Pontormo

April: Your basket of baked goods looks scrumptious! It must have been in the back of my mind when I made a reference to Julie Powell whose book I have just completed. In Julie/Julia, she mentions delivering a batch of cornmeal cookies to the box office when attending a play that stars a crush of hers. After the performance, accompanied by her husband, she sees the actor standing outside the theater munching her cookies, but does not identify herself as the woman whose cake he's moaned over years and years before. I feel the same way you do about cornmeal. Are you planning to try the noodles made with a mixture of cornmeal and regular flour, sauced with leeks?

I am of two minds. If we all feel ready to go on to a new region with the beginning of a new month, I agree. We should stay in the North. The two (other, excluding Kevin's current investment in Valle d'Aosta) Italian regions touching Piemonte are Lombardia and Liguria. I vote for reserving the latter for a time when pesto and seafood would be especially welcome. Moving directly to the east, Lombardy is a good place to explore in the winter since I understand vegetables are not central to the cooking & I do want to try makng buckwheat pasta or polenta. However, I just started cooking Piemontese dishes now that the month is drawing to a close, and you guys, as much as I appreciate the wit of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", I am no Julie Powell. Tonight I did find a second great source on Piemonte at the library and am eager to try more...in spurts. Roberto Donna's cookbook has a flawed text, but is quite engaging, personal and offers recipes I haven't seen elsewhere, including a chickpea polenta that is made with cooked legumes versus ground dried ceci. If I am brave, I may even try one of the items with pig ears. If others are ready for a change, really, that's okay.

Date Number Two The vegetarian didn't flinch when I ordered something with meat at the Korean place. Good conversation. Friend of a good friend who's known him for years, always a good sign. Getting late. Walking over a mile through the college town on a Saturday night. Heading down one of the funkier streets, once the site of a number of working class bars before the city gentrified and coffee houses with exposed brick walls moved in next to the gift shops with artisanal earrings. We pass one of the two remaining bars, rather tame now, but a favorite of my friends. Good music, not too loud. The guy sings and plays guitar , so I ask, "You wanna go in?" He looks at me. Pauses. "You like that sort of thing?" He meant DRINKING!!!

Glad to hear your praise of a nice, simple Barbera, something I opened last night myself! Pipe up on the Barolo thread (under Beverages & Wine). Those folk might be interested in your piece on grappa, too.

Yes, re dish with buckwheat noodles and savoy cabbage vs. chard. P.S. Not worth a write-up in the other thread, but my leftovers as risotto fritto were amazingly good.

Kevin, as always, very interesting. Since Val d'Aosta used to be a part of Piemonte (I have absolutely no knowledge of its succession; anyone more informed, please jump in), is the food basically the same---just maybe a bit closer to Swiss home cooking (alps, etc., no anchovies) that far from the Savoy capital? More emphatic about the use of fontina since it's the recognized DOP source? As for the leftover fonduta, have you made any attempts yet to reheat it? I once found the broad buckwheat noodles (D & D's, NYC) in Marcella Hazan's recipe for noodles, chard & potatoes with fontina and think it would be fun to try to make the pasta yourself. A good SOLID mac & cheese gratin ? P.S. You cite Waverly Root. Have you had a chance to check Anna Del Conte's translated Gastronomy of Italy?

Fascinating! Now that you're back, please see the thread: Year of Italian Cooking, Part 2: Your Turn.

"hello, i am calling to see if you carry cardoons" "huh?" "carDOONs. it's a type of..." "hold on..." Pause. New voice. "Can I help you?" "Hi. I am looking for cardoons." "How you spell that?" "You know 'cartoons?', the comics in the newspaper?" "Take out the 't', put in a 'd': 'cardoons." "Oh, let me check." Pause. This has been going on in various configurations for at least a dozen phone calls. You'd think with Balducci's, D & D, numerous WF stores in a tri-state area, at least one well-known D.C. restaurant whose chef Roberto Donna hails from Piemonte.... One guy will swear he saw them at P St. P St. says, "no." Very nice people at Galileo (Donna's restaurant) say they're some at Wegman's and at the Arlington WF. Arlington: "Never saw them here." There's plenty to cook without these guys. One store offered to make a few calls and special order them if it's possible. I'll let you know. Meanwhile, do check out Divina's hog blog. Today is the Festa of Saint Anthony, an early hermit saint not to be confused with Saint Anthony of Padua, the late medieval Franciscan whose tongue (speaking of) is enshrined in the basilica in the center of town. Italians celebrate primarily on the Sunday before January 17 as you'll see on her blog. However, there is also a collaborative event you'll enjoy browsing. Because one of Saint Anthony's attributes is a pig, eat some today. (The eremetical order that took St. Anthony's name was said to raise pigs during the medieval period, some claim for the sake of curing 'St. Anthony's disease." Not an expert on this saint, but one thing that distinguished animals from humans, according to the medieval Christian mind, was the former's lack of a soul. Therefore, demons found it especially easy to possess animals, especially cloven-hoofed pigs due to their particular suseptability & sullied reputation in the Bible. Perhaps the virtuous brothers were able to transfer the demon possessing the invalid to the pig and then slaughter it. ) Also, any recipes for chickpea flour or farinata?

