kishko

WHERE TO NEXT?!

2007-08-30T16:41:00.000+02:00

It has been an adventurous year, filled with many new experiences, choices and absolutely no blogging. Thank you to everyone who has continued to write to me even though I have been blog silent for way too long. Some people get blog burnout, but I cannot say that that is my case. And, I am afraid to say I have no proper excuse. But if it will grant me any sort of pardon, I do know when it all started: when my ADSL line went down and I never made peace with the telephone company! Soon a new line and twist will need to be added to the KISHKO header as I am off to try my luck on the other side of the ocean, 16 years after I touched down in pastaland.........Ciao a e presto!

VENDITA DI VINO

2006-09-24T15:45:00.000+02:00

once upon a time, a very long time ago in florence, when you needed to do a shop up for wine, you would venture over to one of these tiny little doors found in various locations throughout the city. the vendors on the other side would fill up your bottles and then you would be on your merry way! this one is located in via del giglio in florence and was called very matter- of-factly, vendita di vino or wine for sale. and that's pretty much all i know about them! i will have to head over to my favorite wine shop soon and ask my wine guy to give me a quick history lesson, over a glass of wine of course!

OYSTER SHOT

2006-09-17T21:56:00.000+02:00

if you like a proper bloody mary and enjoy devouring oysters, this little number is for you! this summer i worked in an exceptional fish restaurant and was shucking an average of 10 kilos of oysters from brittany each night. clients who had never tried an oyster shot before would usually scrunch up their noses and cringe when i would describe how an oyster shot was prepared and enjoyed. however, once they tried one, they inevitably kept coming back for more. so at the end of my oyster shucking experience i concluded that oyster shots can be one of the most addictive drugs on the market!

ingredients:

recipe:
one chilled shot glass

a splash of fresh tomato juice
a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice
a pinch of salt
a dash of tabasco

one freshly shucked oyster

a top up of ice cold vodka
a grind of the pepper mill

method:
toss the shot back and simultaneously chew the oyster as you swallow and enjoy the layers of tomato, lemon and vodka as they slide over your palate

tools:
a napkin to wipe up the drizzle dripping down your lower cheek

MY EX-FRIEND, THE ITALIAN PHONE COMPANY

2006-08-08T10:24:00.000+02:00

the internet connection at home has disappeared and i have no idea when it will be back. our friends over at the phone company didn't tell us that when we increased the velocity of our line we would be WITHOUT a line for 1 to 3 weeks! in italian, that means at LEAST 3 weeks. so i don't know when i will be back and blogging. but the good news is that i am collecting lots of pictures and ideas! so please bare with me........

SUMMER SPRITZER

2006-07-24T23:37:00.000+02:00

lately there is a lot of talk about the heat and about thirst quenching salvations, i.e. pimm’s, rose’ and iced latte’s. we don’t really have a strict summer drink rule in our house. it just has to be cold, refreshing and have some sort of alcohol in it! however there is usually a dominating theme to our summer drinks. last year it was pimm’s and, i have to admit that, vodka tonic is a year round staple. the theme this year is the venetian spritz. traditionally spritz is an austrian cocktail. when the austrian’s occupied venice, they introduced this cocktail to venetians which has become something you can get anywhere and everywhere in venice. in fact, venetians aren’t big on cocktails, and generally won’t serve up anything other than a glass of wine or a spritz! the base of a true spritz is red or still white wine and seltzer water. the venetians stick to the white wine and add a choice of aperol, bitter campari, select or cynar. in some areas of the veneto they skip the seltzer water and still wine all together and simply use prosecco - a sparkling white wine. and that’s how we serve ours up, with the addition of ice and a green olive. you can also add a slice of lemon, lime or orange. we use lemon and lime, mostly because we always have them both in the house. this spritz goes down like water, so beware: you just might find yourself wobbling home! but in venice that isn’t a problem. since they don’t have cars, they walk home! i suggest you do the same........

basic spritz recipe:
1/3 bitter of your choice (aperol, bitter campar, select or cynar)
2/3 parts prosecco.
plenty of ice
a slice of citrus of your choice
an olive on a long bamboo skewer

cheers!

WHO IS KISHKO?

2006-07-17T23:00:00.000+02:00

everytime someone leaves a comment on a post i am thrilled, i really am. it makes me so pleased that someone actually enjoyed the post enough to leave a comment for me! so, a few weeks ago when i was approached by a journalist who wanted to interview me for one of her articles, you can imagine my joy! only problem is, i am not japanese. let me explain. the name kishko threw her off. she was profiling the japanese experience in italy and assumed, as many do, that my name was japanese. so i thought maybe i should do some explaining, hence the added details to my “profile” and this post. kishko is a nickname that derives from a combination of my first and last names. this is not the first time i have been mistaken for a japanese woman. actually, i have also been mistaken for a japanese male! when i ran an academic exchange program all of my correspondence with professors and students was via email, so there was no voice to match to my mysterious androgynous name. when the students and professors would show up for the beginning of the academic year they would come to my office and ask for me, not believing that i was me! most people thought they would find a japanese male in my office. i do apologize for any disapppointments i have caused! but i do hope you will still continue reading and leaving comments!

EASY APPLE TART

2006-07-16T11:41:00.000+02:00

only a fool would turn their oven on in this weather.
i would be that fool.
i had to make a dessert. it had to be quick and easy but seem like i had labored over it! the easiest one i know is an apple tart i make that is the combination of about 5 different recipes. the method: slice, stir, bake and serve. it couldn’t get much easier than that, no? this time i also added an almendra para helado - almond sugar designed to be used for ice cream - i bought in mallorca, spain. it is 50% sugar and 50% ground almonds so it was a perfect addition to my creation. when the tart is still warm, i serve it up with fresh whipped cream that i spike with cointreau and cinnamon. it is also tasty with ice cream. and then there are those who choose to eat this tart with both ice ream and whipped cream! i’m not lying.

For the recipe, click on the Read more link below.

APPLE TART
3 apples, sliced papert thin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 T butter
3 T cointreau
1/4 cup sugar
puff pastry - enough to cover the baking dish you are using, rolled out to 2mm thickness

peel, core and slice the apples paper thin and put into mixing bowl. add lemon juice, nutmeg, cointreau, sugar, 1 tablespon of the butter broken into small pieces and mix well. Sprinkle the remaining butter on the bottom of baking dish and cover evenly with apple mixture. cover with puff pastry and bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes then flip over onto serving dish. serve immediately (you can wait to serve but the puff pastry absorbs all of the liquid from the apples and does not mantain a crunchy texture).

optional: i covered the bottom of the baking dish with a light coating of the almendra para helado that i had. and i added cinnamon to the whipped cream

A NEW SUPPLIER

2006-07-12T00:25:00.000+02:00

do you know what kind of gastronomical product this little guy chasing a chicken is promoting?? salt! i am addicted to salt flakes. my prefered brand has been maldon salt. i haven't been able to find it here so i stock up when i am in the u.k. or, i get a friend to stock up on it for me when he/she is off to the british isles. my last request was filed with a scottish friend. however, maldon salt was no where to be found in "scottie", so i was presented with a beautiful black box of cerebos salt flakes as an alternative. i haven't tried it yet, but the white crystals look like enormous white snowflakes, so it has to be good! have any of you tried these tiny bits of goodness yet?

