Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

Bellezza Gelato Caffe

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News of great gelato spreads faster than a melting cone.

I heeded the journalistic “rule of three.” My instincts said, “If you’ve heard about Chicago’s Bellezza Gelato Caffe from three sources, you should check it out.”

• As I devoured a recent Wall Street Journal article on the finest gelati in Sicily, I noticed a “Local Scoops” sidebar that cited Bellezza Gelato Caffe  as one of the four best in the U.S.

• A few days later, on my Facebook news feed, my Chi-town buddy Bill “fun is my middle name” Linden announced he was taking his nieces and nephews to Bellezza.

• My husband’s baby brother Michael, no slouch on the insider foodie circuit, mentioned that Bellezza was the real deal.

Fate played a winning hand in my research because a visit to Windy City relatives was already on the calendar.

Walter, Tess, and I snuck out on a searing Friday afternoon to Harlem Avenue on the city’s far west side. Bellezza, tucked into a tiny shopping strip, looked modest as we pulled into the parking lot.

Once inside,  the voices of Italian crooners filled the air as we were drawn like magnets to the sleek display cases.

Italian-style case--sleek as a Ferrari.

One silken spoonful is all it takes to feel as if you're in Florence, Rome, or Palermo.

We were greeted by Maria Di Nunzio and Tim Ashorian, corporate dropouts turned gelateria proprietors. They glow with the joy of sharing one of life’s simple pleasures.

They explained that their gelato is prepared from all natural ingredients with no artificial colors, emulsifiers, or additives. The pistachio, for instance is pale compared to the typical dyed neon green version, but the flavor is pistachioissimo.

Gelato tastes so vibrant for several reasons. The fat content is lower than ice cream. Because fat coats the palate and dulls the perception of flavor, gelato tastes more intense. It also has less air whipped into it (the technical term is “over run”) and is stored and eaten at a slightly warmer temperature which also lets the flavors pop.

“Would you like to sample any flavors?” Maria asked. Si, si, si. Lemon sorbetto, classic cannoli, Capri coconut . . . all delightful.

The adorable Tess ordered a combo shake of flavors Dutch Chocolate Delight and Strawberry. Walter asked for a bowl with half vanilla and half coffee. As a coffee fiend, I had no choice but to select the Affogato, touted on a countertop chalkboard.

Tim and Maria, aka l'angeli del gelato!

Affogato means “drowned” in Italian and in this specialty, a scoop of gelato (I chose vanilla) sits on a squirt of syrup (I chose caramel) and then gets “drowned” with a shot of freshly-brewed espresso followed by whipped cream and some chocolate shavings.

Maria told us that she and Tim researched specialty gelato dishes and Affogato appealed to them. Their clients have agreed. She believes it’s from Tuscany. I couldn’t find any background information on gelato l’affogato al caffè in any of my Italian culinary reference books, yet a search on Google.it produced 110,000 hits. I’m thinking the Affogato may be a recent–and brilliant–invention.

This recipe on the illy site is classic and would be easy to do at home (although I cannot guarantee it will be as divine as Bellezza’s). It calls for 2 small scoops of vanilla gelato (chocolate or fiordilatte are mentioned as acceptable alternates) drowned with an espresso lungo (brewed with slightly more water than a regular espresso) topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

If you should find yourself in Chicago, or more likely stuck at O’Hare Airport which is a mere 8-mile taxi ride from Bellezza Gelato Café, please have an Affogato for me.

Is Affogato a gelato dish or a drink. . .or both?

 

Have you savored gelato l’affogato al caffè?

Do you know where it originated?

 

 

Villa del Balbianello

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Just knowing that a place like Villa del Balbianello exists makes me happy.

But visiting Villa del Balbianello makes me even happier.

Courtesy of Province of Como Tourism

Perched on a cliff on the western shore of the southwest leg of Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello can be accessed by boat—an approach that sets the mood of romance right from the start.

Villa del Balbianello's private marina.

