Eat Fresh! Support Local Fishermen and Farmers

Our trips to the local Crescent City Farmers Market, K-Jeans seafood and our own garden the past few weekends have netted in some really memorable meals. Nothing fancy, but it is amazing how good, simply prepared, ultra fresh ingredients can make for a really flavorful meal.

For example, yesterday we picked up those beautiful baby zucchini, lots of ripe red tomatoes, butter beans, freshly made cheese and milk at the CCFM, and then some gorgeous tilapia fillets at K-Jeans. We've got more cucumbers and basil coming from our garden that you can imagine, so we had lots of options for dinner!

I started with the zucchini: sliced them in half and salt and peppered them; heated a good amount of oil in a large skillet with some peperoncino and fried until lightly browned. The baby ones pack a ton of flavor, so I didn't need to add anything else!


I couldn't wait to eat those tomatoes so I chopped them and a few of our cucumbers in chunks, added a small amount of sliced onion, with a little fresh basil and oregano from the garden. Dressed simply in 1 part balsamic vinegar to 3 parts evoo, the tomatoes were deliciously sweet and the crunchy fresh cucumbers added the perfect texture.


Next I made the pesto. Kerry planted tons of basil this year and fresh pesto is a staple that we just love in the summer. I took 2 packed cups of basil, a clove of garlic, a pinch of sea salt, 3/4 cup of mainly freshly grated Parmesan cheese with a little Pecorino and 3 T. of pine nuts and threw it in the cuisinart. Pulsed until finely chopped and then slowly added in 1 cup of evoo and pulsed until oil and herb mixture are well blended. This made about 2 cups of pesto. Added freshly cooked pasta and topped with a little more cheese.

Kerry took care of the fish. She made a little lemon butter sauce with 1/2 stick melted butter whisked with 4 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch each of cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. She salt and peppered the fillets and dredged them in a little flour. Reheating the oil left from the zucchini fried them over med-high heat until just lightly browned. Sorry, I got to hungry to take any more pictures...

We packed our plates with veggies and pasta, added the fish with the lemon butter sauce spooned on top, and settled down to watch the first day of the Tour de France, our absolute favorite sporting event of the year! We drank a great little Italian white wine, the Vinosia Malvasia, cheered Lance on as we cleaned our plates and commented on how lucky we are to eat such great food. Everything was simple, fresh, local and delicious and we finished it all off with one of my freshly baked Biscotti Amaretti.


A great performance by Lance, and superb meal, what a perfect Saturday night!

A Sweet Sunday Respite

Most Sundays start with a long bike ride. Usually by noon, we've ridden 40-50 miles, eaten a big burger washed down with a few beers and are ready for a nap. But Sundays are also the day that I finish up all of my blog posts for the week, so an afternoon cup of coffee or tea are usually on the menu too. Having ridden exceptionally hard today, I treated myself to one of the Biscotti Amaretti that I made yesterday as well.

I've been on a mission with these nutty flourless Italian cookies since I first had one when we were in Chicago early in the year. Finding a recipe for something similar, I made the pistachio version a few months ago, but I felt like the texture was just not right, a little to gooey. Recently I found this recipe, using almonds, in a new cookbook I bought by Maria Filice called
"Breaking Bread in L'Aquila" , and it is absolutely perfect! The cookies are satisfyingly dense, chewy and nutty, and one is all you need for your afternoon coffee.


The book itself is a beautiful tribute to the style of cooking from the small town of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy, where the author spent much time visiting her late husband's family. You may remember that this area was devastated in 2009 by a terrible earthquake. Upon a recent visit after the disaster, Maria reports:

"When I was leaving L'Aquila on my short visit in September 2009, in the lobby sitting next to me was an older woman, relocated there from her crumbled home in the city. We made eye contact. I smiled, and she asked me what I was doing in L'Aquila. I told her that I was finishing my book and that I had wished to see L'Aquila once more before I could put closure on my book's introduction. She looked at me and gripping my hand, said, "Don't forget about us." I was moved. This deepened my resolve to complete the book, and release it on April 6th 2010–the anniversary of the earthquake–as a reminder to readers of the Abruzzo region's suffering. I promised the elderly lady that I would help by donating the net profits of my book to L'Aquila."

I've posted the recipe below, and click here if you'd like to check out the book. It is cleverly organized by days of the week and each day features seven courses of an Italian meal starting with the antipasti and finishing with the dolci. Simple recipes, with easy to find ingredients and for a good cause, I'm happy to have it in my collection!

