Celebrate Valentines Day With A Sweet Cooking Vacation's Culinary Trip!

All of us at Cooking Vacations know that everyone is counting down the days to, but days are getting longer already! And although temperatures are below here in some parts, Melody, Giuseppe and I are busy in our Test Kitchen cooking up a score of delicious foods!   San Valentino has our recipes books turned to February with ideas for romantic dinners for 2 including, antipasto Mare e Monti, Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, Grigliata di Pesce, and a rich Torta Caprese con Gelato, white or dark.  An espresso after dinner drink, spiced with Cointreau and a baci will have you exchanging love messages in Italiano!

 

            I love the story of San Valentino!  He was Italian! I love handmade cards shaped in big hearts and organic chocolate sweet made with bakers hands.  I love giving homemade gifts, when eye brows rise with smiles wide.  San Valentino is the saint of love comes from Italy. He dates back to 500 Ad and was named after the Christian martyr that was created by Pope Gelasius.  Sadly the sweet little holiday was edited off the Roman Calendar of Saints in 1969, but churchgoers and believers still honored him. It was the writer Geoffrey Chaucer who put it on the map when he penned beautiful love stories!  Juno, the Roman goddes of marriage, added fire to the flame and immortalize the name of Saint Valentine.

Celebrate Valentines Day With A Sweet Cooking Vacation's Culinary Trip! 

Send us your favorite recipe and photo (if you have one) and one foodie wins a basket filled with goodies.

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

 

Scribing, Chef’s Kitchen & Writer’s Walk ~ June 11 to 17, 2011

Join New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg and Cooking Vacations for a writer’s workshop and cooking school on the Amalfi Coast in Positano. This extraordinary Literati Culinary Week is set for June 11 to 17, 2011. Limited space available due to restrictions on group size.

Spend a gorgeous week in sunny Positano with Elizabeth Berg and learn about good writing in this exclusive writing workshop and hands-on cooking classes too. Elizabeth, as you know, loves to cook!

Please read more,  http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp?IDART=461

Each month Lauren writes and photographs for Tastes Of Italia Magazine. As the Italian correspondent, she covers all of Italy's 20 Regions writing and reporting on interesting food & cooking news, artisan producers, slow food advocators, food purveyors and all good things Italian. A food lover, cook, pastry baker and Italian dinner party host, she keeps everyone in the know with her food stories that appear each month in America's most beloved food magazine, Tastes Of Italia- dedicated to Italy's food and cuisine. Click on each front cover to read on. Buon Appetito!

February 2011 - The Cooking Contessa - Click to read the article on Tastes of Italia!

Cooking With A Contessa

Join Chefs Antonino, Francesco, Antonio and Raffaele as they lead you through their wonderful hands-on cooking classes in Positano for a week of food, wine and sun-filled days. Our chefs share their Neapolitan recipes with you for making pizza, fresh pasta, antipasto, fish, meat and desserts. This program features the healthy Mediterranean diet. This one-of-a-kind cooking experience is set in a luxurious Villa, a private property, perched on the Amalfi Coast overlooking the pastel village of Positano.


Stay in the Contessa's Villa overlooking the sea in Positano.  Experience where her noble ancestors cooked and entertained lavishly and where she continues her family tradition.  Recreate her Sette Sapori, Seven herb pasta dish-fit for any Queen! 

Raimonda Gaetani dell'Aquila d'Aragona is an elegant Neapolitan Contessa and artist who invites you to share her family recipes. By Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/tastesofitalia.asp

