Food

Best Bakery in Lucca

Posted April 14, 2019 by Sharon Leave a Comment

By Sharon Sanders

Just typing those words and I salivate. Giusti is a fine bakery in the center of Lucca on Via S. Lucia.

Forno a Vapore Amedeo Giusti (steam oven bakery Amedeo Giusti) creates a variety of breads and pastries using stone-ground organic DOP (protected place of origin) flour, heirloom grains, extra-virgin olive oil and other premium ingredients.

The budino di riso (lemon-kissed rice pudding in a cookie crust; above left) was paradise.

A mini crostata filled with stracchino cheese was a savory sensation.

A glazed walnut-fig brioche pastry (right) tasted like Christmas. Walter and I slivered it into disappearing.

The most impressive baked good was the focaccia, both for the quality of the product and the volume of it that left the shop on our two visits.

[Read more…]

Genoa Eats

Posted April 8, 2019 by Sharon Leave a Comment

By Sharon Sanders

Walter recounted our Day in Genoa from a cultural perspective. Now for the essential part — the food.

As we strolled and soaked up information with our superb guide Filippo Zamparelli [fzampare@fastwebnet.it], we also stopped here and there for sustenance. Walking through the caruggi, narrow medieval streets and alleys, temptations assaulted us.

We stopped for a torta stuffed with artichokes, warm from the oven. Heaven. Tortas are flat two-crusted pies stuffed with varied vegetables and cheeses.

At another shop, we gawked at the array of baccalá (salted cod) and stoccafisso. It may seem curious that preserved cod from north Atlantic waters are still so popular in Liguria and other parts of Italy but that is the legacy of a seafaring country.

We pass the baroque storefront Pietro Romanengo Fu Stefano pastry shop (since 1780) with marzipani quaresemali displayed in the window. Made during Lent from almond paste and flavorings, then decorated with pearl sugar, these gems hardly seem like deprivation.

Filippo says the locals refer to it as a jewelry shop because the confections resemble gems and cost almost as much. I buy some to take home because I have to keep an appetite for lunch.

Passion for Pesto

As the name explains pesto alla genovese is the signature dish of the city. The condiment is made by grinding Ligurian basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and extra-virgin olive oil in a marble mortar and pestle. Chef Samin Nosrat visited Nonna Lidia to learn how to make true pesto in Episode 1 or her Netflix series “Salt Fat Acid Heat.”

While non-Italian cooks skip the arm work by using a food processor, purists say the result is not pesto alla genovese. At the Pesto Bene shop, however, someone has devised the best of both worlds: pesto ground in a mortar and pestle by a robot. Robo Pesto!

Pranzo Magnifico

Filippo guided us to the Porto Antico where we wrapped up our morning tour. He bid us arrivederci and pointed us toward Vegia Zena, una trattoria tipica Genovese specialita di pesce (a typical Genoese trattoria specializing in fish). It was literally steps from the piazza on Vico del Serriglio.

Vegia Zena (Genoese dialect for Old Genoa) was everything we love: cozy, unpretentious, filled with happy locals, and serving mouth-watering food.

With a mezzo litro of the house white, we savored fried mussels, grilled octopus, fried rosetti, taglierini in squid ink, and spaghetti with clams.

Satisfied? Oh my, yes!

Not Just Gelato

Throughout the morning I noticed store signs touting vera panera (true panera). It’s pronounced PAH-nayra. Filippo explained that it’s a creamy coffee gelato that’s the signature flavor of the city.

Since I’m a palate purist, I could not sample it before lunch so we walked to the train station after Vegia Zena. I felt justified in indulging at the inviting Gelateria Balbi. It was sumptuous. It coated the roof of my mouth. This is not gelato, I thought. Gelato is made with milk. My tongue was correct.

After some research, I learned that panera is a semifreddo (half frozen), an egg-based mixture flavored with coffee then folded into whipped cream. Panera is a truncation of panna (cream) and nera for black coffee.

