“Buon Capodanno / Happy New Year” could be heard again in the streets of Florence last week. The traditional Florentine New Year always has been celebrated on March 25, the feast day of the Annunciation.
To add to these festivities, last year, the Italian government announced the establishment of a National Dante Day or “DanteDi” to be observed annually on March 25. Dante Alighieri is considered the father of modern literature and perhaps the greatest poet of all time. He was born in Florence (Tuscany) in 1265 and died in Ravenna (Emilia Romagna) in 1321, making this year the 702th anniversary of his death. This week’s menu takes inspiration from both regions that were home to Dante.
]]>“Buon Capodanno / Happy New Year” could be heard again in the streets of Florence last week. The traditional Florentine New Year always has been celebrated on March 25, the feast day of the Annunciation.
To add to these festivities, last year, the Italian government announced the establishment of a National Dante Day or “DanteDi” to be observed annually on March 25. Dante Alighieri is considered the father of modern literature and perhaps the greatest poet of all time. He was born in Florence (Tuscany) in 1265 and died in Ravenna (Emilia Romagna) in 1321, making this year the 702th anniversary of his death. This week’s menu takes inspiration from both regions that were home to Dante.
A blend of Riesling, Malvasia, and Chardonnay that is pale straw yellow. Aromas of grapefruit and yellow melon. Very balanced between freshness of citrus fruits and the softness of exotic fruits. Powerful and elegant with a refreshing minerality and a slightly aromatic finish given by Malvasia.
“Buon Capodanno / Happy New Year” could be heard again in the streets of Florence last week. The traditional Florentine New Year always has been celebrated on March 25, the feast day of the Annunciation, the moment when the Archangel Gabriel manifested himself to the Virgin Mary to inform her of her divine pregnancy exactly nine months before the birth of Jesus on December 25. So, in honor of Mary, this date was then decreed the beginning of the civil year in Florence that also coincided with the Spring Equinox. When the Gregorian calendar was introduced in the 1500s the Florentines refused to change and it took 200 years before they would concede that the year started on January 1.
Despite this change of calendar, the city of Florence continues to celebrate its New Year on March 25 with its epicenter the Basilica of Santissima Annunziata. There is a legend that in 1252, the artist working on a fresco depicting the scene of Mary and the angel was exhausted from trying to capture the Madonna’s expression and fell asleep. When he awoke, her face was miraculously completed, the work of angels, representing a miracle to the church and the city. Since 2000, March 25 has returned to be part of official celebrations, parades, cultural events, and a grand fair in the Basilica’s piazza.
To add to these festivities, last year, the Italian government announced the establishment of a National Dante Day or “DanteDi” to be observed annually on March 25. Dante Alighieri is considered the father of modern literature and perhaps the greatest poet of all time. By choosing to write in the Italian vernacular, using the Tuscan dialect, rather than in Latin, Dante influenced the course of literary development and the Italian language. He is best known for The Divine Comedy, “La Divina Comedia”, an epic poem that is one of the world’s most important works of literature. The poem, which is divided into three sections, follows a man (Dante) as he visits Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. According to scholars, Dante’s journey to the afterlife began on March 25, during Easter week in the year 1300.
Dante was born in Florence in 1265. Florence at the time of Dante was a city corrupted by the lust for power and money and was fraught with battling political factions. He was forced to flee to the city of Ravenna, in what is now the region of Emilia Romagna, where he lived the remainder of his life in exile until he died in 1321, making this year the 702th anniversary of his death. This week’s menu takes inspiration from both regions that were home to Dante.
Insalata Toscana is a flavorful salad using some of Tuscany’s most popular ingredients - kale, pecorino cheese, toasted sunflower seeds with shaved brussels sprouts and apples.
The entire region of Emilia Romagna is rich in natural resources and fertile agricultural soil. It is famous for its fresh egg pasta, but also for its rice dishes. In our Risotto del ’Orto we use imported Vialone Nano rice together with a rich assortment of spring vegetables, finishing with the region’s most famous culinary star, Parmigiano Reggiano.
Tuscany and Emilia Romagna share a border and a propensity for “cucina povera”, simple country cooking. Pollo alla Cacciatore, Hunter’s Chicken is an example of a dish prepared in both regions, though most likely prepared by the hunter’s wives rather than by the hunters themselves. The chicken is carefully seared with red peppers and onions before the addition of white wine and plum tomatoes.
Crème Caramel is a favorite dessert in Emilia Romagna, especially now during Easter season. It is simply a dessert of milk, vanilla, egg yolks (many, many egg yolks) and sugar. We prepare it in individual ramakins to be overturned revealing the clear caramel sauce on the bottom.
Our featured wine, Ribellante, a Tuscan white, is directly inspired by the Divine Comedy. In his poem, Dante explains why Latin poet Virgil wasn’t allowed in Heaven by having him say "Because I was rebellious against God’s law." In naming their wine “Rebellious”, the producers, husband and wife team, Pakravan & Papi rebel against the notion that Tuscany cannot produce great white wines. Theirs is a powerful yet delicate wine with hints of grapefruit and acacia blossom.
So Happy New Year, Florence. Let us all stay strong a little bit longer. As the Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Dario Francheschini stated, “Dante reminds us of many things that hold us together. Dante IS the unity of the country. Dante IS the Italian language. Dante IS the very idea of Italy.”
Uniti insieme,
Christianne
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One of Italy’s smallest regions, Umbria tends to get short shrift, overshadowed by its illustrious neighbor, Tuscany. But in Italy it is known as its “cuore verde”, green heart, where it maintains long-standing traditions of agriculture, art, and spirituality. Umbrians believe that because it is in the center of the Italian peninsula, it is the center of the world! It has been muse to writers, poets, and painters throughout the ages with an inherent mystical link noted as far back as the Etruscans.
The cooking is simple in Umbria. It has a relaxed approach and serves whatever happens to be in season. The menu this week highlights its plethora of vegetables, freshwater trout and of course the chocolate from Perugia.
One of Italy’s smallest regions, Umbria tends to get short shrift, overshadowed by its illustrious neighbor, Tuscany. But in Italy it is known as its “cuore verde”, green heart, where it maintains long-standing traditions of agriculture, art, and spirituality. Umbrians believe that because it is in the center of the Italian peninsula, it is the center of the world! It has been muse to writers, poets, and painters throughout the ages with an inherent mystical link noted as far back as the Etruscans.
The cooking is simple in Umbria. It has a relaxed approach and serves whatever happens to be in season. The menu this week highlights its plethora of vegetables, freshwater trout and of course the chocolate from Perugia.
One of Italy’s smallest regions, Umbria tends to get short shrift, overshadowed by its illustrious neighbor, Tuscany. But in Italy, Umbria is known as its “cuore verde”, green heart, where it maintains long-standing traditions of agriculture, art, and spirituality. Umbrians believe that because it is in the center of the Italian peninsula, it is the center of the world! It has been muse to writers, poets, and painters throughout the ages with an inherent mystical link noted as far back as the Etruscans. The region is full of their tombs and underground tunnels where farmers can still find ancient artifacts in the soil.
It is a region of saints where Benedict first founded western monasticism and Francis of Assisi underwent a spiritual conversion to live an ascetic and simple life as a man of God and nature. Franco Zefferelli lovingly crafted the saint’s life story in his 1970s film “Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna”, Brother Sun, Sister Moon. I recently rediscovered it and was delighted by its era’s hippy undertones, with old familiar folk songs written and performed by Donovan. The film is strangely timeless though, and if nothing else should be viewed for the exquisite and authentic Umbrian landscapes. Here is the link to watch.
Umbria is the only region in the Italian peninsular without a seacoast, but it does have one of the biggest lakes in the country, Lago Trasimeno, and numerous rivers and well stocked streams. Its unspoiled natural environment guarantees pristine fishing with an abundance of freshwater fish. It is blessed with fertile river basins, perfect for the cultivation of vegetables, grapes, and olive trees. These sheltered valleys plus rocky hills with good drainage are the perfect setting to produce exceptional olive oil that some believe is the best in Italy (don’t mention that to the Tuscans!).
The cooking is simple in Umbria. It has a relaxed approach and serves whatever happens to be in season. Vegetable dishes predominate in spring and summer, while autumn and winter sees the influence of game hunting and the famous black truffles of Norcia. Our menu starts with Insalata Umbra, with lentils as the main ingredient. Lenticche di Castelluccio are Umbria’s famous plump, tiny lentils cultivated on its high plateaus. That, together with farro, has seen a recent resurgence of popularity and is being used in new and imaginative ways. Sedano nero di Trevi, its deep emerald native celery from Trevi, also is used in salads for its pale green and tender heart. We toss it all with the addition of grapes, red bell pepper and hazelnuts for a refreshing, flavorful beginning.
Pasta alla Norcina is, without a doubt, Umbria’s most famous pasta. The pork, cured meats and sausages typical of Umbria are predominately made in the Norcia area. The high altitude and fresh mountain air also are ideal conditions for curing prosciutto. We extrude our fresh rigatoni pasta and combine it with a simple sauce of fennel sausage and parmesan cream with a touch of truffles for good measure.
Trota ai Funghi con Patate alla Porchetta takes Rainbow trout fillets and sauces them with a savory mix of crimini, oyster and shiitake mushrooms, served with baked fennel and potatoes, two vegetables widely cultivated in the region.
Our Budino al Cioccolato pays homage to the famous confectionary industry in the city of Perugia, home to the famous international chocolate festival. It is a baked chocolate pudding garnished with Chantilly cream and chocolate shavings.
Located on a rock composed of volcanic turf, Orvieto is known for its papal palaces, magnificent churches, deep wells, and white wine. Our featured wine, Campogrande, Orvieto Classico, is a blend of indigenous Umbrian varietals, Procanico, Grechetto, and Trebbiano. It is slightly spiced on the palate with a fresh perfume of pears and apples - a great pairing with our Umbrian Spring menu.
The expression, “Green Heartland of Italy”, is a reference to a famous poem by Giosué Carducci, Italy’s first Nobel Laureate. Most Italian schoolchildren know it by heart, roughly translated it means, “Salve green Umbria……. I have felt in my heart the ancient home, my fevered brow touched by the old gods of Italy.” In the movie, Donovan goes on to say, “Brother Sun, Sister Moon, I seldom see you, Seldom hear your tune, Preoccupied with selfish misery…”
If we can’t be in Umbria, at least we can look forward to the warm, fragrant days of Spring and reacquaint ourselves with the natural beauty that surrounds us. I can’t wait to be outside again!
Andiamo fuori al verde!
Christianne
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Ireland is gearing up to embrace the return of St. Patrick’s Day 2024. The entire country will take to the streets to celebrate with parades, live music, dancing and a massive four-day festival. Likewise, the Italians are looking forward to reuniting once again to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on the 19th, their national Father’s Day.
Our menu this week is a playful rendition of Irish and Italian recipes.
]]>Ireland is gearing up to embrace the return of St. Patrick’s Day 2024. The entire country will take to the streets to celebrate with parades, live music, dancing and a massive four-day festival. Likewise, the Italians are looking forward to reuniting once again to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on the 19th, their national Father’s Day.
Our menu this week is a playful rendition of Irish and Italian recipes.
FEATURED WINE: Poggio Badiola, Mazzei, 2019, Super Tuscan
This every-day Super Tuscan, that has garnered acclaim and high ratings from the Wine Spectator, comes from vineyards located at a great altitude in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, around a Romanesque church dating back to the 10th century. It uniquely combines the freshness and elegance of Sangiovese with the soft structure of Merlot, to which a refined touch is given by Petit Verdot.
Ireland is gearing up to embrace the return of St. Patrick’s Day 2022. The entire country will take to the streets to celebrate for the first time since 2019 with parades, live music, dancing and a massive four-day festival. Because the holiday fortuitously falls on a Thursday this year, Ireland has declared a long weekend to acknowledge the tough times endured during the pandemic. Likewise, the Italians are looking forward to reuniting once again to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on the 19th, their national Father’s Day.
We know March 17 honors Patrick, born Maewyn Succat, of Roman parents (!!!) in Britain. He came to Ireland as a missionary, converted the country to Catholicism and changed it forever. He is considered the Father of Ireland, personifying love, devotion, and persistence. His influence is universal, making him the symbol of Irish patriotism and unity around the world.
March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph is also celebrated worldwide, but considered mainly an Italian holiday. He is foster father of Jesus and so is seen as protector and provider of the family. St. Joseph’s feasts are predominantly celebrated in southern Italy and Sicily. Home altars, known as St. Joseph’s Tables, are built and laden with course after course of specialty breads and food designed to feed the less fortunate in the town. Today, this tradition is maintained by a festive meal at home and gifts of food to a local soup kitchen to feed the less fortunate.
Indeed, these two Saints have many things in common as do the Irish and Italians. Both nationalities share a history of leaving their homelands to forge new lives abroad. The Irish arrived in America during the great potato famine in the 1840s, to face great anti-Catholic bigotry and discrimination. Italians began to arrive in large numbers in the 1880s. They found established Irish immigrant communities who had faced and were still facing acute struggles to find employment. So, two of the poorest immigrant groups battled it out for jobs and a means of survival, clashing on the streets and in politics. Fortunately, as both group’s socio-economic situations improved, so did their relationships. *Take a look at the 2015 film Brooklyn, adapted from the Colm Toibin book about an Irish girl’s immigration to NY where she falls in love with an Italian boy and must decide between her new and old worlds. Link
Italians and Irish have much in common: Religion: their Catholic faith was the great unifier. Studies show that, after WWII there was a great increase in Catholic Irish Italian weddings. Immigration: both nationalities share a history of struggle after leaving their homelands to forge new lives. Family: both have deep attachments and loyalty to the family unit. Other commonalities can be found in their love of celebrating and maintaining their homeland’s traditions, imbibing in their favorite beverages, soccer madness, and a flair for mobster movies, etc. 😊
Our menu this week is a playful rendition of Irish and Italian recipes, All Things Green Salad pays homage to Ireland’s proud national color with an assortment of fresh Spring produce.
Paglia e Fieno, Straw (yellow) & Hay (green), is fresh, egg-based pasta with the addition of spinach for color, tossed with a simple butter, parmesan pepper sauce to be enjoyed as a “piatto unico” together with…
Irish Beef Stew, a deeply satisfying coming together of dark Guinness stout and rich Italian red wine together with the universal ingredients, beef, onions, carrots, and potatoes.
Soda Bread is perhaps the most famous food of the Emerald Isle. It is a simple classic most certainly made popular due to Ireland’s past financial strife and lack of access to ingredients. Soft wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and sour milk (buttermilk) were quickly kneaded together and baked in cast iron skillets on griddles or over open hearths. *Interesting to note that the first peoples to use soda to leaven their bread were the American Indians, not the Irish.
Frittelle di Riso are the rice fritters that Tuscans wait for the entire year. Every region of Italy seems to have their sweet traditional specialty – zeppole, sfinci, struffoli and pignolatta to name a few. Our fritters start with short grain rice cooked in milk and combined with eggs, flour, and raisins before it is dropped by the spoonful into hot oil. The streets of Florence are full of vendors selling this must awaited “dolce”.
St. Patrick’s Day is not widely celebrated in Italy, but parties and festivities can be found in the major cities where there is a large student population. (Florence has at least two dozen pubs!) In past years, Italian monuments like the Colosseum and Leaning Tower of Pisa were illuminated in green lights, but this year they are likely to be flooded in blue and yellow in solidarity with the Ukrainians.
If we can learn anything from the relationship between Irish and Italian Americans, it is that long simmering conflicts can change, yielding to friendship and even love when people try to understand each other and interact as equals. If only the world could learn from its past experiences…
Tutto il mondo e paese / The whole world is a village!
