DaleJ

I have a cheezy plastic thing that I use a couple of times a week. Its ok, but I've sliced a few fingertips in my day. I'm surprised that no one uses the same trick as I do when it gets down to the short strokes. Be it a potato, fennel or cucumber, I just stick a fork into the remnant and continue on. I have to change the "angle of attack" so not to jam the fork into the blade from time to time, but it works for me.

Bought ten pounds of wild boar stew meat from Broken Arrow a few months ago. It was a pain to cut the frozen meat into one pound hunks, but it was worth it. Called yesterday to order another ten pounds and was told that currently they are only selling to restaurants (in twenty pound lots) but to stay in touch to see if they will again sell in five pound portions. Bummer.

Please forgive me if I have posted this on a prior olive oil thread. My "good" oil is from Le Case Gialle, an agriturismo near Montefalco, Umbria. The proprietor, Mauro Colonna, won the national organic olive oil competition in 2002 (over 3,000 entrants). I am currently on my second "six pack" and even though its now over a year old it still sings. BTW, he sells it for ten euro per 750 ml bottle and it costs about the same to ship it here.

My Umbrian chef-friend stuffs a flattened pork with chard. He puts the chard, garlic, an egg or two, Dijon, a couple of anchovie filets ("Don't forget la Strega"), bread crumbs and parmegiano into a food processor and whirls it into a paste. Then spreads same into the flattened pork, adds a handful of pine nuts for texture and rools it up like a jellyroll and ties it off. Put in a 500 degree oven for fifteen minutes, lower to 225 for about an hour and rest it for twenty minutes. Memorable.

A friend gave me Ada Boni's "Italian Regional Cooking" about thirty years ago. I don't cook from it very often, but its very comprehensive and has beautiful photos.

I have a chef-friend who roasts a bone-in pork rib roast at 500 degrees for fifteen minutes and at 200 for about an hour (145 degrees on the thermometer). Its terrific and I have done it at home to considerable success. I have a prime rib in the refrigerator for Christmas dinner that I'm going to do the same way. Probably take it out at about 120 tho. I've never dry aged but would like to try after a little education.

Maggie & Bunny: I was born and raised in Morris. Both my parents were from Joliet and, as a kid, I visited my grandparents in Joliet weekends. My wonderful mother left us a couple of years ago at age 99. (She was a lousy cook, tho.)

IMHO, the reason that French food translates so well is that it is a much more regimented process. There are, it seems to me, more "thou shalt nots" in French methods. Since Italian food is so regional there is more room for personalization and extrapolation.

I can recommend Pizzaria Remo in Testaccio. Take the Metro to the Piramide stop, walk west on Via Marmorata a few blocks and turn left for a couple of blocks. Ask anyone for directions since its a neighborhood hangout. IMO, the best pizza anywhere. There will be a crowd, but NO touristas.

Sadly, it is not a book, but a short essay, perhaps only a few pages. My guess is that it may have appeared in the New Yorker in the sixties. Maybe the NYer has a resource I can use. Thanks for the trying.

About twenty five years ago a dear friend gave me a photocopy of Bernard De Voto's little essay entitled "The Hour". It was a brilliant homage to the martini. I, of course, through several moves have lost it. Would anyone in this erudite community have a copy? Thanks all.

Sunday evening dinner for six: Homemade gravlax on pumpernickle Pumpkin soup with Parmagiano Reconstituted porcini and fresh mushroom frittata New Zealand Souvignon Blanc Stuffed pork loin (spinach, garlic, anchovy, bread crumbs) with roasted Brussels Sprouts Homewood (Sonoma) Petit Sirah Ice cream with Scotch and Espresso dust (this from an early Marcella Hazan book) Grappa and homemade limoncello

Heresy. Try this once. Firm white bread, storebought mozzarella (sliced to about 1/4"), proscuitto (optional if it disqualifies product as "toasted cheese"), NO BUTTER. Preheat cast iron skillet. Place sandwich in it. Place another heavy skillet on top of sandwich. Place 26 oz. can of tomatoes (unopened) on top. Check progress from time to time. When browned, flip and replace weights. Check progress from time to time. When browned, remove. Got this method from watching barmen at Italian bars toast cicchetti. The best.

My wife and I stayed, a few years ago, in an apartment at Fattoria Barbi, a couple of km south of Montalcino. Barbi is, of course, a big producer of Brunello with an acclaimed restaurant on the premises. I assume they have a website. The town of Montalcino is very walkable and the old rocco is now a wine tasting center. Its also close to Montepuciano and Pienza, with great local pecorino. I assume you will have a car.

Speaking of the martini, I always keep my gin in the freezer so not dilute it when adding it to a few drops of vermouth and the lemon twist. BTW, I've recently done some math. I know that I was drinking a couple of martinis per evening when the Mets won the series in '68. Having followed this pattern ever since, I calculate the imbibment of just short of 25,000 to date. Each one better than the next. What a body! I remember a Bernard De Voto essay on the martini, a beautiful tome given to me by a friend many years ago and, alas, misplaced . I believe it was titled "The Hour". I would give a lot to be able to find a copy.

I was in Florence last February for four days. I ate at Il Ritrovo four times. Food and wine were great, but I think it was Rosetta that brought me back.

I'm on a roll. Here's one that is a challenge to find, but in its own way, worthwhile. Osteria Vini Padovani is at Calle dei Cercheri, 1280 (another worthless address). Walking from Accademia toward Campo Sant Margherita cross the little bridge on your right before you cross the bridge to Campo San Barnaba. Take the left and follow it to the right a few feet. There is no sign, just a little light over the door. The place seats about twenty. There is a bar, from which eminates everything. This is a lunch place, although you can get cichetti and drinks until about seven PM. Most food is in front of you under glass (sort of like Vino Vino) and is, if warmed, microwaved. If you order pasta it will come from the lady across the street. I guarantee no tourists here. (BTW, no reviews for Vino Vino?) Last March I asked the owner where I could get the heavy glass Cynar glasses. He told me he got them in Maestre by the dozen. When I told him I only wanted two, he simply wrapped two in brown paper and handed them to me. That kind of place.

My first posting. I stumbled on Avogoria last March. Its at Dorsoduro 1629 (of course, a worthless address). Walking from Accademia toward Campo Santa Margherita, you take a hard left after crossing the bridge into Campo San Barnaba. Proceed on that calle until you cross another bridge. Avogoria will be on your left in a couple of hundred feet. The interior and furnishings are extremely modern. Concrete floors, brick walls, a glassed in courtyard and one vibrant blue dividing wall. I found the service, food, wine and ambiance wonderful. Someone in charge is, apparently, from Puglia because the menu and wine selections are tilted that way. I took my wife there a couple of months ago and the place earned raves from her. (Not an easy achievement.) BTW, I haven't seen a tourist there yet.