Grandpa Joe's Italian Kitchen
  • Home
  • Blogs
  • Recipes
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Blog History
  • About

Celebrazione!

1/7/2016

4 Comments

 
Picture
Fully-decorated Gingerbread House!

For millennia, mankind has found reason to celebrate each year in late December – or more precisely, near or shortly after the winter solstice.  If nothing else, the period of the solstice in the northern hemisphere was a logical opportunity for ancients to celebrate because it was a time of respite from agricultural chores, and as the daylight hours began to increase again, became the first sign of the warmer months ahead. 

In pre-Christian times, several cultures marked the solstice with rituals and celebrations.  Romans held a festival called Saturnalia to honor the sun god Saturn.  Saturnalia began each year on December 17 and consisted of 8 days of feasting, sacrifices, and gift-giving.  On the solstice, Egyptians celebrated the birth of Ra, god of the sun; Celts in the British Isles collected mistletoe; and Scandinavians celebrated the Feast of Juul, from which, Yule is derived.  In the 4th century, Christians began celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25, which, since the mid-11th century, has been called Christmas (originally Crīstesmæsse).  

As I read about these ancient celebratory events while preparing for this blog, I learned that each of them involved people joining together to enjoy each other, and more significantly for my purposes here, preparing and sharing food!  Not surprisingly, little has changed over the centuries.  People everywhere still gather with family and friends to celebrate what we now call “holidays” – and always with plenty of food.  

I’ve written before about my childhood experiences with holiday feasts, specifically Thanksgiving, but our Christmas table was even more abundant.  I’ve also mentioned that Grandma Karen and I, in our own way, have attempted to preserve and continue many of our collective family traditions – thereby creating new traditions for our children and grandchildren.  

Our family Christmas celebrations have all been memorable, but typically for different reasons from year to year.  The reason this year, however, will be just as memorable as the celebration itself.  Our three eldest grandchildren (high school age) “took over”!  They planned a multi-course meal and then made major contributions to its preparation.  They had help, of course, but they deserve full credit for getting everything to the table on time.  Our (almost) two-year old grandson was involved, too.  He was always standing on a chair ready to help with stirring and pouring, or any other task fit for tiny hands.
Picture
Baked Ham.

Picture
Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce.

Picture
Parker House Rolls.

Picture
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake.

This was not the first time I’ve cooked with grandchildren – always an incredibly delightful and satisfying experience.  We’ve done that many times before.  This time was different, especially for me, because of their obvious level of confidence in what they were doing.  Their menu also was unique in that they selected some foods I had never served them previously, and a dessert I had never prepared before.  Consequently, they caused me to discover and create new recipes for them – and as of this posting – perhaps for you, too.  So it is with great pride that I share these photographs of some of their creations with you.

To them I say, "Mille grazie, Kaitlyn, Abigail, Christopher, and Alexander.  You helped make our family Celebrazione one of the best ever!"

To everyone:  "Felice Anno Nuovo e buon appetito!"

P.S.  Grandma Karen has been making gingerbread houses for nearly fifty years.  Our daughter and son still are responsible for its final decoration – with plenty of help now from their children and spouses.  I think you will enjoy seeing the results of their efforts this year.
4 Comments

It's Cranberry Season Again!

11/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Cranberries have always been one of my favorite foods, although until I began preparing the material for this blog my idea of enjoying cranberries was limited to a dollop of sauce to accompany almost any roasted meat – but especially turkey!

To get a little background information, I “Googled” cranberries and quickly realized I could write a book on this amazing fruit.  Here are just a few of the fun facts about cranberries that might prompt you to try one of the recipes featured here.

First, there really is a Cranberry Season.  Cranberries are grown primarily in the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada, and are harvested in September and October.  They are generally only available as fresh berries from September through December – which is why we only get to enjoy them around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

American Indians enjoyed cranberries cooked and sweetened with honey or maple syrup. They also used cranberries as a source of red dye, and as a poultice for wounds, having discovered the astringent tannins in the berries contract tissues and help to stop bleeding.  We now know that compounds in cranberries also have antibiotic effects.

In fact, the health benefits of cranberries are most impressive.   They begin with vitamin C and fiber – both familiar nutrients, but cranberries also contain five categories of phytonutrients – chemical compounds known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.  Consequently, cranberries provide protection against urinary tract infections, immune support, as well as cardiovascular and digestive tract benefits.  You can read much more about the health benefits of cranberries on The World’s Healthiest Foods web site page for Cranberries.

Oh yes, the recipes!  My first offering is a Cranberry Sauce that I believe tastes very close to what comes out of a can – without actually coming out of a can.  This is important in our household because old habits die hard (especially mine).  I have enjoyed Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce for seven decades, so while I much prefer the fresh berries, I still enjoy the “traditional” taste.

