163 replies to this topic

[hathor]

Auguri!! What a marvelous compliment!
(and yes...we are still missing those two weeks!!)

[reesek]

i think i'm in love!

please tell us about the last 2 weeks!!

[Ore]

Ciao,


Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9 Week 9

We started on the region of Toscano on what would be our last week as cooking students. The chef, Andrea Alimenti, is the chef of the restaurant Acquamatta, part of the young chefs of Europe.

These few days were the most enjoyable of the whole course. The chef was extremely professional but knew how to have fun in the kitchen. He showed us many techniques that were up to date with today’s food fashion. His plates were all interesting combos of different flavors and they all worked very well together.




He made this special bread with unripe verdicchio grapes that was really good. The only down side were the huge seeds!




In order of courses – I will start with some of the more interesting antipasti and primi – then go on to secondi and dolci.

These delicious treats were composed of baccala quenelles that sat on very delicious polenta cakes – each polenta square was pan fried – served like a hand passed hors d'oeuvre.




One of my favorite preparations was this duck Prosciutto. Not anything like the real stuff from the pig, but in the quasi same principle. The deck breast was trimmed and scored on the fat side then placed under a salt and sugar mixture. It was left like that for one day. The next day it was thinly sliced and ready to eat. I am sure it isn’t the safest thing but it was fresh and the chef was first to taste – I would have gone first as I will almost eat anything raw!!! (yummy)




We ate the duck Prosciutto as is and we also prepared it with a lemon vinaigrette.





We also made some great, simple breads. One was a dough made with fennel seeds. The other was made with tomato paste in it.



On the more trendy side…the chef prepared these two starters:

Savory Pear Custard


Tomato Concasse with Fried Zucchini Flower & Tomato Gelatin Sauce


The pear custard was good – very simple flavors. The slices of pear were dried in the oven on a silpat and the big thing behind it is crispy Parmigiano made by baking some grated cheese on a silpat, when color is right, pull it off and shape it how you wish! (good luck!)

The next thing on the menu is the classic Tuscan Papa all’ Pomodoro



This dish was great! The chef deep fried the cubes of bread before putting them into the tomato sauce. Really, a very classic Tuscan dish!

The pasta dish from Toscano was a ravioli with meat sauce. I remember when I was in Italy prior to this Slow Food experience; I stayed with Jacopo Biondi Santi at the Castello di Montepo for a week. This dish was made often and during the time I was there, it was made with ground Cingiale (wild boar) that was locally hunted.

One of the most interesting new techniques was this chefs take on risotto. Here he prepared a risotto with saffron and zucchini. BUT…when finishing the risotto, butter and cheese were nowhere to be found! His style uses rosso di uova (egg yolks) and cold olio extra vergine di oliva (EVOO). This made a lot of sense and the mouth feel of this rice was amazingly creamy and smooth, without the greasy, sometimes overly salty taste of cheese and butter. Also, it was much fresher in aroma. The cold olive oil warmed up and its perfume spread throughout the kitchen!




Another Tuscan classic was the Crespelle. These crepes were made very simply – a normal crepe batter (ask for a recipe!) and then filled with ricotta cheese and spinach. Rolled and layered in a baking dish. Finished with béchamel sauce and tomato sauce, basil and olive oil!



Spinach and squid…A plate very interesting and with deep roots. The spinach is braised for a long period of time (almost like one of my moms Tunisian dishes called p’kaila) with the squid. When ready, the spinach becomes the stew and the squid is incredibly tender, soft and juicy! It is a real treat with a nice, strong, earthy flavor. Attention though – the dark green / black color of the stew (given by the spinach) will stain almost everything! (this version also had baby octopus in it.)



Wild game and fowl is a Tuscan treat and Toscano is well known for that type of meat. Here we prepared pigeon (I think it is nicely referred to as squab!?) in two ways. One was with the tomato jelly (from the appetizer plate) and a pan sauce – the other was a rolled breast with lardo and zucchini with a fennel sauce.



As you can see, there is a nice piece of zucchini next to the bay leaves. Also, the leg was rolled in pastry and fried – yummy!



This dish was a sliced breast very nicely cooked with the tomato gel and a fried basil leaf.

Next up…Osso Bucco !!!
A very Italian dish in general, this was made in a braise form within a tomatoish sauce for about 3.5 hours. It was plated with orzo (in Italian, orzo is pearled barley) which was cooked just like risotto. A very hearty, wintery dish; very easy to prepare too!



