All Italia

Is it, in short, ever well to be elsewhere when one might be in Italy?

                                                        

                                                                                                                          Edith Wharton

What is it about Italy that makes us swoon?
 Just saying the name of that romantic place is enough to set off daydreams, from which only a cold flute of Prosecco can rouse you.

Just back from the most fabulous trip, here are the top ten things I love about Italy.

If you have never been, I urge you to set aside some money and time to make the trip.
If you have had the privilege to visit, you may nod your head along in recognition.

1. There's no hurry.
When you've already done the hard work of creating modern civilization, what's the urgency? You can close the shop for three hours in the middle of the day. You can take a leisurely lunch at a trattoria instead of your desk. Enjoy a slower pace.

2. Wine.
It's everywhere, all the time. Lunch, dinner and I've even seen Italianos sipping a glass at breakfast.  A local house wine is as perfectly delicious as a bottle with a pedigree (at least to me it is). And if you have a charming waiter, he will continue to fill your glass of house wine "on the house", until you finish your meal. Yes, the Italians are generous with their wine.

3. Gelato.
Flavors you've never heard of and you are allowed more than one per cone. And don't overlook granita - very refreshing after a long hike from town to town in Cinque Terre.

4. Coffee.
Each cup is made individually to order, everywhere. Even at the train station, you can get a really good espresso, freshly made, just for you. No huge urns of coffee made hours ago. And no one is rushing around clutching to-go cups. Just stand at the coffee bar and enjoy. See #1.

5. Walled cities.
We adored the city of Lucca, with its strong, high walls, first built by the Romans, then expanded three more times in later centuries. Pisa is also fortified by a wall as are many other smaller hill towns.
Can you imagine if New York City or Boston had a huge wall surrounding it, to keep out marauders? Just a thought.

6. Growing stuff.
No plot is ever too tiny, or too steep, for growing. Very often it's grapes (see #2). We also saw loads of lemon trees, which I got a big kick out of. Wouldn't I just love to have that in my yard!

7. Passeggiata
The leisurely stroll through town, at sunset, before dinner. There is an art to this: Walk slowly (preferably arm-in-arm), browse the windows, chat quietly. Enjoy the beautiful light of late evening. Again, see #1.

8. Art and architecture
From soaring duomos to simple Palladian structures, Renaissance frescoes, Romanesque arches, and della Robbia terra cotta. All you have to do is walk along the street and peek into any of the centuries-old churches to have a lesson in art history. It's all here, mostly free and awesome in the truest sense of the word.

Santa Croce, Florence

San Michele, Lucca

San Frediano, Lucca

Duomo, Pisa

Della Robbia decoration, San Frediano

9. Pesto and panini
We spent a few days in Cinque Terre, on the Ligurian coast. Pesto is a specialty there. It's always been a favorite of mine and when eaten there, in the sunshine, it tastes extra-heavenly. Trofi pasta at Trattoria dal Billy, on a steep terrace overlooking Manarola was particularly delicious. A panini on fresh foccacia, with creamy mozzarella and grilled vegetables, is a welcome snack after walking all day.

At 'Ino, near the Uffizi in Florence

10. Pasta - of course!
Sure it's cliche, but honestly, the pasta is so much better in Italy. Maybe it's the flour, maybe it's the water (maybe it's the wine - again, see #2) or the judicious use of sauce - whatever, there's just no comparison.
My favorite dish of the trip was spaghetti with tiny clams at Miky in Monterosso.  Second was a pasta we had the first night at a new ristorante in Florence, called Beccaio (highly recommend it). The pasta  was a triangular-shaped tube with asparagus and proscuitto - squisito! Alas, no photos - too hungry.

Not pasta, but fresh anchovies also at Miky

And finally a grazie mille (many thanks) to my dear husband for a wonderful trip  - pre-celebration of my own half century birthday, coming up very soon.

Are you a fan on Facebook? If so, you can see more pictures here.  If not, why don't you give me the thumbs up today? Grazie!

Stir Crazy! Spring Green Risotto

Have I told you that I'm going to Italy?

I am! 

I mean we are - Bob and me. Next week, if the Icelandic volcano gods are willing.

Per favore...let me get to Italy...

The itinerary goes something like this: Florence, Cinque Terre, Lucca then back to Florence.

I am open to any and all suggestions from my dear readers who have been to any of these bella places lately.

Grazie!

So in order to get my taste buds into moda Italiano, I made risotto last night.

A lovely, luscious, incredibly rich risotto. Brimming with green spring vegetables and earthy shiitake mushrooms,  then smoothed out with a big spoonful of mascarpone.

Risotto, if you haven't tried it, is arborio rice, cooked slowly in wine and broth. It absorbs all the liquid and becomes something else entirely.  It's Italian comfort food, in all its creamy goodness. Just right for a cool spring night.

I won't lie to you. Risotto is labor intensive and may take a bit of practice to get it just right. You must continue to add more broth, then stir and stir and DO NOT STOP until each grain of rice gives way when bitten. If you still feel a hardness inside the grain when you bite into it, you are not done. 

Add more broth and stir some more.