Biscotti Amaretti
from Maria Filice's "Breaking Bread in L'Aquila"

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole almonds with skins, plus an additional 36 whole almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups of confectioner's sugar, spread on a large sheet of wax paper for rolling

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly grease three baking sheets with vegetable spray or line with parchment paper.
• Using a food processor, pulse the 3 cups of almonds until they are finely ground. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and almond extract. Add the ground nuts and gently fold them together until you have a moist mixture that you can form into balls.
• Using a teaspoon or your fingers, scoop up the batter and form balls, and then roll them in the confectioner's sugar. Place the balls at least an inch apart on the greased baking sheet. Prior to baking, press one whole almond into each ball.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden in color and firm to the touch.
• Let them cool before removing them from the baking sheets.

Make a good cup of coffee or espresso, put your feet up and enjoy!

Our Day Began with the Perfect Cup of "Joe"...

We started our first full day in New York at Joe's on Waverly and let me tell you they don't call it the "art of coffee" for nothing! These are real baristi, not kids who don't even know what a good cup of coffee is, let alone how to make one! Our macchiati were perfection in a cup, deliciously smooth and creamy without even a trace of bitterness. We were off to a good start!

From there we ran off to MOMA to catch the last day of the Pictures by Women, A History of Modern Photography which was an absolutely stunning show that charts the medium's history from the dawn of modern period to the present. It was really wonderful to see the show with Lisa, a professional photographer and understand some of the influences and inspiration behind her work. We really wished we had more time to see some of the other exhibits, but the food show awaits!

The show was overwhelming with over 2500 vendors and probably at least half of those represented Italian products. Needless to say that made us very happy! But the highlight of the day was meeting our culinary idol, Lidia Bastianich, at her booth where she and her daughter were cooking up some of Lidia's new pastas and sauces. A gracious hostess, it was really nice to see her working her own booth and talking about her products. We walked the show for hours and barely saw half so were going back today to check out the rest. I'll write more about the show in my next post...

Now back to eating...we asked Kerry's friend Kim Severson, one of the food critics for the NY Times, were to go for the best Napoletana style pizza and she sent us Motorino in the east village. Cool little space with small marble tables and a small but good wine list, we ordered the Sopresatta Picante, a very spicy, aromatic pie with garlic, oregano, red sauce, lots of pepperoncino and of course, sopresatta. I ordered a Rosso Piceno from Boccadigabbia, a 50/50 blend of sangiovese and montepulciano, simple, but perfect accompaniment to the pizza. The pie, and that great little fresh green salad, was delicious and my only regret being that we didn't order another, but I had to save room for dessert....


Lisa had missed the pizza so we walked down to meet her at 3 of cups, another great little Italian themed restaurant on 1st avenue. We sat at the bar and had a cocktail while Lisa ordered the Spaghetti Fresca, a nice room temp pasta dish with fresh tomatoes, basil, capers, olive oil and ricotta salata. Very cool place, loads of atmosphere, good food and great background music, we'd like to visit again...


Ready to go back to Carmine Street and put our feet up after a very long day, I opted to pick up my dessert at Rocco's Pasticceria, just down the block from the apartment. A traditional Italian bakery and coffee bar, it is touted the home of the best cannoli in NYC, I had to see how it compared to Brocato's. A really creamy, not too sweet, ricotta filling with a thin crunchy shell and dipped in chunky pistaccios, I have to admit, it was divine! Sorry Brocato's, but this was amazing!


Time to go to bed and get rested for another day! More later.....

New Shoes, Different City

One of my favorite things about traveling is taking off on a run, early in the morning and seeing a city on foot. Knowing this would be on my agenda on our trip to New York, I finally broke down a bought a new pair of running shoes, something I've been procrastinating about for months now. So at 6:25 this morning, I laced up my new shoes and took off down Bleecker Street towards the river. It's been 16 years since I've run in New York and I was really looking forward to a little less humidity and a different scene. I didn't have a plan except to check out the area along the Hudson and see where the morning would take me.

When I got to the river, I decided to go left and head toward the southern tip of the island. I hadn't been to the World Trade Center site since years before 9/11 and wanted to see what was happening. It is sobering to see the big gaping hole first had, such a large open space in the middle of Manhattan's sky line. It made me start thinking about the parallels between our two cities with their mighty rivers, both, in some way, wrecked by made man disasters caused by the failure of our government to protect it's people.

It's been almost 9 years since 9/11, nearly 5 since Katrina and a mere couple of months since the Deep Water Horizon explosion and with all of the other disasters, both natural and man made, happening in the world today, one might wonder if the Mayan calendar is right on track...

Coffee Talk on Carmine Street

Our trip to NYC begins with a great cup of coffee with Lisa in her little apartment in the west village. We're in town for a gourmet food show and a photography exhibit at NOMA. But, I'm sure there will be lots of great food, wine and fun while we're here, so we'll keep you posted!

