divina

for florence, add Da giovanni to your short list.. it is owned by one of the I Latini Brothers, Giovani.. and is around the corner.. but Far from the craziness at I latini.. on via del moro! near where you will be staying is Grand HOtel Tombolo ione of the Antinori's properties ,will be interested to hear about the food there, Italians don't like to eat in restaurantsof hotels.. so has not been talked about much! It is a converted summer resort run by the government.can't wait to see it! In the Oltr'arno I LOVE Pandemonio on Via del Leone, almost at Piazza Tasso and Cavolo Nero ( tiny) on Via del Ardiglione PS are you going on a cinghiale tour?

gotta know about the new place in Florence!!!

If you get to Florence.. contact me!!! I adopt young chefs!

Do you know where you will be living? Neighborhoods count a lot! one of the largest and best markets I found when doing some research was Mercato Trionfale via Andrea Doria, not in the touristy center likd Campo Dei Fiori, which it tiny in comparision. I haven't visited Trastevere yet.. but here it is nice too! you wil have to come to Florence one Saturday too.. to see out fabulous market! it is only 1 1/2 hours away.. come walk around tour eat.. shop and then hop on hte train with your goodies! The market opens at 7am and closes at 2pm. I have done the same the other way!

In my past life as a pastry chef.. we would rub the top of the pastry cream with a stick of butter, which would prevent the forming of a skin. Hold the stick up butter in your hand and lightly run across the top, this also smooths the cream.

sorry.. I was thinking of my everclear recipe.. as for limoncello, which is on the same page.. usually I add a simple syrup to the Everclear, to make it about 35%-45% hence drinkable. The vodka version only needs to be sweetened as you can drink the vodka as is.

When I was a pastry chef.... we used to blend pastry cream into a butter cream frosting.. to lighten it. It was fabulous and I used it on my carrot cakes. I have also used cream cheese lightened with whipped cream and then added gelatin to help it set up for a pie, still one of my favorites!

In Florence Italy, nocino is also a tradition and the walnuts are harvested on June 24th which is St John the Baptist's day, patron Saint of Florence. As for using other nuts, or shelled walnuts, the green walnuts stain your hands while working with them and hence give the liquor a wonderful color! here is my recipe on my site. Nocino recipe at the bottom of the page I used vodka in the recipe here for those that can't get whole grain which is prefered! I was recently in California teaching and bought Everclear ( whole grain Alcohol) at Beverages and More.. it was only 75% alcohol, instead of the 95% we get here in Italy, so you can use less simple syrup ... and make it more potent! Walnuts may ripen earlier in California.. you should be able to easily cut through them with a chefs knife.

Faith TEaches on Wednesdays and has a site www.faithwillinger.com There is also sharon of restaurant GArga at garga@fol.it

I am Diva of Divina Cucina.. and am the IACP rep for Italy.. so in Rome also know of several teachers. Maureen Fant does a walking tour and class ( 4th floor walkup) Diane Seed sometimes has one day classes and Dana Klitzberg of Blu Abergine does market tour classes too. Pick up this month's fabulous Bon Appetit with info on FLorence ROme and Venice, a true collectors issue!

Kevin.. very Italian of you to live 6 minutes from where you work.. i does help with cooking times! I just arrived in Dallas.. boy is it Flat! have you set up a bibliography of the books you are using?

hathor, are you doing the program at Jesi?

I met Armando when he was at Dario's with Faith Willinger, making Soprasatta.. I think his rolled Pancetta looks fab too as well as the Guanciale. Interesting flavors for his Salami's too! The DROGHE mixture used often here by butchers, includes mace, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg as well as cardomom.. a fabulous blend! Seems he was inspired and went beyond! IACP is in Seattle next year.. so I'll be there!

Thank you soooo much! great foto..

It was Joyce Jue from San Francisco that mentioned it, when I google it I get simliar recipes for Stir Fried Milk The closest I get to being Chinese is that my mom was raised in china... but lived in the Frenhc Quarter..so rather Isolated Thanks for the info on the olive nut

Thank you, I have found info on Chinese olive pits being found in 1850's Sacramento...along with pottery. Will have to try cracking open an Italian olive pit!

OK.. the worst was when I was much younger.. being taken out to a way out of the way place by a new boyfriend in Greece,.... for the specialty.. whole roasted Sheeps head!!! the only thing for dinner! I tried it.. eyeballs, brain, etc.. not one of my favorites..and then I was 20 something! the really worst thing was a sushi in SF.. where a tiny fresh ( alive) fish was fileted and still twitching.. NOT AGAIN..

Thanks.. I will let you know. the presentation is in April.. Now I want the NUTS...I immagine they crack the pit and take out a sort of pinenut like center.

the Blood pancakes ( really more crepe like) are made with the fresh raw pigs blood after the slaughter. the blood is mixed with a little flour, and in certain regions grated orange zest and cinnamon is added ( as for head cheese, soprasatta) It is served with grated parmesan cheese on tope and rolled up! Mostly was street food for festivals.

Thanks.. but I have it on expert advice that there are olives in china.. I also thought they were jujubees. I am doing a presentation on Olives in Dallas at IACP and we are getting Chinese Olives for the tasting! I will let you know

the traditional trofie recipe is flour and water llike orecchiete and take about 10 mintues to cook. I usually use hard wheat flour, and have never used the low gluten chestnut flour, which I find heavy tasting on it's own.. I have not learned to love the flavor of any of all chestnut flour recipes..like Castagnaccio the sweet dessert with rosemary and pinenuts.

ok.. ex vegetarian.. I have eaten almost all of the 5th quarters.. all 4 of the tripe from the cow,cow face, fallopian tubes and uterus.. udder!!! beef testicles in a pate', pajata in Rome, fried tripe which I made for a party at Macelleria Cecchini was really good! Horse Carpaccio... sfilaccini also which is a cured and shredded horsemeat, one of my favorites.. donkey ragu on polenta. blood sausage,biroldo or burischio, with pinenuts and orange zest blood crepes.. against the law now that's off the top of my head...

I am still on my quest for the use of olives in chinese Cuisine. Joyce Jue told me about the Fried Milk garnished with olive nuts. Are the olive nuts easily available outside of China? anyone make this. I have seen some recipes with shrimp and chicken livers. then the milk, thickened with water chestnut flour and egg whites is "fried" until thickened.. and served on top of the shrimp mixture... sound familar thanks from Italy!

lunch is usually at 1pm.. LAMB!!! it is young milkfed lamb, grilled, roasted, fried chops and fried artichokes are my favorite! Tell them you need to be out to get a train,, but fast service isn't one of Italy's strong points! I would look at places near you.. Trattoria del Armando, il Profeta are on Borgo SS Apostoli

Actually your foccaccia di Recco looks fabulous. It is cooked until golden not doughy at all. I haven't seen Plotkisn recipe, but it is a flour and water dough.. brusehd with oil and salt.. very thin, with tiny holes pulled in the top.. The CREPES aren't quite golden enough. I made the Florentine version Cecina in a woodburing oven this week.. I was trying one out before building. I will be following the instructions ( that are available for free) on www.fornobravo.com I am doing some recipe testing for them and my recipes will also be available online. the foccaccia di Recco is going to be one of them and the Cecina is already online with foto's