But don't be intimidated, mia amicas! It's not a particularly difficult technique. And if you get tired of stirring, ask someone else to take it on for a few minutes. Sipping a glass of vino while you stir is also very helpful.

Spring Green Risotto adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 Tbsps. olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsps. unsalted butter

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 - 5 cups chicken stock, simmering in a saucepan on the stove

1 lb. asparagus, preferably thin

10 oz. peas, defrosted if frozen or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas

1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced (optional)

1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 Tbsps. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup mascarpone

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

3 Tbsps. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2" pieces, discarding tough ends.

Blanch in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes, until bright green and cooked al dente. Drain and cool.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

Add the leeks and saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the vegetables and fats.

 Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles-full at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the asparagus, lemon zest, 2 tsps. coarse salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. 

Continue cooking, adding stock and stirring until the rice is tender but still firm. This should take 30-35 minutes, but could take a bit longer. Be patient!!

If you are using the mushrooms, saute them briefly in a small frying pan, with a teaspoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Add to risotto when they are lightly browned and soft.

Whisk the the lemon juice into the mascarpone in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, take it off the heat and stir in mascarpone mixture, plus Parmesan and parsley. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Mangia!

The Year of Living Biblically

One man's humble quest to follow the Bible as literally as possible...

A.J.  Jacobs is an editor at Esquire magazine and an author. In search of a follow-up project to his bestseller, The Know-It-All,  Jacobs decides to attempt living the Bible, with all its rules and commandments, as literally as possible. In the introduction he tells us,

I am officially Jewish, but I'm Jewish in the same way The Olive Garden is Italian. Which is to say: not very....I was agnostic before I even knew what the word meant.


These few lines set the tone for the rest of the book.   The writing is hilariously funny in many places, like when he describes his "stoning of an adulterer." Think pebbles, accidentally dropped on a foot.

But I also found The Year of Living Biblically to be strikingly insightful and well-researched. Jacobs has spiritual advisors from many different religions. He visits Israel, spends time with the Amish, enjoys a service led by a snake-handling preacher and attends a meeting of atheists.

And of course he eats biblically as well. The Bible bans many foods, including pork, shrimp and rabbit (as well as eagle and osprey - who knew?). Citrus is fine. Lamb, figs, grapes, and olives are good. Goat's milk is preferred. And wine...well, that's a given. Hallelujah.

We read The Year of Living Biblically in my book group. Our lovely hostess Debbie prepared a dinner of lamb and an appropriate rice salad, that was absolutely delicious. I would make this  any time, whether I was feeling biblical or not.

Summer Rice Salad with Feta, Citrus and Mint
adapted from Bon Appetit


4 cups water

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tsps. grated orange zest

2 tsps. grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

30 cherry tomatoes, halved

7 small pickling cucumbers, diced

1 cup chopped scallion

1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped

16 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Bring water, rice and salt to boil in a heavy medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Uncover pan and continue cooking rice over very low heat until dry, about 5 minutes.
Transfer rice to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Whisk orange juice and next 5 ingredients together in a small bowl.

Add tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, mint and feta to rice. Add dressing and combine well.

Amen.

Flat Tires and A Healthy Snack

Yesterday I finally got my ass bike in gear and went for a ride.

Four miles in, my rear tire blew. Luckily I had the one tool I really needed to fix it.

My cell phone.
"Hello Bob. I'm on Sligo Road and I have a flat tire."
My husband to the rescue.

No matter how many times he tries to teach me to change a tire, my eyes just glaze over. I know I should be proficient at it, but frankly, I'm just not interested.
What I would be interested in is AAA for cyclists.

Bicycling is my exercise of choice. I took it up about five years ago when some friends asked if we'd like to join them on a bike trip through Tuscany.
Wouldn't you start cycling too?

And like my husband, I became addicted to it.
I spend many months pedaling in place on a Spin bike in a dark room, with loud music and an energetic instructor. But as soon as the weather warms up, I'm out on the road.

When I come home from my ride, I need a snack.
I can't undo all the good I just did for my body, so I need something that could qualify as healthy.
(No, these brownies won't do it.)
Hummus is a good choice, with vegetables, or crackers.

I never made my own until yesterday, and now that I know how easy it is, I doubt I'll buy it ever again.
If you can push the button on your food processor, you can make hummus. And the nice thing is, you can make it any way you like it.
I like it lemony and with lots of garlic.  I also threw in a handful of fresh parsley, which brightened the flavor by a lot. You could add cilantro too. Yum.
Roasted red peppers are a good addition. Or crushed hot peppers. Or cumin and chili powder.

(Not the most photogenic food)

I hesitate to even call this a recipe. Just put it all in your Cuisinart and start it up.
If you think the texture is a bit too thick, add a little more olive oil or even a tablespoon or two of water.
You can cook your own chickpeas, if you're that kind of person (which I am not) but canned ones are just fine.

Hummus


1 can chickpeas, rinsed

1/4 c. tahini

1/4 c. olive oil

juice of 2 lemons, and if you like it really lemony, add the zest of one lemon as well

2 cloves garlic

a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

And any other ingredients as suggested above.

Process together until smooth.