tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41025113249297298932024-03-13T23:11:51.670-04:00BLU AUBERGINEDana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-25320254706713785702022-03-18T11:04:00.000-04:002022-03-18T11:04:07.389-04:00WINE ESCAPES: Valle de Casablanca, Chile<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2H-2uIiOo1g/XecwaKftDNI/AAAAAAAAGa4/7khFLgo6vnQP6nx2KkQoiveO8tyYW7TzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1613.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2H-2uIiOo1g/XecwaKftDNI/AAAAAAAAGa4/7khFLgo6vnQP6nx2KkQoiveO8tyYW7TzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_1613.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KA2IcIdso/XecwAVwhSpI/AAAAAAAAGas/MVfGt-wotBQMhzduwRVA3JQ1pTz6tV2lgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KA2IcIdso/XecwAVwhSpI/AAAAAAAAGas/MVfGt-wotBQMhzduwRVA3JQ1pTz6tV2lgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KA2IcIdso/XecwAVwhSpI/AAAAAAAAGas/MVfGt-wotBQMhzduwRVA3JQ1pTz6tV2lgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9KA2IcIdso/XecwAVwhSpI/AAAAAAAAGas/MVfGt-wotBQMhzduwRVA3JQ1pTz6tV2lgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1630.JPG" width="320" /></a><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">It's
not news that the long, wisp of a country on South America's Pacific
coast is a hotbed for great wine production these days. It's actually the world's fifth-largest producer of wine. But Chile's
wines are still undervalued in the global market, compared to its Old World
"competition" in countries like France, Italy, and Spain. Which means
that when you can find some of Chile's best wines, you're likely to find
them at a much more approachable price point -- all the better to be
able to taste lots of them, and discover your own favorites. Or, you could do what my friend Jess and I did, and head to the actual vineyards that produce these wonderful wines to sample them on their home <i>terroir</i>, if you will.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZE1kP2iXYs/XecwiJ1IhsI/AAAAAAAAGa8/FS9TSzIs3jULAJe6vN2K2msPssxz9h34ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Dana%2Band%2Ba%2B10%2Bam%2Bsauv%2Bblanc.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="946" height="311" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZE1kP2iXYs/XecwiJ1IhsI/AAAAAAAAGa8/FS9TSzIs3jULAJe6vN2K2msPssxz9h34ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Dana%2Band%2Ba%2B10%2Bam%2Bsauv%2Bblanc.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We ventured into Chilean wine country in early January, which of course in the southern hemisphere is the height of summer. I knew going in that I liked Chilean wines; I'd enjoyed many of them in New York, and I had been enjoying them all week long in my travels around Chile. So when Jessica and I left Santiago and headed to the Casablanca Valley for a day trip in wine country, we knew we'd like much of what we'd be tasting. Perhaps it was the proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the rolling verdant hills that reminded me of Napa and Sonoma in California. Perhaps it was the New World sensibilities of our host winemakers and vineyard guides that they share with California winemakers. There are some French influences in the winemaking here, but this was definitely not Europe in feel. Of course, many European wine varieties (including and particularly French wine grapes) were transported to Chile in the 19th century in an effort to save the varieties from phyloxxora, the deadly vine *plague* that has historically wiped out not just entire vineyards, but entire growing regions.<br /> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNm8G9PQJpDvbOITUXL1B-cI-KoZkKTlJLyN30xOMKcFT_LvwPm6zH2pehiUADhLbUv3iyGdkj9zXgKf01hqX5o5wcmS0xEkGZQCSPn6BobSsWqnQ3IE0LbtKV8LihDu4HVj1zL6s68NykYUHYC_OQXVOgtp0qNc8xUwv-oKDVjtd6-7fTLOyTmzKfiQ=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNm8G9PQJpDvbOITUXL1B-cI-KoZkKTlJLyN30xOMKcFT_LvwPm6zH2pehiUADhLbUv3iyGdkj9zXgKf01hqX5o5wcmS0xEkGZQCSPn6BobSsWqnQ3IE0LbtKV8LihDu4HVj1zL6s68NykYUHYC_OQXVOgtp0qNc8xUwv-oKDVjtd6-7fTLOyTmzKfiQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Pablo Morandé is considered the maverick in these parts, who, while working for behemoth Concha y Toro, recognized that the Casablanca Valley possessed a lot of the characteristics of coastal California, which made it hospitable to growing cooler-climate wine styles. It took some time to create not just a buzz about the valley's potential, but to prove that quality wines could be made here. Morandé established Bodegas Re, and along with a handful of other producers, put the <i><b>Valle de Casablanca</b></i> on the wine world's map.</span><br /></span></span>
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The Casablanca Valley wine-growing region takes advantage of the Humboldt Current effect. This air stream moves from the Antarctic through
all of the Pacific coast of Chile, providing cool afternoon breezes and
mitigating the climate of the Casablanca Valley. This, paired with the warm air
rising in the east, creates an environment that's ideal for vines. The sandy clay soil is quite homogeneous in the valley, and creates favorable growing conditions for white wines in particular. <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">These include some of the finest
Sauvignon Blancs in Chile, with Chardonnay a close second for the
title of the country’s best white wine style. Of late, the region has been
exploring the potential of several white grape varieties "new" to the area, including
Riesling, Viognier and Gerwurztraminer. Still, red styles are not completely ignored in the Casablanca
wine region, as the cool climate conditions lend themselves to the
production of some high-quality vintages. Pinot Noir reigns supreme
among these, though Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon
are also grown in the Casablanca Valley. </span></span></span></p></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Kingston Vineyards</b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifPaX-7Js20NiDvZD7m2UYnsTcGTi9Pl84JoLl3ObRLwyqkYCnNZfy0x8Bc6ibqJfKz68D8mKojeH0ZVcXakb72oPB0LA47OjrRgIrxbuw-1lyHQOJCVQmBCqt71j8LAIWUZH--vauk8HnjvREYa3MOrBcROuvdRuuqQCRGc3CJdW7-2S3cvKz-m7ZdQ=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifPaX-7Js20NiDvZD7m2UYnsTcGTi9Pl84JoLl3ObRLwyqkYCnNZfy0x8Bc6ibqJfKz68D8mKojeH0ZVcXakb72oPB0LA47OjrRgIrxbuw-1lyHQOJCVQmBCqt71j8LAIWUZH--vauk8HnjvREYa3MOrBcROuvdRuuqQCRGc3CJdW7-2S3cvKz-m7ZdQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div></b>The
Kingston Family Vineyards is a boutique Casablanca winery that has
been in the same family for over a century. The land was established by
US mining
engineer Carl John Kingston, hailing from Michigan's Upper Peninsula,
while prospecting for gold in the early
1900s. The farm eventually reaped rewards by becoming one of the
area’s most prominent producers. Their wines, which include small,
handcrafted lots of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc, have featured
on top wine lists around the world, including Jean Georges in NYC and
The Four Seasons in London. The estate was also named ‘Winery
of the Year’ by <i>Wine & Spirits Magazine</i> in 2011. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicT748xbHlbKUoRKgsqTBvc6nQ3elwWI2HUpvoLblmALaejKWc7rwEgdvxHtUPdkDBAQ7ssUZ4-hdDteikQA0OrtA3L6uVw1r-vIdI_mQdq_hqckd4Kt2ofaeZYT2siuGFgwR5M1VjV14WNx4RImiiCIV0abyDfErjUN1aSd5zwjt9Jfg05fbSZff63g=s3264" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicT748xbHlbKUoRKgsqTBvc6nQ3elwWI2HUpvoLblmALaejKWc7rwEgdvxHtUPdkDBAQ7ssUZ4-hdDteikQA0OrtA3L6uVw1r-vIdI_mQdq_hqckd4Kt2ofaeZYT2siuGFgwR5M1VjV14WNx4RImiiCIV0abyDfErjUN1aSd5zwjt9Jfg05fbSZff63g=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">We enjoyed a tour of their state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, followed by a lovely tasting complete with cheeses and breads and nibbles, in a glass-encased tasting room overlooking the steel wine vats.<br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Kingston produces around 3,500 cases per year of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon
Blanc, and Chardonnay. It is one of a handful of Chilean vineyards
leveraging artisan winemaking and sustainable viticultural techniques to
uncover the potential of coastal Chile, 12 miles from the Pacific
Ocean. It's a marriage of American innovation and Latin American tradition and terroir. In a bit of "small world" trivia, several members of the Kingston family are Princeton University graduates, and some have remained Princeton residents -- locals to where I grew up.<br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">https://www.kingstonvineyards.com </span><br /></span></span>
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</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b> </b></span></span></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Bodegas Re</b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPM4t14Fv59V0GkLd6fK-nS3XSX9eNtK8NE42rY3deA8khzJLdB_oTGaCUTa4AYynGxLCS83V6a_xgd9PjYCVmYY8plbQVy1RYrE8pRI8bf6ehpHDI5NW_mfYUKH8t4YlHfvCw5T2MuuWxX3uHeh7JFTD2fAwqFvbApQWDQN9pEXoeU_tm0zlBgAUA5A=s3264" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPM4t14Fv59V0GkLd6fK-nS3XSX9eNtK8NE42rY3deA8khzJLdB_oTGaCUTa4AYynGxLCS83V6a_xgd9PjYCVmYY8plbQVy1RYrE8pRI8bf6ehpHDI5NW_mfYUKH8t4YlHfvCw5T2MuuWxX3uHeh7JFTD2fAwqFvbApQWDQN9pEXoeU_tm0zlBgAUA5A=s320" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">This vineyard and cellar made for an interesting stop on our tour. The concept of Bodegas Re is contained in the "Re": REdoing, REcreating, REthinking, REvolutionizing...you get the idea. It's a marriage of history (the founder's family goes back as far as nine generations in winemaking) with modern techniques and technology in viticulture. </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bodegas Re was number 43 on the 2021 list of the World's Best Vineyards to visit, for the third consecutive year.</span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=w200-h150" width="200" /> </a><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The cellar is filled with oversized egg-shaped earthenware amphorae used for aging the wines -- they date back to the family's original historical plantings. There are earthenware jars and jugs of varying sizes all over the cellar
rooms, containing not just wine but a variety of local liqueurs, as
well as balsamic vinegar featured in its very own showcase room. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> (<a class="hawk-link-parsed" href="http://www.bodegasre.cl">bodegasre.cl</a>)<br /></span></span> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsug2_z6ioGJl_ZcEPs17NGAhbrU2cBdXKdeEDD-lBMAU_xhkaa4PcJTJO3yUu4sFTxXeQIdvJ_KPPx0YjqPMl499VLi8C_bQUbskC54rS19QCFT-jVlpN3iY8wTbFh-9361HkZhfAWQ6JtvFqSVH7crm7kPlrQr6sxuojT5QWKwD0sNDhhx0-pQJ9Mw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7gxomqs19etL7Sr1bzrTo0qsrl0EoK1nDPaDM7Fp8YX0BgOKhjR-bB61lp13cwc3IbOJqpaxlV_PY1xvbQorQT7vI-gh7OoqH3FxpoMI9oyt_iIKZNzg2vv8hMKu4UYGuRf0iInFstY5D5YqJm0GGmxb41PhJ2zMBXdvtsYibGrlW2qMmZL7ZefVxvQ=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7gxomqs19etL7Sr1bzrTo0qsrl0EoK1nDPaDM7Fp8YX0BgOKhjR-bB61lp13cwc3IbOJqpaxlV_PY1xvbQorQT7vI-gh7OoqH3FxpoMI9oyt_iIKZNzg2vv8hMKu4UYGuRf0iInFstY5D5YqJm0GGmxb41PhJ2zMBXdvtsYibGrlW2qMmZL7ZefVxvQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b> </b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Veramonte</b><br /></span></span>
</div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">While the blustery hills and weathered red granites of western
Casablanca have tended to provide much of the more recent wine
excitement in the region, it’s worth visiting other producers around the
valley. Veramonte, in Casablanca’s eastern hills, is a name many will
know and has an exciting wine team lead by Rodrigo Soto, formerly of
Sonoma’s Benziger -- yet another connection to California wine making in this valley. 2,500 hectares of native forests surround Veramonte, and the vineyards receive briny breezes and morning fog from the Pacific, creating ideal growing conditions for crisp local whites and cold-weather reds like Pinot Noir and Merlot. <br /></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> <br /></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">https://www.veramonte.com/home</span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Loma Larga</span></b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1sJcuMkTQNP4jplqxIV3dWSwRsTTaKWpfDI5HvSVFlRtXlP1QJlYsHnPZWAVWFsxANQJ445AeudaNCnG79cPhEGceqnPt0SkZW1nI_2cO8FNBbzUqWlznwYI-pCpW19CPWYRXs3cYTdTlu4m3RQvTbJ-1F5_I9dWTJrMiJa9sShZ493hs--dFz5IDhw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1sJcuMkTQNP4jplqxIV3dWSwRsTTaKWpfDI5HvSVFlRtXlP1QJlYsHnPZWAVWFsxANQJ445AeudaNCnG79cPhEGceqnPt0SkZW1nI_2cO8FNBbzUqWlznwYI-pCpW19CPWYRXs3cYTdTlu4m3RQvTbJ-1F5_I9dWTJrMiJa9sShZ493hs--dFz5IDhw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Loma Larga is one of the region’s premier estates, owned by the Diaz family -- although the
influences here are from France as opposed to the United States. Loma
Larga, which translates as ‘long hill’ is unusual among Casablanca
Valley wineries as it concentrates its production on red wines. Larga
was the first winery in the valley to grow Cabernet Franc, Syrah and
Malbec – while Pinot Noir, Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet
Sauvignon are all successfully produced here alongside typical white
grape varieties. <br /></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">A unique way that Loma Larga offers visitors to tour the vineyard is on horseback -- an experience that will really make you feel like you're visiting back when French wine grapes were first exported to Chile in the 19th century.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">https://www.lomalarga.com/</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></span>
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Booking a tour through the Casablanca Valley Wine Route (<a class="hawk-link-parsed" href="http://www.rutadelvinodecasablanca.cl">rutadelvinodecasablanca.cl</a>) is a great way to see the area on a day trip or overnight stay from Santiago. Visiting wine country in any location with a robust wine growing economy is always a fabulous way to see some of the prettiest parts of these countries. Plus, vineyard owners on the whole are wonderfully hospitable people, and they're great experts in all things delicious in their part of the world. Go, and enjoy! <br /></span></span>
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-41621481875210488192021-04-02T12:57:00.000-04:002021-04-02T12:57:47.905-04:00SEASONAL INGREDIENT: Jerusalem Artichoke<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ty-6sjh3Hls/YGE8CmXAosI/AAAAAAAAGok/vDRLoiz7UU4RA7vySkJcYkXhxs7p7ciGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Sunchokes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ty-6sjh3Hls/YGE8CmXAosI/AAAAAAAAGok/vDRLoiz7UU4RA7vySkJcYkXhxs7p7ciGACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Sunchokes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">What a year. What an awful year 2020 has been, and 2021 has been no picnic so far, either. Amid this terrible time, it's basically been a whole year since I've posted in this blog -- since last Passover, really. So now here we are, experiencing the second pandemic Passover (celebrating surviving a plague while surviving a plague -- you can't make this stuff up!) And after a year of home cooking, by necessity, day and night, week after week, I have come to focus on the minutiae. There is little joy to be found in the big-picture, the large-scale suffering, so I've trained myself to find joy in the small and the quotidian. I derive happiness from the family of deer visiting our back yard most Friday afternoons, as if keeping sabbath among our evergreen bushes. I breathe a sigh of relief when our mounds of recycling are picked up every other Thursday. It's finding the calm that comes as I drift off to sleep cradling my baby boy on a stormy afternoon, the sound of wind and rain drumming on the window. And it is enjoying the culinary minutiae as well: the smell of garlicky cannellini beans stewing on the stove, the anticipation of waiting for a loaf of sourdough to rise, the sensory pleasure of digging into some messy smoked BBQ ribs. And sometimes above all, I derive the most pleasure from simply eating a favorite fruit or vegetable in its seasonal glory: the turgid raspberry that stains my fingers, the deep earthiness of a roasted beet used to scoop up some fresh chevre, a slice of eggplant fried to perfection. Included in this group of favorite foods is a vegetable that happens to be in season now and through the spring: the<b> Jerusalem artichoke.</b><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fhTbP7o6e8/YGE9kdTwoKI/AAAAAAAAGos/j_RFTSu_cx8WPazFlD51acB7igs1MsR2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s836/Arugula%2Bsalad%2Bwith%2Bartichoke%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="836" height="184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fhTbP7o6e8/YGE9kdTwoKI/AAAAAAAAGos/j_RFTSu_cx8WPazFlD51acB7igs1MsR2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h184/Arugula%2Bsalad%2Bwith%2Bartichoke%2B2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Now, I love a good artichoke. The <i>carciofo</i>, in Italian, is the symbol of Rome, and no city does a vegetable (a thistle, really) justice like the <i>romani di Roma</i>. But my love for the "OG" artichoke may be eclipsed by its sort-of cousin, the Jerusalem artichoke, also known as the <b>sunchoke</b>. It's got many monikers, really -- the Canada potato, the French potato, and most melodic of all, the <i>topinambur</i> (in Italian and various other European languages). So let's begin at the beginning.<br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u><i>First, for the etymology:</i></u><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pLKZKLehPGM/YGSK4tiMoCI/AAAAAAAAGo0/AObnk6-T_K4w1K-bphp87yID82NPzTKCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sunchoke%2Bflower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pLKZKLehPGM/YGSK4tiMoCI/AAAAAAAAGo0/AObnk6-T_K4w1K-bphp87yID82NPzTKCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sunchoke%2Bflower.JPG" width="320" /></a>The Jerusalem artichoke has nothing to do with the city of Jerusalem, and is not technically an artichoke, though they are<i> distantly </i>related as both are members of the daisy family, and the genus <i>Helianthus</i>. The Jerusalem artichoke's taste is sweet and earthy, much like an artichoke. But the origin of "Jerusalem" is still uncertain. Italian settlers in the U.S called the plant "<i>girasole</i>", their word for sunflower, which translates roughly to "turns towards the sun", since this is exactly what these flowers do. Over time, the word <i>girasole i</i>n southern Italian dialect sounds a lot like "Jerusalem" and therefore English speakers may have corrupted the term "girasole artichoke" into its current day moniker. Another theory for the name is that the Puritans who came to the New World considered America the "New Jerusalem" and the plant they found growing there was named after this place. The plant had various other names as well, including lambchoke and <i>sunchoke</i> -- which is another name by which is it known today, created in the 1960s by a produce wholesaler who was trying to revive the tuber's appeal. It looks a lot like ginger root, but its skin is more translucent and slightly more golden in color.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u><i>And then, the history:</i></u><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6RixC9M1OEc/YF1Tg0krz0I/AAAAAAAAGoQ/moxnc2V6iRA6O0D762M0FcMjbh72xGC8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Sunchokes-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6RixC9M1OEc/YF1Tg0krz0I/AAAAAAAAGoQ/moxnc2V6iRA6O0D762M0FcMjbh72xGC8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sunchokes-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>The Jerusalem artichoke had been cultivated by Native Americans long before Europeans landed on American soil. Apparently, Lewis and Clark ate Jerusalem artichokes, prepared by a Native American woman in what is now North Dakota. It was fairly common in the U.S. and the plant really proliferated in both the Americas and Europe, and grew so easily that it was principally used as animal feed in England and France. The French in particular had a soft spot for the vegetable, which reached its peak popularity at the end of the 19th century. But by the time of the second World War, the Jerusalem artichoke (along with the rutabaga) had become associated with the deprivation of the war years and the Nazi occupation, since they'd become a staple of the French diet thanks to rationing and the paucity of other traditional foods. Once the war was over, they returned to their previous purpose as animal feed. It wouldn't be until the 21st century that the Jerusalem artichoke would find favor again with top chefs, winding up on countless tasting menus in Michelin starred dining rooms.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u><i>The nutritional value:</i></u></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uWjI8Hgv5HM/YGSLGMgJfDI/AAAAAAAAGo4/EvXmYwSyT4Iqf2sMD_vFQIpKC4_ndajBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sunchoke%2Bsoup%2Band%2Bsalad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uWjI8Hgv5HM/YGSLGMgJfDI/AAAAAAAAGo4/EvXmYwSyT4Iqf2sMD_vFQIpKC4_ndajBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sunchoke%2Bsoup%2Band%2Bsalad.JPG" /></a></div>Potassium, iron, fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus, and copper are all nutrients found in abundance in the Jerusalem artichoke. The tuber also contains <i>inulin</i>, a form of soluble fiber that cannot be broken down by our digestive system. It's metabolized, instead, by bacteria in the colon, thereby balancing blood sugar. Inulin also stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria ("good bacteria") and fights harmful bacteria, making the Jerusalem artichoke one of the best food sources on earth for prebiotics. It's also high in soluble fiber, which may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering "bad" cholesterol (or "LDLs"). And finally, the sunchoke is high in potassium and low in sodium, which may aid in the reduction of blood pressure and inflammation. The only negative by-product of all of this healthfulness is that consuming Jerusalem artichokes can cause some serious gas. Forewarned, as they say, is forearmed.