January 2011 News

Mangiare Bene January Newsletter Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy A New Year In Italy is colorful fireworks over decorated piazzas, eating lots of lentils, wearing red undies and always ending with a sweet zeppole. Although Italians would rather be inside around the table or snuggled up to a hot choco in un bel caffé, New Year is a feast for all. The game of the season is Tombola. Tombola is really Italian bingo and has locals piled high with their cards as a designated m.c. calls out numbers faster than you can mark them with your little fagioli-beans, and everyone vies for the winnings. Winnings vary and can include Panettone, a leg of Prosciutto, a wedge of Parmigiano or sometimes a stack of Euros. Whatever the prize, a good game of tombola brings everyone out, mingling and socializing in even the smallest cafés. Buona Fortuna! Lauren Cooking Vacations’ Program Of The Month Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™ Scribing, Chef’s Kitchen & Writer’s Walk ~ June 11 to 17, 2011 Join New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg and Cooking Vacations' Writer’s workshop for a fabulous week of writing, cooking and eating your way along the Amalfi Coast. The week is limited and we do have space available. This extraordinary Literati Culinary Week is set for June 11 to 17, 2011. Limited space available due to restrictions on group size. Spend a gorgeous week in sunny Positano with Elizabeth Berg and learn about good writing in this exclusive writing workshop and hands-on cooking classes too. Elizabeth, as you know, loves to cook! Read more here, http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp?IDART=461 Table Talk Buon Anno from Cooking Vacations! A New Year is with us, with its ice and snow (and what snow!), crowded ski slopes, dreaded new year’s resolutions and of course, the much awaited Befana. Those who love winter sports head for the Alps and the Dolomites for the famous settimana bianca, as the first few days of January are still considered holiday time. But towns and cities are also popular destinations, with visitors flocking to enjoy the festive lights and decorations without the summer crowds, and making the most of the bars and cafés to get out of the cold and enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea or chocolate. But the date that all the children have their eye on is the 6th January. The feast of the Epiphany, celebrated 6th January as a national holiday in Italy, is one of the most important days in the Italian Christmas calendar (though Santa Claus is fast catching up!). The name Befana comes from the Greek word for Epiphany (epiphaneia), meaning manifestation or appearance, and is the religious festival celebrated 12 days after Christmas - what we would call the twelfth night - the day on which the Three Wise Men arrived at the holy infant’s manger bearing their gifts. Just as children all over the word leave notes to Santa Claus, Italian children spend the days running up to the Epiphany composing letters to the Befana and leaving them stuffed in an old stocking ready for her arrival. Then they leave out a glass of wine and a plate of food for their visitor, and run upstairs to bed, heedful of their parents warning that if the Befana sees them she’ll thump them with her broom. With her fearful appearance - ragged white hair, hunchback, large warty nose, missing teeth and black headscarf, children don’t need much persuading. Years ago, in their stocking children would expect to find nuts, dried figs or an apple, with coal for the naughty children. Nowadays there is always something sweet, but usually more generous presents too. And while children await the Befana, adults struggle to keep their New Year’s resolutions to eat less and exercise more and decide that one more slap up meal probably won’t hurt after all. So more lasagne, more sweetmeats, and more brindisi with Italian bubbles. Because as everyone knows, the best diets always start tomorrow... Food Notes There are so many things we could talk about with the passing of the Italian New Year - the various New Year dishes eaten for a question of tradition and good luck - stuffed pig’s trotter served with a mountain of lucky lentils, ‘crespelle’ stuffed with salami and cheese, sweets stuffed full of candied fruit, dried fruit and nuts, and more luxurious ingredients like oysters, caviar and truffle to get the New Year off to an auspicious start. Or the thousands of bottles of Italian bubbly used to make toasts all over the country, prosecco, spumante and Franciacorta as popular as the better known champagne. But in many regions of Italy, January also sees the traditional activity of the killing of the pig, harking back to the time when families were by and large self sufficient, and the slaughter of one of its most prized possessions was indeed cause for celebration. And for many families today, just as in the past, it is an important appointment on the gastronomic calendar. It’s an activity that demands a lot of hands: between the butchering, cleaning up and transformation of meat into sausages, salami etc. the whole extended family is involved. And it’s probably fair to say that there are countless Italian American grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles who look back fondly on the days in which they gathered in the courtyard to give a helping hand on the big day, running errands and carrying impossibly heavy basins of pork meat into the kitchen where the womenfolk worked long hard hours to cook and preserve just about every part of the pig, serving up the least prized (but equally delicious) cuts to be eaten together round a huge table after a hard days work. That way, the head, feet and other lesser cuts (virtually nothing is thrown away!) were enjoyed immediately, with more precious cuts cured and salted to be enjoyed throughout the year. While today most of us live far removed from such customs, it has to be said there is something very natural and life affirming in such simple traditions, something that reaches beyond the mere sphere of food and survival and that touches on family, comradeship and celebrating living and working together. And the truth is, sometimes what looks like progress may in fact be leading further from the truly important things in life. So we hope that every so often this year, you manage to take time out, not to kill a pig necessarily (!), but