Christianne
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It is a responsibility to carry the torch. Once you have been welcomed into the fold, nurtured, and taught, you feel you must carry on the tradition – you WANT to carry on the tradition. For generations, Italian women have preserved and passed on the recipes, rules, and secrets of their mothers and grandmothers in an ongoing rite of passage. They are the keepers of culinary folklore and memories deeply rooted in family history. Every year, on International Women’s Day, my thoughts return to my mentors in our trattoria’s kitchen. This week, I revisit recipes handed down from my “Mamme Italian
]]>It is a responsibility to carry the torch. Once you have been welcomed into the fold, nurtured, and taught, you feel you must carry on the tradition – you WANT to carry on the tradition. For generations, Italian women have preserved and passed on the recipes, rules, and secrets of their mothers and grandmothers in an ongoing rite of passage. They are the keepers of culinary folklore and memories deeply rooted in family history. Every year, on International Women’s Day, my thoughts return to my mentors in our trattoria’s kitchen. This week, I revisit recipes handed down from my “Mamme Italiane”.
It is a responsibility to carry the torch. Once you have been welcomed into the fold, nurtured, and taught, you feel you must carry on the tradition – you WANT to carry on the tradition. For generations, Italian women have preserved and passed on the recipes, rules, and secrets of their mothers and grandmothers in an ongoing rite of passage. They are the keepers of culinary folklore and memories deeply rooted in family history. I knew at the time, while I spent hours in our trattoria’s kitchen, that I was experiencing something incredibly special. As life in modern Italy was moving away from its agrarian roots, this time shared with “le donne di cucina” (the women of the kitchen) with their connection to recipes and customs that were gradually fading was a preciously unique opportunity.
Having a young foreigner with limited grasp of the language in the kitchen was a novelty, but these generous women embraced me and my eagerness to learn with patience and good heartedness. I realize now how much I didn’t know at the beginning and how much I have assimilated of what they taught me. Rarely was there ever anything written down. They cooked with their eyes, their noses, their hands. Their measurements were “all’occhio” (by eye), “un pugno” (a handful), “al dito” (by the finger), and “quanto basta” (as much as needed). There were no measuring cups or spoons. These were methods entirely passed down verbally for generations. These women were the keepers of memories and cherished recipes.
International Women’s Day (La Festa della Donna) on March 8th, is a popular holiday in Italy. It is a day when women are recognized for their economic, political, and social contributions. Though originally a day to mark the struggle for women’s equal rights, it has become almost more like Mother’s Day, a day when every woman (and girl) receives bouquets of delicate, yellow mimosa blossoms. The city’s florists and sidewalk stands are brimming with cellophane wrapped golden bundles. Every year, on this day, my thoughts return to my mentors in the kitchen and to what they meant to me and to my extended family.
This week’s menu celebrates simple recipes I learned from Bruna, Maria, and Bianca. Every day, as service was dying down at the trattoria, they would start to prepare our communal staff meal. Maria would truss the chicken and toss it in the wood burning oven while Bruna started a quick pasta with zucchini. Crostini al Formaggio e Salsiccie is a simple, but very flavorful Tuscan starter. We begin by sautéing our homemade fennel sausage and combining it with soft cheese – we use a combination of goat and mascarpone cheeses and then spread it on slices of our homemade bread before passing it briefly under the broiler.
The quite simple, but delicious Spaghetti alla Nerano has sprung recently to notoriety in Stanley Tucci’s televised Italian culinary travel log. But this is a pasta that is prepared, in some form, all throughout Italy, either with zucchini or some other vegetable. I started preparing it years ago for my children and now it is one of my grandchildren’s favorites. Alla Nerano was said to have been invented by a woman named Maria Grazia at her trattoria in the small fishing village of Nerano near Sorrento. It is a perfect example of cooking with all the senses, letting the dish determine just how much of each ingredient to add.
Pollo al Limone / Lemon Chicken is also a dish that can be found almost everywhere in Italy. We take local chickens, raised in Pennsylvania Dutch country, and season them with lemon, garlic, rosemary, and sage. We make a sauce with the pan drippings and serve it with the ever-popular Tuscan roasted rosemary potatoes.
Torta Mimosa is a relatively new specialty prepared by bakers to celebrate Women’s Day. It is usually a butter cake filled and frosted with light orange cream to resemble the yellow mimosa that have become the symbol of the holiday. For portioning ease, we have baked them into individual cupcakes.
Pairing a wine to this menu was an easy decision. Not only does the Bramito Chardonnay pair beautifully with our zucchini pasta and lemon chicken, but it is also the product of a company headed by women. “The woman’s role in our business, especially in Italy in the past, was something that was considered unattainable,” says Alessia Antinori, who with her sisters Albiera and Allegra are the heirs to Marchesi Antinori, one of the oldest wineries in the world, and its first female management team in the company’s storied history. “We brought fresh points of view to marketing and sales,” and the female perspective has also enhanced the critical area of tasting where, “the female palate can be incredibly precise,” she says.
The role of women at the heart of Italian culinary culture is undeniable. As matriarchs, their dedication to preserving tradition and nurturing their families through food has helped to make Italian cuisine beloved throughout the world. “No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past.” Laurie Colvin
Viva le donne!
Christianne
]]>This week's menu was inspired by comforting foods - those that only Nonna cooks to make us feel better. When dealing with uncertainties, food connects us with our past and reminds us that we are not alone.
]]>This week's menu was inspired by comforting foods - those that only Nonna cooks to make us feel better. When dealing with uncertainties, food connects us with our past and reminds us that we are not alone.
In times of uncertainty, food can trigger comforting memories that remind us of better times and help us to cope. Undoubtedly, my fondest memories stem from my time spent in Italy where family and food were the epicenter of life. As a young coed, studying in Florence, I was far from home and feeling vulnerable, off balance and uncertain. When I discovered what was to become Trattoria i Ricchi and the Ricchi family in a tiny remote enclave in the Tuscan hills, I was welcomed and immediately enveloped in a culture of care and camaraderie, stoked by generations of culinary traditions that brought family and friends together around the table. This is my happy place. My love language is food – cooking and sharing with the people I love. I will be taking inspiration from my own culinary memories with the hope we can all find community and comfort wherever we are forced to be.
This week’s menu highlights some of my first food discoveries in Tuscany. As an Italian American from New York, I was sure I knew everything there was to know about Italian food but was I delightfully surprised to experience some totally different flavors. Lasagna alla Bolognese, made with homemade fresh egg pasta, rolled paper thin and then layered with a seemingly simple combination of slowly simmered beef sauce (sugo), besciamella and parmesan cheese. The ingredients are not complicated, but the combination of flavors is layered and complex. First step was starting the sauce the day before. This sugo as they call it, was an arduous procedure of sautéing large quantities of minced carrots, celery, and onion, adding chopped beef and slowly simmering it for hours with lemon peel and spices before adding red wine and tomato concentrate. At this point, they would push the pot to the back of the wood burning stove (cucina economica) and leave it there to slowly bubble away for hours. This was the old country’s slow cooker. The aroma filled the house and the restaurant (we lived above the store 😊). You could always tell when it was time “da fare il sugo” – to make the sauce.
The next revelation was making and rolling out the pasta. A volcano of flour with farm fresh bright, orange-yoked eggs from our chickens and a pinch of salt was all it took under the experienced hands of the local women who worked in the kitchen. Magic ensued as Maria took this mound of goodness and an exceptionally long rolling pin and started pushing and smoothing until she had an impressive round of thin pasta “sfoglia” that easily measured 3 feet across. She then cut the pasta into large sheets to fit the pans, cooked them and began the process of creating delicate layers and layers of pasta deliciousness, bechamel sauce, the long-awaited sugo and fresh parmesan cheese. This is quite different from the Italian American lasagna you may have eaten before.
Another Tuscan specialty that I soon discovered was both delightfully recognizable and a little exotic was Rosticciana – Tuscan barbeque ribs. Large slabs of meaty pork ribs were rubbed with spices and grilled over live embers taken from the cucina economica. Note: They called this an “economical stove” because it fulfilled multiple tasks in the kitchen – you could bake in its ovens, cook on its flat top, grill with its embers (it was wood-burning to boot) and even heat water in its overhead boiler to wash the dishes. My take on this Tuscan classic is to brush on a balsamic glaze at the end to add a zesty crunch. There is nothing more comforting and primal than eating meat on the bone with your hands, so dig in, get messy and enjoy. Fagioli all’Ucceletto is a long-standing Tuscan favorite. The word “uccello” means bird. All’uccelletto refers to the classic method of cooking fowl in a tomatoey garlic sage-like stew. It lends a hearty, deep nuance of flavors to the Tuscan’s ever popular cannellini beans. Given that barbeque ribs and baked beans are comfort food staples on many American tables, I thought it most gastronomically appropriate to share the Tuscan equivalent and remind us of all that unites us.
Another curiosity of Italian feasting is that they prefer to eat their salad at the end of the meal – almost as a palate cleanser. It is as if it were setting the stage for the final course. Tiramisu did not originate in Tuscany, but rather Traviso, dating back to the 1800s. Believe it or not, it is said to have originated in a house of ill-repute (!) where the Madam who ran the premises created this calorie-rich aphrodisiac dessert. A type of natural Viagra from the 19th century, served to customers in a brothel! (No promises here 😊…but now you know why I included it in our comfort foods menu!) In the 1980s Tiramisu became very popular throughout all of Italy and very quickly became the bestselling dessert at Trattoria i Ricchi in Cercina. Every Saturday, I would meet Zia Ada to make the week’s desserts. What an education! She welcomed me, l'Americana, the young blond college student, ever so willing to share her recipes, passed down by generations of Ricchi women.
Memories of those Saturday's together are some of my most precious. I had been accepted and then nurtured by this group of local women who were eager to teach me the art of cooking and the act of expressing love through food. I wish you “Buon appetito”. Whether you are enjoying this food by yourself, with another or your whole family, please know that you are breaking bread with all the i Ricchi extended family - all eating these same dishes and traveling through these flavors and words. We are united, strong, and connected – now and always.
Remaniamo forti,
Christianne
Beautiful almond trees adorn the Sicilian countryside and are the first to blossom in late February filling the air with an overwhelming scent and promise of Spring. The Valley of the Temples, just outside the southern town of Agrigento is the site of the annual Almond Blossom Festival celebrating Spring’s arrival and the miracle of life.
This week we taste our way through the rustic but ever beautiful (and flavorful!) Sicily all the while paying homage to the fruit of everlasting love and eternal hope - the almond.
]]>Beautiful almond trees adorn the Sicilian countryside and are the first to blossom in late February filling the air with an overwhelming scent and promise of Spring. The Valley of the Temples, just outside the southern town of Agrigento is the site of the annual Almond Blossom Festival celebrating Spring’s arrival and the miracle of life.
This week we taste our way through the rustic but ever beautiful (and flavorful!) Sicily all the while paying homage to the fruit of everlasting love and eternal hope - the almond.
FEATURED WINE: Fabrizio Vella, Bianco Organico 2020 "orange wine" unfiltered.
It is made from 100% Catarratto, Sicily's most planted grape. It has a complex nose of citrus fruit, lemon zest and citrus blossoms along with a hint of tropical fruits, herbs and sweet spices. Fresh, crisp and lovely minerality on the finish.
Phyllis and Demophoon were madly in love, but Demo went off to war with promises to return as soon as he could. Phyllis waits and waits for over ten years and finally, in great despair, takes her own life. The goddess, Athena, has pity on her and turns her into an almond tree. But alas, Demo returns (it is a Greek tragedy after all) and when he learns what has happened, he takes the tree into his arms in a passionate embrace causing it to burst into fragrant white blossoms. Phyllis is brought back to life and almonds become the symbol of everlasting love and eternal hope.
Beautiful almond trees adorn the Sicilian countryside and are the first to blossom in late February filling the air with an overwhelming scent and promise of Spring. The Valley of the Temples, just outside the southern town of Agrigento is the site of the annual Almond Blossom Festival celebrating Spring’s arrival and the miracle of life.
First cultivated in the Middle East, the almond was probably introduced in Sicily before 1000 BC. Historians agree that almonds were one of the earliest cultivated foods. Not only is Sicily a major producer of almonds, but it is also the breadbasket for Italy and its neighbors. Spring comes early so the growing season is longer than on the mainland, producing an enormous variety of fruits and vegetables including eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, and citrus fruits. Its cuisine has incorporated many different international culinary influences over centuries, and it is interesting to note that the two sides of the island are quite distinct in terms of their food. The eastern, volcanic side has Greek influences, whereas the western areas have distinct Arabic influences.
Sicily is dominated by Europe's largest active volcano, Mt. Etna, which has erupted four times in the last six days, covering the neighboring zones with lava and hot ash. Though some would think it crazy to live next to an active volcano, its slopes are dotted with small villages and farms. The volcanic soil is very fertile and the harvests plentiful.
Sicily’s cuisine is identified by its “cucina povera”, a peasant style of cooking. It may be simple, but it is full of character, color, and flavor. Our first course, Panelle e Crocché di Cavolofiore are examples of Sicilian street food. Panelle are fritters made from chickpea flour, often eaten in a bread roll like a sandwich, dating back to the Arabic occupation. Over the centuries, the panella vendor is a mythical figure able to gather different people, from nobles to working class around his big cauldron of hot oil. We serve them together with another specialty, baked cauliflower fritters and a light salad of arugula and sundried tomatoes.
Most of the island’s pasta dishes are made from durum wheat and water with a strongly flavored sauce. Pasta con Broccolo e Mandorle is our homemade, short turbular pasta sauced with broccoli and almonds with a dusting of crunchy breadcrumbs.
Sicily’s landscape does not lend itself to much cattle breeding, so the average Sicilian family is more likely to live off the vegetables, fruit and wheat of the land and fish from the sea. Branzino al Forno con Peperoni e Patate is baked sea bass accompanied by braised peppers and potatoes prepared Syracuse style with almonds and mint.
Our Torta di Mandorla is a rustic almond tart prepared with sliced almonds and almond paste and – one of the region’s primary specialties. Almond paste is known a pasta reale (royal dough) because this finely ground paste of almonds and sugar was originally a delicacy served at noble Sicilian tables.
It is impossible to celebrate a special occasion in Italy without Confetti. Italian Jordan Almonds are Sicilian almonds covered in a hard colorful sugar shell - for each occasion, a different color - white for weddings and communions, blue and pink for christenings, red for graduations, and multicolor for birthdays. They are always given in uneven numbers, usually five, representing five wishes for happiness, health, wealth, fertility, and long life.
Walking down a country road this time of year in Italy is full of sensory surprises. Wild daffodils are sprouting together with crocus and brightly colored violets, but it is the beautifully sweet scent of almond trees in bloom that is the most unexcepted and unforgettable. Spring is awakening, bringing hopeful expectations and the promise of new beginnings.
Veloce, veloce, we have been waiting for you!
Benvenuta Primavera!
Christianne
We have visited 19 of Italy’s 20 regions. From the industrial and fashionable North to the warm and rustic South, it is a delightful mélange of contrasting energy. It is slightly smaller than the state of California, but it delivers a range of landscapes, cuisines, customs, and cultural heritage that is hard to match anywhere else in the world. If I had to use one word to describe her, it would be "bellezza", beauty.
Architecture, art, music, literature, fashion, nature and food are all extraordinary everywhere you go. To celebrate Italy's culinary diversity, this week our menu takes from the entire peninsula, from north to south and the islands.
]]>We have visited 19 of Italy’s 20 regions. From the industrial and fashionable North to the warm and rustic South, it is a delightful mélange of contrasting energy. It is slightly smaller than the state of California, but it delivers a range of landscapes, cuisines, customs, and cultural heritage that is hard to match anywhere else in the world. If I had to use one word to describe her, it would be "bellezza", beauty.
Architecture, art, music, literature, fashion, nature and food are all extraordinary everywhere you go. To celebrate Italy's culinary diversity, this week our menu takes from the entire peninsula, from north to south and the islands.
