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So, Alberts, don't keep us hanging! What did you have for lunch???

You nuked a roux. You have nickel plated cast iron. A heretic and a renegade. Many thanks for sharing your life with us, it was stunningly beautiful and entertaining! Ciao! Judith

Hey, Franci's back from vacation! Welcome back! Kevin, any good Campanian housewife would use up what she has around anyway! Foodman: no, bunny wasn't dry at all, it was delicious. The tomatoes sort of melted over the bunny and it all good. And, here is my version of Foodman's tasty meatballs: Served on pureed fresh tomatoes, capers, onion and garlic. I'm a heretic too.

Andrew, you've found someone to eat your leftover egg/eggplant! Give it to mrbigjas! Now, if only I had found someone to give my leftover 'pasta al forno' to...It may have looked good, but it was boring, boring, and dull.... Tonight its going to be Foodman's polpette...mmmm.....polpette. Why do I always seem to have Homer Simpson's voice playing in the back of my brain???

I went back to my Ital.cook notes and recipes from Campania, and last night was braised rabbit Ischia style and "gatto de patate". The coniglio recipe called for braising in stewed/canned tomatoes, but I just had too many fresh ones around to open a can. The gatto de patate is a sort of layered potato/cheese mixture sandwiching a ricotta/salami layer. Very tasty, but as I was making it, seemed more of a French type recipe than southern Italian...lots of butter involved. I also made a tactical error...I wanted to play with my new Silpat molds, this potato dish should have been cooked in some earthenware and gotten nice and brown and crusty on top. Next time. Tasty looking eggplant Andrew. Egg sounds a bit weird to me too....who knows, the creator of the recipe had an abundance of eggs and eggplants that day.

Wouldn't one of those butchers over at the Italian Market have bunny? (What do I know?? )

A man who grills....that Fred is no fool!

Kudos to Kevin for suggesting Campania in September, the height of tomato season! Everyone's eating cherry tomatoes. Shaya's gorgeous dish, Docsconz's yummy looking orange tomatoes. Today's lunch: roasted cherry tomatoes with onions, garlic, capers, and chili peppers. I have a rabbit waiting for the Ischia braising pot for dinner. I see Andrew is poking around at the Reading Terminal Market looking for a bunny. Now its coniglio in the air!

This is great...we almost got to Moab late last winter, maybe this year.... now, that I'm seeing that you can eat well. Wasatch porter? My favorite: "Polygamy Porter. Why have just one?" Oh, and could you pass me some of those chips and guacamole? Then I'll have some of the gaspacho...

I swear I didn't mean to miss the ferry back to the mainland...I got stuck in Sicily! But, if I had seen what Shaya was making, I would have hurried up and gotten on that ferry! Those cazoncelli look amazing, as do the eggplant fritters. If I get stuck for a recipe, I may PM you. Pizza N.: thanks for all the great info on the ovens, its explains a lot about the passion for the traditional Napolitan pizza. Ore: I'm in Italy, drowning in ripe tomatoes. All that chatter about ferries was pure fiction, I'm in Umbria, eating figs and drinking Sicilian wine. Speaking of wine...where has Brad Ballinger been? He is always very informative when he writes about the Italian wines. I miss his write-ups.

I'm not ready to leave the islands! We ate a Sicilian lunch on the roof today. As I was heading up the stairs with the food on a tray, I told my husband that we were having a sort of deconstructred cous cous. Without looking up, he said, "Don't worry, I'm sure it will still taste good." Sort of puts the whole 'hoity-toity' cuisine thing in perspective, don't you think? So, deconstructed cous cous as follows: Agrumi scented couscous Fresh, hot, spicy tomato salsa (as in "Whoa!" hot) Tiny little crispy fish fillets (don't worry, all the heads and bones went into the brodetto) A bottle of Planeta's La Segreta (we discovered the 'secret' of La Segreta...when you open a bottle, you will finish a bottle) Fresh figs for desert. Deconstructed Constructed Figs from our neighbors trees

Bad. Bad. Bad. My husband had a thing (note the use of past tense) for putting my good knives in the dishwasher. After I made good on a threat to no longer cook for him, he finally got the message. Now I'm working on training him not to leave a knife in the bottom of the sink filled with soapy water. "What, there are more knife rules???"

