hathor

Pontormo, regarding the herb gnocchi, the chef used a ton of different herbs. Everything and anything he could get his hands on and that was available in May. As far as flour, your guess is as good as mine, but I'd bet on Tipo 00. He didn't admit to any eggs. Trade secret apparently. Sauce was a simple brown butter.

I wrote this after a ‘class trip’ to Friuli Venezia Giulia when I was a chef-student at Ital.Cook, which is a Slow Food sponsored school dedicated to teaching foreign chefs about regional Italian cooking. Friuli, Apr 28-29, 2005 What an amazing trip we have had. The first word that comes to mind is hospitality, a most genuine, sincere, pleasure in sharing the wine, the food, and just the beautiful countryside. Thursday morning we were up at 6:00 a.m. ready to pile into the Pullman bus, which by no stretch of the imagination, is comfortable. I’m only 5”2” and my knees are up around my throat, but I’m getting smarter, I brought my pillow. At around 11:30, we rolled into our first stop in Friuli: Edi Keber. Now, picture this, after 5 ½ hours in the Pullman, after winding around and around on country roads that rolled over the spring countryside, we untangle ourselves out of the bus and have landed in a gorgeous vineyard. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and that yellow house right over there is the last house in Italy. We are literally a stones throw from the Slovenia border. Signor Keber was kind enough to give us a brief history of the area, about how borders were laid down that put his brother in Slovenia and him in Italy. Even with my limited understanding of Italian, I’m sure we got the ‘sanitized’ version of what must have been a very difficult time for everyone. We started with a tour of the vineyard, where we were encouraged to feel the strange soil. It looks like shale until you pick it up and it literally crumbles in your hand. The stony consistency of the soil reminded me of the stones in Chateauneuf du Pape, and I’m sure they serve the same function keeping the grape roots warm. Then we moved on to his impressive cantina, part of which was an old stone potso (water storage well). We also engaged in a long conversation about the muffa (mold) and how he treasured the muffa he had growing and didn’t want to sterilize his cantina to meet international standards. Although I believe he does export and the bottle storage area was immaculate. But he had left much of the rock walls exposed and these dripped with moisture. Who can resist that yeasty smell of a dank cantina? Not I. Then a wine tasting lunch that was simple and wonderful. We started with the Tokai, which is a light, fresh, summery wine. Then onto the more complex Collio which is a blended white wine. And along with this were home baked breads, cheeses, local salumi and a delicious barley based soup. All the traveling had certainly been worth it. After we finished the soup, and by the way, we cleaned the pot out, Signor Keber brought out a bottle of his personal stash. And as he explained to us that he created this wine from the 2002 harvest, he never stopped stroking the bottle, as if it were a dear friend. This was an unfiltered wine, ‘turbido’ that he created only to please himself. If you do not like it, that is fine with him. If you do, then ‘piacere’. I thought it was lovely, you could practically taste summer in the glass. It was a complex blend of fresh peaches, and lemons and sea breezes and we were very honored that he chose to share this with us. And then it was time to move on. We looped around some roads, crossing right near the Slovenia border with our cell phones picking up the Slovenia network, and headed to La Subidia where the cooking part of our day would begin. La Subidia calls itself a trattoria, but don’t be fooled, its very fine dining. Nestled down in the bosco, it is the definition of bucolic. As we shuffled ourselves into the front door, there was a large, welcome fire in the fireplace with a huge pot of boiling water. Within moments we were being given instructions on polenta making. The large cast iron pot had a metal paddle in it that was attached to a crank. The polenta was poured into the boiling water as the crank turned the paddle to keep stirring the polenta. Although this was very welcoming, and the coffee we were instantly served was