A "Super" Tuscan Red Under $20

Why, you ask, in the middle of a hot 95+ degree summer in New Orleans, am I writing about red wine? Because I love it when I find something so good that I don't care how hot it is outside and Italian reds are truly my favorite to drink anytime of year! And when one of my favorite Tuscan estates produces a wine of this quality at this price, how can I not write about it?


The 2007 Brancaia Tre, a Super Tuscan blend, 93 pts, #10 in the Wine Spectator Top 100, is from a phenomenal producer with vineyards in both the Chianti Classico zone and the Maremma in the southwest part of the region. Even though they tend toward a more "new world" style, no matter who reviews these wines, from Gambero Rosso to Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer or Wine Spectator, the reports are stellar from the entry level wine "Tre" to their flagship "Il Blu". While they do produce a Chianti Classico, their main focus is on Super Tuscans. They produce three Sangiovese based blends, the Tre, Ilatraia and the Il Blu, with the scores for 2007's being the highest yet for each.

And that is of no surprise, considering that the renowned Carlo Ferrini is the consulting winemaker for the estate that has been owned by the Swiss couple Brigitte and Bruno Widmer since 1981. Ferrini consults for 13 estates, some of the most highly regarded in Italy, and has been named Winemaker of the year by Gambero Rosso in 2000 and by the Associazione Italiana Sommelier's in 2003. Combine that with the Widmer's dedication to quality and you have a spectacular lineup from start to finish.

While their wines are all quite pricey, the "Tre" offers incredible value for the money. Mainly Sangiovese, blended with Cabernet and Merlot, the fruit for this wine come from their estates in Chianti and the Maremma. It is aged for 12 months in a blend of new and used French oak which helps maintain the fresh, young quality of the wine. A very accessible wine of red and black fruits with balanced acidity and soft velvety tannins and a rich, spicy finish make this a great wine for those wanting to take the leap into Italy. Try it with Tagliatelle al Ragu, you'll be in heaven...

Wine Spectator, October 2009 Issue, 93 pts: There's wonderful intensity of fruit in this wine, with crushed raspberry and blackberry and hints of coffee and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, soft-textured finish that shows loads of fruit. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best after 2010.

$18.99, limited supply, maximum 4 bottles/person

Thai Green Eggplant and Chicken Curry

Our trip to the Hong Kong Market yielded these beautiful Thai green eggplants that inspired me to make a very green dish using ingredients we picked up at the market. A little bigger than a golf ball, these eggplants pack a lot of flavor and texture and were a great substitute for our large purple variety.

One of the reasons we went to the market was to get more of the Thai Curry Paste that we love to cook with. Unlike Indian curry powder, aromatic Thai curry paste combines dry spices with "wet", or fresh, ingredients like chili peppers, fish sauce, shrimp paste, herbs, garlic, shallots and lemongrass. Mixed with a bit of coconut milk, it's an almost-instant sauce base, making it a fast, convenient way to cook up a really flavorful dish.

Curry paste is classified by color, ranging from deep red to yellow-orange to deep green, and often by the type of food with which it's traditionally used. The two most common are the green and red pastes. Red curry paste tends to be medium-hot, the most versatile, and used with chicken, duck, beef, pork, shrimp and fish, and noodle curries. Green curry paste, the hottest, is most commonly used in coconut sauces with beef, pork or chicken. Kerry is quite fond of the Maesri brand and it is pictured below with the ingredients of the dish. This is so simple and so good, you won't believe it! The hard part is driving to the West Bank for the ingredients, but it is well worth the trip. Be warned this is fairly spicy, but that's how we like it!


Ingredients

• 2.5-3 tablespoons green curry paste
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breast, sliced into thin pieces
  
• 8-10 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
• 1 sprig fresh Thai basil leaves
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 ounces Thai eggplant (small round eggplants)
• 3 Thai or Serrano peppers, seeded and ribs removed, cut into thin long slice

Directions
* In a large saucepan over high heat, fry the curry paste in the coconut oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
* Reduce the heat to medium and add the coconut milk slowly, and continue to stir while cooking until a thin film of oil appears on the surface.
* Add the chicken and other ingredients except the eggplant. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken begins to change color.
* Adjust the flavors to suit yourself. When it is at a boil again add the eggplant and continue to stir until the chicken is cooked through and eggplant are tender. They will turn a bit brownish from the heat, but that is normal.
* Serve with sticky rice or jasmine rice

Sauteed Bok Choy Salad

I never knew bok choy came in so many different shapes, sizes and colors until I started shopping at the Hong Kong Food Market on the West Bank. We picked up lots of green things on our last visit and made a delicious Thai Green Eggplant and Chicken Curry as well as this Sauteed Bok Choy Salad.

