June | 2009 | Radicchioblog

Italian Products Dominate Fancy Food Show

June 30, 2009

As usual, Italian food products were the talk of the town at the Fancy Food Show. In addition to the 350 Italian companies showcasing their wares, companies from almost every other country also featured products which could be mistaken for Italian products by the uninformed consumer. Brazil offered a Panettone, a traditional Italian dessert generally eaten around the Christmas holidays. The logo of the Brazilian brand was so similar to the very famous Le Tre Marie brand that unless one looked closely they might have thought the brands were identical.

Panettone

Chile, Argentina, Canada, the United States and almost every other nation, offered tomato products, oils, pastas, coffee and the like. While one could be flattered that the world has so wholeheartedly embraced the culture, it can also be an economic disadvantage to Italian manufacturers and artisans if products are sold that do not make it clear that they are not from Italy. The products offered at the Fancy Food show are clearly from different countries but in an average food shop, how does a consumer know the difference? Should there be national flags attached to products? How would that work? Ingredients come from all over the world so it would be difficult to identify what is and is not entirely from one country. However, perhaps a better system of traceability will be a future help to nations trying to export their own goods.

In a recent interview with I-Italy, Aniello Musella, Director of the Italian Trade Commission in North America, discussed the economic impact of “non-authentic” Italian products on Italian exports.

Food for thought….

Leave a Comment » | Cooking, Events, Italian Regions, Panettone | Tagged: Fancy Food Show, I-Italy, Italian Products, Le Tre Marie, Panettone, Traceability | Permalink
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Fancy Food Show June 28 – 30: 350 Italian Companies Showcase Their Products

June 25, 2009

New York’s Fancy Food Show is on hand and many will make a pilgrimage to the Jacob Javits Center this weekend to see new products, old friends and get a feel for the market.

Oddly enough, Anna Dente, Chef at Osteria San Cesario, who we mentioned last week as part of our piece on Roman cooking in New York will be here soon than expected. She will be promoting a series of dishes on Sunday, June 28th, at the NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show at the Lotito Foods Booth #2745 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New York City’s Javits Center.

While Anna is truly fascinating, there will be numerous other booths that attract attention this year, many with products from Italy. In fact, the Italian pavilion is the largest of any NASFT Fancy Food show, some 350 companies are exhibiting. The region of Calabria, also mentioned on this blog, is present with a variety of foods at the show as well.

The Italian Trade Commission is heavily involved in promoting Italian foods at the show and has also organized two seminars about Italian Food.

The two seminars are as follows:

IL MADE IN ITALY A TAVOLA: INGREDIENTI SALUTARI, QUALITA’ DEL CIBO E TUTELA GIURIDICA DEI PRODOTTI TIPICI NEGLI USA” (Made in Italy: healthy ingredients, quality of food, and juridical protection of Italian traditional products in the US)

WHEN: June 28, 4:30- 6pm
WHERE: Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, Room 1E03
ABOUT: The seminar is divided into two sessions: in the first one Dr. Katherine McManus – Director of Nutrition Dept., Brigham Hospital, Boston – will talk about the healthy aspects of Mediterranean diet and Italian organic products; the second one is dedicated to Italian importers in the US. Members of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP Law Office will talk about the juridical protection of Italian food products in the US .

WHY IS ITALIAN FOOD THE BEST DURING ECONOMIC HARD TIMES?”

WHEN: June 29, 4:30pm
WHERE: Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, Room 2D08
ABOUT: The seminar is presented by Fred Plotkin, author of the best seller “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler”. The renowned Italian culinary expert writes for the New York Times, and for the trade journals “Gourmet” and “Bon Appetit”.

Leave a Comment » | Calabria, Cooking, Dining, Events, Italian Regions, Travelling | Tagged: Altacucina, Anna Dente, Fred Plotkin, Italian Pavillon, Lotito Foods, Mediterranean Diet, NASFT Fancy Food Show | Permalink
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Espresso Bars Abound in New York City but Traditional Italian Espresso Remains a Rarity

June 23, 2009

The Espresso Bar used to be a foreign concept in the United States. While that is no longer the case, it still is rather difficult is to find a good Italian espresso, the kind that brings you back the next day for more. The problem is usually that the coffee is too bitter, the portion size is wrong and often there is much too much milk in the espresso macchiato. This doesn’t even begin to touch on another problem, the cost of an espresso in America which hovers around $2 and $2.50 for an Espresso Macchiato.

