The Cooking and Cuisine of Lombardia

[Pontormo]

I have to say that you Texans have access to some pretty amazing things, some that we don't have here in our nation's capital where the Italian population is growing daily.

We do have a mushroom person at the farmer's market, but when they have porcini, the price is daunting. Out in the suburbs of Maryland, Asian grocers sometimes have them in season at more reasonable prices...but nothing resembling the beautiful ones with broad caps that one finds in Italy.

[Kevin72]

Lots to catch up on!

Kevin, I have NEVER seen that variety of raddichio...and when I saw the first image alone, without knowing the texture, it seemed to be a spinach pasta dough ingeniously streaked to resemble borlotti!  Might the Central Market be willing to share the name of its supplier?  It's gorgeous!  Are the leaves softer (thinner) and less bitter or...? 

←

Adam was indeed right; this was radicchio di castelfranco (Central Market had it mislabelled). No supplier, since they come from different towns and amalgamation of growers; at least that's what the marketing flyer displayed in front of the radicchios said. It was indeed more delicate than regular radicchio, alhtough I suspect some of that may be due to its less-than-fresh status. It was still good, but had a little bit of a droop to it.

I have to say that you Texans have access to some pretty amazing things, some that we don't have here in our nation's capital where the Italian population is growing daily.

←

That's Central Market, almost entirely. A godsend. Whole Foods and Central Market, both started in Texas. Whodathought?

I actually went into Dean & DeLucca, or some other gourmet chain prized up north when I was up there and went out with my nose even higher in the air, dismissing it compared to Central Market. Of course, then I go to Italy and see their markets . . .

But I'd be willing to bet that those are dried porcini Foodman used. If not, hats off; when I've seen them here, they were $70 a pound, and sat, rotting away and unpurchased, until they were discreetly removed after a week untouched.

Are there any Italian breads that are boiled after they've risen?

←

There's a Pugliese pretzel-like item, Taralli, more of a snack really than a full-on bread, but it is boiled and then baked in some traditional recipes.

More later, particularly on your epic feast . . . .

[FoodMan]

But I'd be willing to bet that those are dried porcini Foodman used. If not, hats off; when I've seen them here, they were $70 a pound, and sat, rotting away and unpurchased, until they were discreetly removed after a week untouched.

Bingo!

I am also a huge fan of Central Market (I love their Radichio display as well Kevin), but fresh Porcini is a near impossibilty for the reasons Kevin listed. Besides the recipe uses dried ones anyways.

[Kevin72]

I can't believe I have to look back fondly on this now, but they used to be *only* $39/lb when they first rolled fresh porcinis out. I bought some a couple of times and they are a whole other world. What a pity.

[Pontormo]

Dean & DeLuca was quite exciting back in the late 70s and early 80s when there was little comparable in the U.S., when there were farmer's markets scattered here and there but no movement, and when the ports of major cities were dismal and deserted. I still remember that first visit in NYC when the gracious staff brought an enormous mound of French butter wrapped in cheesecloth out from storage just so we could have a little smear for a picnic we were assembling.

Things have changed and D& D's franchises are now a counterpart to Neiman Marcus: very precious and pricey and a bit disconcerting for those who would not feel comfortable wearing a fur coat this far from the Artic. Still, good in a pinch. Nice to step away from the computer, walk a few blocks and fetch a chocolate eclair or find the only supplier of Aleppo pepper in town and salt-packed anchovies sold per fish.

As much as I contribute to complaints about the culture and economic practices of Whole Foods (including the price of their dried porcini, ouch!), yes, the Texan business has brought us good things including those artichokes with long stems, here only briefly last year.

This is getting rather OT. To return to the path, one thing that sort of surprises me is how difficult it has been to track down ingredients for some of the regions we have been exploring. As mentioned earlier, there are over 500 cookbooks devoted to Italian cuisine in English. I suspect it will take some time for the notion of regional cooking to be more fully embraced here in North America, and for farmers and distributors to accommodate new demands.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[hathor]

This is getting rather OT.  To return to the path, one thing that sort of surprises me is how difficult it has been to track down ingredients for some of the regions we have been exploring.  As mentioned earlier, there are over 500 cookbooks devoted to Italian cuisine in English.  I suspect it will take some time for the notion of regional cooking to be more fully embraced here in North America, and for farmers and distributors to accommodate new demands.