to celebrate the simple joys of family, friends and abundance. Recipes From Our Kitchen Lauren’s Lenticchie ~ New Years Eve Lentils –that can be eaten all year long Serves 4 1 cup of organic lentils 4 cloves of garlic, cleaned and pressed 1 cup of baby carrots sliced in small pieces 1 cup of baby fingerling potatoes sliced in small pieces two handfuls of chopped parsley two stalks of celery sliced into bite-size pieces Salt & Pepper, to taste ¾ pound of ground chopped Sirloin 1 red chili pepper Extra Virgin first-cold pressed olive oil First take a big, preferably ceramic soup pot. Drizzle the bottom of the pot with virgin olive oil until it is coated, slowly start to warm the oil on a very low Heat. Add the garlic and let sauté. Add the chili pepper, salt and parsley. Roll the chopped ground sirloin into tiny teaspoon size meatballs and let them start to roast over at the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile, take a cup of lentils and sift through making sure there are no rocks. Wash thoroughly. Add one liter of water to the pan and toss in the lentils. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes. Let it cook for about 40 to 50 minutes on a very low heat until veggies are cooked. Serve in a soup bowl. Garnish with garlic rubbed Italian toast. Drizzle a little virgin olive oil on the top. Steamed Lobsters With Tomato And Basil Gelatin Courtesy of Don Alfonso 1890 Serves 4 2 live lobsters (approximately 1.7 pounds each) 2 cups loosely packed basil 2/3 cup tomato sauce 1 new onion 4 leaves of unflavored gelatin ½ lemon ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Salt Soften the gelatin in cold water then dissolve it completely over a double boiler. Reduce the onion to a puree in a food processor; add it to the tomato sauce along with half of the gelatin mixture. Correct for salt, transfer to a mold and refrigerate until firm. Blanch the basil leaves in ½ cup of boiling water. Drain, refresh and puree in a food processor. Add the remaining gelatin, correct for salt, transfer to a mold and refrigerate until firm. Kill the lobsters with a net slice through the head and steam them immediately for 4 minutes. Remove the meat from the tail and claws and cut into bite-sized sections. Presentation: Arrange the lobster meat on 4 plates, accompany with cubes of the two types of gelatin and nap with a citronette sauce prepared from an emulsion of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Zeppole Anacapresi ~ Traditional Fried Dough Ribbons Courtesy of Chef Maria of Maruzzella, Capri Makes about 20 zeppole 3 ¾ cups 00 Flour 1 lb potatoes ½ cup sugar 5 tbsp butter 2 eggs Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange 2 cakes (50g) natural yeast ¼ cup Milk 1 ½ liters sunflower oil, for frying Boil potatoes until tender (skin on). Drain and peal by hand. Pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the middle. Pass potatoes through a ricer onto the flour and mix potatoes with flour, sugar, butter, eggs and lemon & orange zest. In the meantime, dissolve yeast in the milk, then add to the potato mixture. Mix well and should make a fairly solid dough, not too soft. Let rise in a warm place for about half an hour. Roll out into coils and twist into ribbons. Set aside and allow to rise about 45 minutes. Put sunflower oil in a small pot and heat over low heat. Test oil by dropping in a zeppola- it should drop to the bottom, then rise to the top right away. Fry for 3-5 minutes turning until golden-brown. Toss with sugar and serve plain or with pastry cream and cherry- to taste. With Love From Italy If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~ Arte per Regalo. Those visiting Milan before 20th January might like to visit the Circolo Culturale Bertold Brecht where the Arte per Regalo initiative has brought together many Italian artists and artisans creating and selling their art directly to the public, in an attempt to encourage people to give unique, hand crafted objects as gifts to friends and family over the festive period. And the best news? Prices are surprisingly reasonable! Van Gogh Back to Rome after 22 years. January is the last month for visitors to take in over 70 of Van Gogh’s masterpieces on display at Rome’s Quirinal Stables. On loan from museums and private collections all over the world, this exciting collection provides a unique opportunity to see many of the master’s most popular works displayed together. Also on show will be around 30 works of Gaugin, Cezanne, Pissaro and Millet. Too good to miss. L’Acqua Alta. This year, like so many other years, has seen the city of Venice struggle under the high tides that submerge the city centre, creating infinite problems for locals and making it impossible to get about without the specially raised walkways and the donning of high rubber boots. Though it might not be to everyone’s taste, those hoping to see and photograph the world famous Piazza San Marco under two feet of water would do well to visit Venice in January! Italian Feasts And Celebrations Don’t let the winter weather deter you from visiting some of the fabulous sagras organized during the month of January all over Italy. By the time you’ve finished eating and drinking, you won’t feel the cold at all! 18th Mostra del Radicchio Rosso Tardivo di Treviso, Zero Branco, Veneto. As most radicchio lovers know, January and February are the best months for enjoying this deep red bitter vegetable, and during January, there are a variety of radicchio sagras to be visited all over the Veneto region. The one held in the town of Zero Branco near Treviso is held on the 7 - 9th and 14 - 16th January, and as well as being able to sample local specialties such as gnocchi, pasta and pizza with radicchio, you’ll also be able to try more unusual offerings such as radicchio grappas, liqueurs and cheeses. Music and dancing make this a great venue for kids, while adults can admire local ceramics and prints specially created for this event. Festival Internazionale di Scultura Gelata, Cadipietra, Bolzano. Call us mad (we know it’s cold enough already!), but this fascinating ice sculpture event really appeals to us. From the 9th to the 14 January in the mountain town of Cadipietra near Bolzano, you’ll be able to watch an international team of artists create works of art from blocks of snow and ice while you stand enjoying a hot glass of mulled wine. This year’s theme is ‘Evolution’, so be prepared for