LuckyGirl

What a lucky fellow you are! I make a simple pasta dish with serrano ham from time to time. Cut some of the ham into small cubes (think the size of lardons) and sautee in a skillet. Once they have started to brown nicely lift them out and then quickly sautee some chopped squash, on fairly high heat so the squash browns before getting soft. I like to use small pattipan or very small yellow summer squash for this pasta. Larger squash don't work as well as they have too much water and won't let you get as nice of a sear. Once the squash are nicely browned, add you ham back in and give a healthy dose of black pepper, stir in some cream or milk and let it reduce quickly then toss in whatever pasta you like and finally, after you turn of the heat, toss in a nice farm egg or two. You could guild the lilly and sprinkle a nice grated cheese on top but it is not necessary. As for the bone you will be left with, that is gold! Take it to a butcher and ask him to cut it into pieces for you. You can keep the pieces in the freezer and use them all winter for bean soups or for flavor in any other kind of soup you might want to make. You can use a single piece of the bone several times. For example, if I am making a pot of beans, I will start with a pot of water and my bone and let that come to a simmer and leave the bone in for maybe only 15 minutes or so then I will pull out the bone and add my beans to the pot. This gives me just enough flavor from the bone. You can simmer longer based on how much flavor you want. When you pull the bone out you can throw it back in the freezer. Have fun!

After reading this thread and doing some other reading on the net, I chose Bellagio on Lake Como for a recent weekend excursion from Switzerland and I thought I would report on what we found. I am glad that I chose Bellagio over Como. Como is a much larger town than Bellagio and I don't think we would have enjoyed it as much. For us, Bellagio was just the right size lake town- on the smallish side of a medium size lake town. We stayed at The Hotel Silvio. Though it wasn't my first choice for accommodations, at the late date I reserved, it was the only place on my list of possibilities that had a room available. The price was right for frugal travelers and the hotel offered all that we needed to be comfortable in an impeccably clean room. Our room was on the side of the hotel where the restaurant terrace is and the noise from breakfast and late dinner service could be heard. We were so happy to be there that the noise that would probably usually bother us didn't matter so much. The second generation proprietors were wonderful. Christian was our server as well as the fisherman who brought in most of what we dined on. We very much enjoyed the family run hotel and restaurant. BTW, Hotel Silvio is not in the heart of town but rather is up the hill as you head out of town toward Como. We liked not being in the center of town and found the 10 or 15 minute walk into town very enjoyable. One night we dined at Mella just down the street from our hotel in San Giovanni. I would not recommend this restaurant. The fish and fish dishes (pate, pickled fish, fish sauces, etc.) were nowhere near as well prepared as at Silvio's. I also didn't enjoy the dining room. After dining on the terrace at Silvio's, the upstairs dining room at Mella's felt closed in and stuffy. We had a lunch on the patio of the Hotel Suisse that was very enjoyable despite the higher than usual cover fee. We also really enjoyed the cafe on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi right across from the stone church. We used this as our base and had espresso there a few times a day. The fellows that work the cafe were kind and friendly. This cafe was more of a local hangout than most of the other tourist driven cafes. It was a wonderful weekend trip that gave us a small feel of what lake life in Italy is about and how amazing it is to eat traditional preparations of fish from the lake.

Thanks! Grrrrr, one of these days I'll learn how to properly use the quote function.

Ha! I was going to back out of making my beet dishes because my husband and I are away from home right now. We will be returning home the day before we leave to drive to Chicago. In fact, we would have made this a longer trip but we wanted to get back in time for the gathering. Anyway, I was thinking that I might feel a little overwhelmed and even though beets are not a big job to make I was thinking maybe I would decline on making a dish but you have guilted me into sticking with my original plan of beets three ways

Thank you Ore. I will keep both places in mind for future trips. I have me heart set on being by water for this trip.

I have narrowed it down to Bellagio on Lake Como or Baveno or Verbania on Lake Maggiore. I have read through the posts that relate to these areas and if anyone has more info specific to these three towns I would be much obliged. Thanks, LuckyGirl

Hi, My husband and I have decided to take a last minute trip from the states to visit my sister in Montreux, Switzerland. Part of the time that we'll be visiting my sister will have a full house with some friends visiting from the states so my husband and I have decided to take a small trip into Italy for a few days (leave Friday return Sunday most likely). Could anyone please help me with choosing a destination? Last trip we visited the village of Aosta so we would like to choose a different place this trip. We don't mind travelling a little further than D'Aosta. Things that will help me choose a destination are noteworthy food events or food/agricultural destinations of note and noteworthy but modest accomodations. Thank you in advance for any and all assitance you can offer me. I don't feel as though I have enough time to do much research on my own given that we will be leaving in a few days. LuckyGirl

