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Showing results for tags 'Italian'.
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Stopped here for dinner last evening after Mass. The food was extremely good. I had the veal chop with gorgonzola sauce and the Insalata Mista. The salad was very fresh and had a good mixture of greens with some slivers of red pepper, plum tomatoes and onion, in a very good house vinegarette. My husband had the Caesar Salad and the filet mignon special, which he said was excellent. We did not have dessert just coffee. It is BYOB, which we did not know, but we will the next time.
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In the current issue of The Wine Spectator (April 30, 2003) the reviewer refers to Valentino in L.A. (Santa Monica) as continuing its, "reign as one of the best Italian restaurants in the United States." As Valentino is now thirty years old it is reasonable to assume that other restaurants have passed Valentino by in quality and in innovation. Some claim Spiaggia in Chicago owns the throne. So the question remains - what is the most innovative Italian restaurant in the United States.
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Has anyone noticed that once you cross the border from Italy into France, Switzerland, Germany or Austria that you can no longer get real-taasting Italian food? I haven't tried Italian food in Austria or near the German-Italian border part of Germany. However, I have been to the two"best" Italian restgaurants in Nice-L'Allegro and Auberge de Theo" and the food tastes (and the restaurants smell) just like I get in New York. I have also eaten in the Ticino, but have never had a seemingly authentic Italian meal, although it has been a long time since I was last there. Am I mislead by somehow being psychologically affected by stepping across the Italian-Something border? Is it possible that great Italian cooking is so regionalized that once you leave the area for obtaining the proper ingredients it deteriorates into a vulgarized version of "internationale" Italian food? What do you think?
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And hopefully recipes? A few years ago I did a Roman meal with roast suckling lamb and carciofi romani, amongst other things. This year is going to be with a group with many different nationalities (French, Australian, Singaporean, and USian) but we've chosen Italian food as the order of the evening. I'm hoping to hear about favorites to inspire me in my choices this year. I'd like to make a nice minestra verde, but I tried one just by winging it last week and was very disappointed. regards, trillium
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This is one of my all time favorite desserts. Have had several versions of this. What should a novice home cook know about this dessert? Is there a basic recipe that could be of help here? Where should one go for the best of its kind in the US? Where in the world could one get a sampling of some of the best panna cottas?
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(also posted on the Spanish forum) A colleague at work has just revealed his ambition to set up his own business in his home country producing cured meats - sausages, hams etc. (Yes, things are looking up on the culinary front at work). He has already set up a learning session in Corsica and is now looking for somewhere in Italy where he can acquire knowledge, like a small producer. I have the odd contact in Italy that may be able to help him, but wonder if any of the e-gullet residents of Italy can help. I have no doubts as to his drive and ability to succeed, just sad that his business will be on the other side of the world. Any pointers? v
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Tomatoes in Italian Cooking: Tips & Techniques
Suvir Saran posted a topic in Italy: Cooking & Baking
Away from NYC, and from my kitchen, I have limited resources, not due to being in Denver, but also because I am not as familiar here as I would be in NYC.... and reading through the books I have here, what a certain friend has shipped me as gifts, I realized all of them have recipes for tomato sauce that should be used alongside pasta, but none have recipes using fresh tomatoes. They all call for canned tomatoes. I made some sauce. Using garlic that was pressed quickly, fried in the olive oil till golden, discarded after, crushed red pepper was added to the oil, basil leaves and tomatoes. Of course salt. The sauce tastes very good. Are there tips for the non-Italian in the art of making pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes??? What should one know about the art of Italian sauce making? -
Driving down from Oakland to Los Angeles and Palm Springs next week. We've eaten at Orso a few times (staying in Beverly Hills) and have enjoyed some of the food very much. I've heard about La Buca- any thoughts- and would love any other suggestions. I think this kind of food is far better in the south than north. We'll have an obligatory lunch at Zankou ( a big big favorite) and then...? Also any suggestions for Palm Springs (again the more low key, local spots) would be appreciated.