<br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><u><i>And finally, enjoying the Jerusalem artichoke:</i></u></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5spRvMWQO8s/YDhkQoHSl7I/AAAAAAAAGng/yximWmugswwR9D2n3kDc_M52NanyjvEpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Tuna%2Btartare%2Bwith%2Bsunchoke%2Bspoons.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5spRvMWQO8s/YDhkQoHSl7I/AAAAAAAAGng/yximWmugswwR9D2n3kDc_M52NanyjvEpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tuna%2Btartare%2Bwith%2Bsunchoke%2Bspoons.jpg" /></a></div>Beyond all of the health benefits of the tuber, and its interesting history, there is the matter of taste: the Jerusalem artichoke is delicious. And versatile.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When treated as a tuber, the sunchoke makes for a wonderful puree and a more healthful alternative to the carb-heavy potato. Thinned with broth or water or milk, it makes an amazing soup, and can be made into a sauce in this way as well. The Jerusalem artichoke can be oven roasted and served as any root vegetable, and also alongside other roasted vegetables in a medley. Finishing a roasted sunchoke on the grill also brings out its sugars and caramelizes the outside of the artichoke. Few finishing touches are as tasty as a Jerusalem artichoke that's been thinly sliced and fried in a top-quality oil. Once fried, they can be a crispy topping (as in the photo, with tuna tartare), an accompaniment to proteins or other vegetables, or as the star in an appetizer in its own right. <br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djAZDDhyLlQ/YF1TWgLO54I/AAAAAAAAGoM/Kej4SkAQHLsnuBplDGxj_6X8BZCV8UkOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2000/JA%2Brisotto%2Bingr%2Bclose%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djAZDDhyLlQ/YF1TWgLO54I/AAAAAAAAGoM/Kej4SkAQHLsnuBplDGxj_6X8BZCV8UkOACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/JA%2Brisotto%2Bingr%2Bclose%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>One lovely way to prepare Jerusalem artichokes for spring is in a rich and vegetal risotto. Here, I've prepared a classic risotto with the addition of a sunchoke puree stirred into the risotto as it cooks. It's topped with sliced fried crispy Jerusalem artichokes, and flavored with sumac, red onion, lemon zest and juice, and fresh mint -- all flavors redolent of dishes you'd find in the city of Jerusalem, and a way to pay tribute to the name of the tuber itself. It's an Italian dish with an Israeli flavor profile.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-6tsHNJiCs/YGSLguRvhSI/AAAAAAAAGpE/U30qZhyWcNUH1M8fO1n9Tk3oecOOXCY9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Jerusalem%2BArtichoke%2BSoup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2048" height="512" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-6tsHNJiCs/YGSLguRvhSI/AAAAAAAAGpE/U30qZhyWcNUH1M8fO1n9Tk3oecOOXCY9wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h512/Jerusalem%2BArtichoke%2BSoup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Another great way to enjoy the tuber is in this delicious roasted Jerusalem artichoke soup. It's a multi-step process to concentrate the flavor through oven roasting, but beyond that it couldn't be simpler to prep. Just spread out the cleaned Jerusalem artichokes on a lined baking sheet, toss with olive oil and salt, and oven roast at 375 until they're caramelized and soft in the middle, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cooled slightly, puree in a Vitamix/blender or food processor with some tasty vegetable broth and a glug of extra-virgin olive oil until you get the consistency you want. Season with salt and pepper, and any other spices you might enjoy. The version I made here is seasoned with roasted garlic (roasted alongside the Jerusalem artichokes) and finished with a bit of fresh lemon juice and zest, and za'atar. I fried eggplant slices and served them atop the soup, with a bit of pistachio pesto as well. This has been a winner for both Passover Seders and everyday eating. It takes me to Israel and the Mediterranean in general, and it's a really healthy way to reset your gut bacteria while satisfying your belly. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As we say during the Seder...Next year in Jerusalem (artichoke)! Enjoy, and Happy Passover, Happy Easter, and Happy Spring, everybody!<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /><br /><br />
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<br />Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-91469450794566778582020-04-08T11:42:00.003-04:002020-04-08T11:42:52.502-04:00HOLIDAYS: A Very Unusual Passover + Recipe: Short Ribs with red wine, coffee, apricots, and almonds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'd written the opening of this blog post last year, and never posted it in time for Passover as I'd just had a baby, and blog posts were, honestly, not at the top of my priority list. I didn't really think much would overturn giving birth as the top game-changer in my life, but here we are in 2020 (that's 5780 on the Jewish calendar) and, well, consider life's fan officially hit with fecal matter. We're living during a pandemic, an <i>actual plague</i>, so you don't get more meta than celebrating Passover this exact week during this specific year. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F60yPlv3p3k/Xo3u7pucTOI/AAAAAAAAGf0/IcX5cdWIRNoo2Pgh2VrKeiOb_7ECNXmvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/UWS%2Bseder%2B2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F60yPlv3p3k/Xo3u7pucTOI/AAAAAAAAGf0/IcX5cdWIRNoo2Pgh2VrKeiOb_7ECNXmvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/UWS%2Bseder%2B2015.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passover Seder for 40, in more convivial times</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In normal times, Passover is a paradox for me and many Jews of like mind: it's a fresh start, the beginning of spring, time for a cleanse, and a great way to jump-start a low-carb diet with enough time in advance of beach season to actually make a difference (beach season! remember that?!) -- but because of this, it's also a time of some suffering, at least for 8 days. A few years back, I developed this recipe for clients of mine who wanted something a little less traditional for their Passover seder: they'd done the brisket and matzo ball soup thing, so why not move on to something a little more adventurous? Enter this short rib dish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To be fair, I braise short ribs all through the autumn and winter. It is for me, in all its iterations, the classic comfort food dish that brings me back to my youth, when my Dad would request short ribs for a special cool weather dinner. My Dad loves ribs of all kinds, but especially meaty, fall-off-the-bone beef ribs. A rich red wine-beef broth braising liquid reminds me of childhood dinners. Fast forward to the graduation dinner prepared by our class in culinary school for our family and friends: my friend Courtney and I were on main course duty, and our main course happened to be Korean-style braised short ribs with a silky roasted garlic potato puree. I'm pretty sure that dish alone convinced my father that culinary school had been the right career move for me. And now, so many years later, I seem to return to slow-braised beef short ribs as a crowd-pleaser, but also as a kind of signature dish that impresses clients, and can be served to the strictest of kosher diners as well (assuming the beef ribs are kosher, obviously). And like most braised dishes, this kind of cooking is slooowwwww cooking comfort food -- what we all crave right now, and what we all have time for during lockdown, quarantine, shelter in place, pause, and every other form of social distancing we have to suffer through in the time of Covid.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWKqhhFmNkg/Xo3vZKu_a3I/AAAAAAAAGgA/2hTLpCTxWsMLXnYI-NKo3BsqJfq8-OjEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/short%2Brib%2Bdishees%2Bpassover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWKqhhFmNkg/Xo3vZKu_a3I/AAAAAAAAGgA/2hTLpCTxWsMLXnYI-NKo3BsqJfq8-OjEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/short%2Brib%2Bdishees%2Bpassover.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This needn't be a meal for Passover, though it works well for a Seder main course. It's got a bit of the <i>agrodolce</i> or sweet-and-sour thing going on, which is a very historically Jewish way of preparing savory foods. Here, the touch of brown sugar or honey along with the wine and vinegar give it that depth of sweet-sour flavor. Coffee ramps up the rich bitterness, and the almond-dried apricot pairing is redolent of Mediterranean/North African and Sephardic flavor pairings. I like to serve it over a celeriac-potato purée, though for those non-kosher-for-Passover cooks, it's great over polenta as well. I served this to clients with some <i>concia</i>, a Roman Jewish sauteed zucchini dish. It works well here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, this Passover, whether you're celebrating it in traditional style, or making up new traditions in these unusual times, instead of fighting for the same old first cut of brisket like everyone else (#covidsedershortage), indulge your quarantine family with a more unusual main course for your meal. While the ribs are braising, you can binge-watch your latest distraction series. I suggest HBO's <i>The Plot Against America</i> (adaptation of Philip Roth's excellent novel, created by David Simon of <i>The Wire</i> fame), Netflix's insane docu-series <i>The Tiger King</i>, <i>Unorthodox,</i> and the always-excellent <i>Ozark</i>. And, as is the Passover tradition -- and extra called-for during this pandemic -- lots of good wine. At least 4 glasses is the rule!</span><br />
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<h1>
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine, Coffee, Apricots, and Almond </span></h1>
<h1>
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>(6 people)</span></h1>
<h1>
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Approx. 4 lb. boneless beef short ribs cut into 3-in pieces </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">olive oil</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">6 cloves of garlic, peeled but whole </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 red onion, cut into small dice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">4 stalks celery, cut into small dice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3 TBSP flour</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 bottle dry red wine</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2 cups beef broth </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">6 oz. balsamic vinegar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">4 oz. espresso or strong black coffee of choice</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3 Tablespoons brown sugar OR honey</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1-2 bay leaves</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">½ pound baby carrots, peeled and diced</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 1/2 cups dried apricots, chopped roughly</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 cup roasted almonds, chopped roughly</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">fresh parsley, chopped</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Salt & pepper to taste</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- In a heavy-bottomed large skillet or roasting pan, heat enough olive
oil to cover the bottom of the cooking vessel. When hot, take the pieces of
beef, salt them, and place in the oil. Sear (brown) on all sides, turning as
necessary. Repeat until all the pieces of beef are browned but not cooked
through.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- Remove the beef from the pot and keep in separate bowl. Add onions and
celery and garlic to the pan and cook in the remaining oil until they become translucent/tender.
Sprinkle with flour and cook for another 3 minutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- Add half of the vinegar and half the bottle of red wine to “deglaze”
the pan, scraping up all the brown bits from the meat. Add broth, espresso and brown sugar or honey. Cook another 2 minutes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- Add the meat, and add the rest of the wine, with the bay leaf. Cover
and place either in an oven (at 375 degrees F) or covered on the stovetop on
medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low (350
oven) and cook for another 60-75 mins, mixing to turn the meat occasionally.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">- Remove from oven/stovetop and uncover. Add the carrots, apricots, almonds, and rest of the
balsamic, and cover again. Put back in oven, or if on stovetop, cover and lower
flame to low heat. Cook for another 45-60 minutes depending upon size of beef pieces.
You want the beef to be very, very tender.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 10.0pt;">-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strain the meat and vegetables from the cooking
liquid, reserving the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>liquid and placing
it in a smaller pot. Return the meat and vegetables to the original cooking
vessel. Heat the cooking liquid on medium-high and stir to thicken. Cook until
it reaches desired consistency, tasting for salt and pepper, then pour back
into roasting pot with stew and reheat all together. Stir in freshly chopped
parsley just before serving. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: Candara; font-size: 10.0pt;">*Delicious
served over mashed potatoes or soft polenta.</span></div>
<span lang="IT" style="color: #333333; font-family: Candara; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span>
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-15538892813444554192020-03-26T10:59:00.001-04:002020-03-26T10:59:22.927-04:00RECIPE: Italian Wedding Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea0EAmNdJVI/XnzAB9WtWTI/AAAAAAAAGfU/98ODMv8lhqUp0dXJNLnR2kemGCMo3cr3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/27C0DA4F-3E87-4B23-910C-B894B3E9AF41.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea0EAmNdJVI/XnzAB9WtWTI/AAAAAAAAGfU/98ODMv8lhqUp0dXJNLnR2kemGCMo3cr3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/27C0DA4F-3E87-4B23-910C-B894B3E9AF41.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To
be honest, I had been planning to write a blog post on Italian Wedding
Soup, a perennial favorite, for quite a while. But now, with a worldwide
epidemic on our hands, and my beloved Italy stuck as the primary
western country to have suffered through the outbreak, somehow this post
becomes even more relevant. For all of us all over the world who are
hunkering down, locking in, sheltering in place, and whatever else
(hopefully by now, everyone is starting to realize that social
distancing is NOT ENOUGH) -- soup is a palliative. It allows you to use
your pantry items to produce something that, here, is much greater than
the sum of its parts. The weather of late, both here in the NY metro area, and in Italy as well, remains mostly wintry. Gray. Bleak. It even snowed a bit in Rome and Umbria the day before yesterday, which rarely happens. This weather, and staying inside (#iorestoacasa), creates an atmosphere at home that's perfect for slow cooking, for soups, for a bubbling cauldron of something nourishing and delicious -- and one that will last for days if cooked in a big batch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqNeIQ-GRYE/XiTKEZeVCMI/AAAAAAAAGdk/QAAoa9-FXucD4J9e56EwZcSwMpruKOYqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Italian%2Bwedding%2Bsoup.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PqNeIQ-GRYE/XiTKEZeVCMI/AAAAAAAAGdk/QAAoa9-FXucD4J9e56EwZcSwMpruKOYqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Italian%2Bwedding%2Bsoup.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which brings me to...Italian
Wedding Soup. It sounds so festive, no? Like it has a long history
rooted in Italian matrimonial banquets and traditions of <i>amore</i>.
But in reality, this is a dish that seems to be Italian-American in
origin, although certain regional soups up and down the Italian
peninsula look a lot like Italian Wedding Soup, give or take a few
ingredients.</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> And to get it out of the way, its name has nothing to do with when or where
or to whom it's served. Instead, it's a reference to the "marriage" of
fairly disparate ingredients that all come together in this soup -- a
harmonious blended family, if you will, of greens and meatballs,
vegetables, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">sometimes beans, </span>perhaps an egg whisked into the finished product, and of course a little <i>pastina</i> (this is Italian, after all. Did you expect it to be carb-free??). <i>E basta</i>. More or less. And in true Italian fashion, at this <i>matrimonio</i>, the more the merrier.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WetzgaG2ksE/XnzAjU-IF0I/AAAAAAAAGfc/lZq4LXd2JEwR0-UGv1Mh24rbBvMvSXm5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CE777A49-3C61-4B94-AEC7-5E7A48CCD381.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WetzgaG2ksE/XnzAjU-IF0I/AAAAAAAAGfc/lZq4LXd2JEwR0-UGv1Mh24rbBvMvSXm5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/CE777A49-3C61-4B94-AEC7-5E7A48CCD381.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My
version depends on my mood when I'm making it. In a recent version, I
left out the carrots to please my husband, who is only eating lower-carb
veggies at the moment (and to keep the peace in our marriage, <i>ovviamente</i>!) -- so it made for a darker, mostly green soup, plus a little purple kale and the meatballs. But normally I like carrots as part of my <i>mirepoix</i>,
so I am including them in my recipe below. Hell, toss in some finely
diced red peppers if you love punchy color in your food, like I do. If
you're going completely low-carb, you could leave out the tiny pasta -- or just get
creative if you're including it (try finely broken angel hair). Some add
in beaten egg at the end just before serving, though I tend to leave
that tactic to classic Roman <i>stracciatella</i> soup or Chinese egg drop soup. But,
every marriage is different, and every wedding is its own thing. So make
Italian wedding soup in your own individual way, to your own taste.
That's what home cooking is all about, <i>vero</i>?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stay safe and healthy, everyone. <b>And stay home!</b> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">RECIPE: ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Serves 4-6</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm6wngkYWmQ/XnzA2S96i4I/AAAAAAAAGfk/FlPUput3q1gcd_x26i214lgEs_oaoyaFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/5B4C856D-E301-4D05-89F0-848D8E6FF7E3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm6wngkYWmQ/XnzA2S96i4I/AAAAAAAAGfk/FlPUput3q1gcd_x26i214lgEs_oaoyaFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/5B4C856D-E301-4D05-89F0-848D8E6FF7E3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For the Meatballs:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 ounces ground beef</span><br />
<div class="o-Ingredients__m-Body">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6 ounces ground pork</span><br />
<div class="o-Ingredients__a-Ingredient">
<div class="o-Ingredients__a-Ingredient">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 ounces ground veal </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 onion, grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 large egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon minced garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup bread crumbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/3 cup grated Parmesan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Freshly ground black pepper</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">: </span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For the Soup:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup good quality olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 medium onion, small dice</span><br />
<div class="o-Ingredients__a-Ingredient">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 medium carrots, small dice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 stalks celery, small dice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 cloves garlic, chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Optional: 2 leeks, small dice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">12 cups rich homemade chicken broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">14 oz. cooked cannellini (white) beans, or similar beans of choice (drained and rinsed) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8 oz. small <i>pastina</i>: ditalini, orso, stelline, fregola, acini di pepe, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 pound greens: Tuscan kale, purple kale, escarole, curly endive, etc.: coarsely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste</span></div>
<div class="o-Ingredients__a-Ingredient">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meatballs:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">-
Place beef, pork, and veal in a large bowl. Add in bread crumbs, onion,
parsley, oregano, parmigiano, egg, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Gently
toss and break up mixture with hands to evenly coat and distribute.
