s not unusual for random weeds to pop up and survive in this bone dry rocky dirt. Over the weeks, I watched as unusual “weeds” randomly sprouted. I did not pull them out, thinking they might be dandelions. Yesterday their identity was revealed – they are Italian Chicory from last winter’s garden. How amazing that they rooted themselves in gravel, amid serious neglect and are now growing tall dark green stems! Even though I am surprised, these guys found a place to camp that mirrors their native southern Italy with its dry, arid weather. This was one of my favorite plants last year as it finished off its cycle with profuse periwinkle blue blossoms that continued to bloom into May. These squatters can stay as long as they like.
I would never have guessed that Italian Chicory could survive in a land of gravel.
The leaves of my hidden beets are so pretty, I admired them, (and ate their leafy green tops all winter) longer than I should have. As I finally plucked them from the earth, they emerged as veggies on steroids, at least twice their normal size. Lesson learned. These will be pickling beets – ginger pickled – to be enjoyed for weeks to come.
Heirloom beets with an attitude!
As I made my way to the back fence to check on my grapes, all I could do was gasp. My severe pruning last fall paid off and now the vines are reaching over the fence. The best surprise – teeny, tiny clusters of lime green infant grapes clinging to the tendrils! It was as if they grew a foot overnight. Summer fruits awaits.
I love the delicious green grape leaves that will soon decorate the length of my fence.
It’s time to plant tomatoes and I am in love once again! Thank you my gardening fairy godmother for continuing to keep me dazzled and inspired.
“However many years she lived, Mary always felt that ‘she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow’.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Several mornings a week, Sparky and I hike the trails overlooking the ocean near my home. Scrub brush and a few old shedding eucalyptus trees line the pathway. Each day I choose a fallen brown parchment leaf that speaks to me and represents how I feel and determines the mood for my day. Somedays it’s a leaf with torn edges when my knees are acting up. Somedays it’s a large broad leaf that shouts, “Think big! Dare to be bold!”
Further along the path, a transplanted old stump sits upright beckoning daily hikers to adorn it with rocks and twigs in a balancing act. My usual contribution is one of my chosen leaves which I think look like wings and encourages me to fly. This representation of accumulated nature seems to say, “Don’t let anybody knock you off your path!”
This morning I was feeling a little blue so wanted to find a greener leaf as a sign of newness and rebirth. It seems almost as quickly as the leaves fall, they turn brown with age. How quickly life passes… Only one wilting green trio was in sight. I picked it up along with a lanky, slightly curvy dark leaf and walked them to the “pillar of strength.” I carefully tucked the leaves among the balancing rocks and whispered a prayer for lightness and flexibility in my life. As I proceeded down the trail, there was a spring in my step and a release of tension. A team of 20 pelicans glides in front of me, their gentle strength and synchronicity with nature reminding me to embrace life with grace and not to flap so hard. A new day has begun and I am here enjoying the solitude of nature and salty ocean breezes. How can life be any better?
Sparky enjoying a few moments of reflection at his favorite spot further down the trail.
“Everything you can imagine is real.” ― Pablo Picasso
My aunt Barb is a baker. Not just a home baker; she owned a bakery and can recite a recipe for a cake without blinking an eye. That is why, when she came for a visit, my task was to make for her a birthday cake that was so extraordinary she would be speechless. I think that’s what I did!
In perusing cake recipes, I came upon something that was more like a fruit-filled cake and pie combination. I had never seen anything like it and knew instantly that this was THE perfect cake. The combination of thin layers of lemon cake, lemon cream filling, whipped cream and meringue were making my mouth water.
My beautiful aunt Barb enjoying her birthday cake.
Nigella Lawson created this recipe. She gets all the credit.
Even though there are several steps, I promise it is not complicated. Do not worry about how the layers look after they are baked. After you assemble them, the cake comes together neatly and cuts like a dream. The cake lasts for about four days in the refrigerator. The only change I made was to use a bit more lemon cream for a thicker layer of tartness. This recipe sings of sweet, tart, crunchy (meringue) and soft. It has been added to my repertoire of celebratory cakes and is a keeper.
All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt! Lucy Van Pelt In Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz.
What is your heart’s desire? When I ask myself this question, the first thing that comes to mind is, “love, always love.” Rather than one specific “love,” I desire this love be spread out over my family, Sparky, my friends and my garden. Of course we all have secret wishes and desires. These drive our dreams and goals. Everyone craves reciprocating love. It’s a fact of nature. For this moment I will reciprocate and share with you a recipe that will stir passion in your loved one. Instead of creating something exotic this month of Love, I turned to a basic comfort food – pudding, chocolate of course. Pudding seems like such a muddled word for this dessert that brings so much love and warmth into a kitchen. The late Richard Sax devised a recipe called Double-Chocolate Pudding that is a snap to make. So irresistible and luscious, I have made it twice this week. I prefer eating it still slightly warm and when I served it this way to my mom and aunt, the spoons were the only ones talking, their metal scraping every last morsel of dreaminess out of the ceramic dishes. The creamy, not-too-sweet, chocolate velvet temptation conjured up sweet childhood memories of begging to lick the bowl. Whatever it is your heart desires, I wish this for you. My heart’s desire – just one more spoonful of chocolate pudding!
Candle light, moon light, star light, The brightest glow is from love light. Grey Livingston
I have just received the greatest gift – The gift of time. This opportunity in time came in the form of sharing my house with my mom for nearly five months while her kitchen was being remodeled. I write about time, talk about time, obsess over time, and wish for more time. In this case, I am ever-grateful for this precious time spent with my mom.
We ate breakfast and dinner together, shared our days, joys and frustrations. We learned how to be sensitive to each other’s feelings and how to fine tune the balance in sharing space. We giggled as we watched Saturday Night Live together, between snoozes. The best part – I learned a lot more about her and what made her who she is through her stories of past times. In the meantime, we bonded deeply. Her breadth of wisdom and ability to see beyond and over the rainbow kept me grounded. I am in awe of her strength through difficult times and wish I had more of it. If you ever want someone on your side, who believes in you to the end of time, that would be my Mom.
Everyday I held onto this time, securing it in my heart for future reflection. As time happens, her house is now ready and it’s time for her to move out. It reminds me of when I left my family home for college. We both procrastinated, knowing the inevitable would be difficult for both of us. It’s been one of the most fun five months of my life – like a long slumber party with your best girlfriend. As much as most women want their own identity and do not want to be just like their mothers, when I look into her clear blue eyes and see the beauty of her soul, I want to be more like her.
Thanks Mom for being the best roommate, soul sister, friend and confidant a girl could ask for. I am in love with time spent with you!
“When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself.” -Nancy Friday
Ciao for now. The next few weeks will bring recipes of lemons and chocolate!
What does our moon and my garden have in common? A lot it seems due to a recent enlightenment. One of my goals this year is to improve my gardening skills. I’ve been a hit or miss gardener the last couple of years. What I mean is that I plant seeds and seedlings in the spring and winter when I have a free weekend and good weather. Most of my plantings have been successful but a few of my major and much anticipated veggies have been thwarted and delivered less than spectacular results. For instance last year my tomatoes were non-existent and my beets struggled. I could not figure out what had gone wrong except for our excessively hot summer. A recent gift of a calendar that utilizes the moon cycles to determine the best times to plant is my new guide. Did I plant my tomatoes in a “no plant” moon cycle? Here’s how it works.
When a moon is “waxing” or growing, it is signaling a time to plant and grow. A “waning” moon tells us to slow down and let the energy of our garden go underground. This is a time of maintenance and in certain quarters of this waning moon, a time to plant root (underground) vegetables like potatoes, turnips, beets, onions and garlic.
Healthy broccoli. I looked back on when they were planted and the timing was right!
There’s a bit more to this than meets the eye. Each waxing or waning moon has “quarters” to decide in which week to plant or weed. My calendar specifies these days as well as times to fertilize and prune trees. Although, to you nay-sayers, this might seem a bit far-fetched, I urge you to consult with the Farmer’s Almanac which has been around since 1792, and is calculated based on ancient Greek celestial events and weather. The 2015 Farmer’s Almanac coincides with my calendar exactly!
These are the healthiest and most beautiful beet greens I have ever grown. Just had to share.
I’ll chart and post my successes or failures for this year and at the end of 2015 will evaluate the validity of this method of gardening. For now, it just seems like the right thing to do and a lot of fun too!
May your garden grow with abundance!
Love, Mary
P.S. Many garden stores carry moon cycle planting calendars that are specific to your location. The Farmer’s Almanac is also a great resource.
Le Croquembouche. A cream puff tree glazed with spun sugar and snow-capped with powdered sugar. It is as delicious as it is beautiful.
The Winter Solstice called to me to celebrate its commencement and what better way to honor this day than with a party for dear friends who have enriched my life. These gatherings always lighten my spirit and give me an excuse to create good food with maybe one show stopper. Pots of minestrone bubbled on the stove and guests filled my table with favorite dips, dishes and warm cocktails. Yes, by “warm cocktails” I mean hot apple cider, laced with Tuaca, an Italian vanilla and citrus liqueur, and garnished with whipped cream and cinnamon. A perfect holiday beverage.
The need to create something beautiful nudged my cooking muse. With sentimentality taking over, I decided on a dessert that my mom made long ago for our annual Christmas Eve open house. Enter Le Croquembouche. This masterpiece is a pièce montée or mounted piece of filled cream puffs glued together with caramelized sugar and piled high into a tower or tree. It is a work of love as it does take many hours and steps of preparation.
It starts with mini choux puffs of dough, piped onto a cookie sheet and baked until puffed and crisp.The baked puffs, golden and ready to be filled with pastry cream.Using a pastry bag, I fill the choux puffs with Grand Marnier infused pastry cream. Divine.
The creator of the croquembouche, French for “crunch in the mouth,” is Antoine Careme, who lived from 1784-1833. Careme was the most esteemed French chef of his time with a penchant for architecture, often creating replicas of Turkish Mosques, Gothic towers and other extravaganzas out of nougatine and cooked sugar. His Turkish Fez form became the shape that is most popular today. Little did I know that my Christmas tree croquembouche originated as a hat!
The puffs are first dipped in carmelized sugar, then carefully placed on the mold we made of foil-covered styrofoam.
Croquembouches are also a typical French wedding cake. The story dates back centuries when honey cakes were brought to the bride and groom. The cakes were stacked high and the couple had to kiss over the cakes without toppling them to insure a long life together and many children. Careme’s hard sugar-coating stabilized the stack thus increasing the chance that bride and groom would live happily ever after.