delicious, we were quickly herded downstairs to begin our Fruiliano cooking lesson. It had been arranged to have 4 chefs come to demonstrate their cooking. As we settled into our chairs, the first chef deftly boned a goose in less than 3 minutes. The guy was an amazing goose boner! Chunks of goose were seared and a sauce begun. In the meantime, we had another polenta lesson. At some point, the fireplace version of the cooked polenta came downstairs, And as we gathered around a budding tree by an old table, we watched as he plopped this huge vat of polenta on a rickety round board that had seen many a polenta plop, he then ‘cut’ it into portions with a thick string and we tasted polenta that was chewy and fireplace smoky and delicious. A far, far cry from that stuff you get in plastic tubes in the ‘gourmet’ counter. By now, the goose was done in a luscious red sauce and we had our spoons all ready for him. The next chef is a streghe. A magician with herbs. And a more convivial, warm, lively guide to herbs and Friuli you could not find. Her restaurant is called “Sale e Pepe. La Cucina de Theresa”. She has an amazing way of balancing flavors.  We had yet another polenta, this time a ‘black’ rough cut polenta that was served with butter toasted polenta, grated fresh horseradish and grated apple. It was superb. Then a tasty little herb frittata, savory version and a sweet version. Most of the dishes were sampled outdoors under the budding tree, overlooking the horse barn and the flowering rosemary, and the sun dappled tennis court. Oh, how we suffer. Then we were invited to dinner. Can you imagine after all we had tasted and sampled, it was now dinnertime? And we were invited to dine in the private residence of the proprietor! So we trundled up the stairs, onto a magnificent outdoor porch overlooking this picture perfect countryside, and into a cocktail party! This was far beyond anyone’s expectations! Delicious ‘frico’, fried cheese treats were being passed, a huge proscuitto was being thinly sliced, large white asparagus with a spiral crust appeared and a delicious Collio wine was being poured. Truly, we had all died and gone to chef heaven. Then dinner began in earnest and I honestly lost count of the courses. Each course brought a new wine to our glass. It was an amazing, amazing feast. Culminating is some fantastic venison and then roasted pork. Somewhere in all of this was a honeysuckle sorbetto intermezzo that was the embodiment of that delicate flower. There was a tortelli nut filled desert. And a sort of wanton, herb filled fried ravioli resting on a whipped honeysuckle cream. And 2 kinds of desert wine. We were all just stunned with the generosity of our hosts. And then the parting goody bags filled with grappa, and goose pate, goose prosciutto, cheeses. Just a stunning, stunning evening. Capped off with complete hilarity when 6 of the guys staying at our agrotourismo realized they were all sleeping in letto matromoniales! The next morning, by 9:00 we were watching Adriatic scampi and clams being pulverized into fragments the size of the risotto grains they were joining in the pan. We were shown the intricacies of making a particular pepper brodetto with orata that was completely and totally divine. We nearly licked the pot clean. The next chef made some more polenta, this time with a luscious rich sauce of local cheeses. There was even a spectacular ‘herb gnocchi’, the chef initially said it was composed of only herbs, but after lots of questioning, there was some flour added to hold the gnocchi together. And on and on it went… until it was time to leave our most generous host at La Subida (34017 Cormons, Gorizia Tel: 0481-60531) and go to taste some wine. My notes get a little fuzzy here after a few cantinas, and just when we were starting to groan that we were onto yet another cantina…we went to Skok. Here is a name to watch. A young couple that currently has a very small production, only 3,000 bottles, runs the vineyard. But. The wine is simply outstanding. I can honestly say that, for me, this was the best red wine of the trip, a lovely merlot. And again, our hosts were charming, with lovely ‘nibbles’ and sausages, adorable dogs and beautiful gardens. My only regrets are that I haven’t been able to get back there and explore the region again with family and friends.