This affair has lasted well over fifty years. My love has never waned, in fact, it has grown stronger with time. Italy is my happy place. Nostalgia for better times has rekindled fond memories and has led me to reminisce about this extraordinary country. It is not easy to “count the ways” I love her because much of the person I AM today is because of time I spent with her and because of the life experiences I lived and learned there. Switzerland may have been voted 2020 Best Country in the World (four years in a row) by US News Report, but oh how I beg to differ! The more I learn about her, the more I am convinced that there is no contest.
For the last 203 weeks of our Food Club, we have visited 19 of Italy’s 20 regions. From the industrial and fashionable North to the warm and rustic South, it is a delightful mélange of contrasting energy. It is slightly smaller than the state of California, but it delivers a range of landscapes, cuisines, customs, and cultural heritage that is hard to match anywhere else in the world. If I had to use one word to describe her, it would be "bellezza", beauty. Italians are surrounded by beauty everywhere - in nature, in their cities, in their relationships, in art, and in their food. They have an innate sense of beauty and history that dictates how they view the world. The surrounding beauty spurs creativity and pride that can be felt in every Italian no matter what their formal education or station in life.
The thing that first attracted me to Italy was her people. Italians have a warm and welcoming reputation. It is hard not to feel at home... and in fact, I did, immediately. The people I met were kind, friendly and courteous. The Ricchi family immediately welcomed me as did the townspeople and all the trattoria's regular customers. The love and consideration they felt for each other was no more apparent than in their custom of "lo sconto", bartering - something that was quite foreign to this Americana. But once I understood this love language of mutual respect, I embraced it full force and looked forward to it. We would cross out the final total of a customer's bill and reduce it by a token amount and they would do the same when we went to their stores or businesses. Our daily morning ritual of shopping for supplies and ingredients was unforgettable. We would see Paolo the butcher, Italo the barber, Renzo the mechanic, Alessi for specialty food items, Barroncini for dairy, the fruit and vegetable merchant, the poultry and egg man and the list goes on. They were all like family.
This familial sense of community was evidenced everywhere from the men playing cards in the piazza to the heated, but friendly discussions at the local bar. There were animated hand gestures and a lot of cursing, which by the way, were some of the most colorful and sacrilegious you could ever hear, mostly inspired by religion, mothers and a lot of pigs!
The list becomes very long when just walking down a street in any city or small town becomes an aesthetic experience. Architecture, art, music, literature, fashion, nature and food are all extraordinary everywhere you go. To celebrate Italy's culinary diversity, this week our menu takes from the entire peninsula, from north to south and the islands.
Insalata di Prosciutto & Aceto Balsamico features three important ingredients from the region of Emilia-Romagna, known as the heartland of northern Italian cooking. Prosciutto, parmigiano and balsamic vinegar together with bitter winter greens and pine nuts are the protagonists.
Bigoli alla Salsiccie Luganega is a typical pasta from the Veneto. Bigoli is an artisan pasta pushed through an ancient extruder to create long, thick strands of pasta. Luganega sausage is made in one long strand, not links, and is usually sold by the meter in Italy. Combine it with fresh tomatoes and parmesan and it is a very satisfying dish for a cold winter's dinner.
Melanzane alla Parmigiana may not sound like it would come from Calabria, but that is where it originated. In fact, this dish can be found throughout the entire south or "mezzogiorno" of Italy. The eggplants grown there in the sun and warmth are the most flavorful. We lightly flour the slices of eggplant, pan fry them, and layer with tomato, fior di latte mozzarella and basil. (A request from a customer to repeat.)
Cannoli originated in Sicily and were made traditionally at this time of year to celebrate Carnevale. Needless to say, they are so good that you can find them everywhere at all times. We have added a modern twist by offering them in the form of chips to dip in the usual sweeten ricotta cream.
The list of what I love about Italy could go on for pages. Even San Valentino, the patron saint of love and he who inspired the upcoming Valentine's Day, was from Italy. It is easy to understand why everyone falls in love as soon as they get there. I hope that these weeks of menus and stories might inspire a visit to Italy or a reason to return. Afterall, so much of Italy, its past and its future depends on the support of all the citizens of the world.
Italia, ti voglio tanto bene,
Christianne
“A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale!”
Have you ever wondered why we wear masks for Mardi Gras / Carnevale? Throughout history, this time of year was known as a time of abandon and excess. Disguised behind masks, one could banish imposed restraints and give in to the human foibles of sexual and gastronomic orgies. Traditionally, at this time, rules and customs went out the window, social divisions were eliminated, and it allowed people to poke fun at the aristocracy.
The word “Carnevale” comes from the Latin, “carrum levare” meaning “take away meat”. Throughout the centuries, it was shortened to “carne vale” / good-bye, meat! For Christians, it represented the last moments of indulgences, the last great party, before the strict restrictions of Lent. There are hundreds of diverse celebrations throughout Italy this week. It seems almost every region and city has its own traditions of merriment.
This is such a rich time of year in Italy with so many different festivals each with its own culinary specialties. This week we highlight just a few.
]]>“A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale!”
Have you ever wondered why we wear masks for Mardi Gras / Carnevale? Throughout history, this time of year was known as a time of abandon and excess. Disguised behind masks, one could banish imposed restraints and give in to the human foibles of sexual and gastronomic orgies. Traditionally, at this time, rules and customs went out the window, social divisions were eliminated, and it allowed people to poke fun at the aristocracy.
The word “Carnevale” comes from the Latin, “carrum levare” meaning “take away meat”. Throughout the centuries, it was shortened to “carne vale” / good-bye, meat! For Christians, it represented the last moments of indulgences, the last great party, before the strict restrictions of Lent. There are hundreds of diverse celebrations throughout Italy this week. It seems almost every region and city has its own traditions of merriment.
This is such a rich time of year in Italy with so many different festivals each with its own culinary specialties. This week we highlight just a few.
Have you ever wondered why we wear masks for Mardi Gras / Carnevale? Throughout history, this time of year was known as a time of abandon and excess. Disguised behind masks, one could banish imposed restraints and give in to the human foibles of sexual and gastronomic orgies. It was a time when women dressed as men and men as women, slaves were released, and lower classes could have fun protected by the anonymity masks provided. Traditionally, at this time, rules and customs went out the window, social divisions were eliminated, and it allowed people to poke fun at the aristocracy.
The word “Carnevale” comes from the Latin, “carrum levare” meaning “take away meat”. Throughout the centuries, it was shortened to “carne vale” / good-bye, meat! Italians started throwing wild parties to use up all the rich foods they had in their larders. It is a period of transition: for the ancient pagans, it celebrated the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring, the rebirth of nature. For the Christians, it represented the last moments of indulgences, the last great party, before the strict restrictions of Lent.
There are hundreds of diverse celebrations throughout Italy this week. It seems almost every region and city has its own traditions of merriment. Carnevale was first celebrated in Venice in 1094. During the Middle Ages it was known as party central in Europe showcasing actors, acrobats, jugglers, and musicians wearing masks and elaborate costumes. During the Renaissance, it was in the elegant palazzos, with lavish masquerade balls, that the long and fascinating tradition of masked parties in Venice began.
Viareggio, Tuscany’s famous seaside resort is home of Carnevale’s biggest and most well-known parade. It has elaborately decorated floats and people wearing paper maché masks that lampoon political and famous people. The Viareggini take it all very seriously as the parade and its festivities are deeply embedded into the culture and history of the city. It is said to have begun when some of its citizens decided to celebrate with a parade of carriages adorned with flowers. A group of young rich bourgeois used the occasion to protest against an increase in taxes, thus giving birth to the custom of political comment. The building of these huge, elaborate floats and the parade itself have become economically important to the area and so this year festivities have not been cancelled but rescheduled for September.
Without a doubt, one of the most colorful and outrageous celebrations can be found in the town, Ivrea in the region of Piemonte. ”La Battaglia delle Arance” / The Battle of the Oranges is the re-enactment of a historical event that took place during the time of tyrannical landlords when Medieval law gave them the right to spend the first night with any bride residing in their territory. Well, young virgin, Violetta would not concede and instead, cut off the head of her aggressor spurning a battle between the lord’s army and the villagers. The use of oranges instead of weapons have come to symbolize rebellion against injustice and freedom for the people. It is a free-for- all in the streets as different factions battle it out. Store windows are bordered up and large sheaths of cloth can be found hanging around buildings as impromptu safe harbors from the relentless orange bombardment. The only way to safely walk the streets is to wear a red hat, declaring its wearer a noncombatant. At the end of festivities, there are oranges everywhere, creating inches of slippery, juicy sludge. That is all that remains of over 400 tons of oranges transported from southern Italy by the train load.
This is such a rich time of year in Italy with so many different festivals each with its own culinary specialties. This week we highlight just a few. Insalata all’ Arancio is a colorful and flavorful way to begin. Though the oranges used to battle it out in Ivrea are not usually eaten, I thought it fun and a light way to initiate our hearty menu. We take a variety of bitter greens, so delicious this time of year and toss them with radishes, spring onions and a tangy orange vinaigrette.
Lasagne al Carnevale hails from Naples in Campania. It is the embodiment of excess – a wonderful dish comprised of layers of durum wheat pasta, rich tomato ragu seasoned with pork, ricotta, mozzarella, and meatballs. It is a festive version eaten during Carnevale when gluttony is encouraged!
Polpette di Carnevale, Neapolitan meatballs is substantially a traditional dish eaten throughout all of Italy as people tried to use up all their carnivorous supplies before the long meatless 40 days of Lent that follow. We use a combination of beef and pork, with the addition of pine nuts and another sweet secret ingredient that my grandmother would add. Can you figure out what it is?
Cenci Fiorentini, sweet fritter “rags” are the stars of the show where we lived in Tuscany. For the past several weeks, every massaia, housewife and baker have been frying them by the batch-full together with Schiacciata Fiorentina, orange cake and Fritelle di Riso / rice fritters. These are the consummate Mardi Gras treast in Italy. They are known all over the country by at least 40 different names – chiacchiere, bugie, struffole,and frappe to name a few.
After 152 weeks of COVID havoc, I am ready to let go, join my friends (customers) and safely party a little this Carnevale. We all long to be happy again. Thoughts turn to the coming Spring with memories of hope-filled days and rebirth. I am reminded of the D.H. Lawrence’s descriptions of Spring in his Flowery Tuscany …. “The sun always shines. It is our fault if we don’t think so.”
As they sing today in New Orleans…. “Laissez le bon temps rouler” – “Let the good times roll”… PLEASE!
Buon Carnevale,
Christianne
]]>Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland to the west and north, has long been the connector between central Europe and the Italian peninsula. It is the place where people travel on their way to somewhere else. The locals have welcomed travelers since Roman times and have established a culture of hospitality. Travelers are given the same warm welcome now as they were then. The Valdaostani are welcoming and generous people, always eager to share their hearty mountain food. It is the place where cultures meet and eat.
Valle d’Aosta shares food styles with Alpine France and Switzerland. Its cuisine is simple, based on fresh ingredients from the mountains, streams, and plush valleys. Our menu this week will highlight many of the dishes for which they are well known.
]]>Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland to the west and north, has long been the connector between central Europe and the Italian peninsula. It is the place where people travel on their way to somewhere else. The locals have welcomed travelers since Roman times and have established a culture of hospitality. Travelers are given the same warm welcome now as they were then. The Valdaostani are welcoming and generous people, always eager to share their hearty mountain food. It is the place where cultures meet and eat.
Valle d’Aosta shares food styles with Alpine France and Switzerland. Its cuisine is simple, based on fresh ingredients from the mountains, streams, and plush valleys. Our menu this week will highlight many of the dishes for which they are well known.
Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland to the west and north, has long been the connector between central Europe and the Italian peninsula. It is the place where people travel on their way to somewhere else. The locals have welcomed travelers since Roman times and have established a culture of hospitality. Travelers are given the same warm welcome now as they were then. The Valdaostani are welcoming and generous people, always eager to share their hearty mountain food. It is the place where cultures meet and eat.
Valle d’Aosta is the smallest and least populated region in Italy. Italian and French are both official languages resulting in a completely bilingual culture. It is home to Italy’s highest mountain peak, Mont Blanc / Monte Bianco and many world-famous ski resorts and therapeutic spas. Naturally, it is known for its winter sports (it enjoys 9 months of snow), but it is equally popular during the short summer season, attracting hikers, mountain climbers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts.
Traveling between countries is easy, facilitated by the fast A5 Autostrada (possibly the most scenic in Italy), but it was not always like that. In fact, travel through the mountain range between Switzerland and the Italian Aosta Valley once was extremely treacherous. Travelers needed to be constantly on the lookout for imminent ambushes from dishonest mountain guides and thieves lying in wait along the way as well as to sudden changes in weather and avalanches. In the 11th century, Saint Bernard of Menton founded a hospice high up on the pass where all travelers were welcomed and received a free hot meal and a place to rest. It was there that history first records stories of large mountain dogs with an extraordinary sense of direction. The Saint Bernards, with their broad chests and acute sense of smell, traveled easily though the deep snow and were responsible for saving thousands of wayward travelers.
Valle d’Aosta shares food styles with Alpine France and Switzerland. Its cuisine is simple, based on fresh ingredients from the mountains, streams, and plush valleys. Dairy dominates the valley’s agriculture, producing outstanding butter and cheeses. Fonduta, the local version of Alpine fondue is a great way to enjoy Valdotian camaraderie. They are great foragers of wild herbs and mushrooms and cultivate apple and pear orchards. They are known for their hearty soups, risottos, and polenta dishes – pasta is rarely eaten here.
Insalata Invernale is a mix of hearty winter greens, red cabbage, fennel, and green grapes with added crunch from roasted pistachios and crisp fried polenta croutons.
Minestra di Lenticchie con Funghi Trifolati, lentil soup with mushrooms is a hearty soup one might find in a mountain refuge as a perfect mid-day break on the slopes.
Cotoletta alla Valdostana, veal cutlet breaded and stuffed with fontina cheese and ham is undoubtedly this region’s signature dish. Fontina is cheese made from the milk of cows that pasture in the high mountain meadows in the summer.
Pere Cotte Farcite, mascarpone stuffed pears poached in red wine are a typical example of traditional desserts from the Aosta Valley. They are poached in wine and spices and then stuffed with cinnamon laced mascarpone.
It is exactly now, at the end of January, that hundreds of thousands would flock (pre-COVID) to tiny Valle D’Aosta for the oldest (1000 yr.) fair in Italy, La Fiera di Sant’ Orso. It combines crafts, folklore, and culinary specialties against a charming Alpine background. People come, not only to shop but, to revel in the unique atmosphere. They say a visit to the fair is an extraordinary, unforgettable, and intensely emotional experience because the artisans are in search of contact with visitors who appreciate their creativity and craftsmanship. It is a time when the townspeople open their cantinas, and musicians and singers roam the streets entertaining and interacting with the crowds. Welcoming them with the same spirit of hospitality and warmth for which they have been known for centuries ….. One more place in Italy I cannot wait to visit. SEE FOR YOURSELF!
A presto,
Christianne
ps. Did you know……that in Valle d’ Aosta, local folklore says that if on Sant’ Orso Day, February 1st, the weather is nice, the bear (“orso” in Italian) turns around in this den and goes back to sleep for another 40 days.
At our little Trattoria in Tuscany we were famous for our "Pollo Fritto," - fried chicken. The Florentines would drive out to visit us in the country on the weekends and we would always sell out.
I am proud to say that my American friends and customers (even those from the South!) seem to have also fallen in love with my recipe so I am starting a new tradition. On Sundays I will be frying up my recipe -- this time for the Washingtonians -- and for Super Bowl Sunday you can buy it in buckets!
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At our little Trattoria in Tuscany we were famous for our "Pollo Fritto," - fried chicken. The Florentines would drive out to visit us in the country on the weekends and we would always sell out.