Cranberries also mix well with other fruits – especially cherries and oranges.  As I’ve mentioned before, tart cherries (especially Michigan Balaton cherries) are number one on my favorite foods list, so creating a cherry and cranberry sauce was a high priority.  The result, cleverly titled Cherry Cranberry Sauce, has been in my recipe collection for many years.  I also mentioned it in a blog last November.
FEATURED RECIPES

Cranberry Sauce

Cherry Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry and Orange Compote

Picture
Cranberry Sauce.

Picture
Cherry Cranberry Sauce.

Picture
Cranberry and Orange Compote.

My third offering is relatively new and was inspired by a television “visit” to The Ace restaurant in Toronto, Ontario.  I call this one Cranberry and Orange Compote.  Its flavors are more complex thanks to the addition of cinnamon and vanilla.

Most important, all three can be prepared in thirty minutes or less, and since refrigeration improves the flavors, they also can be prepared well in advance.  As always, I hope you will try them.

Buon appetito.

P.S.  Yes, I agree.  All three do look alike!
0 Comments

The Art of Bread Making

10/23/2015

0 Comments

 
Once again I find myself with something of a dilemma.  On one hand, I would very much like to write this blog about bread making to explain how easy it is to do, and how rewarding and delicious the end result can be.  On the other hand, I will be the first to admit that bread making does not always work as advertised the first time you try it!  Clearly, my first hand won the day (or you wouldn’t be reading this), but I decided I should begin at the very beginning to explain why I now believe bread making is something everyone should try at least twice!

According to my “infallible” information source, Wikipedia, archaeological evidence of bread making – albeit unleavened bread making – has been found in parts of Europe that dates back to the Upper Paleolithic Period of 30,000 years ago.  Further research shows that bread making machines weren’t available until many years later, so one conclusion could be that making bread shouldn’t be that difficult!  Bread making shops appeared in Athens in the 5th century B.C.E., and Greeks reportedly opened bread shops in Rome about 300 years later – again, presumably without bread machines!  More valuable evidence that bread making should be easy.

In the early 20th century, my maternal grandmother – mother of 12 growing offspring – (also reportedly) baked bread daily for her family, friends, and the occasional hungry soul that managed to find his way to her backyard wood-fired oven.  I arrived on the scene much too late to experience her bread, or even to see her oven, but I remember vividly the (most likely exaggerated) family stories of her baking prowess – yet again, without using a bread making machine.

Although I lacked evidence that bread making skills were genetic, I confidently attempted to bake my first loaf many years ago.  What could go wrong?  Only three ingredients are required:  flour, yeast, and water.  Nevertheless, my initial foray into the world of leavened bread making was not quite what I expected.  The taste was acceptable, but the appearance and texture were definitely works in progress.
FEATURED RECIPES

Ciabatta
Challah

Picture
Ciabatta.

Picture
Braided Challah.

My biggest problem was not knowing whether it was me or the recipe that caused the inferior result.  So, I took the easy way out and gave up!  When I finally decided to “give it another go,” I decided I should do some extra reading, too.  That’s when I discovered Peter Reinhart’s book, “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.”  His introductory chapters explain both the chemistry and the art of bread making.  He provides detailed descriptions of dough preparation techniques, and of course, a myriad of easy-to-follow recipes.  You won’t need his book to begin, but if you catch the “bug” as I did, you will find it a valuable resource that you will use frequently.

Through his book, Peter Reinhart has taught me to bake several different types of breads – all very successfully.  My two favorites – Challah and Ciabatta – are the featured recipes for this blog.

Challah, as you know, is an egg-rich Jewish celebratory bread.  It is traditionally braided and topped with sesame or poppy seeds.  It is delicious any way you serve it, but it also makes the most extraordinary French Toast imaginable.  Most important, the recipe is easy and only requires about four hours from start to finish (all but about 15 minutes of which is required for proofing and baking).  In my biased view, this is the perfect recipe for the novice bread maker!

Sometimes, just to avoid the braiding step, I form the dough into two traditionally-shaped loaves – the shape of most white and wheat breads on store shelves.  The details for how to bake Challah as a braid and as two loaves are provided on the Challah recipe page on this site.

My all-time favorite, however, is the classic Italian bread called Ciabatta.  Ciabatta has a chewy crust and distinctive large holes in the crumb (i.e., the interior of the bread).  The holes are created when the water in the relatively “wet” dough expands as it evaporates during the baking process.

Ciabatta tastes best when it is made with a Poolish – or starter – made with flour, yeast, and water, at least one day in advance.  About four hours is required the second day, but again, all but about 20 minutes of this time is used for proofing and baking.

If you have baked bread before, you already know how easy it is to produce a delicious treat for your family and guests.  If you are new to the bread making world, I sincerely hope I have not discouraged you from joining in.  Once you have moved beyond that first attempt – which I have already noted is a potentially frustrating experience – I fully expect you soon will be baking bread on a regular basis.

Regardless of your experience level, however, I recommend that you try the recipes here for Challah and Ciabatta.  I know you will not be disappointed.

