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Archive for March, 2012

Morning at Campo de’ Fiori

Monday, March 26th, 2012

On the Food Lovers tour I lead in Rome with Italy Hotline, I often spend a fair amount of time at the daily fruit and vegetable market at Campo de’ Fiori.

Its location is central and it is a great place to get an idea of how Roman’s eat on a daily basis. Since the Roman kitchen was born out of poverty, what we find in the markets is a reflection of that. The markets are for the most part seasonal and local. What always stands out for me are the greens, dozens and dozens of field greens, from cicoria to puntarelle, these were food that could easily be foraged in the Roman countryside when the Roman countryside was still within the city walls. Even the highly coveted artichoke in Rome has its roots as a field green. Whenever I take walks in the countryside outside of Rome artichokes are growing like weeds all over the place, just like many of the other greens we see at the market.

Artichokes

Artichokes in the Market

 

Fresh Squeezed Juice

 

There are so many personalities at the market as well. I love to start my walk with some pizza Bianca nearby and take a leisurely stroll through the market sampling some of the products, and when available, enjoying a fresh squeezed pomegranate juice. Pomegranate provides antioxidants equal to that of red wine or green tea, so it is a great way to start the morning.

Artichokes, a wonderful Roman delicacy are also beneficial to the health. In fact they are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Full of antioxidants they also contain cynarin and another antioxidant, silymarin which are beneficial to the liver, which is great because we certainly do drink our fair share of wine in Italy.
People always comment to me how thin and healthy Roman people look. Though it is likely moderation, the healthy benefits of a vegetable rich diet are more than one can mention in a post like this. Romans delight in their consumption of vegetable like artichokes, bitter field greens and fruit is often served at the end of a meal to aid in digestion.

So Many Field Greens! Where's the Garlic?

A Food Lovers stroll is one of the best ways to get to know Rome. We visit the historic city center; enjoy coffee, pastries, pizza, and all the other delicacies Rome has to offer ending with a fun and informal wine tasting.

Can you guess what the long green that looks like grass is? Hint: It is bitter and delicious!

blogged by sarahmay

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Where would you like your Italian Dream Meal to be?

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

Do you want to celebrate a special birthday, anniversary, or just splurge on your once in a life time Italian dream event? We have some ideas for you below!

Italy is a country which varies tremendously from region to region. Each area features its own unique charms and feeling. Many people want to come to Italy and experience their dream meal, which can be quite easy in a restaurant if chosen well. Another option is to have a cooking class followed by an amazing meal, or a catered lunch or dinner, either way in a stunning location. Costs do not have to be prohibitive either. For a very reasonable amount, you can actually experience a memory of a lifetime, one of those meals that you have only dreamed about! Here are a few ideas for you while you plan your Italian dream meal!

Above you can see a beautiful 16th century Venetian Palace on the Lido Island, just a twelve minute boat ride from St. Marks Square. Inside you will find a lovely modern villa, complete with contemporary Venetian blown glass and a large modern kitchen. You can have a catered meal in the garden or the dining room, or partake in a cooking lesson before your meal, and you will take home the wonderful recipes you have learned to cook. Your hostess is a world class chef who has catered for top designers, presidents, and stars, yet she is charming and down to earth and most importantly, an amazing chef who thinks of every detail to make your event and unforgettable experience.

The ancient Pompeiians were masters of parties and feasts. Here you see a reveler, a follower of Dionysus or Bacchus enjoying a glass of wine. In Sorrento we can arrange a wonderful cooking class and lunch or catered dinner or lunch for you in a replica of an ancient dining room, or in terraced gardens facing the beautiful crystal waters between Sorrento and Capri. The perfumes of orange and lemon tree flowers waft throughout the lush gardens, in this paradise-like setting. Fancy a cooking lesson first? Learn how to make hand made gnocchi, deep fried stuffed zucchini flowers with cheese and other specialties of the Sorrento region. Your hostess will give you the feeling that she is your Italian Mamma, teaching you her home-style cooking secrets.

In the center of Florence you can enjoy an exclusive cooking class with famous cookbook author and Tuscany-based chef in an ancient traditional palace kitchen, and then have a wonderful meal in the beautiful Corsini Palace Gardens. Learn about the historic kitchen and its secrets as they have developed over the centuries. Your hostess is a real, 20th century princess (seen below on the right), who could not be more warm and welcoming, as she invites you into her historic palace on the Arno River, in the center of Florence.