2 cents: Wouldn't a wood oven and the wood, impart flavor? Line of reasoning: If I grill lamb chops over charcoal they are good, if I grill them over a wood fire that are fabulous. I made some "Pasta al Forno" today. The recipe is from "The Il Fornaio Pasta Book" and is listed under Campania...but if you ask me, this recipe could have come from just anywhere in Italy. It's layered eggplant, pecorino, and sheep ricotta subbed for mozzarella. I did use some dried pasta from Napoli. It was good, but the left overs are coming back with some Umbrian sausage! Anyone else having trouble determining what makes a particular pasta dish "Campanian"? edit note: never, ever hire me as a proofreader...

I feel better! Don't know how I missed this series...I love Grade B sci-fi. I think I know all the words to the theme song from "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes".

Simply gorgeous pizza, PN. That crust looks absolutely perfect. There is a pizzeria in Sansepolcro that has the Forno Napoletano that you've linked to. They make the best pizza in the area, and I had no idea that this was a traditional oven. I just thought it was a very 'cool looking' oven. Maybe that's why their pizzas are so good.

I've been away for awhile...what is this "MST3K" that you speak of?? The new kitchen sounds suitably 'fabulous'! Good luck with the project.

The Mt. Kisco Farm market is commonly referred to, in our household, as the "Sixty Dollar Store". They have a great selection of vegetables...but, watch, no matter what you buy, or think you are running in there for, you spend $60. Mt. Kisco Seafood is a great place....the new store doesn't have that challenging parking lot. I always felt like I was playing a game of Tetris (does anyone still remember Tetris??) trying to get in and out of there. These are good people who work hard, its nice to see them expanding. Have you been to La Tulipe, the patisserie down the street? It is by far one of the best places around. Those cheesy-cracker things should be listed as a controlled substance! Is corn season over? How was it?? Its been 2 years since I've had corn. That's a sad story, isn't it??

Ciao Ms.Babe!! When I'm not here in the "Old Country", we live in Katonah. This will be fun for me to see the area thru your eyes! Short story: if you plant the squash too close to the zucchini you get what you see above. I remember my mother staring in despair at bright yellow cucumbers that had 'copulated ' with the nearby yellow squash, and saying, "But this is a Catholic garden...you can't do that!"

You've got to be kidding me....the pasta water thing is one of the best vehicles for imparting flavor directly into the noodle. hmmmm......