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Hi Mark! I'd like to first thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in the Q&A here at eGullet. It is very much appreciated. I was wondering which region of the world (and style of cuisine) has your heart. Does French cuisine appeal most to you? Maybe it's Italian? I'd love to know! And in the same vein, how do you feel about the recently-emerging "avant-garde" style of cooking? Trio, WD-50, et al. jump immediately to mind. Have you dined at these establishments? How do you feel they fare against other cuisines? Thank you very much for your time, -Chris
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Inspired by the latest book I've been reading (Vino Italiano, Regional Italian Wines by Joseph Bastianich), I had the opportunity over Easter to try some Northern Italian wines from the regions of Trentino and Friuli (regions I've not explored as much as those below) and was blown away. The wine I was most impressed with was a 1997 Trentino Cabernet Sauvignon by Ca' Montini. Not a hint of oak, medium bodied, intense fruit and very smooth. At $15 it is quite a bargain as this is better than most if not all of the Cab's I've had from California. A very different style and refreshing break from Cal. Cab's. I also had a 1999 Conti Brandolini d' Adda Vestorta Merlot ($14) from Fruili. Surprisingly this was quite tannic (perhaps it needed a bit more rest time) but it was bright, intense and again, quite different from it's Californian siblings. Finally, I had a lovely 1997 Volpe Pasini Zuc di Volpe Tocai Fruilano ($17). This white was actually the most full-bodied of the lot and was creamy and toasty with a hint of oak and oh so good. These wines reveal what the Italians are capable of, that the Fruili region is putting out some of the best wines around (e.g. Jermann), and that I am quickly forgetting about Californian wines.
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Confessions of a Culinary Anarchist. +++ Be sure to check The Daily Gullet home page daily for new articles (most every weekday), hot topics, site announcements, and more.
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I unexpectedly and happily ate at Little Frankies or is it Little Franks on 1rst and 1rst. My friend and I chared a delicious prociutto and arugala pizza, very thin crust, not soggy. Prociutto was very flavorful. They have pasta specials every night. Fridays was an icredible rigatoni with mozzeralla, eggplant and spinache. I can not say enought good things about this. It was cooked to perfection, the top being a little crunchy from the melted cheese. they have a lovely garden inthe back too ok east post next L
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The discussion of the origin of the names of some pasta dishes in the guanciale thread has me thinking once again about the difference between anecdotal information and primary source material. While folk history is a vital part of culture, and offers much useful information, the egghead in me is always wondering about primary sources. For example, much opinion and secondary source material is offered concerning earlier development of many important techniques in Italy before the same techniques were adopted in France. My question is this: where would a serious researcher look for primary material on the subject of Italian cuisine? Has any compelling academic work been done on the history of Italian cuisine that is footnoted with references to primary sources? This question is asked not to give short shrift to observation and tradition, but to ask whether sources exist to support these, and, if so, to what degree have they been studied and published with footnotes?
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Here are the top 16 restaurants in Italy according to the 2003 Gambero Rosso Ristorante d'Italia. It is worth noting that Balzano has two on this list while Roma has only 1 and Milano 0 and the only one in Piemonte is now closed. Toscana leads the pack with 4 while Ancona, Terni and Napoli are the only ones holding up the pride of the south. Do you agree with these rankings? Please share your experiences with these restaurants. 95 - Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo (Livorno) 93 - Ambasciata, Quistello (Mantua) 93 - La Pergola dell'Hotel Cavalieri Hilton, Roma 92 - Vissani, fraz. Civitella del Lago, Baschi (Terni) 92 - Dal Pescatore, Canneto sull'Oglio (Mantua) 91 - Da Guido (closed) 91 - Don Alfonso 1890, Massa Lubrense (Napoli) 91 - Paolo Teverini, Bagno di Romagna (Forli Cesena) 91 - La Stua de Michil, Corvara in Badia (Bolzano) 90 - Antica Osteria del Teatro, Piacenza 90 - La Madonnina, Senigallia (Ancona) 90 - Enoteca Pinchiorri, Firenze 90 - La Tenda Rossa, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, (Firenze) 90 - La Siriolo de l'Hotel Ciasa Salares, Badia (Bolzano) 90 - Il Desco, Verona 90 - Da Caino, Manciano (Grosetto)
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any to recommend Passaic, Bergen, Essex
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I'm holding in my hands a package of Mrs. Leeper's Corn Spaghetti, which I bought on a lark. It was located in the ever-growing "gluten-free zone" of my local Whole Foods (I personally have no problem with gluten), which also contained rice pasta and Quinoa pasta. Located across the other side of the shelf--a bit set off from both the gluten-free and the "normal" semolina-based were also a few made with Spelt--which apparently also has its own form of gluten, but people who have problems digesting "regular" wheat gluten apparently don't have as much of a problem with it. Putting aside issues about gluten sensitivity itself, are any of these products any good on their own merits? How do you sauce/prepare them?