Shape mixture into very small meatballs, about 1/2 - 3/4 inch, and
transfer to a large plate.</span><br />
<div class="wprm-recipe-instruction-group">
<div class="wprm-recipe-instruction-text">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Heat
1 Tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, turning occasionally
(to brown all over), about 5 minutes total.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Transfer
meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels while leaving oil in
skillet. Repeat process with remaining meatballs (note that meatballs
won't be cooked through at this point; they'll continue to cook through
in the soup)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Soup:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- While
meatballs are browning, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over
medium heat. Add carrots, onions and celery and saute until veggies
have softened, about 7 - 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute for one more minute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Pour
in chicken broth, season soup with salt and pepper to taste and bring
mixture to a boil. Add in pasta and meatballs, reduce heat to light boil
(about medium or medium-low).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and meatballs have cooked through, about 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">-
Add in your chopped greens during the last 3 minutes of cooking (and
don't cover the pot). Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in chopped
parsley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Serve warm, sprinkled with parmigiano and a drizzle of great quality extra virgin olive oil.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="o-Ingredients__a-Ingredient">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-39928908834501099182020-01-30T16:35:00.000-05:002020-01-30T16:35:48.618-05:00RECIPE: Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Chickpea Spiced Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8x5zyGKSVM/XjHpeaEfqWI/AAAAAAAAGdw/s1IdUKTM9nc3TF5ghAAgxVt361NnM5ALQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bclose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8x5zyGKSVM/XjHpeaEfqWI/AAAAAAAAGdw/s1IdUKTM9nc3TF5ghAAgxVt361NnM5ALQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bclose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ahhh,
January. The dead of winter. If ever there was a time for making and
enjoying soups, it's
in the first few months of the calendar year. Winter, post-holidays in
particular,
calls for meditative cooking, low-and-slow dishes that eke out all of
the nutrients from bones, vegetables, tubers, and aromatics. So for the
next few months, I'll be highlighting all of the soup and stew
dishes, the multi-step baking dishes, the
read-the-Sunday-Times-in-your-fluffiest-socks kind of cooking that I
find comforting when the mercury dips below any temp that might tempt a
sane person to venture outdoors.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeAPwwO5v7U/XjNGYkBli6I/AAAAAAAAGeI/yfoCW-MGgpEE1XfAzgnlPe1GLlPUutVmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bgray%2Bbowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeAPwwO5v7U/XjNGYkBli6I/AAAAAAAAGeI/yfoCW-MGgpEE1XfAzgnlPe1GLlPUutVmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bgray%2Bbowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
recipe below was one I created last week, and I really liked the
results. A lot. I wanted to use the leftover cauliflower and broccoli I
had from cooking for private clients. It's cruciferous vegetable season
and though I love the old reliable Italian garlic/olive oil/peperoncino
pan-roasted preparation for these (and all!) veggies, I wanted something
different. I also like the idea that vegetable soups are wonderful ways
to both A.) eat a delicious, filling, meatless meal, and B.) retain all
of the nutritional value of the veggies that gets "cooked off" in other
preparations. Veggie soups are essentially vegetables stewing in their
own vitamin and mineral-infused broth. Brilliant! And, I might add,
easy. Add to all of this the fact that soup freezes really well, and
it's clearly the perfect large-batch, meal-in-a-bowl cooking that lends
itself to accompanying Netflix binge-watching. Or napping. And freezing
for easy meals all winter long.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpCraVbTtd4/XjNDCIHt1GI/AAAAAAAAGd8/LUl8AKev75cxt8oUp7C_910m6X7wgyZowCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bhalf%2Bpureed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpCraVbTtd4/XjNDCIHt1GI/AAAAAAAAGd8/LUl8AKev75cxt8oUp7C_910m6X7wgyZowCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/CBC%2Bsoup%2Bhalf%2Bpureed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So,
the recipe. I was looking for something more tasty than a simple,
straightforward vegetable soup. The spices are vaguely Indian in flavor,
though this is no traditional dish that I know of -- even though, if
not pureed, this might be a vegetarian stew inspired by an Indian
chana-gobi (chickpea-cauliflower) curry. I sauteed the broccoli, and
then the cauliflower, in a large rondeau/pot to the point of getting a
bit of caramelization on the florets. Then I cooked a base of sauteed
onions, garlic, ginger, and spices, added some chopped fresh tomatoes,
and then returned the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot, along with
vegetable stock and the cooked chickpeas. Then you just let time and the
stove work their magic. Note that I used two Indian spices that are likely not in everyone's pantry: amchoor and tamarind powders, which give the soup notes of fruity-sourness that amps up the interesting flavors here. They're not necessary, and you could substitute a little tamarind paste or concentrate, or even a bit of lime zest, if you like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the end of the cooking process, I added a
touch of coconut milk and I used an immersion blender to blend half of
the soup (as in the photo here), for a mix of textures and to leave it a
little bit chunky in a mostly creamy pureed soup (with no cream, of
course). You can puree it all, if you prefer a velvety-smooth soup, or
puree very little of it if you like more of a vegetable stew feel to the
dish. Here, the taste is what shines through. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My
advice? Serve with a crusty piece or two of toasted bread -- best are
the darker, multigrain, sourdough, or brown bread varieties. There's so
much good bread out there these days (or make your own!). I toast mine
and drizzle it liberally with great Italian olive oil. It goes with
everything. And it makes this soup an utterly satisfying winter meal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>CBC Spiced Soup (Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Chickpea)</b></span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Serves 4-6 </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 head broccoli, cut into florets (and stems)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 head cauliflower cut into florets</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>5 cloves garlic</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Salt and pepper to taste </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 onion, sliced thinly</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2 knobs fresh ginger, finely diced </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp. ground cardamom</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp. cumin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp. ground ginger</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp. dried tamarind powder (optional)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 tsp. chili powder</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 tsp. cinnamon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 tsp. turmeric powder </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 tsp. ground mustard powder</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1/2 teaspoon ground amchoor (dried mango powder), optional </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>pinch of peperoncino </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Approx. 12 cups rich vegetable stock (or enough to fully cover the vegetables)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1 14-oz. can of cooked chickpeas, drained</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2/3 cup coconut milk</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Squeeze of lime juice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Prosciutto slices, cooked in a little olive oil in a pan, on both sides, until crispy (optional)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Cilantro to garnish</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- In a rondeau or large round soup pot, on medium heat, warm a few tablespoons of the olive oil with a clove of garlic. Heat for 30 seconds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Toss in the broccoli and cook until bright green and starting to caramelize (brown) in the pan. Salt, add a mini pinch of peperoncino, then remove from pan and set aside. Repeat with the olive oil, garlic, and cauliflower.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Heat the remainder of the olive oil in the same pot, add remaining garlic cloves, and warm for one minute. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add all of the spices and the chopped tomato and cook to activate the aromas of the spices, about 2-3 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Return the broccoli and caulflower to the pot, and stir to mix all of the flavors together. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Add the vegetable stock to the pot to cover the vegetables, along with the chickpeas. Cover and cook until it all reaches a boil, then turn the flame down to low and let the soup simmer for approximately 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Uncover the soup, stir in the coconut milk and the lime juice, and add salt and pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- When the flavor is where you want it, puree half of the soup (or all, or only a small portion of it) with an immersion blender, in the pot itself. Stir to mix the chunkier vegetables throughout the pureed soup. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Garnish with cilantro and crispy prosciutto slices, if you like. And serve with crusty toast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /><b></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like most soups, this gets better with a few days of sitting in the fridge, allowing flavors to meld. Keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and freeze any leftovers -- you'll be happy you did!<br /><b></b></span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-68920861963054917442019-12-23T01:12:00.000-05:002019-12-23T01:12:22.041-05:00HOLIDAYS: Hanukkah, Italian Style: Fritti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Fox7VQwfNg/XfMoxXrxbXI/AAAAAAAAGcE/Jl_2JCf0060AlWpiVzpQkgOZYZWa9vX-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fritto%2Bmisto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Fox7VQwfNg/XfMoxXrxbXI/AAAAAAAAGcE/Jl_2JCf0060AlWpiVzpQkgOZYZWa9vX-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Fritto%2Bmisto.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The essence of Hanukkah foods comes down to one important adjective: <i><b>fried</b></i>. In Italian, this is a category of food unto itself, called <i>fritti</i>
(plural for fried thing). And why not? Fried foods, when done well, can
encapsulate the essence of said food, whether it's fish or meat, potato
or herb, sweet or savory dough...you get the point. (Ask a Scot about
fried food and you may encounter a person waxing poetic about candy bars
you never imagined should be battered and cooked in bubbling oil. But I
digress). Yes, good fried food is <i>great</i>.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3aLpqaTUhg/XfMv6gTf_GI/AAAAAAAAGco/fFrOOX59ehox3348xbpMoz3RO9gdtSGGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Dana%2Bcarciofo%2Bghetto.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3aLpqaTUhg/XfMv6gTf_GI/AAAAAAAAGco/fFrOOX59ehox3348xbpMoz3RO9gdtSGGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Dana%2Bcarciofo%2Bghetto.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
so, as we celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights, I look to the
Italian Jews and specifically the Roman Jews of my beloved second home
in the Eternal City's <i>quartiere ebraico</i>, known as the Jewish Ghetto. It was in this ghetto that I gorged myself on <b><i>carciofi alla giudea</i></b>,
which are "Jewish style" artichokes that are twice deep fried, opened
up like a flower, with a tender heart and outer leaves like the best
verdant version of Cape Cod potato chips you can imagine. It was here
and in the nearby streets leading to the Campo de' Fiori that I enjoyed
<i><b>filetti di baccalà </b></i>(fried codfish) at places like the fry shop known
simply as -- you guessed it -- "Filetti di Baccalà" which served only
fried codfish and fried zucchini. And it was great. Oh -- and that fried
zucchini, when served marinated in some vinegar, chili pepper, and
garlic with some fresh herbs (basil, mint) -- is called <b><i>concia</i></b>. That too
is a Roman Jewish specialty, and it's killer. Try it on a panino with
mozzarella and a slathering of harissa. Buoooooono.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wgx1z4QA7_U/XfMpAQQVI4I/AAAAAAAAGcM/_G7tRAcousoZttx807TJrcfgmCmcYzk2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fiori%2Bdi%2Bzucca.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1024" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wgx1z4QA7_U/XfMpAQQVI4I/AAAAAAAAGcM/_G7tRAcousoZttx807TJrcfgmCmcYzk2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Fiori%2Bdi%2Bzucca.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Of course, every Roman pizzeria serves their classic <i>fritti</i> as antipasti to pizza, and this includes the Roman specialty of <b><i>fiori di zucca</i></b>,
the zucchini or pumpkin flowers stuffed with mozzarella cheese and a
kick of anchovy for salt and umami. Like everything else in Italy that's
delicious, alas, these items are seasonal. So fresh fiori di zucca are
available in warmer months, and artichokes are available now, in the
cooler months from roughly November to April. This means I include them
in most of my Jewish holiday menus for both Hanukkah <i>and </i>Passover.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps
the most surprising Hanukkah food that Italian Jews eat is actually
something we Americans consider our own specialty: fried chicken. <i><b>Pollo fritto</b></i>. Of
course, we're not talking KFC or standard fried chicken of the American
South, here. This is made, in Italy, with heritage breed chicken that's
not plumped up by commercial feed and penned in to get American-sized,
overgrown breast meat. So in North America, the least
commercially-raised chicken would be the best approximation. These
chicken get butchered into 10 pieces so they're all more or less the
same size. Then, they're marinated overnight in lots and lots of
freshly-squeezed lemon juice. I add a little yogurt or buttermilk as
well, plus a glug of olive oil, garlic and rosemary. When frying the
chicken, a bit of spiced flour with lemon zest and chopped herbs is all
you really need. Italians cook everything in olive oil, and you can deep
fry in it as well. In this country, I usually use half olive oil, half
vegetable oil or safflower oil. The chicken is served with fried and
fresh lemon slices, and fried herbs like sage and rosemary. Plenty of
Sicilian sea salt finishes it off. And that's it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's
a simple preparation for a fried Hanukkah main course that's a real
crowd-pleaser. But then again, most fried food is crowd-pleasing by
nature. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
I just can't celebrate Hanukkah without <i><b>latkes</b></i>, no matter what kind of
meal I'm making. (Any excuse to have the trifecta of potato, fat, and
salt, amiright?)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Celebrating
Hanukkah through food means a celebration of foods cooked in oil. So
from antipasti like Roman Jewish-style artichokes, to a fried chicken
main course, through to fried sweetened dough in any iteration (<b><i>castagnole</i></b>
are Italian fried donut holes -- try them drizzled with honey!), a menu
consisting of fried Italian specialties makes a perfectly delicious,
crispy, Italian Jewish meal worthy of a most interesting Hanukkah
celebration stateside. It beats the same old matzo ball soup and brisket
any day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Enjoy this year's festival of lights. Happy Hanukkah, everyone! </span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-40778707285605419152019-11-05T15:55:00.000-05:002019-11-06T19:09:52.915-05:00QUICK BITE: Whole Vegetable Eating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm
an October baby, and autumn is my favorite time of year (okay, besides
the warmth and fun of the summer.
That's pretty great too). Fall's many harvest-season gifts make it a
pleasure to cook, and eat, now. What many people don't realize is that
the popular ethos of "nose-to-tail" eating can be applied to vegetables
as well. You don't need to eat the whole hog to go, well, whole-hog.
Often the skin and seeds, roots and leaves of vegetables are just as
delicious as the thing itself.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A
trip to the farmer's market at this time of year is a revelatory
experience, the changing colors of the leaves on the trees reflected in
the market haul of reds and greens in apples and pears, oranges and
yellows and umbers in all varieties of pumpkins and squash. The
cruciferous vegetables of winter are coming in, even as Indian summer
golden peaches are still being sold alongside them. This is the perfect
time for what I call "whole vegetable eating" -- sometimes called
root-to-fruit, or some such rhyming variation. What's most important is
not what it's named, but how it's done. I'll give you a little help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As
the weather turns cooler, we look to root vegetables and foods that
start producing in autumn to last us through the winter. We know that
carrots and beets are healthy root veggies, but often the greens (or
carrot tops, in the case of carrots) are overlooked, or worse, removed
before we can use them. And they're delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love serving the Greek dish<i> skordalia</i>,
which is a whipped potato-garlic puree (try this with purple potatoes!)
along with roasted beets and wilted beet greens. It's the perfect dish
served warm or at room temp, so it's incredibly versatile. And it looks
beautiful as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> For
whole-vegetable eating with carrots, I love making a carrot-top pesto
(with nuts and cheese) or salsa verde (with other herbs, capers, and
scallions), and roasting the whole carrots, serving them drizzled with
the sauce made from their greens. It's also a gorgeous presentation,
and...no waste!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just
as we know these roots better than their stems and stalks, we know the
stalks of celery and parsley better than celery root and parsnips --
though all parts of these veggies are tasty and worth exploring in their
own right. I love using celery root raw, slicing it into a thin julienne and tossing it with homemade mayonnaise for <i>celeriac remoulade</i>,
the simplest of French treats. And I love, especially during cold
months, using celery root to replace potatoes by 80%, making a puree
for all of the stews and slow-cooked braises I cook at this time of
year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Parsnips
are another great substitute for potatoes, but they also provide a
delicious pairing with roasted carrots -- they look a lot like white
carrots anyway -- and their sweetness when roasted mimics that of
carrots' sweetness, so they're great hit with a bit of acid, tossed in
either a balsamic vinegar or some citrus juice before and after
roasting. I also love a good celeriac or parsnip soup. They puree so
nicely and they have a verdant undertone that potatoes don't. Again,
they pair well with sweet and acidic, so I usually top off the soups
with a maple gastrique or some kind of sweet-sour accompaniment.</span><br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8vo0qi2md34/W-NF7SPdiSI/AAAAAAAAGII/YDv2-2OY2BAEO4-S7tT2lL39juPwz9owACLcBGAs/s1600/Duck%2Bbreast%2Bwith%2Bport-cherry%2Bsauce%252C%2Bcippollini%252C%2Basparagus%252C%2Band%2Bfiori%2Bdi%2Bzucca.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8vo0qi2md34/W-NF7SPdiSI/AAAAAAAAGII/YDv2-2OY2BAEO4-S7tT2lL39juPwz9owACLcBGAs/s320/Duck%2Bbreast%2Bwith%2Bport-cherry%2Bsauce%252C%2Bcippollini%252C%2Basparagus%252C%2Band%2Bfiori%2Bdi%2Bzucca.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though
usually summer squash is found -- you guessed it! -- in the summertime,
you can usually find zucchini and yellow squash well into the fall in
many markets. And often, the zucchini flowers are actually pumpkin
flowers (<i>fiori di zucca </i>in Italian), so these are also a part of
the pumpkin to be utilized in whole vegetable eating. We know we can
clean and roast pumpkin seeds. Of course the flesh itself works for
preparations from savory to sweet, and even the flowers of the pumpkins
are a great gastronomic delight -- stuffed, fried, sauteed and tossed in
a pasta or risotto. This is the definition of whole vegetable eating.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIGXmlnk94I/W-NFtN1wwtI/AAAAAAAAGIA/2VtJUqLyKOgWQLumjFNmZ_fgxAAojmVQACLcBGAs/s1600/Zucchini%2Bflowers%2Bwith%2Bbacon%2Bclose.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIGXmlnk94I/W-NFtN1wwtI/AAAAAAAAGIA/2VtJUqLyKOgWQLumjFNmZ_fgxAAojmVQACLcBGAs/s640/Zucchini%2Bflowers%2Bwith%2Bbacon%2Bclose.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stuffed zucchini flowers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHrFjrET1Kk/XbyPNS9wPeI/AAAAAAAAGZc/zuygAJ_7M6YZNVdDL-LzIW_lnj8qDiFlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Gnocchi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHrFjrET1Kk/XbyPNS9wPeI/AAAAAAAAGZc/zuygAJ_7M6YZNVdDL-LzIW_lnj8qDiFlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Gnocchi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My homemade gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and chive blossoms</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
speaking of flowers, many people don't realize that most herbs go to
flower if allowed. Usually, for the purpose of the herb itself (which is
generally comprised of a leaf), we pick the leaves before they go to
flower -- but not always. And the flowers can be an intensely flavorful
and beautiful form of the herb itself. I love snipping chive blossoms
into salads and main courses, adding a burst of purple color to otherwise monotone
dishes. The coriander flower (cilantro is the herb, and coriander as a
spice is the dried seed) is also a lovely floral version of an already
fragrant herb. I remember the first time I saw prodigious use of coriander flower to transform dishes from simply delicious to ethereal, by chef Iñaki Aizpitarte at Paris's excellent Le Chateaubriand restaurant. I always note the innovation of a chef when she or he uses all parts of produce so that nothing is wasted, and we get many different aspects of the primary ingredient's flavor profile at once. It's something I try to practice in the kitchen as often as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And in this approaching season of cold weather and soup-eating, there's no better opportunity to practice <b>whole vegetable eating</b> than by making a vegetable stock out of any and all vegetable trimmings and scraps you have on hand from making any produce preparations. Just toss all the "unwanted" parts into a large stock pot, cover with water, and keep it going on a low rumble on the stove for hours on end. Skim the scum (yes, that's the actual technical name for the discolored bubbly foam that should be discarded from any stock preparation) and then just ladle out what you need from the pot. The stock will continue to get richer with time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Happy Harvest Season, everyone. Enjoy your autumns! </span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-53125879877366756112019-09-24T16:54:00.002-04:002019-09-24T16:54:47.645-04:00SEASONAL INGREDIENT: Late-summer tomatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On late summer days, when the sun hung low in the sky an hour or so before <i>tramonto,</i> we'd drive home with the windows rolled down on our way back from the beach at Sperlonga. This whitewashed coastal town perched on a hill between Rome and Naples is not only a gorgeous spot for a day trip to dip into its crystalline waters and overflowing plates of <i>pasta con le vongole</i>. It's also nestled beside seemingly endless fields of tomatoes, which are grown next to where the water buffalo of northern Campania happen to graze. These water buffalo supply the milk for the world famous <i>mozzarella di bufala</i>. It's basically like driving past a living, breathing caprese salad!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, when heading back to Rome after a day toasting ourselves in the hot Italian sun, we'd pick up the still-warm, freshly made mozzarella and some of those tomatoes grown in the nearby fields, with a <i>mazzetto</i> (bunch) of fresh basil -- <i>che profumo!</i> -- from a roadside stand selling just these few items. Our predetermined dinner on those nights was light and hit the spot, along with a very-chilled glass of crisp <i>Falanghina</i>. The sensory memory surrounding those Sperlonga trips that's strongest to this day for me? The smell of those tomato fields. It was the smell of sweet, ripe <i>pomodori</i> warmed by the sun just enough so that the scent would waft above the fields and greenhouses, and make its way into our open car windows. It was Pino Daniele or Jovanotti playing on the car radio. It was that time before dusk, when the waning sunlight signaled the promise of what the evening held in store for us in Rome. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pomodorini grown on my friend's terrace in Rome</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My Turkish tomato salad</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And in that Eternal City, on market trips to Campo de' Fiori (the closest major market to my apartment in the Jewish ghetto), I always relished my August and September visits to Claudio's stand, where he displayed a variety of tomatoes so extensive, it was hard to wrap your head around them all. You had <i>pomodori al grappolo</i> (vine-ripened tomatoes), San Marzano (plum tomatoes that are actually genuine San Marzano DOC, grown in the volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You had pomodori d'insalata (half-green salad tomatoes, which stayed firm when you sliced them) for salads, and pomodori da riso to be stuffed with rice and baked in the oven. There are at least a half a dozen other varieties I'm forgetting, before moving on to the varieties of <i>pomodorini</i>, or small tomatoes. These range from standard <i>ciliegine </i>(cherry tomatoes) and those specifically from Pachino, Sicily, to <i>datterini</i> (little date tomatoes, like very mini plum tomatoes -- a variety of which is dubbed a grape tomato in the U.S.). These small little gems were always my favorite, perfect crimson orbs seemingly ready to burst (and burst they do, in my burst cherry tomato pasta sauce!) -- so good, Claudio would let me pop a few in my mouth like candy. They were just as sweet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We've come a long way in the U.S. with the rise of the farmer's market, and the bevy of heirloom varietals of produce that abound now. There are green and black and red, yellow, and orange tomatoes, striped tomatoes, and everything in between these days, if you know where to shop, and at the right time. Hell, I come from the garden state where we're infinitely proud of our homegrown Jersey beefsteak tomatoes. And they have a place in our American culinary canon. I love a wedge salad with beefsteak tomatoes and red onion and some blue cheese to begin a steakhouse meal, for example. And I've been overwhelmed at the sight of overflowing market tables with gorgeous specimens of endless types of tomatoes, locally grown and tended, sharing display table space with fresh mozzarella (cow's milk, natch) and hydroponic basil with leaves the size of maple leafs. And while that's progress, it's still not perfection. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Italy, I can state with certainty, has perfected the tomato. They took a New World fruit and made it into so much more, and they consistently grow the most delicious tomatoes I've ever tasted. Or smelled, for that matter. Now, when I return to Italy, I always make my way to a market, especially in September. They sell tomatoes at this time of year, especially Rome and south, where summer weather lingers well into October. And I breathe in the scent of the tomatoes baking beneath the sun and azure sky, and my heart breaks a little bit -- for the gorgeous smell, for all that this smell holds for me, and for the fact that I can't have this sensory-memory experience anywhere else in the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Believe me, I've tried.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The beauty of a simple tomato and basil salad</span></td></tr>