Buon appetito.
0 Comments

Thank You, Subscribers

9/17/2015

0 Comments

 
One of the most rewarding aspects of creating this web site and writing these blogs has been watching the growth of the subscriber list for this site.  To all of you who have subscribed, “Thank you!  I sincerely appreciate your interest and support.”  [NOTE:  The subscriber list to which I have access contains only e-mail addresses – no names.  So unless your e-mail address contains your full name, your anonymity (to me) is preserved.]

[Another Note:  If you are reading this and have not yet subscribed, I urge you to consider doing so.  Subscribing is easy and simply means you will receive an e-mail whenever a new blog is posted – about 12 to 15 times a year.  Subscribing is a three-part process.  You first enter your e-mail address in the Subscribe box on either the Home or Blogs page.  Second, you enter the squiggly code that appears in the pop-up window to “prove you are not a computer” and to please the Google folks who run this service.  Third, you must return an e-mail that will be sent to you automatically confirming that it is actually you doing the subscribing.  Unfortunately, this verification e-mail sometimes is directed to your junk mailbox, so if you don’t see it in your inbox within a minute or two, look for it with your junk mail.]

Some of you have been reading my blogs from the beginning, while many others have come aboard more recently and perhaps have read only the last few posts.  Either is okay, of course, and I certainly would not expect anyone to go back and read them all.  Even I would have difficulty doing that!  On the other hand, there are several topics covered in some of the earliest blogs that I consider important to understanding what I am attempting to achieve with this site, and why I think my choices of recipes and ingredients are worth sharing in this way.

So, mostly to satisfy my desire to communicate all this to as many of you as possible, I have created a new web page I am calling Blog History.  The link to the Blog History page now appears in the green banner near the top of every page.  The Blog History page contains a chronological list of active links to all the blogs posted on this site since its inception in January 2014, together with a brief description of each blog's primary subject.  Oh, and there are some of my favorite pictures to further tempt you to read on!!

Most important, I have identified six blogs that best explain my motives, intentions, biases, and overall attitudes toward cooking – especially Italian cooking.  If you have not read the early blogs, I recommend that you read at least these six.  (They are identified on the Blog History page with three preceding asterisks.)  I should also mention that while I think the others also are worth reading, I realize many of them contain information that may not be of equal interest to everyone.  Whether or not you read those is, of course, your choice.
NEW RECIPES
Bellini
Mushroom Pizza with Béchamel Sauce
Tiramisu
Picture
Bellini made with fresh Michigan peaches.

Picture
Wood-fired Mushroom Pizza with Béchamel Sauce.

Picture
Tiramisu.

I should also mention the SEARCH option  again for the benefit of new readers.  There is a SEARCH window on the Home and Recipes pages, as well as all Blog pages.  You must enter at least one full word and then click the Search icon (the magnifying glass at the right), or just hit enter.  That will generate a list of every page on the site that contains your Search word – with links to the full recipes and blogs.  To search on a phrase (e.g., Romano cheese), you must enclose the multiple words in quotation marks (e.g., “Romano cheese”).  It is a quick and easy way to find recipes or other information about a particular subject.

And finally, no blog would be complete without mentioning at least one newly posted recipe.  This month I have three – all requested by subscribers!

The Bellini is a famous Italian cocktail invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice and popularized by Ernest Hemingway, who gained fame by reportedly imbibing several of them.  Harry’s Bar makes them with Prosecco and white peaches.  I use Prosecco, fresh Michigan peaches, and grenadine, but any peach will do.

Pizza parties are a frequent occurrence at our house and we are always looking for new ideas.  We try various combinations of sauces and toppings and then repeat whatever seems to elicit the best responses.  The Mushroom Pizza with Béchamel Sauce was an instant hit and is now one of our standard offerings.

The Tiramisu recipe has been in my collection for years, but didn’t make it to this site until I was requested to post it.  There are several ways to prepare Tiramisu, but I prefer to make it using savoiardi (Italian lady fingers), mascarpone cheese, eggs, espresso, Marsala wine, and shaved chocolate.  Anything with those ingredients is delicious by definition!

I hope you have an opportunity to try them soon.

Buon appetito.

P.S.  I am always open to suggestions for improvement, from all readers, subscribers or not.  If you see that something is incorrect, or confusing, or missing, please do not hesitate to add a Comment or two.  The Comment box appears at the bottom of all blogs.  Thanks.
0 Comments

American - Italian Foods

8/20/2015

0 Comments

 
From the beginning, this web site has been about preparing simple and delicious foods Italian style.  In my second blog – in January 2014 – I further explained that my primary focus would be “classic” Italian foods – that is, foods originating in the Italy of my grandparents and their ancestors, or 19th century Italy.  While I will be the first to admit I have drifted from this focus on occasion, historic authenticity is still very important to me – not because I think those recipes are inherently better, but because I wish to preserve their authenticity.

Writing these blogs, however, has helped me appreciate other foods that were unknown 100 years ago in Italy, but are, nonetheless, arguably Italian.  Three foods come immediately to mind:  Pasta Carbonara, Penne alla Vodka, and Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.  The first was created for Americans, the second popularized by Americans, and the last created by Italians in America.  Looking for a common denominator, I selected American – Italian Foods as the theme for this blog.