Dessert in Tuscany was a bit rustic – we didn’t spend too much time on it because the other dishes took up so much of the day. The more notable were the Torta di Riso and the Fritto Misto di Dolce.

The torta di riso was kind of like a mix between a cheesecake and rice pudding! It was good, rustic – with lemon zest and honey. Served with a crema inglese as the sauce.



The fritto misto included Apple and Pear brought by the chef from Tuscany. That was nice too but a bit early for both the fruits – we also fried some dough for a classic Tuscan dolce but I cant remember the name – it is in the photo – the dough with powdered sugar – cut in half at one end to form something that might look like feet!?!




I am going to end this session with the group pic – like normal! By this week (9) – everyone knew this was going on the web so you can see Bart (Canada) and Taka (Japan) having some fun! Ciao to all if you are reading this!




Well, that was week 9!

Soon to come…

Mozzarella di Bufala and the trip to Campania

Parma – the cheese and the vinegar

Umani Ronchi

A few more Salumi and Formaggio shots and Graduation!

Thanks for reading!

Ciao,

Ore

[docsconz]

Superb as usual, Ore, and worth the wait! For awhile I thought the pears around the custard were mushrooms! Awesome photos. If you ever get tired of preparing food for a living, I have no doubt that you can make it as a food photographer.

[Ore]

Ciao,

I am going to start off with the Campania trip and Mozzarella di Bufala. Then I will write about Parma, the cheese and the vinegar. I will then go into Umani Ronchi, a Marche region winery near Jesi. I will end with a few shots of our Salumi and cheese tastings and two pictures from graduation. Thanks for reading!

Mozz and Campania

With the Slow Food school in Jesi we went out to the Campania region (where I am now currently staging). The drive was long but we took country roads and the scenery was amazing. We stayed at an Agriturismo where they raised bufala – the type of animal used to make the Mozzarella di Bufala. Unfortunately, I can’t find the name of the place I but I do remember that the lady who runs it goes by the name Sicillia. She actually has two Agriturismos – one really nice one – with a pool, and the more rustic one we stayed at with the cows!

The area was not for from Paestum, an ancient city that we visited. Here is a shot of some of the things you can see if (when) you visit Paestum.



Nice, huh!?!

This next shot is of Dai making some pizza at a wonderful pizzeria. The name of the pizzeria is Il Panorama (or so) and it was way up in the hills – with a great (panoramic) view! The pizza is rated highly in one of the Gambero Rosso guides for pizzerias. We had a blast and ate a bunch of pizzas – some made by them, some made by Dai (Japan).








Next up – Mozzarella cheese – the real stuff!

Here is the place we visited. It was a Sunday morning, around 10.30 and the crew was in full effect, making cheese throughout our 45 minute visit.


Here is what Bufala look like!



Note – these are just calves

Here is another view – more up close!



This was the view from my window! (from the Agriturismo)




The process –
The cheese curd comes into the plant in large (20 kg) blocks. The curd is cut and put into a shredding machine so it is easier and faster to melt.

The curd is put into a large stainless steel vat and boiling hot water (the water was heated by steam just to the boil and then shut off) (unsalted) is added slowly, one pitcher at a time – the water is then drained off – the cheese maker uses a wooden dowel to stir the cheese – he brings it to one side and scoops the excess water away.

Here you can see the dowel he uses, as well as the scoop. The vat further away is being drained – the guy holding the colander catches any cheese that may try to escape


– the drained water may be used to make ricotta but most likely is discarded (the ricotta it would make would be very tough, not creamy and smooth like ricotta made by people who make ricotta).

Here is another shot of the draining process – as you can see – this is all hand made – the cheese makers all wear plastic aprons and tall boots as liquid really gets all over the place – a very wet process.



Once drained, this is what the blob of cheese looks like. One person stays stirring this blob as the others work quickly, while the cheese is still warm, to form and shape the individual pieces.


Here is a shot of the whole group – it is a 4 person team. The man on the far left is stirring the blob while the two men form and shape the pieces. The lady is making the braided mozzarella.



Here is a closer view of the two men shaping the cheese – they actually push and pull the pieces to form the right size and shape. The water they are using is hot, but at a workable temperature – still salt free.



