ludja

... In any case, I've recently seen a recipe for a Clementine Ratafia* that was used in jam preparation and have been thinking about some other interesting fruits and combinations. Blood Orange, Star Anise, and Black Pepper Pomelo Has anyone else experimented with making Ratafia or using it as an ingredient in cocktails? ... ← It sounds very interesting. I think it is interesting to think of ways to use it in a cocktail as well. Here is a good thread re: homemade cordials and liqueurs where you may get some other ideas: click

What about tapas and mezze, then? ← Surely, they're worthy of a different thread? (I also suspect there are some good tapas threads out there to add on to).

Sounds nice. Another endive variation is to fill the individual leaves with fresh chopped tomatoes lightly dressed with a good vinagrette, intermingled with slivers of cured anchovies. Then shave some slices of good parmagianno over each leaf.

Thanks for sharing that TongoRad. The eggplant, mussels and white anchovies are great ideas. I'm trying to remember exactly, but at Italian American restaurants/pizza joints in New England, I think they often serve the platter with an oregano type vinagrette. Usually the oil and vinegar are right on the table. (Also some iceberg lettuce!) other potential items to add are pickled/marinated mushrooms and capers.

Hmmm, I'd like to try buckwheat honey and buckwheat tea.... (thanks for the link to buy the tea torakris). I need to look for this at a local japanese market as well. Another dish from France that I like is "Creme de Sarrasin aux Legumes"-- Buckwheat Cream Soup that I learned about in Madeleine Kamman's "When French Women Cook". Diced bacon is cooked, then diced carrots, leeks, onion, garlic and parsely are added in. After they are softened, add chicken stock and cook for awhile to slightly reduce. Off the stove mix buckwheat flour, heavy cream or milk and some stock and then add this in slowly to the soup while stirring. Add some butter in at the end. It's very rich and has a wonderful flavor. I never had farz when I was in Brittany. Ptpois just posted some about this in the galette thread. As I understand it, it's kind of a buckwheat polenta that has prunes in it and is served as a side dish w/things like pork. (The cooking method is interesting as well, it's cooked in a cheesecloth sack which is hung in the pot used to cook the meat). Madeleine Kamman describes (but doesn't give a recipe for) a dessert version: Has anyone else made or tried farz?

ricotta gnocchi or a savory ricotta pie Austrian ricotta dumplings (sweet, but often eaten as a meatless meal, with a fruit sauce or compote).

Also good as part of an antipasti platter are provolone, fresh mozzarella, anchovies, pickled artichokes and pepperoncini. Another great item are roasted cherry peppers stuffed with provolone or mozzarella and proscuitto. Are you interested mainly in variations of the 'typical' northeast Italian American antipasti platter (which I love) are just any Italian antipasti (which I also love...)

Nice article. Here's another earlier one that focuses on the Sean Brock's food. and this one has the planned menu for the James Beard dinner on March 26... click

Not very close. "ll" is a separate letter in Spanish, and I don't know of anywhere where "ll" is pronounced like "l". "ll" = English "y" or "j", not "l". Anyone disagree? ← No---including me. Mea Culpa to all for the mistake in my original post and thanks for quickly catching it Pan. I corrected it above. Esperanza quote:

I unleased this pearl before quickly dashing out the door yesterday. It's funny how your mind can play tricks on you. Love your post! Thanks also for the additional info on pronouncing paella. quote from esperanza: edited to correct 'paella' pronunciation; Pan caught my mistake in my original post. (don't want to be party to propogating false info if I can help it)

so if it starts with an "e" it's pronounced "i" and vice versa? how <i> helpful</i> ← A pneumonic phrase to help in remembering "ei" and "ie" German pronunciation is: EIsenhower's nIEce

I really like the Bananas Foster and Rum Raisin. (I thought I didn't like Rum Raisin Ice cream until I tasted their version). For a temporary flavor, the Baily's is excellent. For sorbets, I really like the Peach. A great sorbet flavor they used to have (either it was discontinued or was a 'special;) was Margarita. I wish they would bring that back. edited to add: I now must try the coffee...

A few other Italian/Sud Tirol dishes I've heard of (SudTirol Cookbook, Italian Pastry books and the web): Schwarztplentene Knodel or Canederli Neri (similar to a Tiroler Specknodel exept with the addition of buckwheat flour; i.e. boiled, savory dumpling made with white or rye bread, Tyrolean smoked ham/bacon, onions, parsely, eggs and here, buckwheat flour). One of the variations of a Trentino buckwheat polenta dish I've seen is to turn it out into a pan, topped with sauteed anchovies. I have two recipes for at least one version of the, buckwheat cake or 'Buchenweizenkuchen' you mentioned. The Italian name I have is; "Torta de Grano Saraceno". The recipes are ascribed to Bolzano (Bozen) or to Merano (Meran) in the Alte Adige/Sud Tirol. It's basically a buckwheat flour and ground almond torte which is then split and filled with a jam of Preiselbeeren (lignonberry or could sub cranberry). Served with whipped cream. I've been wanting to try making this for awhile... Thanks for pointing out the pizzocheri (buckwheat tagliatelle) pasta dish. With the cabbage, potatoes and cheese it sounds like a great winter dish for a after a day of skiing, etc.