My group of travel agents and journalists, on a fam trip sponsored by New Jersey-based Central Holidays, disembarked at the private marina and entered the gates to paradise. Climbing up the steep gravel path, my memory flashed back to the exquisite Villa Cimbrone in Ravello. (Note to Como Tourist Board: Don’t be offended by the comparison. If I had been to Balbianello first, the evaluation could easily be reversed.)

The chapel facade marked by two distinctive bell towers is all that remains of the convent of an order of Capuchin monks.

Twin Capuchin Towers.

The present Villa and Loggia were constructed in the late 1700s by Cardinal Durini who wanted a quiet summer place to read books. After the Cardinal died, the property passed through several owners and was abandoned for nearly 40 years around the late 19th and early  20th Century.

Enter American soldier and statesman Butler Ames of Massachusetts who purchased and restored the property. The next owner Guido Monzino was a prominent Milanese businessman and avid explorer (he climbed Mount Everest in 1973.) He converted part of the Villa into a private museum filled with his collection of rare art pieces and souvenirs.

Hydrangeas and Cypress.

Fortunately for all of us, Monzino willed Villa del Balbianello to FAI, Fondo Ambiente Italiano, a private not-for-profit organization devoted to preserving Italy’s artistic and natural treasures. That’s how a lucky person like me—or you—can tour the grounds for 6€  (there’s an additional fee to enter the museum). There’s even a convenient public ferry from the town of Como up to the Villa stop (the town of Lenno).

For those with bigger bucks, the Villa is available for booking. Private weddings take place here and movies are made: the Bond film Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones to name two.

The Villa's hilltop loggia.

 

If you can’t get to Villa del Balbianello right away, don’t fret. You can visit via this delightful video that was taped in early spring. The plants are bare, just coming out of dormancy, but you get a wonderful perspective on the majesty of the Villa and grounds.

What spot would you nominate for one of the most beautiful in Italy?

 

View looking south from Villa del Balbianello's terrace.

The Clooney Effect

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This much is true. I was on Lake Como last week participating in a fabulous fam trip sponsored Central Holidays.

However, I will neither confirm nor deny rumors that I had anything to do with Oscar-winner George Clooney’s breakup with the Sardinian velina Elisabetta Canalis.

As for the insinuations that I was stalking George? Laughable. I never got any closer to his villa than the distance from the sight-seeing boat.

All I know about the situation is what I read in the media.

As I sipped my secondo cappuccino on the morning of Tuesday, June 21, I read in La Provincia that George and Ely had been spotted sharing a romantic dinner on the lake. The article featured a photo capture from The Globe Web site. “La Favola Continua” . . . “the fairytale continues” proclaimed the headline.

So, I was as shocked as everyone with the announcement a day later:

“We are not together anymore,” People.com quoted the celebrities as saying in a joint statement.

“It’s very difficult and very personal, and we hope everyone can respect our privacy.”

No reason was given for the split.

Media reports point to George’s displeasure with Elisabetta publicly using the “M” word.

As George told CNN’s Piers Morgan in a recent interview, he has tried marriage and — basta –once is enough. (Here’s a trivia nugget: George’s ex-wife, actress Talia Balsam plays the role of Mona Sterling on AMC’s Mad Men. She’s married to actor John Slattery who plays Roger Sterling.)

While us glamor-starved gawkers fret over George’s romantic relationships, the folks on Lake Como care only about his residential entanglements. His purchase of a villa on Lake Como has been very, very, very good for local tourism– “The Clooney Effect,” as Leoni Luca, Vice Sindaco for the commune di Bellagio put it.

Frankly, I think George might want to spend a little bit less time dating and focus on keeping up the property. The roof really looks as if  it needs some work.

Formaggiomania

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What’s one way to tell if you’ve done a half-way decent job at mothering?

When your daughter returns from a business trip to Rome with a big chunk of formaggio pecorino stagionato. This cheese is the color of antique parchment studded with salt crystals that look like pin pricks. Truly, it looks a little intimidating. But on the tongue, it’s sweet and sharp and surprisingly mellow.