some original works! Fiera del Maiale, Villa Verucchio, Rimini. As we mentioned earlier, January is the month that pork products abound, and this festa held on the 16th January in the medieval town of Villa Verucchio near Rimini is a modern day celebration of the once traditional slaughtering of the household pig. Here you’ll find everything you’d have found a century ago - sausages, pork chops, pork liver, pork skin or ‘cotechini’, ‘ciccioli’ - fried pork fat trimmings (don’t be put off by the description - imagine crispy bacon-ish bites), salami, and even pork head. As well as pork products, you’ll find polenta, chickpea soup, and a variety of other soups with beans, greens, herbs and cauliflower. Sagra del Polentone, Orvinio, Province of Rieti. Baby it’s cold outside, so fight off the effects of winter weather with this festival celebrating Italy’s deliciously filling polenta. January 23rd sees the 6th edition of this popular festa where guests can fill up on slices of polenta grilled and served with sausages and pork chops. Side dishes include local chicory, and of course, local wine is available to wash everything down. A real treat whatever the weather! Italy On A Plate By Germaine Stafford Germaine continues her roundup of what's happening in the culinary world in Italy and gives you her chef of the month, book recommendation, and a list of seasonal foods for January. What's in Season? Duck Goose Parsnips Broccoli Brussel sprouts Truffles Persimmons Carrots Broccoli rabe Beetroots Apples Pears Kiwis Leeks Artichokes Celeriac Fennel Restaurant Of The Month La Pergola, Rome Cavalieri, Rome It’s only New Year once a year, so we thought we’d include an extravagant experience as our January restaurant of the month. La Pergola restaurant is situated in the Rome Cavalieri hotel and is arguably one of Italy’s finest dining establishments. Boasting three Michelin stars and run by Executive Chef Heinz Beck, La Pergola is committed to culinary excellence, sourcing the finest ingredients in Italy and the Mediterranean and treating them with intelligence and sensitivity. Beck’s aim is to ‘transmit emotions through a balance of aromas, flavors and colors’, bringing a touch of innovation and modernity while respecting Italy’s great culinary traditions. But there is so much more than food to be enjoyed here. The main dining room exudes unique ambiance and style: tables are laid with vermeil plates and cutlery and all around are fine paintings, tapestries, candelabras, antique Imperial furniture and a wonderful collection of hand-blown glass. And then of course there’s the view. The restaurant’s panoramic plate glass windows afford unforgettable views over the Eternal city and on summer evenings, diners can sit outside on the candle-lit terrace and watch Rome shimmer and sparkle as they eat. And what to say of the menu? Chef Beck’s unique touch is apparent in every dish: grilled scampi with smoked potato purée, fennel and pink grapefruit; scallops with asparagus, radish and vinaigrette of tomato and basil; and medallions of lobster on avocado purée and tomato. First courses might include deep fried zucchini flower with caviar on shellfish and saffron sauce; risotto with oysters and champagne; spaghetti ‘cacio e pepe’ with white shrimps marinated in lime; or consommé of sweet peppers with veal ravioli. Main courses are just as appetizing: duck foie gras with wild strawberry sauce and amaretto gelée; black cod with celery sauce and curry crust; veal marinated in citrus fruit on vegetable ‘minestrone’; and terrine of rabbit with artichokes and beets, followed of course by a cheese selection second to none, the most delicious desserts imaginable. And there should be no problem selecting a wine from the 53,000 bottles in the restaurant’s cellar. Now that’s what we call a New Year to remember... La Pergola Rome Cavalieri Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101 00136 Roma Tel: +39 06 35091 Web: www.romecavalieri.com Books Of The Month Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life, by Frances Mayes. Frances Mayes offers her readers a deeply personal memoir of her present-day life in Tuscany, encompassing both the changes she has experienced since Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany appeared, and sensuous, evocative reflections on the timeless beauty and vivid pleasures of Italian life. Among the themes Mayes explores are how her experience of Tuscany dramatically expanded when she renovated and became a part-time resident of a thirteenth-century house with a stone roof in the mountains above Cortona, how life in the mountains introduced her to a “wilder” side of Tuscany–and with it a lively engagement with Tuscany’s mountain people. Throughout, she reveals the concrete joys of life in her adopted hill town, with particular attention to life in the piazza, the art of Luca Signorelli (Renaissance painter from Cortona), and the pastoral pleasures of feasting from her garden. Moving always toward a deeper engagement, Mayes writes of Tuscan icons that have become for her storehouses of memory, of crucible moments from which bigger ideas emerged, and of the writing life she has enjoyed in the room where Under the Tuscan Sun began. With more on the pleasures of life at Bramasole, the delights and challenges of living in Italy day-to-day, and favorite recipes, Every Day in Tuscany is a passionate and inviting account of the richness and complexity of Italian life. Le Cento Migliori Ricette Di Bruschette, by Alessandra Tarissi De Jacobis & Francesca Gualdi This dynamic duo takes us into their Italian kitchen and shares recipes for bruschetta, or italian toast. Bruschetta are normally eaten as a snack or antipasto and can be topped with simple extra virgin olive oil & sea salt, butter and anchovies, grilled vegetables, black or green olives, tuna in olive oil, smoked or marinated salmon, any kind of cheese, or salami and so on. The entire book is dedicated to a variety of bruschetta recipes, those toasted over a grill in the garden and topped with basil, to those prepared in front of a fireplace and topped with delicious truffles. Creativity, love and a little bit of fun make the perfect recipe for bruschetta - buon appetito! USA: 20 Park Plaza, #400, Boston, MA 02116, USA | T: 617.247.4112 | F: 617.247.4850 ITALY: Via G. Marconi, 177-84017, Positano, Italy • T: 39.339.604.29.33 Email: info@cooking-vacations.com | © 2000-2011

