July 28, 2010
The experts tell us that what makes it unique is the combination of large, compact, white cloves, a unique, pungent flavor, and a long life span: Voghiera’s garlic isn’t only Italy’s most beloved garlic, but the true elixir for a long life (the heath benefits of garlic in the treatment of colds, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, infection and even impotence are more than often praised) that is about to be celebrated for three days in a special festival in the Castle of Belriguardo (in the province of Ferrara.) From August 6th to the 8th, this special bulb, the only one that earned (in 2007) DOP recognition, returns for the 13th time to flavor and “bless” every type of dish, so that garlic-laced foods will be available for sampling.
At the festival, in addition to sampling, people can participate in culinary competitions, a beauty pageant (“Miss Garlic” will be elected for the first time this year) and a poetry challenge. This is the opportunity for the Grande Mercato dei Sapori, a large local produce market, to introduce the public not only to this special garlic but to other products found in the area.
The garlic produced in Voghiera counts for less than 1% of the national production, but quality counts more than quantity; its unique characteristics derive from the terrain and environment where it is produced, with its silty-clay soils, near the Po’s Delta. It is cultivated in Voghiera, Masi Torello, Portomaggiore, Argenta and Ferrara according to specific rules and then it is certified by an external inspection entity, which is recognized as qualified by the Emilia Romagna region.
Garlic is an important ingredient in Italian cuisine but it is not used in everything (many still believe it is) as its distinctive taste can sometimes detract from that of other more shy ingredients. It is used in some sauces, stews, soups, salad dressings, pasta sauces, casseroles, breads, grains, and croutons. An important rule: when sautéing, avoid overcooking because as the garlic browns it begins to exude a bitter aroma that will be a portent of its contribution to the final flavour of the dish.
- Natasha Lardera
2 Comments | 
Emilia Romagna, Events, Ingredients, Travelling, Vegetables | Tagged: Emilia Romagna, Italian cuisine, Italian Regions | 
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June 16, 2010
Limoncello is a staple at the end of meals in Italy, especially during the summer months but you can find it all year long. There are other after dinner digestives such as Amaro and Mirtu but Limoncello holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Some 16 million liters of Limoncello are produced on a yearly basis.
Limoncello is synonymous with the Amalfi coast in Italy and the Campania region. Lemon cultivation began there in the Middle Ages. Lemons grow particularly well in this area thanks to the composition of the volcanic soil which also has considerable potassium within it.
Limoncello has also become very popular in the United States thanks to a number of producers, among them Villa Massa.
Villa Massa Limoncello is a made from the rinds of fresh Sorrento oval lemons, a protected variety of lemon with the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) designation. The lemons are carefully peeled within 24 hours of harvest. Sorrento lemons are much desired for the quantity of essential oils that they contain in their rinds. At Villa Massa, the lemon rinds macerate in alcohol for three days. After several days the liquid is filtered and blended with a syrup of purified water and castor sugar. This product has 30% alcohol or 60% proof.
Villa Massa is located in the Piano di Sorrento on the Sorrento Peninsula. In order to receive the coveted PGI designation, the lemons must be grow in a particular way and using organic cultivation methods, free from pesticides. In fact, Villa Massa’s Limoncello uses no perservatives, no artificial flavorings nor coloring agents. Just lemon rind, sugar and alcohol.
The Massa family has been located in the Sorrento Peninsula since the late 1800s but the company that makes Villa Massa Limoncello was founded in 1991. Still the recipe that they use to make the Limoncello is the same as the one created in 1890.
Limoncello can also be used in cocktails and in cooking recipes.
By Susannah Gold
2 Comments | After dinner drinks, Campania, Cooking, Dessert, Ingredients, Italian Regions, Wining | Tagged: Campania, Cocktails, Lemons, Limoncello, Naples, Protected Geographical Products, Sorrento, Sorrento Oval Lemons, Villa Massa, Volcanic Soil | Permalink
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May 26, 2010
Translating Italian food terminology is not quite as easy as one might think. As a language, Italian has many variations in terms of local words used for the same object or in the case, dish. This is the case for poultry or pollame, in my view. Pollo is the word for chicken and you can find many recipes for Polla alla Cacciatora or other similar everyday dishes. Pollastrina which is also a member of the same family can be translated as a hen or as chicken depending on your source.
Italians also tend to eat more game meats and fowl than the average American so words like fagiano (pheasant) and faraona (guinea fowl) are household names are is piccione (pigeon) and coniglio (rabbit). Some weeks ago the New York Times had a very cute bunny on the cover with an entire section dedicated to rabbit recipes. There was a slight uproar in certain corners because it was the first time people were actually talking about rabbit as a food in a national newspaper. No Italian would have been scandalized. This is the same for eating some internal meats such as kidneys (rognone), trippa (intestines) and fegato (liver). Not to mention brains (cervello) and other delicacies. If none of this strikes your fancy, go back to things like pollo which are easy to say and even easier to prepare. Check out this blog post for a great recipe.