MINI GUINESS (sort of)

2006-07-09T18:01:00.000+02:00

coffee is a very personal beverage. some like it at the bar, some prefer it at home served up from a coffee press or from a “moka” machine. in italy you can enjoy coffee in countless variations. for example:
espresso normale (single espresso)
espresso doppio (double espresso)
macchiato freddo (with a drop of cold milk)
macchiato caldo (with a drop of hot steamed milk)
lungo (or “long” meaning that they let extra water filter through the coffee)
corto (or “short” meaning a small espresso)
in vetro (in a glass)
cappuccino caldo (very hot cappuccino)
cappuccino tiepido (luke warm cappuccino)
caffe' latte (you all know what that is!)
latte macchiato (“stained” milk, which is milk with a drop of coffee in it)
and the list goes on and on, offering something for absolutely everyone! my idea of the perfect coffee is the kind you can drink straight out of a shot glass, no sugar, no milk. when the coffee is so pure and smooth that it just doesn’t need anything! it might sound strange, but even in italy (i should specify: northern italy, otherwise the southern italians, who pride themselves on their coffee, will boycott my blog!) i find there are very few places that actually make such a divine nectar anymore. i often go for a cappuccino when i am not familiar with a venue. however, when i become a regular somewhere, then i know exactly what i want and how i want it: caffe’ normale in vetro with a rich and thick head on it resembling a mini pint of guiness!

bar bellini
san lorenzo mercato centrale
florence

WEEKEND READING

2006-07-03T22:58:00.000+02:00

it is not so easy to get good reads in english when you need them here in florence. don’t get me wrong, there are some decent haunts, like the paperback exchange and some newsstands carry a good collection of books and magazines in english. not cheap, but good. but whenever mr. e. or i make a trip to the u.k. or to the states we come back with piles of “rags” (better known as magazines) and books. last week, mr. e. was in london on business and i was the lucky recipient of brand spankin’ new eye and brain food.

here they are:

the perfectionist, by rudolph chelminski
this book has been popping up on my screen for months every time i go to visit pim. it is about the life and death of the geat chef bernard loiseau. i haven’t finished it yet, but at 150 pages into it, i am hooked. ANY food blogger will enjoy this read.

les halles cookbook, by anthony bourdain (a signed copy!)
written in true bourdain style, he manages to express smells and flavors through his words. and, he always saves space for a good laugh. the introduction opens with: “this is not a cookbook......i will assume only that you can handle a knife with reasonable competence, without being a danger to yourself or others....”

food & wine magazine, july 2006 issue
interesting review of the best new chefs of 2006 and an article on “the state of french cuisine” featuring francois simon from le figaro.

cook’s illustrated, august 2006 issue
i have always read this on line and only purchased copies when i am back in the states. i have finally splurged on a one year subscription. this is definitely my favorite foodie magazine (saveur takes 2nd place). void of advertising, they are free to write what they want to, when they want to and however they want to!

THE AMERICAN CLIENTS

2006-06-28T21:46:00.000+02:00

it happens to everyone, blog clog. you know when you are not as inspired as usual and you feel like none of your photos or writing is good enough to post? that, for me, is blog clog. i do have an excuse, if you accept it or not, here it is. the american clients. these clients are staying in a villa in southern tuscany and have hired me to cook for them for three nights. now as i have already told you, it is HOT here and all i can think of feeding myself is cold melon, limeade and beer! but these clients want the “tuscan experience”, full on tuscan cuisine. for those of you who are not familiar with traditional tuscan cuisine it includes things like homemade pasta with wild boar sauce, roast pork and potatoes, salami and salumi, baking and grilling with lots of heaviness and heat! needless to say, i have officially become a walking sweat factory and cannot bare the thought of one more dinner preparation. but this friday night, i have to muster up the energy to cook my last meal for the clients. they are perfectly nice people, but they get to stand by sipping their chilled wine as i cook, and bake, and grill, and serve, and clean, and feel like i never want to cook again in my life! the biggest shock came on my first evening with them. i walked into the kitchen only to discover that they were preparing frozen chicken nuggets and something that resembled mexican food called “taquitos” (frozen of course). have i been away from the states too long to understand such blasphemy? i know that in the u.k. they have similar habits and jamie has done an amazing job battling against them. i still can't believe that people really feed their kids that stuff and then wonder why they turn into beluga whales and/or have no brain power!! i know, it’s true, i eat fonzies and the food whore drinks pickle juice, but only every once in awhile. and come on! frozen preservatives warmed up and served on a plastic plate? what has the human race come to?! ok, stop. enough already with this ranting. but just in case i haven’t been comprehensive, please see above picture of mr e. and my favorite gargoyle in venice (not in that order) to get an idea of the state i am in! and if you are the client reading this, please forgive me for being so brutally honest.

A LIME-AID SMILE TO THE RESCUE

2006-06-26T20:07:00.000+02:00

as everyone knows, it is SIZZlin’ hot in southern europe right now. italy has the added "attraction" of humidity and the world cup. i was truly amazed that italy won tonight, taking them to the quarter finals. but THAT is enough about soccer.......one of the liquids that is keeping me on my feet through the heat is “limeade”. i love lemonade, but there is something about tangy limes that satisfies my tastebuds even more. for an easy batch of “limeade” pour the juice of 10 freshly squeezed limes in a one liter jug. dissolve 1 cup sugar (i used brown sugar which changes the natural green shade of the juice into a color that is much less attractive) in 2 cups of hot water. add the sugar syrup to the lime juice and fill the jug to the rim with still water. chill and serve with ice and mint (if you have it), and vodka (which every civilized soul must have in their freezer, no?!).

JUNK FOOD CONFESSION

2006-06-21T18:44:00.000+02:00

everyone has their weaknesses. one of mine is a junk food called fonzies. for you americans out there, fonzies are another version of cheetos and are made in germany. in general, i am adamant about using only seasonal produce and i make most everything i eat fom scratch. but every once in awhile i fall for these cheesy crispies (empty bag pictured above!). i know, i know, you are thinking "how gross!". but, they aren’t fried! they are baked so they can’t be THAT bad for me, can they?! i know the food whore drinks pickle juice (see june 14, 2006 post), so i am feeling fine about admitting to my fonzie addiction. and when they are accompanied by a beer and a good movie at the cinema i bet you’d be tempted to try them too! so go on, fess up! and make your junk food confession!

TOMATO GUMBALL

2006-06-20T15:55:00.000+02:00

this little joy looks like a sweet and sour gumball but it is actually a tomato called “camone”. i don’t know anything about it except that it comes from sardegna, it has a thin crunchy peel and a juicy center. can anyone help fill me in on the details??

VENETIAN DOORBELLS

2006-06-18T14:40:00.000+02:00

these guys reside in the part of venice called san lorenzo. i was busy taking lots of photos of them when someone stopped to ring one of the bells. as i looked up to apologize for being in her way, i was greated with a warm "ciao, come stai?!". the owner of these funky faces is a person i know! what a small world. anyways, she gave me a brief history: they were custom made by a venetian artisan and are copies of gargoyles from the notre dame catherdral in paris. to ring the door bell, just pull!

OFF TO GONDOLA LAND

2006-06-12T20:00:00.000+02:00

i'm heading to venice tomorrow for a wedding and for the sampling of tasty treats! i will be back next week with plenty of pic's and news from gondola land!

FLORENTINE FAVORITES: LA LATTERIA

2006-06-07T16:32:00.000+02:00

latteria literally means milk shop and this one has been around since 1931. as a milk shop would do, they used to sell only fresh milk and dairy products. clients would arrive with their glass milk bottles and have them filled up on the spot. obviously things have changed since then. matteo missoni now runs the the latteria and still sells milk, but now it is in cartons and you wouldn’t specifically go there to buy your milk. however you must go their to have a mega capuccino served in an oversized american style coffee cup and one of the best brioche in florence! baked fresh everyday, they have a mouthwatering selection including “assaggiare senza chiedere” (don’t ask, just try it) and “sfoglie napoletane” pictured above. i won’t tell you what either one is filled with, you just have to go and try one when you are in florence. i would suggest booking your hotel in the neighborhood.

la latteria
via de’ neri 50/r
open monday to saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
closed sunday

FLYING KITES

2006-06-05T21:13:00.000+02:00

is it as cold there as it is here?! the days are crisp and cool, gorgeous for september and october weather, bit geeeez! it is JUNE! it is supposed to be balmy and sizzling hot already! however, despite the crap weather, last weekend we did our best to adapt and i think we did a hell of a job eating and drinking and eating some more. the main course was the "schiacciatine" pictured above (from vale', in forte dei marmi) - crunchy, hot, salty yumminess paired with cold beer went down quit well. but we are still flying kites and praying for summer to arrive..........

da vale'
piazza garibaldi, 4
forte dei marmi
tel: 0584.89361

THE BOZZA: "PANE SPECIALE CHE PIACE"

2006-05-30T19:20:00.000+02:00

yes, i know, i was complaining about tuscan saltless bread, and here i am again talking about it. but i found yet another tuscan loaf i can actually eat! so i gotta tell you about it. tuscans pride themselves on their saltless bread and declare that it the perfect bed for salty toppings like prosciutto crudo (cured ham) or rich pecorino cheese. when i was at the beach in castiglione della pescaia last week i found myself in front of what looked like a huge corn flake cookie: the bozza bread (sorry for the neon lighting that doesn't do the color of the bread justice!). advertised as "special bread that people like", bozza literally means a "rough draft", or something that is "oversized and swelling". when i asked how they make it, i got the typical answer: "just water, yeast and flour!" but everyone has their secret ingredients whether it is lard, olive oil, sugar, honey or milk. so what the answer really meant was that if i want more, i have to go back! i didn’t get the secret out of them, but i brought a loaf home with me.