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-52728901328572177902019-08-07T17:06:00.000-04:002019-08-07T17:06:45.206-04:00RECIPE: Berenjena con Miel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's no secret that I love eggplant, <i>melanzana</i>, <i>aubergine</i>, <i>berenjena</i> -- it's right there in the name of my company and blog, after all. And there are countless ways to enjoy the consumption of the glorious eggplant. What's most important is treating the berry (technically, that's what it is) with respect. Seriously! Some people laugh when I make such a sweeping statement about a nightshade -- and one which so many people claim to dislike. But that's only because they haven't had an eggplant prepared <i>properly</i>, which is to say with love and care and consideration. This is how I treat eggplant. And it's also how Spanish cooks treat it, particularly those in Andalucia who've been working with the eggplant since the time of Moorish rule in Southern Spain, when eggplants were introduced into the culinary lexicon and quickly became a favorite food of Iberian Jews. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This brings us to the centuries-old, incredibly delicious dish made famous in Southern Spain and now enjoyed all over the country, often served as a tapa, called <i>berenjena con miel</i>, or eggplant with honey. It is the perfect encapsulation of Iberian-Arab cooking with Sephardic roots. And it's the ideal savory-sweet snack one can enjoy, particularly smack in the middle of summer, when eggplant season is at its peak (though honestly, for me, it's <i>always</i> eggplant season!) The photo here is from an amazing dinner my husband and I shared at Bar Cañete in Barcelona last year. Each dish was better than the last, but this preparation really stood out for us both. The honey used was a deep amber local honey, and it was a really amazing experience in taste and texture, deceptively simple but layered and complex in flavor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are a few ways you can prepare this classic dish, varying the technique. First and foremost, the slices of eggplant need to be quite thin -- thinner than most people will be able to get with just a chef's knife -- so using a mandoline is your best bet (I've used a meat slicer in a pinch). Second, I usually salt the slices to draw out the bitterness and some of the water content of the eggplant. This also keeps it from absorbing too much oil in the frying, while seasoning the slices in advance as well. Just remember the slices must be dried before frying. I use top quality olive oil, even for frying, as do cooks in this part of the Mediterranean. Others will claim it's better to use a vegetable oil or a lighter oil with a higher smoking point, but since the ingredients are so few, the oil you use makes a big difference in the taste of the final product. So, great olive oil it is, for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The final question in the preparation is to flour or not to flour. You can either coat the slices in a dusting of AP flour before they go in the hot oil, or just pat them dry and toss in the pan as is. I've done both. Coating with flour makes the chips slightly more substantial, and possibly less oily, though they often don't have the light crunch and texture of a "bare" eggplant chip. Ultimately it's a matter of personal taste. Experimenting here is part of the fun! Of course, there are pretty much as many types of honey as there are flowering plants out there, so you can get innovative with the kind of honey you drizzle on top. You can change the flavor and intensity with the seasons, too. A light wildflower honey might be nice in summer, while a richer chestnut or cranberry honey might be good come autumn or winter. The only requirement is that the consistency be "drizzle-able". So, get creative! </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hq493WTDXXc/XUs8qaqTGgI/AAAAAAAAGWg/tMAO7ARaSIkHEA9mYn7tc7t11gImsgrywCLcBGAs/s1600/Berenjana%2Bcon%2Bmiel%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hq493WTDXXc/XUs8qaqTGgI/AAAAAAAAGWg/tMAO7ARaSIkHEA9mYn7tc7t11gImsgrywCLcBGAs/s400/Berenjana%2Bcon%2Bmiel%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a><u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">BERENJENA CON MIEL</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*2 medium-sized eggplants</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*1-2 cups good quality olive oil, or other oil of choice for frying</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*1 cup AP flour (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*Good quality honey of choice -- must be of consistency to drizzle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*Chopped parsley or chives, optional</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Slice the washed and dried eggplant very thinly using a mandoline. Salt lightly and layer between paper towels or clean dish towels. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Heat the oil of choice in a cast iton skillet or deep frying pan. Pat dry the eggplant slices and either dredge them lightly through the flour, or just place them directly into the skillet once the oil reaches temperature (it will sizzle immediately when you put the sliced eggplant in the oil).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Cook about a minute or two on each side and flip to cook the underside. The slices should be golden brown. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate or sheet pan. Continue in this way with the rest of the eggplant slices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Once all the slices are fried, taste for saltiness. If they need salt, sprinkle on the fried slices. Pile on a serving platter or bowl, and drizzle generously with the honey. Top with chopped chives or parsley, if using. Serve immediately.</span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-72156999767083702372019-07-16T17:37:00.000-04:002019-07-16T17:53:16.148-04:00SEASONAL FOODS: BLUEBERRIES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Blueberries. </i></b>The name carries with it such an association with summer, especially in certain parts of the country. I happened to have enjoyed a childhood living in a blueberrry-producing state (New Jersey) and vacationing for several wonderful summers in another (Maine). My childhood memories of the heat of the summer are colored blue: Augusts spent picking wild blueberries near the coast in Maine, stained tiny fingers nimbly plucking the small inky orbs from the low bushes. In Rockport and Camden and the surrounding areas of rocky coves and brambly pine forests, it seemed like everything was all about wild blueberries. We started the day with the sweet, miniature berries in and on our pancakes, they perfumed our locally-milled soaps at bath time, and they found their way into our lemonade, our ice cream, fudge, and cakes after dinners. Wild blueberries are still one of my favorite fruits in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Back in New Jersey, sometimes dinners on particularly sweltering summer evenings were comprised of nothing more than a simple bowl of "berries 'n cream," as my father referred to it. This was what I now consider to be an inexpensive, cold meal, possibly with Eastern European roots, that requires no turning on the stove nor much of an ingredient list. As a kid, it just seemed heavenly -- it was something of an illicit meal, kind of like how breakfast-for-dinner always seems like you're flouting the rules. We'd put berries in a soup bowl -- often blueberries -- and top them with a couple of dollops of sour cream, and a sprinkling of sugar on top. We'd mix, and spoon the concoction straight into our mouths. It also got us back outside with a quick turnaround: the fireflies weren't going to catch themselves! </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBMd2478uVU/XSgN3j7tUKI/AAAAAAAAGTc/Ctn_pZaL4eYcVp6BfSZAN1bNh1n01gIoQCLcBGAs/s1600/blueberries%2Bpints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1244" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBMd2478uVU/XSgN3j7tUKI/AAAAAAAAGTc/Ctn_pZaL4eYcVp6BfSZAN1bNh1n01gIoQCLcBGAs/s320/blueberries%2Bpints.jpg" width="248" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Blueberries</b></i>: the name is so simple. Self-explanatory. Basic. But the berry itself is anything but simple or basic. It's a tiny berry that packs a lot of flavor, nutritional value, and antioxidant content along with its deep pigmentation. These things are linked, by the way. It's the <i>anthocyanin</i> in the blueberries that gives the berries both their color and their health benefits. They're high in soluble fiber. This means they slow the uptake of glucose, making them a fruit helpful in maintaining healthy blood sugar, and also helps lower cholesterol. These little berries are antioxidant bombs, in the best way, helping to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">support heart and skin health, bone strength, and fight against cancer. A</span>nd they're high in vitamins C and K as well as the mineral manganese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Blueberries</b></i>: they are as American as a berry gets. They are a berry in the Vaccinium family which also includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries, and Madeira blueberries. We enjoy two main types of blueberries in this country, both of which are native: "lowbush" blueberries are the ones dubbed "wild", and the "highbush" blueberries are the cultivated, larger berries found in most farmer's markets and grocery stores nationwide. The highbush blueberries were introduced to Europe as recently as the 1930's. (Most of the blueberries you find overseas are a relative of our native berries, most likely huckleberries or whortleberries or bilberries). Commercially sold blueberries are species that are native to eastern and north-central North America. The bulk of U.S. blueberry (highbush) harvesting happens in Oregon (number one with 131 million pounds in 2018), followed by Washington, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, California, and North Carolina. Maine produces the bulk of wild blueberries -- the official fruit of Maine -- and British Columbia produces the bulk from Canada. Overseas, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Germany, France, and Spain have gotten in the blueberry game as well. Hammonton, New Jersey claims to be the "Blueberry Capital of the World" and the town hosts a popular festival every year to celebrate the berry. In fact, Hammonton boasts 80% of New Jersey's total blueberry production. And another fun fact: North America dominates the world stage in blueberry production (596,813 tonnes in 2017), with the U.S. contributing 40% of total worldwide production, and Canada with 27%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Blueberries</b></i>: they're as versatile a fruit as you can get. They're great out-of-hand, of course. But they're wonderful cooked down into sauces, purées, dressings, jams and jellies. They make a wonderful bbq sauce (I've made ribs with blueberries in the sauce, and my husband waxes poetic about a rib joint in Asheville NC that makes blueberry-chipotle ribs). I like to pickle blueberries every summer, as they're a great addition to cheese and <i>salumi</i> platters, salads, and even a fresh corn soup I make with basil oil and pickled blueberries. Sweetgreens makes a summer salad with arugula and kale, jerk chicken thighs, goat cheese, onion, sunflower seeds, and a spicy smoky blueberry dressing. I had it yesterday. It was pretty delicious. So blueberries are great on their own, and in savory preparations as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We already know how great blueberries are for breakfast, whether in a bowl or topping cereal or granola or yogurt, in a muffin or in pancakes (and the syrup!), in a coffee cake or in a pie. And now we're getting to desserts. Blueberries shine here too. Blueberry ice cream, pudding, mousse...blueberries in cakes and pies and anything containing lemon...candies and syrups and infusions and I could go on and on. The photo above is of a dessert of which I'm very proud. I made it for a client's dinner party out in the Hamptons, using wild Maine blueberries to make individual-sized blueberry galettes (free-form tarts) with cornmeal in the crust, homemade sweet corn ice cream, and basil gelée with a burnt marshmallow on a stick (an allusion to s'mores and childhood summers). I love the combination of blueberries, corn, and basil -- 3 distinct flavors, one fruit, one vegetable, one herb -- as they're all summer produce that loosely fit the mantra "what grows together goes together." And visually, I love their colors together too. Blueberry and corn is a classic combo, of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Top Southern toque and owner of McCready's in Charleston, South Carolina, Sean Brock, offered up the dessert pictured here on his menu: a frozen polenta (cornmeal) pudding with a corn tuile in a blueberry emulsion. It was delicious, of course. And the combination actually harks back to the time of the original colonies, when Native Americans instructed the pilgrims how to grow corn and blueberries, two early native crops in America. Blueberries were even used as a natural stain for textiles and garments. (If you've ever dropped blueberries on your shirt or a tablecloth, you know how effective a coloring agent they can be).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Blueberries</b></i>. However you eat them, from the simple handful to the most elaborate preparation by the top savory and pastry chefs in the world, they're a summer treat and an American classic. Enjoy them while they're at their peak. Just be careful if you're wearing summer white! </span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-79502177713341829052019-06-25T15:16:00.000-04:002019-06-25T15:16:12.195-04:00BOURDAIN REFLECTION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"You have to be a romantic to cook well." -- Anthony Bourdain</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'd eaten countless times at Les Halles on Park Avenue South before I quit my career in fashion and luxury goods PR, and applied to culinary school. I had no idea who was behind the burners, or what went on in the life of those who inhabited the kitchen down below the vibrant dining room, where I periodically indulged in frisée a lardons, steak tartare, and cassoulet. The place was local-ish and it scratched an itch when I had a hankering for classic French bistro fare. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZuU9_CACIM/XRGzvdgFHvI/AAAAAAAAGRg/dA6BntK-rPACWuNG8YZaiFaShNU2a22QQCLcBGAs/s1600/Kitchen%2BConfidential%2Binscription.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZuU9_CACIM/XRGzvdgFHvI/AAAAAAAAGRg/dA6BntK-rPACWuNG8YZaiFaShNU2a22QQCLcBGAs/s320/Kitchen%2BConfidential%2Binscription.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It wasn't until years later, after I'd graduated from culinary school at Peter Kump's (now called the Institute of Culinary Education) and was already working the line at San Domenico NY, on Central Park South, that my parents gifted me Anthony Bourdain's breakthrough book, <b>Kitchen Confidential</b>. (The dedication is here, at right, with a final "Congrats on your cooking" -- the simplicity and earnestness of which I love).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I remember devouring the book very quickly. And though I had my doubts then, and still do, about the veracity of some of the anecdotes within those pages, I quickly decided that this guy was speaking on my behalf, and on behalf of those in my line of work. He spoke for those of us who loved cooking professionally and making people happy, but also those of us who reveled in the hours working when others were playing, playing when those others were sleeping, and sleeping when those others were in their office cubicles, restrained in suits and lucky to get a glimpse of the sunshine during their too-brief lunch hour. This was new to me, having gone from the necessarily image-obsessed offices of fashion and entertainment PR to the back of house, among the uniformed (a.k.a. dressed-down) ranks of the brigade-style upscale restaurant kitchen. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This kitchen was a place quite often more brutal than a classic office environment: the pressure is intense, the competition among the cooks is fierce, the level of artistry high, while an atmosphere of militaristic menace and command-obsessed precision reign.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> So, that part Bourdain nailed. And he'd worked mostly at lobster shacks and mid-range restaurants slinging brunch, so his experience involved less artistry, more delinquency. The industry as a whole is indeed full of misfits and ne'er-do-wells (I had to throw that term in there) whose resumés did not look like mine when I entered through the kitchen doors. But their drive to make delicious food, with swagger, was intoxicating. And I was enthralled. I never looked back. And never did I long to sit in a cubicle over the hottest and messiest of kitchens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fast-forward to my years living and cooking in Rome. I almost never watched Italian television because, frankly, with a few rare exceptions, it's awful. It was the aughts, and my expat friends and I had developed an elaborate network of DVD swapping and TV show (illegal) downloading so that we could participate in the English language zeitgeist that required working knowledge of series like "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City" and "Lost". Once I'd learned to master downloading onto my laptop and viewing the shows through my computer attached to my television, with surround sound coming through my speaker system...well, when I wasn't working or running around enjoying the food and nightlife of the Eternal City, I watched as many shows as I could fit into an evening at home with my Roman kitty cat. And having seen some of Bourdain's shows in the late '90s back in New York, I knew to download all of "A Cook's Tour" and "No Reservations" (as they aired) and again devoured Bourdain's work. I even downloaded the single season of the TV adaptation of "Kitchen Confidential" starring Bradley Cooper (!) as Bourdain's character in this chef-driven drama (a series on Fox isn't a terribly relevant adaptation of the book, but Cooper is always magnetic and some of it was actually pretty funny). I ADORED these shows. In his travel shows, Tony's snarky-but-open-minded commentary on locales both exotic (Vietnam, various African countries) and familiar (U.S. cities and most of Western Europe) struck a chord with me. He was hilarious. Insightful. Worldly. Sweet. Sardonic. He was from Jersey. He smoked on camera and got drunk and ate anything and everything. He was my kind of chef. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh, how I wanted to take him around Rome and show him my second home, the city that I love. <b><i>Oh, did I want to drink with Bourdain. </i></b>But most of all, I was grateful for what he gave me (and so many others, as it turns out): a window onto the world, an invite into the global kitchen, a glimpse at cultures we may never experience for ourselves. It was the ultimate armchair traveler's experience, and more specifically, it catered to the food-obsessed -- chefs like myself chief among them. I loved all of Bourdain's shows but to me, despite his award-winning later work at CNN, I loved his "No Reservations" series most of all. He was still relatively curious without an overabundance of cynicism (though of course, that New Yorker cynicism is part of what makes him Bourdain). He represented the best of what travel does for humankind. And for each of us on a personal level. I felt he was there for me, especially when I was living 5,000 miles from home and felt detached, felt distant from my family, felt somehow traitorous living so far from my beloved NYC after 9/11. Bourdain made me feel like my wanderlust, my culinary curiosity, my love of exploring the world -- it wasn't a negative, it wasn't a liability, it wasn't even un-American. It was the greatest gift I possessed. It was to be nurtured, not extinguished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was, of course, traveling when the news broke that Bourdain had taken his own life while filming an episode of "Parts Unknown" in France (his first international travel destination as a kid, where his journey began, and probably no coincidence, where it ended). I was in the Florida Keys with my family, and my husband woke me up in the early morning with cries of "no, no no!" He had been reading the news on his phone while I slept, and he shook me awake and said, "hon, oh noooo, you'll never believe it!" The news hit me like a ton of bricks just a few weeks after Kate Spade had taken her own life. First it was an icon of fashion, my former industry, and now an icon of the food world, and of New York -- my current career and hometown -- had taken his life too. That he would leave his best friend chef Eric Ripert to find his body seems uncharacteristically cruel of him. I've always admired Ripert since the day he taught us lobster butchery and cooking in culinary school. My heart has gone out to Ripert in dealing with all of this, and losing his best friend in such a terrible manner. But the question still lingers: why? While we'll never actually know, my immediate thought was that it was a combination of romantic heartbreak, and his addictive personality and problems with substance abuse in the past. You can get over the former but you can rarely shake the latter, at least not completely. It seems like it's always the loveliest of souls who never stick around for the long haul. Back in Manhattan, the now-shuttered Les Halles (the last place of Bourdain's cooking employ) was covered with notes of remembrance, photos, love letters on post-it notes and an outpouring of sympathy and sadness, the sidewalk covered in flowers the length of the storefront. Tony was most certainly loved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While there's a huge hole in my heart that Bourdain used to fill with his acerbic wit, his mellifluous and spot-on prose, and his gorgeously-filmed and insightful and funny television programs, at least we have all of that which he left us. It's down in writing, on film. And his interviews are a thing of beauty, whether podcast or radio show or television interviews. To read the things he's written and said is to mine pull quote gold. And so, below, I give you a few of my favorites. He was not "just a chef" -- a phrase I hate. We are all multi-hyphenates, as humans -- some of us much more than others, and Bourdain was one of those. He knew music and cinema and literature as well as any professor of any of those subjects. It makes his thoughts on culture and politics relevant. Personally, I will always look to someone who is well-traveled, who has really lived, to give his or her opinion on things over an "expert" quote-unquote, any day of the week. It breaks my heart to have to write this reflection <i>in memorium</i>, on what is Bourdain's birthday, and what Ripert and José Andres have dubbed "BOURDAIN DAY." We miss you, Tony. We always will.<br /><i></i><b><i></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"As you move through this life and this world, you change things
slightly; you leave marks behind, however small. And in return,
life--and travel--leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks--on
your body or on your heart--are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt."</span><br /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“If
I am an advocate for anything, it is to move. As far as you can, as
much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in
someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food. It’s a plus for
everybody.”</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Basic
cooking skills are a virtue... the ability to feed yourself and a few
others with proficiency should be taught to every young man and woman as
a fundamental skill. [It’s] as vital to growing up as learning to wipe
one’s own ass, cross the street by oneself, or be trusted with money.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"I'm very type-A, and many things in my life are about control and
domination, but eating should be a submissive experience, where you let
down your guard and enjoy the ride."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">“My
hometown New York also has a big heart. It doesn’t like to see itself
in that way, but we do come together when need be, often in moments of
crisis.”</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Maybe
that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting
place of the mind; no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom... is
realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i>And I've got to include his thoughts on Trump</i>:</span></span></span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From Eater's post-election interview:</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div id="tova3X" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.2rem; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: inherit;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: inherit;">So, did you vote?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="YetMhC" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.2rem; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: inherit;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes.
No fan of the Clintons am I, by a long shot. But I’m a New Yorker,
Donald Trump is a New Yorker. And the New Yorkers I know, we’ve lived
with this guy for 30 years. I’ve seen Donald Trump say things one day,
and then I saw what he did the next. I’ve seen up close how he does
business. Just like if you lived in a small town, you’d get to know the
sheriff, the guy who runs the hardware store, the guy who runs the
filling station — Trump comes from that era of guys you followed, guys
you knew about every day: Trump, Giuliani, Al Sharpton, Curtis Sliwa.
