At the same time, living here makes it relatively easy to find most other fresh foods at least part of the year.  Farmers’ Markets are everywhere from May until October, and as I’ve reported before, I enjoy the luxury of having time to visit these fresh food suppliers whenever I choose.  Plus, I personally think fresh foods taste better and I think they are more nutritious.  I also enjoy cooking them.  I enjoy peeling carrots (to cite one trivial example).  I’d rather peel a carrot than open a can or a pouch.

So you can imagine my surprise when I learned recently that my biases are misplaced – actually, they’re wrong.  The following is copied verbatim from a University research report:

Needless to say, I bow to the experts.  I still enjoy peeling those carrots, but I have a new “healthy” respect for canned and frozen foods.  [Note:  When I read the MSU report, I was determined to find a way to mention it here.  This is the moment.}

There is (at least) one other huge exception to my bias that fresh is better than frozen – that being shrimp.  When shrimp take their last breath for the good of humanity, their internal enzymes immediately begin a series of reactions which slowly decomposes the flesh.  These reactions can be slowed dramatically if the shrimp are placed in ice, and stopped entirely if frozen.  Consequently, shortening the time required to catch, process, and freeze the shrimp means shortening the time available for the shrimp to degrade – and once frozen, the shrimp will last for months.

It’s been my experience that many fishmongers offer “fresh” (i.e., unfrozen) shrimp from their display cases.  It has also been my experience that these same fishmongers readily admit that they are displaying shrimp they thawed earlier that day (thus allowing at least some time for the degradation process to begin).  Unless you plan to use these thawed shrimp immediately, you are much better advised to purchase shrimp that are still frozen.  Then you get to decide when they should be thawed.

Once that happens, and if you need a suggestion or two for cooking them, you might consider one of the shrimp recipes cited above.  And of course,

Buon appetito!

As you may have surmised already (I've only devoted two complete blogs to the subject), braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques.  Also, the phrase I've used multiple times before in other contexts applies here, too.  All braised meat shanks are delicious, but some are better than others – and I will submit that braised veal shanks may be the best.

It has been my experience, however, that you will need the services of a reputable butcher.  Ideally, each shank should weigh about a pound and have a thick layer of meat surrounding the bone, preferably with the marrow intact.  I also prefer fresh meat (i.e., never frozen), but that may be an impossible luxury in some locations.

The meat is just the beginning; fresh herbs and vegetables are next!  I prefer red onion, carrots, mushrooms, and fennel, but some recipes call for celery or leeks.  There is no magic here.  I urge you to use the veggies you like best.  Similarly, I prefer fresh Italian parsley, thyme, oregano, and marjoram, but many recipes use rosemary and bay leaves.  To my taste, the rosemary can easily over-power the much more subtle flavor of the veal.  Again, the final call is yours.  Use the flavors you (and your family) like best.

Finally, being a northern Italian dish, Osso Buco is often served with risotto (I recommend my Risotto Milanese), but can be paired with almost any soft (egg-based) pasta.  Tagliatelle and pappardelle are particularly excellent complements to Osso Buco. 

However you choose among the options for vegetables, herbs, and accompaniments, I know you are in for a most memorable meal!

Buon Appetito!

P.S.  If your diners also enjoy dessert, you might consider my recipe for Roasted Pears!  Fruit, wine, and cheese – especially Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – always pair well with northern Italian fare!

I also know that everyone has their favorite way of cooking corn on the cob.  So I was particularly interested in reading a recent series of social media posts about how some folks actually cook their fresh corn.  After realizing how complicated some people have made what I always thought was a trivially simple process, I decided to share my thoughts here.

I actually have two “simple” methods – boiling and roasting (grilling, actually).  In the kitchen, I shuck the corn, bring a large pot of water to a boil, drop in the corn and cook it for exactly 7 minutes – and not a second longer.  (Readers living in high altitude areas already know 7 minutes will be insufficient for them!)  After seven minutes, remove and serve immediately.  I should note here, however, that early season corn – typically with smaller kernels – sometimes requires only 5 or 6 minutes.

Roasting, or grilling, is even easier, although it takes longer.  Plus, grilling the corn at high temperature also creates additional wonderful flavors as the corn sugars begin to caramelize.  There is no need to soak the unhusked corn in water.  The husk already contains sufficient moisture to keep the corn kernels moist.  Preheat your gas or charcoal grill, lay the unhusked corn on the grill, close the cover, and cook for 10 minutes.  Then rotate each ear 180 degrees, cover, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.  Shuck, and serve immediately.  (The ears obviously are very hot, so I use two towels to keep the corn hot and my hands cool!)  Needless to say, grilled corn is my personal favorite.

Finally, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I must acknowledge that I have never lived on a farm or grown corn myself.  Those that have may completely disagree with the last two paragraphs.  If so, I would welcome hearing from you.  I will quickly bow to the “experts.”  Equally important, I cannot claim other cooking methods produce inferior results.  Not having tried them, they may work better than my self-proclaimed “simple” methods.  I’d enjoy hearing from anyone with alternative suggestions, too.

I can claim that I always prefer “simple,” and I can vouch for the methods I’ve described.  I hope you will find an opportunity to try them, and perhaps let me know what you think of them.

Buon appetito