February Newsletter

 February Newsletter

Click to read!

My Little Valentine

Choco dipped strawberries sprinkled with sugar, candied slices of Amalfi Coast lemons, crystal chunks of golden ginger. A small little wooden box lined with lace and filled with Valentine sweets. Our Saint of love, San Valentino has an old story going back to the 500 AD. Even though his was abolished at one time, his come back is honored with hearts of all kinds on February 14. Celebrate the day with this simple romantic recipe. Take two bags of organic semi-chocolate, melt in a double boiler, add two cups of organic Chinese crunchy noodles. Stir until absorbed. Spoon out onto parchment paper lined pans the size of a walnut. Set to cool. Spinkle with sugar and serve on a silver platter. Sweet Tastings!

Mangiare Bene February Newsletter Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy   My Little Valentine I love the story of San Valentino! He was Italian! I love handmade cards shaped in big hearts and organic chocolate sweet made with baker’s hands. I love giving homemade gifts that make eyebrows rise and smiles wide. San Valentino is the saint of love, dates back to 500 AD, and was named after the Christian martyr 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 great writer Geoffrey Chaucer who put it back on the map when he penned beautiful love stories in his honor! Juno, the Roman godess of marriage, added fire to the flame and immortalize the name of Saint Valentine. So here high on the Amalfi Coast, in honor of San Valentino, Melody, Giuseppe and I are busy in our Test Kitchen cooking, baking and making Valentine sweets to keep you cozy. Our small sized Capreses, made in a heart shaped form, are topped with pink sugared rose petals. Every sweet tooth wanted a bite so we baked and shipped our piccolo choco cakes to sweethearts Jennifer Lopez, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Larry King, and Denzel Washington to name a few. Menu For Two Simplicity reigns in Italian cooking and Valentines is no exception. Our San Valentino menu for 2 includes, antipasto Mare e Monti (sea and land) grilled winter pumpkin, wild Porcini, toasted polenta and lemon fused calamaretti (grilled to perfection); Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, Scialatielli pasta cooked in a sweet red tomato sauce tossed with sea-catches of clams and mussels; Todd English’s Branzino (recipe below); and a rich Torta Caprese con Gelato, white or dark flourless cake spiked with choco. And lastly, an espresso-Sambuca along with a choco-hazelnut Baci will have you exchanging love messages in Italiano! This month Cooking Vacations was chosen as the leader in culinary tours to Italy specializing in KIDS COOKING sharing our thoughts on the healthy Mediterranean diet with Tiny Green Mom. I was interviewed and our recipes and story appear on this helping hand site for Moms, read all about us at http://tinygreenmom.com/2011/01/paccheri-con-le-melanzane-paccheri-pasta-with-eggplant-tomato-sauce/ The International Association of Women Entrepreneurs hosted an in depth interview on Cooking Vacations’ marketing and social media business communications. Read all about us, http://www.iaweo.com/facebook-marketing-strategy/ Cooking With A Contessa Tastes Of Italia Magazine Each month I travel, write and photograph for Tastes Of Italia Magazine covering all of Italy's 20 Regions reporting on interesting food & cooking news, artisan producers, slow food advocators, food purveyors and all good things Italian. Read about The Italian Contessa in this month’s issue. “I love pasta! I love pasta e cocozza, pasta and pumpkin, pasta e piselli, pasta and peas, and pasta e cavolfiore, pasta and cauliflower, -simple pasta dishes, using the vegetables in season,” says Raimonda. This is Raimonda, she is a Contessa. Her green gray eyes catch the light as she tells about her love for Italian pasta. Read all about it, http://www.cooking-vacations.com/tastesofitalia.asp Kids Cooking From ours Kids Cooking kitchen, Chloe & Siena have contributed their love notes and recipes for fun Cupid recipes for any Valentine festa! Florence Food, Art & Romance And if you are looking for the absolute romantic getaway check out: Florence: Food, Art & Romance™ Cooking With Chef Monica ~ 4 Day Florence, Medieval City of food, art & romance is laid with ancient cobblestone streets, outdoor cafés spilling on piazzas, and museums home to Leonardo's Adoration of the Magi, Michelangelo's Davide and Botticelli's Primavera. Join Chef Monica for a Florentine cooking experience that will have you cooking like a local! http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp Buon Appetito! Lauren Table Talk February is the month of extremes: it’s wet and windy, often with unexpectedly warm days that surprise you; it brings the festive extravagance of Carnevale which is immediately followed by Lent, and the respite of winter along with the first seeds of spring and summer. After the snow and ice we’ve had over the last month, most of us are hoping for an early and clement