Even though it can be daunting to decide how to eat the croquembouche, I just encourage my guests to pull each puff off the tree with their fingers and pop the sugar-crunched pastries into their mouth. It’s a community nosh!
Dig in!
I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Buon Natale & Joyeux Noël!
Alley cat lounging on a car hood. Check out her reflection. Bella.
I wrote this in late September in Lucca, Italy while listening to an intense thunderstorm. As much as I wanted to include a photo of rain, I could not find one in my photo library, hence this interesting cat. It’s funny how we always want it to be sunny for our photos. I have learned a lesson and will now document rain or shine! Enjoy my first experiment with prose.
Wednesday, 7:30am
The Rain Storm
The sky roars waking the earth with its thunderous baritone. Rain soon arrives pelting the ground with fierce intention. Softer yet deeper rumblings vocalize, then echo as they fade across the universe. Gentle and steady cascades the water, like a summer waterfall. A single “boom” and flash of light signals its cloud bursts must continue. Another long, drawn out tenor note fills the fresh air leaving a lingering stillness. How I love to be surprised with these arias of song on this otherwise ordinary morning.
Once upon a time you meet people who forever change your life. Mattia and Michelle did just that. What originated as friends of friends, blossomed into a friendship and an Italian experience I will never forget and for which I will always be grateful. Both seriously talented opera singers, Mattia and Michelle shared their home and lives with me for 11 days this fall in Lucca, Italy. Besides their accomplished opera careers, they’re both amazing chefs, whipping up last-minute meals out of nowhere. And this is where my story begins…
Lucca, Italy 26 settembre 2014
It’s 7:00pm on a Friday night. Michelle and Mattia are throwing a dinner party and guests are due to arrive at 8pm. I volunteer to bring the chicken, so before heading home, stop at a small family owned negozio di pollo, a shop that sells poultry. I tell the macellaio, butcher, how many people we are serving and without asking, trims the fat, debones and then portions the chicken, all while giving me cooking advice. The bird pieces are carefully wrapped in paper, the shop keeper, with a smile, generously tucking in seasonings of fresh rosemary and sage, herbs that show up frequently in Tuscan kitchens. Oh the charm of such exquisite customer service!
I arrive home to an empty and quiet apartment. Tick tock tick tock. Now it’s 8pm and no sign of Mattia or Michelle. A quick call reveals they have met an old opera friend at the Oratorio who has gifted them with singing lessons. Our guests have been notified that the party will now begin at 8:30. With a sense of calm, and very little prep done, Mattia and Michelle arrive home with joy in their hearts ready to prepare the dinner. The three of us work in perfect harmony, like a concerto, to produce a beautiful meal in 45 minutes! These two are now my role models for entertaining! Here’s what we cooked.
Infused with lemon, rosemary and sage, the chicken begins its journeyMattia teaches me the Lucchese way to cookMichelle, a native of Australia, prepares her specialty, Apple CrumbleA grating of fresh parmesan finishes the first course of pastaAngela has a kitchen chat with MattiaIl secondo. Tuscan chickenA little vino, and charming company create the perfect ambianceMouth-watering apple crumble, Aussie-styleAfter dinner, Mattia shares his vintage record collection played on a gramophone. We loved the music and his singing!Frank Sinatra inspires a dance
The evening ended with singing, of course, Michelle and Mattia at the piano, serenading us with Phantom of the Opera favorites. A night to remember!
Check out Mattia and Michelle’s website Lucca Opera Festival and when you are in Lucca, be sure to go to a concert to hear them sing!
My lesson for this day is to let the magic happen, and it will when you decide to just go with the flow!
It’s been a busy month and I am happy to announce that my new enterprise, The Virtuous Olive is up and running. The shop is stocked with fruity oils, natural and flavored. My goal is to bring a taste of the true Italy to your table. These photos are from La Fenice, Galantino’s personal olive estate near beautiful Bisceglie where I visited this last month.
Picking Nolce, or the new olivesThe chili peppers used for the Peperocino olive oilA very old olive tree living the good life at La Fenice
I hope you visit my site! There is something for everyone’s taste, I promise. I will be back next Wednesday with more tales from my recent trip to Italy so stay tuned.
La Vendemmia means the harvest, in this case of the Campetti’s beautiful vines near Lucca
Every day in Lucca gets better and better. Mattia’s family invited me to partake in La Vendemmia, an annual event, in late September and early October, to harvest grapes for wine. I feel privileged, and lucky, to share in this day long celebration of family, food and friends.
Harvesting grapes is just as much fun as it is work. Michelle and Nicola crack me up!
The vineyards are on Frederico and Simonetta’s property, Carpineta Ranch, a beautiful 20 minute ride from Lucca. The drive follows narrow and winding roads up the hills where the vistas get wider, deeper and so visually stimulating that I become hypnotized, my eyes drinking, like parched desert, the equally balanced green and stone cropping of old churches and houses. A visual feast.
Welcome to Carpineta Ranch!
When we arrive, Angela, a friend of the family, is busy making a wood fire for cooking the lunch. It is a deep oven, large enough to fit four-foot pieces of wood and to create intense heat.
The master fire cook Angela
The sky is blue and the air is warm. I tuck my feet into a pair of rubber boots, grab the clippers and off I go. We clip like mirrors. One person cuts clusters on one side of a row and the other clips facing them, insuring that all the grapes are found. Sometimes my mirror partner is Michelle and we chat away; sometimes it is Alberto, and we clip in silence, exchanging glances and mm’s as we taste the juiciness of the grapes. A giant bucket lies nearby ready to be filled. The clipping is rhythmic and before I know it, my bucket is bursting with the purple jewels.
Michelle showing off an exceptional cluster.
The buckets are loaded onto a tractor and Frederico transports them to his wine-making shed.
Frederico with our pick is off to unload the precious cargo into the vats
A metal crusher sits at the entrance, pushing the grapes through, expelling the stems and leaves.
Into the crusher for the first stages of wine making
The red pulp, skins, seeds and all, is immediately pumped into large vats where they will rest for five days to soak up the color of the skins and ferment. The white grapes are crushed, then poured into an ancient wooden slat barrel where they are hand pressed. This barrel sits on a platform and has slits at the bottom to catch the juice as it flows into a large bucket. Pressing the grapes to release the juice is an art form and a labor of love. One must use a very long smooth wooden stick to carefully push down through the grapes, along the side of the barrel. If the push is too strong, juice will spill over the side, wasting valuable soon-to-be wine.
Mattia hand presses the white grapes to release the juiceI give it a go. It’s not easy!
The stickiness of the grape juice permeates my skin. Following tradition, the cool pool refreshes sweaty bodies.
Revitalizing!A tavola!
“Pronto” calls Simonetta. Pranzo (lunch) is ready. This is the best part! A long table under the pergola is neatly set with green dishes.
Ummmmm
Simonetta arrives at the table with a huge pan of baked pasta. Fantastico doesn’t even begin to describe it. Pasta is tossed with ragu and poured into a baking pan. Bechamel sauce anoints the top and swirled into the pasta. A sprinkling of Parmigiano and finally a thin layer of a butter crust coats the entire pasta dish. This bakes just until the crust browns and the inner pasta is hot. Wow.
The art of wood fired food
Angela now leaves the table to remove the rest of the dinner from the fire.The food could not be fresher. Tomatoes, potatoes, the chicken and cannellini beans are all grown on Angela and Carlo’s nearby farm. This is such a treat I must pinch myself!
Plates are whisked away to make room for the dolce. How can I possibly fit any more into my swelling belly?
A yogurt cake and pine nut semifreddo appear on the table and Frederico does the honors of cutting portions and plating. Another perfect complement of desserts. i eat it all. Cafe is the finishing touch. Is it nap time yet?
Mattia donning a recently shed snake-skin. Eek. I hope we don’t run into any with the skin on!Frederico’s artful transformation of a hunchback tree trunk. Her name is Bess and she resides at the bottom of the hill. Bellisimo!Frederico and his best mate Fiori
After a stroll in the woods to hunt for porcini mushrooms, which had recently been plucked by someone a step ahead of us, it really was nap time. Comfortable cots line the pool and the warm sun seduces us into relaxation.
The light softens as the sun begins its descent into the hills. Colors intensify. An ancient church on the hill is distinctly visible against the darker green of the hills. A pumpkin colored home pops out against the landscape. I love this dream of Tuscany. Or Paradiso as Mattia calls it. Another perfect day among new friends. I could not be more grateful.
La Vendemmia means the harvest, in this case of the Campetti’s beautiful vines near Lucca.
Every day in Lucca gets better and better. Mattia’s family invited me to partake in La Vendemmia, an annual event, in late September and early October, to harvest grapes for wine. I feel privileged, and lucky, to share in this day long celebration of family, food and friends.
Harvesting grapes is just as much fun as it is work. Michelle and Nicola crack me up!
The vineyards are on Frederico and Simonetta’s property, Carpineta Ranch, a beautiful 20 minute ride from Lucca. The drive follows narrow and winding roads up the hills where the vistas get wider, deeper and so visually stimulating that I become hypnotized, my eyes drinking, like parched desert, the equally balanced green and stone cropping of old churches and houses. A visual feast.
Welcome to Carpineta Ranch!
When we arrive, Angela, a friend of the family, is busy making a wood fire for cooking the lunch. It is a deep oven, large enough to fit four-foot pieces of wood and to create intense heat.
The master fire cook Angela.
The sky is blue and the air is warm. I tuck my feet into a pair of rubber boots, grab the clippers and off I go. We clip like mirrors. One person cuts clusters on one side of a row and the other clips facing them, insuring that all the grapes are found. Sometimes my mirror partner is Michelle and we chat away; sometimes it is Alberto, and we clip in silence, exchanging glances and mm’s as we taste the juiciness of the grapes. A giant bucket lies nearby ready to be filled. The clipping is rhythmic and before I know it, my bucket is bursting with the purple jewels.
Michelle showing off an exceptional cluster.
The buckets are loaded onto a tractor and Frederico transports them to his wine-making shed.
Frederico with our pick is off to unload the precious cargo into the vats.
A metal crusher sits at the entrance, pushing the grapes through, expelling the stems and leaves.
Into the crusher for the first stages of wine making.
The red pulp, skins, seeds and all, is immediately pumped into large vats where they will rest for five days to soak up the color of the skins and ferment. The white grapes are crushed, then poured into an ancient wooden slat barrel where they are hand pressed. This barrel sits on a platform and has slits at the bottom to catch the juice as it flows into a large bucket. Pressing the grapes to release the juice is an art form and a labor of love. One must use a very long smooth wooden stick to carefully push down through the grapes, along the side of the barrel. If the push is too strong, juice will spill over the side, wasting valuable soon-to-be wine.