Ingredients

* 1 pound bok choy
* 1 tablespoon coconut oil
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon fish sauce
* 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the green as they will need to cook longer. Rinse and spin or pat dry. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the water, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Set this aside.
3. Heat the two oils in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy stems first; stir fry for a few minutes or until the pieces start to turn a pale green. When stems are almost cooked, add the leaves; cook and stir until leaves are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the bok choy to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into the skillet or wok, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the bok choy and toss lightly to coat.

A Visit to the Other Side of the World, the Hong Kong Food Market

I took some time off on Wednesday for Kerry and I to take a trip to the other side of the world, the West Bank, and pick up some supplies at the Hong Kong Food Market. If you’ve never been and you like to cook Asian food, or are just interested in the culture, it is definitely worth the trip. Because it’s not just a market, but basically an Asian themed strip mall with a restaurant, bookstore, tea shop, salon, and many other mainly Vietnamese owned businesses.

We both love Vietnamese food so came hungry knowing we could grab a little lunch at Pho Dahn 4, House of Noodle located right next to the market. While a bit utilitarian in atmosphere, the food is fresh, light with a very inexpensively priced noodle dish based menu. We split an order of their delicious spring rolls, fat with lots of crisp lettuce, noodles, pork and perfectly steamed shrimp followed by noodle soups served with the traditional side plate of fresh bean sprouts, lettuce, basil and jalapeno peppers. I got the Pho Ga, a simple chicken and rice noodle dish with onions and herbs in a light broth. A perfectly healthy start to our shopping excursion!

As you enter the market, there are aisles and aisles of dried and preserved goods, lots of sauces and flavorings, more types of dried seaweed than you can imagine exist, every flavor and brand of Ramen, an Asian cookware section, frozen goods, a bakery and more.Thai, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese products await as we walk down each one just to be certain we don’t miss anything! The main reason we are there is for some of the Thai curry pastes we love so much, but we can’t help but check out the fresh fish, smoked meats and all of the other goodies lining the shelves.

The produce section is what I get most excited about, loaded with more types of bok choy than I knew existed, lots of exotic vegetables and fruits, herbs, and a section of locally grown items as well. The beautiful thai green eggplants, caught my eye and I knew I needed to design an dish around them, and I just had to have some of that delicious looking bok choy!

We left loaded with things we would never find at our local grocery stores and excited about cooking something different for dinner. Check out what we came up, Thai Green Eggplant and Chicken Curry and Sauteed Bok Choy Salad. And the next time you find yourself on the West Bank with a little spare time, be adventurous and take yourself to the Hong Kong Food Market. Hopefully you'll be as inspired as we were!

Hong Kong Food Market

925 Behrman Highway
Gretna, LA 70056-4569

(504) 394-7075

Tagliatelle al Ragu

One of the food blogs that I am particularly fond of is Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino written by a woman named Eleonora who lives in Rome. She did a wonderful post last year about how in Italy Sundays mean "family", and of course family means food which is similar to how I grew up with my mother always taking the time to cook a delicious Sunday dinner for all of us and inviting extended family to share the meal as well.

Eleonora describes her Sunday ritual and her mother's signature dish that for her is a weekly display of love. I've been wanting to make this ever since I read her post, but for some reason never got around to it, until this Sunday. Because for Kerry and me, Sunday means "home" as it is the only day that we don't go to the shop or spend too much time working. We go for a bike ride, Kerry works in the garden, I work on my blog and we cook a delicious meal. So this Sunday I decided it was finally time to make Eleonora's mother's classic Sunday dish, Tagilatelle al Ragu. It is still simmering away on the stove (see photo below), but I wanted to be sure to get the post done before we sat down to eat because it is divine! I'm including her full post as it is a wonderful look into the Italian way of life brought back memories of my own childhood in my mother's kitchen.



From Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino
March 22, 2009
Sundays spent satiating

"Sundays in Italy mean family. They speak of tradition, repose and morning Mass. Sundays gather the family around the table for communal weekly updates, sports events (mainly soccer) and convivial merry. As my son and I skip down the flights of stairs of our apartment building on our way out, we walk past Signora Rosetta’s door, inebriated by the smell of tomato sauce simmering on her stove. That divine perfume then wafts over and mingles with our downstairs neighbor Gina’s veal cutlets. And so forth, in a Babylon of aromas all the way down, all good, all Sunday-like.