I am proud to say that my American friends and customers (even those from the South!) seem to have also fallen in love with my recipe so I am starting a new tradition. On Sundays I will be frying up my recipe -- this time for the Washingtonians -- and for Super Bowl Sunday you can buy it in buckets!
If you don't want a bucket or you are not serving 4 people, you might consider ordering our individual fried chicken meal here.
This year let's celebrate love in all of its forms through the enjoyment of food made for you by Chef Ricchi's loving hand.
This year let's celebrate love in all of its forms through the enjoyment of food made for you by Chef Ricchi's loving hand.
4-Courses
$89/person
Some call it the sunny side of the Alps, others call it Trentin-Südtirol, and others Trentino-Alto Adige. It is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and Southern Alps. The interesting historical past makes the region unique, neither completely Austrian nor Italian. It is a place where Austrian charm mingles with the stylish Italian flair.
This week’s menu will be a departure from the well-known dishes of the South – and interesting combination of the cuisines of two cultures.
]]>Some call it the sunny side of the Alps, others call it Trentin-Südtirol, and others Trentino-Alto Adige. It is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and Southern Alps. The interesting historical past makes the region unique, neither completely Austrian nor Italian. It is a place where Austrian charm mingles with the stylish Italian flair.
This week’s menu will be a departure from the well-known dishes of the South – and interesting combination of the cuisines of two cultures.
Some call it the sunny side of the Alps, others call it Trentin- SüdTirol, and others Trentino-Alto Adige. It is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and the Sothern Alps. There is a centuries old history of conflicts and invasions in the area, but today the region is divided into two provinces, Trentino to the south and South Tyrol (Alto Adige) to the north. They speak three languages – German, Italian and Ladin, an ancient local dialect. Today, South Tyrol is thriving. It is the wealthiest province in Italy and being bilingual is a fact of life. The interesting historical past makes the region unique, neither completely Austrian nor Italian. So, it is easy to understand that it suffers from an identity crisis – its residents live in Italy, but many feel Austrian. Already extremely independent, the request that the region become independent, similar to the Vatican, isn’t surprising.
Having the Alps and the Dolomites so close together means an exhilarating combination of Mediterranean and Alpine charm. One moment you could be walking under palm trees and through vineyards and the next be trekking in the high mountains. It is a place where Austrian charm mingles with stylish Italian flair. It is no surprise the region is a celebrated spa and wellness destination. For years, mineral springs were Europe’s cure-all and people flocked to the region’s famous revitalizing waters and sanitariums. In the last several years, there has been a resurgence of stunning new resorts attracting skiers and non-skiers alike.
A few might remember when, in 1991, a couple of Germans hiking in the Östal Alps, came across the well-preserved corpse of Ötzi, the mummy who supplied a wealth of information about the Neolithic peoples and what they ate. Incredibly, it revealed that his last meal included smoked prosciutto, aka Speck, the area’s most famous cured meat! This region has the enviable position of being between the traditions of northern and southern Europe and boasts the highest number of Michelin starred restaurants. Many consider it to be Italy’s culinary star attracting the best chefs in the world looking for inspiration. In fact, one of Italy’s top chefs, Massimo Bottura, visits frequently.
This week’s menu will be a departure from the well-known Italian dishes of the South – an interesting combination of the cuisine of two cultures. Crostini di Speck, Asiago e Miele highlights two main ingredients of the region. The thinly sliced ham, Speck, takes some of the prosciutto crudo drying process and adds smoking to the technique, blending Italian and Germanic curing processes to perfection. Asiago cheese is a product of the fresh Alpine air and lush grasses that guarantee high quality milk. We melt the cheese before adding a slice of Speck and a drizzle of honey.
Minestra d’Orzo is Trento’s famous barley soup. Alto Adige is Italy’s main barley growing region. This soup is a typical local dish and a nourishing one for the mountain-dwellers during the long months of winter.
Goulasch con Gnocchi – Beef Stew and Dumplings might not be the first thing you think of when you think Italian food. It originated in Hungary where the dish was first prepared by cattle herders. Popular in Austria, Croatia and Slovenia, it is yet another example of Central European influence. We are serving it with a type of Austrian-style wheat-based gnocchi similar to spaetzle. Here, yet another example where borders are blurred.
Bread is very different here in the North, many times made with a mixture of rye and wheat flours. We thought it a nice addition to include pretzel rolls, a popular snack in the area of Bolzano and South Tyrol.
Half of Italy’s apples come from the region, so Strudel di Mele, Apple Strudel, holds a special place in the cuisine here and is probably its most popular dessert.
Trentino – Alto Adige is one of Italy’s smallest wine growing regions, yet due to its geographical position, it is most multifaceted. Alois Lageder is one of its premier wineries. It’s Pinot Bianco, Terra Alpina is approachable and pleasantly plush on the palate. It is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. It was born out of the mutation of the pink skinned Pinot Gris and tastes similar to Chardonnay.
After this last burst of blistery winter weather and after perusing photographs of this stunningly beautiful region, I am ready to pack my bags and bring my appetite to one of Italy’s best kept secrets.
Andiamo in montagna,
Christianne
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Eating together helps build understanding and strengthens the bonds between people. After all, eating at a table means both eating and talking. It can foster an exchange of ideas, break down prejudices and connect us on a most basic human level. When people are seated at the table, as they are passing the proverbial salt and breaking bread, they are forced to look at each other and converse.
This week we are featuring a simple menu, showcasing some of Biden’s long-time favorite dishes, Italian, of course. These are dishes well known and loved by most Americans. How appropriate to serve these crowd-pleasers to entice people to the table. That, after all, is what we have attempted to do with our Food Club during the COVID shutdown – to recreate the experience of eating together. Restaurants are more than just places to fill our stomachs. They are havens to remind us that we are part of a larger global family – a hospitable place where all are welcomed and nurtured.
]]>Eating together helps build understanding and strengthens the bonds between people. After all, eating at a table means both eating and talking. It can foster an exchange of ideas, break down prejudices and connect us on a most basic human level. When people are seated at the table, as they are passing the proverbial salt and breaking bread, they are forced to look at each other and converse.
This week we are featuring a simple menu, showcasing some of Biden’s long-time favorite dishes, Italian, of course. These are dishes well known and loved by most Americans. How appropriate to serve these crowd-pleasers to entice people to the table. That, after all, is what we have attempted to do with our Food Club during the COVID shutdown – to recreate the experience of eating together. Restaurants are more than just places to fill our stomachs. They are havens to remind us that we are part of a larger global family – a hospitable place where all are welcomed and nurtured.
“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”
Ronald Reagan
In his Farewell Address to the Nation in 1989, President Ronald Reagan stressed the importance of parents teaching their children about America around the dinner table. But, my initial interpretation of his statement was much broader, that is, nothing brings us together like eating together. Eating together helps build understanding and strengthens the bonds between people. Afterall, eating at a table means both eating and talking. It can foster an exchange of ideas, break down prejudices and connect us on a most basic human level. When people are seated at the table, as they are passing the proverbial salt and breaking bread, they are forced to look at each other and converse.
Certainly, great things have been achieved around the dinner table in this country. Interestingly enough, in 1790, it was the “dinner table bargain" that brought Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe together to discuss establishing the new capital that was to become Washington, DC. And it was George and Martha Washington who would host Thursday dinners to bring a variety of people together, a precursor to the well-known Georgetown dinner parties.
Eating together can help build and reinforce bonds between family members as well. Though the family meal is changing as families change, it symbolizes stability in time of uncertainty. This is something Italians have recognized for centuries. At the table sharing, reaching, pouring wine and eating food thoughtfully prepared, links us to who we are and develops empathy for others. First Lady, Jill Biden recounts that “Dinner became a tradition, a hub for our family... a constant you could depend on.” She made it a point, as do I, to bring her family together for Sunday dinners, believing that there is more to a meal than just food. When the cook makes the call that dinner is ready, everything stops and gives way to community.
It is well known that President Biden is a man of simple tastes, not unlike many of his predecessors. Franklin Roosevelt favored grilled cheese sandwiches, Richard Nixon ate cottage cheese with ketchup (!), Lincoln loved bacon, John Kennedy clam chowder and William Harrison’s favorite dish was squirrel stew! Thomas Jefferson was responsible for serving macaroni & cheese at his White House after he brought a pasta machine from Italy.
This week we are featuring a simple menu, showcasing some of Biden’s long-time favorite dishes, Italian, of course. These are dishes well known and loved by most Americans. How appropriate to serve these crowd-pleasers to entice people to the table. That, after all, is what we have attempted to do with our Food Club during the COVID shutdown – to recreate the experience of eating together. Restaurants are more than just places to fill our stomachs. They are havens to remind us that we are part of a larger global family – a hospitable place where all are welcomed and nurtured.
Benvenuti a tavola,
Christianne
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Cercina is not a little town or even a village – it is merely a cluster of simple country houses and farms, two trattorias, a tiny grocery store and an 11th century Romanesque church. The main event every year that draws hordes of Florentines to make the trek to this idyllic countryside enclave is La Festa di Sant’Antonio d’Abate, the Feast of Saint Anthony, protector of farm animals.
Every other year, the parade starts at Trattoria i Ricchi, led by a marching band and locals on horseback to the church square where the animals are blessed. La Festa di Sant’Antonio brings everyone together for three days of card games, communal lunches and the local favorite, Il Tiro della Forma / Throwing the Form. Our menu this week, is a tribute to those memories starting off with Fettunta coi Fagioli. (That, together with a glass of Chianti, is one of the finer things in life!)
]]>Cercina is not a little town or even a village – it is merely a cluster of simple country houses and farms, two trattorias, a tiny grocery store and an 11th century Romanesque church. The main event every year that draws hordes of Florentines to make the trek to this idyllic countryside enclave is La Festa di Sant’Antonio d’Abate, the Feast of Saint Anthony, protector of farm animals.
Every other year, the parade starts at Trattoria i Ricchi, led by a marching band and locals on horseback to the church square where the animals are blessed. La Festa di Sant’Antonio brings everyone together for three days of card games, communal lunches and the local favorite, Il Tiro della Forma / Throwing the Form. Our menu this week, is a tribute to those memories starting off with Fettunta coi Fagioli. (That, together with a glass of Chianti, is one of the finer things in life!)
Featured wine: Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Toscana Rosso, 2020
Ruby red in appearance. Fruity, lightly herbal and enriched hints of spices. This wine is ready to drink now. Full-bodied, soft and balanced. This is a very versatile wine and can match all courses, especially with meat, salami, and cheeses.
Who could have imagined on that fateful day, the little general store on a winding country road where I stopped for an afternoon panino would become the venue for years of special moments and lifetime memories? At only a few miles from the center of Florence, of course this hilltop Tuscan locale was beautiful, but what made me fall in love and stay were the people – those who lived there and those who regularly would come for Sunday lunch, a card game with friends or a walk in the country to fill their cisterns with local spring water.
Cercina is not a little town or even a village – it is merely a cluster of simple country houses and farms, two trattorias, a tiny grocery store and an 11th century Romanesque church. The main event every year that draws hordes of Florentines to make the trek to this idyllic countryside enclave is La Festa di Sant’Antonio d’Abate, the Feast of Saint Anthony, protector of farm animals. Legend has it that on the night between the 16th and 17th of January, domestic animals regain their voices. But if you should happen to hear chatter from the stables or rumblings from the family cat, just roll over and try not to listen as it would bring “beastly” bad luck to eavesdrop.
Every other year, the parade starts at Trattoria i Ricchi, led by a marching band and locals on horseback to the church square where the animals are blessed. January 17 also marks the unofficial beginning of Carnevale, the time leading up to Spring and Easter and a time to celebrate the gifts of the land. At Cercina’s church, loaves of bread are blessed, sliced, toasted, rubbed with garlic, dipped in bowls of newly harvested local olive oil (la fettunta) and offered, together with the region’s new wine, free of charge to all the celebrants.
La Festa di Sant’Antonio brings everyone together for three days of card games, communal lunches and the local favorite, Il Tiro della Forma / Throwing the Form. It is based on an ancient game where men launch a round of aged pecorino cheese down our street, curvy Via Docciola, to see who can roll it the furthest. Here it doesn’t matter your stature in life, everyone joyfully plays together, especially when the flavorful round happens to break. What ensues is much laughter and backslapping as the game is suspended, fiascos of wine appear and the participants polish off the cracked opened cheese before resuming competition.
Our menu this week, is a tribute to those memories starting off with Fettunta coi Fagioli. We bake the unsalted Tuscan loaves, slice and toast them rubbed with garlic and dipped in Tuscan extra virgin olive oil before topping them with a mound of cannellini beans. (That, together with a glass of Chianti, is one of the finer things in life!)
Pappardelle sull’ Anatra, wide homemade pasta ribbons with duck sauce is another favorite from the trattoria’s menu. We make the fresh egg-based pasta fresca, hand cut it and sauce it with a hearty stew-like duck sauce.
Arrosto Morto di Tacchino Ripieno, Rolled Turkey Breast is always found on the Sunday menu at Cercina. Here we stuff it with an herb frittata, baked ham and fontina cheese. We finish it off in the oven with Chianti to create a flavor-filled sauce, “sughino”.
Torta Rovesciata di Anasas, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, is this Americana’s contribution to a traditional Tuscan menu. When I first arrived at Cercina, I was apprenticed under Francesco’s elderly, Zia Ada, their expert baker. After weeks of making the same desserts, I volunteered to make something that I thought the local Tuscans would like. My first simple attempt was this old “Betty Crocker” classic, which initiated a series of other American specialties. Soon people would come not only for the exquisite Tuscan fare, but also for the unusual menu of Yankee sweets.
Looking at the old photos of this beloved festa (Grazie, Franco Ricchi!) I am reminded how much I loved this cast of characters and how much they loved each other. What makes this even more extraordinary is the fact that these men were fervent in their opposing political beliefs! Zio Oreste was a well known Italian fascist, Evangelista Righini was a life-long communist and the Ricchi family were Democrat -Christians. Yet these people lived happily together all their lives. Of course, there were heated political discussions in our smoke-filled bottega, but at the end of the evening, there would be a round of grappa and promises to return the next night for a friendly game of cards and more debating. What happy, happy times. If only we could learn from their example.
Pace,
Christianne
]]>The story of La Befana has been an Italian classic since the thirteenth century. It is a story of a lonely old woman and her endless search for the Christ Child. For Italians, La Festa della Epifania, The Epiphany, is as significant a holiday as Christmas Day, especially for Italian children. The legend continues that on the night of January 5th, Old Befana flies on her broomstick and goes down chimneys to deliver candy (dolcetti) or lumps of coal (carbone) to deserving children.
January 6th is a national holiday and marks the end of the traditional Christmas season. It commemorates the 12th Day of Christmas when the Three Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for Baby Jesus. The traditional foods of L’Epifania represent, in some instances, regional specialties, but are, by in large the same as the preceding Christmas holidays. Our menu is a whimsical culinary nod to Italy’s most beloved witch.
]]>The story of La Befana has been an Italian classic since the thirteenth century. It is a story of a lonely old woman and her endless search for the Christ Child. For Italians, La Festa della Epifania, The Epiphany, is as significant a holiday as Christmas Day, especially for Italian children. The legend continues that on the night of January 5th, Old Befana flies on her broomstick and goes down chimneys to deliver candy (dolcetti) or lumps of coal (carbone) to deserving children.
January 6th is a national holiday and marks the end of the traditional Christmas season. It commemorates the 12th Day of Christmas when the Three Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for Baby Jesus. The traditional foods of L’Epifania represent, in some instances, regional specialties, but are, by in large the same as the preceding Christmas holidays. Our menu is a whimsical culinary nod to Italy’s most beloved witch.