Mattia hand presses the white grapes to release the juice.I give it a go. It’s not easy!
The stickiness of the grape juice permeates my skin. Following tradition, the cool pool refreshes sweaty bodies.
Revitalizing!A tavola!
“Pronto” calls Simonetta. Pranzo (lunch) is ready. This is the best part! A long table under the pergola is neatly set with green dishes.
Ummmmm.
Simonetta arrives at the table with a huge pan of baked pasta. Fantastico doesn’t even begin to describe it. Pasta is tossed with ragu and poured into a baking pan. Bechamel sauce anoints the top and swirled into the pasta. A sprinkling of Parmigiano and finally a thin layer of a butter crust coats the entire pasta dish. This bakes just until the crust browns and the inner pasta is hot. Wow.
The art of wood fired food.
Angela now leaves the table to remove the rest of the dinner from the fire.The food could not be fresher. Tomatoes, potatoes, the chicken and cannellini beans are all grown on Angela and Carlo’s nearby farm. This is such a treat I must pinch myself!
Plates are whisked away to make room for the dolce. How can I possibly fit any more into my swelling belly?
A yogurt cake and pine nut semifreddo appear on the table and Frederico does the honors of cutting portions and plating. Another perfect complement of desserts. i eat it all. Cafe is the finishing touch. Is it nap time yet?
Mattia donning a recently shed snake-skin. Eek. I hope we don’t run into any with the skin on!Frederico’s artful transformation of a hunchback tree trunk. Her name is Bess and she resides at the bottom of the hill. Bellisimo!Frederico and his best mate Fiori.
After a stroll in the woods to hunt for porcini mushrooms, which had recently been plucked by someone a step ahead of us, it really was nap time. Comfortable cots line the pool and the warm sun seduces us into relaxation.
Even Buck is sleepy.
The light softens as the sun begins its descent into the hills. Colors intensify. An ancient church on the hill is distinctly visible against the darker green of the hills. A pumpkin colored home pops out against the landscape. I love this dream of Tuscany. Or Paradiso as Mattia calls it. Another perfect day among new friends. I could not be more grateful.
My visit to Galantino in Puglia, Italy, was a composition of olive oil familiarization, in-depth visits to Puglia’s cheese makers, ceramists, bread artisans and olive groves and, the fun part, cooking lessons with Galantino’s head chef Leo. I joined a group from Holland who was also there for the same adventure. Each day we prepared different dishes all using a variety of what else – olive oil! The two recipes here, a foccacia and Caprese Cake are described with mostly technique as the recipes were for the masses. In the upcoming weeks, when my Virtuous Olive site goes live and I am back from Italy, I will publish detailed recipes. The Caprese Cake is especially delicious and different with the addition of orange or mandarin olive oil.
Chef Leo pours significant amounts of olive oil to coat the foccacia pans. All this oil enhances the flavor of this delicious Italian staple.
Chef Leo’s foccacia is a mixture of flour and potato flour. This cuts down the gluten and makes it a softer, spongier bread. The copious amounts of olive oil give the outer crust a crispiness.
The dough is pushed into the edges of the pan with fingertips to create the small divots characteristic of foccacia.We each “decorated” a foccacia with slightly simmered pomodoro – tomato – oregano and sea salt.Perla, the family dog, makes her hang out strategically and hopefully between the dining room and kitchen.Eggs and sugar whisk together until fluffy with air in preparation for the Caprese Cake.Maud stirs the orange olive oil into the melted chocolate. Decadent!Cocoa powder and ground almonds are carefully folded into the eggs.The melted chocolate is stirred into the batter and poured into an oiled and floured pan to bake for only 10 minutes.The group eagerly awaits dinner and….the Caprese Cake.This cake tastes as good as it looks. The orange and almond marry well with the chocolate giving it intensity.
Recipes will be forthcoming! I am eating more than I ever have here in the land of food alive with flavor and taking notes!
Nestled into the heart of Puglia lies the seaside town of Bisceglie in southeastern Italy. I am here on an olive oil discovery, to slip into a slower pace and to delve for clues about what makes this such an alluring part of the country.
The people have a warmth and contentment about them. They seem satisfied with life and most that I have met have long lineages in Bisceglie. It’s all about family and their culture of which they are passionately proud.
A visit to the Fish Market on Friday got my adrenaline flowing and whet my appetite for the cooking classes I will attend. For now, let me share with you my favorite photos of the people and their livelihood.
A thinking moment.Live, fresh prawns awaiting their fate.Advertising his seafood.Describing, in Italian, how to stuff the zucchini flowers.Dinner. Octopus soup.This is for you my belle soeur! Our favorite Italian plums.Scooping out the sea urchin’s delicacies.Freshly picked chilis, roots and all.Waving away the flies.Ciao! This darling group of friends called to me to take their photo. Looking good!
Olive oil is my passion. Food is my passion and travel is my passion. I have decided to combine all these loves into my new business, The Virtuous Olive, and it is here that I am first announcing its launch. After last year’s visit to Puglia, Italy and to a local frantoio, (olive mill), my heart spoke to me and insisted that I import this olive oil. This is not just any olive oil. It is 100% pure extra virgin Italian oil made from olives solely grown in Puglia. Its flavor is lovely, distinct and makes a statement.
Italian Bootie from my trip last year. I finished this lot off pronto and knew it had to be a part of my permanent pantry!
Next week I travel to Puglia to learn from the masters at Galantino all the nuances that make olive oil special. We will cook, olive grove gaze and be immersed in all things olive. This is just my cup of tea. I plan to post recipes, insights and historical facts as well as indulging in some amazing food. Puglia, also known as the heel of Italy’s boot, is magical and unspoiled and filled with warm, welcoming faces. Click here to see a map of the region and to read about its baroque architecture, trulli, music and artisans who inhabit this piece of paradise. Puglia map and highlights
My travels will also take me back to Lucca, where I will stay with two opera singers (Lucca is Puccini central) and renew friendships from last year. I plan to visit Modena, capital of balsamic vinegar, to discover the perfect balsamic to complement my beautiful oils. My foodie and adventuress spirit will be soaring!
My website and shop, www.thevirtuousolive, will be stocked with a variety of olive oils and vinegars, and open for business after I return, mid October. Stay tuned for more details.
James Knight. Master mystery reader and collector.
This is a story about passion. My dad’s and his books. The library that housed his collection vibrated with intrigue, drama, murder, beautiful women and titles like “Dead as a Dummy,” “Stiffs Don’t Vote,” “No Tears for the Dead,” “’The Case of the Terrified Typist,” and “ Bones of Contention.”
When my mom’s house sold, I took on the task of systematically boxing up these treasures. Little did I realize that I was about to be baptized into the world of mystery writers. These crime scene authors are now my friends as I categorize the over 1,000 books my dad collected over a span of 50 years. Names like Geoffrey Holmes, Nicolas Freeling, Rae Foley, Manning Coles and George Coxe are now etched in my mind; my dad’s favorite authors.
My mom, Carolyn, blowing dust from Dad’s antiquities.
As I pull each book, many of them cloth-covered, from the shelf, page markers denote an event at the time of the reading. An airplane ticket to Mexico, a card or note from me, a receipt telling where the book was purchased, giving us a clue to its value. My dad’s presence was heavy in the air, guiding me, teaching me, sharing his love and the art of reading for leisure. I learned to show interest in someone else’s passion even if you don’t think it’s your thing. I wish I had asked him about this collection, when he started it and how he knew which books would be valuable someday. I wondered if he read and re-read the books of the 40’s and 50’s because it reminded him of a time he was familiar with and it brought back fond memories.
A library awaiting its fate and new homes in boxes. How I wish a collector would adopt them!
Curiosity got the better of me and I opened up a 1946 Geoffrey Homes, my eyes now trained to see dates and First Editions and the first line had me hooked. I sat down and read page after page, enjoying the writing and how the author created the setting. This 15 minute respite gave me that “aha” moment where I finally realized how my dad felt when he opened one of these books – like time traveling, letting your mind escape for the moment. I gratefully added this book to the stack that would join my library. This mystery lure runs also through my blood. As a child I read every Nancy Drew I could get my hands on, often trading them out at our used bookstore. My dad and I shared a love of Agatha Christie and later still Tony Hillerman both of us reading literally every one of these author’s books. Life is a mystery. The plot continuously unfolding, revealing what we chose to see, hiding clues for our future along the way. I now embrace a different part of my dad, this shadow of him, his true passion. I appreciate this gift. It’s become personal. Thank you Dad for sharing…..
Sending love and good mysterious happenings your way,
My college nutrition teacher, Mrs. Henrietta Becker’s favorite quote was, “People eat with their eyes.” We all do. Color and their associated flavors can manipulate true tastes. When reviewing the photos for this story, I realized that, yes, many of the dishes are not visually appealing but if you close your eyes and taste with all your senses, something completely different happens. You discover and discern tastes not familiar but welcome to your palate. I invite you to try this. I mention this story as a brief intro to the Thai cuisine I experienced last week.
Ok, I’ll admit it. Las Vegas is not my preferred travel destination. In fact, the only reason I set foot in this city is to attend an annual trade show for my shop. To ease the pain, my business partner Liz and I decided to escape the bright city lights to dine at Lotus Of Siam, a Thai restaurant highly recommended by Anthony Bourdain of Parts Unknown on CNN.
Located in a drab, desolate-looking, unassuming strip mall on East Sahara Avenue, Lotus could easily be mistaken or missed, except for the taxis loading and unloading its fans.
Liz setting her palate with a Tavel Rose.
The walls are covered with framed photos of celebrities who have dined here and the ambiance is comfortable and simple. As instructed by Bourdain, we ordered only Northern Thai cuisine and Chef Specialties, not the mainstream Thai dishes.
A marriage of Thai foods.
Chef Saipin, the matriarch of the family and owner, cooks recipes handed down from her northern descendants. This taste is unique, intermingling spices and fresh herbs without the coconut influence of the south. It’s almost impossible to discern the many ingredients marrying together to create a stew or soup. When I asked our server for help identifying ingredients, he was quick to protect the chef, saying her recipes were top-secret.
Lotus’ wine menu is extensive and we chose a Tavel Rose from Provence to quench the heat of the meal and pair with the spices. Rose happens to be a favorite summer wine.
Nam Prik Ong. Satisfyingly delicious with the contrast of the smoky heat of the chili and crisp, cool veggies.
We started with Nam Prik Ong (Red Chili Dip), a smoky, sweet, garlicky combination of ground pork, tomatoes and dried spices. It is delectable and served with fresh vegetables and pork rinds. Do not, not order this dish! For all these dishes, we ordered #3 heat. It was the perfect amount of hot for the flavors to still be discernible.