Thanks to my long-time friend, business colleague, and fellow hobby chef, David in Austin, I recently learned the origin of Pasta Carbonara.  As reported by Marcella Hazan, celebrated chef and author, Pasta Carbonara dates back to the end of World War II when American soldiers living in and around Rome brought bacon and eggs to local families and requested they use them in a pasta sauce.  Ms. Hazan suggests the dish came to be known as carbonara because of the earthy flavors of the smoked pork.  (Carbonara translates roughly to carbon or charcoal.)  In Italy today, pasta carbonara is most frequently prepared with pancetta or salted pork jowl, both being unsmoked meats.  As Chef Hazan notes, pork jowl and pancetta are “so much sweeter than bacon, whose smoky accents tend to weary the palate.”  I tasted Pasta Carbonara for the first time many years ago at a family reunion.  Two cousins (one a trained chef, and both exceptionally talented in the kitchen) prepared the dish using their own recipe – the recipe posted on this site.  As you can see, their recipe calls for pancetta.  I recommend it highly.

Penne alla Vodka was essentially unknown outside Italian households until it won a national recipe contest in Italy in the 1970s.  Now it is a familiar menu item in Italian restaurants everywhere.  Penne alla Vodka begins with a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, heavy cream, and of course, vodka.  The alcohol in the vodka releases flavor compounds in the tomatoes that are alcohol soluble, but not water soluble.  (In reality, wine or any other alcoholic beverage could be used as a substitute for the vodka, but that would spoil all the fun!  Plus, vodka adds limited extra flavors to the sauce.)  The alcohol also helps to emulsify the cream.  The sauce is often blended or pureed to make it smooth and silky before being served with penne pasta.  The recipe posted here is my version and uses what has become my favorite tomato product – 6 IN 1 brand All Purpose Ground Tomatoes in Extra Heavy Puree (if your grocer doesn't carry them, they are available online at escalon.net).
FEATURED RECIPES
Pasta Carbonara
Penne alla Vodka
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

Picture
Pasta Carbonara.

Picture
Penne alla Vodka.

Picture
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza.

Which brings us to the Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza – created in Chicago.  But by whom?  Pizzeria Uno claims their founder, Ike Sewell (doesn’t sound Italian to me), created the first pie in 1943; and Lou Malnati’s claims to be the “oldest family name in Chicago pizza.”  In 1956, the Chicago Daily News reported that Rudy Malnati (definitely Italian) actually created the first deep dish pizza when he was the original pizza chef at Uno’s in the 1940s.  Rudy’s son, Lou, worked with him at Uno’s in the 40s and 50s, and in 1971, Lou Malnati opened his first restaurant in Lincolnwood, a Chicago suburb.  Uno’s and Malnati’s have been fierce competitors ever since.  It would appear that both restaurants are making legitimate claims.

My son, David, created the recipe for Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza posted here.  While researching recipes for this local delicacy, David quickly realized that all of these restaurants consider their recipes for both the dough and the sauce highly proprietary and have successfully kept the recipes safe from internet leaks.  David was, therefore, relegated to various suggestions from self-proclaimed “experts” as well as his own experience to create this recipe.  It should also be noted that there are two camps when it comes to Chicago-style pizza.  David reports, “Though most Chicagoans will agree on the basic concept of the Chicago-style (or deep dish) pizza, there is a serious dispute as to the preparation of the pie.  Those in the Uno’s, Malnati’s, and Gino's East camps will argue that a deep dish pizza consists of a crust, mozzarella cheese and meat layers, sauce,  and all topped with grated Parmesan cheese.  Those in the Nancy’s and Giordano's camps, however, will argue that deep dish pizza has a layer of dough between the cheese-meat layers and the sauce.  On a lesser note, the Uno's camp uses a doughy corn meal crust resembling more of a traditional pizza crust, whereas the Giordano's camp uses a buttery flaky crust more akin to a pie crust.”  This dispute, in fact, has even infiltrated our own household.  As you will see in his recipe, David prefers the two-crust version, whereas I prefer the single crust.

I will submit that the underlying message to all of this is clear.  Whether we consider these foods to be Historic Italian or American – Italian (or anything else!) is much less important than the fact that they are all memorably delicious creations.  I know that after you’ve tried one or more, you’ll be back for more!

Buon appetito.
0 Comments

Recipes Reserved for Guests

7/14/2015

0 Comments

 
I have several favorite childhood memories that relate to food.  Visiting relatives is definitely near the top of that list.  Why?  Because it was always great fun knowing you would be offered something interesting and delicious to eat within moments of your arrival – regardless of the time of day!  Since all my relatives were Italian, everything served also was Italian – the breads, cheeses, sausages, cured meats, and of course, the wine.

The same was true when we had visitors – or as my mother would say, “Company!”  We had “company” often.  My maternal grandmother lived with us until her death when I was a young teenager.  She bore 17 children, 12 of whom lived to adulthood, and most of them lived nearby and visited her (and us) frequently – oftentimes unannounced.  It didn’t matter.  As soon as everyone was inside, food and drink seemed to appear magically.  Those were special times indeed.