SUNDAY IN THE CITY at FUORI PORTA

2006-05-29T11:11:00.000+02:00

i should probably add this to my list of florentine favorites as it is an old standby that i have been going to for years. when we just want a simple snack and a good glass (or bottle!) of wine without having to take out a loan, this is one of the places we go to. the name fuori porta means “outside the door”, which is literally where this local favorite is, just outside the old city gate called san niccolo’. fuori porta has a daily menu with pasta dishes and main dishes, but they are famous for their crostoni, or oversized crostini. they serve up some great flavors from smoked scamorza cheese and truffles, to artichokes, to the old fashioned ham and cheese. the wine list brags 650 labels and their speciality is red wine. they have outdoor seating in the summer months and they are always open, which is quite the rarity here. usually eating establishments close in the afternoons and at least one day a week.

fuori porta
via monte alle croci, 10r
firenze
055 23 42 483
www.fuoriporta.it
open everyday
12.30 to 00.30

SAVORY STARTERS

2006-05-22T15:30:00.000+02:00

i was inspired by keiko at nordljus to get the book starters, first courses easily turned into main dishes, by shane osborn. and it was a great buy. everything i make from this cookbook is excellent. thanks keiko! my latest experiment was the caramelized onion and mushroom tart. i didn’t have all of the ingredients so i made some variations, but it was still tasty. the savory mushrooms with chives paired nicely with the sweet caramelized onions. the puff pastry was not homemade but the italian brand buitoni makes a great time saving puff pastry that tastes just like the real thing! here’s the recipe, copied and adapted to the supplies i had in my kitchen!:

shane osborn caramelized onion and mushroom tart

serves 4:

shallot stock:
i didn’t have shallots or stock so i skipped this part

caramelized onions:
50g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper

tart bases (i made one whole tart instead of 4 small ones):
250g ready-made puff pastry
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

mushroom topping:
400g mixed mushrooms (button, chanterelle, shiitake, oyster) cleaned
65g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp double cream
1-2 tarragon sprigs (i used thyme and chives)
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

method:
caramelized onions - melt the butter with the garlic in a heavy based frying pan, then add the onions with a pinch of salt. cook over very low heat until the onions are softened and caramelized; about 45 minutes to one hour. season and discard the garlic. let cool.

for the tart base - preheat oven to 220C. roll out and place the pastry in your baking tray with parchment paper. prick the dough evenly with a fork. spread the caramelized onions out evenly on top of the dough. sprinkle with thyme. brush the border of the pasty with the egg wash. bake for 12- 16 minutes until the crust is evenly golden. remove from oven and let cool.

mushroom topping - halve or slice the mushrooms. heat 50g butterin frying pan until foaming. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. season with salt and pepper. (add the stock but i eliminated this step since i didn’t have stock). add the cream and stir in remaining butter. stir in lemon juice, check for seasoning and discard garlic.

to assemble - place the warm tart base on a warm plate. spoon the mushrooms on top. garnish with tarragon and serve. i used thyme and chives instead of tarragon and i added thinly sliced pieces of a soft pecorino cheese as well.

UNDER A TUSCAN SKY

2006-05-21T22:12:00.000+02:00

i really hope i am not boring anyone with these sunset pictures. but if they continue to be this gorgeous, then i am sorry but "sunsets" will just have to be the theme of the month at kishko!

FLORENTINE FAVORITES: Perche’ no!

2006-05-21T19:00:00.000+02:00

this time it’s ice cream. it is finally ice cream season, at least for me. i have a hard time eating ice cream unless it’s nice and hot out. i have two favorites in florence, but my number one pick is perche’ no! which literally means, why not! open since 1939 perche’ no! has been making delectable flavors with wholesome ingredients. besides the regular standbys like chocolate and strawberry they have pistachio, sesame and honey, green tea, almond, coffee crunch, and ginger, just to name a few and they are all made with the “real thing”: no powdered milk here! the flavors are fresh and clean in your mouth. they don’t leave any of those nasty aftertastes of preservatives or film residue in your mouth like some ice cream does. i know you know exactly what i am talking about! it is also aesthetically pleasing to look at (can you tell that i am a libra?!) it’s not piled high in gooey mounds of lumpiness that looks like it has been there for at least a week. you might be surprised to know that you actually see a lot of that here in gelato land! anyways, back to perche’ no! - it’s about a two minute walk from the duomo so if you are in florence you have no excuse not to go there. unless of course it isn’t ice cream season. for any non-dairy desires, they also make granite and sorbet (but i haven’t tried them yet!).

perche’ no!
via dei tavolini, 19r
florence
tel.: 055.239.8969
www.percheno.firenze.it

BABY BLUE AND POWDER PINK

2006-05-20T20:55:00.000+02:00

i swear i did NOT retouch this image! this was all thanks to mother nature

SUPER SIMPLE ZUCCHINI

2006-05-19T12:30:00.000+02:00

i rationed the zucchini purchase i made with ilva on wednesday into two portions. tonight, a super simple tasty recipe:

zucchini sautéed with mint and garlic

1 large whole clove garlic
300grams whole zucchini (about 6 medium zucchini), cut lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces and then slice the pieces into thin strips
2 sprigs fresh mint, whole
olive oil
salt
chili pepper or chili oil (optional)

put the ingredients in desired sauté pan in the following order: garlic, zucchini, mint, salt and oil. sauté on high heat for about 5-10 minutes, depending no how crunchy you like your veggies. i am serving it tonight as a side dish to an indian meal of vegetable pulau and grilled marinated chicken breasts. if all goes well, i’ll post those recipes too!

FOOD BLOGGER REUNION: ITALY

2006-05-17T15:48:00.000+02:00

i have to admit that i am always a little jealous when i read about keiko going to paris and meeting david, meg, michele, pascale and clotilde or about other food blogger reunions around the world. don’t get me wrong, i am excited for them but only wish i could join them!

however, today i had my own little food blogger reunion with ilva from lucullian delights. she has a gorgeous food blog and the images she posts always amaze me. i met her in pistoia which is about 45 minutes from florence by train. there is something incredible about meeting fellow bloggers because there is a part of you that feels like you know them already! anyways, i was lucky enough to have a private guide to the city of pistoia and to the wednesday market there. we ran into a few skeptics who did not want their photograph taken. the woman running the puglia food stand, in the photo above, was concerned that i wanted to take pictures of her goods so that i could copy them! i managed to convince her that i only wanted to take photos because the display was so beautiful. she had pickled everything from garlic to bell peppers! and, she even said “you aren’t going to copy everything like the chinese do, are you?!” so i didn’t dare tell her that i intended on posting the images on my blog!

i discovered lots of yummy new things today: the town of pistoia, a fellow food blogger, slitti chocolate (david would have scolded me for not knowing about slitti - but now i do!) and fresh zucchini from cecina di larciano (a small town in the countryside, south of pistoia). as soon as i decide what to do with those gorgeous zucchini i will report back.

so are there any other food bloggers based in italy who would like to join us for the second italian food blogger reunion? next stop: florence.

above: ilva caught taking pictures of flowers at the market!