Meet with a princess for a wine tasting and then tour the estate before your meal. Eating in the formal gardens, surrounded by herbs, lemon trees, and the lovely exterior of the palace, away from the bustle of the city, will leave you with a memory of a lifetime. If you don’t want to cook, then let us develop with you the perfectly catered event, and you can sit under the lemon trees and be served an unforgettable meal.

How about participating in a grape harvest in Umbria, drinking refreshing prosecco, eating delicious appetizers, and working up a hunger. Your hostess won’t make you work too hard! Then freshen up a bit with a swim in the gorgeous infinity pool looking over the Umbrian valley, before your sit-down meal where you can enjoy a wonderful spread of Umbrian country cooking and laugh and share stories about your wonderful day! This is definitely an experience of a life time. Great for families or a group of friends alike.

Or maybe your idea of perfection is to have one delicious, hot steaming pizza after another coming out of a wood fired pizza oven as you drink Umbrian wine and gaze off into the beautiful sunset…

 

In Rome you can have a wonderful catered meal on a Roman Terrace. The terraces of Rome are famous for being a world unto their own! Secret worlds, hidden by plants, also feature amazing views, and make for a perfect dream meal, above the chaos of the city. Whether you have a catered event or a cooking class and then lunch or dinner, this will also remain an unforgettable experience.

This is the setting for a lunch after a cooking class featuring Roman specialties such as deep fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with cheese, Suppli, Amatriciana, Saltimbocca, and Torta di Nonna.

Or maybe you would like to have a magnificent catered dinner in a beautiful Roman apartment, with a very big surprise to stun your guests…Your hostess, featured below will invite you into her lovely Roman garden for an apertivo, show you what micro mosaics are and give a fascinating talk on this rare art, and then take you to see something on their property that you cannot even believe exists! Sorry, but it is best kept a secret… Afterwards enjoy a lovely Roman style dinner in her home or on her large and cozy terrace.

Even in the chaotic city of Rome, there are country kitchens, full of charm where you can experience “Casareccia” Cooking, or that of the Italian Mamma, as in this one below. 

Located in the heart of the city center, this home looks as if it is from another time, with ancient brick walls and arches, and a lovely charming ambience, you can hardly believe something like this still exists. Entering through a church gate, climbing up travertine stairs, your hostess will greet you with a glass of prosecco and you can enjoy a traditional, home style meal either in the dining room or outside on the rustic terrace.

Take a cooking class, or just enjoy a catered dinner or lunch, under the garden terrace pergola, surrounded by lemon trees and the ancient Roman bricks that the medieval structure is built into. Flowers, grass, a little fountain and a few pieces of marble here and there, lend an ancient feeling to this secluded space, far above the street level, that no one can see from below.

Another option in Venice is to have your hostess cooking a delightful meal right in front of you, with the best fresh ingredients from the Rialto Market. How about a seafood extravaganza, with one dish competing for the prize for deliciousness, being served up to you hot from the stove! With her excellent collection of wines, she will treat you to the perfect accompaniment for each dish. If you like you can also have a wine tasting on the premises with the charming owner of the top Wine Seller in Venice.

Or, how about a wine tasting and catered dinner on the Grand Canal in a private palazzo. You can arrive by foot, boat or gondola, and you will be greeted at the front door and given entry into a charming 16th century small palace. Stand on the balcony looking over the grand canal, toasting with a Franciacorta sparkling wine and learn from your private sommelier about the famous wines of the region, as well as a history of the family and the palace. Next you will enter the grand salotto for a sit down dinner under a stunning Venetian chandelier…. Memorable? We think so!

Italy Hotline Custom and Gourmet Tours can arrange just about any experience you would like, from the most down to earth settings in a traditional home, to events in private palaces. Just let us know what your dream is and we will make a proposal!

blogged by Sienna

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Posted in Amalfi Coast, Florence, Food and Wine, Lazio, Naples, Rome/Vatican/Lazio, Tuscany/Siena/Pisa, Umbria, Venice Veneto | 1 Comment »

Bucatini all’Amatriciana Recipe by Italy Hotline

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Dear Food Lovers!

As promised, we are posting our recipe of BUCATINI ALL’ AMATRICIANA, one of Rome’s most delicious and famous dishes. Cook away !