The baths here are where the cheeses finally get to rest, in a salty environment. The water is salted with sea salt and the cheese is left to get seasoned. When you bite into a good piece of Mozzarella, you will notice the seasoned, slightly salty outer part and the creamy, tangy, creamy inner cheese. Yummy!



Here is an outside shot of the building – not a very large place at all, but very clean and organized well.



And here is their price list, hanging on the wall of the cheese store at the plant. The Prodotti Specialli all had to be ordered ahead of time – so I couldn’t buy any Burrata – by far my favorite preparation for pasta filata cheeses!



So, that is it for Mozzarella and the Campania trip – on to Parma, the cheese and the vinegar.

One weekend we went with the school to Emilia Romagna, probably the richest region (food wise) in all of Italy. We visited the Parmigiano Reggiano plant and then the Acetaia Picci – both owned by the same people.

Like with the Mozz, I will start off with the animals. These cows are fed a special diet of high quality, specially selected straws, grasses and herbs. The cows are not allowed to be given any type of antibiotic to produce the real cheese so their diet is very important, for their health and well as for the flavor of the cheese. Here is a shot from inside the barn.



Luckily, on the day we visited, a baby cow was being born. With the help of one of the workers, this calf was born quickly and was a female – so everyone on the farm was happy about that (produce milk).


note – that’s the momma cleaning up the baby!

OK – so the milk is taken over to the cheese plant – about one kilometer away from the farm. Rennet is applied to the milk and the curdling begins.

The cheese makers use wooden oars to lift the curd off from the bottom of the copper vat and slide a piece of cheesecloth underneath.



They then work and form the cheese magically into a very nice shape – the cheese is very, very heavy!



The cheese maskers then cut the piece of cheese to form to individual pieces. In this plant, there were six copper vats – so at one time they can make twelve pieces of cheese (plenty!)



After the cheese is cut, it is then divided, formed again, and then tied to rest until all twelve pieces are ready.


I think I forgot to mention that this cheese is really, really heavy!!!




After all the pieces are ready, the go into a press. This helps shape the cheese. You can see here that the cheese was made on August 5th, 2004. The number two on both cheeses is the number of the copper vat – 1 through 6 –



After it is shaped and stamped, the cheese is put into a salt bath. This bath is where the cheese picks up a lot if its characteristic flavor – also here, sea salt is used and the humidity level is always monitored.



After the slat bath, the characteristic label is pressed into the cheese – here is what that press looks like –




Here is a shot of a wheel of cheese ready to be aged. See how nice that press works!?!



So, when the cheese is ready to be aged, it is trucked over to a fairly new warehouse, across the street from the farm where the cows live. In this building, which is humidity and temperature controlled, the wheels are aged.

The cheese is stacked really high up! Take a look for yourself!



Lots of cheese, huh!?!




The cheese is aged here until it is ready for market. Afterwards, we went back to the farm and tasted the cheese. It was all very good!

Now for the cheeses classic counter partner, the vinegar.

Acetaia Picci, like I mentioned earlier, is owned by the same people as the cheese factory we visited. The vinegar is quite popular and its label looks like this.




The grapes used for this vinegar are all grown on property. I recall them mentioning that they are of Spanish origin, I can’t exactly recall the other info (sorry!). The juice is pressed and cooked down slowly; it is then aged in these barrels below – according to the recipe of the house, and how long they want it to be aged for.


Here is a shot of one of the rooms where the vinegar is aged. Basically, this was a large house. The kitchen area is where the cooked juice was made. Then, the whole house was used as the aging space. The higher up we went, the smaller the barrels got. The really aged vinegar, in the small barrels, were most abundant on the top floor of the house – maybe because it is most humid there, maybe because it is hottest – not sure – maybe because it is hard to schlep large barrels of vinegar up three flights of stairs!




At lunch, in a nearby Michelin starred restaurant, we had a balsamic vinegar lunch. All our plates had a nice amount of vinegar on them too!!

On to Umani Ronchi –

Umani Ronchi is a nice sized winery in the Marche region – near Ancona. The wines they make are all really special.

Here is a shot of the Slovenian oak barrels they use to age their wine. The barrel room was lined with clay tiles and the border of the room was lined with gravel – they say it helps keep a constant temperature and humidity level without using too much energy.



The new barrel room, designed by the winemaker’s good friend, is underground, resembling a cave. The architecture is really great.



Within the barrel room there is a really nice, well designed tasting room. Here we enjoyed a wide taste of wines Umani Ronchi produces.