FLORENTINE FAVORITES one at a time: GUALTIERI

2006-05-16T11:23:00.000+02:00

in this world of expading commercialism the human race is losing track of what pure produce and wholesome natural ingredients are. but there are also lots us who are dedicated to the constant search of the “real thing” and who are always hungry for more! i think it is safe to say that most food bloggers and local producers feel the same way. take for example the eat local challenge, mighty foods or ripe to you, just to name a few. one of my favorite local producers here in florence is the pasticceria gualtieri. it has been a famiily operation since 1933 and they still use the same family recipes from 73 years ago. one of there treasures is the iris cake (pictured here, “before” and “after”!). it is their best seller and my favorite item that they make. named after the symbol of florence, the iris flower, it is a flourless cake made with circa 12 different secret ingredients. there is no way to get the recipe and make it yourself. you just have to give in to that sweet tooth and buy one every once in awhile! the iris cake is similar to a sugar coated coffee cake and it melts on your mouth with hints of orange, almond and vanilla.

the pastry shop is run by riccardo gualtieri, the grandson of the orginal owner, and he knows how to make all of the delights that he sells. he and his wife are dedicated to quality and tradition and it shows in their simple but rich display of cakes and cookies. they also make a made to order millefoglie, some of the best stuff you will ever wrap your lips around!

pasticceria gualtieri
via senese 18r
tel.: 055.221.771
open tuesday to saturday 7.15 - 13.00 and 16.00 - 20.00
open sunday morning 7.15 - 13.00
closed sunday afternoon and monday
www.pasticceriagualtieri.com

BOUNTIFUL NEW ZEALAND

2006-05-14T14:49:00.000+02:00

i have never had the burning desire to go to new zealand. but after i read the may issue of saveur magazine and tried a recipe from it, i am dying to go! the article is called north island bounty and it’s all about the town of matakana, located north of auckland, their dedication to local produce (and wine) and their farmers’ market. i tried the zucchini tart with feta recipe. the result was not half as beautiful as the cover image of the magazine, but it tasted damn good! the saltiness of the feta blended perfectly with the sweet tomatoes and the basil leaves. wherever you are, go and get yourself a copy! if you can't find one, let me know and i will make a copy of the recipe for you.

CAN YOU NAME THE GUY IN THE TOUPE'?

2006-05-13T16:01:00.000+02:00

that's mr. eggplant!

EAT LOCAL (CHALLENGE)

2006-05-10T09:52:00.000+02:00

i don’t think my eating local really counts since i live in florence and i basically eat local everyday! so it's not much of a challenge. plus, from what i have read, you have to be in the u.s. to participate. but i have decided to contribute a few of my own local eating stories anyways! today it is baby radishes and farm fresh eggs. these eggs come from a small farm south of florence. the chickens are free range and dine on all of the vegetarian leftovers of the farm kitchen. so the eggs actually TASTE like eggs. you know what i mean?! the radishes were super juicy and spicey, like they had been spiked with hot chilis. it wasn’t really fair of us to pick them so early since they still need a couple of weeks to get to their proper eating size. but we couldn’t resist!

SUNSET AFTER 17 HOURS OF RAIN

2006-05-09T21:27:00.000+02:00

GREEN GARLIC FLOWERS

2006-05-07T13:10:00.000+02:00

these beautiful little buds have a very faint scent of honey. but the pungent odor of garlic in their stalks reveals their true persona - green garlic. here in florence, they grow everywhere. i picked up these gems along the roadside on a morning walk. you can make lots of tasty dishes with this very seasonal herb. and, i find it popping up on blogs everywhere! the theme i have been finding is noodles: on april 27th pim gives us a fast, easy and tasty chinese egg noodle recipe. albion and the amateur gourmet go italian
with green garlic pasta dishes. if you are BBQing, throw some whole green garlic stems on the fire. they go very well with all things grilled!

MANGIATUTTO

2006-05-06T15:20:00.000+02:00

while i lived in venice, i had never eaten beans like these. since i have moved to florence, i eat them all of the time, when they are in season of course. mangiatutto means “eat it all” and that’s exactly what you do with these fine flat beans.
saute one medium fresh onion in olive oil and a drop of chili oil, if you have it, until golden brown. add the beans (whole, about 10 ounces), and a cup of chopped fresh tomatoes. add one teaspoon of salt, cover and cook on low heat until done. when they are done, throw in some chopped fresh basil. eat them while they are warm!

MY FAVORITE TAKE ON STRAWBERRIES

2006-05-01T10:51:00.000+02:00

tasty strawberries can be found everywhere in the markets right now. well, you can find them almost year round these days. but you don’t get the local grown that actually TASTE like strawberries until april/may. stumped for a dessert recipe last night, i took a carton of strawberries and dipped them in 70% dark chocolate that i melted in a double boiler. it’s fast, it’s easy and it is very tasty!

150 grams of 70% chocolate (i use lindt chocolate)
1 carton of strawberries (approximately 35 berries)

melt the chocolate in a double boiler. as soon as the chocolate is completely melted, turn off the heat (if it becomes too liquidy the chocolate just drips right off the berries instead of sticking to them!) holding them by their green tops, dip the strawberries one by one into the chocolate and place on parchment paper. let cool. when the chocolate has solidified, transfer the chocolate covered delights to a serving dish and devour.

AFRICAN GRAPEFRUIT IN TUSCANY

2006-04-29T18:05:00.000+02:00

these gorgeous creatures come from a seed that was carried all the way from sudan to tuscany. planted in a tuscan garden many years ago, this tree bursts will golden grapefruit for months! as i took photographs i was eaten alive by tiny ants that were crawling on every limb of the tree. needless to say, the glamour of the moment didn’t last very long!

L’ARTE DI ARRANGIARSI

2006-04-28T14:37:00.000+02:00

or, the art of making do with whatcha got, italian style!
when there isn’t enough room on your grill for all of the stuff you have to bar-b-que, use a wheelbarrow! that’s what we did last weekend and it grilled to perfection!

ASPERGRASS SEASON

2006-04-27T18:31:00.000+02:00

better known as asparagus to most people, but in kiddie lingo i can confirm that it is actually called aspergrass. other common vocabulary i used when i was a wee child includes spasghetti (spaghetti) and liebelly (library). i am sure most people have their own personal set of kiddie vocabulary. anyways, last monday we went to the town of pereta in tuscany; the area of maremma to be exact. and it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. those soft rolling hills south of siena are my favorite in all of tuscany. we went to celebrate the birthday of a good friend of mine. her father is an amazing cook therefore an excellent food supply was not lacking. a friend of the family brought a supply of fresh asparagus as a present. they had been picked that morning and came from a farm that uses 37 degree celcius thermal water to water the luscious green stems! i have had asparagus sauteed, bolied, steamed and baked, but this was the first time i ate them grilled. there is something about the grilling on an open fire that makes them taste even better than usual. they are crisp and smokey on the outside and burst with their natural flavor when bitten into. we devoured them grilled to perfection and dipped in a dressing of oil, lemon and salt.

GLEE in 'GLICINE'

2006-04-23T11:41:00.000+02:00

glicine, or wisteria in english, is everywhere right now. climbing on walls, covering verandas and filling the air with its divine perfume. it is an incredible challenge to try and describe the scent of wisteria. to me it is sweet and bitter, citrus and honey, cool and penetrating.......curious fact: it belongs to the pea family!

FUN FIND OF THE DAY

2006-04-19T17:18:00.000+02:00

as was browsing through the paper back exchange english bookstore today i came across this fun find. it gives a brief history behind the street names in florence. this book is probably not something you would carry with you if you are touring around florence for the first time. i would assume that rick steve’s, fodor’s or let’s go might be your companions instead. however, when you live here you can’t get enough of curious little historical facts. for example, on many street signs you will see two different street names: the current name and the old name. and it can be interesting to understand that a street was called tintori (dyers) because at one time they dyed wool in that road. or onesta’ (which means honesty) is where the onesta’ department of the city government resided. the department was made up of "eight citizens who were supposed to oversee public morality"!. a lot of names are of course very straight forward like antinori where the antinori family had several houses or terme (thermal baths) where the roman thermal baths were. if you want to add useful and some useless informational tidbits to your journey through florence, this is a great resource!