“In a small house, on the outskirts of a small village in Italy, lived Old Befana. She lived alone, and she wasn’t very friendly. If any people dared to knock at her door, she never asked them in. ‘I have no time for visiting’ Old Befana would say. The children didn’t like her either. ‘Cranky old lady’, they said. ‘And the way she is always sweeping.’” Tomie de Paola
The story of La Befana has been a beloved Italian classic since the thirteenth century. It is a story of a lonely old woman and her endless search for the Christ Child. For Italians, La Festa della Epifania, The Epiphany, is as significant a holiday as Christmas Day, especially for Italian children.
The story goes that La Befana lived on the road the Three Wise Men took on their journey to Bethlehem, guided by a bright star. They invited her to join them, but she refused because she was too busy sweeping her house. Later, she realizes her mistake, regrets her decision and sets off to find the Child. Sadly, she never finds Him, so instead, leaves treats for other children. The legend continues that on the night of January 5th, Old Befana flies on her broomstick and goes down chimneys to deliver candy (dolcetti) or lumps of coal (carbone) to deserving children.
January 6th, The Feast of the Epiphany, is a national holiday in Italy and marks the end of the traditional Christmas season. It commemorates the 12th Day of Christmas when the Three Wise Men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for Baby Jesus. Celebrations take various forms throughout Italy. In Urbania, La Befana’s hometown, thousands of people attend festivities to watch hundreds of Befanas fly down a zip line from the town’s main bell tower.
Other cities have different traditions. The highlight in Venice is La Regatta delle Befane, The Regatta of the Witches on the Grand Canal where retired gondoliers and rowing club members race dressed as Old Befanas. In Florence, it is a more refined affair filled with pageantry and history as the Three Wise Men dressed in Renaissance garb parade down the streets on adorned horseback.
Francesco tells me that growing up in Tuscany, where, until recently, there was no Santa Claus, they would await La Befana’s arrival with a mix of joy and anxiety. He and his brothers would hang hand-knit stockings at the large hearth in the trattoria’s kitchen in Cercina. They would write long letters asking for gifts, but often would find fruit and nuts with only a smattering of candy (which was too expensive). He fondly remembers that the whole town would go to church where the priest would hand out candy filled stockings to the children after which they returned home for the last celebratory meal of the season.
The traditional foods of L’Epifania represent, in some instances, regional specialties, but are, by in large the same as the preceding Christmas holidays. Our menu starts with a whimsical nod to La Befana’s treats. Caramelle al Prosciutto e Mozzarella are handmade pasta bundles resembling little wrapped candies stuffed with ricotta, prosciutto ham and mozzarella, lightly sauced with tomato.
Petto di Pollo Farcito con Salsa di Melograno is a pan seared chicken breast with white wine reduction, pomegranate salsa and sausage, mushroom & bread dressing.
Insalata di Rucola con Crostino di Trota Affumicato is a palate cleansing arugula salad with lemon, parmesan and smoked trout crostini.
Torta della Nonna or Grandmother’s Cake, in honor of the friendly Old Witch is a cookie crusted tart filled with pastry cream and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts.
The vineyards of Prunotto, owned by the Antinori family are located in Alba, in the heart of Le Langhe in the Piedmont region. Its Roero Arneis, 2019 is straw yellow in color with a nose that is intense with floral and fruity notes. The palate is notable for its good structure sustained by pleasant freshness and a lengthy finish that pairs well with our menu.
I’ve heard the story of La Befana many, many times over the years, but today I was struck by a theme that I had previously overlooked. The dutiful and hard working Befana was so focused on her perceived responsibility of sweeping the house that she regrettably overlooked the opportunity of a lifetime. She was so intent on the job at hand that she lost her perspective. Maybe another silver lining of this dark COVID cloud is being forced to slow down and reevaluate the journey. Maybe we’ve been given an opportunity to stop for a moment, lift up our heads and reset our priorities…. just in time for New Year’s resolutions.
Forza ed Avanti,
Christianne
In the two weeks between December 24 (Feast of the Seven Fishes) and January 6 (Epiphany), Italians find themselves at the holiday table six times for six different celebrations! There are various traditions and specialty ingredients featured depending on the region, but food is always the main event.
Second only to the Christmas feast, il Cenone di Capodanno or New Year’s Eve “Big Dinner” is the most important gathering of friends and family filled with traditions and superstitions that enrich the holiday, marking the beginning of the new year. In Italy, a traditional New Year’s Eve meal is all about symbolizing abundance, wealth and good luck. There are specific foods that no Italian would fail to eat or behaviors they would fail to exhibit to bring in the New Year.
This week’s menu will highlight ingredients you must eat to insure a prosperous and healthy new year. Lentils, pork, grapes and raisins are all included in this country style Tuscan dinner.
]]>In the two weeks between December 24 (Feast of the Seven Fishes) and January 6 (Epiphany), Italians find themselves at the holiday table six times for six different celebrations! There are various traditions and specialty ingredients featured depending on the region, but food is always the main event.
Second only to the Christmas feast, il Cenone di Capodanno or New Year’s Eve “Big Dinner” is the most important gathering of friends and family filled with traditions and superstitions that enrich the holiday, marking the beginning of the new year. In Italy, a traditional New Year’s Eve meal is all about symbolizing abundance, wealth and good luck. There are specific foods that no Italian would fail to eat or behaviors they would fail to exhibit to bring in the New Year.
This week’s menu will highlight ingredients you must eat to insure a prosperous and healthy new year. Lentils, pork, grapes and raisins are all included in this country style Tuscan dinner.
WillaKenzie Estate, Pinot Noir, 2018
WillaKenzie's new estate-focused blend, the 2016 Estate Pinot Noir is pale ruby-purple in color with a lovely spicy nose of red licorice, dried rose petals and potpourri over a core of bright red fruits—raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb and red cherry with cinnamon stick accents. Light to medium-bodied, it features bright red fruits framed with oodles of savory/spicy notes in the mouth. It has firm, grainy tannins and wonderful juicy acidity, finishing long with spicy layers.
Rating: 92+ Robert ParkerIn the two weeks between December 24 (Feast of the Seven Fishes) and January 6 (Epiphany), Italians find themselves at the holiday table six times for six different celebrations! There are various traditions and specialty ingredients featured depending on the region, but food is always the main event.
Second only to the Christmas feast, il Cenone di Capodanno or New Year’s Eve “Big Dinner” is the most important gathering of friends and family filled with traditions and superstitions that enrich the holiday, marking the beginning of the new year. In Italy, a traditional New Year’s Eve meal is all about symbolizing abundance, wealth and good luck. There are specific foods that no Italian would fail to eat or behaviors they would fail to exhibit to bring in the New Year.
Lenticchie / Lentils take center stage. They are believed to bring good luck and prosperity to those who eat them on New Year’s Eve. Their round shape, reminiscent of gold coins, represents the money one will earn in the coming year. So, the more you eat the better.
Maiale / Pork is another mainstay of the “Big Dinner”. The pig symbolizes abundance and since it is always moving forward, it represents progress. It “roots forward”, shoveling its snout into the future, unlike a chicken that scratches backwards. Inversely, it is bad luck to eat fowl for New Year’s. Cotecchino and Zampone are large, fatty sausages that are traditionally eaten with lentils and mashed potatoes.
Uva / Grapes - According to tradition, having grapes at the table demonstrates that all seated there are wise and frugal spenders. It is said to take much will power to conserve grapes from the harvest until New Year’s Eve, indicating great discipline. Raisins also are consumed as symbols of good luck.
Mutande Rosse - Wearing red underwear is a must. It represents love and fertility, but for the ritual to take full effect, they must be thrown away the next day. This tradition dates back to the time of the ancient Romans when, for New Year’s Eve, they wore something red to represent power, health and fertility.
Another superstition claims that whatever you do on New Year’s Eve, you are going to do for the whole year. It refers to a certain intimate act (!), but has been expanded to include one’s state of health as well. “Ammalato a Capodanno, ammalato tutto l’anno” (Sick on New Year’s Eve, sick all year long). Remember to leave the house with money in your pocket on the 1st. If you leave the house with money on the first day of the year, you will always have something to spend.
Italians take the adage “out with the old” quite literally, particularly in the South, where they let go of past unhappiness to prepare for the future by throwing old things out the window. Pedestrians beware – they throw out old pots and pans, old clothes, appliances and even furniture.
Another tradition is to light the Yule Log on the last day of the year to ward off evil spirits. It is also seen as a gesture of invitation to the Virgin Mary to come and warm newborn Jesus close to the fire. Afterwards, according to tradition, the ashes are strewn to protect the house from harm. Another way to scare off bad omens in the coming year is to smash glassware, plates and pottery and set off fireworks as well as light huge bonfires. It would appear that the spirits don’t like fire or loud noises.
I have taken a bit of culinary license this week in preparing a menu with the most noteworthy ingredients for a prosperous and healthy new year. Lentils, pork, grapes and raisins are all included in this country style Tuscan dinner.
The wine this week is a bit of a departure in that it is not Italian, though I believe it pairs beautifully with our menu. WillaKenzie Pinot Noir 2016 from Oregon’s Willamette Valley is light to medium bodied with pale ruby-purple color. It features bright red fruits with spicy notes and juicy acidity, perfect with our roasted sausage and grapes.
Though you will never hear an Italian say “Buon Anno”, “Felice Anno Nuovo” or Happy New Year before 12:01 am on January 1st (it’s bad luck, of course), I wish to extend my most heartfelt thanks for your support this year and look forward to continuing this Italian culinary journey with you in 2023.
Felice Anno Nuovo!
Christianne
]]>Bag pipes? Bag pipes in Italy! I quickly learned that no Italian Christmas would be complete without the sound of bagpipes. Everywhere from the piazzas of Rome to remote hillside villages, Zampognari (pipers) continue the tradition of festive bagpipe playing that dates back to ancient Rome.
Christmas in both Abruzzo and Lazio remains a holiday deeply rooted in ancient traditions where true values are passed down through the stories of the elderly from generation to generation. This week’s menu stars many ingredients popular in these regions and found on their holiday menus.
]]>Bag pipes? Bag pipes in Italy! I quickly learned that no Italian Christmas would be complete without the sound of bagpipes. Everywhere from the piazzas of Rome to remote hillside villages, Zampognari (pipers) continue the tradition of festive bagpipe playing that dates back to ancient Rome.
Christmas in both Abruzzo and Lazio remains a holiday deeply rooted in ancient traditions where true values are passed down through the stories of the elderly from generation to generation. This week’s menu stars many ingredients popular in these regions and found on their holiday menus.
The magic of Christmas in Piazza Navona has been etched in my mind since I was 16 years old. It was my first trip to Rome, and I couldn’t get my fill of the colorful lights and Christmas stalls in the iconic piazza.
I heard them first, before I saw them. It was a loud, sharp, rustic sound reminiscent of bleating sheep. Bagpipes? Bagpipes in Italy! I quickly learned that no Italian Christmas would be complete without the sound of bagpipes. Everywhere from the piazzas of Rome to remote hillside villages, the Zampognari (pipers) continue the tradition of festive bagpipe playing that dates back to ancient Rome. Apparently, the fiddle was not the only instrument Nero played. History shows the terrible Roman Emperor liked to play an instrument similar to the Zampogna.
Dressed in traditional sheep skin and woolen cloaks, the pipers were originally shepherds from the neighboring region of Abruzzo who traveled down from their homes in the mountains in an effort to make extra income by performing in the streets of Rome. Legend has it that once the shepherds gazed upon Baby Jesus in the manger, they took out their bagpipes and played for him. That would explain why still today, they visit Nativity scenes throughout the city to pay homage.
The Romans take Christmas very seriously and is quite a grand affair and a wonderful celebration to experience. Although it is not as glitzy as in some cities, it tends to focus more on families, religious festivities, and the real meaning behind Christmas. Of course, they have fun too. There is a great atmosphere in the city and the Romans like to socialize and stay outside in the streets and piazzas (pre-COVID!)
Christmas in both Abruzzo and Lazio remains a holiday deeply rooted in ancient traditions while true values are passed down through the stories of the elderly from generation to generation. Recipes and stories certainly are shared while cooking in the kitchen but for many families this most festive day would not be complete without a friendly game of cards or “Tombola” after Christmas lunch. Very similar to bingo, “Tombola” is a game that all ages can play together. It is one of the most significant moments of the holiday, bringing the family closer.
Our menu this week stars many ingredients popular in both Abruzzo and Lazio. Insalata di Ceci. Romans love legumes. They are the basis for many of their bold dishes. Lazio’s countryside, renowned for its rich volcanic soil, grows exceptional produce. “Ceci,” chickpeas, have been a mainstay of their diet since ancient Rome.
Bucatini all’Amatriciana is Lazio’s iconic pasta, brought to infamous light after the recent terrible earthquake in its name sake city, Amatrice. It is said to be a favorite dish of the shepherds using cured pork and the strongly flavored pecorino Romano. It is intensely flavored and quick to prepare using just a few ingredients.
Spiedino di Gamberoni e Peperoni Rossi. With 100 miles of coast on the Adriatic, fishing plays a large role in Abruzzo’s economy. Its waters are spotted with “trabocchi”, a fishing platform with a long narrow pier connecting it to land. They were built to offer fisherman an alternative to fishing boats, always susceptible to weather, waves and tides. We alternate large, marinated shrimp with Lazio’s popular sweet red peppers on skewers grilled over smokey embers.
Panna Cotta Rosso, Bianco e Verde celebrates the colors of Christmas (and the Italian flag) by adorning this Italian classic pudding with pomegranate, toasted coconut, and mint.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the region’s most popular grape varietal. Maschiarelli is a Wine Advocate Highly Respected Producer (3 Bicchieri Winner.) It is a medium-bodied dry red and is the perfect, versatile, food friendly wine that so many Italian restaurants and homes enjoy as their everyday “bevanda.”
As we have seen through the past 144(!) weeks of Food Club menus and stories, Italy is a country rich in traditions, proud of its history and heritage. The Christmas season, in particular, is a time to gather the family together. A period during which different generations of family spend time under the same roof. This year we will revel in memories of Christmas past filled with hope for a much brighter and happier 2022.
Buon Natale a tutti!
Christianne
The Italian religious custom of displaying the nativity scene of Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a manger is something to behold. You would be hard pressed to find a home without one at this time of year, especially in Naples. They can range in size from a small tabletop to replicas of entire cities taking up enormous tabletops and even whole rooms. The Presepe is not simply a tradition in Naples, it has developed into an art form.
While Americans celebrate the holidays by erecting Christmas trees, Italians focus on the essence of Christmas spirit by displaying the Presepio in their homes, churches and piazzas. It wasn’t that long ago that you couldn’t even find cut fir trees to decorate in Italy. For years, I searched nurseries and flower shops for a worthy specimen. One year I even bought two trees with the intention of wiring the branches of one onto the other (imagine Charlie Brown’s sad Christmas tree ☹)
It was Saint Francis of Assisi who popularized the Presepio in the 13th century using live animals and real people for his nativity scenes. Since then, the Neapolitans have adopted the custom of venerating Christ’s birthplace by creating elaborate tableaus of figures and scenes. As time progressed the sacred and the profane collided setting the Holy Family alongside ordinary people going about their normal lives. In addition to the classic figures of the Three Kings and various shepherds, you can easily find replicas of current political leaders and celebrities.
The heart of Presepio crafting in Naples can be found in the old center of Spaccanapoli, where the streets are spilling over with handmade mangers, villages and figurines of a variety of materials. Many characters or places have hidden meanings, rooted in the long tradition of the Presepio.
Food in Naples also is rooted in a long history of outside influences of foreign invaders and poverty. Historical Neapolitan cuisine had been divided into two different categories: one for the rich and nobles, and another for the poor people.
Our first dish, Pasta e Fasul, is considered a recipe for the people, dating back thousands of years. Like most Italian recipes, there is much debate as to ingredients and preparation. We use white cannellini beans with imported canned plum tomatoes, pancetta, and garlic. The thick creamy texture is achieved by cooking a blend of different pasta shapes (munuzzaglia) directly in the soup. Some versions can be thicker than others, even eaten with a fork.