Italians all agree on very few things but the uniformity of their views on New York’s espresso scene is quite remarkable. Most Italians go to Sant Ambroeus, Via Quadronno, Tarallucci e Vino and Buon Italia. Are these the only bars in town then, one could legitimately ask? The answer is not by a long shot. What is amazing though is that top New York newspapers cite the city’s best espresso bars without ever mentioning one owned or run by Italians.

On the last count there were more than 30 espresso bars in New York City. While the Italians may prefer only a few spots, the rest of the coffee drinking population has decided to embrace espresso-based drinks: cappuccino, espresso latte, mocha and café au lait offered at a variety of locations. Many of the bars have plans to expand in the coming months or have just recently opened a new branch of their store.

Truth be told, there is a difference in the taste of the coffee and in the ambiance in the different bars. They can be divided into three distinct groups: espresso bars run by Italians or with an Italian barista, espresso bars run by non-Americans from countries with a strong café culture, and espresso bars run by Americans or third wave espresso bars whose roots tend to come from the US coffee heaven – Seattle, not Italy.

Whatever your personal preference, espresso bars, it seems, are a permanent fixture on the New York scene to the joy of many happy consumers.

1 Comment | Coffee Bars, Restaurants | Tagged: Buon Italia, Espresso Bars in NYC, Italian Espresso Bars, Sant Ambroeus, Seattle Coffee, Tarallucci e Vino, Via Quadronno | Permalink
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Food For Thought: Identita’ London Set To Explore Innovative Themes June 28-29

June 18, 2009

Paolo Marchi, journalist and founder of Italian food conference and website Identita Golose, has just launched a new adventure which promises to create ferment in the culinary world of Italian chefs, Identità London. The Italian Chef Congress in London will be a place for chefs to exchange ideas and learn about other professionals’ techniques and ideas. Some of the questions that the chefs in London will pose are the same that chefs in New York are asking themselves as well. Issues that may arise include those of what makes Italian cooking authentic, is it the ingredients, the nationality of the cook, or some secret sauce. There is no one right answer surely to any of these issues.

Identità London will be held at Vinopolis World of Wine located next to the Southbank’s historic Borough Food Market. In addition to world renowned chefs, the event will showcase Italian artisanal producers.

The line-up of chefs includes Massimilano Alajmo, Le Calandre, Corrado Assenza, Caffé Sicilia, Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana, Moreno Cedroni, Madonnina del Pescatore, Carlo Cracco, Ristorante Cracco, Enrico Crippa, Ristorante Piazza Duomo, Anthony Genovese, Il Pagliaccio, Ernesto Iaccarino, Don Alfonso 1890, Norbert Niederkofler, St.Hubertus, Giovanni Santini, Dal Pescatore, Emanuele Scarello, Agli Amici, and Ciccio Sultano, Ristorante Duomo.

A few non-Italian chefs will also be presenting their ideas including Angela Harnett, Murano (UK) and Giorgio Locatelli, Locanda Locatelli (UK), Rene Redzepi, Noma (Denmark) and Alex Atala, D.O.M. Restaurante.

It sounds like a great event for those who can attend. Surely this first edition will be a success and if you can’t get there this year, you will have the opportunity in future years.

2 Comments | Cooking, Dining, Restaurants, Travelling | Tagged: Identita Golose, Identita London, Italian Chefs, Paolo Marchi | Permalink
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New Trends in New York Dining: Offal Based Dishes Abound

June 16, 2009

New York is famous for creating and perpetuating new trends in food, design, and everything else under the sun. One of the latest fashions comes from the butcher shops in Rome’s Testaccio area. At the end of the 19th century, these slaughterhouses created a variety of dishes which are now making a splash in New York. Dishes such as stewed oxtail (coda alla vaccinara), veal intestines in tomato (pagliata di vitella), tripe alla Romana and sweetbreads (animelle) are no longer oddities on just a few menus. Some of the older New York restaurants that serve these dishes have remained quite famous but it is the newcomers who will make these meals everyday fare. In fact, in recent months, a few restaurants which primarily serve these Roman dishes have opened, including Quinto Quarto and Sora Lella, to name a few. Quinto Quarto mean’s the fifth quarter. There are many interpretations of what this word means including that an animal has four legs which can be translated into four quarters. The fifth quarter is the offals or the interior part of the animal. Additionally, the offals taken together weigh one-quarter or the carcass of an animal.