As it happened, my wife had nearly identical experiences with her relatives and grandparents.  No visit was ever complete without food and drink – in her case, German, but equally delicious and lovingly prepared.

So it was quite natural for the two of us to continue those traditions as we began our own household nearly a half-century ago.  It might be only a slight exaggeration to say that only the mail lady and the UPS deliveryman have visited us without being offered something to eat!  Needless to say we have enjoyed every second of every visit – regardless of the duration.  Dining with friends and relatives is part of our heritage.

Over the last several years, however, since retirement actually, the nature and frequency of visits to our home has changed.  As we reached retirement age, so did many of our close relatives and long term friends; and as they retired they moved to their “special” area of the country just as we did.  Consequently, since few of them live nearby, their visits are always scheduled and almost always involve multi-day stays.  Even our adult children and their families generally visit for multiple days.  We still enjoy entertaining local friends, but (for hobby chefs like me) the real fun begins when entertaining involves all three meals for multiple days!

Over the years, every recipe posted on this web site has been prepared for guests at least once – and, of course, several of them many, many times.  Four of the posted recipes, however, have only been prepared for guests!  For a number of reasons, we have never prepared them just for ourselves.  Even though this didn’t happen intentionally, I’ve still decided to call them “Recipes Reserved for Guests!”

The first two are breakfast dishes, or perhaps more correctly, brunch dishes.  Frittata with Fresh Herbs has become a house specialty.  Grandma Karen provides the fresh herbs from her exquisite herb garden, the local Farmers’ Market provides the fresh eggs, and my favorite Italian market (Cantoro Italian Market in Livonia and Plymouth) provides the Italian cheeses.  I like to anoint each wedge with a drizzle of Aceto Balsamico Traditionale di Modena.

My son and I created Crab Cakes Benedict several years ago.  We begin with the recipe for Maryland Crab Cakes, which has been in my collection for over 40 years – since we lived there.  Add a slice of crusty Italian bread toast, fresh baby spinach leaves, a perfectly poached fresh egg, and a generous dollop of Hollandaise Sauce, and you have a perfect breakfast or brunch offering for overnight guests.
FEATURED RECIPES
Crab Cakes Benedict
Frittata with Fresh Herbs
Pork Loin Roast with Fennel
Cassata

Picture
Crab Cakes Benedict.

Picture
Frittata with Fresh Herbs and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and fresh chives.

Picture
Pork Loin Roast with Fennel served with Roasted Vegetables.

Picture
Cassata.

Pork Loin Roast with Fennel is the solitary dinner item that only has been served to guests.  Partly for flavor, and partly for the spectacular presentation, I recommend using a bone-in pork loin – at least one bone per person.  The meat is seasoned with crushed fennel seeds, and roasted with fresh fennel slices.  I often serve it with Roasted Vegetables and a sauce made from the pan juices.

Finally, my all-time favorite dessert!  We’ve only served this to guests because it does require significant effort – although as I’ve mentioned before, extra effort usually produces exceptional results.  Cassata is a classic Sicilian dessert, typically prepared as a sponge cake layered with cheese, fruits, and nuts, and covered with marzipan.  We serve this version “deconstructed.”  It all begins with a mixture of Ricotta cheese, pastry cream, whipped cream, and whipped egg whites.  To this you add chopped toasted almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts.  Oh, and some chopped fresh (preferably Michigan) tart cherries.  The cream mixture is then served over Savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers) soaked in Marsala wine – and then finished with a shower of freshly shaved dark chocolate.  What could be more Italian (oops, Sicilian) and more decadently delicious?

Yes, it does take some extra time and effort, but, after all, these are guests!  As I explained at the outset, welcoming and feeding guests – whether family or friends, whether for hours or days – has been an important part of our lives since as far back as either of us can remember.  In short, it’s a labor of love!

I hope you will find some excuse, and a little extra time, to try at least one of these “Recipes Reserved for Guests.”

Buon appetito.

P.S.  There are two other new entries listed on the Recipes page of this site:  Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza and Szechuan Pork in Garlic Sauce.  The first appears courtesy of our son.  I will have more to say about both in a future blog.
0 Comments

Simple and Elegant

6/25/2015

2 Comments

 
One of the objectives for this website has always been to share recipes I consider special in some way.  Some recipes are special by being an integral part of my family history, some because they involve my favorite ingredients (read cherries or blackberries here, but my favorites list is very long), and others just for being simple to prepare and elegant to serve.  I particularly enjoy serving foods in this third category.  With minimal effort, you can provide your family and guests with delicious, as well as visually appealing, culinary experiences.

Strawberry Soup is at or near the top of my list of simple and elegant dishes.  I briefly noted this recipe once before, but it deserves mention again – especially as fresh strawberries are abundant everywhere this time of year.  It is a delicious blend of freshly pureed berries, milk, heavy cream, and sour cream.  Served cold with a strawberry and mint leaf or two, it is as visually appealing as it is tasty.  (It is also special to me because it was originally requested by my three oldest grandchildren!)