Mrbigjas, this is commonly done in quite a bit of Italian cooking. The garlic is just tossed away. Breaks my heart, and in honesty, there are only a few dishes where I'll actually obey the recipe and toss the garlic. Obedience not being my strong suit....

Ciao Bernaise! Yes, yes and yes, please tell us everything! Particularly the pagan festival stuff! Oh, and a wee bit more info on that butter dish would be nice. Tease, hmmm.... Pontormo: I used parmigiana because I need to use some up before it goes rock hard. I don't add any flour to it either. I've tried it both ways and prefer it w/out. Although occasionally (sp?) I add some cayenne pepper to it to give it some zing.

Great posts Pontormo!! What fun! What a menu! I like that comfort soup recipe. Its good to be the king!

Can I make frico every day while we are in Friuli?? Today's lunch was frico over salad and a quickie pasta with capers, olives and hot peppers. Generically Italian, methinks. Definetely the upside for working from home today!

The last I heard, but that was 6 months ago, the Tokai thing had not been settled. Not surprising. Picholit (sp??) is amazing. Its a sweet desert wine made from these little bitty grapes. Absolute nectar from the gods. Unfortunately its very limited production. If you see it..buy it! Nice links Ludja! Thanks!

I'm with Kevin on this one, I'm excited to be exploring this cuisine again. Kevin's done a great intro on the the cookbook side, here is the historical info: Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Even the name is quite a mouthful, it’s a fusion name, for a region that is a fusion of cuisines. Within Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the province of Pordenone has always been under the spell of Venice; Carnia is heavily impacted by Germany and Austria; Gorizia reflects years of Hapsburg domination and the port city of Trieste is home to a rich history of Jewish, Greek, Slavic, Turkish and Albanian influences. So, where is Friuli-Venezia Giulia? In the extreme northeast corner of Italy, bordered by the Veneto to the west, Austria to the north, Slovenia is east and the Adriatic Sea borders on the south. The region has had inhabitants since 1000 BC when the Illyrian, Venetians and Gallics lived there. In 181 BC, during the reign of the Roman Empire, the city of Aquileia was founded. This period left a lasting legacy in traditional dishes such as brovada (slice sour turnips cooked in lard), marcundele (pork wrapped in caul fat), prosciuttio in crosta, and sopes indorates (stale bread sweetened with honey, dipped in egg and fried). The Barbarians occupied the area after the fall of the Roman Empire but did not leave a lasting influence in the kitchen. In 1420 Aquileia joined the Venetian republic, followed by the cities of Sacile, Cividale, Udine, Carnia, Tenzone and San Daniele. This led to a mixing of languages, customs and cuisines. Sarde in saor, baccala mantecato and bigoli in salsa show up on the table. Gorizia and Trieste stay under Austrian rule, and dishes such as strudel and palacinka are common. It’s not until 1866 that Friuli becomes annexed to Italy, with its capital in Udine. At the end of WW I, Gorziano and Trieste become part of Italy. After WW II, a large section of the region is given to Yugoslavia causing much tension in the area. This area is now known as Slovenia. Since 1964, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is declared autonomous with special status in Italy. Cuisine in the mountain and hill regions can be simple grilled meats prepared in the open hearth fogolar, foods are preserved in lard (think confit), polenta shows up everywhere and game animals and birds are plentiful. This will contrast with the more refined and sophisticated dishes found near the coast and influenced by Venice. Here the seafood of the Adriatic will play a primary role. One of the most famous products of the region is the delicious prosciutto of San Daniele, which has a DOP rating. Also with a DOP rating, is Montasio cheese that is used in making frico. The area is mostly known for excellent white wines such as Collio and Tocai, although there are also some very good reds being produced in the area. Friuli-Venezia Giulia is geographically varied with lovely mountains and coastline, and above all, there are the warm, generous people who live there and who are happy to share their bounty.

Nathan, I understand your point about the buckwheat being a balance to the richness. And I completely agree that its time to put the butter away and start foolin' with olive oil. (Although...there is a fair amount of butter in Friuli...they've got that Austrian 'thang going on, if you know what I mean.)

Oh Anna...how frustrating for you! Hopefully you can find some of the ingredients. My alltime favorite is the pousin with the lemon garlic cream. I've used small chickens and they work fine too. Last night I dug out some confit legs, and after initially being stumped about the steaming part (wound up with my tami screen over boiling water), I'm not sure about the crisping part. Initially I didn't use any fat in the pan, but the skin just seared and sealed itself to the pan. Once I added a bit of fat, all was fine, but I need to work on the crisping part. The flavor of the confit was delicious and complex. Very happy there are more legs in the crock.

Vadouvan and Bryan, thanks for the input. I think custardy texture might be the distinguishing factor here. The other elements that you mention (like quality, or hard boil v. poach) would be the same for traditional poach or the bath poach. Would be interesting to set up a side by side tasting...in my spare time...or next life...which ever comes first!

I need to ask you guys about the 'spring eggs'. Do you really think there is enough of a taste difference to validate all the extra time and trouble? I'm sure its fun to play with, but is it truly worth the trouble? Next question: what do you think about this riff on SK's parsnip puree? Encasing the puree in a crispy ravioli and serving with lemon zest. My thinking is that the parnsip is so sweet and rich, it could be enhanced by crunch, salt and tart. Or have I gone overboard?

Ciao tutti! I'm afraid that I'm with Kevin, I cannot eat another risotto. I made some lovely Milanese risotto the other night and couldn't get past 2 bites. I'm ready for fish, and artichokes and Friuli! (I even cheated and broke out some confit last night...quelle horreure!) Congratulations Adam! A new baby in the ice cave in Goth! That salad you made looked just perfect, wish I had some now. And the sausage looked pretty fine as well. All that buckwheat...too....healthy for me. Gak. sorry, I'll eat lots and lots of farro, but there's something just too grainy about buckwheat. Although I would be willing to sample Nathan's dish. What a great example of a traditional dish. The word authentic has been completely removed from my dictionary.