I never could understand why broccoli crowns were sold separately and snatched up since the stalks are what really makes the vegetable... The crowns are sort of the chicken breast of the plant while stalks are the thighs. Because broccoli rabe has finally caught on in this country, farmers markets are branching out and offering lots of new varieties, especially the kinds you'll find in Asian grocery stores. A number have fairly small florets and long thin round stalks virtually hidden behind wide, tender leaves. This kind is something I'd call an honorary green, great in fried rice. Elizabeth Schneider prefers the spelling "raab" and says it's closer to turnip than to broccoli, so... I have to say that greens are one of the biggest delight to emerge from the convergence of whole natural foods/back to earth/California/vegetarianism/organic and farmers market developments. Up north, never saw a mustard, turnip or any other green on my table...not even fresh spinach until I started cooking for myself, but I think of "greens" as vegetables in the kale family, especially. My favorite is cavalo nero (of course) since it becomes so velvety after being blanched. Chard's up there too, especially braised for a long time with the stalks chopped up. Leftover collards, because they're so good with cornbread, are also good with steaming mound of polenta. Leftover greens are also great transformed into a simple gratin with fresh buttered crumbs. Drained, garlicky and chopped, they're a welcome change from a wimpy lettuce leaf on a sandwich made with sturdy dark bread....including grilled cheese.

It all looks wonderful! Elie, I am singling you out to ask if you got your cardoons at WF, and if so, could you ask them about the company's policy regarding national distribution. I also wanted to say thank you for posting notice of your efforts here on the Dinner thread. It would be lovely if eGullet members who don't normally frequent this regional forum would join, especially since so many do cook Italian dishes. Speaking of which I wanted to draw your attention to the fact that Jessica's Biscuit lists more than 500 titles in Italian cookbooks, out-numbering French by around 100 if memory serves me correctly, its only rival. I wonder how long it took for this pattern to develop and how long we'll have to wait before it is surpassed by Asian or other regions. (Spain is growing, but still is represented by less than 100 titles.) Matt Kramer's book on Piemonte's cooking is now a closeout item, selling for around $15. And Kevin & April, I suspect you're right about the cast iron. It was the smallest thick-bottomed pan I had. I will try again later in the month with more appropriate equipment. No fondue pot in my cupboards, but that's a good idea. I will probably clarify the butter too. As for the agnolotti, I am sorry the taste of the meat did not come through. I have to say I'd go for any excuse to top pasta or gnocchi with melted butter and fresh sage.

Is everyone out there cooking meatloaf ? Okay, it's me, again. The score is Piemonte 1, Pontormo 2. I decided to cook three different courses, substituting a small portion of an interesting take on bagna caoda for an antipasto, then make a new kind of risotto that would complement the secondo, fricassea bianca di pollo. I peeled and finely chopped half a head of garlic only to watch each little morsel turn brown and ultimately black in all that olive oil and butter. I used an incredibly low flame, the lowest possible, and a small cast iron skillet. The Icelandic butter seemed particularly rich in milk solids...is that the problem? Or was it the pan? I've cooked garlic forever on top of the stove before with success, but that was unpeeled in clarified butter. Big difference. Marcella advises the purchase of an earthenware pot. (Didn't have a spare burner, but sometimes I pile one on top of the other to lower heat.) That was supposed to be poured on top of three exquisite strips of a roasted red pepper which I will now save to make sformati. The risotto al limone was subtle and wonderful. I saved the fat I used to cook the chicken to soften the shallots and scallion (you'll see why shortly) which made a difference. At the end, when some people enrich the risotto by adding an extra pat of butter, instead, you're instructed to mix in an egg yolk that itself had been beaten with lemon juice and zest. (I used a Meyer lemon which was great. Not too powerful in a small quantity.) The chicken was the weird thing that I had wanted to try. Skinless pieces are browned first in olive oil and butter. Then finely chopped scallion, garlic, fresh rosemary, fresh sage, Italian parsley and zest are added to the pan along with MILK. Yes. When cooked for a long time, the solids do separate. Adam's word, "coagulate" is basically what makes the sauce. Once chicken (very moist thighs) is removed, heat is turned high until the watery liquid evaporates and you're left with white particles clinging to the green and yellow specks. I cheated and served this beside the risotto after slivering in some more scallion greens. Delicious pair.