Then there is something I call Fruit Salad Greek Style – actually a Grandma Karen specialty.  Dice a honeydew melon and a cantaloupe, add some Feta cheese and fresh blackberries, sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, and finish with a liberal drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  It provides an impressive presentation and is unforgettably delicious.

Simple and fancy desserts are fun, too.  I’ve mentioned Roasted Pears before, although again just briefly.  Italian cuisine contains myriads of desserts, but many Italians prefer to end their meals simply with fresh fruit, cheese, and red wine.  This recipe combines all three.  While you and your diners are enjoying the main course, you roast whole pears in Chianti (with sugar added to make a simple syrup).  The pears are served warm in a “puddle” of Chianti Sauce with shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

I’ve discovered that the Chianti Sauce used to prepare Roasted Pears works well with other recipes, too, especially when fresh fruit is involved.  Consequently, I have added it as a separate recipe.

FEATURED RECIPES

Strawberry Soup
Fruit Salad Greek Style
Roasted Pears
Chianti Sauce
Panna Cotta
Picture
Strawberry Soup.

Picture
Panna Cotta with fresh berries and Chianti Sauce.

I’ve also recently discovered Panna Cotta, or ‘cooked cream’ in Italian.  Most sources claim Panna Cotta originated in the Piedmont region of Italy, but this may be another example of an “Italian” dish that is more prevalent in the United States than it is it Italy.  Regardless of its origin, Panna Cotta is an incredibly simple concoction that makes an equally incredible presentation on your dessert table.  It can be served with honey, chocolate, nuts, or (my favorite) fresh berries and Chianti Sauce!

As always, I hope you will find an opportunity to try one or more of these suggestions.  I know you will be pleased if you do.

Buon appetito.
2 Comments

Dining with Wine

5/21/2015

2 Comments

 
While I definitely enjoy cooking with wine, I enjoy dining with wine even more.  Food and wine, in my opinion, just belong together.  Which food and which wine, of course, has been the topic of debate, argument, books, countless articles, and several television shows.  I have no intention of attempting to solve this dilemma for anyone, but I do have some thoughts about food and wine that I believe are worth sharing.

At the same time, I am proceeding here with some trepidation.  Many of you reading this already know more about wine than I do.  Most of you have your favorites – just as I do.  Then there are those for whom wine is not a preferred beverage – for any number of reasons.  So to address my trepidation if nothing else, let me state at the outset that my purpose here is to attempt to add to your knowledge of food and wine and not to change anyone’s opinions or habits.
Picture
Four of my favorite Fenn Valley wines – produced entirely with Michigan-grown grapes.

Conventional wisdom suggests (and in some cases very strongly suggests) that only white wines be served with white meats, fish, and light sauces; and red wines be served with red meats and heavier sauces (particularly tomato sauces).  While this is not bad advice, I frankly don’t like rules that dictate personal preferences.  I would much rather offer my guests a choice of red or white and let them decide which they will enjoy most with their meal.  Enjoying your wine as much as you are enjoying your food is my idea of the perfect wine and food pairing.  If you accept this, the next challenge is deciding which wines (note the plural) to serve with your meals.  Time to switch gears a bit.

My introduction to wine came at a very early age.  It was either homemade, or it was what we now call “jug wine.”  I remember treasuring my small glass of red wine with my plate of pasta and meatballs.  It didn’t happen often, but when it did (usually when there were guests for dinner) it was a very special event for me.

Clearly I came late to the game.  The first evidence of humans consuming beverages fermented from grapes dates back to China circa 7,000 - 6,600 B.C.  Today, wine is produced throughout the world.  Italy, France, and Spain are the largest producers (in that order).  The United States follows in fourth place.  I was surprised to learn (from where else but Wikipedia.com) that wine is produced in all 50 states!  California produces the most (88%), while South Dakota is last with 0.003% (less than 3 ounces per person “living” there).  I have tasted wines in several states, and from even more.  My overall reaction was something of a surprise to me:  California is not the only state making really good wines, and many wineries in the other 49 states (except maybe South Dakota) have the awards to prove it.

Two of my favorites are Debonné Vineyards in Madison, Ohio (where we once lived) and Fenn Valley Vineyards and Wine Cellar in Fennville, Michigan (near where we currently live.  We were among the very first customers at Chalet Debonné when it opened in 1972, and we have been enjoying Fenn Valley (established in 1973) for over a decade.  Sadly, neither of these wines is available in the other state.  Federal and state regulations, and limited production volumes, make interstate sales uneconomical for all but the largest wineries, which are located primarily in California, New York, Washington, and Oregon – the top four producing states.