I'm a recent Phila-phile, so I don't have the breadth of experience of most of you...but the crabs with the works at Anastasia's in the Italian Market, are 'to die for'.

Had dinner there last night and happy to report its still good. Still too dark to read the menu. I had the stuffed quail that was just delicious, perfectly done and stuffed with figs and chestnuts. My friend had the roasted squab, which came with their little roasted feet still on. A nice, am-I-back-in-Italy moment. Same good bread, same ricotta spread. The only problem was that, in the dark, my plate got the quail egg that was supposed to go with the squab....shouldn't they take the shell off the egg before serving it? Guess I got my calcium fix for the day.... Reading thru this thread, seems they haven't changed a thing about the menu.... odd, don't you think?

I have a Bosch oven, and it has a built in probe. Didn't have to wait for the robot. Can't say how it works because I've never remembered to use it....

Very nice to have you bloggin'! Don't you love that separated egg emulsion thing with the garlic soup? My husband was convinced I used heavy cream. (oh...I love it when I can prove him wrong!! ) Feel better!!

Here is a link for awhole discussion on mostardo. The kicker is going to be that senape essence. Nice to have you back! It was quiet around here without you! Thanks for all the debate info on osso bucco. I love those sort of discussions.

ooh Hathor! don't let any Cajuns hear you say that . The holy Trinity is onion, celery and GREEN BELL PEPPERS. carrots make it a mirepoix. ← oh...hmmm...must be a different sect of the "Culinary Church".....we must all be respectful!

I love the pussycat tradition!! Thanks for blogging and hang in there....one day you won't have a big belly and you will have Colin!

I had hesitated, since I read that shanks that were too thick would be tough. I've never prepared ossobucco, so I didn't want to ruin the meat. April ←

Studio Kitchen's food doesn't have to be unusual....just those flavor texture/combinations for relatively normal ingredients is enough to keep me very, very happy!

Yes, some of them are using the techniques I've shown them--or at least fantasizing about using the techniques, anyway. Last night several people were talking about making biscuits for shortcakes sometime soon since they'd loved them so much two weeks ago. ← Lovely blog!! I enjoyed the sorority one...and this is a whole new tone. Excellent. Here's my question: students make the effort to come, but only fantasize about cooking? Why? I'm asking sincerely in the interest of trying to understand this mindset. Sometimes my passion overwhelms any sense of diplomacy....

Seems I’ve joined the ranks of the lucky who have dined at Studio Kitchen. And you know what, it lived up to its reputation. No pictures to post. No wine list to review. Just some thoughts to share. The menu was probably not the most aggressive, outlandish menu ever created by this chef, but it certainly showcased how he thinks about flavors. This was a careful and exacting menu, designed to tease and please without ever frightening anyone. Menu: Parsley root soup that was a smooth, seductive foil to the bits of grapefruit, braised scallions, and candied pecans that randomly showed up on the spoon. Each spoonful was a uniquely flavored taste journey. Herb risotto with fennel emulsion, manchego cheese and chicken escabeche that was a riotuous green mound of pea studded risotto, surrounded by white foam, topped with the orange spiced chicken. Totally satisfying. Made me want to see what Chef could do in the spring when all these herbs and peas are locally fresh. Skate that was cooked perfectly and accented by a fennel, green apple slaw that also complimented the sweet and silky parsnip puree. Veal cheek extravaganza: braised veal cheek, and then another cheek turning up, placed on top of an unctuous short rib/caramelized onion ravioli. Delicious. But the rutabaga/vanilla puree was the flavor combination of the evening. Totally inspired blending of flavors. Dessert was a medley of flavor sensations: from the cauliflower ice cream over peach pain perdu to the apricot ginger compote, all loosely tied together by the delicate elderflower syrup. Wonderful wines. Wonderful company. Not only cannot I not wait to return to Studio Kitchen (and I swear…now that we’ve settled on how to get there….I will never be late again!), but I’m still pondering the flavor combinations. There is equal part intuition and intelligence in these combinations that makes you want to see what he will come up with next.

Nice dinner Nathan!! Don't feel awkward...or "un-authentic" about the Vermont marscopne. Its far more "italian" in spirit to buy good local products!