December 2010 News

Mangiare Bene December Newsletter Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy Christmas markets manned by local artisans, bakers, and craftsmen holding down their bancarelle,- colorful stalls-bursting with sweets, cantucci & biscotti, roasted nuts, chocolates, Christmas tree ornaments and le Befane, the kind little witch depicted on her wooden broom who brings treats to all the children. This is Christmas in Italy, a grand celebration kicking off December 8 which celebrates the Immaculate Conception. Piazzas, churches and small villages celebrate with church festivities and concerts no matter what your religion is. Cafes, pasticcerie-bakeries, panifici-bread shops are lined with holiday treats of pantone, roccoco, paneforte and torrone. The smell of café brewing steamy cappuccinos and chocolate caldo-hot chocolate umbrella the air in every piazza. Christmas trees are centered in piazzas decked & lighted, and fun filled festivals go on until the late hours everyday leading right through to Christmas and onto January 6,-la Befana. Food and wine fests in the small towns and villages, often called open doors, have friends popping in throughout the month with impromptu aperativi- sipping of Proseccos almost every day. This is Christmas in Italy! Buon Natale! Lauren Table Talk Welcome to our December newsletter, written on a wet and windy Positano day, the rough sea and low temperatures a reminder that winter is well and truly at the door. And while it’s true most people head for Italy in the summer, make no mistake, in winter this country has quite a different charm. From the crisp mountain air of the Alps and the Dolomites to the mild wintry climate of Campania and Sicily, in December, every region works its special festive magic, delighting visitors with its Christmas markets, local food festivals and age-old traditions. Towns and villages are decorated with lights, garlands and wreaths and, especially in the south, beautiful handcrafted nativity scenes are set up in corners of churches, along the roadsides and in the piazzas. Pastry shops are full to bursting with local festive sweetmeats; panettone, pandoro, panforte, struffoli, and trays lined temptingly with roccocò, ricciarelli and mustaccioli. Perhaps one of the most exciting things to do in December is visit one of the many Christmas markets to be found in almost all of the different regions. The most famous ones are to be found in Trentino and usually span the whole month of December. It’s always a delight to visit these markets (especially if you have children!) but at night when chestnuts are roasted on braziers and stalls are lit up with strings of fairy lights, the atmosphere is extra special. And as you stroll round the many stalls picking up stocking fillers and goodies for the festive season with Christmas music in the background and the aroma of spiced sweetmeats and mulled wine in the air, it really is like being in some kind of winter wonderland. On sale you’ll find everything from pretty Christmas decorations and painted wooden toys made by local artisans, to handmade figurines for the manger and mouthwatering displays of food and drink. Look out for local spiced sweets and cakes, torrone, and even candy coal for those who have been naughty rather than nice! So whether you take a walk round the Christmas market in Rome’s Piazza Navona, visit Naples’ Christmas Alley or are lucky enough to enjoy a snowy mercatino in Trentino, we think there can be few better ways to welcome in the Christmas season... Buon Natale, Lauren. Food Notes December brings a hive of activity to Italian kitchens. All through the month and especially during the run up to Natale, Mamma’s and Nonna’s are kept busy creating huge quantities of local dolci -sweets, some for their own family, and some to give to friends and extended family. Many of the traditional sweets are struffoli, roccocò, panettone, pandoro, panforte - can be made in advance, so it’s a great excuse for spending time in the kitchen and giving free rein to your sweet tooth. Over the Christmas period most guests will turn up with some home-made gift or another: beautifully wrapped trays of hard, spicy Roccocò, a flat heavy round of panforte wrapped in sugar paper, a bottle of home-made limoncello, fennel or bay leaf liqueur, or dried figs stuffed with chocolate or almonds, fennel seeds and spices. Each offering is created with love and care and usually reflects local festive traditions, making it so much more precious than anything you could ever buy in a shop. Then of course there is the question of the various important meals over the Christmas period. Apart from the impromptu dinners that occur when groups of family and friends get together, there is of course the Cenone di Natale which normally takes place on the evening of 24th rather than the 25th, and then Christmas Day lunch. Naturally, what will be cooked varies from region to region, and while the food is important, the most important thing of all is enjoying time spent with family. As the Italians say: ‘Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi’ - Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you please. While not everyone is lucky enough to be able to spend the holiday season in Italy, most people have a local market to visit, a house to decorate and a fabulous celebration dinner to create. We at Cooking Vacations wish you the very best of festive seasons and the happiest of New Years. Auguri! Recipes From Our Kitchen Vermicelli Con Alici E Noci ~ Vermicelli with Anchovies and Walnuts Serves 2 This traditional recipe from the kitchen of our Secret Garden Positano Program is served every Christmas Eve and the recipe comes from the Amalfi Coast. 1 ½ cloves garlic 10 tbsp olive oil Fresh Parsley, rinsed and dried 3 walnuts, shelled 7 salted anchovy filets 2 cherry tomatoes Spicy Red pepper, as desired Vermicelli pasta Clean the salted anchovies under running water and remove bones. Smash the garlic by hand and chop the parsley and spicy red pepper. Break the walnuts into small pieces and slice the cherry tomatoes in quarters. