hathor

Saltedgreens, that is an image that will stick with me for a long time! Glad your stock turned out well....what did you make with it?

Thanks...I'm going to give this a try in the next few days...I'll let you know how it comes out. Grazie mille!

Awww....you caught me! That's exactly what I've done with the sticks so far...chew on them! Now, I'm wondering if I can distill the root....

Just came across this: Women's Chefwear Certainly not cheap, but at least someone out there is trying...and nothing in black.

Maybe if I could spell crostada things would be better!! Thanks Baroness, but that's not it. It's a typical central Italian crust that gets a jam type filling.

I don't know the biscotti, but I've got a biscotti con vino recipe from Le Marche...PM me if you want the recipe.

Freezing will alter taste. If I remember my This, the process of freezing explodes the cell walls, releasing flavor, that's why if you puree and freeze berries, then thaw, the flavor will be intensified. What are you pairing the licorice ice cream with? I bought this at the Italian Market, and now I'm not too sure what to do with it. Suggestions?

I've left all my Italian cook books in Italy....which is killing me, but I just can't carry the full library around with me....although my husband is completely convinced that I DID carry everything. I digress. I'm looking for a real, true, sort of like cookie crumb crostada recipe. The kind that is 3 or 4mm thick, dry, crumbly. Grazie mille!

mmmmm.....may I have some soup please? Now I have to add oxtail to my shopping list, that recipe sounds excellent, just the sort of thing that rings my bells. (Oh, and I think Swisskaese should be made to share that beef stew with chestnut and pomegranate with us because I KNOW she has a magic bag of spices at her disposal!) How was that bread? I'm curious because how could they mill it in the morning, and have it your hands by the afternoon? Or are they just using poetic license when they say it was milled in the morning. What's your favorite, go-to bread? Abra, you had cake for breakfast, what, is the tripe all gone??

Bravo David! Chez Pim's Menu for Hope is in its 4th season....it's a very worthwhile project and the prizes are simply amazing. Lunch with Harold McGee.... 2 tickets to Madrid Fusion (who ever wins...makes you sure bring along Docsconz!)..... Prizes are sorted by geography, and you have great stuff going on all over the world. That's a very nice prize that you have contributed, David!

I wasn't able to get near a computer yesterday, and it was KILLING me....thinking about what you were up to! Oh my, my, my. I think that I'm in love with Beppo. Is he bilingual now? Our cats are completely fluent, especially when food is involved. Chufi: do you think that you must have a fresh mushroom for those potatoes? or can you go with all dried? You do have a way with mashed things! I like the 'fork' texture of the potatoes. And now I have to go out and buy sweetbreads because it's been too long since I've eaten them. And that cauliflower puree...with truffle...that sounds divine. What a lunch!! Abra: can you explain a bit more about those truffles? I wasn't aware that truffles could be cultivated in any way. Manipulated for "freshness" yes, but cultivated? How/where are they doing that? Did your area have a decent truffle season? Italy was terrible this year. And congrats on selling an article!! Brava!! And thank you all for sharing this amazing culinary adventure with us. Tonight, in all our different time zones, we raise a glass to these wonderful, wacky women!

At first I had an "AH HA" moment...that you may have found a key point. Now, I'm not so sure. Italy has a very well developed ristorante culture....as well as trattoria, osteria, pizzaria, etc. You are 100% right that many Italian people simply do not go out to eat, and that there is a very strong eat at home culture, but they do still travel and go out to eat, so I'm not sure you can say that Italian restaurant culture is in its infancy. And 'alta cucina', like 'haute cusine' isn't for everyone. How many 'average' French people can afford to, want to, dine out at Pierre Gagnaire's restaurant? Significantly more than those that want to dine Le Calandre? I don't know the answer to this question. I do think the French press has done a much better job at developing the haute cuisine culture than the Italian press. And maybe that is a key point. Is anyone accusing Le Calandre of not being Italian enough?

Tripe for breakfast?? Chufi, I'm with you...tripe is just not my thing. It has a very unique...funkiness that is just not appealing to me. But,the pig foot,now that I could get into!

Ciao Ragazzi! I would give my left trotter to join you guys! Thank you Klary for giving me a heads up that you were blogging, I remember you telling me that you were going to visit Abra...and now Lucy in the kitchen....pure heaven! Now, if Paula Wolfert magically showed up, all of our fantasies would be complete! I hate working on meats before breakfast, so I share your morning squeamishness. Coffee first, then body parts. What cheeses did you bring, Lucy?? I don't care if you are squabbling over laptops, cameras and computers....post lots and lots of pictures, ok?

But, John. Why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel?? God, a little honesty is so refreshing after platters full of hyperbole.

If you make eyeball stock, I don't care how you do it, but you must, must post photos!!

Natho, how did it come out? You tried melting the licorice, directly over heat, in cream? Just want to be sure I understand the process. What remained? Just blobs that wouldn't melt? I haven't worked myself up to this yet...and I'm still trying to figure out what 'pure licorice' might be.

uh, maybe 4 inches...

It's so exciting to be embarking on this adventure, you are going to have a blast. Take a little time to get familiar with Italian wines, this looks like a good intro website. . Italian wines can be confusing when you first meet them, but they are really very friendly. A lot like the Italians that you will meet!

Thoseradishes are in the NY Greenmarket as well, tasty but expensive. I can't believe how much cheaper your prices are than NY....blows me away. It's pretty much worth driving down for...reminds me of another thread.....

Doodad, what, dude, did you make enough for everyone?? Sounds excellent. Bravo.

Well, I certainly hope that you have been very good, or you may just find a rusty vegetable peeler in your stocking!

What is the rationale for pulling gills and eyes? My squeam level is fairly high, but I would have scoop the eyes with a knife or spoon, and barely look at them ← I'm with you! I'm not pulling out eyeballs. I've been making stock forever, with eyeballs. Just strain them out later or reserve for Halloween.

Docsconz, you do get around! It was interesting to me to hear your observations of the food, as I've only had virtual encounters with their cooking. I've often wondered about the flavor balance with some of the more assertive ingredient combinations, and your comments were helpful in understanding what Alex & Aki are doing. Impressive wines as well! I'm getting around to this thread a little late, but thanks for sharing with us, yet again. What a marvelous weekend of feasting and friendship.

Parsnips. Parsnips. Parsnips. They don't need to be shocked in cold water. I slice them with a vegetable peeler. Here's the recipe from my blog. Fried root chips....mmmmm.......