Authentic Italian American Christmas Eve

Posted on by Gallery 5

Fish in some form has always been the main event in my families kitchen come December 24th, but was there always seven? We ate baccala several ways (I am partial to the fried version of this thick salt cured cod), zeppole laced with anchovies, lobster arrabiata, a mixed seafood salad simply tossed with fresh lemon and parsley, baked clams, stuffed squid and more.

When Amy Zavatto; friend, food and wine aficionado and co-author of The Renaissance Guide to Food and Wine Pairing  asked me my thoughts about the Feast of the Seven Fishes, I thought back to what I grew up eating, and subsequently served when I hosted my first Christmas Eve dinner two years ago. In short, there was always an abundance of food, with plenty of seafood, but I never paid attention to the number. Was there always seven fishes represented at Christmas Eve dinner?

The question got me thinking just exactly how and why did the Feast of the Seven Fishes evolve into such an Italian American tradition?

The answer as Amy discovered is more about conviviality, and less about numbers.

A must read; “The Feast of The Seven Fishes” by Amy Zavatto

In Sicily, Many Reasons to Visit, and Return

Posted on by Gallery 4

I promised myself I would return soon. From the moment our plane landed, certainly not on time, but earlier than expected, I felt a connection to the island, its people, and its food. We rushed to the bar for a quick caffe; an intense coffee with a thick crema followed by a dark liquid gold. It was everything you would expect from an authentic Italian caffe (never referred to as espresso).

The following morning we began our immersion of all things Sicilian. The olive oil of Sicily is some of the worlds most celebrated, and now I know why. The terroir is rich in minerals and nutrients benefiting from both the coastal plains and mountainous airs. I visited with several producers and each was committed to producing premium quality extra virgin olive oil. There was no desire to market any lesser grade and mass distribute olive oil. When the conversation went to terms such as “virgin” or “light” it was as if the earth had stopped rotating. These were serious producers who took pride in their products, and the rest as one produced said was “marketing at its best.”

Among them Frantoio Torre Di Mezzo is producing a fantastic extra virgin olive oil using state of the art technologies. The entire production process was computerized leading to minimal human error. My favorite of their line was the Valle Trapanesi D.O.P, which used a blend of Cerasuola and Nocellara olives. The oil produced a mild fruitiness with notes of green tomato and artichoke. We were fortunate enough to have Albeto Galluffo give us a personal tour of his facilities. Mr. Galluffo is a world-renowned olive oil taster and certified olive oil master. We left the farm with a sample of his latest press.

I was pleased to visit a long time favorite of mine Frantoia Cutrera located in the heart of southern Sicily on the Iblei Mountains. The Cutrera family has been producing olive oil for generations. Their oil is known throughout the world and has won countless awards in prestigious international competitions. They use 100% Tonda Iblea olives for their Primo oil. This is full-bodied oil with notes of herbs and fresh cut grass. It was an ideal time of year to taste olive oils as both oils tasted where from the 2011 crop which just finished their production in late October.

When we reached Ragusa I found some old friends and new favorites. I have met Francesco Padova digitally, but never in person. I have also heard of just how delicious his almonds were, so I was pleased to finally get a chance and try them.

Pizzuta Di Avola by Mastri Di San Basilio have an earthy taste similar to mushrooms, with a clean finish of milk (almonds like these produce the wonderful summer beverage of Latte Di Mandorla by Condorelli.) The almonds were not as thick as their California counterparts and the skin was a dark brown color. These almonds are one of Sicily’s most unique products.

Traditionally produced Ragusano by Ragusa Latte is made using unpasteurized cows milk therefore allowing for the milk to produce a pleasant, sweet, and delicate tasting cheese. These cows are allowed to roam freely and graze exclusively on fresh forage from the Iblean Mountains. A tasting of this cheese as well as a cow’s milk ricotta was one of the highlights of the trip. The producer was extremely passionate about his products and committed to producing cheese using unpasteurized milk, as is the traditional method.

The wines of Sicily were as diverse in flavors and productions as the foods. Mirabella offered a Marsala DOC Superiore Riserva 1989 that was a unique balance of sweetness and tart, and as my travel companion Charles Scicolone recommended the wine would pair perfectly with almonds as an aperitivo. Planeta winery showed well with a Comet 2010, a fresh, crisp and refined white wine.

All of our hotels and resorts showed us a different side of the island. Some offered picturesque views of the mountain plains and countryside. Others in the heart of Catania offered access to the vibrant fish market and downtown life of the City. Speaking to other members of the tour I discovered that the hotels of Sicily have come a long way in the past decade.

The island and its cuisine has a rich history balancing influences from all over the world including Italian, Greek, African and Middle Eastern. This combination has created a vibrant island full of diverse food, wine, and people. On our final night we toured the beautiful streets of Taromina, which were more quiet than usual due to the time of year. Overlooking the Ionian Sea I could spot the tip of Calabria, my ancestral home, back on the mainland. It was then that I knew I would have to return, at the very least for a new bottle of olive oil.