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil until hot then add garlic. Sauté until the garlic is blonde, not brown, then remove from heat. Add the anchovies, spicy red pepper, and walnuts and put back on the flame, reducing to medium heat. After about a minute add the chopped parsley and cherry tomatoes and stir together. Add a spoonful or two of ‘magic water’ (the water from the boiling pasta pot) and cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 2-3 minutes. In the meantime, in a pot of boiling salted water, add vermicelli pasta and cook until al dente. When cooked, drain (saving a bit of the water) and add the pasta to the frying pan with the anchovy walnut sauce. Add another scoop of the ‘magic water’ to the pan and toss together over high heat for about 2 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top. Polpette Alla Romana ~ Roman Meatballs Recipe from the kitchen of our Roman Holiday Program. 1 lb chopped Sirloin 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar 1/2 cup red wine 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped 1/2 onion, finely chopped Salt Pepper 1 cup cracked green Sicilian olives Plain breadcrumbs 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients, except the olives and breadcrumbs, in a bowl. Form small balls by molding meat around one green olive. Once firm, roll the meatball in breadcrumbs, making sure it is thoroughly covered. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Zeppole di Natale ~ Christmas Fried Dough Recipe from the kitchen of our Secret Garden Positano Program. 250g potatoes 250g flour 20g yeast, crumbled and mixed by hand in a little milk 2 eggs 40g sugar Pinch of salt Lemon zest, as needed Oil for frying Sugar and cinnamon as needed Boil potatoes, and peal with your fingers while they are still hot. Allow to cool and then pass the potatoes through a ricer. In a large bowl, mix riced potatoes, flour, yeast mixture, eggs, sugar, salt and lemon zest to form a smooth dough. Mix at first with a fork, and then use your hands to knead the dough together for several minutes, making sure it is well incorporated. Cover the dough loosely and allow to rise in a warm place for about ½ hour. Slice off about 2 tbsp of dough and roll into a short rope, about ¾ inch in diameter. Form the rope into a ring and twist the ends to seal the ring. It will look like a ribbon. Set aside and allow to rise again for about ½ hour. In a large frying pan, heat oil. Test the oil with a bit of dough, and fry zeppole until golden on both sides. Remove from pan and drain for a moment on a paper towel. Add cinnamon and sugar to a wide bowl. Roll the zeppole in the sugar and cinnamon while still hot. Set aside and serve hot or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. With Love From Italy If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~ Martedi In Arte This is the last month to benefit from the national initiative called Tuesday in Art where on the last Tuesday of the month you can enter a whole range of major Italian museums absolutely free. Participating museums include the sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii, the Archeological Museum of Naples and the Museum of Capodimonte, the Pantheon, the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo, the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, and the Last Supper and Museum of Palazzo Ducale in Milan, to name just a few. www.beniculturali.it L’Unità d’Italia To celebrate the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Unity of Italy, the Scuderie del Quirinale di Roma has organized an impressive exhibition to illustrate how Italian painting represented the events which between 1859 and 1861 brought about the Unification of Italy. Artists on display include Francesco Hayez, Giuseppe Molteni, Domenico and Gerolamo Induno and Giuseppe Sciuti among others, and one of the objectives of the exhibition is to convey popular and idyllic aspects of the fundamental battles that took place, as well as military details. Pick Up A Prosecco Give champagne the cold shoulder this year and opt for some Italian bubbly to get you into the party mood. Once upon a time Prosecco was regarded as Champagne’s poor Italian cousin, but it is now coming into its own as a perfect festive drink, to be enjoyed either on its own or used to create delicious cocktails such as Bellinis. Some say Prosecco was produced as far back as Roman times, but whether this is truth or fiction, modern, crisp, aromatic versions are a real treat. Italian Feasts And Celebrations December is an especially magic month for visiting some of Italy’s many sagras and festivals, and taking in some of the most beautiful Christmas markets you could hope to find. Here are a few of the best. Il Natale nel Medioveo - Mercato Medievale Natalizio: Lucca, Tuscany, 10th, 11th, 12th December. We just love the sound of this festival which is held in Lucca’s historic center, and offers guests a fascinating insight into how Christmas was celebrated during Medieval times. Best of all, there is a medieval market selling all sorts of goods and products typical of the middle ages in this part of the world. Mercatino di Natale ‘Stella Cometa’: Torino, Piemonte, 5th - 12th December. The colors, perfumes and flavors of this Christmas market make it truly magical and a wander round the many pretty stalls is the perfect opportunity to pick up some gifts for friends and family, or even a few decorations for the home. The colored lights and the appearance of the Stella Cometta, the comet, will enchant children and grown ups alike as they nibble on local specialties and enjoy the background Christmas music. Kids can even hand their letter over to Father Christmas who will take a sleigh ride round town distributing candies and smiles all around. Eurochocolate Ski a Cortina d’Ampezzo: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto, 16th - 19th Decemeber. Anyone lucky enough to be in the pretty mountain town of Cortina d’Ampezzo this December will be able to ski to their heart’s delight (keeping an eye open for the many famous faces that flock to the town every winter), and enjoy a veritable feast of chocolate based goodies available all over town. The aim of this festival is both to promote lesser known sights around Cortina d’Ampezzo and celebrate local cuisine, giving it a delicious chocolate twist. Steaming hot mugs of hot chocolate will be on offer in bars, cafés, chalets and even