LuckyGirl, is that 4 of you altogether? Or you plus 4? If you would like to come on the ethnic shopping tour, I need to know so that I can make sure we have enough cars to get everyone from place to place. (Thanks to Jean and Fresser for volunteering to drive!) Update: Ethnic shopping tour Saturday, Aug. 9, a.m. Niles ethnic grocers (list) tammylc Jean Blanchard* LuckyGirl+3** torakris white lotus+1 Fresser* Fat Guy *Additional drivers **probable ← Hi Laz and Ronnie, Sorry for my confusing/incorrect count. For the shopping tour it will be me plus 2. We will have a car with us so no need to worry about transporting us. For the group dinner it will be me plus 3. Diane

Ronnie, We just found out that Steve's daughter Jacqueline will be able to join us for the Heartland Gathering. Will you please add her to the reservstions (or wait list if needed) for the following events: Drinks at Violet Hour (she will be in the same boat as Stuart- would like to attend but no alcohol) Dinner at Lao Szchuan Group Dinner Saturday. So, now we will be Lucky Girl +4 (Steve, Stuart & Jacqueline) I don't know if you need a head count for the shopping part of Saturday. We are torn but are leaning towards the ethinic shopping trip. Tom, Please add Jacqueline as a tentative to the afternoon portion of the bread class. Thanks guys!

I am ALL about the Moscow Mule right now, at least I was when we were having summer weather. On a hot and humid day its such a pleasure knowing I can go have a copper cup of that amazing, spicy ginger beer with a little Stoly. I would like to do a side by side taste test of the MM in a copper cup and in a regular glass. I am certain that the slight metallic taste the copper leaves on the lips is an integral part of the drink. Actually what I would like is to have a supply of that ginger bear so that when I want a glass of spiciness without the sprits I can indulge at home.

I enjoyed the book sale we did last year and I have a few books to contribute if we do it again this year. I like the idea of the ethnic market trip. My husband and I are game for that. Tom, I'm still undecided about the bread class but if you would add Steve and me as tentative for the afternoon portion that would be great. As for the gathering meal, I like the idea of doing it the way we did last year where some dishes were served family style and some were plated as appropriate. I am thinking of doing a three-way beet plate which would include a preparation with the beet itself, a preparation with the stems and one with the greens. This is about the third thing that has crossed my mind as what I would like to do this year so I'm not ready to commit to the exact dish yet but I am committing to do some dish.

That brown rice from Masa Organic is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I don't shy away from brown rice but let me tell you I've never had brown rice that I would call delicious and this rice is delish! I discovered Masa Organics brown rice last fall when I was visiting San Fran and spent most of Saturday at the market. Also, this is the first American grown rice that I really like. The other American rices that I've had have been too starchy. I am game to try others though so if anyone has any suggestions...

Hi Ronnie, Please subtract Steve and me from the list for the Blackbird dinner. We are still on board for everything else including The Violet Hour. TY, Diane

Thank you prasantrin. I saw that when it was first posted then last night I couldn't find it again (tired and sleepy?).

Are we doing a group meal/brunch/anything on Sunday?

Hi Ronnie, What a great weekend this is promising to be. We are so looking forward to seeing folks we had the pleasure of meeting in Cleveland last year and meeting many new folks. Your plans for the weekend are wonderful. Please count Steve and I in for the Szechuan meal.

Here is a place to try for gelato in The Marais. http://www.amorino.fr/ Some of the finest gelato I've had. Perfect mouthfeel and texture. Perfect temp. Wonderful flavors and not overly sweet.

Ronnie, Steve and I would be a maybe for the dinner at Blackbird and a highly likely for coktails at TVH. Cheers, Diane

I'll second that! So glad to hear that you'll be joining us in Chicago. ← Ditto, ditto, ditto! What a treat to get to see you two!!!

I thought I would pass along some noteworthy sale prices on a few Champagnes at the Whole Foods at Coolidge and 15 Mile. I stopped in yesterday for a staple and left with a case plus of Champagne. I couldn't pass up some of their after holiday prices. These prices will apply until the stock on the items is gone. The three most notable- Nicolas Feuillatee Brut Blue Label- $26.99 Pommery Brut Royale- $31.97 Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose Brut- $49.97 (!)

Ronnie, Are the Thursday, Friday and Saturday dinners likely to all be downtown or will they be in different parts of town? I am trying to decide if we would be better staying in the Evanston area or downtown. Thanks, Diane

Please put me down for a total of four people for the group prep and dinner. Diane

May I make a suggestion? Chicago is home to Intelligentsia Coffee. They roast what I consider to be one of the best espresso blends ever in addition to many other mighty fine coffees. Maybe we can consider a stop at their main shop or perhaps asking them to talk at our gathering location? Just something to consider. Diane

Nancy, as always I enjoyed your post on your blog. The wine dinner at Bar Cento was great. I attended with my husband and another friend. Here's a Wiki on scamorza- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scamorza_cheese The scamorza we were served at the wine dinner was smoked and the kitchen sort of grilled/melted/browned it on a flat surface. Do you know how when you make a grilled cheese sandwich if some of the cheese gets out of the sandwich and on the pan it gets brown and crispy? That is what the scamorza we were served was like.

Steve and I can make either weekend and we can't wait!!!