The good news for all of us, regardless of where we live (although I’m still not sure about South Dakota), is that there are plenty of intrastate wines available for us to try. If you haven’t already discovered the wines from your home state, I hope you will find an opportunity to do so.  If nothing else, you’ll have the fun experience of trying something new, you’ll be supporting your local economy, and you just may discover something special to share with your next dinner guests.  I certainly know I have seldom been disappointed with locally produced wines.  My long-term friend, Wes, said it first and best: “There’s no such thing as a bad wine, but some are better than others!”

Armed with that sage advice, perhaps a bottle or two from your local vineyard, and your favorite recipe, you could soon be writing your own “rules” for pairing food and wine.

Buon appetito.

P.S.  You might note that I have caught the social media “bug” and have added Facebook Like and Share icons to all the pages on this site.  This is a non-commercial site and I receive no compensation for Likes or Clicks, but if you do see something you enjoy I will appreciate knowing it.  (As a personal aside, I’ve always thought there also should be a Dislike icon!  Since there isn’t, if you see something here that needs improvement, please so advise me using the Comment icon.  Mille grazie.)
2 Comments

Fast Food – Italian Style

4/25/2015

0 Comments

 
More and more often it seems I have less and less time available to prepare, enjoy, and then clean up after meals – especially evening meals.  I know that at least some of you have this same problem because you have told me so.  I also know that nothing I can write here will “solve” this dilemma for either of us.  We all have our list of favorite “fast food” meals that we draw from when the available meal time is short.

I thought it might be fun (and hopefully useful) to offer some suggestions for adding to your fast food lists, and since this blog is primarily about Italian fare I will focus on some meals my grandmothers and parents prepared many years ago when they were faced with similar time constraints.  Full disclosure:  I doubt they ever had similar time constraints.  More often, they just preferred to cook something quick and simple.  I suspect many of us can identify with that, too!  Also, while these recipes are indeed rooted in my ancestry, they have been rewritten and updated (again hopefully) to reflect current trends and tastes.

Pasta, of course, is an Italian food staple.  Every Italian cook has a few pounds stashed away somewhere.  Personally, if my supply drops below five pounds I begin to feel withdrawal symptoms!!  My parents had at least a month’s supply on hand at all times.  So it should be no surprise that my Italian fast food suggestions all involve pasta.

The premise is simple: cook your favorite pasta in boiling salted water while you sauté one or more of your favorite fresh vegetables; mix the pasta and vegetables together with extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated cheese; and serve with a tossed salad and some crusty Italian bread.  If you prefer a heartier meal, consider adding some grilled or sautéed sausages – Italian, German, Polish, or otherwise.

I am including pictures here of three of my favorite Italian fast foods.  The top two are essentially the same recipe – only the vegetable and cheese differ.  Besides baby artichokes and red peppers, you could use green peppers, any type of onions, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, or leeks.  The list of cheese is long, too.  In addition to Parmigiano-Reggiano and Caciocavalla, my favorites include pecorino Romano and Asiago, but any grated cheese will work.

The pasta could have differed as well.  I have always maintained that the pasta’s shape affects the mouth feel and overall dining experience.  A plate of delicate capellini and a plate of robust mostaccioli or ziti provide two different dining experiences.

I will let the picture of Sausages with Peppers and Onions speak for itself!  It can be served with or without pasta.  I frequently serve it with fried potatoes and, of course, the mandatory crusty Italian bread.
FEATURED RECIPES
Cacio e Pepe
Linguine with Baby Artichokes
Pasta with Basil Pesto
Pasta with Red Peppers
Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Picture
Linguine with Baby Artichokes and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Picture
Pasta with Sauteed Red Peppers and Caciocavallo cheese.

Picture
Italian Sausages with Onions and Green Peppers.

I also have included two other favorites in the list of Featured Recipes – Cacio e Pepe and Pasta with Basil Pesto.  Both are not only delicious in their own right, they offer yet two more options to combine with fresh vegetables or grilled sausages.

As always, I hope you will try one of these suggestions
– perhaps when you see some extraordinarily fresh vegetables at your local farmers' market or grocery store.  I know you won't be disappointed.

Buon appetito.
0 Comments

Cooking with Wine

4/7/2015

2 Comments

 
In February 2014, in one of my earliest blogs, I wrote:  “If you asked me what my favorite cooking ingredient is, I doubt I could give you a single answer.  Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil to be precise, would be one of my top candidates, however.”  As you likely have already guessed, this blog is about another of my favorite cooking ingredients – wine!

In that same blog I also noted, “We all know that food tastes best when you use the best tasting ingredients – and that includes the oil you use.”  I will submit now that it also includes the liquids we use.

Let’s begin with water – by definition, an odorless, tasteless liquid!  By itself, “it brings absolutely nothing to the party” as one of my favorite TV chefs, Alton Brown, would say (and has said by the way).  Unfortunately, however and as we all know, water is very important in all phases of cooking, so it cannot simply be ignored.  We must use water (at least in some form) in many recipes.  Most times, there is no alternative.  Fortunately, though, we can add a wide variety of flavors to water.  When we do, we create what is called an aqueous liquid – or water-based liquid.  Again by definition, water itself is an aqueous liquid, albeit unflavored.  Chicken, beef, vegetable, or fish stocks are some common examples of aqueous liquids (flavored water).  Fruit juices are aqueous liquids.  So are milk, and beer – and wine!