Northern Larb bursting with flavor and complemented by fresh herbs.
The Northern Larb, served with sweet cabbage, cucumbers, mint, Thai basil and cilantro is just indescribable. The pork base hints of lemongrass, not lime, with the perfect blend of spices.
As we noshed, Liz recalled her early childhood life as a part of a military family living in Bangkok and her fascination with exotic Asia. Through her six-year-old eyes, the vivid descriptions of the people, the colors, the parades of Royalty, and the food, transported me to Thailand throughout the dinner. I could almost feel the warm tropical air and inhale the pungent smells of street food.
Jack fruit influences the flavor, almost like an artichoke soup.
On the menu, the jackfruit in the Kang Ka Noon lured me with its comparison to artichoke hearts, one of my favorite foods. Almost a soup with a tomatoey curry base and tastes of light, undefined spices and cilantro with artichoke texture and undertones.
Northern Pork Stew infused with the exotic tastes of Thailand.
The intrigue of a Burmese influence convinced us to order the Kang Hung Lay or Pork Stew Northern Curry. Hearty chunks of fork tender pork, enrobed in a sweet chili barbecue flavored sauce, allude to Chinese five spice, at least according to my nose and taste buds.
Ummm. That’s all I’ll say.
Mango Sticky Rice was the last act. Large chunks of sweet and perfectly ripe mango nestle next to glistening sticky rice on a bed of coconut milk sweetness. Traditional and delightful.
If your travels take you to Las Vegas, venture off the beaten path and discover the tastes of northern Thailand. Make reservations as the wait without was over an hour. Let me know how much you liked it when you go!
Lately I’ve been having fantasies – of Spain. Spanish tapas, Spanish olive oil, Spanish wine, the people, the music, the romance of it all. My feet have only touched the airport in Madrid and now they dream of dancing the flamenco in Sevilla.
This sudden enchantment was Anthony Bourdain inspired by his visit to bewitching Andalusia on his TV show, Parts Unknown. The spell is cast and perhaps next year I will indulge my fantasy. Until then, let’s explore a Spanish specialty!
Paella, as one version of the story goes, is Latin-named after the shallow, round pan it is cooked in, a “patella.” Farmers and laborers in Valencia, the southeastern region of Spain, created “paella” over a word burning fire to cook rice, a local crop, with whatever was available like rabbit, snails, chicken and white and green beans. The coastal version often incorporated seafood and soon paella emerged as a dish to suit all tastes using a variety of ingredients. nowadays, paella can take form as a “mixta,” a combination of chicken and seafood, a Valencia Paella, like the original noted above or a combination of chorizo, chicken and seafood, which seems the most popular here in America. Many forms of paella exist in Europe and other parts of the world, each infused with the region’s edibles. Spain is a major producer of saffron and it plays a prominent role by adding an earthy rich flavor and deep orange color.
The beginnings of a delicious dinner.
I love paella but have been overwhelmed by what seems like a big deal. Well, paella is now more fun than fear thanks to my sister-in-law Mirna who showed me her secret to simplicity. All you need to do is to prep a few things before hand and the rest can take place while your guests sip a refreshing Sangria or cool Pinot Grigio on the patio. This is a great party food!
We love this flush of paprika’s heat on her cheeks!Our imitation of the Paprika Girl!
The grill is the secret weapon where we literally cooked the entire paella. A real find was a large “paella-type” pan at Ikea that can comfortably sit and bake on the grill. Once the onions, garlic and peppers are chopped, just measure out the rest of the ingredients and have them handy. That’s it!
A sprinkling of parsley adds the final flash of color.
We made a few adjustments to the traditional paella and that’s the beauty of the dish. You can add or subtract ingredients to suit your liking. We like the flavor smoked paprika contributes. I adore artichokes and red peppers, other traditional Spanish ingredients. Paella can be your ticket to wherever you feel like traveling that night. Pick a destination and build your dish around ingredients indigenous to that locality. Make it fun!
Paella at the Vaison la Romaine market in the Haut Vaucluse region of France. Yummy!
I must mention that in the olden days, the farmers would sit around the fire and eat the paella straight out of the pan with a wooden spoon. No plates to clean up. It might be a fun way to share a dinner with family and friends!
A toast to family forever!
“You should conduct yourself in life as at a feast.” Epictetus
1spicy Italian sausagenext time I will use Chorizo
¼cupExtra Virgin Olive Oil
1onionchopped
3clovesgarlicchopped
1large or 2 small sweet red pepperscut into 1” pieces
Salt to taste
pinchof saffron
4cupsor more chicken, vegetable or clam broth
2cupsrice – we used Arborio but the Spanish use Bomba. Be sure to use a short grain rice to absorb all the liquid
3TablespoonsSmoked Hungarian Paprika
1 ½cupsfrozen or canned artichoke hearts – no oil
1package Trader Joe’s Seafood Blend OR shrimpclams, mussels, calamari to suit your taste
½cupfrozen or fresh peas
Method
Heat a grill to medium heat. Grill chicken thighs and sausages until brown but barely cooked. Remove from grill. Cut into 1” pieces. Set aside.
Place paella pan on grill and add olive oil. Stir in onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic and peppers and cook another two minutes.
Crush saffron and combine with broth. I read a recipe where Bobby Flay toasted the saffron before adding to the broth. I will try this next time.
Stir in rice and coat well with oil and veggies. Cook for one minute.
Stir in liquid and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle paprika on top and stir in.
Cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated, about 20 minutes. If rice seems dry, add more liquid. Try to refrain from stirring rice so it doesn’t get sticky.
When rice is firm but tender, stir in cooked sausages, chicken thighs, seafood and peas and cook just until done, another couple of minutes. Give a generous sprinkling of parsley and voilà! Your party is a success!
If I’ve peaked your interest about paella, check out these great websites: www.lapaella.net, www.orceserranohams.com, www.lapaella.co.uk
What is it that is so romantic about summer? Is it the long hours of sunlight, its warm breezes persuading us to linger a little longer to drink in the day? Is it the fond memory and sentimentality stirred up of childhood vacations and days out of school spelled “PLAY” all day? Or is it simply a dreamy time of gazing at the setting sun and slowing life down for a while. I decided to share this Midsummer romance by having a summer solstice party.
Nicole and Laurette pick ripe boysenberries to add color and flavor to their favorite cocktail.Berries ended up in wine, champagne Trains and just for fun- to eat!Laurette approves of my newly planted grapes which are producing in spades! I didn’t realize it but they must be champagne grapes. Even better.
The Summer Solstice is always a special day for me. It signifies the longest hours of daylight and the launch of the warm days of summer. I chose to celebrate this day with a gathering of friends for a potluck of favorite summer dishes.
A feast for the gods.Watermelon alla Maria. Recipe to follow.
The response was overwhelming! Creative and complementary dishes were packed like sardines on my dining table, each vying for attention. I couldn’t have planned a better menu!
This front dish was a tangerine-basil pasta and chicken. Bellissimo!Homemade ice cream and gelato topped off the evening. The hit was a fresh black cherry cheesecake flavor. Second place-Vietnamese coffee ice cream with cardamom – silky and taste-tingling!
There were divine recipes I had never tasted, all made with love. I realized what incredible friends I have. I am grateful for this diverse and inspiring group of people who give my life meaning and depth. When in doubt, throw a party. It will set your summer in motion and bring laughter, love and balance back into your life.
My dear girlfriends bonding over good food and wine.Jenn, the mixologist, makes killer “Trains,” a mix of champagne, Saint Germain and sparkling water. Her cocktails were the hit of the evening!It was smiles and laughter all night. My best friends Jenny and Alan truly helped me bring in the summer vibe.
One of the recipes I made and loved was so simple yet delicious. Here it is:
“We’re having adult drinks tonight,” stated my sister-in-law, Mirna. My curiosity was aroused. Mirna, offering me a cocktail? I knew this must be something special. She is a creative genius with food, plants and now drinks.
Breathe in the fresh mountain air.
I was visiting my brother, sister-in-law and nephew in Colorado for a few days of R&R. Up high in the Rockies near Winter Park, we all perched on their balcony admiring the white-capped peaks and dense forest of layering greens. The evening was taking hold, a cool wind ruffling the Granny Smith green aspens. Hummingbirds swooped in to flutter nearby, then bravely take multiple drinks from the hanging feeders.
It’s happy hour for all of us!
I was handed the cocktail and took a sip. The soft zing of this drink made me take notice. What was this delightful, refreshing, crisp concoction? The earthy bitterness of the gin on my tongue preludes a soft flowery after glow with hints of citrus that linger. What else but a mixture of herbs, berries and flowers all native to this landscape. The Meyer Flower Cooler (a name and recipe that resembles the cocktail Mirna stirred up) combines Boulder-bred RoundHouse gin, St. Germain liqueur, and fresh lemon juice. Raw botanicals of juniper, coriander, citrus peel, star anise, angelica and orris root are infused with the micro distilled gin and bottled by hand in small batches. Impressive.
St. Germain’s citrus-forward with hints of floral essence tames the bolt of gin.
The St. Germain is birthed from freshly picked, early spring elderflower blossoms grown in France near the Alps. This French liqueur hints of citrus and tropical fruits and is famous for its inclusion in an apéritif called The St. Germain Cocktail, a pairing of champagne, St. Germain and sparkling water, served over ice in a Collins glass. Another enticing summer drink idea???
Not-quite-ripe juniper berries dot the mountain scape.
On our mountain hike earlier in the day, we spotted many juvenile juniper berry bushes and also elderflowers. So, how appropriate to celebrate the evening with tastes of nature.
Elderflowers growing near a stream. The website stgermain.fr has lovely photos of their harvest in France.
Shake all liquids together with ice. Strain into ice-filled Collins glasses. If the gin is too much for you, dress with a floater of St. Germain. Sip with good company. You will not be disappointed.
These two websites tell the stories behind the spirits and include cocktail recipes~they are fabulous.
“We were not a hugging people. In terms of emotional comfort it was our belief that no amount of physical contact could match the healing powers of a well made cocktail.”― David Sedaris, Naked
Ciao and Happy Summer Solstice! May all your wishes come true.
Something got in the way of this week’s story. I slipped back into the time tunnel, which seems to be happening a lot lately.
It all started with a few trips down memory land, an escaping dog, a movie and a car wash.
My mom, after several months of deliberation, decided to sell our family home of almost 50 years, now, this month. Yikes. This prompted an extended visit to assist her in weeding through Phase One of The Purge.