EASTER LAMB

2006-04-17T11:40:00.000+02:00

my trusted butcher at the san lorenzo market is the man i go to for all my carnivorous needs. last week i went to order a leg of lamb for easter lunch. since they couldn’t prepare it immediately, my leg of lamb was reserved with my name on it, literally!

when i got there they were busy carving and chopping and prepping all sorts of yummy pieces of meat. the best seller for easter however is of course lamb. mine was to be boned and then seasoned with a salt rub of sage, rosemary, wild fennel and bay leaves. the secret touch is the “rettina” (fatty tissue of the animal) that they carefully wrap the seasoned meat in. this preparation is fool proof even if you have never cooked lamb in your life. the prepared roast should be seared on a very high flame for 5 minutes on all sides and then slow cooked with an inch of red wine in the pot for one hour. the only problem was that when i reached for the lamb on sunday morning, it hadn’t been preped at all - it was only deboned. so much for having a trusted butcher! after i got past my fit of anger, i seasoned the meat with fresh garlic cloves and a mixture of 16 herbs that i bought from a butcher in the dolomites last christmas. then i followed the same technique of searing and slow cooking in red wine. the result was finger licking good. but by the time i remembered to take a picture, there wasn’t any left. i realize that the above mentioned recipe is impossible to follow! so check out this article for some proper recipe ideas.

DA IST SCHOEN or in this case, shun

2006-04-12T18:10:00.000+02:00

“da ist schoen” is german for “that is great”, which is exactly what these knives are. my official knife supplier is my father. over the years he has given me an assortment of these irreplaceable tools that i proudly display and use in the kitchen. my first knife was a wusthof chef knife which has travelled with me from venice to florence and has seen many a sharpening by my local knife sharpening man. the latest addition to my collection comes from shun and is a santoku, or a japanese chef knife. now i really don’t know a lot about knives but i know what i like and what feels good in my hands. the first time i used my new shun was like using a new pair of fine leather gloves that you can’t even feel because they are so comfortable. when doing some research on the shun collection i discovered that 1. they come from seki city in japan which is famous for the production of samurai swords (so they gotta be good, right?!) and 2. alton brown (from the food network) created a collection with shun called “alton’s angles” where he modified the shun forms to make it easier to chop veggies without banging your knuckles on the cutting surface. these knives also have a very durable blade and are dishwasher safe. however, i could never bring myself to putting any of my knives in the dishwasher. according to the 1st golden rule in knife maintenance as per my father, my knives get hand washed!
last summer i worked in the kitchen of a restaurant that was set up for a local fair. the knives were so bad that we would go home at night with aching arms, throbbing hands and blisters! i do realize that i am spoiled by my coveted knife collection at home that has never caused me any pain but once you’ve tasted some of the best, it’s hard to go back!

THE REMAINS OF THE BANANA BREAD

2006-04-09T18:50:00.000+02:00

isn’t there a movie or a book called "the remains of the day"? anyways, the remains of the banana bread i baked today are in the pictures above and below. i know banana bread is not very italian. in fact, most italians who had never tried it look at me like i’m nuts when i offer it to them! but today it was the perfect accompaniment to a sunday brunch in the sunshine at my friend m.’s house. it went down very well and without complaints! the recipe comes from my best friend j. in minneapolis. i have been using this recipe for the past 15 years. it’s foolproof and rich as hell.

here’s the recipe:
cream:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar

add and mix well:
1 egg

add and mix:
1/2 cup sour cream

sift together and mix into the batter:
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour

puree and add:
3 large ripe bananas

sprinkle the top with cinnamon and brown sugar. pour the batter into a buttered and floured bread pan. bake at 175 degrees celcius (or 350 farenheit) for 45 minutes. let cool and serve up in slices!

variations i use are:
1/2 cup walnuts chopped in large chunks, 1 shot whiskey, fresh orange or lemon peel. i almost always add the walnuts and the whiskey and i highly recommend this variation!

BALLOON IN THE SKY

2006-04-08T17:11:00.000+02:00

as i was making breakfast this morning, this is what i saw out of our kitchen window...........

(BATH)ROOM WITH A VIEW

2006-04-06T21:11:00.000+02:00

this view gives a whole new meaning to taking a shower! our bathroom window is in our shower and looks out over these fields..............i know: we are so lucky.........and for those of you who are planning on bombing this blog (you know who you are!) why don't you get on a flight and come and enjoy some of this with us??!!

A SUNDAY DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY

2006-04-05T08:00:00.000+02:00

about 25 minutes east of florence on the road to pontassieve is a fantastic destination for everything from sunday emergency groceries, to a quick panino or a sit down meal with bistecca alla fiorentina. in fact, la bottega di rosano always packed with customers. the staff is friendly and knowledgable and even sell fresh bread on a sunday, which is a rare treat - no bakeries in the city are open on sundays.

i am a bread monster and could live on bread alone, but tuscany is the only region in italy that makes bread without salt so it is not something i am crazy about. the absence of salt is uncomprehensible to me eventhough i know it has historical significance. in a nutshell: at some point in history the tax on salt was raised by the italian government and the tuscans decided to rebel and stopped putting salt in their bread! however i have to admit that the saltless tuscan bread they sell at rosano is a tasty exception, especially when accompanied by some wild boar sausage and fresh pecorino cheese. and that is exactly what we did last sunday! the bread has a thick crunchy crust with a dense but light core. we continued with artichokes that had been grilled and then marinated in proper tuscan olive oil. since we were having a bistecca fiorentina for our main course we shared a plate of homemade gnocchi served with broccoli and gorgonzola cheese - divine! we also shared an order of artichokes stuffed with pecorino cheese. of course each course was accompanied by fine red wines from different regions of italy! so if you find yourself in forence on a sunny sunday afternoon and you feel like a drive into the eastern countryside, i highly recommend heading towards la bottega di rosano for a snack and a shop up! their small grocery store is well stocked with top quality cheeses, salami, oil, wine, fresh vegetables, pasta and more. your other option is to reserve for lunch and to treat yourself to a bistecca fiorentina!

la bottega di rosano
trattoria e panini
via 1 maggio, 10
rosano, firenze
tel: 055.8303013

THE SWEET PUNGENT FLAVOR OF SPRING

2006-04-04T09:44:00.000+02:00

there are so many exciting flavors and colors that bloom with the spring season. the list is endless and i can think of a million things i’d like to write about. but let’s start with one today. well actually, two items: fresh garlic and artichokes. both items have just started appearing at the fruit and veggie vendors. some italians will say that it’s too early and that you shouldn’t buy them yet. i took a risk.

fresh garlic is easier to digest and more delicate in flavor that the aged garlic you can find all year. i find it has a sweet pungent flavor. its moist bulb extends from a long green stem which actually looks a lot like a leek. in fact, garlic is in the onion family. the individual cloves are not fully formed so the garlic can be chopped into random pieces. some like to eat it raw and julienne on a simple tomato pasta dish. i used it to make sauteed artichokes last night.

easy and yummy artichokes:

6 artichokes, cleaned and cut into 6 wedges each
1/8 head of fresh garlic cut into chunks or sliced fine (i left it in chunks)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. salt
pepper (to taste)
1/8 cup parsley, chopped fine

heat oil in a deep pot with a heavy cover (i used my trusty calphalon pot. the pot needs to be wide enough so that all of the artichoke slices touch the bottom). add garlic and brown. add artichokes, salt, pepper and parsley. cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat. the artichokes will cook in their own water. however, if need be, add a tablespoon of water as they cook. when they are done uncover and saute’ on high flame for a couple of minutes.