I’d see him at Studio 54, for fuck’s sake. <span class="highlight" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: inherit;">I’m
not saying I know the guy personally, not like I’d hug him, but I’m
saying that as a New Yorker, we pretty much are neighbors. And my many
years of living in his orbit have not left me with a favorable
impression, let’s put it that way.</span> There’s so many reasons to
find the guy troubling. When Scott Baio’s the only guy you can find to
show up at your convention, you’re in trouble...</span></span></span></div>
<div id="YetMhC" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.2rem; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: inherit;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">...<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">And Trump — the man eats his steak well done! I don’t think he’s a good person. </span><span class="highlight" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: inherit;">I
remember the Central Park Five, and what he said. I’ve seen how he’s
treated employees. I saw what he did to Atlantic City. I saw what he did
to the west side of this town.</span><span style="font-size: 18px;"> It’s fuckin’ ugly. He’s going to make the whole world look like the back of Rick James’ van."</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
</div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-33648098689989227212019-06-04T14:12:00.001-04:002021-03-04T23:30:46.068-05:00HOLIDAYS: First Mother's Day, and Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8NW8VPkMHfE/XNntnuzYqCI/AAAAAAAAGOw/sPjLGpL-2qIXrScuy8xEsEsdE_LbRrmewCLcBGAs/s1600/Hand%2Band%2Bfoot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8NW8VPkMHfE/XNntnuzYqCI/AAAAAAAAGOw/sPjLGpL-2qIXrScuy8xEsEsdE_LbRrmewCLcBGAs/s640/Hand%2Band%2Bfoot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">To
start, a disclaimer: I fully realize Mother's Day has come
and gone. Of course, mothers deserve recognition a lot more than one day
a year, so I'm happy to extend the celebration. (Really, mothers deserve to be celebrated every day, all year long,
but I digress). Still, I'd fully intended to have this post written and up by Sunday May 12th. Alas, things come up and loved ones need
tending to, and so, I'm getting this out as soon as was possible for me. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j06M2RYrGpU/XO8HBGw5-hI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/QZVo91dBMEUfzqNoXa8mPoU-vFpGPG1ngCLcBGAs/s1600/1%2BMom%2BDana%2Bbaby.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j06M2RYrGpU/XO8HBGw5-hI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/QZVo91dBMEUfzqNoXa8mPoU-vFpGPG1ngCLcBGAs/w400-h272/1%2BMom%2BDana%2Bbaby.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">My beautiful Mom and a very young me!</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">But I didn't want to skip this post simply because of a date on a calendar. You see, this year, Mother's Day has new meaning for me. I've always appreciated the holiday as one that is <i>important</i>
to celebrate, a time for all of us to show some appreciation to the
first woman in each of our lives. I've written here on this blog about my
mother, the specifics of our relationship, and what makes her unique
and beautiful in my eyes. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HtYcMKX3pb4/XO8HPm_MNdI/AAAAAAAAGPU/ScpmVMd1OvcX_EUtIAHpIwu6tbc7EsujwCLcBGAs/s1600/8%2BDana%2Bbreastfeeding%2Bdoll.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1101" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HtYcMKX3pb4/XO8HPm_MNdI/AAAAAAAAGPU/ScpmVMd1OvcX_EUtIAHpIwu6tbc7EsujwCLcBGAs/s400/8%2BDana%2Bbreastfeeding%2Bdoll.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Here I am around age 3, imitating my Mom, trying to breast feed...my doll.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">For so many, however, this holiday is fraught. Many people have lost their moms.
Some have terrible or non-</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">existent relationships with their mothers.
Others still, like me for so many years, wonder if they will ever get to
experience the holiday as an <i>honoree</i>, and not just an <i>honorer</i>.
I've had to muddle through many a Mother's Day brunch or lunch, had to
conjure a smile when all I wanted to do was pull my hair out or cry in a
corner. One such Mother's Day happened for me a few years ago, when my husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for about a year, but hadn't told anyone as much. It was May and I was hopeful I was pregnant -- I would have been about five or six weeks along. The signs were
there, and I was quietly exuberant/nervous through extreme nausea,
exhaustion, and a fair bit of anxiety. And then, suddenly, I wasn't
pregnant. Period. On Mother's Day. Exclamation point! I was visiting my family in Florida, and I remember feeling I needed to hide what I was experiencing. I laid face-down on a poolside lounge chair (the only place I
could be alone), sobbing into my towel. I tried to explain to my partner via phone how
this particular incident felt, the particularly bitter pill I was
swallowing that Mother's Day. All this as my sister-in-law, a decade my
junior, sat just yards away inside my parents' house, nursing her third
baby, then just weeks old. Talk about muddling through.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_PieUM4DHE4/XO8HqWk1zVI/AAAAAAAAGPg/ff83tHa_NpAQCZBLPbHQPgQwWjfmoU4owCLcBGAs/s1600/Noah%2Bskin%2Bto%2Bskin.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_PieUM4DHE4/XO8HqWk1zVI/AAAAAAAAGPg/ff83tHa_NpAQCZBLPbHQPgQwWjfmoU4owCLcBGAs/s320/Noah%2Bskin%2Bto%2Bskin.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Holding my newborn munchkin</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">So
this year, Mother's Day is, for me, quite the contrast and a literal dream come true. Like
most dreams worth their salt, my husband and I have put in a ton of effort to bring this
one to fruition. It's taken a lot of hard work, patience, diligence,
dedication, love, hope, help -- really, too many ingredients to list
here. And as is so often the case for the most obscenely delicious outcomes, this recipe is
different for every person who creates a child. But every child is a wonder, just as our little Noah is a wonder to me and to his father. We gaze
at him with awe every day, and we can't believe he's ours. And that we
get to be his. One of the benefits of all of this, something about which
I pinch myself every day, is that I get to be his protector and
provider, and I can give him all the affection and love in the world
without having to moderate that emotion. Put another way, I can kiss him
and talk to him and hold him and feed him and not feel like it's "too
much" -- no one can ever say I'm going overboard, or look at me
strangely like "that's not your <i>actual</i> child, lady. Back off!" I don't
even get that luxury with my nephews, much as I adore them. My love needs to have boundaries for every other child. Not so for my own baby. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iywYjWeFB9c/XPCspKyRTCI/AAAAAAAAGQE/HpcfrApeD6cFkPZ47NTnnXKcL7Yot3logCEwYBhgL/s1600/Mamma%2Band%2Bson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iywYjWeFB9c/XPCspKyRTCI/AAAAAAAAGQE/HpcfrApeD6cFkPZ47NTnnXKcL7Yot3logCEwYBhgL/s320/Mamma%2Band%2Bson.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">I am now a mother to a
son. I put him to bed every night and wake him up each morning and my body <i>produces</i> food to feed him every day. (As a chef who's used to being "limited" to simply cooking
<i>existing</i> food for people, this is a step beyond)! I watch him sleep and
check his breathing, I bathe him and groom him and swaddle him and
bounce him and calm him. I take his temperature, I change his diapers
and make sure his delicious little bottom is clean and dry. And, I do a
million other little things on the daily that I don't necessarily think
about, that are instinctive, that are tiny acts of love and caring and can be described in no other way except <b><i>natural </i></b>-- impulses provided to us by nature. Of course in the English language, <i>mother </i>has become a verb, a gerund: <i>mothering</i>.</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V3mFyu24pps/XPCtZLwe_KI/AAAAAAAAGQM/Bsy7Mv29HMU2ONKb0P3ihlcHnL3IlXukgCLcBGAs/s1600/Noah%2Blime%2Bgreen%2Bsleeping.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V3mFyu24pps/XPCtZLwe_KI/AAAAAAAAGQM/Bsy7Mv29HMU2ONKb0P3ihlcHnL3IlXukgCLcBGAs/s200/Noah%2Blime%2Bgreen%2Bsleeping.JPG" width="160" /></a><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">This word often has a negative connotation, one of excessive oversight, an overbearing presence. But I think mothering is a great thing. It's something not only mothers can do, of course, but to me it connotes safety and caretaking, all of those little natural impulses I mentioned before. I may be at turns a loud, boisterous personality and a headstrong feminist; at other times I'm a pensive homebody. But when it comes to my child, I want to be as maternal as possible, I want to be all of those things I found so comforting in my own mother. I want to be his safe place. I make an effort every day to make him feel that in me. I felt it with my mother since I can remember, and my Mom still offers me that sensation, even now that I'm in middle age. It's amazing the powerful place a mother holds in our hearts.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIcUDMYF61g/XPSqmsTur1I/AAAAAAAAGQo/Acx3IlAaqWMlFAn-YaAUXwm3YhaPPtHRQCLcBGAs/s1600/Mother%2527s%2BDay%2Bcake%2Bslice%2Bclose.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIcUDMYF61g/XPSqmsTur1I/AAAAAAAAGQo/Acx3IlAaqWMlFAn-YaAUXwm3YhaPPtHRQCLcBGAs/s320/Mother%2527s%2BDay%2Bcake%2Bslice%2Bclose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">One of my strongest food memories as relates to my Mom is that of our family birthday cakes since my brothers and I celebrated our first birthdays, and on through our teenage years. They were always chocolate cakes with cream cheese icing. When we were young, they were decorated so they'd look like bunny rabbits or trucks or Raggedy Ann or some other elaborate creation. But the basic flavor pairing was always the same. </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">My Mom
also made it in cupcake form for our school birthday parties (remember
when moms could just bake anything and bring them in for the whole
class? Sigh). My classmates always loved it when my birthday rolled around!</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4DxINzYWiyA/XPSq0jnPtUI/AAAAAAAAGQw/JRLmKXBNgVAKjaz75y6gukC0Mcx3KOZUQCLcBGAs/s1600/Mother%2527s%2BDay%2Bcake%2Bflowers%2B2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4DxINzYWiyA/XPSq0jnPtUI/AAAAAAAAGQw/JRLmKXBNgVAKjaz75y6gukC0Mcx3KOZUQCLcBGAs/s400/Mother%2527s%2BDay%2Bcake%2Bflowers%2B2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">As it turns out, one of the things I most craved in my third trimester was...chocolate cake with cream cheese icing. But I couldn't have it. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes right after New Year's Day (Happy New Year!) and had to cool it on pretty much all things chocolate and carb-y (i.e. everything I began to crave at about the same time they became prohibited). This birthday cake is forever the sweet taste of home for me, though. Not only is it wildly yummy, but there is some kind of safety in this food. It is maternal, somehow. And so, since I couldn't have it during my pregnancy, I decided I wanted it in honor of Mother's Day -- to fulfill my craving, sure, but also as a sweet homage to my mother and all the birthday cakes she baked for us growing up. <b>The cake itself is good old fashioned deep chocolate cake from a mix (we were Duncan Hines loyalists, but any deep chocolate mix will do). The icing is homemade. All it really takes is whipping together 16 oz. of Philadelphia cream cheese with 4 oz (one stick) of unsalted butter, both softened. You mix in 2 cups or so of powdered confectioner's sugar (to taste) and there you have it</b>. I made the icing purple because I wanted to eat a cake with purple icing and pretty purple sprinkles. Blue or green works just as well for Father's Day, by the way. Any excuse for a cake is a good enough reason to make this one in particular.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z9bzMAhq3pk/XPSqcb4KYrI/AAAAAAAAGQs/XoCkP_-KBPYiLuDRhi2arD3Ql2oKY0acQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Noah%2BMommy%2BFirst%2BMother%2527s%2BDay.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z9bzMAhq3pk/XPSqcb4KYrI/AAAAAAAAGQs/XoCkP_-KBPYiLuDRhi2arD3Ql2oKY0acQCEwYBhgL/s400/Noah%2BMommy%2BFirst%2BMother%2527s%2BDay.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Mother's Day selfie</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">So, was my first Mother's Day everything I had dreamed of? Yes and no. The weather was nasty, cool and rainy. And the day itself wasn't terribly different from any other day with a newborn: slugging along, trying to keep the baby from crying, trying to keep up with feedings, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">hoping to get a little sleep, </span>and all the rest. We were still too exhausted to celebrate in any demonstrable way, and still paying off medical bills so soon after the baby's birth. But mostly, I had been too afraid to dream about w</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">hat this day would mean for me, just in case it never actually came to pass. I didn't allow m</span>yself that indulgence. Which made the day all the more special when I realized about two weeks out </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">that I was going to get to celebrate Mother's Day as a mother this year. It's still almost too much to wrap my head around. Perhaps by Mother's Day next year? Regardless, it was a day that I will remember forever because it was my first, hopefully my first of many, many more to come. Just snuggling with my little munchkin who made me a mamma is all I really need on Mother's Day. I am so thankful to him, and to my husband, for giving me this new title, and the hope of living up to all that it means. For those out there for whom this holiday continues to be difficult -- Father's Day too -- I hear you, I understand. It may not be much, but a little advice from a new mother? Try some cake. It really does make everything, from the worst of days to the best of days, better. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qFc0VtNOi08/XPWNqFnNkFI/AAAAAAAAGRA/VsJzabiwMe8MoeXG_G6gu4ztyVxlbW1bwCLcBGAs/s1600/Noah%2BBeatles.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qFc0VtNOi08/XPWNqFnNkFI/AAAAAAAAGRA/VsJzabiwMe8MoeXG_G6gu4ztyVxlbW1bwCLcBGAs/s400/Noah%2BBeatles.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Our love, Noah</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /><b><i></i></b></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /><b><i></i></b></span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-9797929356239759832019-05-08T00:39:00.001-04:002019-05-08T00:39:17.308-04:00QUICK BITE: Spring Side<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nothing says spring in the kitchen like bright green veggies of the season. This means something different for each person, depending on where one lives, since fresh spring vegetable medleys reflect the local terrain, growing season, and food culture.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUXvgzs8Gac/XNH3mqg1-PI/AAAAAAAAGOE/CCd30QsKzmcgWS6QMiw9aBN4BWtS0Di-wCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_2183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUXvgzs8Gac/XNH3mqg1-PI/AAAAAAAAGOE/CCd30QsKzmcgWS6QMiw9aBN4BWtS0Di-wCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_2183.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For me, in New York City, I can see spring in the markets when veggies cover the stall tables in all shades of green, from the pale green of artichokes and spring onions to the kelly green of asparagus and ramps, to the darker forest greens of swiss chard and spring kale varieties. Mushrooms vary depending on the season, and morels are a classic spring <i>funghi </i>-- though many are imported from the Pacific Northwest, and they can be difficult to find here in the northeast... and expensive when you do find them. But they're sooo delicious! </span><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1w7KPC7F-eI/XNH2cqr44xI/AAAAAAAAGNs/hXXATfpWZaUbtrFwMGbW2zTvAI5jDonagCEwYBhgL/s1600/Passover%2BRoman%2Bveggies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1137" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1w7KPC7F-eI/XNH2cqr44xI/AAAAAAAAGNs/hXXATfpWZaUbtrFwMGbW2zTvAI5jDonagCEwYBhgL/s200/Passover%2BRoman%2Bveggies.JPG" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In reality, a good spring vegetable medley is comprised of whatever you love and whatever you can find locally, so don't let any set idea of what this medley should be get in the way of putting together a personalized, killer mix as an accompaniment to any main course, or AS the main course. (I love throwing a great veggie medley on top of a soft polenta made with generous lashings of whole milk and grated <i>grana padano</i> or <i>pecorino romano</i> cheese).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, for tasty dinners this May and early June, try taking a cue from the farmer's market, and make a simple sauté of spring veggies: mostly green, with some mushrooms in there for good measure. The mix is a celebration of the verdant offerings from the garden, and the earthy flavors that spring from the shaded floors of forests and fields as the days grow longer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the large photo at the top of this post, I sauteed some spring garlic in olive oil, and added asparagus, freshly cleaned and sliced artichoke hearts, zucchini, ramps, and shiitake mushrooms. All they need is a sprinkling of sea salt and they work with just about anything you can serve alongside them for lunch or dinner. Or, toss with fresh pasta, pile on top of polenta, or stir into a risotto. Most important is enjoying the veggies of the season at their peak. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Eviva la primavera!</i> Long live spring!</span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-20583568693823052712019-03-08T12:57:00.000-05:002019-03-08T12:57:03.956-05:00International Women's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Everything you see I owe to spaghetti" -- <i>Sophia Loren</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"People who love to eat are always the best people" -- </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Julia Child</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"I believe that all anyone really wants in this life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich." -- <i>Liz Lemon, 30 Rock</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am an unabashed feminist. The textbook definition of the word feminist, by the way, is no to be considered a "dirty word" by any stretch of the imagination. It simply means someone who believes females and males should have political, social, and economic equality. Period. Ovaries are not required to feel this way -- in fact, kudos to the men out there (like my husband) who are not threatened by the concept of feminism and can join in rallying for support of women everywhere. So, this year, after having been through the #metoo and #timesup movements, the ups and downs of the Women's March and the scandals of its leaders, the massive wave of women voted into government positions in the midterm elections, and a short film about menstrual shaming taking home an Oscar, I'd say women are in the spotlight in a way we haven't been for a long time. And, it's high time we salute women who make our lives more delicious. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since March
is International Women's month, it's a great time to remember, here
on this blog, the importance of women in today's world -- especially the
world of food, drink, and hospitality. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z55bfPf-yAM/XIKqmKNQLdI/AAAAAAAAGL4/2Of9G3HpstYRac0pMl_o-HVq9kGbK5BZwCLcBGAs/s1600/Feastly%2BDana%2Bplating%2Bbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z55bfPf-yAM/XIKqmKNQLdI/AAAAAAAAGL4/2Of9G3HpstYRac0pMl_o-HVq9kGbK5BZwCLcBGAs/s320/Feastly%2BDana%2Bplating%2Bbw.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We women have chosen a culinary
career because we have the capacity for nurturing, for giving, for
feeding people, showing love through food and drink and making guests,
clients, and customers feel cared for, appreciated, loved. And of
course, we make our friends and families feel the same thing. It usually
stems from caring for those closest to us, actually, and grows from there. I started off as a young girl baking cookies and cakes for my family, and then my classmates, and I still get the "baker's high" when I make a birthday cake or a sweet treat for friends or family now. It's this showing of love through food that has propelled me as a culinary professional. It could be making the perfect <i>osso buco</i> with <i>risotto milanese</i> for a dinner party or in a restaurant kitchen that scratches that itch these days, but I feel it just as strongly now as I did back in 1980. Probably more strongly, actually, since it's now my career to feed people. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The important thing here is that we all support women in the hospitality industry. Women supporting women is great, and it should always be a first step we can count on as a community of women,<i> for </i>women. But this support cannot be limited to women only. Every community needs to rally around its female contributors and creatives, especially in industries where it's historically been difficult for women to thrive (one could argue that's most industries, but I digress). Let's get behind those James Beard award-winning female chefs, and those who have taken home Michelin stars, and those female sommeliers at the top of their game, but also -- and maybe more importantly -- let's recognize, and support with coverage and with our dollars, those women who run small activities, corner cafes, coffee shops and boutique catering companies, those who teach cooking to our kids, those who fight for those living in food deserts and for kids to have nutritious school lunches...and everything in between. We must recognize the tremendous impact women are having in food and hospitality and call them out. Interact. Support. Recognize their contributions. This is the only way forward, and we can ALL benefit from women's hard work. We all deserve it! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Happy Women's History Month, and have a wonderful International Women's Day (<i>Festa delle Donne</i> in Italian). Auguri!!!</span></span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-36015050096921698532018-12-13T14:52:00.002-05:002018-12-13T14:52:23.008-05:00DINING OUT: St. John, London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The London dining scene is as vibrant as it's ever been these days, and it's a fabulous representation of the melting pot that is this city. But among the newest iterations of Middle Eastern and Indian, French and Spanish and Italian cuisines, and restaurants touting everything from Sri Lankan to American retro burger joints...well, the celebration of classic and updated but always <i>distinctly</i> <i>British</i> food at <b>St. John </b>deserves to be highlighted, still. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RFu56YReT5k/XBKwcXTPh8I/AAAAAAAAGKw/je7kS30MiXgQbIMWpSpOmxtIJ_stolDOACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RFu56YReT5k/XBKwcXTPh8I/AAAAAAAAGKw/je7kS30MiXgQbIMWpSpOmxtIJ_stolDOACEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6097.