More information

~~I would be remiss if I did not mention my go-to source “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler” by Fred Plotkin. Fred also recommends Vegia Zena in his Genoa listing, so I knew that along with Filippo’s word, we were in for a good meal. [Fred’s publisher Kyle Books, if you’re reading this, PLEASE digitalize this volume! It’s densely packed with information but it’s too heavy when one is packing light. I have seen travel chat pages about this topic!]

~~Cooking teacher and author Domenica Marchetti offers an Italian Riviera Tour that includes half a week in Genoa, cooking classes, walking tours, visits to local food producers and more.

~~Some tastes for next time or, if you get to Genoa before I do, please also sample. Torta Zena is a sponge cake filled with rum-flavored zabaglione and trimmed with almond paste. The fry shops are said to be the best! Try fried fish or panissa (chickpea fritters).

Have you eaten in Genoa? What is your favorite Genoese food memory?

Pasta with Delicata Squash and Fall Vegetables

Posted October 10, 2018 by Sharon 2 Comments

Pasta tossed with sautéed delicata squash, Brussels sprouts, and red onion in sage butter. Casarecce, a short dried pasta shape, has nooks to catch the condiments and a noodley exterior for a happy mouth feel.

Adjusting to the produce offerings of extended summer in North Carolina, (we’re enjoying heirloom tomatoes and peaches into October!), I found myself longing for a taste of autumn.

That’s when I spotted some hard shell squash at my Uptown bi-weekly farm stand.

A happy little striped cylinder caught my eye. “What kind of squash is this?” I asked.

“Delicata. It’s really sweet and good,” the vendor explained. “I eat it all the time. You don’t even have to peel it, the skin is that tender.”

Hmmmm. My mental tastebuds flew to the memory of cloud-like tortelli di zucca that I had savored in Lombardy. A specialty of the city of Mantua, the stuffing combines pureed cooked pumpkin, ground amaretti cookies, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and mostarda di frutta (a combo of various fruits preserved in a spicy syrup flavored with essential mustard oil).

While the memory was willing to spend untold hours and effort tracking down specialty ingredients, making fresh egg pasta dough, mixing stuffing, and shaping dozens of tortelli, my immediate schedule was not so accommodating.

Glancing around the stall, I spotted Brussels sprouts and ruby red onions. Maybe a simpler sautéed autumn vegetable pasta would fill the bill.

It did. And here’s the recipe.

Pasta with Delicata Squash and Fall Vegetables

Recipe type: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Sharon Sanders

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

One half of a delicata squash, seeds and pulp removed
½ pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
1 red onion, peeled
Canola or sunflower oil
Salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound casarecce pasta
Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

Cut the squash in two lengthwise pieces. Cut into ⅛-inch thick slices; set aside.
Cut Brussels sprouts into ⅛-inch slices.
Cut onion in half from the root end to the stem end. Cut each half into two chunks. Cut into ⅛-inch slices.
Place a large sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle it with oil. When the oil is hot, add the squash. Toss the squash and cover the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the squash starts to brown. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Add the Brussels sprouts and a drizzle of oil to the pan. Toss and cover. Cook, tossing occasionally for about 5 minutes or until sprouts are wilted.
Add the onions. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally, cook for about 3 minutes or until onions are wilted. If pan bottom is becoming too brown, add a splash of broth or water.
Season to taste with salt and pepper; remove from heat and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the sage and butter. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until butter is bubbling and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the casarecce. Stir and return the water to a boil. Boil for 7 to 8 minutes or until done to your liking.
Reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Drain the casarecce and transfer to the sauté pan. Toss with the vegetables. Drizzle on the sage and butter; toss. Allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes until flavors blend. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of reserved cooking water to loosen the casarecce if needed.
Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bresaola

Posted June 20, 2018 by Sharon Leave a Comment

Bresaola is salted, air-dried beef, a technique that dates from medieval times.

CHIAVENNA–After an hour’s drive north of Dervio on the eastern shore of Lake Como, my Italian teacher Elena Arezio pulled her Volkswagen into a municipal parking lot in Chiavenna. This was north country–a mere 6 1/2 miles from Switzerland as the crow flies.

