The Butcher of Panzano

  Drive twenty five miles south of Florence, IT,  you will arrive in the small historic town of Panzano, where an intriguing "macelleria"(butcher shop) is located. Dario Cecchini is the owner, also the chef and quite the entertainer! As you step through the doorway you are immediately treated like one of his best friends and offered a sample of his local wines and meats. An aroma of fresh herbs overtakes your sense of smell while your mouth waters as you spy the incredible display of rosemary-stuffed pork displayed on the massive chopping block towards the back of the store. While we were standing next to a side table, draped with various cheese, breads and sausages and unusual meats, additional visitors were entering making it feel more like a reunion of wonderful friends rather than strangers from across the globe. I can't tell you when I had more fun in a butcher shop.....

Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms

You think you are biting into a juicy piece of meat until you realize, this is just a mushroom. My meat-mushroom! We are on our second week of no meat(no fish, no chicken, no nothing!) It really is working out well, however, keeping fresh veggies on hand presents a few problems. I am trying my best to limit trips to the grocery during the week...keeping my green responsibilites to a minimum....anyway, I have several recipe books in the store now and Maxine Clark's came to mind when thinking about what to serve for dinner tonight. In her Easy Italian-simple recipes for every occassion, she has given us a number of delicious recipes using the best and freshest ingredients producing several outstanding dishes for busy people. Anyone busy these days?

6 lg. mushroom caps.

2 T.olive oil, extra for brushing.

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped.

3 T. chopped fresh parsely.

1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped.

3 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced.

A pinch of ground hot pepper.

8 oz. ricotta cheese.

salt and pepper.

3 T. freshly grated Parmeasan cheese.

Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop finely. Heat oil and add mushrooms, garlic, olives and parsley. Saute gently to soften garlic. Remove from heat and add tomatoes, red pepper, salt, pepper and gently stir in ricotta.

Brush the mushrooms with the olive oil and top with the ricotta filling in loose mounds. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake on tray in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves six.

I added a special treat for myself-threw in a few heads of garlic!

Ricotta Souffle with Amaretto Strawberries

     One of  my dear friends, now living in Clearwater, invited  hubby and I over for dinner a number of years ago. She prepared a dessert that I have been able to reproduce many times and it always comes out as delicious as the first time I tasted it. The recipes is actually from the California Strawberry Commission and was featured in a local magazine. I don't know the name of the magazine, as she just made a copy for me. Anyway, tonight was the night I decided we needed a great dessert-we have been cutting way back lately- I had frozen strawberries in the freezer from this season and thought I would use these instead of the fresh. Our season is now over and the berries really are not as tasty as they were last March. 

Amaretto Strawberries

2 cups (12 ounces) sliced, stemmed berries.

3 T. Amaretto

2 T. confectioners' sugar

Ricotta Souffle

Softened butter, for the souffle dish

granulated sugar, for the souffle dish

2 C. part skim ricotta cheese

1/3 C. sugar

4 eggs, divided

3 T. unseasoned dry bread crumbs

2 T. flour

1/2 t. almond extract

1/4 c. chopped, toasted almonds for garnish

To make the Amaretto Strawberries, in bowl, gently stir all ingredients together to dissolve sugar; refrigerate  covered, up to 3 hours.

To make Ricotta Souffle, heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 4 cup souffle dish; coat with sugar, shaking out excess. Using electric mixer, beat cheese, sugar, 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk, bread crumbs, flour and extract until throughly blended. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg white until stiff, but not dry; gently fold into cheese mixture. Pour into greased dish. Bake in center of over for 40-45 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool on rack at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Loosen the edges with knife and invert onto serving plate, (which I did not) with wide rim so you can arrange the berries around the souffle. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.  Serve with Amaretto Strawberries.

Makes 4 servings.

Remembering Tibet in Better Times

Less than a year since visiting Lhasa, the city has been turned upside down. I am posting these photos to give you some perspective of a normal day..... people going about their business, shopping, praying, buying french fries, selling their wares, talking to strangers, doing all the necessary things that people do everyday just to survive and live. It only took a short visit to comprehend that Tibetan life is difficult...... and now, more so thanever. 

Pear and Almond Tart

Where has the time gone? I have missed reading so many of my favorite blogs! There is only one excuse and that is, my new store.....I had no idea it would require so much of my time. When I arrive home, I am pooped! Remember, I retired a long time ago and now have returned to the working world..... I am enjoying every single minute! (wish some of you lived closer to me here in Florida so you could visit the store....I'd give a great discount to you!)