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Chef-owner Fergus Henderson is renowned among a certain subset of chefs, particularly those Bourdain-loving, tattooed proponents of the nose-to-tail cooking and eating ethos, a trend for which Henderson is often given credit for launching. It's this very British, postwar, waste-not-want-not mentality that birthed Henderson's kind of cooking, and it remains a big hit among London diners, international visitors, and foodies who adore getting their noses into offal and bone marrow and all kinds of savory, meaty goodies and traditional dishes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The space itself is part laboratory, part sterilized slaughterhouse in feel. It's industrial but somehow upscale, too. White, soaring ceilings, skylights, and dark wood furniture set this tone, with pendant lamps and a definitive lack of cover from linens, carpets, and the like. The staff is helpful and professional. And the menu is unlike most I've come across in my many years in the food industry, and my exhaustive travels. Take a gander at the current lunch menu, for example, which reads as colorful, properly British, and almost Dickensian:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Potatoes</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">5.20</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Greens</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">4.50</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Welsh Rarebit</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">6.50</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Brown Shrimp and White Cabbage</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">9.80</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Crispy Pig Cheek and Dandelion</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">11.80</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Brown Crab Meat on Toast</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">10.50</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Kid Liver, Lentils and Mustard</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">19.80</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Snails, Sausage and Chickpea</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">22.80</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lamb Tongues, Butter Beans and Green Sauce</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">21.50</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Smoked Eel, Beetroot and Horseradish</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">25.20</span></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Braised Ox Kidney, Bacon and Mash</span></td><td style="padding-left: 1em; white-space: nowrap;" valign="top" width="1"><span style="color: #0b5394;">19.80</span></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0 !important; text-align: left !important;" valign="top"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rjMdPf9s7bo/XBKwD3DjkaI/AAAAAAAAGKc/6MU_0A8ZScga68G4yqp0bdEwPYFGzMOXwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Bone%2Bmarrow%252C%2Btoast%252C%2Bparsley%2Bsalad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rjMdPf9s7bo/XBKwD3DjkaI/AAAAAAAAGKc/6MU_0A8ZScga68G4yqp0bdEwPYFGzMOXwCEwYBhgL/s640/Bone%2Bmarrow%252C%2Btoast%252C%2Bparsley%2Bsalad.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As you might imagine, none of the dishes are overwrought or "fancy" in any traditional sense. Most of the dishes are pared down, if anything. The famous bone marrow with parsley salad, in the photo above, is one of the most iconic of Henderson's dishes, and the original (and spare preparation) of a bone marrow dish that launches a thousand bone marrow dishes around the world. Fergus Henderson did not <i>invent </i>bone marrow as a restaurant dish, but it is probably because of him that you can find it in so many creative iterations in dining establishments around the globe. Many chefs have improved upon the original. But you needed the original to start the trend in the first place.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQV9cs6hUgs/XBKyvlsvGwI/AAAAAAAAGK8/t_XNOgytj2kbJ0mQVhd7vm6pTaj-UNd4QCLcBGAs/s1600/Quail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQV9cs6hUgs/XBKyvlsvGwI/AAAAAAAAGK8/t_XNOgytj2kbJ0mQVhd7vm6pTaj-UNd4QCLcBGAs/s320/Quail.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Radishes with anchovy and butter. Crispy pig cheek and dandelion greens. Lamb tongue with butter beans and green sauce. Hare, quail, snails, eel, ox kidneys. These are the most important components of a St. John menu: the forgotten dishes and the flavor pairings ranging from old school classic to unusual umami bombs. The off-cuts. It's all given new life in this chef's hands. And, the place is always and still very buzzy, which makes it fun. (Offally fun? Punny? OK I'll stop...)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XzkcnkJtH4/XBKyzf8jZZI/AAAAAAAAGLM/O6q34yi_FU0kGSrJNwA0kTCw3bBquOAKgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XzkcnkJtH4/XBKyzf8jZZI/AAAAAAAAGLM/O6q34yi_FU0kGSrJNwA0kTCw3bBquOAKgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6098.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There's also reverence given to vegetables, by themselves. In the late spring, I enjoyed a mix of artichokes, lima beans, greens, and other spring offerings, lightly stewed. You can get salads, and in cooler months, you find interesting veggies like kohlrabi, cabbage, roasted squash of various varieties, and soups made of celeriac. You can also find traditional smoked seafood and preserved and pickled foods, as has been the culinary way in this part of Europe for centuries.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8ZYI8DDHt8/XBKy2fhnCXI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/LAihG-apN6AIeB_b95vOgouEPWfkM_iSgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8ZYI8DDHt8/XBKy2fhnCXI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/LAihG-apN6AIeB_b95vOgouEPWfkM_iSgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6102.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's also nice to see that the meal can be rounded out by a significant dessert menu and pastry program, with breads savory and sweet, famous English puddings, and gorgeous local cheeses. There are standards like chocolate mousse and rice pudding, as well as madeleines baked to order (and also to go). But the oh-so-English desserts are what perfectly finish off a meal here: spotted dick, brown bread and marmalade ice cream, ginger loaf with butterscotch sauce. It's not for everyone, that's for sure. Nothing about this place easily appeals to the masses, though it is certainly an Everyman-style menu. But Chef Fergus Henderson pulls it off with aplomb, with skilled technique, a mix of imagination and nostalgia, and a wink and a nod to British culinary tradition, such as it is. Together, the mix works and is what makes dining at St. John a perennial pleasure.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">St. John Restaurant</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">26 St. John Street, Clerkenwell</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">London EC1M4AY</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">+44 20 7251 0848</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">www.stjohnrestaurant.com</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-23075805354298860642018-11-09T16:34:00.001-05:002018-11-09T16:34:47.279-05:00RECIPE: Pasta alla Carbonara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypyj6e-rUjY/Wuc1AaJY23I/AAAAAAAAF1k/7iocUJq3Iggc793kozC05Osi3cA2UNnYQCLcBGAs/s1600/Carbonara%2Bclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypyj6e-rUjY/Wuc1AaJY23I/AAAAAAAAF1k/7iocUJq3Iggc793kozC05Osi3cA2UNnYQCLcBGAs/s640/Carbonara%2Bclose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the "quaternity" of Roman pasta dishes, <i style="font-weight: bold;">pasta alla carbonara, </i>in my opinion, is tied for first place. (I have to give it up for the only pasta dish with a tomato-based sauce,<i> all'amatriciana)</i>. Carbonara holds a special place in my heart as a dish I learned to make as a student in Florence 26 years ago. The backstories are myriad, including one falsely perpetuated by countless tour guides in Rome that this was the pasta version of bacon and eggs beloved by American soldiers, who brought the flavor combo to Italy during World War II. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xHf5SoJcP0/W-PebT-EWsI/AAAAAAAAGIc/2Gojp3zYSScOisOJrxjsNB_XKc_Y_JW8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Guanciale%2Bhanging.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xHf5SoJcP0/W-PebT-EWsI/AAAAAAAAGIc/2Gojp3zYSScOisOJrxjsNB_XKc_Y_JW8QCLcBGAs/s320/Guanciale%2Bhanging.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But no, though this is a dish eaten in various parts of the Italian peninsula, carbonara is a classically Roman dish, with Roman roots. This is proven by one of its key ingredients: <i>guanciale</i>, a distinctly Roman cut of pig that is its cured, highly-spiced jowl. This guanciale gives the carbonara sauce its unctuous undertones and the emulsified sheen in its egg yolk-enriched sauce. In reality, a carbonara is not a real carbonara if it uses <i>pancetta</i> (or heaven forbid...<i>bacon</i>!) as the porky element in the dish. Of course, the dish gets its saltiness from the cheese used: unequivocally <i><b>pecorino romano</b></i> (never parmigiano! Never grana padano!), a Roman sheep's milk hard aged cheese and the saltiest of the grating cheeses in the Italian culinary repertoire. This is another clue to the dish's Roman origin. The cracked black pepper is important as well -- the little flecks supposedly represent coal, as the dish is named after coal miners (<i>carbonari</i>) -- another origin story of this dish. Some claim the pasta was instead favored by the <i>Carbonari</i>, a secret political society of nationalists who tried to revolutionize Italy in the early 19th century (predating Italian unification), though dried pasta was not readily available to the general population until after World War II, so this is unlikely. Some believe it was created at a restaurant in Rome called "La Carbonara" (which could certainly be true, in terms of timeline and location). Whatever the correct origin story, the important thing to remember? This dish is Roman. It must be treated as such.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now, I've had plenty of "inauthentic" carbonaras in Italy (not Rome) that used pancetta to pretty good effect, and even...dare I say...used a touch of heavy cream to help with the consistency of the sauce. This is <b>heresy</b> to a Roman cook, however. And since I like to stick to the classic preparation before allowing adept chefs to deviate from the original (one must study Renaissance art before one can paint like Picasso or Pollock, after all), I will present you here with a classic Roman recipe. One thing to remember, however: it is never, ever, EVER okay to add peas to a carbonara. Ever. Thank you and <i>buon appetito</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RSpONxfVeJU/W-XxTmtQyeI/AAAAAAAAGIs/84w2lJvwWHws8p1sBX46yICpsekQ-zKLQCLcBGAs/s1600/Carbonara%2Boverhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RSpONxfVeJU/W-XxTmtQyeI/AAAAAAAAGIs/84w2lJvwWHws8p1sBX46yICpsekQ-zKLQCLcBGAs/s400/Carbonara%2Boverhead.jpg" width="300" /></a><b><span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: small;">PASTA
ALLA CARBONARA (4-6 people)</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2 TBS. extra-virgin olive oil</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">½ lb. thickly sliced <i>guanciale (pancetta, in a pinch)</i> cut into small strips</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">3 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Generous couple of pinches of fresh
ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Salt to taste</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1 lb. spaghetti or short pasta (like
bombolotti or rigatoni)</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Bring a large pot of water to a
boil.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gN9F2z82Nww/W-X7iGeMwGI/AAAAAAAAGJY/B3uPoGTWygIUgAyu6jEK00Xa3b68ue5EwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Carbonara%2Bal%2Bdente%2Bpasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gN9F2z82Nww/W-X7iGeMwGI/AAAAAAAAGJY/B3uPoGTWygIUgAyu6jEK00Xa3b68ue5EwCEwYBhgL/s200/Carbonara%2Bal%2Bdente%2Bpasta.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">- Once the water comes to a rolling
boil, add a generous couple of pinches of salt (the water should be briny,
almost like seawater), and toss in the pasta and stir. Cook pasta until <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">al dente</i>. (*Note: in the photo here, the white ring of still-uncooked pasta at the center of the shape means the pasta is al dente, and should be removed from the water immediately).</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eQ2EMqEmtPE/W-XyEWT2J7I/AAAAAAAAGJE/lwJSn3pYg5IQzIgxZOigv4ZGi9pUWoHWACEwYBhgL/s1600/Carbonara%2Bpancetta%2Bin%2Bpan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eQ2EMqEmtPE/W-XyEWT2J7I/AAAAAAAAGJE/lwJSn3pYg5IQzIgxZOigv4ZGi9pUWoHWACEwYBhgL/s200/Carbonara%2Bpancetta%2Bin%2Bpan.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Heat a large skillet over medium
heat, add the olive oil, and then add the <i>guanciale </i>(or <i>pancetta</i>),
cooking until lightly browned and almost crisp.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk
the eggs with the salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the pecorino cheese.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVkrgvOifmY/W-XxypBbH3I/AAAAAAAAGI0/Zk2ISrwK8TY7Dj0I5uCeYq9M520bmP95gCLcBGAs/s1600/Carbonara%2Begg%2Bslurry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVkrgvOifmY/W-XxypBbH3I/AAAAAAAAGI0/Zk2ISrwK8TY7Dj0I5uCeYq9M520bmP95gCLcBGAs/s200/Carbonara%2Begg%2Bslurry.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">- When the pasta is al dente, drain
the pasta and add directly to the pan where the guanciale was cooked (the pan
should be warm but turn the flame off before adding the pasta).</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">- Add the egg mixture to the pan and
toss pasta and guanciale to coat. This is the tricky step: the egg sauce should
be warm enough that it thickens to form a sauce (not just raw eggs), but
shouldn’t be so hot that the eggs cook and become scrambled. Turn on a low
flame if necessary to help gently cook the egg sauce.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj5GwPYEGXw/W-XyOLvs6uI/AAAAAAAAGJA/uIVGWvl_hl8zBGSAmEQxlls525PGUbFVACLcBGAs/s1600/Carbonara%2Bin%2Bpan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj5GwPYEGXw/W-XyOLvs6uI/AAAAAAAAGJA/uIVGWvl_hl8zBGSAmEQxlls525PGUbFVACLcBGAs/s200/Carbonara%2Bin%2Bpan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Add a generous handful of the
pecorino, and turn to mix thoroughly. </span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #403152; font-family: "candara"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Serve at once.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLrlI1lzIPc/W-X3H6i8AhI/AAAAAAAAGJM/T2k2Fh_UYnQlfaJdmeOOIDiuKKpj9TUDQCLcBGAs/s1600/Carbonara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="996" height="491" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLrlI1lzIPc/W-X3H6i8AhI/AAAAAAAAGJM/T2k2Fh_UYnQlfaJdmeOOIDiuKKpj9TUDQCLcBGAs/s640/Carbonara.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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-->Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-72097637766557937792018-10-24T12:21:00.000-04:002018-10-24T12:21:21.989-04:00SEASONAL INGREDIENTS: Pumpkin and Squash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Autumn is probably my favorite season for cooking, as the cooler weather and shorter days drive the desire to stay in, shack up, cuddle, dine...which makes it a perfect time for food that straddles the line between seasonal/fresh/light and comforting/slow-cooking/warm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">During my many years living in Italy, <i>zucca</i>, as the general pumpkin/squash family is referred to, was a favorite, and was a prevalent fall ingredient in dishes from the northeastern Veneto region down to Rome. Interestingly, pumpkin was for centuries considered a "Jewish food" -- one that the general population shunned, and so it crept into the Italian culinary vernacular through Italian Jewish populations and their recipes. The larger Jewish populations in both Venice and Rome are the source for a variety of the most beloved pumpkin and squash recipes still cooked today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The pumpkin flowers -- sometimes from actual pumpkins and sometimes they come from zucchini (a squash relative) -- are put to good use in Italian cuisine. In Rome, they are stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies, then battered and fried, and served as an antipasto. In other regions, they're stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs and are fried or sautéed. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They're also favored pizza toppers all over Italy. The <i>zucca</i> itself is made into everything from soups to pasta sauces, risottos to gnocchi and pasta. And roasted pumpkin is a great accompaniment to meats braised and grilled, or fish and seafood dishes in their many forms.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0ojBS2FMO4/W864QZPCnkI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/e_lENdmszQ4DfaRURmi-wLvK7rrAIZsXQCLcBGAs/s1600/Pumpkin%2Bsoup%2Boverhead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1600" height="311" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0ojBS2FMO4/W864QZPCnkI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/e_lENdmszQ4DfaRURmi-wLvK7rrAIZsXQCLcBGAs/s400/Pumpkin%2Bsoup%2Boverhead.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">P</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">umpkin pairs well with pork, so it's served with everything from crispy pancetta and prosciutto to pork loins and roasts, grilled chops, and even <i>porchetta</i>. You can marinate it in a little citrus juice or balsamic and olive oil, and grill it. You can puree it into a sauce or serve it as a side like mashed potatoes, as a healthy starch alternative. It really is a workhorse ingredient! In the U.S. this autumn, pumpkin butter seems to be replacing avocado as the seasonal toast-topper, and I for one welcome the change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pumpkin (and squash) are also great for you: they're an excellent source of beta carotene and Vitamin A, as well as some Vitamin C. The seeds of the pumpkin (often called "pepitas" in North and South America) are nutrient-rich, full of magnesium and zinc and protein. Pumpkin seed oil is a delicacy and is used a lot in Central European cooking. Uses for the flowers are mentioned above, making the pumpkin an excellent "whole vegetable" or "root to fruit" complete food item which can be fully consumed without waste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And of course, at this time of year, we visit pumpkin patches and pumpkins begin to play a very important seasonal role. Not only do we consume pumpkin <i>everything </i>(please see John Oliver's segment on the ubiquity and frenzy over everything pumpkin spice, for a good laugh!) -- it's in our scented candles and body lotions, it's in our sweet and savory breads, and our Thanksgiving pies -- but we also decorate with pumpkins and gourds, we carve jack-o-lanterns, and we dress our kids as big round orange pumpkins! We're pretty pumpkin-obsessed in October and November, though that's fine with me. I've always been a big fan (as you can see me here at a very young age)...enjoy pumpkin season, people!</span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-50237162995184739502018-08-31T13:00:00.000-04:002018-08-31T13:02:37.571-04:00MARKETS: Hamptons Farmers Markets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Eastern end of Long Island is a magical place, particularly for those who know it, for those of us who grew up heading out there with family and friends during summers and for special weekends. It's a wonderful place for "newbies" too, though I often feel they lack a clear picture of how the Hamptons has evolved over time. A lot of people see the Hamptons as Manhattan and Brooklyn East, a place where you lounge at the beach or by the pool by day, and head out to eat at trendy, expensive restaurants at night followed by the thump-thump of the Hamptons post-prandial club scene. And of course, the Showtime series <i>The Affair</i> has certainly brought attention -- desirable and undesirable -- to Montauk and the Hamptons in general.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But sadly, many don't know about The Hamptons of years ago: this part of New York was farm country surrounded by gorgeous beaches, clean Atlantic tides. Montauk was a fishing village, not a hipsters' paradise, and before 18-room monstrosities were constructed in Sagaponack, that land was one sprawling beachside garden, filled with potato fields and flowers, tomato plots and pumpkin patches. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some of that has remained, thankfully. And one Hamptons staple that I hope will never get "gentrified out" is the omnipresence of the Hamptons farm stand. Every Hampton (town) has at least one, and often they have several. These stands offer seasonal snapshots of the fruits (sometimes literally) of the farmland out east, and they reach their peak, in my humble opinion, in late summer. Now. Because in the northeast, your shoulder seasons can be questionable. Perhaps spring came late, and the farm stands won't have strawberries and fresh peas until June. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This can push everything back -- or forward, depending -- and so peaches may come in June or may not really come in until mid-July. But late August is undeniably the time, for me, when stands are at their most beautiful, overflowing with lingering stone fruit, gorgeous crimson tomatoes, summer corn, squash, berries, eggplant, those famous Long Island fingerling potatoes...really, an abundance of everything. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some pumpkins may even start coming in this early, but we still have several weeks left of summer, technically, so everything is at its peak. I don't need to mention that by purchasing at local farm stands, you're supporting local agriculture and farmers, and of course everything just tastes better when you're close to the hands that harvested that food. Period.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Below is a list of some of my favorite farm stands, as well as a photo montage that makes the term *food porn* seem like an understatement. Enjoy! It's the best time of the year for produce out east. Perhaps I'll see you on Sagg Main...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Dana's Favorites:</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Green Thumb Organic Farm</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">829 Montauk Highway, Watermill</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Amazing selection of heirloom veg and fruit, herbs and edible flowers.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Babinski's Farm Stand</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">160 Newlight Lane, Watermill</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Good quality, plus some great baked goods.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Pike Farms</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">82 Sagg Main, Sagaponack</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Great stand in front of their fields, so couldn't be fresher!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Round Swamp Farm</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">184 Three Mile Harbor Road, East Hampton</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I<i>f there is a Bulgari of farm stands, this is it. Prices are head-spinning, but great prepared foods and baked goods.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Amber Waves Farmer's Market</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">367 Main Street, Amagansett</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>All-around great Hamptons farm stand with a wide selection.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Schmidt Brothers Produce</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">120 North Sea Road, Southampton</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Though not technically an outdoor farm stand, they source some amazing, impossible-to-find greens, sprouts, herbs, and international produce that can be hard to find out east.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And for a P.S., here are some resulting dishes from Hamptons Farmers Market hauls...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster boil with local corn, fingerling potatoes, green beans</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsamic roasted carrots with carrot top pesto</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggplant with labneh, pomegranate and pomegranate molasses</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heirloom tomato and green plum tart with herbed ricotta and fried shallots</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New York cheesecake with summer fruits</td></tr>
