Toscani Crostini

Italy is the land of the lovely bruschetta and crostini...and to get us all in the mood for the dizzying array of scrumptious toppings we will no doubt experience, I found this recipe, courtesy of La Grotta in Montepulciano. I've never personally cooked with any sort of liver (smearing Oscar Meyer braunschweiger on Wonder Bread at my grandparent's house doesn't seem to count) and I would like to start experimenting.

My biggest question -- how do you clean chicken livers?

1 red onion, chopped small
2 carrots, chopped small
1/2 stalk of Chinese celery or 2 narrow leaf-bearing stems of a celery stalk, chopped small
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 pound chicken livers, cleaned and cubed
1/2 apple, cut into small cubes
1 1/8 cup red wine
6 Tb. cognac
2 1/2 Tb. anchovy paste
10 capers, rinsed
Sliced, toasted Italian bread

Brown onions, carrot and celery in extra virgin olive oil. Add pepper and parsley.
Add liver and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Add apple and cook for another 10 minutes. Raise heat and add red wine.
Meanwhile warm cognac. Flambe and add it to mixture. Add anchovy paste and capers and mix thoroughly.
Puree mixture and serve on toasted bread with Vin Santo Glaze.



Vin Santo Glaze

2 teaspoons apricot jelly or conserves
1/2 glass Vin Santo
Whip ingredients until foamy. Glaze prepared crostini slices.

Top Chef...Montalcino

The other day, Dana brought over a recipe for ricotta gnudi. Which takes three days, more or less. We both thought it sounded delicious, but three days? Who has that kind of time? Or inclination? (Actually, it must be said that Dana thinks I DO have enough craziness when it comes to a pasta dish to do just about anything it takes....she might be right.)

Anyhow, it occurred to both of us (separately, I might add) that Villa Amiata would be a perfect test kitchen for something of this deliciousness and magnitude. (Sorry to Week One - ers, we'll have to figure out something else to challenge ourselves with...any thoughts?)

mmmm.

Details, details

Well. Here's something to drag some of you into a morass of uncertainty and confusion. Oh, okay, I may be overstating it, but it is a question we travelers must answer.

My friend Amanda, who is traveling to Italy this month, lucky girl, remarked, "I'm just sort of struggling with what shoes to bring. And how many is too many?" while we were discussing our respective packing plans.

Oh. Hmm.

Tomorrow will be Seven Weeks and Counting

At least for some of us. For the Brocks, lucky people, they are only six weeks away. For some, more like eight. Regardless, it is coming soon, and I for one, can't wait. Browsing the web, I find photos people have taken of the sorts of small gems I love to discover for myself while traveling..

Just look at this door, for instance. Lovely. Someone lives there. Every day. To them, it's probably just a door. Good for opening...and closing, and if they have a cat, opening... and closing again...

But for me (and probably you too), if we discover this jewel and capture it for ourselves either by camera or just in our mind's eye, it epitomizes the mystery of someone's life experience and history with its arches, stone and greenery, and brings us much more than just a door.

It will be a reminder and a doorway to our entire experience and memories together...in Italy.

Mmm. Thanks again for coming.

Slow Food, Local Food

Today my friends Vandy and Phil and I ate lunch at Eat Local, up on top of Queen Anne. It's a great little place, full of frozen, ready to eat meals all sourced and cooked with local and organic ingredients. It's not really a restaurant, but you can buy a frozen entree, head upstairs to a cute little hang out spot, and cook your food choice in the microwave. It's really pretty good. We ate our lunch while chatting with the owner, who is a great guy. Got me thinking about our time to come in Italy, birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, and about as good of a blueprint of Eat Local as you can get.

What's for Dinner?

Last night, flipping through Gourmet Magazine, I came across a luscious-sounding polenta with gorgonzola and almonds. Then, on the next page, a tuscan steak recipe with olives. Mmmm. I thought, "Hey, I should bring this recipe with me, and make it on the trip." And then, it occurred to me to suggest that my fellow travelers also be on the lookout for yummy recipes that we can make for dinner at the house. After all, we all like to cook, we all like to eat...and red wine pretty much goes with everything. The only caveat I will throw out is that week one we will be focusing primarily on protein and veggies, and not so much pasta, as we have some folks eating low on the glycemic index. Not to say we can't make pasta, we just need to make sure we are cooking somthing else as well.

More wine, this time with food

This sounds like a good place for a tour and a tasting, followed by a little al fresco lunch. I have emailed them about availability - they are right outside of our little town.

Here is the description of the ristorante:
The Ristorante di Poggio Antico is widely acclaimed as one of the top restaurants in Italy and offers a creative fine-dining experience in elegant surroundings, with a stunning view over the estate vineyards across to Monte Amiata. Guests can look across the vines to the charming hamlet of S. Angelo in Colle and, on extremely clear days, the sparkle of the sea can be made out in the far distance. In the summer it is possible to dine outside.