Fresh air. Blue sea. Fish and fruit. Campania has been a tourist destination long before passports were needed. Somewhere, depending on your sources, between the 8th and 5th century BC, the Greeks arrived in Campania. The city of Napoli, or Naples, which means ‘new city’ was founded by the Greeks and is located on the Via Appia, which connects Rome to the Adriatic port of Brinidisi, gateway to Greece. The Romans annexed the area in the 4th century BC, and thus began the legend of Capri as an island of the rich and famous. Roman emperors, enamored with the fruit, vegetables and sea life, built fabulous villas around Naples, Capri and Ischia. Life was fairly stable until August 24, 79AD when Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabaie. The volcano taketh away, but in return it left the soil very fertile and productive. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Campania area is fought over by many nations and periodically falls under various foreign rulers. From around 1000 on, Napoli is a thriving city, the de facto capital of southern Italy and a center for art, culture and economic activity. Charles of Anjou lost control of Sicily in 1281, but retained the mainland territory of the Kingdom of Naples; which included the areas now known as Campania, Abruzzo, Molise, Bsilicate, Puglia and Calabria. In 1504, control of the Kingdom of Naples was ceded to Spain. Spain ruled the Kingdom from 1504-1713 and they did not do well by the area. Infighting between the church, Spanish and Italian nobility, widespread disease and famine caused this once rich area to suffer terribly. The Austrians move in around 1707, but don’t stay for long. By 1738, the area is back under the rule of the Spanish crown. In 1816, Sicily and Naples are merged into the “Kingdom of Naples”, and are under the rule of Ferdinand IV. By 1860, Garibaldi was unifying Italy and Campania formally joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. From a culinary perspective, Neopolitan and Sicilian cooking share a common background. Again we see the Arab influence with dried pasta, spices, rice, citrus, peaches, apricots and even the artichoke. What did all this sunshine, wine, olive oil and lemons do the people of Napoli? I went to my trusty little 1931 Italian Touring Club Gastronomic Guide, and found this comment, loosely translated, “the city where one not only lives in the kitchen, but between orgies and baccanals, the city of gluttony.” The guide goes on to say that its not true; the Napolitani are ‘in love with a good table, they love singing and the sea, all because they are in love with everything that possesses poetry.” Now, that sounds good to me. Maccheroni or Spaghetti? Although the Napolitani will argue this point, they did not invent pasta. As we know, the absolute origin of pasta is still being debated. What the Napolitani did do, according to documentation from the beginning of the 17th century, was invent machinery for making ‘spaghetti luogo”. This was a crude machine, but if effectively made long, thin pasta that would be dried and sold commercially. This industry is still thriving, dried pasta from Napoli is currently exported and enjoyed all over the world. Try to find Gragano pasta if you can, it has a wonderful rough texture and absorbs flavors beautifully. What’s the difference between maccheroni or spaghetti? It depends on where you are from: in southern Italy it generically means a long spaghetti. Other ‘long spaghetti’s” mentioned, and descending in size are: zitoni (ziti large enough to be stuffed), zita, mezzani, mezzanelli, maccaroncelli, perciatelli, bucatini, vermicelloni, vermicelli, spaghetti, vermicellini, spaghettini and finally, capellini. There will be a test on pasta sizes at the end of the month! In central and northern Italy, maccheroni (or macaroni) usually means a short pasta with a hole in the middle, like ziti or penne. The Golden Apple or Pomo d’oro The Napolitani also did not invent the tomato, although they do worship at the altar of the red orb. It is not until 1750 that the tomato begins to show up in the gardens and on the tables of the regular inhabitants. The tomato plant just loved the fertile soil to be found on the sides of Mt. Vesuvius and Campania is home to many, many varieties of tomatoes. One of the most popular sauce tomatoes is the San Marzano, a smallish, pear shaped tomato. The original San Marzano no longer exists, although through recent DNA research they are trying to bring it back. So, all those San Marzano tomatoes in a can that you pay extra for, are a recent development, not the original San Marzano. Just some trivia to roll around in your brain while you are in the supermarket decided if its worth spending the extra money. I still buy the San Marzano’s, I think they make the best sugo. Another tomato that has been showing up in the market lately is the “coure di bue”, a big, ridged tomato, it is excellent eaten raw. Here is a photo of some coure di bue with a little basil-ricotta on the side. It’s a perfect month to be studying the cuisine of Campania….there are tomatoes everywhere! Pizza The guy who ‘invented’ pizza should get the Nobel Peace Prize. What other food is so internationally eaten and enjoyed? Everybody loves pizza in some form or another. The origins of ‘pizza’ trace back to Ancient Rome, and the foccaccia oven or “picea”. One of the first recorded recipes for the “Pizza napoletana” is found in the 1858 “Usi e costume di Napoli e contonrni”. Here is a rough translation of the recipe: “Take a piece of bread dough, and using your hands, shape it in a round form until it is the size of a head. Season with oil, lard, cook in the oven and eat it.” The classic pizza napoletana usually has tomatoes, anchovies, capers and mozzerella. Would the first person who makes this, please let me know? I’ll be right over. Napoli may be the birthplace of pizza, but it has found a home in everyone’s heart. Mussels, Mussels, and more Mussels Mussels, clams and oysters all play a huge part in the cuisine of this region. From the simple “Impepata di Cozze” (mussels, pepperoncino, parsely, lemon juice and some bread), to far more elaborate recipes, the mussel rules. The rest of the sea bounty is also treated well. A classic “fritture de pesce” might include small calamari, small whole fishes, little shrimp and big prawns. If fried food is going to kill me, this is how I want to die. Buffalo Mozzarella This mozzarella really does come from the water buffalo. Honest. Its not just a brand name. Campania raises 80% of the water buffaloes in Italy and as a result is one of the largest manufacturers of this type of mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella should be eaten within 24 hours of being made. Which brings up the argument: buy imported mozzarella or local? I’m just bringing it up, I’m not offering to settle the question. Buffalo mozzarella is recognized to be more delicate and flavorful than mozzarella from cow milk. Fior di Latte mozzerella comes from a cow and has a very soft, more liquid texture. Its also delicious. Be careful when cooking with it as it may have more liquid than you bargained for. Other Cheeses Here are some Campania cheeses to be on the lookout for: Caciocavallo: can come from either the water buffalo or the cow, smoked and unsmoked. Comes in a round shape with a little top knot. Legend has it the cheese were strung over a horses back and carried around. More likely it was tossed over a beam to age. In any event, I would like to formally dedicate the extra inch (one of the extra inches) around my hips to Kevin72 and his recipe for fried caciocavallo with oregano. Caciorictta di capra: a soft, crustless goat cheese Pecorino: sheep cheese, comes soft and fresh right up to mature and rip the lining off your tongue picante Scamorza: Can come from the cow or water buffalo and traditionally is a bulging oblong shape with a rope around the middle, indicating what your waist will look like after consuming lots of this cheese. Comes smoked and not smoked, melts beautifully over roasted vegetables or a little bit of prosciutto. I’ve only selected broad categories of cheeses, there are literally hundreds of variations on each of these cheese. Meat A quick trip inland and you will be eating lamb, pig and courtyard animals, just as you would in central Italy. The island of Ischia is famous for its rabbit dishes. Prosciutto is made in Pietraroja, in the province of Benevento. Good salamis are to be found throughout the region. Emigration Between 1899 and 1910, approximately 2,000,000 southern Italians emigrated to the United States. Conditions in southern Italy were extremely harsh, the populace was literally starving to death, jobs were rare as the industrial infrastructure found in the North of Italy was nonexistent in the South. This massive migration into the United States, and the immigrants desire for products and produce that they were familiar with, expanded the North Americans exposure to “Italian” cooking, and spaghetti and meatballs became a staple “Italian” meal. All these things that we take for granted, that we might recognize as ‘generically” Italian, things like tomato sauce, pizza, dried pasta are the result of desperate people emigrating to the New World. They created quite a legacy, didn’t they? Campania is rich in many things, it should be a very satisfying month for all of us. Buon’appetito!