Authentic Food Shop in Kensington

Posted on by Gallery 1
BFS

In a  perfect world there would be one in every neighborhood. Not exactly a restaurant, and hardly fast food. Brancaccio’s Food Shop is an owner operated establishment in every sense of the word. Joe Brancaccio is not only the chef and creator of Food Shop, but he is also the guy you will find behind the counter, at the register, answering the phones, and well you get the picture.

Most of the time you can spot Joe tossing paccheri pasta in the kitchen, roasting his infamous get them while you can local chickens, or personally selecting an eclectic array of local and imported products for the shelves at Food Shop. Some  of these products Joe grew up with, others he has grown to love. But everything in the store is a reflection of Joe, his childhood, and the foods that inspired him to become a chef .

Food Shop is a reflection of Joe’s life in food with French, Italian, and most notably Brooklyn inspired themes. The shop is small, part prepared foods part marketplace. His sandwiches are well known partly because the meatball sandwich caught the attention of the New York Times last year. Brunch and Lunch are great options, but come at dinner time to find the real gems. Go for anything that Joe has decided to cook that day. Off the menu selections vary, like polenta crusted tilapia which strikes a perfect balance between texture and moisture.  Or try a pasta, cooked as it should be, with bite. Everything is sold by the pound, so I like to create my own tasting menu with a little bit of this, and some of that.

The eggplant parmigiana is laced with sweet and fragrant fennel, a welcomed twist to an Italian classic. Food Shop is not authentic Italian fare, but instead  it is real, local, inspired, and creative food. Joe is ingredient driven, whether those ingredients are local, imported, or homegrown (this past summer Joe grew some eggplant and corn), as a chef should be.

My only complaint? That there isn’t a Food Shop in every neighborhood, or at least mine.

Brancaccio’s Food Shop; 3011 Fort Hamilton Parkway Brooklyn New York 11218 www.brancacciosfoodshop.com

Sicilian style meatballs at Food Shop

Joe's homemade sugo

What you might find at Food Shop in the display

5 Italian Cheeses to Eat Now (and Why)

Posted on by Gallery 6
cheese2 007

As the summer comes to an official end on Friday, I envision fewer salads and more stews bubbling on the stove top. Put away the salad spinner and pull out the slow cooker, the cool and crisp winter is drawing closer, and what we eat will inevitably change. Our cheese draw will undergo a transition; from fresh and creamy to aged and crumbly.  So long to the milky mozzarella, fresh ricotta, and barely aged primo sale and say hello to the aged, dense, rich, and complex cheeses we have neglected this past summer.

Now where did I put that slow cooker?

5 Italian Cheeses to Eat Now

Ubriaco is a semi-firm cow’s milk cheese from Lombardy. Bathed in local red and white wines, lending the cheese a sweet flavor. Though it is sweet the cheese has complex notes of milk and pineapple.  I often eat it as a table cheese as an antipasto with champagne or sparkling wine.

Crucolo has been a favorite for some time. It is unique because it is made by a single producer in Trentino Alto Adige in northern Italy. Produced with unpasteurized cow’s milk to create a mild but tangy cheese. Aged for 1-2 months, it has a soft texture but big flavor. Great as a table cheese, melted or baked.

Roasted Ricotta is made with sheep’s milk and is ovens roasted in order to caramelize and intensify its flavors.  From the Puglia region of Italy, perfect as a table cheese or as an ingredient in  pasta al forno. The flavors are smoky and bit more complex than traditional ricotta.

Piave Stravecchio is a pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from the Veneto. I prefer the stravecchio which is aged for a minimum of 12 months (for as long as 18 months) and is golden in color. Creamy, rich, and nutty. Eat at room temperature to truly enjoy the grass and herbaceous qualities of the cheese. An ideal table cheese, though I have had it shaved paper thin with garganelli pasta and fresh fava beans.

Gorgonzola Piccante great for salads but even better mixed with hearty polenta (courtesy of my slow cooker). Gorgonzola is a big cheese, especially the aged variety. A Gorgonzola Piccante is rich and acidic, with much sharper and pungent flavors than the milder gorgonzola dolce.  And like most blue-veined cheeses, a little goes a long way.

Little Italy Brooklyn, Alive and Well

Posted on by Gallery 2
Brooklyn-20110912-00177

Brooklyn’s own Little Italy is alive and well, though with a small case of separation anxiety. What was once a single stretch of Italian markets, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, social clubs and novelty stores has become a bit more diverse. A place where time seemed to stand still, Bensonhurst has evolved into a multiethnic food scene. In fact I have heard that some of the best dim sum in New York can be found in the heart of Bensonhurst, who knew?