Thanks for a great blog theresa (and for helping, Food Tutor). I enjoyed your trip to MaryMac's very much; thanks for posting the menu! It was nice to see your lovely kitchen and dining areas as well; thanks for taking all the photos. You'v given lots of thoughtful ideas and inspiration for anyone considering a remodel.

Your recipe really looks fantastic andiesenji; thank you very much for sharing it. Also, I agree that a sauce contrasting in temperature with the rice pudding is very nice. I love kheer; with cardamom and maybe some sliced almonds in it. (I've had this warm and cool in Indian restaurants). Has anyone had elegant molded rice pudding dishes from France or Vienna (along the lines of a "Riz a L'Imperatrice")? I haven't made or had either yet but they sound like they would be very good.

I think I remember this recipe; seem to recall it was from a small place in Florence (making the avocado even more surprising); probably in a December issue b/c I think it was part of a New Year's party. Nice to know the combo works.

I love this recipe inspired by Jamison and Jamison in their book, A Real American Breakfast; it's a Brown Butter Scramble with Avocado. (Great book by the way). Mix eggs with some cream or half and half, minced roasted garlic, a dash of hot sauce and s&p. Cook some butter until nutty brown (~ 5 min), cook eggs until soft curds form (do NOT overcook). Quickly fold in bite size pieces of avocado and remove from heat. Eat with or on good toast. This is absolutely, voluptuously, luscious.

That recipe calls for 1/2 cup ground nutmeg. I can just see the kiddies pelting the humble cook mercilessly with brown 'spiceberry' cupcakes. Hehe. ... ← Whups. Doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the recipe, does it... (looks like it would be 1/2 tsp). Your comparison 'bake off" sounds interesting. I'm intrigued by what the rasberry gelatin adds to the mix, so to speak.

Cool, interesting discussion. Interesting to know the literal tranlation as "little pigeons" too.

Inspired by Druckenbrodt's recent thread on Breton Galettes I thought it would be interesting to hear peoples comments and stories on buckwheat and favorite or interesting preparations. Here's a link with a short background on buckwheat which is not actually a wheat. I think it's intriguing that it is used in so many different parts of the world and in different forms. I've also read that it assumed special importance during WWII in parts of Europe as an alternative nutritious grain to wheat, oats and barley which were needed to feed the armies. It also grows well in "poor" soils where other grains or crops may not fare well.

Adapted from Viennese Cooking by O. and A. Hess: Nuss Stangerl (Walnut Sticks) Dough: 1 1/3 cups flour 6 Tbs butter 2 egg yolks 2 Tbs sugar 2 Tbs milk Filling: 3/4 cup sugar 1/8 cup water 2/3 lb walnuts ground 1 Tbs milk 1 Tbs butter Icing: 2 egg whites 1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar 1 tsp lemon juice Mix sugar, yolks and milk together; then work in softened butter and then flour. Work with hands or a big wooden spoon until it forms a dough. Roll out to form a thin dough and press into a cookie sheet with sides at least ~ 3/4 inch. (I can't recall how sticky the dough is; may need to partially roll out and then finish pressing into pan; dough should be thin, ~ 1/4 inch thick). For filling boil sugar and water until if forms a thread (230-235 deg F). Add ground walnuts, milk and butter. Spread filling over dough in an even layer. For icing beat egg whites with sugar and lemon juice until thick enough to coat a spoon. Add more sugar if it seems too thin. Spread this icing over the walnut filling. This part is a little tricky; you should use a sharp knife and may need to wet it with cold water in between. Pre-cut the pastry into small, ~ 1 inch squares in the pan. Bake at 325 deg F until meringue is slightly golden and dough is cooked. Carefully remove pieces and cool. So, this *is* from "Viennese Cooking" but there is so much overlap between Austrian and Hungarian baking. The part of Austria where my family comes from borders on Hungary and the use of walnuts in desserts is very popular on both sides of the border. edited to add: These keep well for at least a week in a sealed container. (easy to make ahead of time)

Sorry about the less than stellar mashed potatoes... Most homestyle Polish places I've been to have excellent potato pancakes (which I almost always order, either for a meal with applesauce and sour cream alongside and a soup beforehand). Another great thing they might have are cheese filled blintzes. (farmer's cheese that is... )

This IS very funny. It does seem strange that 'so much' of the rat was in the two sandwiches... edited to add: I'm getting a perverse pleasure in 'bumping' this post up again. (kind a like touching a sore tooth). I just want to forget completely about it and get the mental image out of my head; then I see that someone else posted and I feel compelled to check it out! Thanks Carolyn

You know, it's funny you should use that word. I know that Brittany is an area rich in Celtic heritage, and in Welsh 'crempog' means 'pancake'. 'crempog geirch' is an oatmeal pancake and 'crempog las' is a more egg-rich pancake, so perhaps 'krampouz' is a more generic term? ← Pretty neat. I was fascinated with the (little) exposure I got to the Breton lanquage when we were there, mainly in the form of signs for villages in the countryside.

A dry martini for Auntie Mame...