←

That deserves its own thread.

[azureus]

1.  They do look exactly like bagels...and softer than rounds I've purchased in Naples.  Are there any Italian breads that are boiled after they've risen?

2.  Did you make the shanks?  I agree that they might be good if you prepared them as ossobuco--perhaps without the tomato--even if that's not traditional. 

Now that it's March, if you're interested, I'd be willing to share a recipe from Venezia Giula that calls for lamb shoulder and horseradish!!!! (Anna Del Conte.)

←

Sorry, I've barely had time to log onto eGullet this past week. I don't what Italian breads might be boiled. Carol Field mentions in her recipe the the bread was baked at the beginning of winter and used as needed througout the season. The holes seem to be for ease of storage as the she states that the rounds were hung up by string. The holes would promote even drying as well. She also describes the bread as crisp and crunchy before being dried, whereas mine were soft and chewy.

I did make the shanks. They were quite tasty, I just ran out of time to document the meal, and then ran out of energy to post about it.

I would love to have a copy of the lamb recipe. I adore horseradish.

April

ETA: the actual content of the post, since I hit the wrong button the first time around!

Edited March 9, 2006 by azureus (log)

[azureus]

Birthday Dinner on February 25, 2006

In The Lives of the Artists, Vasari describes the sorry condition of The Last Supper painted on the north wall of the refectory at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan scarcely half a century before.  After preparing a five-course Lombard birthday dinner for a friend, I think I understand why Leonardo foolishly did what he did when he executed his fresco.  All that butter!  All that cheese!  Trained in Florence, moving north only after political turmoil demanded that he seek new patronage at the Sforza court, the painter must have longed for the lighter fare of Tuscany.  Recalling the pleasures of a grilled steak and a green salad, simply dressed, he mixed his pigments and yolks with oil before applying a brush to the surface of the wall, an unorthodox technique that led to the rapid deterioration of the composition.

←

What a birthday present! Your friend is truly fortunate.

April

[Pontormo]

I'm fortunate, too...and still eating (defrosted) leftovers.

However, I also wanted to say that if you find yourself with lamb shanks again, they are used for stinco in Piemonte. Mario Batali has a recipe (perhaps online?) with red onions, tons of garlic, rosemary, olives, an orange, white wine, tomato sauce and stock

[FoodMan]

It's been a tradition to bake a Panettone every year around christmas time. The recipe I'd been following and very happy with is the one from Peter Reinhart's "Bread baker's Apprentice". This year I wanted to try something different and instead used Carol Filed's "The Italian Baker" to make a recipe for Pannetone with Dates and Walnuts. According to her introduction, only one shop in Milano makes this bread and is very tricky to get to. Supposedly her driver took the "long and complicated" way to get to the bake shop on purpose so it would not be easy for her to get back. Maybe it's just me, but I find wierd information like that fascinating...

On to the bread which is really like no other Pannetone. It is basically a croissant dough made with lots of eggs and turned (folded) 4 or 5 times. Then it is rolled and divided into 3 rectangles. One rectangle is left plain, the other has walnuts on top and the third has chopped dates. The whole thing is combined and formed into a loaf. The end result is delicious and addictive, but more similar to a brioche in taste than a panettone.

[Pontormo]

I think you are preaching to the choir, here, Elie! Of course the anecdotes are what makes some of these cookbooks so fun to read, not just use.

Since you mention that this beautifully spiralled panettone has the texture of a brioche, I bet it would be fabulous as simple toast or French toast--provided there are leftovers.

[FoodMan]

Since you mention that this beautifully spiralled panettone has the texture of a brioche, I bet it would be fabulous as simple toast or French toast--provided there are leftovers.