Emma had fun purchasing the aged sheep’s milk at the famed Volpetti food shop in the Testaccio neighborhood. “The guy was so nice. He let me taste it,” she said. (Did I mention that she’s young and beautiful?)

Although Emma can’t remember where it was produced. I checked the product list on the Volpetti Web site and if forced to guess, I’d say Messina in Sicily.

Looking at the photograph, does anyone have a more informed opinion? In the meantime, I’ll be nibbling.

My Calabria

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At the southern tip of the Italian peninsula lies an Italy that few people know: a land of fragrant citron and bergamot orchards, ancient olive groves and terraced vineyards; a place of persistent tradition and ritual where the annual swordfish catch and hot pepper harvest are celebrated with elaborate festivals, and where women still roll pasta dough around knitting needles.

The land is Calabria, the long, skinny toe of Italy. In her stunning new cookbook My Calabria, author Rosetta Costantino seduces us with the food and heritage of the region where she was born. Hers is the first English-language book to document la cucina Calabrese.

Costantino, with the assistance of co-writer Janet Fletcher and photographer Sara Remington, casts a spell on readers, enabling us to practically smell and taste these wonderful rustic foods.

Calabrian cooks and Calabrian cooking are intimately linked to the land and the sea. In a region that has known its share of poverty, the legacy of foraging and agriculture is rich and diverse . . . sweet red onions from Tropea, noce pesca gialla (thin-skinned yellow nectarines), diavoletti (hot peppers), pepe rosso (elongated sweet peppers), fico dottato, (golden-fleshed fig), fico del paradise (red-fleshed fig), elegant purple melanzane, wild asparagus, tuna, swordfish, shrimp, anchovies, sardines.

Dietary staples include breads, hand-made pastas, and cheeses.

One rustic bread is the friselle, a dried rusk that is often rehydrated with juicy sweet tomatoes and fruity olive oil.

Pastas are myriad. Dromësat, a specialty of Calabrians of Albanian descent, resembles couscous. Cannaruozzoli is similar to ditali while schiaffettoni are small squares usually rolled around meat filling like a small cannelloni.

The cheeses are localized and depend upon the terrain. Coastal pastures and mountain meadows nurture cows who give milk for the luscious butirro, which is like caciocavallo on the outside with butter in the center.  Sheep and goats cling to the steep mountainsides to produce milk for Pecorino Crotonese and the ricotta that’s made from its whey. Unlike other parts of Italy, Calabrian pecorino is not necessarily all sheep’s milk. It can contain goat’s milk as well.

Pork is the king of meat, as Costantino writes in an essay called, “From One Hog, Food for a Year.” Fresh meat, fresh salsiccia, lardo, pancetta, and assorted dried cured salumi are some of the appetizing by-products. [Read more…]

La Bella Lingua

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Brava, Dianne Hales!

The American author was recently knighted by the president of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano.

Three years ago, Hales was a hard-working journalist, author of a college textbook on health, among many other works. Today, she’s a rock star among Italian linguists.

Perché? (Why?)

Perché (because) Hales’ wrote La Bella Lingua, a nearly 300-page omaggio to the Italian language. For more than 20 years, Hales had kept her Inner Italian a secret. I       know I’m not alone in saying, grazie, Signora Hales, for going public with your magnificent obsession.

With humor, grace and curiosity, Hales leads us on un’avventura molto divertente (a very entertaining adventure). Whether fighting back her nervousness at interviewing    the president of La Crusca–Italy’s most august language academy–or mixing it up with comic actor and director Roberto Benigni–who put her at immediate ease by addressing her in the familiar tu—Hales’ bella figura is luminous.

She writes:

“Somewhere en route to fluency, I turned into Diana, pronounced Dee-ahn-aah, and entered a parallel universe where I wear my heels higher and my necklines lower, dance barefoot under the Tuscan moon, and swim in island coves so blue that the Italians say the color twice: azzurro-azzurro.”

Hales inspires all of us who aspire to “become Italian, one word at a time.”

Visit Hales’ site or check out the book on amazon.com.