Anyway, let me share a delicious recipe from Whole Foods in celebration of being back on line again. When I travel to Seattle, this is one of my first stops. Living in central Florida, few stores exist like the Whole Foods in Redmond,WA. If you have shopped there, you know what I mean. My curiosity gets the best of me to see what is new, plus getting my "fresh food visual fix." Love just strolling through the isles taking it all in. However, during a recent trip to Sarasota, this little fella (tart) was in the frozen food section imported from France! I bought the one you are viewing. This recipe was adapted from the stores file! I took the tart home and placed it on special piece my mom gave me- she loves this dish...still tries to take it back! Hope mine turns out as beautiful!

Preheat oven to 350

Pastry for the tart

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 t. salt

3 T. sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

3 T. butter, cut into tiny pieces.

1 3/4 C. of flour

Place the salt, sugar, baking powder and flour in bowl and combine well. Add the butter and mix with electric mixer until pieces resemble fine powder. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well. The dough will gradually clump together. Shape the dough into a disc and chill for at least thirty minutes.

For the almond filling

2 eggs

1/3 C. sugar

6 ounces of almond paste

1/2 c. butter

1 t. of vanilla

2 T. of flour

1/4 t. baking powder

3 medium ripe pears, cut in half

Combine the almond paste, one egg, and sugar in bowl. Mix until smooth. Add butter, vanilla and continue to mix. Add the flour and baking powder. Add the remaining egg and mix until smooth. Cover and chill thirty minutes.

Roll out pastry on a floured surface and press into a 12 in. tart pan with removable bottom. Press the pastry into the edges and up the sides. It helps to extend the pastry above the rim of the pan to keep it in place while baking. Roll over the top of the pan with a rolling pin to shear off extra pastry. Don't forget to prick the sides and the bottom of the pastry before baking.

Spread the almond mixture over the pastry. Use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. Place the pears evenly around, pressing them slightly into the dough so that the almond filling will puff up around the pears.

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and then carefully remove the bottom of the pan and place on serving dish. Serve at room temperature. Serves six.

And, a peak of what has been going on here in Florida at the shoppe!

A Salute to our Farm Market Friends~

      One can only hope that each country in the world will continue to work hard to save its farms, not only for economic reasons, but for our own well- being and health. During these chilly and often brutal winter months, I miss the experience of traveling to the markets and getting swept away by all the fragrant produce. It is such a joy to return home to the kitchen and whip up  something  delicious  with my finds of the day!

     Our farmers markets play a vital role in our society. My wish is that everyone who reads this post will continue to support and buy from farmers whenever they can-just look at what we would be missing....... the photos are from the Adelaide Central Market, AU, which hosts over 250 shops to its citizens. Look at the pride and hard work involved which produced  such fabulous foods  that are beautifully delivered to their dinner tables! Thank you, dear farmer friends!

Roasted Vegetable Torte

Quick! We are having company! I slapped the phone shut and headed to my trusty recipe file.....you know, the sure thing...the ones that never fail and are always a hit with the guests! I decided I needed something very colorful, lifting any drab spirits and thoughts as it was so chilly and wet outside. The Barefoot Contessa's casualness in cooking is very appealing to me, especially with limited time. I love her books!

My torte was not a lovely as hers, but it did make quite a splash.

The Torte ~as adapted from her book.

2 zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices.

1 large red onion, cut lenghthwise and sliced.

1 t. garlic, minced.

1 t.olive oil.

1 t. kosher salt or sea salt.

Black pepper.

2 red and 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut in half.

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

1 /2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Here comes the fun part!

Cook the onions, zucchini, garlic and 2 T. of olive oil in a large saute pan on medium heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Brush the peppers and eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes until soft but not browned.

Using a 6 inch round cake pan, place each vegetable in a single, overlapping layer, sprinkling the cheese, salt and pepper to taste between each of the layers of vegetables. Begin with half of the eggplant, then layer half of the zucchini and onions, then all the red peppers, then all the yellow peppers, then the rest of the zucchini and onions and finally the rest of the eggplant.

Cover the top of the vegetable torte with a 6 inch round piece of waxed paper. Place a 6 inch round flat disk on the top of the torte and weight it down with a heavy jar or something with weight on it. Place torte on a plate and chill. Drain any liqiuds, place torte on platter and serve at room temperature.

Spinach Salad ~

There comes a time during the holiday season when I tell myself "enough is enough...I can not eat any more food......I do not even want to think of food!" But then comes dinner-time and what's a person to do ? I decided to make this spinach salad thinking it would settle my food attitude down a notch. The fresh strawberries were very inviting , helping to stomp out any notion or desire for dessert. It was all I needed and what's more important, I felt good about what I ate.......so did the rest of the family!