Every Sunday lunch, my little boy E. and I go to my mother’s house, which is a 5-minute walk from our home. Wearing a nice blouse or a new pair of trousers, to honor our host, we head out. Mamma likes that kind of stuff, she also loves it when E.’s hair is combed with a tidy part on the side. A rare image, E. defines tousled. We breathe in the morning air and take a nice stroll to our favorite cafe, buy the paper, chat with people from our neighborhood. A Sunday ritual. We may go to Mass if we feel inspired, otherwise we head straight for the pasticceria (pastry shop) and pick up a tray of assorted bigné, cannoli, sfogliatelle, éclairs etc. sold by weight and wrapped in gift paper, tied with curly ribbons.

We always arrive early, at my mother’s house. That too is part of a Sunday habit. All members of the family each chip in with the housework, helping in the kitchen, airing out the bedrooms, watering the flowers on the terrace. Every time I walk in the house where I have been raised, I am immediately overcome with a warm, reassuring feeling. Back to the womb. The aroma of my mother’s cooking returns me to all my childhood memories. The incidental music of the TV broadcasting the usual Sunday shows, the smell of fresh flowers. My mother’s books, her dust, her Persian rugs. The chandeliers, the framed black and white photographs, the Steinway grand piano. It’s all there, unchanged, thank God. And then that which she is most proud of: la tavola, her table. It is a festive occasion, and she honors it beautifully by setting an impeccable table. She always prouds in laying a crisp embroidered linen tablecloth, ironed to perfection. China plates, double glasses – for both wine and water – shiny silverware and matching fabric napkins. Mamma cooks for two days in preparation for her family feast, and she prouds in displaying her efforts. The beverages are always served in glass (and not the bulky plastic) bottles. The wine is always chosen wisely to pair the food, and there’s always an extra dessert, usually homemade.

My mother makes it a point to pick the best ingredients, priding herself in finding seasonal variations, local and organic staples. She cooks it lovingly, employing all her generosity, and enjoying the creative process. She provides for us, not merely nourishment and great tasting foods, but an on-going, weekly display of love.

For this year’s edition of 5 Minutes for Mom’s Ultimate Blog Party – my first – I will share with all participating home cooks, mothers, and daughters of great ladies before them, my mamma’s signature Sunday dish, the one she is most fond of. It his her pièce de résistance; whenever she prizes us by making it, it is in fact a party. I have watched her make homey dishes like these countless times, as I grew into the mother I am today, and never once has she or her fabulous fares disappointed me.

The authentic Italian Sunday lunch tradition lives on in my mother’s hallmark Tagliatelle al Ragù. Pull up a chair and let's eat. This recipe is a classic. It results in the creation of an intensely flavorful, rich meat sauce to serve over home made tagliatelle, and dusted with lavish amounts of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. My mother starts preparing it early in the morning and allows it to simmer, very, very slowly for many hours, at least three and ideally four.
* 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tbsp unsalted butter
* 1 large carrot, finely diced
* 1 small onion, cut into same size dice as carrot
* celery stalks, cut up into same size dice as carrot and onion and in the same amount
* 650gr (1 1/2 lbs) ground beef and veal total (small variations from this weight are not significant)
* 200ml (1 cup) whole milk
* 200ml (1 cup) dry, white wine
* 1 kg (28-oz can) whole or crushed tomatoes, San Marzano would be great
* A pinch of ground nutmeg
* 300gr (3/4 lb or 1 1/2 cups) tagliatelle. If you decide to make your own homemade pasta, the outcome will be a million times better. And those eating will feel even more loved by you.
* Salt to taste
* Lots of Parmigiano, grated

It all begins with an empty, heavy-bottomed, medium to large sized pot. If you have a Dutch oven, that is ideal. Place the oil and butter into the pot and bring to medium-high heat. Add the diced battuto (carrot, onion and celery trinity) and stir to coat well, allowing vegs to soften for about 6 minutes. Hark! Do not brown the onion or celery, they need to simply wilt.

Next, add all the ground meat to the pot. Here is where the most work is involved. Using a large wooden spoon keep breaking up the meat into smaller and smaller pieces as it cooks. Do not brown it too much or dry out. Don’t let it sit in the hot shortening on the bottom of the pot and sear. Keep moving it around; it should just lose its color. Keep working on the meat and keep breaking it up into smaller and smaller pieces. It should also begin to smell wonderful.

When the meat has lost all its pink color and is reduced to minuscule bits, pour in the milk and turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Stir well and allow the milk to completely boil away. When that happens, you should only be able to see the olive oil and butter between the meat pieces and vegetables, and no more milk. This will take about 20 minutes.

Now add the white wine and evaporate it too.

Add the tomatoes. Empty the entire can into the pot and use a wooden spoon to break up the whole tomatoes into large chunks. Season with salt and nutmeg, stir well and turn down the heat to a very gentle simmer, only the occasional plip, plop! bubble should come to the surface. Do not cover. Allow the sauce to simmer slowly for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally; and to fill the rooms of your soul with warmth, love and a terrific aroma.