spring, but in the meantime, it’s all winter coats and wooly hats. But don’t let the cold put you off - there’s still lots to do out and about: a weekend on the slopes (it’s been a great year for skiing so far); a few days spent somewhere in the south of Italy where the sun is easier to find (why is it that while we’re bundled up against the snow it always seems that the beaches of Palermo are full?); and the many food sagras that are held in every corner of the country celebrating local seasonal produce like pork, beans, pumpkin, and the various different types of radicchio. There’s Carnevale of course, with its fabulous displays and processions with paper mache floats that poke fun at politicians and celebrities, and the most romantic day of the year, San Valentino. To celebrate, take the afternoon off to prepare a lovely dinner for two, and chose some of the Italians’ best loved aphrodisiac foods: oysters, shell fish, asparagus and truffles. Some even said that broccoli rabe was an aphrodisiac, but that was more probably a myth created to persuade people to eat it. But it is (apparently!) well known that almonds induce passion in females, vanilla increases lust, fennel is a source of estrogens, garlic and mustard stir desire, honey cures impotence, truffles stimulate and sensitize and of course we all know that chocolate is the food of the gods, so dessert could be anything from a couple of squares of 80% chocolate enjoyed with an aged rum or a silky chocolate fondue, after which it’s up to you! So wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, we hope you’re having as much fun as we have here in Italy... February Food Notes It may be winter, but there are still some chores to do in the garden. The fruit trees and grape vines need to be pruned, and we also took some vine cuttings to graft onto others that are having less success. The perennial shrubs need tidied up and cut back, and towards the end of the month, perennials can also be divided. Out in the vegetable garden, our produce has survived the cold remarkably well. (Okay, it is under a makeshift greenhouse, but nevertheless...) The Savoy cabbages have come on in leaps and bounds though they need de-snailing every week or so and the first are ready to be chopped and sautéed with a little bacon or pezzente, a word which mens beggar or wretch, but which is in fact a delicious local type of semi-dry sausage which is made from all the left over pieces of pork once the main cuts have been transformed into chops, cutlets, sausages, salami, and capocollo. Left-overs it may be, but as anyone lucky enough to have tried it will tell you, absolutely delicious! The radicchio and fennel will be ready some time this month and the broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes a few weeks after that. Right now, what we have tons of is escarole, broccoli rabe (again best eaten with sausages or pezzente, and fabulous as a pizza topping) and a Neapolitan green called minestra, which tastes something like a cross between broccoli rabe and kale - very good indeed and very healthy. Which means that the kitchen is full of tasty green vegetables, simmering soups and hot savory pies. Maybe February isn’t so bad after all... Recipes From Our Kitchen Chef Todd English’s Plaza Food Hall Whole Roasted Branzino Serves 2 2 whole Branzino, (12 - 14 oz. ea) scaled and gutted from your fish monger 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 bulb fennel, thinly shaved 1 orange, segmented 3 shallots, sliced 1 lemon, sliced into 3 1/8 inch slices salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp EVOO 6 thyme sprigs Method 1. Rinse fish thoroughly inside and out under cold, running water. 2. If fish was not thoroughly scaled, remove by running the edge of a spoon along the length of the scaled area, from tail toward head. 3. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, shallots, thyme, fennel, and orange to make fish seasoning 4. Place fish seasoning mixture into the cavity of the fish and season with salt and pepper 5. Place fish on a hot grill and cook for 4 minutes on each side 6. Remove from the grill and place on a fry pan. Top fish with 3 slices of lemon and finish cooking in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Kids Cooking Chloe’s Cupid Cupcakes “Valentine's Day is a symbol of friendship and love. On Valentine's Day you show people you love them. Another word for Valentine's Day is Saint Valentine's Day. Cupids, doves, roses, and hearts are all symbols of Valentine's Day. The tradition of Valentine's Day started around the Seventeenth Century. The rose is the flower of Valentine's Day. Ciao ciao,…” Chloe Lucia, 8 years old Valentine Heart Cupcakes Makes 6 cupcakes 6 tbsp butter, softened Generous 3/8 cup superfine sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup all-purpose flour Mix flour, sugar and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix until smooth. Place paper cupcake liners into muffin pan. Add mixture to half way in each. Bake for 20 to 25 mintues at 300F. Cover with white