I started in the garage, my dad’s favorite room, cram packed with his tools, the smell of his pipe tobacco still hanging in the air. Flashback to my 10-year-old self, fascinated by my dad’s talents as a builder and fixer, always eager to accompany him to Center Lumber, his “toy” store. The heat was intense and emotions equally high. Photos albums of our young family lure us from every room to enter the time capsule. A closet clean out reveals my mother’s wedding dress, stuck in time, hanging there just like it was ready for a celebration. I could not resist. After wiggles and many tugs, the stiff lace fell into place, filling in all the curves of my body. I could feel my mom’s excitement at age 23, awaiting a new life, the birth of me and then my brother.
My Mother’s Daughter
To break the spell of the past and for a few hours ground ourselves in the present, we took time off for a theater movie to see Chef. Happy and funny, it makes you want to jump into the kitchen and start chopping. A welcome comedic relief of inspiration.
Feeling the unsettled energy in the house, Sparky decided to dig out of the yard and take himself for a front yard walk while I was on the way to the car wash. Thank goodness for neighbors who noticed the Spark in front of the house and gave us a call. This interruption in my schedule, although unnerving, was the best thing that happened to me all day. The car wash now took place in the front yard, where I once again entered the time tunnel and almost went into a trance. The year was 1974. The car receiving the scrub was a yellow Capri. Does anyone remember this car? I loved her – so compact and sporty and yellow! She was totally me!
So what got in the way of this week’s story? Life. This blast from the past, a reflection on my life, an opportunity to review my life’s path, was both enlightening and melancholy. Saying goodbye to the orange and apricot trees and to the house that made me feel so safe and comfortable as a young girl, signals the end of one era and optimistically, the beginning of a new, bright path.
If any of you have experienced this déjà vu, I’d love to hear from you!
“Yesterday is but a dream, Tomorrow is only a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”― Kālidāsa, The complete works of Kalidasa
My first view of the Eiffel Tower at age 23“The first Eiffel Tower elevator goes up at a slant and gave me a giddy feeling. I still wasn’t too sure about why I was locking myself into this thin tower with wires that cracked and creaked. There are four elevators altogether which take you to the top. The final upward lift is very slow and it seems as if it will never make it. The little French elevator operator laughs and cracks jokes and you wish you knew what he was saying and since you can’t, it makes you more nervous!” excerpt from my journal, circa 1979
Years back…
What was I thinking? I was aboard a plane heading for France with no knowledge of the French language and no place to stay. I musta had guts! What I did have was the dream to become a chef, a caterer, anything food related and I figured going to culinary school would polish off my cooking skills and give me the credentials I needed.
The most gorgeously prepared food in Paris at the time. I window-shopped Fauchon at every opportunityThe view through Fauchon’s window
Although I was a seasoned airplane traveler, I had never been on a nine-hour flight overseas. My trepidation diminished the minute I sat down – next to a priest! Feeling safe with no crashes in the forecast, I fell asleep for the entire flight. The minute I landed, my life as a free spirit and adventurer began.
The best cooking school in the world!
From my journal I write, “Prices are outrageous. A tiny two bedroom flat is $600 a month plus utilities. Greg Usher, the director of La Varenne, the culinary school I would attend, found it. His friend who went to La Varenne lives here, Anna and her friend Arabella, so there’s three of us. The girls are really friendly – both English.” I shared a tiny bedroom, with fireplace, in a tiny flat in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. I was about to get the European education that would fire my passion for all things food. From my roomies, I learned how to eat goat cheese, appreciate champagne and negotiate politics with their British friends.
The open air market at St. Germaine. Food galore!The demo station at La Varenne and my favorite teacher ever – Albert Jorant, master pastry chef with personality plus
My life felt like a movie – classes all day, good company at night and weekend jaunts to wherever my Eurail pass would take me. Everything changed. The old me was gone. I was now a world traveler and true foodie and dubbed myself a Free Spirit.
Warm or cold pea soup topped with shredded mint and served with a glass of cold Pinot Grigio. It is delicious with a splash of lemon or herb olive oil!
As I contemplate this story, a wasp hovers in front of my eyes and harmonies of chickadees fill the airwaves in stereo. My garden once again kidnaps my weekend. The whispering warm breeze, swaying palm trees, fluorescent geraniums and darting hummingbirds contribute to a feeling of intoxication in my own personal paradise. A cricket suddenly chimes in to serenade me, adding to this fairy tale.
Dancing color.The Chickadees have invaded and I love it!My faithful companion stands guard and loves the birds.
In this simplistic of moments, I dream of a fresh green pea soup, infused with mint and embellished with crème fraîche. I actually leave my garden writing post to make it and I am back outside with a glass of wine half and hour later!
It is so easy to make either as a starter or main dish. Here’s how to do it with very little dishes – my favorite way!
My secret – a handheld Cuisinart blender.The handheld purees in minutes. Way easier and less clean up than the food processor in my opinion.
2CupsChicken stock or light-colored vegetable stock
1 1/2Cupspeasfrozen or fresh
2Tbsp.fresh mintshredded plus more for garnishing
Creme Fraîchesour cream or yogurt for garnish if desired
Method
Saute the onion and olive oil until soft. Add the white wine and cover, simmering until onion is very soft. Uncover and let reduce until very little liquid is left. Add the stock and mint and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook just until done, two minutes for frozen and five minutes for fresh peas. Turn the heat off. Using a handheld blender, purée until creamy and smooth. This should take about three minutes. Voila! You have soup! If hot, garnish with more shredded mint, chives, olive oil or crème fraîche. Warning: the crème fraîche will melt into the soup. I ate it cool garnished with shredded mint and a dose of Galantino Bel Tocco Olive Oil. It is so full of flavor with a hint of mint.
Version One, warm with melting crème fraîche.
Enjoy the new, young vegetables of early summer. Let me know what your creative spirit comes up with!
As I enter my third year of writing and sharing, I thought some of you might want to know how I got to this place. Two years ago, in this world of divorce, I became a statistic. While contemplating my new life and where it might take me, I made time for myself, to clear my head, and to embrace fully and rediscover my passions: travel, gardening, cooking and writing.
The newborn raised bed, two years ago, now on its third year of producing beautiful veggies.
I immediately built three large raised beds for vegetables and planted an avocado, lemon and pomegranate tree. Something visually beautiful to nurture and care for in the absence of a physical body. I traveled to France and Italy, solo and with friends. Everything shifted – my friends, my cooking style, my free time! I learned to take risks.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi
Writing a blog through all this has taken me on insightful journeys I would never have dreamed possible. This is not to say that being divorced is fun or the answer. Sometimes it’s just reality and this is how I chose to deal with the uncertainty it brings.
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking” Marcus Aurelius
As the rhythm of life continues, so does my enthusiasm for the beauty this world of life offers. My eyes discover the essence of art in the foods, people, sculpture, music, flowers, and ancient landmarks that have inspired me along my journey. This is what feeds my spirit. Sharing it with you has changed my life.
“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.” ― Edith Wharton, Artemis to Actaeon and Other Verses
Ciao for now! Thank you for being part of my life!
The cicoria edible plant, gone to seed, produces these lovely purple flowers. I have not removed them yet as they are so dainty and sweet.
The Ops Twins (see April 2013 “The Beet Goes On”story), goddesses of agriculture, united again to trim, weed and dismember parts of my garden in need of refreshing. This year my niece Maya joined in to help celebrate Mother’s Day and to lend a hand.
A trio of generations gathers to celebrate Mom and our friendships.
I selfishly hang onto over-grown, gone to seed and wilting plants from my winter garden. I love the height and depth of colors the favas, kales and Italian greens grow into. They are a focal point in my yard, always happy with the cooler weather, requiring little attention except for the oohs and ah’s I deliver to them daily. Yes, I play favorites and my winter garden is my favorite child. So, I procrastinate, as long as possible, adding these spent greens to my compost pile.
I dug up this giant Rapa Toscana root. Does anyone know if you can eat this? Speak now or forever hold your peace!A farmer’s best friend. These worms will keep my soil healthy for the tomatoes.
Something I did yesterday was to uproot the many volunteer tomatoes that have dug themselves into my gravel, and replant them with the other free spirits that sprouted up about two months ago in my strawberry box. It’s my experiment. All my tomatoes this year will be a surprise as to variety. Kind of like not knowing if it’s a boy or a girl.
I fashioned a tepee of old trellises to stake up my volunteer tomatoes. I think it’s awesome!
My box of flowering and consequently bitter greens is now vacant, awaiting another weekend inspiration. What to plant this spring? Most likely grilling veggies, as they seem to be my summer dinner – so simple and fresh.
This Italian cicoria or chicory, is a sculptural work of art and my favorite plant this year. Its elegance dances a tangled tango.
As I clear out and make space for new, I own this change and am re-energized at the prospect of vine-ripe tomatoes, long, skinny, deep purple Japanese eggplant, peppers of all colors, sweet and of fire, and who knows what else?
Feeling the warm dirt caress my fingers, as I dig holes for new seeds and plants, gives me a rush of joy and fills my happy heart with hope for abundance. What foods, ideas or dreams will you plant for yourself this week?
The Buddleia, or butterfly bush, is doing its job, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds galore. Since these guys are short season bloomers, I had to share their heartbeat.
Leave room in your garden for the fairies to dance.
My friends Meghan and Nick devouring the shiitake mushrooms italiano
Sometimes you just need to get out of the norm. Last night I planned a dinner party but did not plan the menu, hence a spontaneous dinner! I prefer to cook “with” friends rather than “for” friends.
Cooking together is such a personal experience. You get to spend quality time with people you like and share great food and wine. Food definitely speaks to people’s souls and activates openness in communication at a deeper level than any way I know.
When my young friends, Meghan and Nick asked me if I would show them a few ways to expand their vegetarian repertoire, I eagerly agreed. Assisting me with this event was Eva, a fabulous cook and bread baker, with a brilliant mind for improvising. Instead of just sharing my favorite recipes, I thought it would be fun to do a spontaneity themed dinner. By this I mean, have lots of great ingredients on hand, a few ideas to get started, then let the creativity flow. And flow it did into an explosion of flavors and colors.
Farm fresh ingredients, a zingy dressing and a mouthful of flavor.
Here’s what we started with and how it played out for a delicious spring dinner.
Our ingredients: Fennel, spinach, zucchini, red peppers, red onions, yellow onions, garlic, shallots, fresh basil, beets, yellow pear tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, parsley, oranges, feta cheese, walnuts, pine nuts, garbanzo beans, Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs and LOTS of great olive oil.
For starters I share a shiitake mushroom appetizer my Italian friend taught me. We ate them so fast that I almost forgot to take a photo!