2 CHICKENS AND 1 DUCK

2006-04-01T09:52:00.000+02:00

we had painters in our house for three days so we decided to abandon ship and to spend some time with one of my best friends at his house in the countryside. this friend of mine is a chef and his abode is fully equipped with live hens, ducks and fresh eggs. as usual, we had some fabulous food and plenty of laughs. on the eve of our departure my friend announced that he needed some help butchering 2 chickens and 1 duck. the beasts were getting old so it was time to put an end to their misery. since it was something i had never done before i enthusiastically volunteered to help. following this experience, i can say that i think it is something all meat eaters should do at least once in their lifetime. it gives a whole new perspective to biting into a piece of meat! i am hesitant about putting all of the gory details and pictures of guts and testicles in a post, so i am publishing just a couple of the “cleaner“ images and saving the details for anyone who is curious enough to e-mail me about their queries.

it took us 3 hours to do the butchering which included the guillotine, the hot water bath, the plucking, the gutting and the cleaning. the amazing thing is that every single part of the bird is conserved and used in various traditional country recipes like: “collo ripieno” - stuffed chicken neck, “crostini” - liver pate’, “cibreo” - a famous restaurant in florence and an antique florentine dish made from giblets. following country cooking rules, the only things we threw away were the beaks and the innards. even the intestines were cleaned and kept for rustic pasta sauce (cleaning those was definitely the biggest nasal challenge i have had in a long time!).

there is a good chance that the next time we spend an evening with my friend we’ll be eatin’ those birds!

PEEP HOLE VIEWS

2006-03-30T09:41:00.000+02:00

we went to visit out neighbors down the road but they weren't home...... we snapped this picture through the key hole of their gate!

MY WALK TO WORK (really, i'm not kidding!)

2006-03-27T09:12:00.000+02:00

as pictured above, we live right at the city limits of florence. the red stripe through the sign in the photo means that you have hit the city limits. from our house, it's about a 20 minute walk to the porta romana, the southern gate of the historic center of florence. it's called the porta romana (roman gate) because it is the gate that stands at the beginning of the road that leads to rome.

what i love most about our neighborhood is that it feels like we live in the middle of the tuscan hills, when in fact we are only 5 minutes away by car from the arno river.

last saturday i had a catering gig not far from my house so i decided to walk. i thought i would share some of the views i took in along the way.........

needless to say, this eye candy helped me make it through preping a 10 kilo tuna for tuna tartare, shucking 200 oysters, making 6 kilos of fish risotto, gutting and cleaning squid and cuttlefish, cutting up baskets of fruit, to then feed 60 people who ate like absolute piglets. i swear they hadn't eaten for weeks, poor things.......in these situations, as soon as i start to feel a twinge of anxiety coming on, i have to thank the food whore for her help in bringing a smile to my face - she always makes it through her tricks with such grace and humor......

(can you find the two monarch butterflies in the photo?! unfortunately i couldn't get a better close-up with the dinky little camera that i have, but i swear that they are in there!!)

GREEN POPSICLES IN MARCH

2006-03-24T09:14:00.000+01:00

since spring has officially sprung as of march 21st, i have seen a lot of great photos of budding blooms on my daily blog reads. my contribution (not because i think it's a great photo) is of the gigantic green popsicles down the road from my house. they remind me of a hot summer day as a child, with icey sugar water dripping down my hand because i can't eat the popsicle as fast as the sun is melting it...............for those of you who are shaking your heads and thinking i am nuts, you are correct: these are freshly trimmed cypress trees......

FOR CORIANDER LOVERS ONLY

2006-03-16T22:18:00.000+01:00

have you read the march issue of saveur magazine yet? it is not available in florence, so in november 2005 i finally decided to treat myself to a subscription. no need to tell you how excited i was when it finally showed up on my doorstep last week. the current issue focuses on ireland - looks like a tasty journey to take but not in the winter months - and near the end, what caught my eye was an article on trinidad called “calypso, sequins and spice”. the magazine arrived on a thursday and i read it from front to cover, including the "kitchen"section at the end where they wrote above an "herb" i had never heard of called culantro. the next day, my main man e. went to do some grocery shopping while i stayed home to work on recipe editing for a friend who is writing a cookbook. mr. e. came back with a gorgeous bunch of culantro (pictured above), something i had never seen before but had read about the day before in my shiny new saveur magazine. i had one smell of it and my entire body was immersed in the intense and bitter coriander/parsley scent of this cousin to cilantro. the curious coincidence is that mr. e. hadn’t even seen the saveur magazine arrive.............so in the evening we tried their recipe for chadon beni sauce (culantro sauce) reducing it by two thirds (we didn’t have 2 cups of culantro leaves!):

CHADON BENI SAUCE:
1 cup chopped culantro
1 1/2 chopped spring onions or scallions
1 stem habanero chili (we used one small indian green chili)
1 small clove garlic
blend all of the above in a food processor
season to taste with salt

we also added:
juice from 1/2 lime

then we grilled two 1/2 inch thick steaks and chomped them down with the chadon beni sauce. the next day, we made tomato salsa for some soft tacos we had for lunch. we added 1 rounded tablespoon of the sauce to the salsa and devoured our tacos. both meals were followed by the consumption of liqourice in the attempt to kill our garlic breath!

TODAY I BOUGHT GOLD

2006-03-15T14:15:00.000+01:00

you can’t make jewelry out of this gold, but you can make an excellent pasta dish! my favorite fishmonger sells a mullet roe (bottarga di muggine in italian) from cabras also refered to as “oro di cabras” or, “cabras gold” = what many claim to be the best roe around. also refered to as sardinian caviar, i have been eyeing the stuff for months now and i finally bought some today. in doing so, i realized that they call it gold for several reasons: 1. there is a limited quantity produced, 2. it tastes heavenly and 3. it’s as expensive as gold!
the mullet swim and grow in the ponds of cabras, on the west coast of sardinia. according to my fishmonger and to some research, these ponds are considered the best environment in italy for mullet. they live and dine in a luxurious oasis resulting in a smooth and exclusive flavor.
in september the biggest bellied mullet are chosen and the eggs are carefully drawn out of the abdomens and are kept whole. they are then cleaned, salted, pressed and dried. the roe is sold whole (refered to as a baffa in italian, or moustache) or grated. if you want the freshest flavor buy a baffa and slice it or grate it yourself. it’s just like parmesan cheese - for the freshest and most intense flavor, you would never want to buy it pre-grated. it’s much tastier if you grate it yourself right before you are ready to use it in a dish. the baffa wears a little “hat” or ”hood” called ”su bibbiu” (the navel) in sardinian, which is attached to one end of the baffa. this hood is actually a little bit of the outer part of the belly that the fisherman keep intact while they cut into the mullet, allowing them to extract the roe without damaging it. i haven’t actually seen this done, but the final result is proof enough. i used cabras bottarga produced by antonello satta, but several brands exist and are for sale on-line as well. try oro di cabras.

an easy recipe for two people:
1 head garlic chopped fine or sliced
1 fresh chili pepper, chopped fine (you can use more or less depending on your preference and depending on how sizzling hot your chilis are!)
1 inch x 1 inch piece of oro di cabras freshly grated
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil, preferibly fresh pressed new oil
200 grams of spaghetti, preferibly no.3 (the skinny ones)

in 2 tablespoons of oil saute’ the garlic and chili pepper until golden brown. turn flame off. when pastra is cooked al dente in plenty of salty water, drain and add it to the saute. at this point turn the flame back on to low. add the parsley, the remaining extra virgin olive (you can always add a bit more if you like) and the grated “oro di cabras”. mix well and quickly. serve steaming hot. top off each plate with a few slices of oro di cabras for decoration.

p.s.: the little chunk missing on the bottom left corner of the photo is the bit we used for our pasta at lunch today..............