Over the last year or so I have posted over 30 recipes that include wine as an ingredient.  (You can see them all by entering the word ‘wine’ in the Search box on the upper right of this screen and then pressing Enter.)  The list of Featured Recipes included here lists ten of my favorites.  The recipes for Veal Marsala and Sautéed Mushrooms are new.  I’ve mentioned the others before, but I am including them again to make the point that wine can be used for any course – from appetizer to dessert.
FEATURED RECIPES
Cheese Fondue
Roman Tossed Salad
Greek Tomato Sauce

Mac 'n' Cheese - Adult Style

Saut
éed Mushrooms
Golden Chicken Breasts
Boeuf Bourguinon
Veal Marsala

Mussels in Wine Sauce
Roasted Pears
Picture
Veal Marsala served with Fettuccine all'Alfredo.

The logical questions at this point are:  When should we consider using wine?  What kind of wine?  How much wine?

To state the obvious, wines are either red or white, dry or sweet (I include rose wines in the white category).  It is important to remember that dry wines (white or red) have no sugar.  Sweet wines have some sugar – the amount can vary considerably.  We also know that white wines typically have subtle flavors, while red wines tend to be more robust.  (I apologize for the huge generalizations here, but for most recipes the question is red or white, dry or sweet, and not which year or vintage.)

Fortunately for all of us, most recipes suggest the type of wine to use.  Dry whites often are used with fish and seafood, poultry, and some tomato sauces.  Dry reds go best with red meats and their sauces.  (As an aside, I must mention that I do not recommend using red wines with tomato sauces.  It’s a matter of personal taste, but I find the wine overpowers the tomato flavor.)  All dry wines introduce or add an additional acidic component – sometimes described as tanginess, brightness, or complexity.

While dry wines are acidic, they are much less so than most vinegars.  Consequently, wine often is substituted for at least some of the vinegar in certain recipes.  My best example of this is the recipe for Roman Tossed Salad.  It uses dry Vermouth to moderate the acidity of the oil and vinegar dressing.

Sweet wines, obviously, add sugar to the dish.  This, too, adds a measure of complexity.  One of the best examples of using a sweet wine to add complexity to a simple dish is the recipe for Golden Chicken Breasts.

Also, wine is seldom if ever used as the sole liquid.  Typically, wine constitutes less than a quarter of the total liquid content of the recipe.

It is often stated that the wine used for cooking should be the same wine served with the meal.  While I admit this is a nice thought, I reject the logic completely.  First, the alcohol in the wine evaporates completely (and quickly).  It’s a matter of chemistry!  Second, if you can readily taste the wine in the dish, you likely have used too much.  (One notable exception to this statement is Boeuf Bourguignon, where the wine flavor is the whole purpose of the dish!)

Another adage recommends only using wines for cooking that you would consider and enjoy drinking.  This I agree with completely – although this does not mean using expensive wines for cooking.  There are perfectly acceptable drinking wines available in all categories at prices below $5 per bottle.  (Again, the exception to this is the wine I select for Boeuf Bourguignon.  Using a French Burgundy makes this favorite extra special, so a few more dollars for the wine may be required.)

Finally, a few words about the latest recipe additions – both of which feature Marsala wine.  Marsala comes in two varieties, sweet and dry.  I prefer the dry, but either is acceptable.  Marsala originated as a Sicilian wine, but now is available from several growing regions.  Again as a matter of personal taste, I consider Marsala to be an ideal cooking wine, but not necessarily a wine to be enjoyed by the glass.  In this version of Veal Marsala, the wine, together with the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and rosemary, add delightful complexity to the mild flavored veal.  The recipe works equally well with chicken or pork.

Marsala wine is also a great addition to Sautéed Mushrooms.  After the mushrooms have given up their juices and begin to brown, add a quarter cup of Marsala wine and reduce until the pan sauce begins to thicken slightly.  The wine adds an incredible depth of flavor.  Serve the mushrooms separately, or over your favorite grilled meat.

If you have used wine in your kitchen in the past, I doubt I have told you anything new – although I may have inspired you to try some new ways to use it.  If you haven’t yet used wine in your cooking, I wholeheartedly recommend you try it.  It will add a whole new dimension to many dishes.

Buon appetito.

2 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Looking for something?

    Enter any word or phrase (in quotes) to locate all references to that item.

    Why subscribe?

      Subscribers to this site are notified whenever a new blog is posted.  The subscriber list is an indicator of how many readers know of new postings. Subscribing is easy.  Just enter your name and Email address below and hit Subscribe.  Be assured that your Email address is safe, and will never be shared with anyone. 
    Subscribe

    Author

    Hobby Chef Grandpa Joe has been practicing Italian-style cooking for over 60 years.  He enjoys cooking, entertaining, and then sharing his culinary experiences with family and friends.

    Archives

    November 2024
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All