 

Ingredients

¾  pound fatty pancetta, guanciale or good unsmoked bacon (180 grams). Trim off any inedible or tough parts and discard. Cut into long cubes about ½ inch square by 1.5 inches long.

2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Salt and pepper to taste ( do not add salt until very end as the bacon can add too much salt to the dish- if the bacon you are using is extra salty you can simmer it in a small amount of water for a minute or two).

24 ounces good quality canned tomato sauce with chopped tomatoes (650 gr)

1 pound bucatini (500 grams)

Pecorino Romano- about ¼ cup finely grated plus extra for grating on top

 

Directions

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 12 to 14-inch heavy saute’ pan saute’ the Pancetta (bacon  or guanciale)  in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic, onion and chili flakes and saute until onion is soft. Add tomato sauce, reduce heat and allow to simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook bucatini noodles according to package directions, until tender but still al dente. Remove pasta from heat, drain and add to simmering sauce. Toss to coat with sauce and grated pecorino and divide among 4 heated bowls. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated pecorino.

A plate of steaming Bucatini all'Amatriciana !

 

Bucatini

blogged by ally

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Caponata in Rome

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Caponata at La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali

I am on a mission: Find Rome’s best caponata and spread the word. In order for you to understand this long held passion, a guess and explanation of what caponata actually is. In essence caponata is a Sicilian sweet and sour eggplant relish or salad and everyone who makes it has their own recipe. When I make it I like to make the dichotomy between the sweet and savory aspects of the dish very pronounced. I use apple cider vinegar and make it with walnuts instead of pinenuts. Some people add green peppers, others raisons. Because of this, caponata is not easy to define. And because of this, I love to order it every opportunity that I have.
Here are my top four in Rome:
1. Roscioli- Via dei Giubbonari, 21
Their caponata brings this dish to new heights. Along with their excellent service, their caponata is close to divine. The eggplant is well cooked, it is never mushy. They don’t use a tomato paste and it is not overly greasy. On top of that they use walnuts and dried figs and I swear I detected some cacao. Heavenly. It doesn’t run cheap. If I recall correctly, the last time I went there for lunch and ordered caponata it was about €12, but that also included a glass of spumante, a wonderful assortment of breads, they also own one of Rome’s best forni, finished with a chocolate at the end of the meal. Roscioli has an excellent wine by the glass menu. I enjoyed this with a Cesanese del Piglio.
2. La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali- Via della Madonna dei Monti, 9
Our own Sienna designed their business card and logo of a black cat under an arch. They have a few of Sienna’s paintings as well. When meeting friends here, I make sure to order the caponata, it is wonderful, has a great consistency, it is not mushy, it has the perfect balance of sweet and sour.
3. Vino al Vino-Via dei Serpenti, 19
Vino al Vino is my favorite wine bar in the neighborhood of Monti. In fact, in our Culinary Delights of Monti walk we end our journey together for a mini wine tasting and to sample the glorious caponata of Vino al Vino. It’s made them famous. Theirs is much more traditional Sicilian style. It is more reddish, and slightly more on the savory side than sweet. Theirs has a fair amount of oil, so make sure to sop up every last morsel with a basket of local bread.
4. Italy Hotline’s own chef Francesca. Whenever I know that Francesca is catering an event I am attending, my mouth begins to salivate. I won’t give away any details, but suffice to say that if you learn to make Francesca’s caponata in a cooking class you won’t be sorry. You’ll have a wonderful dish to add to your own repertoire of dishes. It’s the perfect pot luck dish because it is usually served cold. You can make it a day in advance and it just gets better. She makes hers as little caponata crostini. Brilliant.

blogged by sarahmay

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365D – Celebrating real women in Rome

Friday, March 9th, 2012

 

A photography exhibit capturing women and their place in modern society is on show until March 25, 2012 at Rome’s Montemartini Museum, a former power station, which is an unusual, often overlooked and highly evocative exhibition space in the heart of the capital’s former warehouse district.

365D: Trecentosessantacinque giorni da donna (365 days as a woman) is the brainchild of Rome-based photographers Marzia Messina and Sham Hinchey, best known for their work with fashion giants like Bulgari, Pucci, and Cappucci. The show, now under the patronage of the Italian Ministry for Equal Opportunities, was two-years in the making and a lifetime ambition for Ms. Messina who, born and raised in Rome’s seedy Magliana quartier, said that she wanted to work on something that made an honest statement about women’s lives today. “What began as just a dream, over time became a need, an urge, to tell the story of the real women who live in my country”, explained Marzia Messina.