If you're pressed for time, or making home made pasta feels too big a task right now, you can decide over dried or fresh commercially sold tagliatelle, the only requirement is they be rough-surfaced and quite thick (at least 3 mm, 1/8-inch).

When the sauce is almost ready, bring your salted gallon of water to a rolling boil. Cook the tagliatelle, then drain them al dente, saving some starchy cooking water. Return the pasta to the empty stewpot and add about a cup of meat sauce to the cooked tagliatelle and stir well. This only colors the strands lightly, but we’re not done yet. Serve the coated tagliatelle in individual soup bowls, spooning the divine Bolognese sauce over each and dusting with copious amounts of grated Parmigiano.

Mamma uncorked two bottles of Chianti today, and the first roaring toast was to the never-ending party she throws, come Sunday at lunch."

The Fig Report

Quite a few of you have inquired about the status of my little Sicilian fig cutting so I guess it is time for an update! As you can see, it is thriving and doing well in it's new pot, and who knows maybe by the fall it will be ready to go in the ground! Keep your fingers crossed!

Savory Bites

...offering tidbits of information on interesting discoveries in the food and wine scene of New Orleans.

Eating Like an Italian

Chef Joshua Smith at a Mano talking about the 1st course

Tre Bicchieri Dinner at a Mano - Chef Josh Smith nailed the pairings last week at our annual Italian wine dinner held this year at a Mano. Combined with Antonio's humorous and informative presentation of the amazing award winning wines, and the company of 50 very appreciative diners, I think it is safe to say that a great time was had by all! While I enjoyed each course, I have to say my favorite in terms of food and wine pairing was the fresh pasta with lamb ragu paired with the Feudo Maccari Saia Nero d’Avola from Sicilia. The staff at a Mano did an excellent job and we are all ready talking about what we want to do together next...and FYI my culinary idol, Lidia Bastianich, was in town last week for a book signing and decided that the place she had to go to for Italian food in New Orleans was a Mano...if you haven't been there yet, get there soon. I promise you'll be impressed!

Dining at Domenica - We were invited by friends to dinner Saturday night at Domenica which we hadn't been to since right after they opened, so we happily joined them. I'm not going to go into a big review here, but here's my take for what it's worth: What works: the food was excellent, from the roasted sardines (highly recommended by another Italian foodie and he was so right!) salads, to the grilled summer squash pizza (the best pizza we've had since Rome) pasta, and desserts (the gelato affogato, frittole and pana cotta), we were surprisingly impressed. And the prices are great with most items offered in small or large portions. What also works: no corkage fee!! We brought a selection of our favorites from the store and ordered cocktails and more wine from the extensive, well priced menu, which has some really nice selections at many different price points. What doesn't work? The noise level and just general atmosphere are not what I personally enjoy in a dining experience. And the service was super slow, as we waited more than an hour for our sardines while the rest of the table waited almost an hour and a half for their salads and the entrees took another 30 minutes after that! Maybe it was an off night, but people were getting pretty cranky....

Cheese Plates, Our Current Selection

Wonderful with a glass of wine and to share with a friend or two, our cheese plates change often so that we can offer you something fresh, creative and delicious every time.

Current Selection
Ron's Pick

Delice de Bourgogne is a triple cream made with French cow's milk from the Burgundy region of France. This decadent cheese is rich and creamy with a buttery sweetness that melts in your mouth.

Balarina is a toffee colored goat gouda from the Netherlands that has a crunchy texture that is nutty and delicious with hints of browned butter and caramel.

Evora is a rindless Portuguese cheese made with raw merino sheep's milk and cardoon thistle. It is interestingly floral and fruity with a nice tanginess on the finish.

Verde Capra is a wonderful blending of soft, creamy blue cheese and slightly tangy, gamey goat milk from northern Italy. A version of a gorgonzola dolce, with a nice fruitiness and a little bite on the finish.

The cheeses are accompanied by prosciutto, freshly sliced bread or gourmet crackers, nuts, olives, and locally made fruit spreads. $12

A Salute to Excellence

That handsome guy sporting his Saints black and gold is our very own Ron Dietrich at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago last month. While he was there hobnobbing and networking, he received a "Salute to Excellence" award that recognizes and celebrates the future leaders of the industry. Ron will be graduating this fall from the University of New Orleans with a Business degree in the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism program where he also served as student president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. We're really proud of him and his achievements so congratulate him next time you see him in the shop!

And besides helping me with the wine buying, managing the bar and all of the other demanding duties that come with being the only guy in the shop, Ron's new unofficial title is the "cheese guy" with his first responsibility being that of selecting and designing our new cheese plate. So, check out this month's "Ron's Pick" featuring 4 new cheeses with some great accoutrements!