Delectable, easy appetizer. They go quickly so make lots!
Drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil. Place about 12 medium shiitake mushrooms (for four people) on the dish, stems straight up. Drizzle more olive oil on top, sprinkle with a generous amount of finely chopped garlic and parsley, sprinkle with salt and top with breadcrumbs. A final drizzle of oil on top, then pop into a 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Eat hot right out of the oven when preparing the other courses.
These mushrooms seriously elicit the happiness factor in us all!Eva approves!
The rest of the dinner unfolded like we were following a recipe, but we weren’t. Fresh fennel, sliced thin, combined with orange slices, sliced red onion, chopped parsley, and Eva’s vinaigrette made with mandarin orange olive oil and the juice of the orange. This was the favorite, next to the shiitake!
The fennel salad gets a final drizzle of orange vinaigrette.
My beet harvest consisted of one giant beet. Yes, I planted about 20 seedlings I grew from seeds, but only one survived.
The ruby lines of my beet sing of nature’s simplicity.
I ended up with the biggest beet ever and sliced it thinly into rings, then roasted them. Next I cut the beet slices into triangles and made a “pickle” of white balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and a dash of olive oil. This would be the heart of a spinach salad.
Our array of ingredients for the spinach and beet salad.
To beef up the salad we added garbanzo beans, walnuts and halved yellow pear tomatoes. The dressing came from the pickling marinade.
Colorful, healthy and infused with flavor.
For a main entrée, we decided on a roasted veggie pasta. The propane on my grill breathed its final breath so I ended up grilling the veggies on the stove. We grilled onions, red peppers and zucchini and tossed them with penne pasta, chunks of pecorino cheese, fresh basil and a generous amount of basil olive oil. Most of us also dressed our personal bowls of pasta with a generous splash of garlic olive oil. Delicioso!
In my opinion, you can never add too much olive oil!Sharing good food, friendships and laughter is always good for the soul.
For dessert, I had prepared my favorite go-to lemon olive oil cake with fresh strawberries drenched in limoncello.
A moist cake with an almost herbal flavor from the fruity olive oil.
Such a whirlwind of activity, chatter and light-hearted fun. I really enjoy cooking this way and recommend it to anyone who wants to have a relaxing cooking experience, expand their mind and their culinary collection.
By the way, the olive oil I use, and love, is Galantino from the southern heel of Puglia in Italy. I will soon be importing these fine oils and have them for sale on my website.
Delectable Torta Verdura, a sweet and savory dessert popular with the Lucchese, a style local to the area of Lucca.
Are you interested in learning some authentic Italian recipes from a bona fide cooking school in Lucca, Italy? If so, read on. Davino, my host from La Mimosa, had arranged for me to attend a cooking class at the International Academy of Italian Cuisine in Lucca, just on the other side of the hill from my house. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was grateful for the opportunity to join an ongoing class. This particular course trained students for a career as a professional chef. 10 were Japanese, two were Chinese and one was Italian. Mama Mia!
The whirlwind, Mariela.
The instructor was Mariela. She patiently went through the menu with us all, a translator changing Italian to Japanese and then to English for me. The clock started ticking. We started at 10 am and lunch was to be on the table by 1:30 pm. Then the switch went on. I felt like I was on Iron Chef. It was chaos – for a while. Pots began clamoring, students, almost in a panic, grabbed ingredients and bumped into each other, all in an attempt to put their ingredients in place for their designated recipes. The first minutes seemed uncertain, a searching for confidence, then this sense of order settled in. Dishes started to unfold.
A teaching moment.
I was told to go here, and then there, do this, then that. I felt a little out-of-place hovering, assisting, chopping, straining, the only sounds being Japanese words. Some students tolerated me and some were curious. Why was I here, interrupting this “professional” class? It certainly was not what I expected but I must say I learned a thing or two.
Like how to make the Torta Verdura. I had been curious about after eating it at the Festa. Made with swiss chard, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, candied citrus, raisins soaked in liquor, pinenuts and a little sugar.
All the goodness piled high awaiting a hand mix to create the pastry.
So it is a little savory, a little sweet and served as a dessert. The crust is like a pâté sucre, a sugary crust, and heavy with egg yolks. These happen to be brilliant orange – must be what the chickens eat.
Sunset colored yolks for the torta crust.Hand mixing makes a tender crust. This is enough dough for three tortas.
I learned a new technique for decorating the crust to create little “beaks” by slicing the dough on an angle, then with a knife, folding it over the dough to its right.
Making a slit at an angle, then folding over the existing dough makes a pretty “beak’ decoration.This torta, a Torta di Riso al Cioccolato, is filled with chocolate, rice, pinenuts and lemon zest.
The spinach, for the lasagna, was pressed through a tami, or strainer, for extra fineness – another good tip.
A finer pasta texture is achieved when the spinach is finely strained.This sweet Italian student became my friend. We rolled out the pasta layers outside on the patio!Mariela demonstrates the proper technique.Bechamel sauce tops the spinach lasagna as the first layer.A tomato sauce is swirled into the béchamel, then the layers continue. Delicioso!
I helped make a timbale of cardoons, which when cooked, have a similar flavor to artichokes. We squeezed lemon juice on our hands to prevent the cardoons from turning them black due to the iron in the vegetable. Cardoons look like tall, fat celery.
Cardoons are first stripped of their “strings” then chopped and cooked in boiling water to soften.A last-minute plating of the appetizer.
Lunch was served on a lovely patio outdoors and I sat with the owner, Gianluca who has taught here for 10 years.
Our main course of stuffed veal roulade, cardoon custard and sautéed greens.
Gianluca’s students have eight weeks of training and then are placed in restaurants all over Italy for a 10-month internship. The students are not paid but receive room and board in exchange for this opportunity to learn from master chefs. His success rate is high and the students seem to thrive on this experience.
The owner and proprietor of the academy, Gianluca, turns out professional soon-to-be chefs.
The next time I visit Lucca I will participate in the evening classes which are designed for people who enjoy learning from local chefs and just want to have fun! Contact Gianluca for more information at:
The International Academy of Italian Cuisine In Lucca
Simplicity. This word kept coming to mind all week. It is defined as:
Easy to understand or do
Freedom from complexity, intricacy
Sincerity, naturalness
Why this word? With the intensity of spring’s vibrancy and a nudging to accelerate my goals, mirroring my garden’s growth, is this an attempt to make me feel small? We all strive for a simpler life, mention it in conversation, but we just keep adding more to our schedules, pushing ourselves forward. It seems so contrary.
My Tuscan view inspired simplicity
Sometimes a tiny incremental shift is all we need to realize simplicity.
Follow an off-the-beaten path sign
Want to experience simplicity? Take a walk. Today I felt the pressure of work projects, home upkeeps, writing this blog – overload. So, what did I do? Got out the leashes and took myself and the dogs for a long walk. The feel of the warm breeze, the scent of blooming roses, the stillness and comfort of a familiar neighborhood and the sound of quiet – only the click of canine nails on the pavement. My mind releases and stalls in the present moment.
Simple steps adorned only with poetic messages. “The butterfly does not sing the years but the moments: For this reason, its short time is just enough.” FlaneurTime stands still
When I return, I realize that I have put the pressures on myself and that I ultimately control them. During my mindful or mindless walk, my sub-conscious brain has decided what pressures to let go. I just don’t realize it until I plug back in at home. Suddenly the world feels lighter and simplicity is captured.
This time of year, my thoughts return to my childhood and fond memories of Easter. Sentimentalist that I am, I still have my first Easter basket left by the Easter Bunny. Well-made, it has stood the test of time, the pink weaving now faded. I retrieve it from the upper cupboards of my closet every year and fill it with chocolate eggs and marshmallow peeps.
My vintage basket comes alive each spring.
This basket brings back fond memories of a simpler time of innocence. A time when my mother wore white gloves and a hat that matched her Easter finery and my father donned a lighter grey suit always accompanied by a red bow tie. They were a smart couple.
My grandmother’s sewing machine seemed to run non-stop and her first granddaughter, me, was the lucky recipient of artfully designed outfits to mark any occasion. The Easter dresses she made were always the prettiest and frilliest, sometimes even worn with a fancy hat and gloves like mom’s.
Although I don’t hide or hunt for Easter eggs anymore, I do like to make something special to celebrate the holiday and satisfy my sweet tooth. Lemon and chocolate always make my heart pitter patter. Here are two favorite recipes that sing spring.
Lemon crème is so versatile. In this simple recipe, I stir in crème fraîche to lighten the crème and give it an almost cheesecake taste, then swirl in more on top to jazz it up. Because I love the tartness of lemon and can never get enough, I topped the tart with my homemade Meyer lemon marmalade. The flavors complemented each other beautifully.
Mix the eggs, sugar and lemon juice together. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until your whisk holds most of the crème, revealing the bottom of the pan.
Spoon into a clean bowl and stir in the butter and zest. I use a lot of zest because I like a very tart crème. Adjust for your taste. Chill a few hours.
When cold, stir in the crème fraîche and pour into a pre-baked tart shell. Today I made a pine nut crust. Refrigerate and let rest until set.
To serve, spoon some lemon marmalade over the top. Light and delicious!
lemAn elegant and tasty dessert fit for any occasion. Substitute raspberries or strawberries for the marmalade if you prefer a sweeter taste.
My Italian friend Nico first introduced me to Pelligrino Artusi. I was intrigued with the gastronome who lived in the 1800’s and revered for his authentic Italian recipes. In his book, The Art of Eating Well, the recipes are rough on the edges, but the recipe for amaretti caught my eye. They are super simple to make and are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I think they would pair well with coffee or tea and could be used as a dipping biscuit, like a biscotti. I adjusted the recipe and shaped them into little droplets with an indentation to hold chocolate or ganache. I tried filling them with colored white chocolate for Easter but was not as excited about the final result as I was the chocolate.
Artusi’s Amaretti
Ingredients
2 egg whites
2 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or lemon/orange zest optional
Instructions
Mix the almond meal and confectioner’s sugar together. Stir in the egg whites and almond extract. I did this with my fingers. Add flavoring if desired. The almond extract delivers the extra Humph.
Sprinkle a bit of almond meal onto your work surface. Take a large piece of dough and roll it into a log about an inch in diameter. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Stand the piece upright and using your thumb, make an indentation into the center. This will be the well that holds the chocolate.
Place them on a greased and almond meal floured baking sheet or use parchment paper and bake them for 11 minutes at 325 degrees.
Let cool. Have fun decorating or enjoy them as is.
3.5.3226
The amaretti dough is easy to roll out and shape. Be creative!