Wasn't sure where to post: here, under Green Bean Casserole or the new thread on cooking greens. However, a New Year's resolution of mine was to buy at least one thing every week that I have never cooked before...until the adventure became too routine. This weekend it was organic collard greens. Cooked the traditional way with bacon and onions and garlic with a tingle of cayenne and cider vinegar, ummm! Wow! (My first.) I am Scottish and English on one side, Swedish and Irish on the other. But were I of loftier pedigree, related to Thomas Jefferson, I'd know there's a little Sally Hemings coursing through my blood.

I had no intention of moving in that direction from the game you play with children's toes, but I was intrigued by the poem we didn't get a chance to hear. "Ducky Fat, Ducky Fat, where did you stray?" "I've been to London to make cassoulet!" Nursery rhyme just didn't seem worthwhile.... On a more serious note, this really has been fun to turn to throughout the week, and inspirational too. I need the right pot before attempting your beloved dish. My stepmother claims to have been born on the wrong side of the Thames. A part of her is still very much a Londoner, so I am sending her the link to your blog. I know she'll get a real kick out of seeing how magnificent your markets are.

This recent thread on Barolo may be of interest. Incidentally, I did purchase a great big, expensive can of Sicilian salt-packed anchovies which I intend to open from the bottom to preserve the gorgeous graphics of the upper lid. I may try to make it into a clock, though any other ideas for something else of a kitschy nature will be entertained. For me, this will now be the Week of Milk and Anchovies. NEW QUESTION: Do any of you have recipes or suggestions for the use of chickpea flour in making specialties from Piedmont? My primary source has a recipe for farinata, a kind of chickpea pancake that really is a snack or street food eaten plain, without fillings or spreads.

In the interest of more interaction between complementary threads from different areas of eGullet, I would like to extend an invitation to join us down at the regional forum for Italy & Italian Cooking. In 2006, we are continuing in the spirit of a blog that Kevin72 began as a New Year's resolution last year in which he cooked specialties of some of Italy's regions, an effort that is being extended to the end of this month. This year, we are joining in. At the moment, the topic is in fact Piemonte. Please share your expertise and cook along with us.

This little pig went to market, A gentleman escorted him home. Took off his vest, You know the rest… From Jack's handful of beans sprouts a tome! Thank you for writing such an entertaining blog! May your birthday wish come true during the year ahead.

QUANTO BELLO!!!!! Sigh. Funny you should mention Tunisia. I buy my EVOO from Whole Foods, a US supermarket that gets a lot of press in other places here at eGullet. It's pretty cheap, around 5 euros for a liter. Only recently learned why. Label says it's from Italy, but if you read the fine print written horizontally on the back of the bottle, you learn that the oil itself comes from a wide variety of places. Last two bottles: Tunisia. And Nathan, regarding antipasti in Piemonte, I was just reporting Kramer's published observations since he mentioned restaurants bombarding you with many, many antipasti during a single meal for two, then a primo...without raising eyebrows about the secondo that natives often skip themselves. I do agree with what you say as a general rule and know it's a common complaint in restaurant dining, one I've had myself. Still, one of the best meals I have ever had in Italy was out in the countryside near Florence. In the middle of the black truffle season, the best of several courses using truffles was a roast chicken covered with them.

Chufi: I didn't answer before since it's been years since I've used fontina--something very common in Italian-American versions of rolled stuffed chicken breasts. Because a thin strip of prosciutto or powerful herb (e.g. sage) is used, the one slice of fontina does not dominate. Some fontinas (fontine?) are rather pale and mild. I will have to get back to you on the origins of what's most commonly available here after I return from my grocery store. It's got a bright orange outer layer & may be one of the "authentic" (DOP) cheeses pictured in the link below. A more expensive fontina from Val d' Aosta that I eyed last week was less milky in color--closer to Gruyere. The wax coating was brown. I didn't taste it, however, I noticed darkening close to the rind that suggested it might have been developing that ripe "funky" taste. Your skeptical remarks make me think your cheese had ripened a bit too much. While Matt Kramer says that fontina from Val d' Aosta is often preferred for "fonduta," he recommends the cheaper Fontal since its taste is not remarkably different in recipes. By the way, did you use salt-packed anchovies for your sauce above? Edited & revised since I just found a link that indicated that Fontina should be sweet and delicate during first 4-5 months. However, a second maturation leads to a cheese of a more yellow color that has more aroma and taste [piccante or piquant], but still not strong: Italian site on Fontina.