Finally, here are the wines that we tasted. My favorite being the big, red, Rosso Cunero named Cumaro. The Botrytis affected dessert wine (Maximo) was very good too!



On to - the last few Salumi and Formaggio shots and then Graduation!

Here is a shot of a few of the many cheeses we tasted throughout the Slow Food course.



These were all cheeses from the northern part of Italy. Four of the six were goats milk too!

Here is a shot of a wide variety of Salumi – that solid brick of white fat, lardo, is something I hope people in the US learn to like – it is somewhat of a staple here in the Italian kitchen and I don’t know how accepted it would be to use it in the US – lard has such a bad name in the states – but always tastes sooo good!




Also, you can see some ‘nduja – the red stuff that is very soft and spreadable. And quite spicy! There is also Sopressata on the right of the lardo and a ciauscollo on the left of the lardo!

These next two shots are of Graduation – yes, we graduated, but we also put on a show for the guests of the school – we cooked for thirty people – I mostly watched as the other ten tried plating up - quite chaotic with that many people in a kitchen!!!




and FINALLY – here is a group shot with Giussepina in the middle (kitchen manager of the school).



Okay –

I hope you all enjoyed this! Thanks for reading!

Ciao,

Ore

[albiston]

Ore,

congratulations for the graduation and thanks for sharing this experience with all of us here on eGullet. This has been a fantastic and informative thread throughout and always a pleasure to read.

A couple of notes on your last post.

I notice your visit at the mozzarella plant concentrated on the shaping phase of production. I was wondering if they gave you any explanation on how they make and age the curd. That's actually the crucial step for mozzarella flavor. Maybe they just didn't want to give too many secrets away .

The grapes used for this vinegar are all grown on property.  I recall them mentioning that they are of Spanish origin, I can’t exactly recall the other info (sorry!).

Could it be that the grapes were Trebbiano? It's the same grape used for Cognac (ugni blanc) and AFAIK the traditional grape for Balsamico.

[docsconz]

Ore, another outstanding post.

The agriturismo you stayed out near Paestum is Seliano and the woman is Baronessa Cecilia Baratta, a marvellous woman. Your post brought back many memories for me as it was one year ago at this time that I was there with my son. We stayed in the main house and werre the only guests. This was just prior to the Slow Food Congress in Naples. We toured the farm as well as got the tour of the mozzarella production. The stuff is heavenly. The outstanding ingredient that I had there for the first time were pomodorini del Vesuvio. Wow! They are the best tomatoes I have ever eaten - and they were canned. For awhile I used a photo of one of the bufala as my avatar.

After Naples, my son and I went up to Modena where we visited a parmaggiano producer very similar to the one you posted on and also an acetaia. The acetaia we visited was Acetaia del Cristo. We sampled a couple of different 100 year old balsamicos there. That was one of the highlights of my life. It was a great trip. Thanks for helping to bring it back with vivid detail!

[Mr. Blister]

Ore,

Thanks for sharing your travels with a cube locked lurker like me. Truly inspirational. I hope you continue to post.

[Ore]

Ciao,

As mentioned somewhere on page 3 of this thread - this info is quasi 2 months old - I do appologize for that but with the move from Jesi to Nusco and the work, work, work (the US should somehow incorporate this Staging thing into Labor Law - I wanna work some Italians when my time comes!!) I just got caught up.

Next up will be my post on the Salone del Gusto - my take on it - so look for it here as well as on the Salone thread.

Ciao,

Ore

(Alberto) - the grapes are Trebbiano = thanks for helping me remember. They did not mention anything about the curd. I didn't know that was the most important part of the process - it seemed to arrive packaged from somewhere else though - it looked and tasted like normal cheese curd, a bit more tangy than that of a cow - thats about it - def. gonna look into it though!

(Doc) - Thangs for naming the Agriturismo! She has been here, to Nusco, and is good friends with my chef as it turns out!

[docsconz]

(Doc) - Thangs for naming the Agriturismo!  She has been here, to Nusco, and is good friends with my chef as it turns out!

Cecilia really is a marvellous person. She personally drove my son and I to a nearby hilltown that my maternal grandmother was born in. This reminds me that I really need to get in touch with her just to say hello.