We had an appointment at Del Curto Macelleria, a century-plus-old family butcher shop that produces some of the finest bresaola in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy. Elena makes a pilgrimage to Del Curto every holiday season to buy the salted dried beef and other salumi.

Chiavenna

We found the shop locked since it was still officially the mid-day break. An older gentleman responded to our knock. He was co-proprietor Enrico Del Curto who went to fetch his brother Aldo, ostensibly the spokesman for the operation. At first, Aldo didn’t say much but he soon warmed to the topic of his life’s work as he led us downstairs to a series of spotless white curing rooms.

Tradition and Time to Create Bresaola

Aldo Del Curto in the drying room.

Bresaola enjoys IGP (protected geographical designation) status. Several cuts of beef from the leg and flank can be used. Aldo stresses that Del Curto uses only Italian beef while some other producers import beef from South American countries. Some cuts are bone-in; the boneless “nocino” commands a premium.

Del Curto starts the process by rubbing a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic over the beef. The seasoned cuts are packed tightly in covered tubs for no more than 15 days. During this stage, the salt draws out liquid and seasons the meat.

After draining the liquid from the meat, a small amount of potassium nitrate is added to prevent botulism. “Pochissimo [a tiny amount],” says Aldo, who says that some of the meat is lightly smoked but most clients prefer the air dried.

Aldo opened the doors to temperature-and-humidity controlled rooms where hundreds of beef chunks were hanging. Some of the longer-hanging pieces were covered with muffa (a soft white naturally-occurring mold) that looked like snow.

I’m astounded that one butcher shop could produce such a volume of bresaola. Aldo responds proudly that the beef is served in fine restaurants in Paris, Rome, Milan and other cities.

At last, the tasting room. Aldo machine sliced the bresaola as thin as silk. I blinked at the ruby color, more vivid than fresh beef. The slice dissolved on my tongue. The bresaola was a revelation: tender, moist, complex, slightly saline but not salty.

Grazie, Aldo and Elena, for a unique slice of Italy.

Violino di Capra

The Del Curto brothers also produce violino di capra, cured and air-dried goat shoulder. The whimsical name is a nod to the resemblance that the elongated shoulder shape has to the musical instrument. Here’s a look at Aldo slicing a Stradivarius of cured meat at the 2016 Slow Food Salone del Gusto. Sadly, I didn’t taste the goat prosciutto. Del Curto only sells the whole violin, not slices.

How Goat Prosciutto is made.

What’s the best Italian salume you’ve eaten?

Simple Italy Greatest Hits

Posted February 6, 2018 by Sharon 1 Comment

Le cose cambiano. Things change.

SimpleItaly is evolving. Fresh posts will appear less frequently. Our greatest hits, however, are always a click away. When we discover a new Italian regional recipe, destination, experience, or person, we’ll share the gems with our fellow Inner Italians.

Let’s re-visit some of our fondest timeless memories–encompassing cooking, wine appreciation, people, music, movies, art and serendipitous experiences–from a decade of SimpleItaly.

Bolognese-style lasagna

Lasagna alla Bolognese (Bolognese-style lasagna), a dish that embodies the allure of slow food, has only four components–fresh spinach noodles, ragu, balsamella, Parmigiano-Reggiano–but each deserves attention.

Flavors of Friuli

Elizabeth Antoine Crawford traveled throughout Friuli for five years to research her new book.

Sauerkraut, poppyseed, and cinnamon-sugar on pasta. Is this Italian cooking? It is in the northeastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. These seductive ingredients and more are explored in Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy.

A truffle hunter with his prized partner.

On the Truffle Trail in Le Marche

Acqualagna is all about truffles. One-fourth of the residents are qualified truffle hunters and 70 percent of Italy’s truffle dogs are trained here. The white truffle is celebrated each autumn with the Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco. (This article first appeared in the November 2011 issue  of the travel newsletter Dream of Italy.

