hathor

What an odd idea, to combine a corporate icon with small farmers. Not as odd as a dry cleaner/gun merchant, but it's close. You have to wonder at what meeting this ever sounded like a good idea.

Mitch, you're gonna have to trust me on this one because it sounds really strange, but I used a fennel syrup. The result was like a rummy butterscotch. I don't know why rum + fennel = butterscotch. But it was refreshing, not cloying and totally a unique flavor. I've been on a mojito kick, and although limes are non-existent in Umbria, I think that I can come up with something with lemon and rum and mint. And I totally second campari and grapefruit, or campari lemonade. If the stuff doesn't freeze in time, it taste great in a glass with a sprig of mint. I also agree with your ratio of sugar to liquid, not counting the alcohol. But, for me one of the variables that I cannot get a handle on is how long the product should be frozen before serving. Some flavors dissipate, some concentrate, and I haven't had consistent results. Anybody else playing with the freezing time?

I was craving those fave beans with chicoria, and the market had some beautiful chicoria, and I had some dried Pugliese fave beans, and one thing just begged for the other. It's the first time that I've had the combination and the flavors are really a beautiful compliment to each other. I don't think it will be the last time! (Only next time, I'll buy the already shucked fave!!)

The gin won't freeze....so I'd go at it by making a sorbetto that gets a bit of gin. Say lime sorbetto and gin. Would tonic water freeze? Probably. Certainly not a martini, but a frozen gin and tonic could be interesting When you freeze the concoction, you need to keep breaking up the ice crystals so that they don't turn into chunks. So every 1/2 hour or so, whip the mixture with a stick blender until you get the desired consistency. And anything with an alcohol content takes longer to freeze. Much longer than you expect, so plan ahead. I did lots of experiments with rum last year, very fun.

Great photos! Thanks for sharing them with us. Ahhh....mountain food! We didn't get to the mountains this winter, so your photos were a welcome reminder of how good the food is. BTW, fresh porcini are in season in the fall. But, there is never a season for dried porcini, thanks God!

We've hosted Soprano dinners for all 8 years, so the last supper was kinda sad. Pasta con piselli Pollo arrabiata Chicoria con pancetta And too much wine to take pictures or even remember what else was served!

Wouldn't we all love to "insist that no check be presented"? That's just plain wrong.

Oh! One last bit of train advice...you have to stamp your ticket BEFORE you get on the train. Little machine, looks like the kind of thing that you put your employee time card in, makes the same noise and stamps the date and time. I almost always forget...or remember at the last possible second and then have to frantically look for the damn machines. May the Goddess Serendipity be your very best friend!!

Ditto. They both have some wonderful shots - very good composition and great use of depth of field and color. I just happen to have Patrick_S' flickr page bookmarked here. Also, checkout David Lebovitz' flickr page here. (He has lots of sets; I just chose the Paris Sweets page as an example). Another one I like is ulterior epicure, another eGulleter. You can checkout his pix here. ← Thanks John..those are all excellent photos. You are right about the use of color and depth of field.

So, who does the sexiest food shots? I don't mean vulgar stuff like with a banana...but that subtle sex under current? Who is the Helmut Newton of the food world? Is there one? Maybe sex is the wrong word, maybe I'm looking for sensuous. Grrr. Chufi, I'm with you on lighting. It's tough with a home set up and a spouse that wants to eat. edit to add: I also have not bonded with my tripod. We fight a lot.

I try to talk only about things that I know a little about. There actually could be $1800 difference in the fabric. You throw in some of that top grade cashmere and you blow a bundle very quickly! Not to mention real estate overhead, marketing and Mr. Armani's life style. But, you certainly raise a valid point. Farming IS a business. Perceived value IS in the eye of the beholder. Commerce is created when you combine the two. Economies run on commerce. I do NOT understand the value my son places on his sneaker collection, or kicks or whatever he calls them. Someone else may not get $8 eggs, but there is room for everyone, right?