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-56636172352036323272018-08-23T11:37:00.003-04:002018-08-23T11:37:44.766-04:00SEASONAL FOOD: Cantaloupe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've always adored cantaloupe. It was the melon toward which I veered, from a young age. And I've never tired of it. As I've gone from the messy gobbling of freshly-sliced cantaloupe passed to me from my father's deft hands, to the more sophisticated pairing of the melon with salty, unctuous prosciutto at countless outdoor cafes all over the Italian peninsula, my love affair with the orange melon has not faded.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--kq3OU8VdY4/W3JMOg-raiI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/gb2bt8M_9GAgFrLWI-Xp-NlKzpf-nvNOgCLcBGAs/s1600/Prosciutto%2Bmelone%2Be%2Bfichi%2Bfreschi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="950" height="232" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--kq3OU8VdY4/W3JMOg-raiI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/gb2bt8M_9GAgFrLWI-Xp-NlKzpf-nvNOgCLcBGAs/s320/Prosciutto%2Bmelone%2Be%2Bfichi%2Bfreschi.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So imagine my surprise when I started researching the cantaloupe, and found that the etymology of cantaloupe comes from the Italian word c<i>antalupo</i>, taking the name of the town <i>Cantalupo in Sabina</i>, a former papal seat outside of Rome in the province of Rieti, where the melon was supposedly first popularized in the west, grown in the papal gardens in the 15th and 16th centuries. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The melon most likely originated in South Asia or Africa, and was introduced to Italy via Armenia. But most importantly for my personal connection to cantaloupe, the town of Cantalupo in Sabina</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> is quite close to the town of Torri in Sabina where my dear friends live, and where I've spent a lot of wonderful weekends relaxing and cooking in the countryside near Rome. I dare say we've indulged in plenty a plate of <i>prosciutto e melone</i> in the area of this melon's namesake!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cantaloupes are members of a family of vegetables and fruits that includes cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, and gourds, called the <i>cucurbit</i> family.This family also includes lots of types of melons, including crenshaw, casaba, Persian, canary, and watermelon. The European cantaloupe's outer skin is gray-green and is lightly ribbed (like a basketball), whereas the North American cantaloupe has that familiar net-like skin covering, with a light grey rind.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of all of the cantaloupe's nutritional elements, it is highest in vitamin A/beta carotenes and vitamin C. It also contains a variety of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, among which are the flavonoid luteolin. The melon is also rich in potassium, fiber, folate, magnesium, and vitamin K.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps most interesting and potentially promising about cantaloupe's nutritional benefits is its capacity to prevent metabolic syndrome, presently in research studies with humans. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This could translate to health benefits as relates to heart health, since many heart issues are initiated by inflammation and oxidative stress. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is also thought that cantaloupe consumption can help improve blood sugar metabolism and insulin resistance in humans the way it has in animals. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12LtyBAVF68/W3xVPWUM5dI/AAAAAAAAGA4/24kY-TJsU6sC3uZlhF2gi36GoZFo3vBAQCLcBGAs/s1600/Melon%2Band%2BMozz%2Bdi%2BBuff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12LtyBAVF68/W3xVPWUM5dI/AAAAAAAAGA4/24kY-TJsU6sC3uZlhF2gi36GoZFo3vBAQCLcBGAs/s320/Melon%2Band%2BMozz%2Bdi%2BBuff.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The cantaloupe didn't become a commercial crop in the United States until the very end of the 19th century, but now it's available everywhere in the summer -- though in my opinion, it's best purchased from a local farm stand where you can smell the musky scent of ripe melons that have been sitting in the summer sun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The best way to consume a cantaloupe? Whichever way you like it best, of course. But besides the joy of eating it in slices out of hand, or halving it and filling the scooped-out center with berries and eating it with a spoon (both classic modes that will always be delicious)...I've started to use the melon in savory preparations too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z65SdDlqSy8/W343vn-iZEI/AAAAAAAAGBg/ymDbv69fcEo4qItIOrOSutfUToUjZbx8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Cantaloupe%2Bcuc%2Bsalad%2Bclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z65SdDlqSy8/W343vn-iZEI/AAAAAAAAGBg/ymDbv69fcEo4qItIOrOSutfUToUjZbx8QCLcBGAs/s400/Cantaloupe%2Bcuc%2Bsalad%2Bclose.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you pair it with another member of the cucurbit family, toss in some fresh herbs, maybe a little red onion, and use some vinegar and olive oil to dress it more like a savory salad, the melon takes on a whole new dimension. It's great with cucumbers, given a bit of an Asian treatment with rice vinegar, lime juice and zest, olive or avocado oil, sea salt, and fresh herbs like cilantro and mint. You could, alternatively, puree the melon and along with the usual vegetables, sherry vinegar, ground almonds, and olive oil, turn the cantaloupe into a memorable savory-sweet gazpacho. It's great along with other fruits and vegetables in a salsa to accompany summery grilled meats, and even steak fish like swordfish or tuna.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blY_rmZrd-c/W343-FUOkiI/AAAAAAAAGBo/gpiNCTbCj6MtEHm1GaGlQf1XLzGMdp5FACLcBGAs/s1600/Melon%2Band%2Bcherries%2Bwith%2Bvanilla%252C%2Bbalsamic%252C%2Bmint%252C%2Band%2Bpistachios.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="938" height="228" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blY_rmZrd-c/W343-FUOkiI/AAAAAAAAGBo/gpiNCTbCj6MtEHm1GaGlQf1XLzGMdp5FACLcBGAs/s320/Melon%2Band%2Bcherries%2Bwith%2Bvanilla%252C%2Bbalsamic%252C%2Bmint%252C%2Band%2Bpistachios.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And of course, cantaloupe is always a sweet ending to a summer meal. I sometimes serve the interesting combo of sliced cantaloupe with a salad of pitted cherries tossed with lemon juice, pistachios, and mint. Its unexpected flavor and textural combo gives a bit of a middle eastern lift to the final course of a meal. And it's refreshing. So whether you prefer sweet or savory preparations for your melon, the important thing is to consume as much of it as possible before cantaloupe season is over!</span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-9229213949287510592018-08-09T13:06:00.000-04:002018-08-09T13:06:36.771-04:00DINNER PARTIES: Marble House Project Farm-to-Table Dinner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">When I received the email telling me I'd been selected from among roughly 700 candidates to win a residency at the Marble House Project in Dorset, Vermont, I was a little incredulous. I'd applied on a bit of a whim, never expecting to be awarded the culinary residency, especially since so few of these residencies exist for those of us in the food world. I thought about applying as a writer (something I'd end up doing a lot of anyway during my chef residency, since I'm working on various culinary book projects) -- but since my primary career for the past 18+ years has been as a chef, and this opportunity was so rare, I went for it. Culinary residency it was.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5FfabDZX4Uw/W2P2Cwf1TtI/AAAAAAAAF7U/wglKe3CgO4osbs4OwBd0v3xqrCPKGiTIACLcBGAs/s1600/Outside%2Bcooking%2Bbarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5FfabDZX4Uw/W2P2Cwf1TtI/AAAAAAAAF7U/wglKe3CgO4osbs4OwBd0v3xqrCPKGiTIACLcBGAs/s400/Outside%2Bcooking%2Bbarn.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marble House Project hosts one of 3 culinary residency programs in the U.S., and the other two are really year-long paid chef positions cooking for the other artists in residence. This was different. At MHP I was considered to be an artist in my own right, and though we'd all rotate cooking dinner for our fellow residents Monday through Friday, I wasn't expected to do more than anyone else in the Marble House home kitchen. As the sole culinary resident in my session, I was given my very own work kitchen/cooking barn in which to experiment, test recipes, and just generally cook up a storm. When other artists retreated to their studios to create (film and photography, sculpture, music, dance, film, animation, and writing), so did I. Nobody had any imperatives to complete projects during the program. This was a safe haven in the verdant hills of Vermont where we could just <i>create</i>, and hopefully show our work to the public during "Art Seed" the final SAturday of our session. Except, well...I had the imperative of creating a farm-to-table dinner for 40 people, on the Friday night </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">at the end of our three week residency</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. So, there was that.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb1po-rUjrE/W2k2osl28KI/AAAAAAAAF70/GBdQWLu9-icbMU_hkjPj19byTLxvk4wngCLcBGAs/s1600/My%2Bcooking%2Bbarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb1po-rUjrE/W2k2osl28KI/AAAAAAAAF70/GBdQWLu9-icbMU_hkjPj19byTLxvk4wngCLcBGAs/s320/My%2Bcooking%2Bbarn.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But we chefs live to cook for others, to bring people pleasure, to feed bellies as well as souls. So I was enthusiastic about making this farm-to-table meal a happy task, and an excuse to get to know the area a bit, speaking with the local farmers and food purveyors. Since I was simultaneously working on Italian recipe testing, I decided to marry the Mediterranean flavors I dealt with on the daily, with the local culinary strong suits of Vermont. This meant putting the amazing dairy products of the Dorset area front and center. I made my own ricotta cheese with the high-quality milk from <b>Larson's Dairy Farm</b> in nearby Wells. (Bonus: the owners were an absolute pleasure to work with!). </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAuOtJb01Uo/W2P1jGp7-NI/AAAAAAAAF7M/UX7pJJZWHWU8aPfiX_ArVRul9TTLgrB2QCLcBGAs/s1600/Dorset%2BFarmers%2BMarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAuOtJb01Uo/W2P1jGp7-NI/AAAAAAAAF7M/UX7pJJZWHWU8aPfiX_ArVRul9TTLgrB2QCLcBGAs/s320/Dorset%2BFarmers%2BMarket.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I sourced specialty items from the <b>Dorset Farmers Market</b>. I sourced local organic chicken from a nearby farm, and the only fish I used was river trout, a local substitute for sardines in a classic Venetian preparation. There were a surprising amount of "Italian connections" for lack of a better term, in the Dorset-Manchester area. <b>Al Ducci's</b> Italian market (featuring Bennington's <b>Maple Brook Farms</b>' homemade <i>mozzarella</i> and <i>burrata</i>) and <b>Fortuna's sausage</b> for some great homemade salumi were two mainstays. I worked with the <b>Vermont Butcher Shop</b> to source locally made <i>guanciale</i> (cured pork jowl) -- and though it was nothing like the original Roman version, it was its own version of the classic, and it gave my <i>pasta all'Amatriciana</i> a hyper-local touch. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvaIo2lfUIA/W2xpMlovXKI/AAAAAAAAGAE/d1qQi_LqbWUOO3sFQgh6xxyqTbeuUQqFACLcBGAs/s1600/MHP%2Bhens%2Band%2Beggs%2BMike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvaIo2lfUIA/W2xpMlovXKI/AAAAAAAAGAE/d1qQi_LqbWUOO3sFQgh6xxyqTbeuUQqFACLcBGAs/s320/MHP%2Bhens%2Band%2Beggs%2BMike.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My husband collecting freshly laid eggs</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, we have our own Marble House hens for delicious, fresh eggs from happy chicks; these made for some delicious fresh egg pastas and helped to make one of the main dishes, <i>shakshuka</i>, a stand-out. And although the cooler spring weather had caused most of the <b>Marble House garden</b> to run close to a month behind season, I used what we had and what we could forage -- herbs, strawberries, asparagus, ramps, edible flowers -- to speak to the seasonality of the menu. And of course, I had to incorporate Vermont's finest local dark maple syrup into dishes wherever I could! This syrup came directly from a local neighbor's trees and it was delicious and flavorful. The entire meal was accompanied by Mediterranean wines picked (with the help of owner John) from the local natural food store, <b>Nature's Market</b>, in Manchester, where they know their wines!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The prep required a whirlwind four days of intensive shopping, sourcing, and prep. I had great help in the form of Marble House staff and volunteers from among my fellow residents, assisting me with everything from candying flowers to rolling out homemade gnocchi, from sautéeing and smoking to chopping, slicing, and dicing. It was a series of small miracles, but it came together on Friday, June 1st in what turned out to be a magical night at Marble House. Below, I share the menu and a collection of photos from the constantly-changing buffet. It was a culinary journey through the Mediterranean, from all over Italy, north to south, to Spain, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, and beyond -- all filtered through the flavors and spirit of Vermont.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I explained to the crowd, seated in the big barn at two long, family-style tables decorated with MH flowers and greens, that this was a feast created with my fondest food memories in mind. It was both a nostalgia trip and something completely new for me, with the influence of the community of food producers I'd found in Vermont married with my love of Mediterranean meals, the tradition of which is to linger at the table for many hours. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UhFd03JdOf4/W2vMyZhGuaI/AAAAAAAAF8U/bTIfDQsXSx8naQYnfJ9eUsDWqLVUmA6pwCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC03196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UhFd03JdOf4/W2vMyZhGuaI/AAAAAAAAF8U/bTIfDQsXSx8naQYnfJ9eUsDWqLVUmA6pwCLcBGAs/s320/DSC03196.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j96uJxyOZ2w/W2vNORVcqpI/AAAAAAAAF8o/LbF9u_Ce_FcY9FggWoxHiyaon80ZL1XRgCLcBGAs/s1600/Dinner%2Btable%2Bbarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="1115" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j96uJxyOZ2w/W2vNORVcqpI/AAAAAAAAF8o/LbF9u_Ce_FcY9FggWoxHiyaon80ZL1XRgCLcBGAs/s400/Dinner%2Btable%2Bbarn.jpg" width="303" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I explained the buffet would always be changing, morphing, and when some serving platters were emptied, often, that was it for the dish. This was a marathon and not a race. Those who stuck around for the dessert buffet would reap the rewards. And the diners were kind enough to come and tell me how much they enjoyed the marathon after it was over. I hope you enjoy getting a glimpse here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>*Please scroll down for gorgeous photos, many of which are thanks to fellow resident and photographer, Francisco Vazquez Murillo.</i></span><br />
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</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;">MARBLE HOUSE PROJECT<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;">Mediterranean Meets Vermont</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCmjbGZ5O-Y/W2vVgD9pxZI/AAAAAAAAF-k/2osBJBmW3I82GUqrNMDTT8dlTIfFYZShACLcBGAs/s1600/Burrata%2Band%2Bramp%2Bpesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCmjbGZ5O-Y/W2vVgD9pxZI/AAAAAAAAF-k/2osBJBmW3I82GUqrNMDTT8dlTIfFYZShACLcBGAs/s640/Burrata%2Band%2Bramp%2Bpesto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;">APERITIVO</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;">Signature Spring Cocktail</span></i><span style="font-family: Candara;">: Rhubarb-strawberry-basil spritz<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Selection of local cheese, salumi, homemade black
grape mostarda, honey, grissini<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Crostini, Vermont mozzarella & burrata, homemade ricotta with herbs, heirloom tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Green gazpacho shots</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;">DINNER</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;"><b>Salads and Antipasti</b></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Israeli Salad<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Orange & fennel salad with red onions + kalamata olives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Fregola sarda, sautéed vegetables, herbs, Vermont
honey-saffron-lemon vinaigrette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Lebanese eggplant with pomegranate & tamarind,
Vermont yogurt, pistachios, mint<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Local Chioggia beets with Vermont goat cheese, lavender
vinaigrette</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;"><b>Primi</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Pasta <i>all’Amatriciana </i>with Vermont guanciale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Homemade gnocchi with heirloom cherry tomatoes,
basil, Calabrian chile oil <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Homemade fettucine with ramp-almond pesto <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Timballo of anelletti in tomato sauce with eggplant
and ricotta salata<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;"><b>Mains</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Grilled chicken kebabs, beet hummus, sumac onions
& warm pita<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Koufounisi-style gigante bean stew<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Wood fire-grilled shakshuka with Marble House eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Pork tonnato<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Trout<i> en saor</i> with Vermont maple syrup <i>agrodolce</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;"><b>Sides</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Moroccan potato salad with harissa vinaigrette,
green olives, preserved lemon, sumac, parsley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Grilled leeks, ramps, scallions with Romesco sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Grilled green and purple Marble House asparagus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Candara;"><b>Desserts</b></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Homemade ricotta cheesecake, balsamic strawberries <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Vermont maple cheesecake topped with
blueberry-tarragon sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Torta sbrisolona</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Torta caprese<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Biscotti & meringue baci<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Baklava with local Vermont honey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;">Chocolate salami<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eR0yZCGaP4o/W2vV5JqUeZI/AAAAAAAAF-w/0Z3JMb9gXb8rzf8cRAwyaC6WbcSNf5tDACEwYBhgL/s1600/orange%2Bfennel%2Band%2Bolive%2Bsalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eR0yZCGaP4o/W2vV5JqUeZI/AAAAAAAAF-w/0Z3JMb9gXb8rzf8cRAwyaC6WbcSNf5tDACEwYBhgL/s400/orange%2Bfennel%2Band%2Bolive%2Bsalad.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Orange, fennel, and black olive salad</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8oqEdHKMXy0/W2vNYrVa7BI/AAAAAAAAF8s/PQIjwhAuArQaQjuLSdrUj8blxhACRvzHQCLcBGAs/s1600/beet%2Band%2Bgoat%2Bcheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8oqEdHKMXy0/W2vNYrVa7BI/AAAAAAAAF8s/PQIjwhAuArQaQjuLSdrUj8blxhACRvzHQCLcBGAs/s640/beet%2Band%2Bgoat%2Bcheese.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chioggia beet and goat cheese salad with lavender vinaigrette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3jiOEdCWytE/W2vOvL1iS7I/AAAAAAAAF9o/uL6dOMRV_c87oNFGdGYmnZPy5gineickACLcBGAs/s640/fregola%2Bsarda%2Bsalad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fregola sarda with vegetables, herbs, Vermont honey-lemon-saffron vinaigrette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g3pKYanyRiM/W2vOsm9KXCI/AAAAAAAAF9k/BjkfsAkAJV81ukqZXV2jaJrssfWdcihQwCLcBGAs/s640/eggplant%2Bclose.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lebanese eggplant with pomegranate and tamarind, yogurt, and mint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g3pKYanyRiM/W2vOsm9KXCI/AAAAAAAAF9k/BjkfsAkAJV81ukqZXV2jaJrssfWdcihQwCLcBGAs/s1600/eggplant%2Bclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ulZft5JZXZs/W2vPS45TAuI/AAAAAAAAF90/zfgqdjtcs7QqZYIYm4OWHPPl4HxXiTJ6QCLcBGAs/s1600/Gigante%2Bbean%2Bstew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ulZft5JZXZs/W2vPS45TAuI/AAAAAAAAF90/zfgqdjtcs7QqZYIYm4OWHPPl4HxXiTJ6QCLcBGAs/s640/Gigante%2Bbean%2Bstew.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koufounisi style stewed gigante beans with tomato, Greek oregano, and warm spices</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ZRu7MdTyKc/W2vOcKY4MTI/AAAAAAAAF9Q/7_kU7LGvNVoksKYMbgZ-KR9rEZc4rtoJwCLcBGAs/s1600/fettucine%2Bwith%2Bramp%2Bpesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ZRu7MdTyKc/W2vOcKY4MTI/AAAAAAAAF9Q/7_kU7LGvNVoksKYMbgZ-KR9rEZc4rtoJwCLcBGAs/s640/fettucine%2Bwith%2Bramp%2Bpesto.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade fettucine with homemade ramp-almond pesto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SdPQdwzyPU/W2vOGKjyJ4I/AAAAAAAAF9A/ORusCMq85eY9rwrjI-8KOWkDYY-Hy92oACLcBGAs/s1600/Amatriciana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SdPQdwzyPU/W2vOGKjyJ4I/AAAAAAAAF9A/ORusCMq85eY9rwrjI-8KOWkDYY-Hy92oACLcBGAs/s640/Amatriciana.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pasta all'Amatriciana with Vermont guanciale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Candara;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tn_G3j3Nn2A/W2vPkludRJI/AAAAAAAAF98/anRAjGU9-JkPzmScvlSEyF6t0ar9hrfAgCLcBGAs/s1600/Gnocchi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tn_G3j3Nn2A/W2vPkludRJI/AAAAAAAAF98/anRAjGU9-JkPzmScvlSEyF6t0ar9hrfAgCLcBGAs/s640/Gnocchi.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade potato gnocchi with fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes, basil, and Calabrian chile oil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green herb-marinated locally farmed chicken kebabs, sumac onions, beet hummus</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lightly smoked shakshuka with Marble House Project eggs and herbs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled ramps, leeks, and scallions with Romesco sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moroccan potato salad with harissa vinaigrette, green olives, chickpeas, preserved lemon, sumac, parsley</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate chip cheesecake made from homemade ricotta, MH strawberries in balsamic</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade baklava with Vermont honey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate "salami" with pistachios and candied ginger</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torta Caprese (flourless chocolate cake with ground almonds)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade almond and hazelnut biscotti</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble House</td></tr>