Marzia Messina and Sham Hinchey at the opening of 365D at the Montemartini Museum, March 1 2012

For the project, which resulted in a book, 365 women were photographed and asked to share one real experience, published alongside their portrait. This story, however tiny or monumental, heartbreaking or sidesplitting, had to just be just one thing: memorable. The women were chosen from all walks of life, from housewives and students to professional women, artists, musicians and actresses. “There was no selection process, and by the end of the two years we were advertising in the papers and on Facebook, and getting lots of responses as people sent in their photos and stories – we never could have imagined so much interest”, said Ms. Messina.

In a time when so much pressure it put on women to achieve ultimate physical perfection, Marzia Messina wanted to portray real women without idealizing them, be it through excessive make-up, wardrobe or the use of Photoshop. Sham Hinchey welcomed every new subject in the same manner, using the same camera and lighting for each photograph, and never re-touching the images. “Every woman who came in, regardless of her age and appearance, began by giving me stage directions: I look horrible from this angle! Try not to focus on my nose! I had no sleep last night, that’s why I look so awful!” said Mr. Hinchey, a professional fashion photographer. Rather than following his subjects’ advice he tried, through his photographs, to help his models overcome their defects, and feel comfortable in their own skin. Indeed, Sham’s evocative portrait work and the writing that accompanies it, together form a kaleidoscope of female diversity and beauty.

The exhibition showing all 365 portraits will be on display at the Rome’s Montemartini Museum from March 2 – 25, 2012, in the Icebox gallery in Minneapolis (USA) from March 16 – April 28, 2012, and then finally in Milan’s Spazio Forma gallery from May 30 – June 17, 2012. The book 365D: Trecentosessantacinque giorni da donna will be on sale at the Montemartini Museum and online, and all proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the non-profit organization Susan G.Komen Italia, dedicated to breast cancer research in Italy.

 Published 09 March 2012 in “The Italian Insider”
Direct Link: http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node%2F790

blogged by ally

Posted in Rome/Vatican/Lazio | 1 Comment »

Artisan foods in the Naples-Amalfi-Salerno Coast area of Campania

Friday, March 9th, 2012

The art of Slow Food can be appreciated by visiting some of our wonderful contacts on the Amalfi Coast. Here there are many foods that are completely crafted by hand, using age old traditions.

We work with home chefs who specialize in family style traditional cooking. Here you can learn the secrets of the Nonna and the Mamma! Above is a cooking class featuring the making of gnocchi potato dumplings and tortellini. After you learn how to make it you can enjoy eating it in a lovely sit down lunch in a stunning location- your pick- a Pompeii style dining room or on a wonderful terrace overlooking the beautiful turquoise waters of the Sorrento Coast.

Campania is famous for its cheeses. The most famous of all is the Mozzarella di Bufala made from fresh milk of this special breed of animal. Stopping at a producer, we love to each get a ball of it and eat it right there like an apple. We have to have plenty of napkins of course, since it is so moist and juicy!

One of the key ingredients on the pizza of the area, fresh mozzarella is light, sweet and absolutely delicious. It has to be eaten fresh, since it is not an aged cheese. Another famous cheese of the area include Cacio Cavallo, a cheese that has a tradition known to date back to the ancient Romans. This can be eaten stagionato, or aged, as well as smoked. You can also try smoked fresh Mozzarella.

In our cooking lesson you learn how to stuff fresh zucchini flowers with fresh Mozzarella di Bufala and anchovies, then batter and deep fry them. The only thing to do after that is devour them while they are steaming hot for one of the most memorable appetizers in a lifetime!

Another fine tradition in the Salerno Coast area is that of the anchovy. Anchovies are fished from the local seas and brought into a tiny port town. Here they are boned and packed into jars by hand. The anchovies are fresh and delicious and are packed in oil sometimes with herbs so that they will keep. Here you can see the women who work with the anchovies in a small factory. Anchovies are also used to make Colatura, a fish sauce that is used to bring delicious flavor in cooking. Its manufacture dates back to ancient Roman times. It is very similar to the fish sauce used in delicate Vietnamese cooking. In the tiny town of Cetara, there are fine producers of this key ingredient which has had a Renaissance in use in Italian cooking.