Lola's Global Spanish Cuisine Cooking Demonstration with Chef Fernando Sanchez Gonzales

Join us for a very special event on Wednesday, June 9th, as we pair up with Angel Miranda, Chef/Owner of Lola’s, while he opens his home for a demonstration of new, global Spanish cuisine cooking techniques by acclaimed Spanish Chef Fernando Sanchez Gonzales assisted by Angel. Chef Fernando Sanchez Gonzales of Barbacana Restaurante & Tapas Bar near Madrid, has worked extensively in fine restaurants throughout Spain and has been invited to New Orleans to work with Lola’s staff to infuse some new spice into their current menu.

The evening will feature:
• Tapas cooking demonstration
• A sampling of 10 prepared dishes
• A tasting of 7 wines paired and provided by Swirl
• Lola’s fabulous Sangria

Angel and Fernando have put together an incredible menu for this evening:

Starters: Lola's Sangria and Tortilla de Patata

Pairings:

• Endivias con Queso Azul y Nueces paired with Avinyo Brut Cava
• Croquetas de Cangrejo paired with 2008 Gurrutxaga Txakolina, Txakoli
  
• Ensalata de Verduras con Vinagreta de Cafe paired with 2009 Gaciarevalo Casamaro Blanco, Rueda
  
• Vieras con Doble Crema de Puerros paired with 2009 Vina Mein, Ribeiro
  

Cleanse your palate: Chupitos de Crema de Gazpacho de Fresas

• Carpaccio de Atun Rojo con Vinagreta de Wasabi paired with 2009 Joan D'Anguera Garnaxta, Monsant
• Bacalao Riojana paired with 2008 Arbanta Rioja
• Albondigas de Cordero paired with 2009 Mas Martinet Menut Priorato
  

And finish with dessert: Leche Frita

Wednesday, June 9, 7 to 9pm, $40 per person, reservations and prepayment are required as attendance is limited to 40 people. Please call 504.304.0635 to reserve your spot.

Tapas Tuesdays, Back by Popular Demand!!

Tapas Tuesday, Tuesday May 25th 6 to 8pm

Back by popular demand! Geoff Worden from Wines Unlimited will present our annual tasting of wines from the Jorge Ordonez portfolio including the highly rated, award winning Bodegas El Nido Clio (94pts). And recently back from a trip to Spain, Chef Dan Esses is inspired to create new traditional tapas dishes to pair with the wines. $24 includes a tasting of 5 wines paired with 5 tapas courses.

Check out Chef Dan's menu and wine pairings:

Albondigas- meatballs with dried cherries simmered in port wine
paired with 2007 Bodegas El Nido Clio (RP 94pts)

Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with Spanish blue cheese
paired with 2008 Bodegas Nekeas El Chaparral Old Vine Garnacha (ST 90pts)

Chorizo and potato croquettas
paired with 2007 Bodegas Atalaya Almansa (RP 91pts)

Guava, manchego and serrano wrapped in basil leaf
paired with Marques de Gelida Cava (RP 90pts)

Melted Spanish goat cheese topped with smoked paprika marinated roasted peppers
paired with Vega Sindoa Viura/Chardonnay

What a deal! $24 per person, reservations and prepayment are required as attendance is limited to 40 people. Please call 504.304.0635 to reserve your spot.

Pistacchio Pesto, Sicilian Sunshine in a Bottle

We've been coveting this bottle of Pesto di Pistacchio di Bronte since we returned from our trip to Sicily in October. We were leaving our home in Lingaglossa on Mount Etna and stopped in the little wine shop that we frequented during our visit. As Sicilian's take great pride in their local products, the little store was packed with honey, chocolates, pistacchios, jams, wine and other culinary delights from that part of the island.

Not wanting to open it, we hid it in our pantry waiting as close to the expiration date as we could. So one night last week we grilled some Tuscan style steaks, reluctantly but excitedly, opened the bottle and stirred up the contents. Scents of Sicilia instantly rose from the jar, bringing us right back to the eastern coast of the island where pistacchio di Bronte have an almost sacred status. Check out this site, bronte insieme, if you want more information on this most amazing place and nut. Below is a recipe from their site:

PISTACHIO PESTO
Ingredients: one bunch of basil, one bunch of parsley, 50 grams pistachios, 20 grams pine nuts, 30 grams toasted almonds, olive oil, 30 grams parmesan, salt and pepper.
In a blender, puree the pistachios, pine nuts, toasted almonds, parmesan and a handful each of parsley and basil. Add as much olive oil as needed, along with salt and pepper. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.
This pesto goes well with penne pasta, spaghetti and gnocchi.