Buon Appetito.
-Susannah Gold
1 Comment | Cooking, Dining, Ingredients, olive oil | Tagged: Coniglio, Fagiano, Faraona, Fegato, Italian food terms, Picione, polla alla cacciatora, Pollastrina, Pollo, Rognone | Permalink
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May 14, 2010
Il Cantuccio is a great little artisanal bake shop that just opened in the West Village in Manhattan. It offers a nice array of pastries including its famed Cantucci which come in a variety of flavors such as Cantucci with Almonds (original version), with Chocolate, with Prunes and with Apricots. Owned by three partners, Camilla, Simone and Leonardo, this lovely spot on the corner of Christopher Street really brought me back to Florence.
-Susannah Gold
Camilla noted that Americans haven’t yet caught on to the joys of eating schiacchiata. Schiacchiata is the name for Tuscan flatbread. It comes in both sweet and not sweet versions. Schiacchiata all’olio is one of the most typical afternoon snacks in Florence. Schiacciata is more familiar to Americans with the name Focaccia.
It is delicious as a sandwich bread with prosciutto or other meats or cheese or on its own.
Il Cantuccio is a sister restaurant to one in Florence on the Via Nazionale. There is also a third location in another town in Tuscany called Campo Bisenzio. The bakery has seating and is open from 800am to Midnight. They serve coffee and other treats for breakfast or brunch as well.
Although they have only been open for 19 days as of this blog post, it already feels like a neighborhood hangout. Warm and friendly, Il Cantuccio is a great place for a coffee. They also serve an almond paste cookie not to be missed called Brutti Buoni – loosely translated it means ugly but good.
-SG
1 Comment | Baking, Cooking, Dessert, Italian Regions, olive oil, Tuscany | Tagged: Cantucci with Almonds, Cantucci with Chocolate, Cantucci with Prunes, Florence, focaccia, Il Cantuccio, New bakery in West Village, Schiacchiata, Schiacchiata all'olio, Tuscany | Permalink
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April 27, 2010
Food is a topic that is on everyone’s mind and these days what is genuine Italian is a hot topic. This evening, three owners of Italian Specialty shops in New York city will share their secrets and talk about smart shopping. The lecture is part of a series of six educational lectures organized by Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ and the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani.
The panel includes Lou DiPalo of Dipalo’s Fine Foods whose family originally hails from Basilicata. DiPalo’s family opened its first shop in 1910. Today’s store is much larger than any of its previous incarnations and Lou’s son has opened his own wine shop next door.
The second guest at the lecture will be Louis Coluccio Jr of DColuccio & Sons in Brooklyn. Louis Jr. is very entertaining and passionate about food, especially those that his family has been importing for decades.
The third speak is Antonio Magliulo of Buonitalia in the Chelsea Market. Buonitalia is very well known in New York restaurant circles and many order directly from his wholesale business. There is also a lovely cafe’ within the premises and many consider it to have some of the best espresso in New York. All told, the evening should be exciting with tidbits and new information. I’m looking forward to going.
-Susannah Gold
8 Comments | Cheeses, Coffee Bars, Cooking, Cured Meats, Dining, Events, Fresh Pasta, Fruits, Grains, Ingredients, Restaurants, Uncategorized | Tagged: Anthony Magliulo, Buonitalia, Coluccio & Sons, Dipalo's, Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, lectures on food, Lou DiPaolo, Louis Coluccio Jr., NYU Casa Italiana, Zerilli Marimo' | Permalink
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April 26, 2010
Whenever the munchies overcome my weak will power and I feel like something tasty but not too heavy that is authentic Italian and reasonably priced, one of my favorite destinations in NYC is Bocca. An elegant eatery in Gramercy, a neighborhood packed with culinary heavyweights, Bocca is a Roman restaurant that offers culinary specialties for every palate. Executive chef David Buico has designed lunch and dinner menus that feature the most savory old time Roman classics, like Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, home made pasta served with precorino romano and coarse black pepper, Maccheroni alla Gricia, bronze casted and slowly dried pasta served with guanciale, coarse black pepper and pecorino di fossa, Maialino al forno e carciofi alla romana, slow roasted suckling pig with roasted fingerling potatoes and artichokes, and many other favorites.
But that’s not all – something else is worth mentioning, something that many restaurants don’t really pay too much attention to: the bar menu. At the bar it is possible to satisfy any craving and the crowd’s favorite is Supplì al telefono (Fried rice balls “on the phone”).
Filling yet smooth, Supplì al telefono is a dish that is very popular in Rome and it’s not unusual, when making risotto, to make some extra on purpose in order to make these delicious rice balls using the leftovers (common belief is that when the rice is older it holds together firmly so that the balls do not break during the frying process). The name comes from the dish’s visual effect, meaning that when you bite into the supplì the melted mozzarella that is hiding in the flavorful rice flows out in long strips, somehow resembling the cord connecting a telephone handset to the hook. Arborio and/or Carnaroli rice is perfect for making supplì.