[albiston]

(Alberto) - the grapes are Trebbiano = thanks for helping me remember.  They did not mention anything about the curd.  I didn't know that was the most important part of the process - it seemed to arrive packaged from somewhere else though - it looked and tasted like normal cheese curd, a bit more tangy than that of a cow - thats about it - def. gonna look into it though!

Ore,

Since you're not far from the mozzarella production area I'm sure you'll be able to discover all that's needed. I'll just add a little info for those who are not so lucky.

When making mozzarella the curd has to be aged and acidified before it can be heated to the point where it "melts". To do this in the proper way, the milk proteins have to loose the calcium bound to them, and to achieve this the curd has to be acidified. This can be done chemically, as many industrial producers do, or through the use of a lactobacteria culture, used by most smaller producers. Every producer has his own culture and guards it closely, like bakers do with sourdough starters. The milk used in the cheese certainly plays a huge role in the final taste of mozzarella but the hardcore aficionados claim that difference between a very good mozzarella and an excellent one is in the culture used to acidify the curd.

[bleudauvergne]

Ore, I went to get Italian cheeses yesterday...

I am absolutely loving your inspiring beautiful journey.

[Ore]

Alberto,

Before I leave Nusco, I promise to visit and spend a late night with a Mozzarella maker. I hope it will be mozzarella but most likely will be fior di latte. Is the same process involved with the cows milk as opposed to the buffalo? I can't seem believe that all this time I never cared to think about the curd. I always thought of it as just being curd, and that's it! Thanks for shining a new light!

Lucy - thanks for the nice comment! I am glad you are enjoying Italy from my eyes!

Ciao,

Ore

Edited by Ore, 07 November 2004 - 08:10 PM.

[Ore]

Well,

Another week flew right by! Tonight (Monday) we were open to host a special Terredora wine dinner. It was a great time and the Mastroberardino brother who I guess owns it, was here too. Tomorrow the restaurant is closed and on Monday we are all going to Rome for the award reception of the Veronelli guide. La Locanda di Bu was highly ranked and the chef is getting a special award (i think!).

Other than that, my friend Carla, a food and travel writer that lives here in Nusco, is almost done with her second book, all about the Campania region. Her prior book was all about Tuscany. Carla Capalbo is her name - anyone out there recognize or know who she is/have the book!?!?

Ok,

Ciao!

Ore

(before I leave this wonderful place (it is freezing cold outside), I promise to get the Mozzarella curd done!)

Edited by Ore, 15 November 2004 - 07:15 PM.

[docsconz]

Other than that, my friend Carla, a food and travel writer that lives here in Nusco, is almost done with her second book, all about the Campania region.  Her prior book was all about Tuscany.  Carla Capalbo is her name - anyone out there recognize or know who she is/have the book!?!?

Ok,

Ciao!

Ore

(before I leave this wonderful place (it is freezing cold outside), I promise to get the Mozzarella curd done!)

The Food Lover's Companion to Tuscany was a mainstay of mine when we visited Tuscany in 1998. It is an excellent book. A similar book about Campania will be a welcome addition. Please tell her that I am a fan of her work.

[Ore]

wow -

Just got back from the restaurant at Feudi di San Gregorio. An amazing meal - with OK pictures to tell the story. Look forward to it very soon as uploading pictures here still takes wayyyyy to long!

Ciao!

Ore

[Ore]

Ciao,

My review of Marenna has been posted as a new topic - you can read it HERE.

It is funny how things worked out that night - I met the chef twice proir to the dinner - once with my chef at the winery, once in Torino at the Salone del Gusto, and finally, at dinner - he is a great chef, young and very talented.

Interestingly, we met our waiter one week prior at a nearby restaurant called La Pergola in Gesualdo - not to be confused with the one in Rome! His brother is the Maitre d' of that restaurant!

And to get even more in depth, the Sommelier grew up and knew one of the other people I dined with - so, we all knew one person prior to dining - that equalled lots of fun!

I like tearing down the formality when I eat out and the dining room seems fancy, and the diners act way too fancy, but the place isn't a fancy place - that is what happend at Marenna'. Although the tables are overlarge, and the place is on the quieter side, we still managed to have a great time and have a great meal.

Ciao,

Ore

[Ore]

Ciao,

Not much new to report about here in Nusco. It is cold, but hasn't snowed yet. I leave my stage here in 20 days - I will be visiting some family in Israel for a few days and then coming right back to Italy for a new stage. Unfortunately, I am still unceartin of the location!!! (exciting!)