Granted shopping on foot my prove challenging, perhaps benefiting  from a bike, metro card, or car. Ultimately all that traveling makes for a bigger appetite, whether your craving is sopressata or soup dumplings.

Brooklyn’s Little Italy 2011 what to buy, eat, and experience:

Circus Fruits is opened twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Great selection of seasonal produce, at wholesale prices. Must try their Jersey tomatoes, Sicilian eggplant, and fresh fava beans.

D. Coluccio and Sons opened in 1962 by my Grandfather with the idea of bringing Italian foods to the masses. Over 200 types of dried pastas, imported cheeses, and dried salumi. San Marzano tomatoes and our signature olive oil are among our most popular items.

Faicco Pork Store still makes the best sausage in town. Their mozzarella made in-house daily is also some of the best around. Also try their rice balls, and their signature broccoli rabe sausage.

Royal Crown Bakery is the bakery that turned bakers into rock stars. Royal Crown’s pane di casa is the bread that all others are judged against. Be sure to try the prosciutto bread as well.

Little Records is a rare store filled with Italian memorabilia. Notable favorites Italian playing cards, a flag, or tee-shirt that says “kiss me, I’m Italian.”

Da Vinci Pizzeria is my favorite old school slice of pizza. Before pizza became, Da Vinci was turning out genuine New York style pizza. Stop in for a quick slice and a grape soda.

Villabate Alba is the original Sicilian bakery with some of the best cannolis this side of Palermo.

Queen Ann Ravioli and Macaroni is where you will find your fresh pasta, frozen cavatelli, and some life changing ravioli.

Tommaso’s is famous for its food, singing, and clientel. Try the baked clams, and any of the chefs specials, stay for the entertainment and expansive wine list.


View Larger Map

The eyes have it

Posted on by Gallery Respond
brenta-20110830-00167

I first discovered Brenta while traveling in the Veneto region  on a buyers trip, and immediately I was taken by the cheese. It is a very straightforward cheese, aged for about two months until it is semi firm. Brenta is made from whole cows milk exclusively from the Italian Alps, lending to the cheeses unique flavors.  It has a clean finish with strong flavors of fresh milk and green grass,  typical of the cheeses from Northeastern Italy.

It is perfect as a table cheese and paired with a crisp clean white wine such as Soave. It is equally delicious melted, paired with fresh arugula and black olive paste, sandwiched between two pieces of rustic italian bread. The Brenta melts silky smooth, and the arugula brings out its herbaceous qualities. In the last few months of my wifes pregnancy, we would make this simple but flavorful sandwich for dinner, sometimes lunch, and at the end even breakfast with a fried egg on top.

When you open a form of Brenta, immediately you notice small oval-shaped eyes scattered throughout the cheese, each letting you know, this newly imported gem is here to stay.

Grilled (Brenta) Cheese

2 slices of day old pane di casa bread thinly sliced

extra virgin olive oil

four thin slices of Brenta Staginato

a handful of fresh arugula, dry

black olive paste, about two tablespoons

1. Put a non stick pan over medium high heat and add olive oil

2. Slather black olive cream on one side of your bread

3. Put the other side down into the olive oil and begin to build your sandwich, alternating between cheese and arugula.

4. Place a heavy object on top of the sandwich and apply pressure, 2-3 minutes

5. Before you flip the sandwich add some more extra virgin olive oil to the pan

6. Gently flip and grill the other side until golden brown and Brenta begins to ooze  from the sides

Has authenticity left the building?

Posted on by Gallery Respond
la bottega new cuts 008

Last week Nancy Harmon Jenkins wrote a thoughtful plea to producers of extra virgin olive oil to continue to produce the best possible product possible, without regard to tastes which may favor rancid or poor quality product. Unfortunately, it seems that some producers are successfully marketing olive oils that are defective, or of lesser quality because it is what consumers, and some connoisseurs, over time have come to demand.

I have heard this argument before, and not just with olive oil. Wine producers, foragers, restauranteurs, even chefs have told me on occasion they make products a certain way because “that’s what the people want”. At a panel discussion I attended last May, a well-known espresso producer claimed that the American market calls for “super sizing” their coffee drinking, and producers in Italy were working to accommodate these so called American taste.

Have we then by default shoved authenticity out the door and made way for inferior products because we simply don’t know any better? How many times have I heard a wine producer bluntly state that he makes wines for his families consumption, and wines for the American market?

To many to count unfortunately.

I think Nancy was absolutely correct in her assertion for producers to continue making the best, most authentic products possible, and certainly not for American taste. Importers, retailers, chefs, restauranteurs, and the media are then charged with the important task of educating their audiences about the true  taste, quality, and structure of a product.

Though we cannot become experts in all fields of food, it is good to remember taste is one thing and quality may very well be something entirely different.