Kalamazoo, Michigan is not a huge community, but it has several wonderful eating establishments.  Zazio’s is arguably one of the best.  Grandma Karen and I were celebrating a major anniversary at their Chef’s Table and I was invited to assist the chef prepare his Calamari Salad.  For me, it was a culinary experience I will never forget.  I also helped with their version of Cassata, a deconstruction of the classic Sicilian dessert.  It contains savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers) moistened with liqueur, ricotta cheese, vanilla cream, fruits, nuts, and chocolate.  It’s a rather involved recipe, but the end result is worth the extra effort.

We lived in Texas for two years – in Plano, a Dallas suburb.  It took us just a few microseconds to find our first “real” Texas barbecue – at Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse.  In the early eighties, Sonny's would open around 11 AM and close whenever they sold the last piece of succulent smoky meat, typically before 3 PM.  The restaurant is still operating, but I noticed their web page indicates they are open much later now.  They have obviously expanded!  Their meat was delicious, but their Texas Barbecue Sauce was equally special.  Fortunately, their original recipe was published in one of the Dallas newspapers.  It has been part of my collection ever since.

We lived for many years in Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.  My favorite local restaurant was Meson Sebika, which specialized in Spanish tapas.  Tapas, as you know, are appetizer-size portions of huge varieties of foods served both hot and cold.  The recipe included here for Garlic Potato Salad is one of their signature offerings. 

Finally, I need to mention two other recipes that did not come from restaurants; two recipes that are more special to me (and to my family) than any of the others.  Two recipes that for some inexplicable reason I have failed to mention explicitly, even though they were the first two recipes I added to this site!  You guessed it – my family’s Italian Tomato Sauce and our recipe for Italian Meatballs. 

If you consider trying any of my recipes, I suggest you try these two.  I know you will be pleased, and you will know why I am so proud of what my family taught me.

Buon appetito and Happy Easter.

My paternal grandmother was a very special lady.  (I realize Italians have no monopoly on special grandmothers, but Italians think and act like we do!)  I remember her as the consummate caring and loving family matriarch.  I also remember the never-ending activity in her kitchen.  It didn’t matter when you appeared at her door, or whether your visit was expected or not, food and drink would always appear, almost magically, within moments of your arrival.  She always seemed to have a pot of tomato sauce, some meatballs, and homemade dried pasta stashed somewhere – ready to serve whenever the occasion presented itself.

Several of the Italian recipes I’ve included on this site originated with her, directly or indirectly.  One of them was my father’s favorite, and through him became one of my favorites, too.  It was frequently prepared on Fridays (which, of course, were meatless in those days) and always on Christmas Eve (also meatless).  This extraordinary dish is spaghetti with Tuna Fish and Anchovy Sauce.

Now, before you run off in horror at the thought of spaghetti and tuna fish sharing the same plate, please bear with me for a few more paragraphs!  Admittedly this dish doesn’t always conjure positive first thoughts, but I know it tastes much better than it sounds, and hopefully I can tempt you to try it or one of its many variations.  Over the years, I have served grandma’s tuna and anchovy sauce many times and nobody has ever complained, or more importantly, left food on their plate – including a group of over two dozen non-Italians who were experiencing it for the first time.

As you can see in the recipe, the sauce only has eight ingredients and can be prepared in well under an hour.  Sometimes, simple is best.  Anchovies are the key ingredient.  They provide the briny flavor of the sea that makes the sauce perfect for any fish or seafood.  We always used tuna fish because it was economical and readily available, but any fish or seafood can be substituted.  Shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, and calamari would be at the top of my list of alternatives.  I’ve even served it with seafood and tuna fish.

I also like the spicy version of this sauce – which I’ve called Spicy Marinara Sauce.  It’s essentially the same sauce as grandma’s original, but with onion, basil, wine, and red pepper flakes added.  I especially like the spicy sauce with mussels and clams, but it goes equally well with any fish or seafood.

If you like fish and seafood, I know you will enjoy these two special sauce recipes, with or without the tuna fish.  You decide what to include.  I’m confident if you try it once, you’ll serve it again.

Many countries, maybe even all countries, have foods that qualify as being unique – distinct from all competitors – foods that can be copied, but never duplicated.  French Champagne comes to my mind almost immediately as a classic example.  The soil, the climate, the vine stock, and the centuries-old techniques all come together to produce a truly unique end result.

Spain has its Jamon Iberico, an incredibly delicious cured ham.  According to HamLovers.com, “only Spain has the special black Iberian pigs, the particular climate, the vast oak forests and centuries of traditional expertise that go into making this unique gourmet delicacy”.

We could debate how much of this is truth and how much is clever marketing.  We could also have differing opinions on whether climate and age-old techniques (and all the other special characteristics) really make significant differences.  Regardless of what we decide, regardless of whether or not we acknowledge the differences and agree to pay the typically premium price to enjoy them, the fact remains that certain products will continue to be considered special in the culinary world.

There are three foods that I consider to be unique to Italy:  Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena – all from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.  (Should we be seeing a trend here?)  I have already extolled the merits of Parmigiano-Reggiano; and I will have some comments about prosciutti at a later time.  Today, I will focus on aged balsamic vinegars.

Many of the balsamic vinegars sold in the United Sates are not aged at all, but are (usually wine) vinegars with caramel coloring and flavoring added.  As I hope to convince you here, even a few years of aging is better than none.  The words I used to describe wine and cheese in an earlier blog apply here, too.  All balsamic vinegars are good, but some are better than others.  In this case, however, some are really, really better than others!  Allow me to explain.