on the slopes! La Fiera di Santa Lucia, Bologna, 20th November - 26th December. This is one of Bologna’s most ancient festivals, one that dates back to Napoleonic times! Held at the Portico of Santa Maria dei Servi, numerous stalls are set up, and whereas it used to be more of a market in the true sense of the word, there are now many other aspects to the fair, including the possibility of picking up figures for traditional nativity scenes, sampling local gastronomic specialities, and finding out more about local artisan skills, including the production beautiful statues and nativity scenes. Cooking Vacations’ Property Of The Month At The Tuscan Table™ Chef Trio With Brothers Filippo, Matteo & Andrea ~ 4 Day Italy On A Plate By Germaine Stafford Germaine continues her roundup of what's happening in the culinary world in Italy and gives you her chef of the month, book recommendation, and a list of seasonal foods for December. What's in Season? Sea Bass Turkey Celery Parsnips Swede Red cabbage Turnip Leeks Onion Carrots Swede Cavolo Nero & Kale Beetroot Celeriac Pumpkin Cranberries Apples Pomegranate Pears Restaurant Of The Month Gasthof Krone, Aldino, Alto Adige. We’ve found the perfect winter hideaway for you this month: a beautiful hotel and eatery situated in the small village of Aldino in the Dolomites. Prettily decorated in the local style, wood features heavily in this typically South Tyrolean building, and the beautifully crafted vaulted ceilings, stylish rooms, carefully chosen furnishings, wood fireplaces and tile stoves all combine to create a wonderfully cozy atmosphere. It’s the type of place that’s beautiful both in summer and in winter, but we think December in Aldino is pretty special. The Gasthof Krone inn and restaurant is run by the Franzelin family who have been in the hospitality business for centuries and who are experts at taking care of their guests’ needs. And the restaurant in particular has become well known for offering refined but unfussy food that delights locals, guests and critics alike. Menus reflect the dishes and ingredients of traditional South Tyrolean cuisine, with much of the produce coming directly from the local farms. Gastronomically speaking, we’re in the Dolomites here and it shows. Antipasti might include marinated veal head, lentil salad or delicious sweetbreads. When it comes to the first course, the canerderli (dumplings) are really special, some stuffed with spleen or liver, others with mushrooms or spinach, but there are also usually good soups to choose from, wine soup perhaps, or a simple, creamy ‘burnt flour’ soup, and of course, a variety of handmade pastas. The second course usually features baccalà in some form, as well as lamb cutlets, rabbit, venison medallions, and boiled beef served with hashed potatoes (a real favorite!). There are also a number of interesting side dishes - soufflé of polenta, and speck and cabbage salad for example, with some of the quality cheeses on offer actually home made. Desserts are simple but delicious, with apple strudel, ricotta dumplings with zabaglione, and apple fritters with jam providing the perfect conclusion to a memorable meal. There is a very decent wine list, and lots of great countryside all around where you can start walking off dinner... Gasthof Krone Dorfplatz 3 Piazza Principale 39040 Aldein/Aldino Tel. (+39) 0471 886825 www.gasthof-krone.it Book Of The Month Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy By Elizabeth Antoine Crawford We thought now that it’s chilly outside and temperatures are falling, this was the perfect month to indulge in some hearty northern Italian fare, and Flavors of Fruili is the perfect kitchen companion for chilly days spent indoors. It’s actually a rather impressive volume which provides a good deal of geographical and historical background on this region tucked away in the extreme north east whose borders touch both Austria and Slovenia. And after reading of the countless invaders and immigrants (Celts, Romans, Lombards, Austro-Hungarians etc.) that shaped the region’s history over the various centuries, the unique nature of Friulan gastronomy within Italian cuisine becomes easier to understand. It’s probably the least typical of Italian regional cuisines, but this, argues Crawford, is precisely what makes it all the more fascinating. And, as with most other regions, geography also plays an important role: from the mountains come numerous cheese and herb based dishes, hearty soups, the wonderful prosciutto of San Daniele, and from the sea, seafood stews, soups, pasta with langoustines and of course, the area’s much loved baccalà. A remarkable amount of research has gone into the book, and this is reflected in the authenticity and workability of the recipes. After so much time spent with home cooks and restaurant chefs in the region, Crawford manages to be both informative and direct, giving simple, concise instructions for each dish. We suggest you try out specialties like the balote, cheese filled polenta balls; frico con patate, the area’s well known cheese and potato pancake; jota, bean and sauerkraut soup; and of course goulasch. And while there are plenty of delicious fish recipes - baked scallops, salt cod with tomatoes and potatoes, trout with butter and sage, fish steaks with vinegar, marinated sardines - the meat dishes are also pretty mouthwatering: pork ribs in polenta; braised veal shanks; duck breasts with berry sauce; and sausages in bell pepper sauce. Not to forget the many different soups, pastas, including cjalsòns (a type of stuffed pasta), gnocchi and risottos. Naturally, Friuli’s vicinity to Austria means there is an ample selection of sweets and cakes to be enjoyed: strucchi, dried fruit and nut filled cookies; torta dobos, a layer cake with chocolate buttercream and caramel; the famous torta sacher; and strucolo de pomi, apple strudel, to name but a few. All in all, we think Flavors of Friuli would make a useful addition to anyone’s culinary library and stands as a great testament to the infinite variety and diversity of Italian regional cuisine. USA: 20 Park Plaza, #400, Boston, MA 02116, USA | T: 617.247.4112 | F: 617.247.4850 ITALY: Via G. Marconi, 177-84017, Positano, Italy • T: 39.339.604.29.33 Email: info@cooking-vacations.com | © 2000-2011