Confetti Town

Lining the main streets of Sulmona, in Abruzzo, are shop after shop selling confetti, the confectionary for which the town is famous. It sounds simple: start with almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts and coat them with multiple layers of molten sugar cane syrup. This dessert artistry has been evolving since Roman times when almonds were coated with honey. The results are magnificent. They are edible mosaics, work so detailed, artistic and well-executed that they fool your eye. Of course these are real flowers . . . no, they are confetti.

Brides of Amalfi

Love was in the air during a visit to the Amalfi Coast.

Ragazzi Reminisce

The Leather School, tucked in back of The Basilica of Santa Croce, is the scene for this dynamic duo’s meeting.

C’era una volta. . . once upon a time. . . Max (Massimo Melani) met Wally (Walter Sanders) in Firenze. (Spoiler alert: An iconic Florentine panino plays a supporting role.) Here’s the story in their own words.

The Inner Italian Q & A: Melissa Muldoon

All of our Inner Italians shared delightful personal journeys but, so far, only one has gone on to become an Italian language and travel diva. Artist, designer, cultural conduit, and author Melissa Muldoon hosts La Studentessa Matta (The Crazy Student).

Whites for Summer

In his wine commentaries, Walter seeks out the best, most affordable, wine produced from Italian grapes. He hopes to raise awareness of indigenous varietals that deserve a place on your table.

Lemon Semifreddo

The spoon dessert semifreddo translates as “half frozen.” A cross between a frozen soufflé and gelato, a semifreddo delivers the plush mouthfeel of frozen meringue with the luxurious richness of cream. This lemon version pairs well with red berries.

Malika Ayane

Of this sensational pop vocalist, Paolo Conti said: “Il colore di questa voce è un arancione scuro che sa di spezia amara e rara.” The color of this voice is a dark orange with a dark and rare spice.

Cinema Italiana

SimpleItaly adores this hangdog comedy. What happens to those Italians left behind during Ferragosto, the national August vacation? One such scenario is brilliantly portrayed in the 2008 film Pranzo di Ferragosto released in the U.S. as Mid-August Lunch. Gianni di Gregorio, who co-wrote the script and directs, stars as the soulful Gianni who lives in the heart of Rome with his 93-year-old mother, exquisitely played by Valeria De Franciscis.

Do you have a cherished Inner Italian memory? Share it below.

Taxi Tales: Part 3 Paestum

Posted October 8, 2016 by Sharon Leave a Comment

By Walter Sanders

Magna Grecia! Paestum is the site of well-preserved Greek temples dating to 600 BC. Sharon had visited Paestum some years ago on a press trip and wanted to share its wonders with me. Modern Capaccio-Paestum is also a thriving seaside resort with a wide range of facilities.

Walter and his taxi hero Antonio.

It was Ferragosto, the August holidays, when we arrived at the train station. We stepped out into the afternoon and encountered one person: a taxi driver named Antonio. We introduced ourselves, he loaded our luggage, and asked “Where to?”

“We have no reservations…anywhere,” I said.

“That could be a problem this time of year, but don’t worry, we will find something.”

He immediately called his father who runs a tourism coach business and is well connected with the local lodging providers.

The dad provided suggestions. Antonio called hotels while we drove the seafront hoping for a cancellation or a no show. No luck. We moved away from the seaside to agroturismo establishments located near the numerous mozzarella di bufala enterprises inland. Nothing. We even looked at old style rooming houses. Still nothing.

Antonio called his sister to network with her. After more than an hour of searching we had a lead on a country house owned by one her friends. It was away from the sea…but it was available.

Ricotta di bufala cannoli and a pastry cream cornetto at Tempio.

It turns out the home belonged to a widower who died in January. He had willed it to his two daughters who were hoping to run it as tourism lodging. We were destined to be the first paying guests.

The Antonio network had worked. Over the course of several days, he squired us to some of his preferred spots: Azienda Agricola Tempio for a divine breakfast of bufala milk ricotta stuffed cannoli and Azienda Agricola San Salvatore 1988 for a marvelous fixed price summer lunch of local foods.

We used Antonio for our long hauls to Pasteum, and even once to stock up on groceries. He was a gem to us.

Contact info: Antonio Savria Mobile: 39 334 819 8398