We had so much fun seeing this simple process and the women were so sweet and enjoyed our visit!


blogged by Sienna

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Piglio: Great Day Trip from Rome

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

A few weeks ago Ettore and I were tired of being house bums and decided to get back into our old routine of going for a Sunday drive to a town within two hours of Genzano for a walk and lunch. We decided we would go to a little mountain town called Piglio which is located in the hills of Frosinone, which is a province of Latium. Piglio is “famous” for a native laziale varietal called Cesanese and Cesanese del Piglio has the excited new designation of a DOCG wine, which is the first in the region of Latium.

After the fall of Rome is 476 C.E. Rome experienced huge changes, which were a population drain and a brain drain. When the Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from the city of Rome to Constantinople, many of the skilled crafts people left, as well as scholars. Rome’s population in the 5th c. dropped to about 10,000, although some estimates say 20,000 people. With the collapse of Rome in the west, Italy was especially plagued by constant evasions by the so-called Barbarians. Without a central power securing the city of Rome, many people fled the area and moved into the hills of Latium where they built these amazing medieval towns out of stone totally isolated from anyone else, but also protected from invasions. Piglio is a great example of this. In the Middle Ages, Italy was primarily made up of hundreds of little city states, all at odds with each other. What happened is really what defines Italy today, a country of extreme diversity in culture, language and kitchen. Many people went back to their roots, to the villages of their ancestors before they were romanized. The Hernici once ruled this region. The Pigliesi retained their cooking and wine making skills for centuries without interruption, many of these traditions were brought from classical Rome. When one drinks the native varietals of Latium, one drinks the wine of the Classical Romans.
It is a very exciting time in terms of wine production in Latium, with native varietals being rediscovered and wine producers realizing they have gold in their hands, and instead of relying on the international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, they are places their bets on what seems natural, and what will thrive in the region.
So on this cloudy day, we decided to give ourselves a few hours break from our sick puppies, and took a drive into the real backwater countryside of Latium for a small taste of what the town offered. After a very pleasant one hour drive from Genzano on the Autostrada, We encountered this town built of whatever stones were in the area. I would have hated to be the peasant who had to transport goods from the fields to the town!
Due to recent rains (I should say never ending rains!) the countryside of Piglio was very green, and even though the vines of Cesanese were lifeless at the moment, the had an air of nobility and age that no New World wine countryside can compete with.
When we got to town it was still too early for lunch, so we decided to have a walk in what seemed like an ancient ghost town, but surprisingly we came across people just minding their own business. This lady seemed to be taking laundry from the well to hang to dry. The people of these sorts of town are very interesting. It is rare to see young people, and the older people really hang on to their traditions as if glued to them. Ettore enjoyed hearing their dialect. He couldn’t understand. That is what centuries of isolation created!!
When it was finally lunchtime, we found a real hole in the wall, down a stone alley, with the smallest door. The only reason we knew it was open for lunch because of the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. It was cold, and we could smell minestrone and polenta, cold weather foods that appealed to our cold bodies.

The restaurant is called La Cantinetta. They weren’t quite ready to serve lunch, but they welcomed us anyway, and we got our table and ordered the house wine, which was made by the owners Uncle, a lovely Cesanese del Piglio.
For lunch I ordered the Polenta di Porcini which was more of a creamy polenta with fresh mountain porcini, most likely found in the forest behind the town. I can tell you it was delicious, but not very good looking, which is why I didn’t take a close-up photo.
Ettore ordered the Penne di carciofi, the pasta with artichoke. It was also delicious, and not as bitter as many artichoke dishes are which was great in terms of being able to taste the wine. Sometimes the bitter metallic property of artichoke interferes with wine. It is notoriously hard to pair with wine.
All the food was extremely fresh; the kitchen aromas were enough to appeal even the pickiest eater. We had a lovely day trip, and the best part of it was the cost. Our meal, which was two antipasti, two primi, two desserts, house wine, and caffe, was only 30 euro for both of us.
Simple country food, that was satisfying in is simplicity, but also in its soul and heartiness. I can’t wait to get there in the summer, when everyone is boiling in Rome; I will be enjoying the cool mountain breeze of Piglio, sipping on a local wine. We saw that there are great hiking paths in the area and want to make a backpacking trip in the area. Hiking all day, eating local cuisine at night. Our favorite kind of vacation! This is really a great day trip from Rome. Discovering the cultural and culinary treasures of Lazio is my biggest passion.

blogged by sarahmay

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