I can say though that the restaurant has been busier since the 2005 guides have come out. I don't think we made it onto the Michellin list but there is always next year for Tonino (chef).

Ciao,

Ore

[albiston]

I can say though that the restaurant has been busier since the 2005 guides have come out.  I don't think we made it onto the Michellin list but there is always next year for Tonino (chef).

Ore,

knowing just a little bit how Michelin works in Italy I would not take the missed star as a critique. I would suspect the Michelin people simply did not visit Locanda di Bu' in time. There's only a few reviewers (i've heard numbers between four and ten), plus a few others that help. Therefore most restaurants, except the top places, do not recieve a visit every year. I'd wait for the 2006 guide to see how Tonino fares.

[Ore]

Ciao,

Thursday, Dec. 3, 2004, the olive oil of Ravece was awarded DOP status. Planned was a week long festa that included a grand banquet for 200 guests and oil experts/gov't officials.

Of the five restaurants participating, the one I work at was included. Below is the menu/comments about the event.

Olio di Ravece in my opinion is one of the greatest tasting olive oils available. My two favorite Frantoios are Hirpus and Coprovoli. The oil is extremely pungent and forte - adding a tremendous effect to any plate that needs a bit of life. Olio di Ravece comes from the Campania region and more regionally from the Ariano Irpinia region.


The first course for the banquet was an antipasto of vegetables and cured meat. It was provided by Ristorante Incontro, where the banquet was held.



I thought this dish was the worst to start off with - as it was the most 'banquet like'. The broccoli was brown and nasty looking and the plate was garnished mindlessly with a handful of crappy chopped parsley (IMHO).

Next up was a La Pignata, a restaurant from Ariano Irpinia. The plate was Pan Cotto con Erbe di Campa - Cime e Baccala in English...Cooked Stale Bread with Herbs, a type of bitter green and salt cod.



The third course was from La Maschera in Avellino. The dish consisted of... Macaroncelli al Branzo con Cavalo Broccolo, Passata di Lenticchie, Cotecchino, Crocante di Cacciocavalo Podolico - basically, this dish consisted of a Maccaroni Timbale covered by the leaves of broccoli - it sat on a lentil soup and was garnished with a crispy cheese tuile.



The fourth course was from La Locanda di Bu in Nusco (where I work). The plate consisted of Puree di Patate e Carrota Rosso (Barbabiettole) con Brassato di Podolico, Cipolla Affumicato, e Salsa di Ravece e Broccoli. Beet Mashed Potatoes with Braised Beef, Smoked Onion and Ravece Oil Broccoli Sauce.



I thought our dish was good - some of the braised meat dried up a bit because the chef wanted to separate the meat from the sauce to plate easier and faster - other than that, it was good - and the color of the potatoes really freaked everyone out!!

That was the main course - here is a shot of Vinny, one of the guys I work with, taking control of the braise -


Here is another kitchen shot - this one is of Lino, the chef from La Maschera in Avellino.


The pre-dessert was made by Oasis. I started a topic in the Baking and Pastry section to find out more about this dolce - it was truly amazing - life changing.

It was a Mousse di Yogurt di Bufala e Olio di Ravece - a Mousse from Bufala Yogurt and Ravece olive oil

The dessert was also made by Oasis - it was a Millefoglie con Crema Casalinga, Granella di Nociolle, e Cioccolata Fondente al Olio di Oliva Ravece - both were great - and pictured below.



That wraps up the event - afterwards there was an awards ceremony where the chefs were all recognized and given awards - the oil is great - if you get a chance, do buy a bottle and support this new DOP product.

Ciao,

Ore

[Jake]

Ore,

I have no idea how I missed this thread throughout the last few months, but I have just spent the most enjoyable hour reading from start to finish. Thank you so much for posting and sharing your experiences, especially the photos. I sincerely hope you'll continue this blog at your new stage, wherever that may be.

[docsconz]

The third course was from La Maschera in Avellino.  The dish consisted of... Macaroncelli al Branzo con Cavalo Broccolo, Passata di Lenticchie, Cotecchino, Crocante di Cacciocavalo Podolico - basically, this dish consisted of a Maccaroni Timbale covered by the leaves of broccoli - it sat on a lentil soup and was garnished with a crispy cheese tuile.

Ore, thanks for another superb post. You always have some useful information in addition to your fine photos.

Is that a raw sausage on the side of the plate above? I doubt it, but that is what it looks like.