Both of the restaurants which have opened in New York have sister restaurants in Italy. Quinto Quarto is part of David Ranucci’s empire. He owns two restaurants in Milan, Giulio, Pane e Ojo and Casa Tua and one in Montecarlo. Sora Lella instead is a very well known restaurant on Rome’s Isola Tiberina. The restaurant has been going for more than 50 years and the relatives of the original owner are now making their foray into the New York marketplace. Not only is this good for Roman cooking but also for wines from Lazio which have been woefully underrepresented on the New York market. Check out this post from a few months ago on Altacucina’s Website.

One well known Roman chef who has not yet come to New York but perhaps we will see her here in the future is Sora Anna. One never knows. Her son, Fabrizio, when speaking about the menu of offals jokingly called it the menu macabre. Check out their website Osteria di San Cesario

Sora Anna

Sora Anna is a true character and anyone traveling to Rome should check out her cuisine. She is the essence of this type of Roman cooking and character. If you can’t get to Rome though, at least, you now have more than one option.

1 Comment | Dining, Italian Regions, Lazio, Restaurants, Travelling, Wining | Tagged: Dining Trends, Lazio Wines, Offals, Osteria di San Cesario, Quinto quarto, Roman Cooking, Sora Anna, Sora Lella, Testaccio | Permalink
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La Cucina Povera: Should We Be Paying A Fortune For Downhome Cooking?

June 15, 2009

La cucina povera has become the new cliche of Italian cooking in New York City. All of the famous star chefs are making recipes that began as peasant meals. While delicious, one can question paying $20 for panzanella, a Tuscan specialty made from stale bread or pasta with aglio, olio and pepperoncino. These are dishes to make and eat at home. Many do not agree with this viewpoint and restaurants that serve “la cucina povera” in Manhattan or in the Hamptons are packed to the gills. Why does this occcur? Perhaps it is because New Yorkers have forgotten how to cook or that they never learned to cook these types of meals or they remember how delicious one of these meals was in a little out of the way Osteria in Florence or in Rome. Perhaps they have forgotten the cost of that pasta, 8 to 10 euros at the most. Before the euro came into the picture, it might have cost 10,000 lire. That seems like such a quaint number now. Whatever the reason, Americans are forking over huge sums to eat meals that many Italians would consider ridiculous to eat in a restaurant. That said, it doesn’t seem that this trend will abate any time soon.

Another new trend is the menu macabre. I love this term which I got from the son of a famous Roman chef, Sora Anna from Osteria di San Cesareo.

Sora Anna

Sora Anna is a true personaggio and anyone traveling to Rome should check out her cuisine. The menu macabre is based on the internal parts of animals, such as intestines, sweetbreads and the like. Sora Anna calls this type of cooking the cuisine of the “quinto quarto” (the fifth quarter). According to her website, these traditional dishes all come from the butcher’s at Rome’s Testaccio slaughterhouse who invented such dishes as stewed oxtail (coda alla vaccinara), veal intestines in tomato (pagliata di vitella), tripe alla Romana and sweetbreads (animelle) at the end of the 19th century.

These delicacies are also being cheered at restaurants in the big apple. Wonder’s never cease.

1 Comment | Cooking, Dining | Tagged: Animelle, La Cucina Povera, Panzanella, Quinto quarto, Roman Cooking, Sora Anna | Permalink
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Spotlight On Calabrian Food & Wine In NYC June 10-June 24

June 11, 2009

Calabria, one of the least well known Italian regions, is the focus of a two week run at a number of Italian restaurants and stores in New York City this June. Calabrian food and wines tend to be heavier than some other Italian regions. Numerous indigenous grape varieties from Calabria are virtually unknown outside of Italy. For a list of restaurants and stores that are participating in this initiative, visit ItalianMade.

Calabria

Leave a Comment » | Italian Regions | Tagged: Calabria, Italian Regions | Permalink
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Pane di Altamura in Apulia- Terroir Exists For Foods As Well

June 9, 2009

Terroir that over used word which means a combination of place, soil, climate, prevailing winds, water sources and other factors all rolled into one is just as important for some food products as it is for wine.