Supplì can be seen as a variant of Sicily’s arancini or Naples’ palline di riso or as a kind of croquette.
By Natasha Lardera
2 Comments | Dining, Grains, Ingredients, Lazio, Rice | Tagged: Bocca NYC, Dining, Italian Regions, Lazio, rice | Permalink
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April 22, 2010
While visitors to New York might stop at Zabar’s or Dean and Deluca looking for local delicacies and foreign foods, no visit to the Northern Italian city of Milan would be complete without a stop at Peck. Peck is a Milanese institution and has been around since 1883.
Peck is renowed for both food and wine. It offers products for sale as well as prepared foods to take out and has a restaurant and a tea shop. It also has a very well stocked wine shop where you can find many foreigner as well as Italian wines, somewhat of a rarity.
Peck has also begun to sell some of its wares under a private label at airports in Italy so if you can’t make it to Milan but are flying through Italy, be sure to pick something up. They sell all sorts of sauces, pastas and olive oils made specifically for the store. The best way to sample Peck’s foods though is to come to Milan, a city which is much overlooked but which is always ready to welcome weary travelers.
Peck is located in the center of the city right near the Duomo of Milan in via Spadari. Try not to miss it on your next trip to the Lombard capital.
1 Comment | Cooking, Dining, Italian Regions, Lombardy, olive oil | Tagged: dean and deluca, duomo of milan, famous italian food store, italian delicacies, italian foods, Lombardy, Milan, peck, wines, zabars | Permalink
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April 20, 2010
The urban winery has become part of city life in many parts of the world, including New York City with City Winery. At City Winery, you can learn how to make wine with winemaker David Lecomte.
In Milan, La Vineria has taken the concept a step further and has reproduced what many Italians grew up with, vino sfuso (wine from the tap) in containers to bring home in the city.
La Vineria is located in a side street off of the Navigli, the canals of Milan. They offer wines in large tanks which can be put into your own containers or they will bottle it for you. La Vineria also sells olive oil. Both the wines and the olive oil are offered at farm prices just as if you went to the winery to buy it out in the country. This was the idea of the founder of La Vineria, Aaron Brussolo, and the experience that he wanted to recreate.
To give you an idea of the difference in price, most supermarket wines in Italy are sold at 3 euro and up for a 750 ml bottle of wine. La Vineria sells its Vino Sfuso at 1.80 euro per liter. They also deliver wine to your home and sell it in a Bag in the Box.
1 Comment | Ingredients, Lombardy, olive oil, Wining | Tagged: Aaron Brussolo, Bag in the Box, City Winery, David Lecomte, Farm wines, La Vineria, Milan, olive oil, Urban Wineries, Vino Sfuso | Permalink
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March 18, 2010
What should you have in your pantry at all times in order to be able to whip up an Italian meal? Many cooks have an opinion on this one but there are some basic staples that they all seem to agree upon: dried pasta, olive oil, tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano and/or grana padana. These four items make up the base. Some cooks then add things that are less basic such as Sicilian Sea Salt while others included canned Tuna and Italian fruit preserves.
For years, this writer would have included pepperoncino but a friend rightly pointed out that that spice could be used in many different cuisines not just in the Italian one. Some people say that garlic should be included but that is not the opinion of others and in fact, Italian cuisine doesn’t always use garlic just some of the Italian cuisines….This was another good point that my friend made, Italian cuisine is regional and not all of the regions have the same types of foods so it is hard to discuss an all encompassing Italian cuisine. That said, it seems fairly common to find the first four items on every regional table.
7 Comments | Ingredients | Tagged: Authentic Italian Ingredients, Italian cuisine | Permalink
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February 25, 2010
Saffron which is called Zafferano in Italian was originally native to Southern Asia but today grows all over the world, including in Italy. The spice comes from the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Saffron is used in many different dishes in Italy including in the famed Risotto alla Milanese.
Oddly enough Saffron was added to that recipe as far back as the 1500s. The saffron is added midway through cooking that classic Milanese dish. Saffron brings a rich golden color to the dish.
Two types of Saffron are recognized as being worthy of the DOP or designated original product (denominazione d’origine protetta) category in Italy, Zafferano dell’Aquila DOP and Zafferano di San Gimignano DOP. The former comes from toasting the stems of the Crocus Sativus plant and is sold either as think sticks of as a powder. This Saffron is very red in color. The latter, Zafferano di San Gimignano DOP, is also a product of toasting the flower stems and is also red in color or sometimes more “orange.”
Saffron should be kept in a dry place with little to no humidity and not too much light. Saffron is used in first course, main dishes, with vegetables and even in desserts such as gelato. Saffron has always been quite expensive and is considered a delicacy in many cultures. Only a small drop of saffron needs to be used to enhance the aromas and flavors of food.
3 Comments | abruzzo, Cooking, Ingredients, Tuscany | Tagged: DOP products, Saffron, Zafferano, Zafferano dell'Aquila DOP, Zafferano di San Gimignano | Permalink
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