A SATURDAY MORNING IN FLORENCE

2006-03-11T19:39:00.000+01:00

following a shop up of tasty cheeses at the sant'ambrogio market this morning, we headed over to the teatro del sale for lunch (door handles of entrance pictured above). teatro del sale is the creative invention of fabio pecchi, owner of the famous cibreo restaurant which is an institution in florence that has been around for 20 years. you can find a great bio with information on fabio pecchi and the cibreo restaurant from "the diva" judy witts .
the teatro del sale is the newest venture of the cibreo institution and is situated in the "cibreo corner" of florence, directly off of the sant'ambrogio market, where the cibreo logo also runs a bar/caffe’, a restaurant and a trattoria. the teatro is an open space for members only offering pure food and interesting cultural events that range from theatrical and musical entertainment, to workshops in singing and cooking. when you enter you are immediatley drawn in by the warmth of the lighting, the colors and the store where they sell all sorts of yummy delights including everything from their homemade "sotto aceti" and jams, to candles. or, the famous cibreo glasses made from cut off wine bottles, honey, oil, wine, books and more. beyond the store is the reading area (packed with books and magazines) which connects you to the massive two storey space where the open kitchen and theater stage host you as you dine and, in the evenings, enjoy the post dinner entertainment. the meals are served buffet style. this might initially sound like a nightmare but it is actually a great way to enjoy the dishes that are made fresh everday with quality seasonal ingredients. they come out of the kitchen steaming hot off the “grill”. you can watch the chefs through the tall glass windows of the kitchen as they prepare the dishes which eventually arrive to the buffet table accompanied by introductions made by mr. pecchi in pure theatrical style. the meals include some staples like their homemade bread in the shape of oversized dog bones, polenta spiced with cinnamon, the best crunchy roast potato squares i’ve ever had, and super thin schiacciata dressed with lard or olive oil just to name a few. and then, depending on the season, they serve everything from tripe florentine style to pasta with fresh mussels. the next time you are in florence, you definitely want to spend an evening here. or, spend a morning doing your shopping at the sant’ambrogio market and then finish off with a lunch at the teatro del sale and a coffee at the cibreo caffe’.

teatro del sale is a private club with affordable annual membership of 10 euro per person (5 euro for foreigners)
it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
from tuesday to saturday
from 09.00 to 15.00 and 18.00 to midnight

THE BOTTOM OF THE COOKIE BAG

2006-03-06T17:17:00.000+01:00

like most food bloggers, there are very few pre-packaged goods i purchase since i prefer to make as much of what i eat from scratch. a few of my favorite ready made items: ice cream from the local ice cream shop, fish sauce for pad thai, cecchini "mostarda" for cheese tasting, and today i bought butter cookies for my tea. but not just any butter cookies! these are made by “deseo” in prato (a city known for their “cantuccini” or “biscotti di prato”, made famous by the “biscottificio mattei” company which has been making their “biscotti” since 1858 and packing them in the famous blue paper bags) and what inspired me was the packaging: clear, simple and yummy - i am a sucker for good packaging! when i looked closer, i discovered the "all natural" ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, pinenuts, raisins, fresh eggs, sea salt and chili pepper. so i figured it couldn't hurt to try them. plus, lately my oven hasn't been working so i can't even bake myself a batch of cookies. i have to admit that this batch of butter is a great substitute for homemade. the 1inch x 1inch cookies melt in your mouth with none of that after taste you get from illegible ingredients that you often find in packaged items. instead, the added pinenut, raisin and chili pepper of the deseo cookies gave my tastebuds a delightful aftertaste that lingered on my tongue. deseo also makes “cantuccini” with ingredients like walnuts from sorrento, “do mori” chocolate and almonds from puglia. i have seen them sold in most italian airport stores but i don’t know if you can get them outside of italy yet. if not, you’ll have to come and try them or buy some on-line! as you can see from the photo, the box of cookies didn't last long in my house.....

THE PRINCE CHARMING OF CHEESES

2006-03-05T22:45:00.000+01:00

going to the market on a saturday morning is one of my favorite things to do. when i was little and living in a midwestern city, we used to always go to the farmers' market because it was the one place you could get fresh produce directly from the farmers. now i am spoiled and have several choices of markets to go to everyday of the week. but there is something about the hustle and energy of a saturday morning market that is unique. if you get there early enough, things are quit calm and both vendors and clients are still waiting for the cappuccino caffeine kick to set in. as it gets later, the vendors start singing out offers: "artichokes, 5 for 2 euro", “juicy lemons from sorrento", "the best radicchio trevisano of the season". yesterday morning we chose to go to the sant'ambrogio market. the main markets in florence are san lorenzo and sant’ambrogio. i usually go to san lorenzo where i have my trusted butcher, fish monger and veggie vendor. but when i need a smaller more personal environment, i prefer sant’ambrogio especially during the warmer months: almost all of the fruit and vegetable stands are open air and the small covered market hosts the butchers, bakers a couple of bars and a restaurant. today’s main purchase: “buccia di rospo” cheese from la fattoria di corzano e paterno . the farm is south of florence, just outside the town of san casciano, and was originally purchased by the swiss architect wendelin gelpke. he died in 2001 but his family still runs the estate. their artisan specialties: wine, olive oil, sheep cheeses and an “agriturismo”. i will be visiting the estate soon (when it stops raining) and will be able to give you a proper recap then! back to the cheese: the name “buccia di rospo” means “frog skin”, which is a pretty obvious name choice since the rind of the cheese does look like a bumpy toad! the “buccia di rospo” was actually originally a production mistake. but it was such a success that it turned into one of their best selling cheeses and is now on the menu of several of the best local restaurants as well. i hate to try to describe it, you really should taste it, but just to give you an idea: it’s similar to a taleggio in consistency and flavor but much more delicate, almost sweeter. does that help?!

la fattoria di corzano e paterno
san pancrazio (about 5 minutes south of san casciano val di pesa)
via paterno 10
tel. 055 8248179.
http://www.corzanoepaterno.it/

BETTER THAN A CRACKERJACK SURPRISE!

2006-03-04T18:04:00.000+01:00

sublime taste with a surprise: can you find the pearl in the eld inlet oyster i had at restaurant alma?............

TRUE CHEFS DON'T FOLLOW RECIPES

2006-02-25T13:42:00.000+01:00

well, that's what my mom always says. but i know i could never make any decent dessert without following a recipe!

like most food blogging foodies, i am addicted to cookbooks. and i have to admit, i spend more time reading them as if they were novels than actually following the recipes. my mother (who is from goa, india) recently gave me the 1989 edition of the above cookbook from india entitled "the chef" by isidore coelho. it is a book i remember seeing in my mother's hands when christmas sweet making time came around. indian sweets can be pretty complex, so she would always double check the ingredients with mr. coelho. this photo is actually of her 1964 edition which i prefer to my cover since it is a vivid visual memory from my childhood. it really isn't a book you follow recipes from since it is very vague. for example, the recipe for egg batter is:.....
"beat the required number of eggs and apply to materials for frying" and that's it!
and the definition of cooking is:
"the work done in the preparation of food by aid of fire is called cooking......" which i guess could be considered a concise definition of cooking?!
chapter 7 and chapter 8 are by far the most interesting: "a few medical hints by an experienced doctor" and "home remedies". these chapters include everything from recipe no. 1520 "hints to nursing mother" to recipe no. 1543 "ginger juice for stomach trouble". and i have to confess that after a heavy meal i often make myself a fresh ginger tea. but instead of the salt recommended by mr. coelho, i use honey. it's much tastier!

FAVORITE NEW RESTAURANT PICK

2006-02-24T18:01:00.000+01:00

on a recent trip to my home town of minneapolis, minnesota i had a chance to enjoy a lot of good food and some proper cocktails. some venues were old faithfuls that i never miss when i am back and some were new treats. surrounded by fantastic wine in italy i don't often crave cocktails. but when i am back on american soil i can't get enough of them! this time my pick was the standard cosmopolitan. that probably sounds boring and typical to someone who lives in the united states. but believe me, when you live in a country where cranberry juice is virtually non existent, a cosmo hits the spot! so when i sat at the bar of the 112 eatery in minneapolis and i saw the drinks they were mixing with grace and care, i opted for a cosmo and my brother for what he claims to be one of the best gin and t.'s he has ever had. fresh, clean and served with a splash of fresh squeezed lime in a chilled glass, my cosmo was the perfect companion as i perused the fabulously concise menu.....as long as you aren't looking for something like fried ice cream, this menu has a unique and creative list of choices. my list of sampled dishes: lamb scottadito with goats milk yoghurt (and other yummy ingredients), duck and radicchio salad (topped with a thinly sliced egg and a east asian inspired dressing), steak tartare (mixed to perfection with the basic tartare condiments), blue prawns with rooster mayo (not one drop of oil from the fried batter and perfectly paired with the spicy rooster mayo), french fries (gotta have 'em), stringozzi with lamb sugo (the pasta and the sugo are both homemade). dishes i will try next time: the burger served on a english muffin and the carbonara that is finished with a whole raw egg yolk that you get to twirl into the pasta yourself. combined with a concept that is perfect for someone who can't eat the super size american portions, who likes to try several different dishes, this restaurant is definitely my new restaurant pick. the kitchen is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. (they take last orders at 1 a.m.), the atmosphere is intimate and the unpretentious staff makes you feel at home. so at home, that i went there 3 times on one week! and now that they accept reservations, i highly recommend that you make one.