2 Bunches of spinach , 1 pint of fresh strawberries, sliced thin.

Dressing

1 1/2 t. minced onion.

1/4 t. worcestershire sauce.

1/2 cup of oil, canola

1/4 cup of red wine vinegar

1/4 t.paprika

1 t. poppy seeds

2 T. of sesame seeds.

1/2 cup of splenda, sugar substitute

Salt and pepper to taste.

In a small container with a lid, add all dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour desired amount over spinach and toss slightly.

Holiday Eggnog~Cheers To You!

This recipe may send you right over the moon ~ but it is Christmas and usually we tend to endulge more often than normal during the month of December. Some may notice I have been absent from my posting this month and I do feel really quilty, but I have been endulging......... way too much in everything. I have opened a new store and my time with the computer has been very limited. Now that I am posting today, I must wish you all "Happy Holidays"..........."I sincerely wish all of my blogger friends a wonderful and prosperous new year" ~

All day long yesterday I was trying to think of something that I could make and dedicate to you. My family recipe for eggnog is a heartwarming combination of farm ingredients easily obtained from the frig! Its looks are unparalleled........creamy, irresistable and appealing! It is incredibly luscious and must be made with whole milk to achieve the smooth richness. Find a bit if bourbon while you are in the pantry and add a few spoonfulls to warm your soul!

Happy Holidays and Cheers!

1 1/2 cups of sugar.

2 quarts of whole milk.

1/2 teaspoon of salt.

1 2 large eggs.

2 teaspoons of vanilla.

2 cups of heavy whipping cream.

fresh ground nutmeg.

1 cup of brandy-bourbon, your choice.

With a whisk, beat all 12 eggs with the sugar and add the salt.

Gradually stir in 1 quart of milk. Cook over low heat and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and coats a spoon.

Do not let the mixture boil ~ very important or it will curdle......and it will!

Pour the custard into a large bowl-stir in the the whisky and vanilla extract, the nutmeg and remaining milk. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

To serve ~in a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until small peaks form. With the wire whisk, gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour into a five quart punch bowl and sprinkle with more of the fresh nutmeg. Serves around 16 adults.

Getting Just What I Want~

Intriquing, fresh and quaint ~my preferred method of selecting restaurants and markets while on the road. Don't you agree that it really is wonderful to walk into an establishment where they are anxious to show off their food? Merchants are so happy to help you.... and you have some idea of the quality that will be served or purchased. I love watching chefs throw their creations together directly in front of my table... guess it would be similar to that of having my very own personal staff preparing my meal~

I also enjoy the privilege of being able to walk into a market and getting just what I want and the quantity of what I need~just enough bread for one day is all I am interested in. Anything else could be wasted. Fresh bread everyday.....no exceptions. I miss this interaction when I arrive back in the States, grocery shopping just isn't the same! I know there are places that are exceptional in the U.S.~I live so far away from these types of establisments. Those of you who have this service in your neighborhood or town are very fortunate! I can't wait to get back to my favorite little spots........do you have a few favorites?

Torrone from Italy

Flipping through the latest Williams-Sonoma catalogue I noticed they are selling the delicious Torrone confection from Italy.

This simple nougat consists of just a few ingredients- crunchy nuts, spices, honey or sugar and egg whites.......the more honey, the softer the product.

A few years ago I would not have "batted an eye"

at the sight of this candy-I really had to aquire a taste for it. It is chewy, chockful of nuts and very expensive, what I purchased over there, thanks to our pitiful dollar! Frequent stops to local bakeries and confectioneries exposed me to the variety of distinctive flavors of the Torrone candy. The honey used from different regions truly affects the taste. This delightful treat also packs well, either for day trip snacks or treats for those you may have left beind........ how about a special gift for Christmas? Check out page 58 in the catalogue! Beats having to spend the money for a plane ticket!

Pappa Al Pomodoro

The time has escaped~such a lengthy time between posts! I have been on the road and busy with my business. Hopefully I will be able to catch up reading all your wonderful entries during the upcoming holiday here in the States.

A quick trip to Italy since my last post.......and my number one favorite dish for the cool days October brought was this fabulous Tuscan soup~ Pappa Al Pomodoro. Clearly there are numerous recipes written about this "mushie" bread and tomato Italian dish, but this is the one I enjoyed the most. Don't forget that added drizzle of extra virgin oil into the bowl before serving!

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 Crushed garlic cloves

3 Cups of chicken broth/stock, heated

10 or more fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Pounds of fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed.

1/2 Loaf or approximately 12 oz. of "leftover" bread ~ left over from the night before! Use thick slices of country bread or ciabatta, discard the crusts.