I thought the cultivated peppers from Holland tended to be squat with thick stubby stems ending in the kind of cap you see in some of Hathor's grissini. My long, tapered red peppers come from Mexico. Still deciding whether to make a sformato or stuff them with anchovies. Question for those of you in the U.S.: have you invested in a can of salt-packed anchovies lately? There's a small Italian grocer in my neighborhood that has started to carry this item.

It's beautiful, nonetheless, Adam. I am impressed by how diligently you sought out perfect peppers. Very Italian of you. The photograph suggests that there's ricotta or some soft cheese in the filling, no?

Whatever will you WEAR??!

Cardoons were being grown in California in early December and Elie Nassar (sp? aka Foodman), writing in the new Year of Italian Cooking thread in that region's forum, said he is able to buy them now. I felt that we ought to be able to get them locally if he can buy them in Texas, especially since WF is based in Texas and ships a lot of produce from CA to the East Coast. As much as I like the produce people at WF as people, I am frustrated by any attempts I have ever made to get them to order things that seem "strange". Employees make decisions about what their departments sell--to some degree--and the decisions are based on their own familiarity with foods. I don't think their knowledge is broad and choices are conservative if more wide-ranging than other chains. Why display Buddha's Hands at $10 a pop that no one's going to buy? It's a bit like an ice sculpture. Why not trust customers who cook and order a little over a period of two months just to see if the item moves... But this is material for another topic. Thanks for all your feedback, Rochelle!!!

Ahhh! It's been a while since I've gone to Galileo. It makes sense that they might be on the menu. Great suggestion, thanks! I'll report back if I succeed. If anyone reading this frequents Eastern Market and finds them there, please let me know. Here's a photo, by the way, towards the end of this page on Chardgirl's food blog.

I actually bookmarked this exhibition since a desire to start packing lunches instead of buying them was expressed as a New Year's Resolution in an earlier thread. There was also a relevant article in The Washington Post's Food Section that I am too tired to seek. Maybe someone else will find it. I recommend in the meantime, to go to the regional forum and look at pictures of Japanese school lunches. Making soup on the weekends works for me, especially since variety can come with the items you choose to accompany it such as different kinds of crackers, a bagel picked up on the way to work, corn bread, a pumpkin muffin, cheese, fruit... Whenever I make risotto, I try to make too much since gooey or not, it is fantastic leftover and heated up in the microwave at work. The smell usually provokes envy, especially when you put extra cheese on top. Even a really good pilaf works for me especially with half of a baked winter squash. Plain rice with spicy tofu...something I make at times just for lunches, preparing separate containers that can be plopped into the lunch bag in the morning with that day's fruit or red pepper strips, a yogurt, a can of lime seltzer, dried apricots, ginger snaps and home-made applesauce.... Instead of PBJ, etc., make new fillings for sandwiches. I like the minimalistic Italian approach, especially when you have a good crusty focaccia. Sautee spinach with garlic and a couple of anchovies in olive oil for dinner the night before. Put the leftovers in a small container with thick slices of mozzarella. Wrap the bread separately and put the cheese and spinach together right before you eat. Thin slices of zucchini, brushed with olive oil, broiled and then layered with fresh leaves of torn basil over the weekend are also perfect with mozzarella. Roasted red peppers and simply grilled chicken breast, seasoned with EVOO & lemon juice squeezed onto it while still warm. Hummus is good with roasted red peppers too, especially on pumpernickel. Leftover eggplant parmigiana on a Kaiser roll with watercress. Really good tuna packed in olive oil, drained and mixed with capers, parsley & scallions, then topped with marianated artichoke hearts which are also great with prosciutto or any really good sliced ham, no mustard. A thick wedge of frittata....just don't eat it straight from fridge since room temp's best. Tuna salad, no bread, maybe wrapped in Boston lettuce, and thick potato chips. Buy rice wrappers if you can and make your own summer rolls with leftover shrimp or chicken, peanut sauce, cilantro, etc. A tall container of sliced carrots, fennel, red peppers and small one of nuts and dried fruits to nibble on around 3:30. Apple already sliced and some PB or cheddar. Huge ripe Comice pear and a wedge of Camembert. Deviled eggs. A treat at the bottom of the bag such as dark chocolate and clementines or candied ginger.

I overlooked the second of these replies for some reason. Yes, you are right about the level of knowledge that can be expected of most diners, I agree. Still, I wonder about the degree to which we rely on restaurants to shape that knowledge and the degree to which chefs or restauranteurs who may favor a particular region may nonetheless try to shape a menu around the more "pan-Italian" expectations of his or her potential customer. Am I correct to assume our ignorance (positive terms: open-mindedness, spirit of adventure, inclusiveness) gives chefs certain freedoms they don't always enjoy in Italy? One eats the cooking of Emilia-Romagna in Bologna where one doesn't expect to find Venetian specialties such as pasta with squid ink sauce, or Sicilian ragu.