Swirl Hosts the Empson USA Barolo and Brunello Tour 2010

Empson USA is one of the premier importers of Italian wines in the country. Each year their famous Barolo and Brunello tour hits the major US cities and finishes with a trade tasting in New Orleans. Knowing our love for all things Italian, they have asked us to host a second New Orleans event in the store on Wednesday May 19th, that will give our customers a chance to taste these incredible wines. This famous tasting will feature the 2004 Brunello Riservas, 2005 Brunellos, 2006 Barolos, as well as other wonderful wines from the most prestigious wineries in Italy.

For a mere $20 you'll be tasting more than 25 wines from an extremely elite group of producers such as:
Piedmont: Bongiovanni, Conterno Fantino, Einaudi, Marcarini, Poderi Colla;
Tuscany: Costanti, Fuligni, Lisini, Poggio Antico, Cignale, Boscarelli.

To whet your palate, here's a few of the wines we'll be tasting:

2004 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino - WA, 94pts. The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is simply awesome in the way it marries a gorgeous expression of ripe, dark fruit and a classic sense of structure. A rich, enveloping wine, it flows onto the palate with masses of black cherries, minerals, spices, tar, new leather and smoke. This is an exceptionally well-balanced and finessed Brunello full of character. The tannins remain rather firm but there is enough sheer density of fruit that opening a bottle on the young side is still likely to be rewarding. Simply put, Fuligni’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is not to be missed.

2006 Poderi Colla Barolo Bussia Dardi le Rose - WA, 94+pts. Poderi Colla’s 2006 Barolo Bussia Dardi Le Rose is a bombastic, textured wine made in a surprisingly full-bodied style for this domaine. Though somewhat aromatically closed at first, the wine’s pedigree is impossible to miss, as waves of dark fruit meld into grilled herbs, rosemary, spices and dried roses. Sweet, mentholated notes add complexity as this majestic Barolo continues to open up in the glass. This is without question one of the standouts of the vintage; and readers who appreciate a firm, cellar-worthy style of Barolo will want to give the Bussia Dardi/Le Rose serious consideration.

2004 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - WA, 94pts. The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals impressive richness in its wild cherries, sweet herbs, spices, minerals and tobacco that meld with a high-toned bouquet. This gorgeous, medium to full-bodied Brunello blossoms on the palate as intricate layers of fruit continue to emerge with a wonderful classiness. The long, harmonious finish leaves a lasting impression. This is a terrific effort from Costanti.

2005 Orma Toscano Orma - WS, 91pts. Dark in color, with intense aromas of blackberry and black licorice, with hints of oak and an earthy undertone. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins, a long finish and a round, caressing texture. The debut wine for Sette Ponti from Bolgheri. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wednesday May 19th, 6 to 8pm. $20 per person, reservations and prepayment are required as attendance is limited to 40 people. Please call 504.304.0635 to reserve your spot.

Cocchi Americano,The Elusive Italian Apertivo

We are really exciting about the arrival of an amazing Italian Apertivo, Cocchi Americano (pronounced co-key). Giulio Cocchi's original recipe Americano is more that just a simple aperitif in the town of Asti - in fact, it is the aperitif by definition, a piece of this century's local cultural and gastronomic history. This is the original Americano, produced without a break since 1891 according to an entirely natural recipe: white wine aromatized with many herbs and spices, no artificial coloring, flavoring or additive of any kind, produced in limited quantities and matured for a year before being put on sale. The name is a bastardization of the term for making a bitter, and has nothing to do with our fair country.

Similar to Lillet, but a little more bitter and spicy, try it the way the Italians take it: two parts strong with one part soda water, over ice, with a slice of orange.

If this has piqued your curiosity, stop at the bar one evening and try it, we're adding it to our menu and it is also available for sale in the shop.

$9 at the bar, served in the way the Italians drink it, of course!

Kerry's Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Our last night at the beach we decided to just cook whatever was left in the frig. Kerry was in charge of the salad and we had 3 lonely zucchini that needed to be eaten. Another food blogger that I follow, prouditaliancook, recently posted a recipe for a Zucchini Ribbon Salad. Using that as her inspiration, Kerry made her own with the following ingredients:

baby arugula and other mixed organic greens
her homegrown sprouts
cucumbers
tomatoes
Feta Cheese
fried zucchini ribbons from 3 zucchini (see below)
dressed with fresh squeezed lemon (1 part) and olive oil (3 parts)
fresh basil
salt, pepper, pepperincino

Fried Zucchini Ribbons

Take 3 small zucchini, cut off the ends and slice lengthwise using a really good vegetable peeler or a mandolin. You can cook your strips of zucchini either in a stove top grill or saute pan coated with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, they only take a couple of minutes. Make sure they cool completely before adding them to your salad.