1 Medium onion chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Toss in the shredded bread pieces into the tomato mixture. Slowly add the stock . Cook and stir until the soup thickens and is heated throughout. Remove from heat and add the basil. Cover and let the soup rest. You can serve this soup at room temperature or reheat to your liking! Don't forget the Parmesan cheese! This really adds so much extra flavor.

Back in the Spotlight

The colorful hues and various shapes of winter squash are breathtaking! Winter squash varieties seem more prominent and familiar today than ever before. In spite of its homely reputation, the hubbard squash can be impressive-maybe even glamourous, especially if you were born with that innate ability to create! How do we decorate this warty fellow, anyway?.....maybe just leave it for eating? That works for me!

I love roasting huge hunks of this variety, tossing it with some of my favorite fall herbs, salt and pepper and coating it with olive oil ..... baking it until it is light brown around the edges and tender to touch. Makes a wonderful side dish...

I've been told this squash will last up to six months, in whole form of course, if stored in a dry, dark area. Most of mine quickly disappear after the holidays when the centerpieces are no longer needed or glanced upon.

Isn't it wonderful to see these back in the spotlight today!

P.S. I have to tell you what I did this evening...another senior moment. I managed to pry open a medium sized acorn squash, cut it perfectly in half, scooped out all the seeds and stringy matter-you get the picture, then baked it. Just remembered two hours after dinner that I left it in the oven and forgot to serve it~ just one of those days........

Hot Pot - Chinese Style

If you are watching your fat intake, this just might be the meal for you. One evening while in China, I was introduced to the popular hot pot method of cooking. This approach to cooking is similar to fondue because of the pots and cooking style. A much larger flame is needed under the pot to keep the broth steaming. For this celebration, each of us had our own pot. (I even gave hubby permission to cook his own dinner, without my supervision!) Beautifully prepared and arranged plates of raw foods and vegetables lined the table ready to be immersed into the well seasoned broth. With a little mesh basket in one hand and a cold beer in the other, we delighted in plunging our choices into the bubbling liquid. As you can see from the pictures some of the foods we used were tofu, dry rice noodles, slices of fish, tissue thin slices of pork, crispy green cabbage, lettuce, celery, mounds of spinach-even eggs. The varitey of what you can use is endless. We were also offered about fiftteen different sauces to pour over the cooked food. This is an absolute must experience when you visit China.

Usher in the Season of Pumpkins

Go ahead......unleash your imagination to all the powers of the pumpkin!

Autumn produce suggests an array of ideas for me in the kitchen. Pumpkins and squash recipes flood my kitchen counter this time of the year. I feel like a watchdog restlessly waiting for them to go on sale, any size, any color, I am ready to pounce! Besides my constant urge to cook with them , I enjoy incorporating pumpkins and squash into my dinner-table settings as well as occassionally carving to serve as a vase for all my seasonal flowers.

For tonights dinner, I made a penne pasta with Parmesan and squash. I used a butternut squash. The flesh is thick and dense making it perfect for holding up to all the tossing to fuse the olive oil and chesse. Be inspired and use that imagination~

RIGATE WITH PARMESAN AND SQUASH

2 Cups of pumpkin or squash, cut into cubes

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 Cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Box of pasta, follow directions on box

10 Fresh sage leafs, chopped-leave a few larger for decoration

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the chopped squash or pumpkin with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

Cook pasta, drain and toss with ingredients. Apply a bit more olive oil before serving. Sprinkle with cheese.

Just For Company Cake

Most of us have our favorite desserts, and this cake could possibly be one of mine! This is the cake most likely to appear when guests arrive in our home. It is easy to prepare, not all from scratch and usually there is not much to put back in the refrig....that to me, is the best indication that everyone enjoyed it!

The recipe was given to me by an aunt on my husbands side of the family. She was the "aunt" that everyone loved and wished they belonged to. Living in the south most of her adult life brought opportunites for vegetable gardens and rows of fruit trees. When visiting , often we would stoll through her garden talking about each plant as if it were a real person.....describing in detail how it struggled for moisture, having no rain for a period of time or the attack of the birds or insects-whatever, there was always a story to be told.

We did have some visitors the other day. While traveling around the globe, we do meet some incredible people and often extend invitations to visit us when Stateside. An Australian couple are here for their "first" visit ........we are sharing some special moments........ and a special cake. P.S. It is loaded with pineapple and coconut~maybe you have a similar recipe?

