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!
One afternoon in Pulia, our tour host Mick, asked if anyone would like to join him for a “Crudo” dinner. Crudo, in Italian means raw. We all had puzzled looks on our faces. As he explained what it was and how it was prepared, my hand shot up as a participant. When in Rome.
Certain restaurants that have a “Crudo” designation have met all the criteria for cleanliness, freshness and procurement from reputable fishermen. Because I enjoy sushi, I was curious to taste the difference.
Fresh tuna drenched in olive oil. Can fresh be fresher than fresh?
Several dishes were set at the table to share. Crudo is not like sushi. There is no wasabi, only lemon slices. The Italians prefer to serve their seafood with a dash of high quality (what else?) olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Some of the dishes did include a flavor, like the octopus with fresh mint and the cooked shrimp with fresh pineapple.
We did have a few cooked dishes like this shrimp with mint and pineapple.The most delectable fried calamari my mouth has ever tasted.
One of my favorite fish to eat crudo was the swordfish. Sliced paper thin and layered on the plate drizzled with olive oil, its only garnish, a smattering of pink peppercorns and a few bits of spring greens. The pretty red dots that lined the curve of the fish revealed that is was unmistakably swordfish. So sweet and tender and mild. It hit my tongue and dissolved with its saltiness. The tuna was also sliced thin, unlike thicker chunks of sashimi.
Decadent swordfish. Warning: My local fish monger advised against eating swordfish raw here. It must be impeccably fresh.
Something I had never seen or eaten before were red shrimp. These vibrant red creatures shimmered on the plate and tasted of a silky brine, the texture at first jello-y, then with a lobster bite.
Seductive red shrimp. Aren’t they stunning?
The oysters slid down ever so sweetly – the best I have ever had – or was it because I was in Italy? Raw mussels and clams also graced the table.
Seafood crudo galore.
We had eaten cuttlefish, a squid like cephalopod, as an antipasti but not crudo. Crunchy and salty is the best way to describe the experience. The texture is similar to octopus and squid. A delicious side dish of black rice, tiny cubed carrots and corn were the accompaniment to the crudo.
Just enough of a flavor contrast to compliment the raw seafood.
After filling our senses with all the salty flavors of the crudo, we were offered a crudité platter of fresh radishes, Barattino cucumber, sliced in wedges like a cantaloupe, raw fava beans and chicory heart. I had never tasted fresh chicory before. It is unlike what we know as chicory here. The bulb looks like fennel but the flavor is mild and sweet. A perfect palate cleanser. I am researching how to grow it. After explaining it to one of my dear friends, she purchased some seeds for me from an Italian seed company. They will be planted this fall and I will anxiously await their appearance in my garden.
Refreshing and also raw!
Two things capped off this incredible dinner. A very icey, almost liquidy fresh lemon sorbet with just a hint of sweetness, not to be out done by the strawberries it was mingling with. Heavenly.
My mouth waters just looking at this photo!
The owner, acknowledging our extreme pleasure in this meal, treated us to an Italian digestive, Amari Mere, a slightly bitter, herbal flavor that grows on you as you sip.
Per la salute! To your health!
With an abundance of wine included in this dinner, the bill was about $40 each. When I return to Pulignano a Mare someday, this restaurant will be at the top of my dining list!
Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture. -Mark Kurlansky (1948 – present)
Ciao and Love for now,