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-81612345973348382892018-07-17T14:19:00.000-04:002018-07-17T14:19:38.601-04:00QUICK BITE: Patatas Bravas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Spain has been at the culinary forefront of world cuisine for decades now. So, among all of the famous Spanish chefs, among the myriad destination restaurants topping the "World's Best" lists, and all of the avant garde theory behind elevated regional Spanish cuisine (not to mention the headline-yielding political divide between the various regions of this Iberian country of late), it seems strange that the closest thing to a national dish would be a plateful of fried potatoes. Yet, this popular (and populist) <i>tapa</i>, this essential Spanish bar food, is generally considered just that. Beloved by everyone from the poorest of university students to the most lauded chefs in the land, patatas bravas are the one dish everybody in Spain loves. Its simplicity of presentation belies both the complexity of flavor of the dish, and the thoughtful preparation required to achieve the perfect </span><b><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">patatas </i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">(or </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">papas</i></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><b>) <i>bravas</i></b><i>.</i> </span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtQKknxylqM/W04pHE3Ll8I/AAAAAAAAF6A/zXtpXtcOzsgT7RizIczIX4KwzHQEolgjACEwYBhgL/s1600/Papas%2Bbravas%2Bbasic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtQKknxylqM/W04pHE3Ll8I/AAAAAAAAF6A/zXtpXtcOzsgT7RizIczIX4KwzHQEolgjACEwYBhgL/s320/Papas%2Bbravas%2Bbasic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To begin, <i style="font-weight: bold;">patatas bravas</i> consist of three elements:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. Fried potato</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. Spicy (red) sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. Allioli</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YoZ379drtLk/W04sBtryDcI/AAAAAAAAF6I/JJMUp5zmJ9847ULnGS07vT3ZaI0S_Fq4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Patatas%2Bbravas%2Bblau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YoZ379drtLk/W04sBtryDcI/AAAAAAAAF6I/JJMUp5zmJ9847ULnGS07vT3ZaI0S_Fq4wCLcBGAs/s320/Patatas%2Bbravas%2Bblau.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As for the first element, one can argue (and Spaniards do) about what variety of local potato they feel is best for this dish. There's even a potato museum in Madrid if you're looking for historical context and more background information than you'll ever need to happily consume a potato. But no matter, the generally-accepted process is to blanche (or par-boil) the potato first, then dry it and fry it. Some fry it twice, as is done with french fries. Some, like chef Marc Roca at his Barcelona eatery Blau BCN, don't fry the potatoes at all, and instead boil them but make the sauce the interesting textural counterpoint in the dish. It's not traditional bar food patatas bravas, but it is delicious, doused in a smoked paprika and tomato-based sauce and topped with tons of fresh allioli. Still, the frying of cubed, irregularly-cut potatoes is what makes these such a tapas bar staple. You can stick them with a fork or a toothpick and share a plate easily with your eating companions.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3er6bCp2INA/W04viL0F8qI/AAAAAAAAF6U/1B6b8bm2e6c_4Iy9J1ly8tPXyGJWC27fgCLcBGAs/s1600/Gambas%2Bal%2Bajillo%2Band%2Bpapas%2Bwith%2Bspicy%2Bsauce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3er6bCp2INA/W04viL0F8qI/AAAAAAAAF6U/1B6b8bm2e6c_4Iy9J1ly8tPXyGJWC27fgCLcBGAs/s320/Gambas%2Bal%2Bajillo%2Band%2Bpapas%2Bwith%2Bspicy%2Bsauce.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Patatas bravas sliced into discs, accompanying<br />another tapas staple: garlic shrimp</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As for the sauces, here the regional variances come into play. Element #2 is the (usually) spicy, (usually) red sauce. Generally speaking, it's some combination of tomato sauce, vinegar, paprika, and a hot sauce like Tabasco, along with any random spices (black pepper, cumin, cayenne, etc.) the preparer likes to add to enhance the sauce's flavor (if at all). It is said that this piquant sauce has basque roots. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">We know one thing for sure: a true spicy sauce for patatas bravas <i>cannot</i> be ketchup. Period.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">The allioli (ay-OH-lee), the Catalan word for a garlic mayonnaise, is the other key sauce. In Catalonia they often forego the egg in making this white sauce, though egg certainly acts as a binder and makes the allioli fluffier. These are some of the many modifications one might make in creating an allioli. There are certainly many variations on the aliioli itself: black garlic, smoked paprika allioli, lemon allioli, truffle allioli -- just a few of countless possibilities and among those I've tried on patatas bravas. Net-net? They're all good. It's garlic mayo, at the end of the day, so we're looking at a very high baseline deliciousness quotient!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">The beauty is in the melding of all of the flavors, and these flavors are best absorbed by a hot potato. Think of the potato itself as a malleable base, a blank canvas on which you can pour other layers of delicious flavor. To me, a perfectly fried potato is a textural dream, already the holy food trinity of potato, fat, and salt. So adding spice and creaminess with the kick of garlic on top of it? Perfection, any way you look at it.</span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-38029150355366607712018-06-21T16:51:00.002-04:002018-06-21T16:51:22.131-04:00RECIPES BY REQUEST: Straccetti con Rughetta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With the weather turning warmer, sometimes the thought of a big serving of protein as a main course -- a piece of chicken or a steak, for instance -- can sound heavy in this season, even if simply grilled. My go-to <i>secondo</i> on balmy Roman nights was always, and remains, o</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">ne of the most beloved but least-discussed dishes in the Roman culinary canon: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">straccetti.</b> These are</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> torn, as the word means in English, thinly-sliced pieces of beef made to look like rags (<i>straccci</i>). But the slightly disparaging-sounding name belies the deliciousness of this dish. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xvOaFjuJVE/WywJzjuerPI/AAAAAAAAF5g/oMuVb8eUS2UfCCXTiaRXjoWHHdajdIKAwCLcBGAs/s1600/Straccetti%2Btable%2Bset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xvOaFjuJVE/WywJzjuerPI/AAAAAAAAF5g/oMuVb8eUS2UfCCXTiaRXjoWHHdajdIKAwCLcBGAs/s400/Straccetti%2Btable%2Bset.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">The shaved beef slices are quickly sautéed in a pan with some olive oil and a little garlic. They're done in batches, if you're making several servings for a group (as pictured above). When all of the beef pieces are cooked through, you turn up the flame and simply add your acid: here, I used both balsamic vinegar and red wine, but some just use white wine and a squeeze of lemon, others use only balsamic, and so on. Finish with some olive oil at the end (and <i>shhhh</i>...a bit of butter). Then, the <i>straccetti</i> get served on a bed of arugula, or <i>rughetta</i>, in Roman dialect. I like to add a few finishing flourishes, like cherry tomatoes and <i>scaglie (</i>shavings) of parmigiano cheese. In Jewish Roman cooking, artichokes are added to the mix, sometimes in place of the arugula, which is also a great combo. But however you prepare it, the liquid from cooking the beef always gets used as a kind of warm vinaigrette to dress the dish (once again, nothing gets wasted in Italian cooking), and voilá! You have a simple second course that's easy enough to make for one person on a work night, but is also great for groups -- a real crowd-pleaser. This is always paramount when you have a group of 12 hungry diners awaiting their meal...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><u><b>STRACCETTI CON RUGHETTA, CILIEGINI, E SCAGLIE DI PARMIGIANO</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Serves 4-6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">2 pounds beef sliced extra-thin (ribeye or chuck work well) -- </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">ask your butcher to slice on a meat slicer if possible, or slice thin, pound flat, and slice again into little torn "rags"</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">2 cloves of garlic, whole</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">1/4 cup red wine</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">1/4 cup balsamic vinegar</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">2 TBS. cold butter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">12 ounces baby arugula</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Handful of slices of shaved parmigiano cheese</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Salt & pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- In a large sauté pan, heat a few spoonfuls of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add a garlic clove and let it cook for 20-30 seconds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- Add just enough of the the thinly-sliced beef to fit in the pan without being crowded, and cook, moving the beef around the pan so it doesn't stick, until the redness has turned to brown and the beef is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- Continue with the remaining beef in this way, until all of the beef has been cooked through and seasoned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- Return the beef to the pan over medium-high heat, and when it starts sizzling, add the wine, cooking to evaporate the alcohol, for about a minute. Add the balsamic, and let that cook for about 3 minutes more. Taste and season appropriately. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- Throw in the butter and allow it to melt into the sauce. Taste again and adjust the seasoning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- On a plate or platter, arrange the baby arugula, then place the beef on top of the arugula, using tongs. Top with the tomatoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">- Spoon the pan sauce over the dish, then top with the parmigiano shavings and a drizzle of olive oil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">BUON APPETITO! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">* Serve with bread to properly <i>fare una scarpetta (</i>mop the sauce with the bread<i>)</i> afterwards.</span><br />
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Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-64657879838132552732018-05-22T17:02:00.001-04:002018-05-22T17:02:40.609-04:00MARKETS: Santiago's Mercado Central<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Chile's capital city is a bustling metropolis, a modern Southern hemisphere hub featuring the juxtaposition of an ancient, dramatic mountainscape alongside glass-and-steel skyscrapers. The modern and efficient city planning leaves room for lots of wonderful green space as well. This is fitting for the city that represents this South American nation on the Pacific coast -- one that boasts a bounty of agricultural wonders and an amazing assortment of seafood to fill a grand market space like the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mercado Central </i>in<b> Santiago</b>. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The market's neoclassical structure was inaugurated in 1872, and is today a protected Historical Monument of the city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This vast covered market offers food sellers of all stripes, but is overwhelmingly known as the fish market for its exhaustive selection of Pacific "fruits of the sea". There are all kinds of fish in the categories of white flaky fish, there are darker-fleshed oily fish high in Omega 3s. And you can find every kind of shellfish and cephalopod imaginable in this market. Just be careful to keep an eye on where you're walking, as the market floor tends to get a bit hazardous from the constant hosing-down of the seafood stalls. (It would be no fun landing in a puddle of seafood-scented saline sludge!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One item that I'd never seen in any market before, in all of my travels, was the Pacific giant squid. In the photo here, those crab claws are not baby-sized. They're normal-to-large as far as crab claws go (another local treat). Those rectangular-shaped pieces of what are calamari steaks are essentially sliced rings of the giant squid. They're enormous! The squid are monstrous in size and can grow to be as large as 45 feet long and weigh as much as 600 pounds! These squid sold here may not technically be THE giant squid, but they're really large and are at the very least related to them. And despite what you might think about these large creatures -- my initial thought was that they may be incredibly tough or rubbery when cooked -- they're actually delicious and tender.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No market would be complete without meat for the landlubbers among us. Chile is more of a seafood nation compared to its beef-consuming neighbor, Argentina. But there are still plenty of carnivorous Chileans keeping the meat markets frenetic and literally filled to the rim (of the refrigerator cases) with the king of meats in these parts: beef. The stalls I checked out had impressive displays of all types of bovine cuts, and they were all ruby-red and seemed to be as fresh as they were plentiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Mercado Central of course has lots of fruit and vegetable vendors inside and outside of the market building. When I was there, stone fruits and tropical fruits alike were flooding the bins at the mercado. Gorgeous, brilliantly-colored cherries and tomatoes sat next to pineapples and mandarins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was probably most impressed, however, by two items, not only because of their outrageously good flavor everywhere I ate them while dining out, but also because they were so inexpensive while being so flavorful: avocados (<i>paltas</i> in Chilean Spanish) and strawberries -- big, juicy, magenta strawberries called <i>frutillas</i> in Chilean Spanish. I consumed both in whatever form I could, wherever and whenever I could. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Besides boasting all of the magnificent market stalls in the Mercado Central, the market is also home to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">22 restaurants within the market space where shoppers can dine on -- what else? -- market-fresh foods ranging from snacks and fruity drinks to multi-course seafood and meat feasts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was here that I finally got to indulge in the local dish that Pablo Neruda made famous: <i>Caldillo de Congrio</i>, or conger eel stew. He actually wrote a poem called <i>Oda al Caldillo de Congrio</i>! I must admit, it was tasty enough to make anyone wax poetic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What else? well, the palmito salad was pretty much worth the price of admission as well. It's a common ingredient in these parts of South America, but in the U.S. it's rare to find a hearts of palm salad. </span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HQ-g3avJuE/WwSCervHHlI/AAAAAAAAF4M/V6nKrwNZ63QCPoxT-j9SlerWZ9tHnz5zACEwYBhgL/s1600/Scallops%2Bpil-pil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HQ-g3avJuE/WwSCervHHlI/AAAAAAAAF4M/V6nKrwNZ63QCPoxT-j9SlerWZ9tHnz5zACEwYBhgL/s320/Scallops%2Bpil-pil.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another treat for all the other seafood lovers out there: scallops pil-pil. These are succulent medium-sized scallops with the roe sacks still attached, sautéed in a generous amount of garlic-and herb-infused butter and olive oil. This, people, is why we prepare good seafood simply. Period.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, when heading to Santiago's Mercado Central, you can shop for a little while, and then be sure to time it so you can check out the teeny but charming restaurants around the perimeter of the market building. Try to go for authentic, less touristy-looking places. You will be rewarded with delicious food, cooked to order, so you have a full belly to go along with your full shopping bags.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MERCADO CENTRAL</span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">San Pablo 967, Santiago</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sunday - Thursday 6 am - 5 pm</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Friday 6 am - 8 pm</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Saturday 6 am - 6 pm</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">https://www.mercadocentral.cl/</span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-80346156229788821222018-05-04T15:21:00.000-04:002018-05-04T15:21:12.172-04:00RECIPE: Olive Oil-Citrus Cake with Cream Cheese Icing and Fresh Citrus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's only been about a week since we were wearing winter coats and wool sweaters in New York. Winter weather seemed interminable, and temperatures lingered in the forties throughout most of April (uggghhhh). An upside to this is that our citrus supply seems to be happily lingering as well. We still find oranges and clementines and tangerines, lots of various citrus fruits in the markets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so, with this abundance, and with a sunny, springy outlook now that May is here, I created an Italian-inspired (specifically Sicilian-inspired) olive oil cake with plenty of citrus zest in the batter -- even a little juice -- and of course, top-quality Italian extra virgin olive oil. The frosting is my favorite kind, of course: cream cheese. The tangy zip of this topping holds its own against the acidic zing of the citrus cake itself, and pairs wonderfully with the fresh citrus fruit I arrange on top of the cake, both for fresh citrus flavor and for gorgeous added aesthetic appeal. There's even a touch of fresh rosemary in the batter, so I've garnished the top with some sprigs as well (rosemary pairs so well with citrus).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">The additional good news for the gluten-averse? I made this cake with only a touch of AP flour, which is optional, because the bulk of the dry ingredients here is comprised of almond flour. This provides for a very tender crumb and super-moist cake with a golden, almost crunchy shell. It's a pretty fabulous recipe, if I do say so myself. My husband, the healthy trainer with a sweet tooth, loved it -- and finished this one off even more quickly than usual! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope this cake brings a little Sicilian sunshine into your kitchen -- and I'd love to hear about your modifications, if you make any, in the comments section. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">OLIVE OIL CITRUS CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND FRESH CITRUS </u><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Serves 8</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>For the cake:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Butter for greasing the pan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 oranges: blood, cara cara, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">about 1/2 cup Greek yogurt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 large eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 1/4 cups almond flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup AP flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (Sicilian is best here)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 tsp minced fresh rosemary</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>For the icing:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 8-oz. packages of Philadelpha cream cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 cups (or to taste) confectioner's sugar</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>For the citrus topping:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Various supremes or rounds of fresh citrus, rosemary sprigs for garnish</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, butter an 8- or 9-inch springform pan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Grate zest of 2 oranges and mix into the sugar in a bowl, with your fingers to distribute evenly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Supreme 2 oranges: cut off the bottom and top and run a knife along the rounded shape of the fruit to remove the peel and pith (white part). Cut the orange segments from between the connective membrane and collect with juice in a bowl. Tear segments into bite-size pieces.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Halve the 3rd orange and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. Add the yogurt to reach 2/3 cup total. Pour this liquid mixture in the bowl with the sugar, and mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">- Add the 3 eggs to the sugar-liquid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients in 2 batches. Fold in orange segments and the diced rosemary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- Whisk in the olive oil into the batter until it comes together and is mixed thoroughly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, and test for doneness after 50. The top should be golden brown and almost crusty, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- Cool to room temperature. Move to a cake plate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- To make the frosting, soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Beat with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until the cream cheese is light and airy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired tangy-sweetness. You can add a touch of orange juice or zest for sweetness, if you like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- Frost the cake and place the rounds of fresh citrus on top to decorate, along with fresh rosemary sprigs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><i>Buon appetito!</i></span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4102511324929729893.post-65554586689340034762018-04-13T01:39:00.001-04:002018-04-13T01:39:22.363-04:00QUICK BITE: Churros con Chocolate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've never been much of a breakfast person. This stems in part from my never having been a morning person. I don't drink coffee, much to the chagrin of most people I encounter. And as much as I love the lifestyle and eating habits on "The Continent", I believe a continental breakfast is best enjoyed once a week, tops. There is, however, one European morning culinary tradition I can get behind: <i><b>churros con chocolate</b></i>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The churro is a fried baton or ring of deliciousness made from a kind of choux pastry (the dough used to make profiteroles or eclairs, for example). These treats originated on the Iberian peninsula, though their historical provenance is disputed. Some trace them to Spanish shepherds who may have been able to fry such a treat in pans over a fire while camping out in various countryside locations -- who supposedly named the treat after the shape of their sheep's horns. Others claim the Portuguese explorers brought an early version of the churro back from China, and modified their riff on the Ming Dynasty's <i>youtiao</i> to create their version. This would be further refined by the Spanish, who would extrude the pastry dough through a star-shaped die. (This shape, by the way, allows for maximum surface area, and therefore maximum crispness. Good move, Spain!)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Either way (or neither way!) the churro -- also called "calientes" or "calentitos de rueda" when fried in a continuous spiral wheel ("rueda") and cut into portions afterwards -- is a distinctly Iberian treat that has gained popularity in former Spanish and Portuguese colonies and Iberian-influenced regions the world over. </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Churrerías</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (or </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Xurrerias </i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">in Catalan) are both established brick-and-mortar cafes and dedicated shops, as well as carts in markets and at street festivals. You can always spot them by the line of hungry churros-eaters eagerly awaiting a freshly-fried batch. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Spain, you can certainly find filled churros as well as the "classic", usually filled with chocolate or nutella, or a vanilla pastry cream. I've had them in Barcelona, glazed in dark chocolate: nothing could be bad there.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> In Cuba, straight, filled churros are popular, stuffed with fruit like guava (sounds amaaaazing), or filled with the beloved </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">dulce de leche</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and Mexico. They're glazed with </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">arequipe</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (another South American word for caramel) in Colombia and Venezuela. And in Uruguay, the churros are sometimes served as a savory snack, filled with melted cheese. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While all of these versions sound delicious in their own ways, I would argue for the importance of the classic, as it were, served with a rich, thick hot chocolate. And so, we return to my original "exception breakfast" of the <i>churros con chocolate</i>. The churros, warm out of the fryer, are dusted with a cinnamon-sugar. They're usually handed over to you in a paper cone or bag. And they come with an embarrassingly indulgent cup of creamy, dense hot chocolate into which you should most definitely dip your churro. As often as possible, really. As you can see by the expression on my husband's face in the photo at right, dunking your churro in your chocolate can be a very serious matter, especially if you're trying to avoid dripping the hot chocolate down the front of your shirt. But that, too would be worth it for the amazing flavor...the crispy shell of the churro cracking and giving way to the warm, tender center...the subtle spice of the cinnamon and the granular crunch of the sugar...the bittersweet warm chocolate covering it all in a smooth pudding-like cream. It's addictive -- and certainly makes getting up in the morning feel well worth it!</span></div>
Dana Klitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14813151008547760136noreply@blogger.com0