Last from the garden~Cabbage

Many years ago, let's see, how many are we talking about ?........18, oh my ! This recipe was passed out at one of our regular Bunko games. The ingredients were so fresh and colorful... it seemed to be the perfect salad to complement all the other dishes that were served that evening. This particular salad is one that extra ingredients can be added or even taken away.........I have added mandarin oranges and grilled chicken. The additions are endless!

Lots of my friends do not enjoy cooking with cabbage. Maybe it was something their mothers made them eat when they were kids..... or the smell that escapes while it is cooking........I love it! Seems as though it was always the last veggie taken from the garden. Maybe we were waiting for it to grow even bigger.

Well, the growing season is practically finished now. Summer is over...where did it go? I have been on the road most of the summer and now am enjoying some comfortable down time at home in Florida. Looking very forward to read about what wonderful and exciting foods bloggers will write about this Fall~

Asian Cabbage Salad

1 large head of cabbage,chopped.

8 green onions, chopped.

2 packages of Asian Noodles, toasted, usually found in soup packages.Crumble.

3/4 cup of sliced almonds, toasted.

4 Tablespoons of sesame seeds, toasted.

Toss all of these ingredients together. ( It is easier to toast the ingredients together in a large baking tray. Place under the broiler for just a few minutes until light brown. Watch carefully and stir.)

Dressing

1/2 to 3/4 cup of vegetable oil.

6 Tablespoons of rice vinegar.

4 Tablespoons of sugar- try the Spenda!

1/2 - 1 Tablespoon of pepper. Salt to taste.

Shake all ingredients well and toss in salad. Toss with care!

Yak-Yak-Yak

Not pertaining to incessant talking, but the real thing-the 6 foot tall bovine, weighing in at one ton! I did not get to see any yaks, much to my disappointment, however, if I had, more than likely it would have been a cross between a bull and a yak....(a yabull?) and not quite the same color as the wild yak which is usually found in colors of black or gray.

The yak in the Tibetan plains has decreased sharply to only about 15,000-I don't know how they manage to keep such an accurate count with that number. I sure saw my fill of yak meat along the streets in Tibet! I had no idea how vital this animal is to the people in Tibet~

Hardly any part of the yak is wasted when killed. The heart is used for local medicines and the dung, for fuel. Tibetans rely on the yak for milk used in making butter and tea. The butter is used in tea-that's right, gives it a lot of yakkie flavoring- and in butter lamps that are found in the monistaries. Yak hair is woven into rope. The wool is used to make blankets and even tents. The hide is used for the soles of the Tibetan boots. Oh, did I mention yak beer? Oh yeah, I tried it........ with the yak burger and fries! Time for me to stop my yaking!

Food, Glorious Food

When 1.3 billion people reside in a country, food is a constant concern.Visiting numerous major cities throughout China, there certainly was no lack of food anywhere we traveled. Street vendors and restaurants saturate every available inch of space with foods on display, cooking devices, chairs and tables. The gatherings are informal and friendly. Local people assemble for a quick bite before work, lunch and dinner. Farmers who make deliveries into the cities" eat on the go." Many families in the countryside are not equipt to prepare home cooked meals. Workers in the cities don't have the leisure to arrive home early to prepare dinners for their famliy. Some apartments are so small, there is no kitchen..........hence, a plethora of food and eating establishments everywhere. I guess it all depends on what you are hungry for........

ECO Friendly Corn Drying

It's not that this young man isn't concerned about being environmentally responsible, I'm sure he is....I hope....but this is a way of life for many of the farmers who grow corn along the banks of the Yangtze River and throughout the countryside of China. Thousand year-old cities and villages are now being built on higher grounds and life continues as it has for centuries. There are new buildings, new homes, new streets, but as you can see, some things just haven't changed.......my voyage along the world's third largest river revealed many contrasts as the old China slowly disappears leaving the ancient battle grounds, industrial ports and etheral beauty a thing of the past..........buried under the waters of the Three Gorges Dam project.

Same Foods, Different Looks ~

Today I received a kind message from Christine~she was wondering if I had returned from China. Well, yes , I am home again and things are almost back to normal. I have missed my blogging friends ~it's going to take me weeks to catch up on all your past posts, but I will certainly put forth the effort. I love reading the blogs~it is nice to be back!
China was incredible........the smells, the myrid of new sights, the foods - a few I could not recognize or get near........that's the beauty of traveling and being a tourist, you are exposed to so many different cultures and you realize firsthand how others do differently what we believe is the"right and only way"...........I will give a preview of things you may recognize, just with a different look..........I may think again about eating duck.........The market photos were shot from one of the relocated villages along the Yangtze River. This town will remain safe from the controversial Three Gorges Dam project that is submerging so many towns and villages along the river bank.