←

Great minds.....

I wanted to make bread pudding or French toast with the leftovers figuring it was too big to finish off. WRONG! we barely had a small wedge come next day.

[Chimico]

Great forum (and great job!!)

a few comments:

Pizzoccheri are usually cut into small flat rectangles less than 1 cm. wide. You can take a look Here at the "Accademia del pizzocchero"

The finished dish with cabbage, green beans, potatoes, cheese (I used teleggio) and sage/garlic butter.

Taleggio is not the right cheese: it is too creamy. Typical cheeses are "Casera" and "Bitto", that have a texture similar to "Fontina"

Also, you should boil Pizzoccheri in the same water with the vegetables (after the potatoes are cooked)

You can check here at the Codice della Cucina Lombarda for the recipe (sorry, it's in italian)

I could not find any white wines from Lombardia to go with this so I opted for a white from their neighbors in Alto Adige.

Red wine from Valtellina is more typical: Sassella, Grumello and Inferno for example. Rather strong wine

Also, I read somewhere in the topic about "how italian children celebrate their birthday". I am sorry to say that we *used* to have a party at home with a cake, but nowadays, especially in large cities, is becoming more and more common to go to.... McDonalds for a McParty

ciao

p.s. Sorry for my english: it is a bit rusty

[hathor]

Ciao Chimico! It's nice to hear a new voice.

For those of us not in Italy, sometimes we have to make substitutions based on what is available, and that can be frustrating when you are trying to create something that you may never have seen or tasted before.

But thank you for helping us to come closer to the 'real thing'! Any other pointers??

[Chimico]

  Any other pointers?? 

I would suggest, if you are unsure about a particular recipe, or you want some substitution, to ask in an Italian forum. Post in english. Many Italians can understand (simple) english these days.

I usually post in the same forum where Franci is a moderator: www.gennarino.org and in this one: www.universocucina.com/forum/index.php where I noticed also a few italians that live in the US and canada.

ciao /chem

[Pontormo]

See, amorpolenta, zaletti, pan de mej (mei=millet in milanese), biscotti di meliga.

←

Franci, how is millet used in Milan?

I have some leftover from baking bread--an American type. I wasn't aware of the grain's role in any Italian regions.

[Franci]

Franci, how is millet used in Milan?

I have some leftover from baking bread--an American type.  I wasn't aware of the grain's role in any Italian regions.

Sorry, I should have been more precise, these small breads, or large cookies if you prefer, have kept the name "pan de mej" and mej being millet but nowadays are made only with wheat flour and fioretto (and sometimes also coarser corn flour) flavoured with sambuca flower (elder? flower).

In the past, before america, polenta was made with millet. I don't know if there are traditional uses in the kitchen that survived, I have have friend with a passion for millet and history, I could ask her if you really interested.

[Pontormo]

What you say is interesting,Franci, but please don't go out of your way. There are reasons that jar of millet has not been opened for a while...

[Franci]

What you say is interesting,Franci, but please don't go out of your way.  There are reasons that jar of millet has not been opened for a while...

←

[hathor]

Franci, when you say sambuca flower, do you mean the actual flower? I love the flavor of sambuca syrup, it's sweet, but a little tart and just a wonderful flavor. We have a large elderberry flower tree at the tower, but its so tall I would need a cherry picker to harvest the flowers. (Cherry picker is a big tractor/extension thing with a bucket that raises you up....just in case cherry picker didn't translate well. )

[Franci]

Franci, when you say sambuca flower, do you mean the actual flower? I love the flavor of sambuca syrup, it's sweet, but a little tart and just a wonderful flavor.  We have a large elderberry flower tree at the tower, but its so tall I would need a cherry picker to harvest the flowers. (Cherry picker is a big tractor/extension thing with a bucket that raises you up....just in case cherry picker didn't translate well.    )

←

Yes, I mean the dried sambuco flowers (the tree is masculine , my mistake above), elderberry. It makes also a pretty good tea, it should be good for a cold or soarthroath.