Archive for the ‘food’ Category
2nd Annual O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
It’s finally time for the 2nd Annual O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month here and at Sara’s Ms Adventures in Italy!
We were so pleased with the response to last year’s contest, which raised $425 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and rounded up 45 outstanding (ottimo!) “O Food” recipes.
And we need your help to top that this year!
We started the O Foods tradition in honor of our friend, award-winning pastry chef Gina DePalma, author of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen; Gina has been fighting ovarian cancer for the past year and a half, and in addition to physically battling the disease, she has also started the Cowgirl Cure Foundation to raise awareness and money for research as well.
As a special treat, this year Gina will also be picking the grand prize winner of the O Foods Contest! And speaking of prizes, check them out–signed copies of Gina’s book, Mario Batali’s Molto Italiano, and Joseph Bastianich’s Vino Italiano.
Molto cool, no?
Speaking of the contest, just like last year, you can participate either by submitting a recipe or by simply posting the announcement below. Our goal is to spread information about ovarian cancer and its symptoms to as many people as possible, so feel free to tweet, post on Facebook, or whatever you have to do to help us make enough noise to stop this silent killer.
CONTEST RULES
O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second year in a row, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are hosting the O Foods Contest to raise awareness of this important health issue.
There are TWO WAYS to take part in the O Foods Contest:
ONE: Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.
PRIZES for recipe posts:
- 1st: Signed copy of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma, Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, inspired this event, and will be choosing her favorite recipe for this prize;
- 2nd: Signed copy of Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali (winner chosen by Sara);
- 3rd: Signed copy of Vino Italiano: The Regional Italian Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich (winner chosen by Michelle).
ORTWO: If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.
Awareness posts PRIZE:
- One winner chosen at random will receive a Teal Toes tote bag filled with ovarian cancer awareness goodies that you can spread around amongst your friends and family.
———
From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:
- Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
- The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose, but include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).
- There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
- In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
- When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.
And remember, you can also always donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at our page through FirstGiving!
Please help spread the word about ovarian cancer.
Together we can make enough noise to kill this silent killer.
Calabrian Olive Oil: Cossari Extravergine Olio di Oliva Biologico
Did you know Calabria, one of the poorest of Italy’s 20 regions, is actually the source of 25% of the country’s olive oil?
And that in the 2009 Guida ai Migliori Oli del Mondo di Qualità Accertata (Guide to the Best Olive Oils in the World, Quality Assured), among the top six, three were Italian–and *two* of those were Calabrian?
Yes, down here in the toe of the boot, we have some excellent olive oil or olio d’oliva — that glorious provider of monounsaturated fats, which can naturally lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease. FYI, extra-virgin quality aka EVOO is the healthiest as it is the least processed, keeping intact all those fabulous antioxidants that also keep your heart healthy.
Now you probably don’t think of Calabria as a main source of olive oil because producers here are often families with small groves who get their olives pressed at local mills; they use the oil for themselves and their families, give some away, sell some locally, and then perhaps sell the rest to wholesalers who take our dense, robust Calabrian olive oil and mix it with that of other regions and smack a label on it as being from *that* region–probably famous for its, ahem, olive oil.
I’m not naming names, but rest assured that even some the largest olive oil companies engage in this practice–and nobody’s complaining. Hey, everyone has access to great olive oil, gets paid, and us here in Calabria? We still have some of the best olive oil in the country right in our backyards, only we get it fresh from the press. Win, win, win, right Joe of Italyville?
Well, for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to have neighbors who gift you their Calabrian olive oil, how would you like to get some of the good stuff straight from the source delivered right to your door?
Recently through Facebook, I met Vincenzo Cossari, who was born here in Badolato but has been living and working in Milan for years; after we exchanged the usual “to which family do you belong” info (and we figured out he went to school with one of P’s sisters), he sent me a link to his family’s website through which they sell organically produced Calabrian extra-virgin olive oil right here in Badolato:
Cossari Extravergine Olio di Oliva Biologico
Especially for you foodies out there, I highly suggest trying out true Calabrian olive oil at least once in your life (trust me, you’ll want more). Not only is it great for preserving fish, eggplant, mushrooms, and any number of vegetables, it’s the absolute best for preserving our beloved peperoncino.
Use this year’s oil fresh on salads and last year’s oil for frying, and you’ll soon find out why, if given the choice, most Calabrians avoid the stores and go straight to the presses for their olive oil.
If you like what you see at the Cossari website, be sure to contact Vincenzo, who speaks perfect English, at vcossari(at)hotmail(dot)it or through the contact form on the site, and let him know I sent you.