Authentic Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena (sometimes called TVM for short) is made only in and around Modena, Italy.  Only six varieties of grapes grown in the province of Modena can be used, and it is required that the grape skins and juice (called musto in Italian) be cooked for at least 12 hours.  The cooked musto is placed in wooden barrels to begin an aging process that lasts a minimum of 12 years, and in some cases, as many as 25 years or more.  The aging process is very complex and involves adding “younger” vinegars to “older” ones.  

There are even more restrictions.  According to the official production rules, to “earn” the right to label a product  Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, the aged vinegar must pass a series of “analytical and organoleptic” examinations.  (Note:  When I read this I had no idea what organoleptic examination meant.  It simply means “tasting it”!).  Vinegars that pass these tests also are required to be marketed in traditionally-shaped bottles, with very specific labels, and a red wax seal.

Lastly, there are at least three competing regulating groups in Emilia Romagna and they seldom agree with each other.  There are regulations that ban printing the barrel age on the label (because all vinegars, regardless of barrel age, have had younger vinegars added periodically), but few producers follow them – especially for the export market.  

As you can imagine, after a quarter-century of aging, the TVMs passing all the tests are magnificent.  They are dark and richly flavored, with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.  Only a few drops are necessary to enrich the flavor of the foods they traditionally accompany:  hard cheeses (especially the king of cheeses), salumi (cured sausages), and eggs – especially eggs.  Actually, you can serve TVM with almost anything.  Believe it or not, it is even delicious on vanilla ice cream!

As you probably guessed by now, TVMs can be expensive.  They are, at least by my definition, but even if price isn’t a major issue, selecting a TVM isn’t easy.  If you have the time and inclination, take a look at some of the TVM offerings at Amazon.com.  There are many other sites, of course.  I mention this one only because you’ll quickly see why selecting a TVM can be difficult.

After all this, I can’t leave you without some kind of recommendation, but before I do that there is one other point I need to make.  As a rule of thumb, the price of an authentic TVM – one that has passed all the necessary tests – sells in the United States for about $50 an ounce.  Regardless of the bottle’s label, shape, or seal, anything selling for less is not authentic.  Period!

As you will see if you visit the site I just suggested, however, there are several (faux authentic) vinegars selling for much less than $50 an ounce.   While it would be foolish to generalize about these less costly vinegars, for the most part they are vinegars that, for whatever reason, did not pass all the required tests, or weren’t aged long enough to qualify for the tests.  That doesn’t make them unacceptable in any way; in fact, they actually can be quite good – even superb.  

So my recommendation is this:  whether you are on-line or in your favorite grocery store (or better yet, in an Italian grocery store), visit the balsamic vinegar section and select one that fits your budget – just be sure that it is an aged vinegar.  I prefer one that has been aged for 10 to 12 years.  The price is always reasonable and I have never been disappointed in the taste.  It will also last for years!

Many of you already know what aged vinegars can contribute to so many different foods.  If you haven’t yet tried one, I hope I have tempted you to add Aceto Balsamico di Modena to a future shopping list!

Buon appetito.

P.S.  Oh, and there's one more Italian goody for you to consider.  Some of the cooked (but unfermented) grape must prepared in the TVM process is also bottled and sold separately.  It is called Saba.  Saba has an intense grape flavor with almost fig-like overtones, but with no hint of acidity.  It, too, is served traditionally with hard cheeses and salumi.  It is also a delicious accompaniment to baked squash.  You can find Saba on line and in most Italian grocery stores.

I prefer to think of braising as a two day process.  It is not absolutely necessary, but it does make the “serving” day much easier on the cook.  I have written my braising recipes as two day preparations, but I have also included instructions for single day preparation.

As I mentioned before, braising is designed for cooking less tender cuts of meat, typically meat with extra fat.  As the meat cooks in the braising liquid, often for two or more hours, the fat renders (melts), and the meat becomes fork tender (as the water soluble proteins dissolve).  To avoid having the meat become so tender it just falls apart, it is best to cut the meat into large pieces – at least two inches on a side.  Shanks, of course, are used whole.  They are perfect for single servings.

As the meat cooks, the rendered fat will accumulate on the top of the braising liquid.  This fat should be removed and discarded.  The two day process offers the advantage of easily skimming the congealed fat from the chilled braising liquid before reheating it on serving day.  When I use the single day approach, I use a meat baster to remove the hot liquid fat from the pot.  A small gravy ladle works well, too.

Braising produces the best results when the braising liquid is richly flavored with a variety of root vegetables, herbs, and spices.  In this regard, my braising recipes (and in fact, any braising recipe) should be considered as offering suggestions for preparing the braising liquid – not requirements.  You may choose whichever vegetables, spices, and herbs you and your family prefer.  When vegetables are used, however, they become mushy and tasteless during the extended cooking process.  This is OK!  They have “sacrificed” themselves to help create a delicious sauce.  Consequently, I prefer to remove them after they have done their job.  This is another entirely optional step, but I always strain the braising liquid whenever I use root vegetables or fresh herbs.

At the same time, I like the idea of vegetables in my sauces – particularly fresh vegetables.  If you agree, there is another option you may wish to consider.  After the sauce has been strained and thickened (if necessary), it will be deeply, and richly, flavored.  When you get to the reheating step, you can “freshen” the sauce (think: add another layer of flavor) by reintroducing fresh, bite-sized portions of the same root vegetables used at the outset.  Give the vegetables time to cook in the sauce before re-adding the meat (for reheating).  Once again, this step is entirely optional.

If you've done any of this before, you already know how incredibly delicious braised meats can be.  If you are braising for the first time, I assure you that you and your din companions are in for a special treat!

Buon appetito.