confectioner’s sugar. Siena’s Choco Recipe “Valentine’s Day is a very fun holiday. It’s fun bec/ we have Valentine parties. Valentine’s aren’t about how pretty they look, they’re about giving. People should make Valentine’s a great holiday by giving other people chocolate goodies and pretzels too. How about chocolate covered pretzels? Take some long pretzels, dip them in melted chocolate, or use chocolate molds. These are really yummy!” Love, Siena, 5 years old Chocolate Dipped Pretzels Take 20 to 30 long Paul Newman pretzels In a double boiler melt down one bag of Wholefoods dark choco chips. Dip each pretzel into the melted choco. Place on parchment paper to cool. Sprinkle with pink sprinkles and place in the fridge. With Love From Italy If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~ Venice Carnival, 19/20 Feb - 26th Feb - 8 March Those who have never experienced a day wandering around this beautiful city during Carnival have missed one of Italy’s most suggestive spectacles. Get there early, and enjoy a day spent wandering around the main piazzas and tiny alleyways rubbing shoulders with 18th-century wigged gentlemen and corseted, masked beauties. And even if you don’t dress up yourself, there are plenty of street artists around to paint kids’ faces and make them feel part of the action. The Food Hall Plaza by Todd English The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English is a European-inspired specialty Food Hall – and the first of its kind to open within a New York City hotel – offering the finest fresh, prepared and gourmet foods set in a stylish and convenient atmosphere. Visitors will also be able to purchase fresh flowers, a range of international specialty foods such as olives and olive oils, vinegars, spices, gourmet coffee, tea and cocoa, jams and sauces, as well as cookware and home goods. The open kitchens throughout the space will also allow for interactive events such as cooking demonstrations and wine classes. The Unification of Italy, Sorrento, until 21 March. The town’s Teatro Tasso just off the main square has been given over to an exhibition examining the Unification of Italy through cinema, theater, music and art. Along with historical notes, this makes for an interesting way to learn more about how modern Italy became a single nation. Affordable Art Fair, until 6th Feb Visitors to Milan this February might think about taking in the Affordable Art Fair at the city’s Superstudio Più, where over 60 galleries from all over the world present pieces of original art by living artists, all of which cost between 100 and 5,000 Euros. All in the hope of persuading people that creating your own collection of original art needn't cost an arm and a leg. Giovanni Allevi, Rome 19 Feb An unmissable event, with pianist and composer Giovanni Allevi performing pieces from his latest album entitled Alien. This particular tour debuted in Los Angeles and has already hit Japan, but fans back home are ready to welcome Allevi back to Italy with open arms. Also available on CD. Italian Feasts And Celebrations Carnevale isn’t the only event to celebrate in February: all over Italy you’ll find a whole selection of festas and sagras that will make your mouth water. Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale. Florence, 4 - 13 Feb This year the city of Florence is offering visitors an extra special treat over the Carnival period - a huge artisan chocolate fair. Not only will you find many of Italy’s most gifted cioccolatieri and their delicious wares - everything from steaming mugs of hot chocolate to delicately wrapped cracknels and bonbons, but there will also be demonstrations and lessons on the preparation of chocolate, explaining the transformation of the humble cocoa bean into the final product. And traditional flag throwers, masked processions and photographic exhibitions means there is plenty to do between one mouthful of goodies and the next. 22nd Sagra dei Biligocc, Casale di Albino, Province of Bergamo: 6 Feb A wonderfully old fashioned sagra, here you’ll be treated to one of the area’s best loved products, chestnuts, which you can sample smoked, boiled and roasted as well as transformed into a range of products (including dried chestnuts and chestnut flour) that you can pick up to enjoy at home. This sagra boasts the participation of the local Slow Food convivium, so you’ll also be able to sample a whole range of delicious specialties prepared by local artisans, before enjoying concerts featuring traditional dancing and singing. Mostra mercato del tartufo nero pregiato di Campoli Appennino, Campoli Appennino (FR): 12 - 13 and 19th - 20th Feb Lovers of the delicious black truffle should head to the town of Campoli Appennino (under an hour from Rome) where they’ll be able to buy black truffles directly from over 80 dealers coming from 15 different Regions of Italy, and sample a myriad of delicious truffle based dishes. Enjoy the traditional truffle dog competition, folk groups, flag throwers, Medieval processions and visit local restaurants boasting yet more truffle