Bistecca Pizzaiola is another popular and well-loved dish from Naples. It too, was born poor, using scraps of whatever meat was available. As it was assimilated into the mainstream, more expensive ingredients were used creating one of the premiere dishes from the region of Campania. We use NY Strip steaks, pan seared and braised in tomato and oregano with a finishing touch of Fior di Latte mozzarella, one of Naples most famous cheeses.
Insalata di Scarola uses escarole, one of Campania’s most popular salad greens with the addition of sauteed apples and parmesan shavings. Irpinia, just outside of Naples, is famous for its hazelnuts which we use to add the final crunch to our salad.
Sfogliatelle are shell-shaped pastries translated to mean "little leaves." They are made by rolling out very thin dough forming it into a log, cutting it into rounds, creating flaky leaves when baked. Its popularity in Naples (and the world) lies in the combination of textures: flaky crust and soft creamy filling. Probably first invented in the 17th century by the cloistered nuns of Santa Rosa in Conca di Marini, it invokes intense emotions from Neapolitans and Italian Americans alike.
The Aglianico grape, native to Campania, has been produced into wine since Roman times. In the 1940s the Mastroberardino family started a project to restore this historic varietal. Their efforts ignited a resurgence in quality wine production in all of southern Italy. This Mastro Aglianico Campania is a youthful red with notes of berries and violet flowers. It pairs well with this week’s tomato-based dishes.
Buon Natale!
Christianne
]]>Ask any Italian when they usually open their gifts and you can probably tell where they are from. Italians celebrate lots of great unique Christmas traditions. Customs vary from city to city, from exactly what dishes are served to when to open presents. It is a great time to be a kid in Italy!
December 13th marks the “Festa di Santa Lucia” – St. Lucy’s Day. Historically, it was to her (and not Santa) that children wrote letters requesting gifts and sweets which she delivered with the help of her donkey on the eve of her feast day.
This week we feature a typical menu from Sicily, Santa Lucia’s birthplace. An “omaggio” to this colorful and beloved Saint kicks off the Christmas season in Italy.
]]>Ask any Italian when they usually open their gifts and you can probably tell where they are from. Italians celebrate lots of great unique Christmas traditions. Customs vary from city to city, from exactly what dishes are served to when to open presents. It is a great time to be a kid in Italy!
December 13th marks the “Festa di Santa Lucia” – St. Lucy’s Day. Historically, it was to her (and not Santa) that children wrote letters requesting gifts and sweets which she delivered with the help of her donkey on the eve of her feast day.
This week we feature a typical menu from Sicily, Santa Lucia’s birthplace. An “omaggio” to this colorful and beloved Saint kicks off the Christmas season in Italy.
Ask any Italian when they usually open their gifts and you can probably tell where they are from. Italians celebrate lots of great unique Christmas traditions. Customs vary from city to city, from exactly what dishes are served to when to open presents. It is a great time to be a kid in Italy!
There is a festive atmosphere during the whole of December, starting on the 8th with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is the kick-off of the holiday season when everyone starts decorating. Next comes “La Festa di Santa Lucia”/Feast of Saint Lucy. She is one of the most beloved saints in Italy and each region celebrates her with traditions passed down for generations. Historically, it was to her that children wrote letters requesting gifts and sweets which she delivered in a cart with the help of a flying donkey on the eve of her feast day, December 13.
Legend has it that the saintly Lucia refused the advances of a powerful pagan man who had fallen in love with her legendary beautiful eyes, so she plucked them out and sent them to him! You will recognize her as frequently portrayed holding her eyes on a golden platter – the patron saint of the blind. Not coincidentally, Lucia’s name is derived from the Latin “lucis” for light (“luce” in Italian.) Her feast day once coincided with the Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year, when darkness seemed never ending. (Old Italian saying: “Santa Lucia, il giorno più breve che ci sia.” “St. Lucy’s Day, the shortest day there is.”)
In Northern Italy, children anxiously await her arrival by leaving her coffee and flour or hay for her donkey. They must go to bed and keep their eyes tightly shut or Lucia might throw ashes in their eyes and not leave any gifts. In Sicily, birthplace of the Saint, there are religious processions and nocturnal celebrations using candles and bonfires, a blatant reminder of Lucia as protector of light and sight.
This week’s menu is one you might find in Syracusa or Palermo. Insalata Siciliana. winter salad with oranges, fennel, red onion, celery, and olives is refreshing and vibrant – a good example of the simplicity and freshness of Sicilian cooking.
Casarecce al Pesto Trapanese. Casarecce originated in Sicily and are short twists of homemade extruded pasta. Here we toss them with an almond-based pesto from the western Sicilian city of Trapani. We make a fresh tomato, toasted almond, basil, garlic, and pecorino pesto, finished with toasted breadcrumbs.
Pesce Spada alla Siciliana is a typical Sicilian dish of fresh grilled swordfish loin finished with a lemon, olive oil, garlic and white wine sauce. The tradition of swordfish fishing is more than 2,000 years old and is historically connected to Sicily’s culture.
Cuccia di Santa Lucia. Cuccia is a type of pudding traditionally prepared for La Festa di Santa Lucia. It is eaten in memory of her miraculous intervention in averting famine in the city of Syracusa. According to the legend, the Saint sent two ships loaded with wheat to save the port city. It is said that the large grains of soft wheat are representative of her eyes and this specialty only is eaten once a year. It is a creamy desert of soft winter wheatberries, ricotta, honey and chocolate.
In the mid-1980s three enthusiastic men began their wine-making adventure to change the Sicilian wine industry by innovating old methods and by matching Sicilian soils with indigenous and international varietals. Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s most important grape. La Segreta takes its name from the woods surrounding Planeta’s Ulmo vineyard. It pairs beautifully with the Sicilian flavors of this week’s menu.
This month in Italy is filled with delightful traditions we will be highlighting in the coming weeks. Though varied and sometimes a bit bizarre, these customs always seem to revolve around food and family. “Natale coi i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi.” “Christmas with family, Easter with whoever you want.” In Italy don’t even think about not spending Christmas with the famiglia.
Buon Natale,
Christianne
]]>“Fast,” “Convenient,” “Save time,” all have become the mantras of modern life. “Time is money,” has become the foundation of how we live our lives today, both here in the US and Italy. Many of the time-honored traditions of Italian regional cuisine are being lost and replaced by more time efficient and less expensive methods.
The “Slow Food” Movement was created to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat. It goes without saying that Italy has a rich food culture and is an extraordinary expression of local traditions.
We like to think that what we have done here at the Food Club is based on the “Slow Food” tradition. This week’s menu is an example of regional dishes from North, Central and Southern Italy.
]]>“Fast,” “Convenient,” “Save time,” all have become the mantras of modern life. “Time is money,” has become the foundation of how we live our lives today, both here in the US and Italy. Many of the time-honored traditions of Italian regional cuisine are being lost and replaced by more time efficient and less expensive methods.
The “Slow Food” Movement was created to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat. It goes without saying that Italy has a rich food culture and is an extraordinary expression of local traditions.
We like to think that what we have done here at the Food Club is based on the “Slow Food” tradition. This week’s menu is an example of regional dishes from North, Central and Southern Italy.
“Fast,” “Convenient,” “Save time,” all have become the mantras of modern life. “Time is money,” has become the foundation of how we live our lives today, not only here in the US, but unfortunately, even in Italy. So much of small-town life has disappeared eclipsed by countless shopping centers and fast-food restaurants. Many of the time-honored traditions of Italian regional cuisine are being lost and replaced by more time efficient and less expensive methods.
In 1989, Carlo Petrini, was alarmed by this trend and started the Slow Food Movement as an antidote to fast food and the immediate threat of McDonalds opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome. There was also a push to embrace American fast-food trends in Florence where we lived. In fact, Francesco and I gave serious thought to opening a hamburger join there, but instead decided to make the leap and come to Washington to promote authentic Italian regional cuisine. (Good choice!)
Slow Food has become a global grassroots organization “to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat…” It works to safeguard ancient and traditional food production techniques at the risk of disappearing. It believes food should be GOOD (quality and healthy), CLEAN (safe food production), and FAIR (pricing to consumers and for farmers).
It goes without saying that Italy has a rich food culture. Its early un-unified, city-state system reinforced regional differences and even encouraged them as a point of pride. After its unification, Italy was divided into twenty regions, each with its own culinary traditions. But, because of modern day outside influences and the establishment of the European Union, cooking is changing in Italy. Dishes that were once commonplace in trattorias and even in-home kitchens are getting harder to find. It is becoming more expensive and time consuming to carry on these traditions.
In the twenty-one months of COVID shutdown and Food Club menus we have visited and eaten specialties from seventeen of the twenty regions. It has been quite a journey for me (and I hope for the many of you who have been with us from the beginning) discovering the nuances and history of Italy’s marvelous food mosaic. There are some common cooking trends dividing Italy into three different gastronomic areas – North, Central, and South. The Northern regions’ traditions are considered the richest, where butter and cream are more frequently used than olive oil and where hardy soups, risottos, egg-based pastas, high-fat cheeses, and vegetables like radicchio are prolific.
Central regions’ strike just the right balance between the North and South. They are renowned for their heavy-bodied food - salami and sausages, as well as truffles and mushrooms. Homemade pastas like spaghetti alla chitarra and bucatini always seem to be seasoned with sauces containing meat and game (usually pork.)
Food from the Southern regions is typically considered Mediterranean. Fish, seafood, durum wheat pastas and olive oil are the main ingredients. Poorer than its Northern cousins, it is more farm-based and rustic, influenced by centuries of dominance from foreign invaders.
I like to think that all we have done here at the Food Club is based on the Slow Food tradition of highlighting regional food culture. This week’s menu is an example of dishes from North, Central and Southern Italy.
Radicchio all Griglia (North). We split the round heads of radicchio, quickly grill them with a balsamic reduction and toss them with roasted red peppers, arugula and taleggio cheese.
Stracci alla Fiesolana (Central). Stracci or “rags” are irregular shaped egg pasta strips tossed with a tomato, mushroom and sausage sauce from the Etruscan town of Fiesole, outside of Florence.
Pollo Saltimbocca alla Romana (Central). We use chicken breast in place of the more traditional and expensive veal, wrap it in prosciutto and sage and finish it with dry white wine.
Cannoli (South). A well-known Neapolitan specialty, it is a fried cylinder pastry filled with ricotta cream and chocolate bits.
Our wine selection this week comes from Piemonte, the zone where the Slow Food Movement began. Michele Chiarlo, Le Orme, Barbera d’Asti, is made from the barbera grape harvested from several vineyards south of Asti. It is ruby red with hues of violet. It has good structure and roundness with a savory finish.
Italian food is an extraordinary expression of local traditions and terrain rather than a homogeneous national cuisine. It has become my passion to uphold and promote these priceless regional traditions and to utilize them as a strong base for new and possibly better cooking.
“Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano. ”
Old Italian saying…”Those who go slowly, go healthy and go far.”
Piano, piano –
Christianne
]]>Crostini di Trota Affumicata
Smoked river trout pate crostini
*
Ricchi e Poveri
Pan seared prawns, cannellini beans
*
Capesante ai Funghi e Gnocchi di Ricotta
Sea scallops, wild mushrooms, ricotta gnocchi & parsley butter
*
Risotto d'Aragosta
Lobster risotto
*
Taglierini Freschi alle Vongole
Fresh hand-cut pasta, manila clams, squash & Calabrian chilis
*
Cacciucco alla Livornese
Tuscan fish stew - assortment of 7 fishes, tomato broth & garlic croutons
*
Crostata di Panettone
Panettone pudding tart
Made popular in this country by Southern Italian immigrants in New York in the 1900s, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is enjoyed on Christmas Eve in commemoration of the birth of Jesus the next day. The Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of certain holy days led to the origination of this multi-course feast.
Despite its Italian American popularity, this tradition is virtually unknown in Northern Italy. Though it seems like almost each of the 20 regions has its own culinary traditions, this celebration has taken hold here and has become a popular annual i Ricchi event.
We are excited that you have made this part of your Christmas tradition!
]]>The feast of Saint Sylvester is traditionally celebrated on New Year’s Eve night when Italians believe they should eat lentils as a symbol of wealth. Join us to set up some good fortunes for 2024!
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Carpaccio di Salmone al’Anice
Thinly sliced anise cured salmon, tarragon aioli, haricots verts, fingerling potatoes and Castelvetrano olives
Tortellini alla Panna
Nonna Irma’s homemade veal, pork & chicken filled tortellini with parmesan cream
Mare e Monti sulle Lenticchie
This certainly will be another Thanksgiving to remember – still filled with zoom calls and quiet isolated dinners for some and crowded planes and icy roads for others. Since this beloved family holiday will be different again this year, I have found solace in remembering Thanksgivings past, first as a child at my Italian grandmother’s table and then as a young woman in Italy, cooking for the Ricchi’s and my new friends.
Since most of us will be enjoying turkey this week, I thought it a good idea to highlight the dishes our customers ask for the most.
]]>This certainly will be another Thanksgiving to remember – still filled with zoom calls and quiet isolated dinners for some and crowded planes and icy roads for others. Since this beloved family holiday will be different again this year, I have found solace in remembering Thanksgivings past, first as a child at my Italian grandmother’s table and then as a young woman in Italy, cooking for the Ricchi’s and my new friends.
Since most of us will be enjoying turkey this week, I thought it a good idea to highlight the dishes our customers ask for the most.
Who could have dreamed we would still be here? This certainly will be another Thanksgiving to remember – filled with zoom calls and quiet isolated dinners for some and crowded flights and icy roads for others. Wiser sages tell us to let go of what we can’t control and be thankful for what we have been given.
Since I realized we might have to forgo the yearly event that we treasure most in our family, I have found solace in remembering Thanksgivings past. First, as a child, remembering Nanny Russo’s table, so much more than the traditional American spread. Of course, there was turkey with all the rest, because engaging in this national tradition was extremely important to an Italian immigrant family who reveled in being new Americans. For an Italian though, a true feast must include several courses, commencing with a savory antipasto followed by an intricate pasta course. Ours was lasagna, a dish that would take days to prepare. My favorite memory of those early Thanksgivings of my youth was that of my father sitting at the empty, tomato sauce and turkey gravy spotted table, picking through warm, crackling, roasted chestnuts. As the pile of empty shells grew in the center of the table, he usually then would pull out his pipe and the holiday tableau was complete as the house filled with the scent of aromatic Flying Dutchman tobacco.
Moving to Italy as a young woman brought many discoveries and new adventures, but one of my favorites was the introduction of American Thanksgiving traditions to the Italians. They were so eager and curious to partake in this culinary extravaganza that they had seen in American movies. My Thanksgiving dinners at the trattoria in Cercina became a much-anticipated event. We closed for the day and set the table for 60 or more of our family, friends and customers. There are many, many funny stories about trying to find turkeys and cranberries, but the most memorable was the hunt for sweet potatoes (“patate Americane.”) Our greengrocer (“fruttivendolo”) couldn’t help us, but directed us to the FLORIST (“fioraio”) down the street! Remember when as children we would stick a sweet potato in a jar full of water and long green vines would sprout? I bought the whole basket of sweet spuds, but the gray mush of a sweet potato casserole did not quite meet the mark. Yuck!
Since most of us will be enjoying turkey this week, I thought it a good idea to highlight the dishes that our customers ask for the most. Penne Strascicate is a dish most emblematic of rustic Tuscan cooking and one we have had on the menu since we opened. “Strascicare” means to shuffle or drag through. In this case, the pasta and sugo (Tuscans’ beloved meat sauce) are combined in a pan and tossed together – or the pasta is “dragged through” the sauce, creating a delightful amalgama of flavors. It is our most requested pasta dish with a taste like no other.