Stevarino, did you ever get people to volunteer to peel fave? Sure, they're good for the first pod or two, then the whining starts. My approach is to keep pouring wine, if they whine, no wine or fave for them. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. It's rare to find happy prep help among normal citizenry. That's why we sometimes watch a movie while peeling those fave! I love the etymology discussion. This is sort of off topic, but perhaps one of you scholars can point me in the right direction. Something has been bugging me....what is the origin of the word "Italia"? The word crops up as a geographical name long before it become political, but I've never come across an explanation for this. 'nd' shows up a lot in Puglia, at the beginning of food words. Maybe in other Puglia words, but I only know about food! Oh, and Stevarino, is that you in the background of one of those photos, holding a camera around your neck? I would never think to put mushrooms, oranges and shrimp together. Was it one of those more than the sum of its parts dishes, or were the flavors distinct?

Gfron, you may have identified what it is that makes me respond to Ling and Chufi's photos. I'm not familiar with Patrick's, my apologies. They have a sense of immediacy and 'truthiness'. How many white plates with bits of tangled micro greens can we look at? Tina Rupp's pictures are indeed beautiful, and the ones that I emotionally respond to are the ones on the wooden board, or in crocks. The white plate minimalism may have sacrificed emotion. I'm thinking out loud here, but beautiful food is a feast for the senses, and the minimalist trend may be ignoring that.

Wow. That is some beautiful work. The Mittongtare photos have a very sensuous quality to them that I like. And you are 1000% right about Chufi's work, there is that sense of place that always come thru. And beautiful composition. There was a photo in her recent blog, with roses in the background that was absolutely stunning.

Stevarino, I use the Kevin method and they fall apart after an hour, pretty simple. Your recipe sounds really good, but I wonder if the soaking was necessary. Maybe we can find Rancho Gordo and get his take, he's the bean expert. Pontormo: yes, please. I'll take whatever is left. Grazie mille!

You guys are almost making me take a trip north! It all sounds good..... As far as the restaurant/hotel guests thing, the whole story is sounding so very Italian! So many layers.... Have you ever read "The Dark Heart of Italy". Interesting read.

Maybe it was the combo of the marinating and the no direct heat that kept the raw garlic flavor intact. Good to know if you are ever looking for that taste. Sounds pretty good to me.

I've a photo project ahead of me and I've been looking at a lot of food photos lately. Now, I'm curious, who do you love? Whose images consistently make you stop in your tracks? Who makes your heart beat faster? Today, I'm in love with Sergio Herman's Oud Sluis images on the restaurant's website. The website comes with music, just warning you. I love Shola Olunloyo's Studio Kitchen blog photos. They are clean, clear, but interesting. There is attitude going on, even with all that minimalism. I'm getting a little tired of white ground, intense close ups. I like when the image hints at a bigger story going on. Lucy Vanel, known as Bleudauvergne on eGullet, has photos that always tell a story. She has a knack for romanticism without being sappy. I just two books that have fantastic images: "Au Pied de Cochon" and "Olivier Roellinger's Contemporary French Cuisine". (sorry, I don't know how to do the Amazon linking thing). The use of color in the Contemporary French Cuisine is marvelous. So, who do you love?

Thanks for sharing all that information Pyewacket. Home economist? Who knew! A thought occurred to me while reading this. How different is the photo of a model in a dress different from the view of you in that same dress in your mirror at home? It's a parallel universe of the same sort.

I'm just a little surprised. Most Italians are not that fond of an overload of garlic. Many recipes call for warming the garlic in oil and then discarding the garlic. Me, I like the garlic right in the dish!

As always, thanks for sharing with us! We leave for Italy next week, and fresh anchovies are high on my list of things to be eaten upon arrival. Only in Italy would they come up with that sort of bizarre ruling that only hotel guests can be served. Sounds like some local political stuff. Ah, Italy.

Stevarino, when the chef uses that slow cooked garlic oil, does he incorporate the garlic bits, or just use the oil? In one photo it looks like he's using the bits, but the finished sauce looks smooth.

Tupac, if you can, check into internet cafes and keep us posted as you go...that would be so much fun! One very off the beaten track place in Sicily, on the north coast, is the salt flats. They are lonely, wild, gorgeous. We stayed at very small b&b, right on the flats, called Il Mulino. Incredibly photogenic, and the salt is outstanding. In the town of Valderice, near Trappani, here's the link Buon viaggio!!

Good advice from Kevin and Pontormo...as usual! You need a good barnyard: some chickens, rabbits, geese, ducks, a cow and a pig! Seriously, those barnyard animals all show up in northern Italian cooking, but you don't really need your own barnyard!

Sounds delicious, but certainly cheap on the anchovies. Bah! 2 anchovies??