The fourth course was from La Locanda di Bu in Nusco (where I work).  The plate consisted of Puree di Patate e Carrota Rosso (Barbabiettole) con Brassato di Podolico, Cipolla Affumicato, e Salsa di Ravece e Broccoli.  Beet Mashed Potatoes with Braised Beef, Smoked Onion and Ravece Oil Broccoli Sauce.



I thought our dish was good - some of the braised meat dried up a bit because the chef wanted to separate the meat from the sauce to plate easier and faster - other than that, it was good - and the color of the potatoes really freaked everyone out!!

How did the potatoes taste? That is not an intuitive combination to me. Were they sweet? The color is beautiful.

[Ore]

Ciao,

DOC, that was a piece of Cotechino - it may have been raw as the plates I took photos of were about an hour before service (for the FOH staff) - because I also knew I wouldn't have time during service to snap the shots.

The potatoes were great - their texture could have used some help as they were a bit gummy for my Americano preferences of mashed potatoes but they were good. The beets added more color than flavor. Here in Italy (haven't seen it in the states) you can buy your beets cooked and cryovacked in a 2 beet bag - thats what we did (timing) - put them into a blender and folded it into the potatoes. For about 120 potatoes, we pureed 4 beets - you saw the results -


ALSO....

HAS anyone ever noticed the EXTREME resemblance in skin between a LYCHEE and a TRUFFLE??????

The fruttivendolo (veg. vendor) in Nusco had a small case last week from Madagascar. I bought a few at 7 Euro per Kilo and noticed the similarity right away. Do they have anything in common??

If so, I can't put any info they may share together - one grows on a tree, the other in dirt, one sweet/tangy - the other truffly!

Let me know!!

Ciao,

Ore

[Ore]

Ciao,

Another special event to report about...

I just got back from Taurasi, a fairly well known town whose name is famous for the great red wine made from the Aglianico grape (Taurasi!).

The event was held for Italian Journalists and the release of the 2001 Taurasi that will be on the market soon.

Here is a shot of the town about 2 km away - the zone of wine called Taurasi is fairly large, but the town is not very big.



When entering the town, I was glad to see this sign (the one underneath).



We cooked at Agricultura 'Taurasi'. This place was nice - over the mantle they had a $1 bill for good luck (I thought that was funny!). The kitchen was nice and clean so I was happy - and the fireplace made the dining room very comfortable.



Just before we started the meal, I snuck out and took some photos of the vines. There were still many 'old' style trellis systems. This type (below) was the most common. I am six feet tall - the vines must have been at least three feet above my head. How do they pick these grapes!?! The more modern methods are in place now - but I am not sure if that is a good thing or bad!




It was almost the same lineup of restaurants as last weeks Olio di Oliva di Ravece festival. It was us (La Locanda du Bu), Oasis and La Maschera.

The first plate to exit the kitchen was a mouth watering sampler plate of antipasti. Each restaurant put a tiny taste on the plate.

Here it is..



Starting on the right -
Oasis started off with an amazingly technical taste. This was (Italian first) Coniglio in Porchetta su Letto di Scarola, Pomodori Secchi, Olive Nere e Aceto Invecchiato di Casa con Olio Extravergine di Ravece...(English) Rabbit in Porchetta (boned, rolled & roasted), Escarole, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Olives and Aged Vinegar with EVOO of Ravece. Garnished with a dried lemon slice. All you can see is the rabbit - there were three slices - one underneath, the filling of all the veg., and two to cover the filling - then the vinegar and the oil.

I thought this taste was trully amazing. I had three 'tastes' as there was plenty to go around after the guests were served. The 'porchetta' was very, very well done. Seasoned well and extremely tender rabbit - yumm! The escarole and other ingredients brought the bitter, salty and acidic flavors needed to counterbalance the rabbit - good job Oasis!

The center taste was from La Locanda di Bu. It was a Panino ai Cereali e Baccala. Simply, a house made roll (chickpeas, cicerchia and corn meal) - the filling was salt cod whipped with EVOO, potatoes, olives, red peppers under vinegar and capers - very yummy and simple.

The taste to the left was from La Maschera. I liked this taste as well. (Italian)Metamorfosi di Insalata di Rinforso (a Revision of the Rinforso Salad?) some type of plate shared around Christmas time - The martini glass consisted of Cauliflower Cream, Black Olive Sauce, a Tartare of Green Olives, Red Peppers under Vinegar, Anchovie and a Dehydrated Crispy Skin of Baccala. The plate was well done - not a BOOM like Oasis - but very good.