Rosticciana con Fagioli all’Uccelletto is one of the most popular dishes both here and at the trattoria at Cercina. Rubbed with fennel seeds and mixed spices, pork ribs are slow roasted and finished on the grill with a stroke of balsamic glaze. Tuscans, known as “mangia fagioli”, bean-eaters, will almost always accompany their ribs with Fagioli all’ Uccelletto, stewed cannellini with tomato and sage.
Misticanza di Stagione has become i Ricchi’s house salad. We roast grapes to bring out their sweetness and toss them with arugula, radicchio and frisee lettuces, crispy toasted farro and parmesan shavings.
Bongo Bongo is Florentine slang for chocolate covered, cream filled profiterole. There are varied opinions as to the origin of the name of this dessert, some of which are not very politically correct. But, whatever the origin, they are one of the most popular desserts in Florence and with our Food Club!
This week may be a hard one for many, but now, more than ever, we must persevere and not focus on what is missing. Our Thanksgiving family tradition always included going around the table as each declared what they were most grateful for. Thanksgiving is about gratitude and gratitude brings happiness. At this very difficult time for me, I am deeply touched by the support and love of our customers. You are what keeps me on track, focused and grateful. Happy, happy Thanksgiving – the battle is real and we will make it through.
Here is a final thought sent from a friend…
My Thanksgiving Week TO DO LIST:
Con gratitudine,
Christianne
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Why did it take me so long to get to Lake Como? It is undeniably breathtaking with gorgeous landscapes and towering snowcapped mountains. It is an ideal spot with beauty, style and great food, frequently peppered with a movie star here and there. Join us this week for a feast worthy of a movie star!
]]>Why did it take me so long to get to Lake Como? It is undeniably breathtaking with gorgeous landscapes and towering snowcapped mountains. It is an ideal spot with beauty, style and great food, frequently peppered with a movie star here and there. Join us this week for a feast worthy of a movie star!
“I ask myself, Is this a Dream?
Will it all vanish into air?
Is there a land of such supreme
And perfect beauty anywhere?”
William Wordsworth
Why did it take me so long to get to Lake Como? It is only a 3 ½ hour train ride from Florence. Probably because in Italy, like here in the States, running a restaurant is all-consuming. There was not a lot of free time to explore places too far from our little trattoria in Tuscany. It wasn’t until I returned to the States and had the good fortune to meet the larger-than-life, Senator Lowell Weicker and his wife, Claudia, that I was invited to their vacation villa in Varenna, on the north-eastern bank of the lake. We spent several summers together hiking, touring, and of course, eating.
Como and the lakes of northern Italy are a magical place to visit. Set against the foothills of the Alps, they offer unparalleled dramatic scenery. Lake Como is Italy’s most famous lake, now more than ever since George Clooney has taken up residence there. It is popular with vacationing Milanesi (Milan is less than an hour away) and American tourists. Lake Garda is popular with Germans and other Europeans, while Italians most likely go to Lakes Orta and Maggiore.
The suggestive landscapes have inspired many artists, writers, scientists, and composers through the years. In fact, it was those that painted and wrote there in the 1800s, that put Lake Como on tourist maps. There is a seductive allure to the majestic mountains rising from the glacial waters with beautiful villas and historical residences lining the shore. Bellagio, known as “la perla dell’lago” (the pearl of the lake), is considered to be one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in Italy.
Lombardia, where Lake Como is located, is about the size of Vermont and borders Switzerland to the north. It is the fashion and business powerhouse of Italy with Milano at its center. With a wealth of agricultural land set between fertile rivers, as well as mountainous areas, Lombardia is an ideal zone for the cultivation of fruit and livestock, as well as the making of traditional cheeses and charcuterie.
Our first course, Insalata di Pere, Grana e Noci, features two of its local specialties. Grana Padano is a hard cheese with a savory flavor similar to parmesan. This time of year Mantova pears, cultivated since the 1400s in the southern part of the region, are a real treat for fruit lovers. We toss arugula, spinach, frisee and red romaine with sliced pears (ours, alas, are Bartletts), toasted walnuts, dried strawberries and sweet balsamic with shavings of Grana Padano.
Polenta al Taleggio e Tartufo is the melding of two beloved ingredients in the Lombard diet. Polenta, a maiz (corn) flour porridge has been a mainstay for centuries. There are countless ways to enjoy it – sometimes eaten in the place of bread and other times embellished with flavorful expensive ingredients. Taleggio, from Val Taleggio near Bergamo, is produced now in the Fall and Winter. It is a semi-soft cheese with a strong aroma but mild tangy taste. Here we have melted it together with the polenta and a touch of pure white truffle oil.
Filetti di Maiale con Salsa di Funghi. Lombardia’s cuisine is the legacy of herders, dating back to the Roman Empire, and the influence of neighboring France and Austria with their predilection for stewed and braised meats. Our pork tenderloin, prepared with thyme and mushrooms (also abundant this time of year) is served over the polenta, making it a flavorful “piatto unico” (one plate) in true Lombard style.
Mele Cotte Ripiene di Amaretti. Among the many apples produced in Italy the ones of Valtellina stand out for their flavor and scent. Ours are stuffed with another Lombard specialty – amaretti – light, crunchy, almond-flavored cookies from Saronno. We bake them in a bath of apple cider with a touch of renowned Amaretto di Saronno liqueur.
It wouldn’t be a true Lombard dinner without a final bite of Torrone – the cream colored confection of sugar, honey and egg whites, speckled with toasted almonds. It is normally eaten at this time of year, around the holidays, but now can be found most any time.
Our wine selection this week, Lambrusco, is actually a family of very old grape varieties native to Lombardia and neighboring Emilia-Romagna. It ranges from dry to sweet, varying from light red to deep purple in color. It is typically frizzante (lighly sparkling) and low in alcohol. Quercioli Secco N/V, is from Reggio-Emilia province. It is dry yet fruity with fresh, pleasantly harmonious flavors with lively effervescence. I think you will find it a delightful revelation.
Lake Como is undeniably breathtaking with gorgeous landscapes and towering snow-capped mountains. It is an ideal spot with beauty, style and great food, frequently peppered with a famous movie star here and there. My sojourn to this little piece of heaven is firmly on my list of places to which return.
Como – al presto!
Christianne
“L’Estate di San Martino”, Saint Martin’s Summer, is a time when warm weather returns, albeit briefly, before winter – our Indian Summer. In Italy, it is a moment to bask in the joy of the harvest and wine making when the coffers are full of the bounty from spring and summer’s hard work in the fields. It has come to symbolize a time of change and “new beginnings.” The new vintage is almost ready, which means barrels need to be fully emptied from last year’s wine to be cleaned for the new.
Venice’s way of celebrating this time of year is one of the most festive, especially for children. Our menu this week takes inspiration from Venetian ingredients and specialties paired with Soave Classico, one the region’s best wines.
]]>“L’Estate di San Martino”, Saint Martin’s Summer, is a time when warm weather returns, albeit briefly, before winter – our Indian Summer. In Italy, it is a moment to bask in the joy of the harvest and wine making when the coffers are full of the bounty from spring and summer’s hard work in the fields. It has come to symbolize a time of change and “new beginnings.” The new vintage is almost ready, which means barrels need to be fully emptied from last year’s wine to be cleaned for the new.
Venice’s way of celebrating this time of year is one of the most festive, especially for children. Our menu this week takes inspiration from Venetian ingredients and specialties paired with Soave Classico, one the region’s best wines.
Fragrant and racy, this elegant, focused white opens with heady scents of yellow stone fruit, spring blossom and wild herb. The vibrant, savory palate delivers apricot and pineapple. Meyer lemon and white almond set against zesty acidity that leaves a dry, juicy finish.
This year we have been enjoying an extended Indian Summer – a period in mid to late autumn of abnormally warm weather. In Italy, “l’Estate di San Martino,” or “St. Martin’s Summer” celebrates this same phenomenon. The story goes that Martino, as a young Roman soldier, comes upon a poor, freezing beggar, cuts his own military cloak in half and shares it with him. It is said that God was so pleased by this compassionate gesture that He sent the sun to warm them both. And so, November 11, the Feast of San Martino, has come to symbolize the brief return of good, warm weather.
As often happens in Italy, pagan, Christian and agrarian customs, replete with traditional meaning, combine to create a time of great celebration. It is a moment to bask in the joy of the harvest and winemaking when the coffers are full of the bounty of spring and summer’s hard work in the fields. It has come to symbolize a time of change and “new beginnings.” The new vintage is almost ready, which means that barrels need to be fully emptied from last year’s wine to be cleaned for the new. November 11 is the day when new wine or “vino novello” is released. New beginnings also because all social and civil activities would start then. For centuries it marked the start of Parliamentary activities, of agricultural contracts, and, until the 19th century, the school year. It was even the moment popularly chosen to move domiciles – all great changes traditionally took place on St. Martin’s day.
Though every region has its own unique way of celebrating, Venice is one of the most festive, particularly for children. They go around town banging on pots and pans asking for sweets or money to buy the beloved “Dolce di San Martino,” a large sugar cookie in the shape of the Saint riding a horse, ornately decorated with colorful frosting and candy.
This week’s menu takes inspiration from Venetian specialties and ingredients. “Andare a cicchetto” – going for a nibble – is a popular past time of frequenting walk-up windows throughout the city to grab a glass of wine or prosecco with a savory bite, almost always standing up. Cicchetti al Salmone are crostini topped with our house-cured salmon laced with the pungent aroma of star anise and garnished with crème fraiche and fresh herbs.
Risi e Bisi is Venice’s iconic risotto. Vialone Nano rice, grown in the Padano Plain to the south, has a very high starch content, making it perfectly suited for our creamy risotto. It is really a cross between a risotto and a soup giving it a slightly thinner consistency. It is enhanced with frozen (soon after harvest) peas, pancetta, mint and parmigiano.
Sogliola all Mugnaia is a nod to Italy’s norther neighbors, France, who also claims St. Martin as their patron saint. Venice’s lagoon is filled with a plethora of delicately flavored fish. Our flounder is local, fresh from the Chesapeake Bay, fished by a small family fleet. “All Mugnaia,” or "a la Meuniere" in French, is a simple but flavorful preparation using butter and fresh lemon juice.
Torta di Zucca, Pumpkin Cake, showcases one of the Veneto’s most reveared vegetables. Its favorite variety is “Zucca Suca Baruca” (warty pumpkin), a slightly squashed sphere with gnarled dark green skin and vibrant orange flesh. We garnish our spice cake with a dollop of whipped orange mascarpone.
The Pieropan family business was founded in 1880 in the Medieval village of Soave. For four generations, they have been producing some of Veneto’s best wines. The Soave Classico is the youngest, freshest wine they offer, made with grapes from west-facing slopes with volcanic soil. The color is a bright yellow with a hint of green. A wonderful floral nose and well-balanced palate that will pair beautifully with our Venetian menu.
New beginnings – a time to clean out old wine from the barrels to make way for the new. Humm….these could be words to live by.
“Chi voul far buon vino, zappi e poti a San Martino.”
"Whoever wants to make good wine, hoe and prune on the day of St. Martin."
Words to live by especially now.
Buon lavoro,
Christianne
Thanksgiving is a time to reunite family. For this, i Ricchi will prepare its annual Italian American feast for pick-up on Wednesday, the day before, so our staff can spend the day with their families.
Many of our customers still will not be traveling this year, so we thought it a great idea to offer this 4-course celebratory meal so even those spending the day alone could enjoy some home cooking.
In Italian American homes, Thanksgiving is the perfect melding of two cultures. For Americans, Thanksgiving has become the quintessential national holiday of goodwill and abundance. Italians easily understand and embrace Thanksgiving as they love any holiday that brings people together around the table.
Ours is a true feast of two traditions.
Thanksgiving “a Casa” at Home – available from single portions to platters for four or more. 4 courses $75, Curbside pickup Wednesday 11/22 from 4pm-8pm.
]]>Many of our customers still will not be traveling this year, so we thought it a great idea to offer this 4-course celebratory meal so even those spending the day alone could enjoy some home cooking.
In Italian American homes, Thanksgiving is the perfect melding of two cultures. For Americans, Thanksgiving has become the quintessential national holiday of goodwill and abundance. Italians easily understand and embrace Thanksgiving as they love any holiday that brings people together around the table.
Ours is a true feast of two traditions.
Thanksgiving “a Casa” at Home – available from single portions to platters for four or more. Wine pairings optional. 3 courses $75, Curbside pickup Wednesday 11/22 from 3pm-7pm. Reserve at www.iricchifoodclub.com
In was October 18, 1971…the day I fell in love with Italy. My fate was sealed that crisp autumn morning when I went to harvest olives for the first time. The moment they strapped that woven willow basket around my waist, I couldn’t wait to ascend into those silvery branches. The olive harvest is a unique opportunity to participate in an autumnal ritual that is essential to Italy’s agrarian and culinary culture.
This week’s menu highlights the use of olive oil, exalts the flavors of the season and features some of the dishes you might find at an olive harvest feast.
]]>In was October 18, 1971…the day I fell in love with Italy. My fate was sealed that crisp autumn morning when I went to harvest olives for the first time. The moment they strapped that woven willow basket around my waist, I couldn’t wait to ascend into those silvery branches. The olive harvest is a unique opportunity to participate in an autumnal ritual that is essential to Italy’s agrarian and culinary culture.
This week’s menu highlights the use of olive oil, exalts the flavors of the season and features some of the dishes you might find at an olive harvest feast.
Ruby red with reflections that fade towards purple. The nose is delicious with notes of fruit and hints of rose petals, sweet violets and dried plums. The palate is dry, remarkably fine and elegant.
It was October 18, 1971 – the day I fell in love with Italy. We had met for the first time a few years earlier when I was 16 and had travelled to Rome for my brother’s ordination. It was overwhelming – I was intrigued and could not wait to return. But when I finally did go back, my fate was sealed that crisp autumn morning when I went to harvest olives for the first time! Something happened – the stars aligned, and I felt a connection that has only grown stronger through the years.
An olive harvest is one of the most fascinating experiences you can enjoy in Tuscany. Naturally, you learn a lot about the local wine and food traditions, but most importantly you connect with the local culture. The atmosphere of a working oil mill and the enthusiasm of olive farmers during the harvest season is something definitely unique.
I had never seen an olive tree up close before. It almost looked like something out of a fairy tale with its gnarly branches and nubby trunk. The moment they strapped that woven willow basket (cestello) around my waist, I couldn’t wait to ascend into its silvery branches. The tree offered no resistance, and it was easy to slide the olives gently down its thin branches. This was the old-fashioned method, the least invasive and least harmful to the tree. For the small local farmers, harvesting by hand becomes a family affair. Friends and relatives come to help, and these gatherings quickly become filled with warmth and great fun. There are lunches in the field and communal dinners after a hard day’s work.
When the olives are harvested, they are stored in loosely woven bags or open crates to allow for air flow. They need to be brought to the local mill (frantoio) within 24 hours. Often the farmers will stay there during the whole process to ensure that the oil they end up with is from their batch of olives. Back then, our olives were pressed with a massive old limestone millstone (pietra serena), but now, most oil is produced through a faster centrifuge and extraction method.
What a special moment it was to witness this ancient process and to taste that bright green first pressed, extra virgin olive oil. There was a fireplace in the corner of the mill where they grilled slices of bread that we then placed under the spigot of flowing “liquid gold.”
Unlike wine that must settle and age a little before consumption, olive oil can be enjoyed immediately. Newly pressed Tuscan oil has a characteristic powerful bite and you’ll feel a slight burn at the back of your throat. For me, that first taste set the bar for every olive oil that followed.