Hey, I didn't get any followup details after she mentioned it, so as far as I'm concerned, my challenge went unanswered! ← Boh! Did someone say challenge?? Here's the finished fava beans with a parsley/EVOO sauce and Franci's potatoes. Uhm....the photo looks like it belongs on the Regrettable Dinner thread....it was too late and I was too hungry to futz with taking a better picture. Besides, I had me some 'stinco' to eat! I do love stinco! The potatoes were excellent by the way, and they scheduled for the dinner menu for tonight.

I just sat and read thru all 10 pages of this blog! Good lord...what a lot of great food, wine, and writing. Bravi! Bravi! Bravi! What a treat to watch your appetite for life!

Tastes like rich, soft, slow, decadent sex. Come on, we were all thinking that, right? Listen to FG, eat it somewhere before you try it on your own. Or give the livers to someone who has experience and then taste them.

Do you have any idea how long its taken us to train our regular coffee bar that we don't take sugar?? Five years later....and they are still teasing us! Just the way it is, me thinks.

Why not check with the University of Gastronomic Sciences? They're a Slow food enterprise, and do lots of stages for their students - perhaps they know of others? Most of it is for delegates only, but there will be some sessions open to the public. The details areHERE ← If you are referring to the Univ in Bra, they do not have a student kitchen onsight at the school. I'm not sure they would have any info at all about staging. You might try Ital.Cook in Jesi as I know they arrange stages for their students. Otherwise, just contact a restaurant directly.,