112 eatery
112 north 3rd street
minneapolis, minnesota, 55401
tel: +1.612.343.7696

TOTALLY BAMBOO

2006-02-19T22:47:00.000+01:00

i am such a sucker for kitchen supply stores. i can spend hours (and way too much money when funding is available) in them, exploring every corner. there isn’t a product i don’t look at. and, i always find some funky new 'gizmo' that i just have to have. when i walked into the Kitchen Window store today my innocent intention was to browse the cookbook section and to buy a silicon bristle pastry brush. my old brush died on its last mission over my homemade breadsticks, leaving clumps of bristles everywhere. after browsing through the cookbooks, i couldn’t leave without checking out the rest of the store as well. at the end of my adventure, i left with a new pastry brush and a bamboo cutting board by Totally Bamboo in hand. the boards were all placed on a spacious shelf like works of art hanging in a gallery. what caught my eye were the simple geometric patterns and the natural golden tones of the boards. i had never seen them before but they looked gorgeous, so I had to have one...........from what i learned later, bamboo is a very durable and dense wood, and therefore not too porous - which is a good thing if you are like me and you are cutting everything from bread to squid on it! you know those plastic boards color-coded for fish, meat and veggies? they are not for me. i mix the colors up all of the time anyways and end up cutting fish on the veggie board. all of my cutting boards (until today) are olive wood and I choose the board based on size, not color. and, a simple scrub down with a piece of lemon always kills any odors left on the boards. one of my favorite perks from the purchase i made today is that bamboo is an easily renewable resource. it doesn’t have to be planted every season because it continuously pushes new stalks through the earth. that sounds like a small miracle to me! the human race is doing a pretty good job of plowing through the resources of planet earth so it’s nice to discover alternatives that encourage the conservation of our home.

A GOOD EXCUSE (?) FOR BLOG NEGLECT

2006-02-17T01:03:00.000+01:00

i do have an excuse for unwillingly neglecting my blog. here goes: i am back in the united states where i was born and raised, stocking up on family comfort and comfort food (and i haven't had internet access for two weeks!). eventhough i live in pastaland (i.e. italy, or food paradise) there are several things i do miss from time to time: a proper char-grilled burger, unagi sushi, indian thali, mexican tacquitos and old fashioned malts, just to name a few! however, my first stop when i am back on u.s. soil is often for some mexican flavor. my love for mexican food could be connected to the time i spent there as a small child chowing on "tortillas" and "frijoles". but my guess is that it is simply the foodie d.n.a. i was born with. so, this trip, first port of call: guacamole central. as i sipped on my icey "negra modelo" beer our chef prepared guacamole from scratch directly in a "molcajete" dish at our table.

a quick swirl of onion, cilantro and jalapeno to start.....perfectly ripe pulp from a shimmering black/green bumby skinned avocado, and another twirl. and last, finely chopped tomatoes and salt swiftly tossed with a wooden spoon. i scooped up the divine mixture with my crispy white corn tortilla chips and dove in, leaving only a few scraps for my parents.............i'll let my father demonstrate our tastebud experience:

so i wonder if my excuse pardons me for briefly abandoning my blog?!

A STELLAR CHEESECAKE CRUST

2006-02-01T18:49:00.000+01:00

i recently tasted my first no-bake cheescake. yes i know, you are probably wondering how i got through life without having had one. and i have to confess that before my first taste the other day i didn’t actually know they even existed (the no-bake version of course)! so when i was looking for a simple no-bake recipe, i found the “domestic goddess” had the answer. based on a martha stewart recipe, the “goddess” has written an extremely easy and quick no-bake recipe. i made a couple of variations to the recipe: i wanted to use lime instead of vanilla, so i used the peel and juice of one lime. and for the crust, i used the “pan di stelle” (“star bread” in above photo), a staple dry good for italian children (and for some adults like me). these yummy chocolate biscuits are decorated with little white sugar stars and work perfectly as a substitute to wafer cookies for the crust. the reviews from the dinner party guests were fantastic: a gold medal for presentation, excellence for taste and divine for consistency! this is a recipe i will be using again soon. actually, i have to make a dessert for a dinner party tonight.........just had a thought: i can’t imagine it is very easy to find the “pan di stelle” outside of italy so i guess this variation will be more useful to foodies in italy.

BIALETTI MOKA MAN

2006-01-30T15:04:00.000+01:00

the “bialetti” man can be found in almost every italian household. adorned with his distinctive bow tie, striped pants and moustache he acts as guardian of your coffee as it bubbles through the central brewing spout. the “moka express” is the oldest model “bialetti” brand makes and was originally patented in 1933. it has been slightly modified over the years but the basic design hasn’t changed. we have been through a lot of coffee makers in our house, including many a fancy “alessi” maker. but in the end, we find the best brew comes out of our “bialetti moka express”. as you can see from the photo, it has also been through some rough times - the handle has melted more than once on our gas burners! another added feature: the “bialetti” man puts a smile on your face as you serve up the morning java.

CLEMENTINE OUT, MANDARIN IN

2006-01-29T14:41:00.000+01:00

when i went to my neighborhood produce vendor yesterday i was sad to be reminded that in italy the brief and tasty clementine season is over. one of my favorite things about christmas (besides the decorations, the cookies, the eating and being with family) is devouring clementines and then squirting the rind juice on candle flames. the reaction is a miniature version of firecrackers! anyways, clementines are tiny bundles of sweetness that leave their scent on your nails and hands for the entire day. but by end january the italian clementines are no longer to be found and the “mandarino tardivo”, the late blooming mandarin, takes its place. mandarins are yummy nonetheless but they have a completely different flavor. and, they have seeds! the mandarins i bought yesterday come from ciaculli, sicily and have a distinct and mature lime orange taste, not like the baby sweet clementines, but i probably shouldn’t be comparing apples and oranges...........so in need of a dose of clementines yesterday, i opted for the spanish import - which i must admit kept my taste buds happy!

DREAMING OF SUMMER ON A COLD WINTER DAY IN FLORENCE

2006-01-28T16:55:00.000+01:00

a restaurant review from last summer on tuesday, june 21st, 2005..........
in the midst of all of the complaining we do about how tough it has become to find really good italian cooking in florence at reasonable prices, we recently discovered an old stantard, “mamma rosa”. many people have spoken to us about this restaurant, hidden in the shade of a hotel garden in calzaiolo (south of san casciano), but we never got around to trying it out until now. part of the joy experienced while eating was due to the fact that we had no expectations, and we were quite frankly expecting the regular average over priced meal. the dishes proposed on the menu are few but extremely well thought out - they included choices for everyone from meat lovers to vegetarians. the antipasti for example were 100% vegetarian: pappa al pomodoro served chilled, riso balls stuffed with smoked scamorza cheese and veggies, beer batter fried eggplant stuffed with sun dried tomatoes, and pickled tropea onions. for a primo we chose spaghetti with fresh sardines and tomatoes, and for secondi we had three dishes: traditional beef tagliata with rucola, scaloppine alla milanese, and coniglio marinated in senape and then grilled. the secondi were definitely the least interesting of the group and could have easily be skipped following the filling appetisers and starters we enjoyed. for all of the above dishes, 2 bottles of tasty leonardo vineyards chianti we spent 40 euros each. it’s a gorgeous place to have sunday lunch (in the summer time!). reservations recommended.

mammarosa
via cassia per siena, 32
055 8249454
closed mondays