This week’s menu highlights the use of olive oil, exalts the flavors of the season and features some of the dishes you might find at an olive harvest. Insalata della Raccolta, Harvest Salad, is mixed greens of bitter radicchio, spicy arugula, and baby spinach, tossed with grapes, dried fruit, pine nuts and a light lemon EVOO dressing.
Zuppa Frantoiana – “Olive Mill Soup” is a minestrone of autumn vegetables, pancetta and borlotti beans. It is traditionally served at the harvest dinner as well as at the mill (frantoio) where new pungent oil is liberally poured over it.
Costicine di Maiale con Olive, braised pork ribs with olives and roasted potatoes is a Florentine dish frequently eaten at this time of year. It can be easily prepared in the morning and left to slowly cook while all hands are picking olives.
Torta d’Olio d’Oliva e Cioccolata is a very moist, dark chocolate cake made with olive oil in place of butter. Like most Tuscan desserts, it is usually served unadorned with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. We have added, instead, a dark chocolate ganache to enhance it even further.
Our featured wine this week, Poletti La Sagrestana Sangiovese Superiore, is perfectly paired with our Tuscan harvest menu. It has an earthy minerality that brings us back to the land. The aromas of dark forest fruit, particularly black cherry and plum with delicate violet flowers lead into the finely structured palate of gentle tobacco, plum, and forest floor.
The harvest of olives is the high point of the Tuscan year and is cause for celebrating throughout Italy. It is a unique opportunity to participate in an autumnal ritual that is essential to Italy’s agrarian and culinary culture. The harvest is a labor of true love…no wonder I am still smitten.
Buona raccolta,
Christianne
]]>Halloween may not be so foreign to Italian culture as some might think. There are legends, rites and traditions around All Saints Day (Nov 1) and All Souls Day (Nov 2) that coincide with Halloween as we know it.
This menu highlights Autumn's ingredients with a nod to regional specialties and a "spooky" Tuscan dessert.
Although modern Halloween carries no sort of significant meaning for those in Italy, it is still a holiday that involves doing something all Italians love: celebrating.
]]>Halloween may not be so foreign to Italian culture as some might think. There are legends, rites and traditions around All Saints Day (Nov 1) and All Souls Day (Nov 2) that coincide with Halloween as we know it.
This menu highlights Autumn's ingredients with a nod to regional specialties and a "spooky" Tuscan dessert.
Although modern Halloween carries no sort of significant meaning for those in Italy, it is still a holiday that involves doing something all Italians love: celebrating.
Featured Wine: Tormaresca Torcicoda, Primitivo 2016
"Well-balanced and fresh, this medium-bodied red features a thread of ground spice that underscores flavors of crushed black raspberry, cherry, thyme and red licorice. Light tannins sculpt the clean-cut finish. Drink now through 2025."
Halloween may not be so foreign to Italian culture as some might think. There are legends, rites and traditions around All Saints Day (Nov 1) and All Souls Day (Nov 2) that coincide with Halloween as we know it.
When I lived in Italy, modern day Halloween was virtually unknown. The holiday to dress in costumes and carry on was Carnevale (Mardi Gras), the time leading up to Lent. Every year I would bring Halloween costume patterns from here and sew them for the kids to wear for their Carnevale parties in February. Needless to say, my daughter, Olivia, always won the prize for best costume! 😊
Since then, Italy imported this holiday from the USA through films, TV and pop culture of the 80s. ET by Spielberg and horror films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween introduced Italians to American’s over-the-top celebration and they have since embraced it. Now, stores feature children’s costumes, decorations and holiday cookies of ghosts and goblins. In some areas of Italy, children even have started trick-or-treating, chanting “Dolcetto o Scherzetto.” Bars and clubs organize much anticipated parties for adults clad in the goriest of costumes.
Every region has its own rituals and traditions. In Sardenia there is the day of “Su Mortu Mortu” when, at dinner, everyone must leave a little pasta on their plate for the old woman “Maria Punta Boru.” In Lombardia, a jar of fresh water was left in the kitchen so that the dead could quench their thirst. In some areas of the Veneto region it is said that the dead return to rest, so women make the beds and leave the house to allow the poor souls to rest for the whole day. In some regions, people set a place at the table for their departed love ones, while others will leave the door unlocked to welcome their spirits.
I remember hearing of people preparing picnics to be shared at gravesites. For many it is an opportunity to thank their ancestors for a chance to remember those loved ones who have passed. It is a tradition also to bring chrysanthemums to the cemetery. A note of warning to unsuspecting Americans – never, never, NEVER gift a bouquet of these flowers to an Italian! They are considered flowers of the dead and are a very bad omen. (I found out the hard way ☹)
Since no Italian holiday seems complete without food, we have designed our menu this week using ingredients that can easily be found this time of year.
Panzanella di Zucca is the popular bread salad adapted to include Brussel sprouts (believed to have been first cultivated in Italy in Roman times) and butternut squash. Varieties of winter squash ae popular throughout Italy from the northern provinces of Piedmont and Veneto down to southern Campania, Puglia and Sicily. We combine the crisp homemade croutons with spicy arugula and pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Rigatoni alla Boscaiola or “Woodsman Pasta” is a celebration of Autumn based on the most popular foraged food of the season – mushrooms. In Tuscany, we combine anise-laced sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes with a bit of cream and parmesan to recreate this well-known dish.
Fagottini di Verza, stuffed cabbage, can be found in numerous versions throughout Italy, the most renowned of which is “Capunet” from Piedmont. Softened cabbage leaves are wrapped around a filling of beef, pork and rice and slowly stewed in a flavorful light tomato sauce.
Ossi dei Morti or “Dead Man’s Bones” is so popular it has transcended this holiday and can be found in many traditional bakeries in Tuscany throughout the year. Resembling long, white, brittle bones (!), they are crisp cookies made with fresh almonds (now is the harvesting season) and hazelnuts.
Although modern Halloween carries no sort of significant meaning for those in Italy, it is still a holiday that involves doing something all Italians love: celebrating. In the US, it could be bobbing for apples, carving jack-o-lanterns, or begging for candy door-to-door, while in Italy, it could be coming around the table for a big meal in honor of deceased relatives. The more I learn about the customs of Italy, the more I find comfort in discovering that “Tutto il mondo è paese,” literally translating to – all the world is a village. Or that in some ways, we really are not that different after all.
Boo!
Christianne
]]>The Italian assimilation into the US was particularly difficult, marred by stereotypical images of unsavory people prone to criminality. Despite these depictions, Italians focused on building their American identities. Interestingly enough, it was through their food that Italians forced the rest of America to adjust. It was the Italian restaurants opened by immigrants here that changed and improved America’s understanding and appreciation of Italian culture. Once only available in their neighborhoods, Italian food has won its way into the hearts, minds and stomachs of all Americans. Here’s to another delicious week of featuring some of the most famous food from around the country!
]]>The Italian assimilation into the US was particularly difficult, marred by stereotypical images of unsavory people prone to criminality. Despite these depictions, Italians focused on building their American identities. Interestingly enough, it was through their food that Italians forced the rest of America to adjust. It was the Italian restaurants opened by immigrants here that changed and improved America’s understanding and appreciation of Italian culture. Once only available in their neighborhoods, Italian food has won its way into the hearts, minds and stomachs of all Americans. Here’s to another delicious week of featuring some of the most famous food from around the country!
Classically styled Chardonnay has a rich creamy palate of baked apples, poached pears and pineapples. Balanced and elegant with threads of baking spice and citrus. The majority of the wine is aged in French oak, lending a toasty creamy note to the finish.
Once in a while you see something in a film that, no matter how much time passes, you cannot forget. For me it is the pub scene in Pane e Cioccolata (Bread and Chocolate) when actor, Nino Manfredi’s character, an Italian immigrant in Switzerland, can no longer contain his national enthusiasm as he watches a televised soccer match – Italy vs Germany. Throughout the film he has been desperately trying to assimilate into a country that dislikes him and his kind by dying his hair blond to pass as Swiss. But he simply cannot suppress his deep feelings of Italian identity and sportive pride when Italy scores, and he springs to his feet shouting “GOAL, GOAL, GOAL!” It is a poignant scene depicting the premise of national identity and how immigrants’ dignity can be compromised daily by their circumstances. The scene ends when the “imposter” is forcefully thrown out of the bar, landing on a pile of garbage. (See scene here: https://youtu.be/mczHiP-1C7k or, if you have the time, I highly recommend the whole movie with English subtitles here: https://youtu.be/ixHxPFrk48Q)
It is interesting to note this film depicts the plight of Italian immigrant workers in the 1960s and 70s when more then two million Spanish and Italians worked in Switzerland, a nation of only five million. These struggles for acceptance have plagued immigrants for generations. The Italian assimilation into the US was particularly difficult. The great majority of immigrants were from the impoverished areas of semi-feudal southern Italy and Sicily. Stereotypes of Italians developed, aided by newspapers and media’s portrayal of Italians as dirty and prone to criminality. Despite these depictions, Italians focused on building their American identities. My grandmother - an excellent Italian cook - attended the then-famous Fanny Farmer Cooking School known for revolutionizing American cooking through its use of precise measurements and recipes, a novel culinary concept at the time. She wanted to learn the American way to help her family assimilate through food. Interestingly enough, it was precisely the area of food that the Italians influenced the rest of America to adjust.
This week’s menu features dishes invented or popularized in different areas of the US. The Italian American community known as “The Hill” in St. Louis, Missouri, has a specialty known as Toasted Ravioli, breaded and deep fried ravioli served with Marinara sauce (also thought to be an American rendition.) It is said to have been invented when a ravioli accidentally fell into the fryer at Mama Campisi’s Restaurant.
Growing up in New York, I knew of Italian Wedding Soup, so when planning our wedding dinner in Florence, I requested it to be served. Once again, the sophisticated Florentines had never heard of it. “Minestra Maritata” originated in Naples where the name describes the delicious “marriage” of its ingredients – meat, leafy butter greens, pasta and a hearty stock. Somewhere down the line, the word “maritata” was translated to mean “wedding” and so the assumed legend began that it was served to the bride and groom to provide energy on their special day.
Chicken Vesuvio is undoubtedly the signature dish of Chicago’s Italians. Just about every restaurant there serves it, and it is the quintessential Sunday night special in many Italian American homes. It is hard to know who invented it. Some say it first appeared on restaurant Vesuvio’s menu in the 1930s, while others believe the name pays homage to Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, from which many immigrants came. It is a flavorful combination of crisp roasted chicken, potatoes, and peas with lots of garlic, white wine and oregano.
It was well known in NY that Sinatra’s favorite restaurant was Patsy’s, a vintage Italian American eatery near Carnegie Hall, owned and operated by the Scognamillo family since 1944. Among the dishes he always ordered was Patsy’s Lemon Ricotta Torte, a perfect Italian ending to our menu as well.
The American wine world would not be what it is today without the vision and hard work of Robert Mondavi, whose family emigrated from the Italian Marche region. This week’s Chardonnay from Napa Valley with its mouth filling texture and lingering finish, pairs perfectly with our Italian American menu.
Traditionally the best cooking in Italy was not found in restaurants, but in the home. However, it was the Italian restaurants opened by immigrants here that changed and improved America’s understanding and appreciation of Italian food. Once only available in their neighborhoods, Italian food has won its way into the hearts, minds, and stomachs of all Americans.
Buon appetito!
Christianne
As the granddaughter of immigrants, I grew up in the shadow of stories not freely told – not fully understanding the suffering and sacrifices that came before. We were Americans, that was all we needed to know – that was all my grandparents wanted for us.
Struggling to assimilate in the New World while holding on to their traditions strengthened the primacy and power of the family. Putting food on the table for the family led to the creation of a new immigrant cuisine utilizing old favorite recipes with the addition of new locally available ingredients.
]]>As the granddaughter of immigrants, I grew up in the shadow of stories not freely told – not fully understanding the suffering and sacrifices that came before. We were Americans, that was all we needed to know – that was all my grandparents wanted for us.
Struggling to assimilate in the New World while holding on to their traditions strengthened the primacy and power of the family. Putting food on the table for the family led to the creation of a new immigrant cuisine utilizing old favorite recipes with the addition of new locally available ingredients.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free…”
As the granddaughter of immigrants, I grew up in the shadow of stories not freely told – not fully understanding the suffering and sacrifices that came before. My grandfather never spoke of Italy and had no desire to ever go back. We were Americans, that was all we needed to know – that was all my grandparents wanted for us. The decision to immigrate had to have been difficult beyond belief – filled with uncertainties and risk with extraordinary economic and social challenges. But no matter how hard it was to acclimate here, it was still better than back home in Basilicata, where the population had been marginalized by the government’s indifference resulting in devastating poverty.
In thirty years, from 1880 to 1910, over 5 million people (mostly men) immigrated to the US from Italy! Often one would come, establish himself, then send for family and friends. For example, in lower Manhattan you could find entire buildings or blocks with resettled inhabitants of the same village sometimes with the same butcher, grocer and even priest as in the old country. These enclaves eventually would turn into the city’s Little Italy. Today you can find Italian neighborhoods in almost every American city from the North End in Boston to North Beach in San Francisco.
Struggling to assimilate in the New World while holding on to their traditions strengthened the primacy and power of family. Putting food on the table for the family led to the creation of a new immigrant cuisine utilizing old favorite recipes with the addition of new locally available ingredients. New regional Italian American specialties were created, exemplified by NY’s pizza, St Louis’ fried ravioli, San Francisco’s cioppino, and Philadelphia’s cheese steak – just to name a few.
This week’s Antipasto Salad is an Italian take on America’s Chef Salad, found in almost every red sauce restaurant and pizzeria. Ours includes fennel salami, provolone, olives, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, marinated onions, and sweet peppers, tossed with romaine hearts and an herb-rich dressing – almost a meal in itself!
Mafaldine with Shrimp Scampi is a melding of the Old and New Worlds. In Italy, “scampi” are spiny, hard-shelled crustaceans, similar to small lobsters. Traditionally they were prepared with garlic, onions, and white wine. The same method was used by Italian-American restaurants to prepare shrimp (“gamberi”), which were much more abundant. So, the name “Shrimp (prepared in the style of) Scampi” was born. There are many versions here, frequently served over pasta or rice. In true Italian-American style, we have combined the primo (pasta) and secondo (shrimp) in one dish. Mafaldine is a type of long ribbon shaped pasta with curly edges – that, in my opinion, holds the sauce better than the frequently used linguine.
Our dessert, Lobster Tails, are the American cousins to the Neapolitan sfogliatelle pastries (featured last week.) They are extremely difficult and time consuming to make. They have three major components: a crunchy exterior shell made with hundreds of crisp layers, a middle layer of cream puff dough (to keep the outer shell from collapsing) and an interior filling of pastry and whipped creams. Our shells are shipped from Artuso’s Pastry in the Bronx, which we bake off and hand-fill with our fresh Chantilly cream. (See how New Jersey’s “Cake Boss” makes them at https://youtu.be/Bnhf-tIx39Q)
Trinchero Family Estates, the second largest family-owned winery in the world, is the American dream of Italian immigrants John and Mario Trinchero. In 1947, they moved from NY to St. Helena, CA and purchased Sutter Home Winery. They built their company by ignoring critics and by giving Americans what they wanted – affordable, easy-to-drink wines. The ever-popular White Zinfandel was their invention. Their Terra D’Oro line of handcrafted wines from some of Amador County’s historic, old-vine vineyards includes this week’s white wine pairing, Chenin Blanc Viognier, a 90-point perfect match for our buttery shrimp scampi.
My grandfather may have wanted his family to be American, but there was the flame of our Italian heritage that would not be denied. Maybe that was what drew his son – my father – to finally learn to speak Italian after he retired, and maybe it was that spark that drew me back to live in Italy. Pappa and Nanny Russo may not have told us stories of their Italy, but through the traditions of family and food they ignited a love of Italian culture that will be forever part of who we are – Italian Americans.
Viva l’Italia + God Bless America!
Christianne