Chocolate filled amaretti. A perfect little bite when your sweet tooth aches.
“I came to love my rows, my beans, though so many more than I wanted. They attached me to the earth, and so I got strength like Antæus. But why should I raise them? Only Heaven knows.” Henry David Thoreau
Macchismo Favas.
Hearty Fava beans. Grown for over 6,000 years, its peasant roots are now emerging as a new food trend. Each spring, Italians patiently wait for the grass-green pods to become elongated, filled with thumbnail sized beans. In Puglia last April, I noticed the variety of ways favas were incorporated into so many local dishes, especially when they are in season, which is right now.
Robust favas grown from seeds I purchased in Tuscany. They are producing heavily at the moment and are my garden showstopper. Anyone have an extra pair of hands to help shuck the pods?
In Italy, favas dot pastas, soak up spicy olive oil for a salad, are smashed on top of crostini and pureed for a coulis to cuddle fish or seafood. Their bright green brilliance is appetizing and their taste is even better.
Freshly unzipped and shucked favas. Next they are blanched for 30 seconds, then plunged into an ice bath. The work begins now. I remove the tough outer skin and discard it, revealing the gorgeous green tender morsel inside. 1 pound of whole fava beans equals about 1 cup of shelled beans.
The beans have a soft sweetness that almost melts in your mouth. I had heard of favas before but not attempted to prepare them because of the hype about how time-consuming they were. I assure you, they are well worth the sacrifice of time. You will be rewarded with a new taste, a gorgeous color addition to your recipes and a powerhouse of protein-rich nutrition.
A simple flavorful salad of sliced fresh fennel, favas, minced dill and lemon olive oil or lemon vinaigrette. Decorated with the nasturtiums that are taking over my garden! Refreshing!A bed of my garden greens, favas tossed with mint and a hint of olive oil, a few mozzarella balls then drizzled with fig balsamic vinegar. Bellissimo!
There are so many ways to incorporate these green beauties into your life, I just couldn’t make all the recipes I dreamed up! Some more of my ideas are: Garlic-infused fava purée under seafood kabobs, pasta with favas and artichokes, olive oil dressed favas and shaved pecorino cheese (an Italian favorite), favas smashed with a bit of olive oil (basil infused is delicious) and spread on crostini.
This just in: While shopping at Trader Joe’s last weekend, the demo featured pasta salad with fava beans, imported from Italy and in the frozen section! Fresh is always best so check your local farmer’s market first.
I’d love to hear from you fava lovers. How do you use them in your favorite dishes?
Contact me for tips on growing favas from seed. They require a mild climate because they are planted in October/November and harvested in late March to April. My story “Garden RX” has photos of the established plants and their height.
For more information on favas, check out this fabulous website:http://www.delallo.com/articles/fava-beans-green-protein
A tavola non si invecchia At the table with good friends and family you do not become old.
Laureen’s positive energy is contagious!
This last weekend, I enjoyed one of the finest stress-free parties I’ve ever thrown. What’s my secret? Read on for clues!
Recent trips to Italy have inspired me to excavate my pasta machine and crank it up. What better way to renew my acquaintance with this machine, than to invite other food lovers to share in the experience of making fresh, homemade pasta? The friends I made in Rome on a food tour were in San Diego for the weekend. Thus the inspiration for a pasta party with friends of all ages to gather, cook Italian and swap stories of Italy. I cranked up the Mambo Italiano tunes from Pandora and soon the spoons were stirring, hands were kneading and bodies were swaying to the beat of the music. Are we having fun? It was a blast!
Making spinach pasta – one of my favorites.Starting the kneading process.
Here’s our pasta featured lunch menu:
White lasagna layered with grilled veggies ala TV’s “The Chew”
Fettuccine with spicy Italian olive oil, fresh Pecorino cheese and black pepper
Spinach pasta ravioli filled with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan
Fresh greens from my garden
Homemade Ciabatta bread made by master baker Eva
Fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream and my homemade limoncello
After a how-to demo of using your fingers to gradually incorporate the flour into the well of eggs and olive oil, I turned the mixing over to Laureen, the friend I met in Rome. The dough almost looks as if it is not going together but it’s important not to add more liquid at this point. Sometimes strong hands are needed to pull the dough into a cohesive mass. Laureen’s husband, Brent was our man.
Folding the pasta.
His strong hands swiftly kneaded the mixture into a beautiful soft and smooth dough which we let rest for 20 minutes. Even though I’ve made homemade pasta many times before, I did some research and thought Guiliano Bugialli’s method for rolling out the dough was worth a try. First, feed the dough through the machine on the widest setting. Then fold the dough into thirds like a book.
Notice how this pasta dough is much coarser than the multiple rolled pasta.A more refined pasta.
Feed it through the machine again on the widest setting and repeat folding and rolling on this setting eight more times. After the ninth roll, reduce the settings to move the rollers closer together. Feed the dough through each of the remaining settings once until the dough is almost translucent.
Brent’s egg pasta is perfecto! We made two batches of pasta. One pure egg and one spinach. The egg is made with 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs and 2 tsp. of olive oil. Simple.
With patience, Brent folded and rolled and I must say, the texture of the pasta was the best I’ve ever made. This technique is a keeper!
How much more beautiful does this get? Or do I just love food??Our antipasto munchies. The butter is homemade by moi!
Everyone had a task. My friend Eva made a red sauce from tomatoes I canned last summer. Laureen carefully cut out raviolis, made from our homemade spinach pasta, and filled them with spinach and ricotta.
Laureen’s classy raviolis.Sliced veggies ready for their grill marks.
My mom manned the BBQ grilling thinly sliced eggplant and zucchini to be layered into the white béchamel-sauced lasagna.
La mama hard at work.Mom’s finished lasagne The secret ingredient is lemon zest and lemon juice stirred into the finished bechamel.
Eva tossed a salad with greens from my garden, southern Italian olive oil and thick aged balsamic vinegar from The California Olive.
Eva gives a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the greens.Eva showing off the eyes of her bread.
Lucky me for having a great friend who makes the best bread I have ever put in my mouth. Eva presented us with two huge loaves of crunchy Ciabatta with a chewy interior and perfect taste. She seriously needs to take this to the next level and sell her bread to all her fans.
Ciabatta made with love by Eva. Divine.This is one happy kitchen!
The meal was coming together! A bottle of Prosecco and a toast celebrated our friendships. It was time to indulge!
Salute!Mangiamo!Ravioli, fettucine and lasagne. Italian heaven.The company IS the party!
È raccogliendosi a tavola che gli amici apprezzano la gioia di stare insieme. It is around the table that friends understand best the warmth of being together.
Limoncello drenched ice cream and strawberries were the digestive.
If you haven’t thrown a spontaneous party recently, I highly recommend it. All you need is adventurous friends, happy, snappy, music, a few ingredients and a dose of quality time. It’s easier than you’d imagine and more fun too! Buon Appetito!
Thanks to Brent and Laureen for sharing some of their photos with me. Also, The California Olive is a great resource for local and delicious olive oils and balsamic vinegars: www.thecaliforniaolive.com
Abbandonati all’amore e alla cucina! Love and cook with wild abandon!
And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere:
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintery rest. Percy Bysshe Shelley
March 20, 2014 at 9:57am PST, the sun will cross the celestial equator traveling from south to north thus ushering in the Spring Equinox, from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). Welcome Spring! It’s time to celebrate!
Blossoming Clivia grace my yard but for such a short time.
The dawn of spring gently awakens the youth in all of us. There is a connection of light and hope and newness. A chance to push through and move forward as a seed emerges from the earth. Spring’s visual display of determination reveals tiny souls to the world growing into certainty. A metaphor for life.
My hibernating Paradiso Fig finally is leafing!
Spring and the Equinox are two of the most powerful times of the year. A time for rebirth, celebrations, movement and progress.
Delicate budding apple blossoms.A newly planted Muscat grape vine shows off her healthy, shiny just opened leaves.
At this time of year, I celebrate Mother Nature and her inspiration. She is a display of life and giving everyday. I see hope through the tiny green nubs poking out from frail and barren branches. She shows joy through her vibrant palette of colors dancing across my yard.
My Mom’s apricot tree with buds emerging from a winter’s sleep.She is a ballerina beginning her dance.
Seedlings appear out of nowhere, like the dense purple lavender and matching Salvia flowers that magically have taken root in random vacant spots. They surprise me with their strength and hardiness. It’s a willingness to continue and not give up.
A bee tickles the lavender, teasing out the sweet nectar.
My garden is singing, the melody of its movement beckons me to notice every new life form. Bees, hummingbirds and worms work synergistically to pollinate and aerate to keep life balanced.
I hope this bee makes some great lavender honey somewhere!
The sweet and equally tart Meyer lemons and juicy, fragrant oranges sharing their abundance with me are the overture for springtime. It’s almost time to think of summer veggies, but for now I will remain in the present, observing the evolution of winter morphing into spring and the realization that life marches forward.
A Reed Avocado in full bloom. I wish for avocados this year!
Each year at this time I write down the dreams and wishes I am planting and hope come to fruition. It can be as simple as anticipating a new bud on my avocado tree making its way to maturity or a more ambitious vision like adventurous travel, abundance in all forms, opportunity, or love. In reviewing my past writings, it amazes me how many of these manifestations have come true. It really is a time to express what you would like to create in your life.
Magenta geraniums that are almost blinding.
“Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring?” Neltje Blanchan
Did you know that leprechauns are fairies? I love St. Patrick’s Day. Not for the beer drinking necessarily but for the sheer fun of it. It’s a day to believe in faeries, shamrocks, 4-leaf clovers, and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Dress in green, give a pinch here and there, and tell Irish jokes, which to me are always the funniest.
I’m celebrating this year by making one of my favorite Italian cookies, biscotti, and giving them an Irish twist. Studded with pistachios and white chocolate chips, these tender cookies make a great dessert or breakfast dipping biscuit. I follow the Williams Sonoma recipe and have always had perfection. The recipe makes a lot of biscotti so I have plenty to share with friends and still keep a few to nibble for myself.
Pistachio and white chocolate studded biscotti – irresistible!
Now back to the leprechaun story. Leprechauns, by trade, are gifted shoemakers, providing faeries with exquisite dancing shoes. Because faeries love to dance, the leprechauns keep busy making their shoes to generate a steady source of income. This allows them to accumulate multiple pots of gold that they keep hidden in the countryside. These “wee folk” are musically inclined, love to dance, sing, drink moonshine and play practical jokes. The best time to spot one is daybreak or sunset. Watch out! Because of their magical powers, they are able to vanish at first sight.
