Amalfi Coast Beautiful In The Rain

Even when the rain drops are coming down, there is a soft blue veil of mist that covers the sea and its beautiful in the rain.  It looks like a Pasquale Volpe watercolor.  A foggy feeling of comfort even though the rain is beats down.  A mist of hazy blue, white and gray hangs over the mountains.  No one is around.  And the kitchen is waiting.  A bowl of Cannellini beans that have been soaking overnight.  Big as the rain drops outside, they are waiting to be tossed in onion and virgin olive oil with a little pink sea salt.  Pasta and beans with fresh parsley is the fix for this lazy rainy day.

DeCecco Pasta Puttanesca For A Cold Rainy Day

March winds and light sprinkles keep a cold winter feeling in the air.  The perfect recipe for a hearty lunch to keep the chills away, Puttanesca.  I started with a big pan and a three dollops of Extra Virgin first-cold-pressed olive oil, two springs of whole garlic over a medium to low heat (watching it while it infuses).  I then add two small chili peppers, pink sea salt and a handful of capers.  Next, I added a handful of small black olives, or olive di Gaeta.  (I will remove the olives for Melody’s portion, she does note eat them), and four alici rolled around a caper (one for each person). Lastly a small bowl of cherry ripe tomatos sliced in half. 

Let it simmer on low heat, about 15 minutes until the tomatoes start to cook.  

PASTA.  Boil water and a pinch or two of salt and "butta la pasta".  Today I used DeCecco Spaghetti n 12 intergral, which means whole wheat pasta on the small side.  Boil for 10 minutes, save a little of the pasta water or aqua magico to add to the sauce.  When pasta is cooked "al dente" toss into the sauce pan and saute for a moment or two.  Buon Appetito!

The Tuscan Epic

The Soft Rains Of March Lead Us To the Spring's Green Grass In The Tuscan Hills.
The vineyards of Tuscany are home to our new program: The Tuscan Epic!

Join Anna Maria in her family’s historic mansion for a unique cooking experience blending Tuscan and Emilia-Romagna traditions in the village of Marradi. Luxury accommodations accompany delicious cooking, and local wines from Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna complete this colorful palate. Our weekend program gives you a taste of Marradi’s local flavor along with time on your own to enjoy the blend of tranquility and excitement that sets apart the Italian lifestyle, la dolce vita.

Marradi

Marradi is a riverside village tucked in the Lamone valley near Faenza in Tuscany, though just a short distance from Emilia-Romagna. This rural village nests quietly below cirrus-dusted mountains and has a landscape that has inspired artists and poets for centuries. Perfect for a hidden relaxing holiday yet within a short distance of the cities of Florence, Bologna, the seaside of Rimini and the incredible art of Ravenna.

Excursions take you to Ravenna with its incredible Byzantine churches and towns of Faenza, famous for ceramics, Pomposa with its frescoed Benedictine Abbey, Comacchio, a Venice-like lagoon town split by a network of canals and 17 bridges, Cervia, a seaside resort famous for its salt production, and Ferrara, with its Renaissance Estense castle.

Carnevale & Chiacchiere On The Amalfi Coast

A warm cappuccino and Chiacchiere at a cozy cafe in Amalfi!  There were mounds of Chiacchiere neatly laid in trays a top a baker's shelf, a sure sign that Carnevale is near.   And as the cold wind swept in to this famous little bar with the many locals stopping in for their cafe, the baker's air inside kept me warm.  As I bit into the golden ribbon of lightly fried dough, this traditional sweet that celebrates Carnevale,  I immediately wanted another!

Executive Chef Franco Cerutti Executive Chef At The Hotel Paris Monaco!

Italian Royalty reigns in Monte Carlo as the Chef to the stars, that is Michelin Stars, is wowing guests with his sensational seasonal food! I just returned from a private tour with Chef Franco Cerutti in his Michelin Star Kitchen at the Hotel de Paris and learned about his knowledge, passion and cooking secrets.  Known for his simplicity in the kitchen, Cerutti uses seasonal high quality products and crosses the boarder into Italy to do his shopping.  Daily fresh produce, fish, game, cheese and herbs are just a few items on his shopping list!  Leading an orchestra of 20 Chefs, Cerutti serves up Sea Bass, Calamare, Turbot and game!  From antipasto to dessert Chef Cerutti won my heart and palate! 

Todd English and the Food Hall Plaza Hotel New York

Chef Todd English opened the Food Hall in the Plaza Hotel last year- and New Yorkers are loving it! On a frigid Tuesday evening, the Food Hall was packed with diners elbow-to-elbow and chatting with each other and the chefs.  The bar-style Food Hall puts diners up close with their chefs tending to the red-brick pizza oven, the raw bar and seafood station, the charcuterie and cheese block and more.  The marketplace-food court atmosphere is decorated with swingy marmalades, olive oils, sauces, cheeses and of course, Todd English’s cookbooks, that are available for sale throughout the Hall.  

The menu mixes Raw Bar, Sushi and Mediterranean with classic Italian such as Parmesan and Mushroom Risotto, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Bucatini all’Amatriciana, Pappardelle with Whipped Ricotta and Lobster Tagliatelle with Baby Artichokes. 

We started with one of Todd English’s signatures- a Fig’s-style brick oven pizza, topped with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, rosemary and dried figs.  As we waited I watched stiff-white-coated chefs walk past with a Zuppa Di Cozze, steamed mussels sprinkled with chilli pepper, and wooden cutting boards with all sorts of cheeses paired with salumi, olives and spiced honeys.  The charred octopus with leeks and almond-red pepper romesco made my Amalfi Coast heart proud- that even on this icy February evening, my 8-legged tapas were tender and not the least bit rubbery.  Meanwhile, my dining partner savored the hand-rolled Gnocchi with traditional veal Bolognese topped with shaved Parmesan.

We ended with two of Isabelle’s Curly Cakes- the Grasshopper with a mint butter cream frosting and the Red Velvet topped with a chilled White Chocolate-Cream Cheese.  Keep an eye out for Taste Of Italia’s April Issue for more on these little delights!

February Newsletter

 February Newsletter

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