Something to love . . . Pocket Coffee

We love chocolate. We love espresso. And somehow coffee-flavored-chocolate just doesn’t quite do either one justice.

Then we moved to Italy. And then we discovered Pocket Coffee. One of Ferrero Rocher’s beloved creations, Pocket coffee is a delicious chocolate shell filled with liquid (yes, liquid) sugared espresso.

You have to eat it carefully, preferably in one bite, because it will spill. The result? A perfect marriage of coffee and chocolate, and a delicious on-the-go pick-me-up.

Ferrero Rocher also makes fabulous Happy Hippos, which we’ll have to talk about another time.

Let’s eat Italian: a simple, preview-to-summer dish

This fabulously light and gourmet dish is an easy summertime favourite, though we eat it all year. Don’t let the tuna fool you or the anchovies scare you. This is not your grandma’s tuna casserole and the flavor is surprisingly light and very gourmet.

Ingredients:

3-4 anchovy fillets, minced

2 cloves garlic

1 t crushed red pepper

10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can tuna fish, the flakier the better (drained)
juice of 1 lemon

olive oil

angel hair pasta

Directions:

Saute the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper in a good 1/4 cup of olive oil until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the cherry tomatoes and saute briefly. Add the tuna and cook until just warm, remove from heat.

In the meantime, cook the angel hair and drain. Add the lemon juice to the pasta and stir until coated. Toss the pasta with the cherry tomato mixture and serve with a healthy sprinkle of fresh Parmesan.

The ultimate in the ‘Mediteranean diet.’ Gnam gnam!

History of pizza in America

AmericanHeritage.com has a nice little article summarizing the history of the pizza, especially after it appeared in the U.S., where it was, arguably, improved in many ways. (The original Italian pizza does not have cheese. This comes as a shock to tourists who, as I once did, order a traditional Neapolitan pizza at a pizzeria in Italy.) On the other hand,  I would, hands down, always chose an Italian pizza over an American one.  Overall, a good read.

Pizza had wedged its way into the nation’s hearts and stomachs almost overnight, a phenomenon befitting a food that became synonymous with quick and easy. Americans seeking fun in the years after World War II found a good measure of it in pizza, a food that when eaten correctly (a matter of some debate among 1950s advice columnists) forced the diner’s lips into a broad smile. Pizza, like teenagedom and rock ’n’ roll, is a lasting relic of America’s mid-century embrace of good times.

Link

Lobster abuse: it will cost you

A restaurant owner in Vicenza has been fined 688 euros (870 dollars) for mistreating his live lobsters, but we're not talking about mistreatment in terms of "boiling and eating." No, he merely kept his lobsters in a tub on ice. He was found out after a Greenpeace activist alerted authorities at the Italian Animal Protection Agency.

He plans an appeal, but meanwhile his restaurant is enjoying a lot of press attention, which if nothing else advertises his fresh seafood.

Link (Italian) 

Something to love: our favorite Italian chocolate cookie

Next time you're at the supermercato grab a package of Mulino Bianco's cookies. These disc-shaped, dark chocolate delights are from their gran cereale line, which is supposed to be healthy-ish (plus, they're vegan–no eggs or milk). Our favorite of the varieties of this fabulous snack cookie is fave di cacao which means 'cocoa beans.' Yes folks, there are honest-to-goodness cocoa beans chopped finely and put in this tasty, crunchy cookie. For true chocolate lovers everywhere this is a special treat.

Eat like an Italian and avoid Alzheimer’s

A new study suggests that the Mediterranean diet (rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, cereals, and olive oil as opposed to saturated fats) may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This good news only adds to many other health benefits (and taste bud treats) that this diet already offers.

According to the study, people who followed this diet were up to 40 percent less at risk of developing Alzheimer's than those who chose to eat differently.

Link

Mangiamo (Let’s eat): A Post-Easter meal

After the feasting of yesterday, a light dinner with stuffed pasta as the main course is a welcome respite!

We'll start with Ravioli ripieni ai funghi (mushroom ravioli):

Ingredients:

8 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz mushrooms

2 Tbs grated parmesan

1 clove of garlic

olive oil, salt, and pepper

Directions:

Clean the mushrooms, then saute' them with several tablespoons olive oil and a crushed clove of garlic in a pan. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the mushrooms and mince. Add the ricotta and a little grated parmesan. Mix well.

For the pasta I like to use wanton wrappers. Not 'authentic Italian,' I know, but it saves loads of time and the results are very pleasing. To follow this route, take two square wrappers, wet the edges with water, put a teaspoon of filling in the center of one, and press the second wrapper on top, pressing and sealing the edges. Try to get all the air bubbles out. Repeat for all the filling.

To cook, boil water and place the ravioli in, about 8 at once. After 3-4 minutes (when they begin to float), remove with a slotted spoon.  Serve with a simple sauce of garlic broned in butter.

As the vegetable try Carote Dolci (Sweet carrots).

Ingredients:

1 lb carrots, sliced in rounds

1/2 pound new onions, sliced in wedges

1/4 pound raisins

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of thyme

10 almonds, slivered

olive oil, salt

Directions:

Wash the raisins and let them sit in warm water for about half an hour. Place the carrots, onions, bay leaves, thyme, and olive oil in a covered saucepan. Season with salt and saute' on medium for about fifteen minutes. Drain the raisins and add to pan. Let cook for about five minutes more. Just before serving add the slivered almonds.

Serve this colorful meal with a small salad or crusty bread.

Enjoy!

1 million tourists in Italian countryside for Easter

Despite the uncertain weather for this weekend, over 1 million travelers (both Italian and foreigners) will visit the countryside for the Easter holiday, including those staying at hotels, second homes, B&Bs, and 15000-odd agriturismi. Easter is a big holiday in this country, somewhat comparable to Thanksgiving in the US, when families are expected to get together and enjoy a fine meal. Link (it)
Some related vocabulary: the word for Easter is Pasqua, which is related to the English theological term paschal, which refers to both Passover and Easter. (In Christian theology, Easter is the new Passover.)

Agriturismo is a phenomenon in which small farms have converted themselves for tourism purposes, often allowing guests to experience work on the farm, in combination with lessons in cooking and wine (turismo enogastronomico). It is also common for farms to increase revenue with gift shops that feature local products and specialties. The trend has become increasingly important for the survival of small (often organic) farms worldwide, especially in areas known for a diverse range of local products.

Mangiamo (let’s eat)

Our primo piatto of the day is Pasta Rustica, a simple pasta in herb sauce.

Ingredients:

10 fresh sage leaves

2 garlic cloves

a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped 3-4 fresh basil leaves, minced

extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Pasta

Crush or mince the garlic and place it in a pan with the sage and several tablespoons of olive oil. With the heat on medium-low, stir carefully until the garlic begins to turn golden. Just before turning of the heat, add the minced basil leaves and chopped parsley. Serve the sauce over freshly cooked pasta, and sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top.

For the secondo we'll try Pollo alla Panna (Chicken in cream).

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken breasts for 4, cut into large pieces
4 cups light cream

1 onion

leek

1 clove of garlic, minced

3-4 cloves

1 bay leaf

butter

salt

pepper

Mince the leek and the onion, and place them in a large frying pan with the garlic and a tablespoon of butter. Cook on low for five minutes.

Add the chicken, several cloves, and the bay leaf. Salt and pepper the chicken, then brown. Remove the cloves, and the bay leaf. Add the cream and simmer for about an hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has a creamy consistency. If the liquid is too watery, remove the chicken and cook the sauce a little longer. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk.

Serve the sauce over the chicken with a contorno (side) of broccoli.

Buon Appetito!