offerings. Fritoe, Golosità e Prodotti Tipici, Montagnana, (PD) In the town of Montagnana in the Province of Padova, on the 20th February, those of you with a sweet tooth will be in your element. This delicious food fest celebrates all the various Venetian Carnival sweets and desserts, from deep fried sugar dipped frittole and chiacchiere to cream filled choux and miniature doughnuts. Lots of other produce will also be on sale and there are various face painting activities for kids and an antique fair and music for adults. Italy On A Plate 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 February. What's in Season? Pork Octopus Cod Cuttlefish Sea Bream Baccalà Swiss chard Cabbage Parsnips Broccoli Brussel sprouts Carrots Cauliflower Broccoli rabe Beetroot Leeks Celeriac Fennel Apples Pears Kiwis Oranges Lemons Restaurant Of The Month Bir & Fud, Rome. Few visitors to Italy are familiar with the country’s artisan beer scene, so this month we visit a fabulous pizzeria located in Rome’s vibrant Trastevere district, close to the river, where instead of wine, there are an incredible 14 beers on draft, four hand pumped English style, and a further 250 different beers in bottles. And they’re all Italian! And what do you want to accompany your specially chosen artisan beer? A really good pizza of course. Bir & Fud opened in 2007, but is already a firm favorite with locals and visitors alike thanks to the painstaking efforts taken by the owners to provide nothing but top quality food and beer in comfortable surroundings, and it now rates among the city’s top pizzerias. But of course, that doesn’t happen just by accident. At Bir & Fud, only best quality stone milled organic flours and specially sourced starter yeasts are used to prepare the pizza dough, which is then left to prove for at least 24 hours. (This ensures that fermentation takes place before the pizza is cooked, not once you’ve eaten it!) The same goes for pizza toppings: whether you opt for a ‘mare d’inverno’ which is a white focaccia with marinated baccalà, Taggiasche olives, and cherry tomatoes, or a ‘trifolata’ with mushrooms, sautéed eggplant, fresh buffalo mozzarella and shavings of Parmesan cheese, all ingredients are carefully sourced and selected. And part of the fun here is allowing knowledgeable staff to help you choose the best beer to accompany your choice of pizza. There are plenty of other dishes to choose from in the menu, and all of them are good. But our favorite way to enjoy this great little eatery is to fill up on their traditional Roman starters like croquettes, supplì (rice balls), fried pumpkin, fried polenta or a little pumpkin risotto, then opt for one of the pizzas and an Italian beer. Bir & Fud Via Benedetta, 23 (Trastevere) Rome Tel: (+39) 06 589 4016 Book Of The Month Stir, Mixing It Up In The Italian Tradition By Barbara Lynch She may be an Irish girl raised in South Boston, but according to many of her biggest fans, professional chef Barbara Lynch cooks like an Italian nonna. Discovering her natural culinary talent in high school home economics classes, Lynch fueled her passion by reading books like Waverly Root’s ‘The Food of Italy’ and books by her culinary heroes Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Joel Robuchon and Gualtiero Marchese, and eventually took trips to France and Italy to absorb the local gastronomic scene and hone her culinary skills. Now, after many years of creating and cooking in her own restaurants, Lynch shares many of her own kitchen secrets in her first cook book ‘Stir’. Remembering how starved she was for inspiration while still an aspiring chef, Lynch has taken care to include in ‘Stir’ the type of pointers and advice she knows will be useful to anyone who tries out her recipes: tips on the importance of using only the best ingredients, gaining a better knowledge of your own cooking tools and on seasoning food properly. Lynch’s appreciation of good food encompasses everything from simply sliced ripe tomatoes with best extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of fleur de sel to more elaborate preparations such as prune stuffed gnocchi with foie gras sauce and this is reflected in her recipes. Many, as she says, are embarrassingly simple: the gorgonzola fondue; pommes frittes; mixed greens with fresh herbs; and spiced walnuts. Others are a little more challenging, but promise unforgettable combinations of flavors: Maine crab, lemon and zucchini blossom risotto; green bean and seared shrimp salad with spicy curry vinaigrette; fontina and mushroom stuffed crespelle with brown sage butter sauce; and seared steaks with cheese sauce and roasted onions. Desserts cover everything from creamy vanilla bread pudding and yoghurt panna cotta to homemade apple butter tart and winter citrus with cumin meringue and whipped creme fraiche. So whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a special dish to entertain friends, ‘Stir’ provides the perfect inspiration. 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

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