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Randall, In another response, you mentioned your love of Italian varietals and your interest in producing California wine with these grapes. My question is why do you think Italian varietals will grow successfully in California, to the extent that they result in wines of similar quality to the microclimates in Italy? I understand there is a substantial amount of vini di tavola produced in Italy, but there are also a substantial amount high quality wines available. I just don't believe that Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Barbera, etc., produced in California will ever be able to compete directly with their foreign counterparts.
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Pancetta may make a fine Carbonara, but guanciale, salt cured pork jowls, makes it a heavenly dish. I believe guanciale is available at Salumeria Biellese in Manhattan, but there must be other sources in the USA. Who knows where to order guanciale?
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An Italian Village in Chicago, that is . . . +++ Be sure to check The Daily Gullet home page daily for new articles (most every weekday), hot topics, site announcements, and more.
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I'm making puttanesca tonight for my newly-coming-back-around-to-olives boyfriend (long story). I haven't made it in awhile and will probably use Lidia's recipe from her Italian-American book...but I thought I'd ask if anyone had any tips for this rusty puttanesca maker?
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I have a garden of out-of-control pumpkin plants and must pinch off some of the flowers. Do they give the same result as zucchini flowers when stuffed?
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Jancis, thanks much for participating in this forum. (Your How to Taste was the first book that I read when I decided to learn more about wine. I continue to give it as a gift!) Summer has finally hit here in the Midwest US & I'd like to add some Italian whites to my lazy choice of Sancerre. What Italian whites would you recommend that I purchase for drinking this summer? (Price range of US $10 to $20/bottle would be interesting.) As far as reds, I've been drinking primarily Rhones and, as of the last few months, various Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St Loup. Am I missing other good reds from southern France? Thanks in advance.
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These questions have probably been raised and answered a thousand times, but I remain in the dark. Why isn't there salt in pasta? It clearly benefits from it, as we acknowledge with the generous fistfuls we put in our boiling water. Why isn't the salt directly in the dough? Does salt have a negative impact on the texture or chew? Is it suspected of being too granular? (If so, surely it could be dissolved in water first, at least in flour/water pasta and probably in flour/egg pasta too.) Is it simply customary? If so, would the history be something like this: pasta was a peasant food and salt was precious so excluded, to be added later according to a cook's means? But salt is now cheap. Is it left out just because of tradition? And what is believed to happen with the salt in the salty water we boil our noodles in? Does the dry noodle absorb the salinity somehow as it cooks? Or is the real purpose of salt in the water simply the creation of salty water? And if it's a clinging flavored water we want, why is the flavor or the clinging water almost always salt? Why not garlicky clinging water? Why don't we throw pepperoncini, a bouquet garni, or cheese rinds into our pots?
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WINE: COMMITTEE TO SAFEGUARD DOC AND IGT BRANDS (AGI) - Rome, Italy, July 29 - The 2003-2008 national committee for DOC and IGT wines has been established: the chairman is Tommaso Zanoletti. "The committee has always - said the undersecretary of agriculture, Teresio Delfino - reply firmly to the needs of our appellation controlle' wines, and will pursue initiatives which are already underway (reform of law 164), for a concrete wine policy". The administration will enhance the committee's tools, in order to meet the demands of the wine sector. (AGI) 292034 LUG 03 COPYRIGHTS 2002-2003 AGI S.p.A.
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When making home made egg pasta, it is a source of annoyance that it always looks white or even slightly grey, if oxidation sets in. We use many free range eggs, to the point that the raw dough looks bright yellow, yet after cooking it turns white when cooked. What is going on here, is it ment to look like this and the commercial stuff is dyed? Are there some tricks I should know?