The same biscotti but with a sprinkle topping – your choice.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Holiday Baking recipe for Hazelnut Biscotti (I could not find this recipe online or would have included a link)
8oz.or 1 stick unsalted butterI use Kerrygold Irish butter of course!
1 ½cupssugar
2eggs
3cupsflour
1tsp.baking soda
½tsp.salt
1cupcoarsely chopped or whole pistachios
1cupwhite chocolate chips or chunks
More chopped pistachios for decorating
Melted white chocolate for drizzling
Green and white sprinkles for decorating
Method
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until light-colored and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl.
On low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture just until combined. Do not over mix.
Stir in pistachios and white chocolate.
Divide dough in half. With your hands, shape each half into a log about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide. They do not have to be perfect, as they will spread out as they cook.
Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes. Check for a nice golden top.
Remove from the oven and let cool about 15 minutes.
While still warm, carefully slice the loaves at an angle, in 1-inch increments, using a serrated knife.
Place sliced biscotti flat on a baking sheet and let cool completely. Some recipes call for putting them back in the oven to dry out and become crispy. I prefer a little give in my biscotti so usually eliminate this step.
Out of the oven, sliced and cooling.
For this recipe, my Mom and I drizzled melted white chocolate on the edges of the cookies, and then sprinkled them with either chopped pistachios or the green and white sprinkles, with shamrocks of course.
The leprechaun guarding his pot of gold!
The best part is, they keep in a tightly closed container for weeks!
I have adapted this recipe many times, using almonds and orange rind, hazelnuts and chopped dark chocolate, the sky’s the limit!
Happy 5th Birthday Sparky! I call him my lucky little St. Patty’s Day leprechaun and am ever grateful he chose me!
Sláinte or cheers in the land of the Leprechaun!
Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you!
Laughter is brightest where food is best. Old Irish proverb
Flourishing favas before the squall that knocked them off their feet.
Last evening I returned home from a stormy (for San Diego standards) day to discover my precious fava beans completely toppled over from the heavy winds. My first reaction was “is there a trauma doctor in the house?!” I have been babying these beans, planting them from seeds and watching them flourish far beyond my expectations.
Fallen angels.
Tiny green fingerling beans are even starting to lengthen and grow from their sweet white flower petals.
This little one is well on its way.
I quickly decided not to give up on them. I would resuscitate them! Delving through my drawers to find something to tie them to the wooden braces already in the beds, I found an ace bandage. Stretchy and soft, I cut it into quarters lengthwise then cut 15 inch pieces. In the rain with darkness closing in, I carefully gathered up sections of the tall stalks and attached them to the posts as gently as possible. By the time I finished, they were again standing tall, although many of their delicate stalks had snapped. When the weather clears, I will add more posts and re-tie the favas to give them more breathing room but for now they are out of the ICU.
Successful surgery. Patients are doing well.A kiss to make it better.
My Italian garden will survive. The good news is that my chicory, Cimi di Rapa, a kind of Italian broccoli and Rapa Toscana are all healthy, thriving and getting ready for an Italian festa using all these veggies I planted from seeds I purchased in Italy. This is the greatest reward of gardening. Bringing a bit of ciao back home.
Chicory or Cicoria whose celery/fennel stalks are a springtime staple in Italy.Cima di Rapa, bottom, romaine, left and kale on the right. A salad a day keeps the doctor away!Garden freshness, just picked and ready for a dinner creation.
That night I celebrated my successful surgery with a sauté of my garden goodness – swiss chard, two varieties of kale, parsley, thyme, shallots and shiitake mushrooms all spooned over some soft and creamy polenta I brought back from Lucca. The perfect meal for a rainy day. It soothed my soul and reminded me how good everything tastes when it is just out of the heart of the garden. Heart to heart. Benissimo!
A masterpiece created by the pastry chefs of Barberini.
Rome is romance. Besides the uplit temples at night, beautiful singing accents, soft and sweeping landscapes and smiles of a beautiful people, food may be the ultimate romance. The Italians equate food with love and show it in so many ways.
Rome’s reputation as a cuisine capital was enticing me to explore its specialties. I decided to splurge and eat the best of what Rome could offer that day. A four-hour walking tour of one of Rome’s hottest spots for food was exactly what my foodie spirit was craving.
The tour met in the neighborhood of Testaccio. Over 2000 years ago, it was Rome’s Food Emporium where the food arrived from afar for distribution. Chock full of family run businesses, many that have spanned generations, this funky yet hip neighborhood has it all.
Our enthusiastic guide Bo, was quick with the little known historical and trivial facts. She whisked us in and out of shops introducing us to the locals and handing out tastes every 15 minutes it seemed.
Warning! There are an abundance of food photos. You may go on a binge after viewing!
Little bites of tiramisu. So creamy and coffee infused.
How Italian. Innovative marzipan spaghetti-topped meringue cake.
Happy Birthday!
The pizza maker, Octavio, named because he was the eighth born child, treats us to a Margarita pizza made with smoked mozzarella – benissimo!
My favorite stop – Volpetti, gourmet store extreme. If you are in Rome, do not miss this shop! With a proud history since 1973 of carrying the best and finest, you can find an almost infinite variety of cheeses and salamis, truffles galore, 100-year-old balsamic vinegar, gorgeous salads and more. According to the Volpetti brothers, “The major inspiration of all this activity is the ‘style’ (the philosophy) of Volpetti: to rediscover the ancient flavors and to create a culture of eating well.”
We are set free for a meager five minutes of tasting and admiring in this tiny jam-packed shop.
Volpetti window of decadent black truffles, luring me in. Only 398 Euros per kilo!This signore offers me a taste of exquisite salami.
Abbondanza!
What would the world be without olives?The products and the visitors are packed in like sardines. Volpetti’s has everything my heart desires.tantalizing vegetable tortes.Colorful, fresh salads to take home.Most gourmet shops sell these cooked greens, ready to eat as a side or as a base for more elaborate dishes.Showing off a Parma ham.
To digest our tastes so far, we take a stroll through the gorgeous “Non-Catholic Cemetery for Foreigners in Rome,” which sits next to a giant pyramid – really. The story goes that the Pyramid of Cestius was built around 14 B.C. as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, by someone who may have been stationed at one time in Egypt. It is one of the best preserved tombs in Rome and is not open to the public.
The pyramid under renovation.
Testaccio Market is 99 years old. The old market that had no power or refrigeration was recently moved to the new site. Oddly, as they built it, they uncovered multiple amphoras or vases revealing it might have been the site of a market long ago. Now it is home to 103 family owned businesses. All the produce is organic – yeah – in season and Italian.
Pretty displays of produce.
One fun story we learned from Bo is that in the early days of tomatoes in Rome, the Vatican actually told the people not to eat them because they were too sexy! The average Italian eats 195 pounds of fresh tomatoes per year and three times that amount of gelato.
The produce keeper tidying her display.
In the market we taste fresh bruschetta, caprese salad and the best cannoli my taste buds have ever experienced.
Bo’s friend who makes the wonderfully fresh bruschetta.
Enzo and Elene, the butcher and cheesemaker are the cutest couple. Married 40 years and in business 30, their broad smiles show they still love what they are doing. They treat us to a caprese salad of buffalo mozarella made fresh 12 hours ago in Napoli – such a treat.
One of my favorite couples! They live and love food.True authentic cannoli, Sicilian style. Ricotta and very fine chocolate chips are piped into a cookie tube and the ends decorated with chopped pistachios. Of course, they are divine. The dark cookie shell is thick and crunchy, the recipe coming from Grandma who uses coffee as a secret ingredient.The cannoli makers enjoying a joke!
Another walk makes room for a fresh pasta lunch. We pass by the original slaughterhouse, the size of four football fields. The butchers were not paid in cash but only in the poor cuts of meat, the brain, snout, tripe, tongue, tail, and offal. The wives were forced to create recipes to make these cuts taste good. These cuts were called Le Quinto Quarto or the fifth quarter. The quarter that does not count. Alas, how some of the classic Roman recipes came about like Osso Buco and tripe. This ancient house of history was not closed down officially until 1975.
Who would know this is “the hill” of potsherds? Look carefully.
Across the street lies a tall hill. This hill is layered with pottery shards. Back in the ancient days, Romans used amphoras to carry oil, water and wine. Each Roman family went through around 1,010 amphoras per year and due to breakage, needed a place to dispose of the broken pieces. This Monte Testaccio became the collection point for probably millions of old, broken vases. Unknowingly, they were creating the perfect wine storage facility. The temperature at the bottom of the hill is ideal for wine keeping. Now osterias which are simple, inexpensive restaurants, wine cellars and trattorias all back into this hill. The wine is happy and when it is hot in summer, it provides a cool retreat.
Our lunch stop. Flavio Al Velavevodetto backs up against the hill of shards.
We are treated to a taste of homemade pastas:caio e pepe- pepper and romano and pecorino cheeses; amatriciana – pancetta and tomato sauce and carbonara – bacon, eggs, Parmigiano and garlic. Bo shares with us that when you cook the pasta al dente, it is less fattening and has a lower glycemic index value than overcooked pasta. I’m down for more pasta in my diet!
Homemade Amatriciana.
Even though our bellies are swelling, we must try a suppli in an inconspicuous joint that looks like a hole in the wall. The New York Times wrote up 00100 Pizza as an up and coming establishment with an owner who takes traditional Italian recipes and makes them gourmet. Suppli is a Roman favorite of risotto mixed with ingredients like beef, onions, carrots and parmesano formed into an egg shape, rolled in bread crumbs and deep-fried. You must eat them hot! One bite and you are hooked. Soft and creamy on the inside, a crunchy shell on the outside. I am in foodie heaven!
Last but not least, we get a gelato education. We learn that 85% of the gelato in Rome is made with a powdered mix and not true to tradition. Look for these clues to tell the difference:
Color. The color should reflect the true color of the fruit or nut. No lime green pistachio or bright yellow banana. Mint should be white, not green.
Height. The gelato that looks beautiful and is piled into wavy mounds is not real! It is made with powder and is full of air.
Real gelato.
The real stuff will not exceed the container height. Bo tells us that in Rome, by law, you must get two flavors!
Flavio, the gelato maker loves his creations and when you order, if the two flavors do not harmonize, he will send you the end of the line to reconsider your decision!
Flavio scoops out my flavor combination of Amorena, black cherry and Mandorla, almond. I get the approval!A man who loves his art.
Flavio’s family are fourth generation gelato makers, in business since 1914, so they really know how to make the very best. Giottit’s is the place to go!
So now I have an education about Italian food and history that leaves me hungry for more – not necessarily more food but more knowledge. I must say that this was the most fun I had in Rome.
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” – Federico Fellini