November 24, 2009


Olives. Olives small pearls of green laid out to dry. We picked our olives from emerald colored branches about 2 weeks ago. The leaves of the olive tree with their dark silver hue seem to glimmer in that autumn sun. After almost 10 days in a sea-salt water bath, changed everyday, the olives turn less bitter.

We put them in a big oval basket for their last wash, and rolled them onto our big volcanic top table. The sun had already warmed the table top, and now the gentle wind from the sea is blowing them dry.

Before the next step, the olives need to completely dry. Patting and turning ever so often takes out any moister.

As I write, Rino is preparing the herbs for the next step. Our jars have been boiled in hot water and dried. Peasano garlic & lemons from Positano’ garden and pepperincino-tiny red horn-like shapes with a hot bite, our red hot chilli peppers are our choices for bottling.

Our Process-
Pick (or buy) 3 kilos of fresh olives
Soak in sea salt and water for 10 days-or until soft, changing water each day.
Dry the olives and crack open with a hammer
Put the olives in the water bath and repeat process for 3 days
Lay out to dry on papertowels in the sun
Dry well
Mix your favorite herbs-
Rino’s sea salt, red chilli pepper and garlic
Lauren’s sea salt and lemon zest

Toss herbs and olives
Jar and seal tight

Ready to eat in a week!