Sure you can buy all the ingredients you want in order to make the famous bread from Altamura. You can even import the ingredients but will it taste the same as that delicious thickly crusted bread from the Apulia region of Italy? Not by a long shot.

Pane di Altamura was the first bread to receive protected status or Denominazione Orgine Protetta (DOP) in the European Union. The bread is made from hard semolina wheat, natural yeast from a previous batch (pasta acida o lievito madre), marine salt and water.

pane

Yes wonderful sourdough breads which are similar to this bread can be made in your kitchen but this bread relies on grains harvested from a specific small area in the province of Bari, a water source with exact specifications that reflect the waters in that area, and natural yeast that comes from a previous batch of the bread and that will not travel well. It must be cooked in a specific type of oven, etc, etc, etc.

However there is no need to despair. The bread was originally made to be taken out into the hills by the local shepards and it can last for anywhere between 10 days to two weeks. The best thing to do is buy it in Italy and bring it home. The bread is sold all over the country. Delicious with a straw yellow middle, this bread really can’t be replicated at home. For the exact item, you need to go to the source.

Pane di Altamura has been famous since the 15th century and it is said that the latin poet Horace mentioned it in 27 B.C. It has two very distinct names in pugliese: U sckuanète which is the taller of the two breads and a cappidde de prèvete or a priest’s hat. Some 35 companies still make the bread in this city.

While the bread is perhaps its most famous export, a recent film called Focaccia Blues that was shown in New York this week talks about Altamura and other products, specifically a little focaccia store which was able to oust McDonalds. No violence occurred but the people of Altamura just continued eating what they have always eaten, traditional, home made specialties.

Some things cannot be copied and this inimitable bread is one of them.

2 Comments | Baking, Cooking, Travelling | Tagged: Altacucina, Apulia, Bread, DOP, Focaccia Blues, Pane di Altamura, Terroir | Permalink
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Radicchio – A Delicate DOP from the Veneto

June 4, 2009

Radicchio, a familiar vegetable, hails from the Veneto region. While there are a number of different kinds of radicchio, the most prestigious are two that have garnered Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) status, Radicchio Rosso di Treviso and Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco. Radicchio Rosso di Chioggia is also prized while Radicchio Rosso di Verona somewhat less so. Radicchio from Treviso is the most prestigious of all and is also the most flavorful. There are two main types of this sexy lettuce, one is called precoce and the other is tardiva. The first is harvested early and the second is harvested later, as one might imagine. Just like with wine, radicchio that has a longer “hang time” on the vine has more flavor. Radicchios from Treviso and from Castelfranco have their own trade organization, the Consorzio Tutela Radicchio Rosso di Treviso e Variegato di Castelfranco. Radicchio is a delicate vegetable and quite versatile. It changes its taste depending on how you cook it. It can be bitter when eaten raw and it can have a spicy, zesty quality to it as well. It mellows with cooking and develops sweet notes. Oddly enough, Radicchio is a member of the Chicory family and is related to the Belgian endive.

Wine pairing with radicchio can be somewhat difficult because of its bitter notes. Generally speaking, raw vegetables are hard to pair with wine while cooked vegetables fare marginally better. Often the pairing is done using the sauce that accompanies a vegetable as the guide. With cooked radicchio, for example, one might choose a white wine from the Alto Adige. Two wines by H. Lun, a producer in the Sud Tyrol come to mind, their Muller Thurgau and Riesling. H. Lun was founded in 1840 and is the oldest winery in the Sud Tyrol/Alto Adige. These wines have just enough residual sugar to offset the bitterness in the cooked radicchio without overwhelming it

Altacucina has listed a few recipes on its website which use radicchio. Here are two nice ones for summer, Red Mullet Carpaccio with Artichoke and Pink Grapefruit Salad and Flowers of Bresaola with Casatella on a bed of radicchio rosso.

Radicchio is a subtle, refined and elegant vegetable, killing it with a heavy sauce or a big bold wine while not criminal is almost blasphemy.

Leave a Comment » | Cooking, Vegetables, Wining | Tagged: Altacucina, Consorzio Tutela Radicchio Rosso di Treviso e Variegato di Castelfranco, H.LUN, Italian DOP Products, Radicchio, Radicchio Rosso di Chioggia, Radicchio Rosso di Treviso, Radicchio Rosso di Verona, Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco, Riesling | Permalink
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