The next plate out was the Cecalucoli from La Locanda di Bu. There is a picture of this pasta dish somewhere in these pages - I remember posting it a while back (don't want to bore you!!) - Basiclly, a Cavatelli pasta with Cherry Tomatoe Sauce, Lardo and Onion - Ricotta Salata to finish. This again was a simple, but bold flavor - I guess we were there to instill the bold, easy plates!



Next up was La Maschera with the main dish.

This dish created a lot of controversy in the kitchen between all the chefs and cooks.



This dish consisted of - Filetto di Maiale Gratinato alle Erbette Odorose con Mousse di Finocchio all'Anice Stellato e Insalata di Bucce d'Arancia Fritto. Pork Tenderloin Crusted with Aromatic Bread Crumbs, a Fennel and Star Anise Mousse & a Salad of Fried Orange Zest.

The plate was great - IMHO - amazing - the Mousse was very flavorful and light, the fried zest was robust and refreshed the palate - and the PORK was perfect.

Lino, the Chef, had the balls to serve the Pork (which his father butchers) Rare to Med. Rare. I thought it was the right way to serve it too! In Italy though, it is very hard to get the crowd to eat it. That wasn't the problem - all the plates in the dining room came back clean - they ate it all - but the chefs in the kitchen would'nt stop bitching about how pork should NOT be served RAW like that. It was perfect in texture, in flavor - all the way around. Maybe that jealousy thing was going around again!!

The dessert was done by Oasis - it was a spin off of last weeks dolce - the Mille Foglie two or three posts back - it looked exactly the same so take a look at post 106 (I think) for the pic. - this time it was crema alla vaniglia and it had home made Amarenna (sour cherries) as a topping.

The journalists all had a chance to taste the new Taurasi 2001 that will be coming out soon. If you really want to know what they thought - PM me!!

Ciao,

Ore

[albiston]

.....

Lino, the Chef, had the balls to serve the Pork (which his father butchers) Rare to Med. Rare.  I thought it was the right way to serve it too!  In Italy though, it is very hard to get the crowd to eat it.  That wasn't the problem - all the plates in the dining room came back clean - they ate it all - but the chefs in the kitchen would'nt stop bitching about how pork should NOT be served RAW like that.  It was perfect in texture, in flavor - all the way around.  Maybe that jealousy thing was going around again!!

.....

Ore,

it could be a jealousy thing, but maybe it was just the good old Italian food traditionalism; you learn that pork has to be cooked to done, for health reasons (trichinosis), and anyone doing it differently is a mad man.

Recent trichinosis cases in Italy have been, by the way, more often than not caused by undercooked horse or game meat, not pork.

[Ore]

I want to eat Horse!!!!!

I know there is a HORSE MEAT butcher in Avellino...yummm...HORSE - hopefuly next week I will report back with photos!!

Ore

[hathor]

Ciao Ore!
Inspired by your pics, I tried some fried lemon zest last night on fish....worked really well. Red snapper fillet with the crispy lemon zest and frizzled parsley.
Thanks for the inspiration.

[Ore]

Ciao Tutti,

I am finally on my last week of my first stage here in Italy. Four months will be up Friday, Dec. 17, 2004. The time went by fast and I learned a great deal of things here at La Locanda di Bu. Not as much technique as I would have liked, but my Italian improved and I speak with a wicked Irpinia/Napolitano dialect...if I want to!!

My next stop is still undecided - 80% a Salumeria in Collorna (near Parma) named Al Vedel. The other 20% chance is still top secret - I don't want to jinx myself (so wish me luck!!).

When I go on to my second stage - I will most likely start a new topic - to make this a more easier to read blog - it is at 116 replies now - a bit long for a new reader - SO...Grazie for reading!!

Ciao,

Ore

[albiston]

Ore,

thanks agan for your fantastic diary and best of luck with that secret 20% chance. I'm quite curious to know what it is .

As we say in Italy, in bocca al lupo! (OK we say something else with wales too, but that's a bit vulgar )

[Jake]

Ore,

Time flies! Thanks again for the diary and I will definitely keep an eye out for the new topic. Best wishes on getting the top secret job -- can't wait to hear what it is.