And soon you, too, can be enjoying this wonderful sapore di Calabria in the comfort of your own home.
P.S. Yes, the first photo shows olive oil in a vinegar bottle (aceto means vinegar in Italian for those who don’t know). This is because we often receive olive oil in large five liter bidoni so we transfer it to smaller, emptied out bottles for ease of pouring. Reduce, reuse, recycle baby!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy olive oil?
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Green Beans, Pancetta, and Potatoes
This week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday recipe screams summer because of the gorgeous fresh fagiolini (green beans) that star in the dish; a more hearty version of this basic combo can be found at my recipe for Pork, Green Beans, and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce.
Now, before we get started, if you think you don’t like green beans, please find some fresh ones. Trust me, they have nothing to do with canned green beans (to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of those either). As with any beans, they take a little prep work (washing, snapping off the ends, and blanching), but they are *so* worth it.
We didn’t grow our own fagiolini this year, but we will definitely give it a go next year. The beans used in this recipe, of course, are locally grown though. And if you’re curious as to what *is* going on in our garden, check out our:
Lettuce/lattuga:
Onions/cipolle:
The cucumbers and tomatoes are ripening as I type! Yay!
OK, the recipe. Traditionally instead of the pancetta, the Badolatese would use “carne salata,” spicy, salty lard particular to here; (luckily) we didn’t have any, so we substituted pancetta, and it worked great. You can use cubed ham if you’re short on pancetta.
Green Beans, Pancetta, and Potatoes
Fagiolini con pancetta e patate
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Half kilo (about a pound) of fresh green beans
- One medium onion, diced
- 100 grams (about 1/4 pound) of pancetta, cubed
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks or cubed (your choice)
- Salt to taste
1. Wash beans and snap (or snip) off ends.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, then drop in beans for about 3-5 minutes until they are bright green but still rather al dente. Many say to then drop them into a waiting bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, but I never do–they’re always fine, and I save myself another dish to wash. You just have to get used to when to take them out, that’s all.
3. Put about five tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium. When the oil is hot, add the onions and let saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add pancetta to pan, again letting it saute for a couple minutes, then add potatoes and mix together.
5. The potatoes will take the longest to cook, of course, so let this mixture cook for about 15-25 minutes–depends on how large your potato chunks are.
6. Add the green beans and some salt and mix everything together. Let cook for another 10 minutes or so, stirring and adding water if it gets a bit dry. The dish is ready when the potatoes and beans are cooked to your satisfaction. Be sure to adjust for salt.
7. Serve hot with bread–or eat leftover cold the next day as a salad. YUM!
Buon appetito!
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Ricotta Fresca
Ricotta fresca (fresh ricotta) is one of my most favorite foods in the whole world.
Our kids Pasqualina and Margherita aren’t old enough to breed and make milk yet, but I’m really looking forward to the day when we can make our own ricotta…because I’m pretty sure the only thing better than fresh ricotta is fresh ricotta made by your own two hands. I’ll keep you posted!
One great way to enjoy fresh ricotta is spread on bread–especially if both are warm–and for this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday, I’m sharing three of my other favorite ways to enjoy fresh ricotta:
*Breakfast of Campioni*
Ricotta, Strawberries, Bananas, and Honey
This is definitely one of my favorite spring treats. Feel free to use kiwi and other favorite fruits if you got ‘em!
*Fast, Easy, Delicious Lunch or Dinner*
Spaghetti with Ricotta
Sometimes also called Pasta alla Pastora (Shepherd’s Style), all we do is toss cooked, salted pasta with fresh ricotta. You can add grated cheese, parsley, and hot pepper, but trust me, this is fabulous with just the ricotta.
*Scrumptious Dessert*
Gina DePalma’s Ricotta Pound Cake
Remember when I made this a couple years ago? It’s still one of my favorite cakes, and you can find the recipe here. Yum!
Have you had fresh ricotta?
What’s your favorite way to enjoy it?
The Four Seasons in Calabria
A while back, NYC/Caribbean Ragazza asked about my favorite season in Calabria.
Every time I started to write a response, I kept thinking of reasons why I liked another season, so here is why I love all le quattro stagioni in Calabria (hey, they’re more than just concertos or pizza toppings!):
Primavera
What is not to love about Spring?
The days are getting longer and the sun is shining more, which means perfect conditions for long walks with the dogs (and now with the kid) and just sitting outside, reading, taking photos, and generally enjoying the fresh air.
After all the rain and wind of winter, it’s always so wonderful to get out for long stretches of time, drinking in the sunshine and enjoying the deep blues of the sky and the sea contrasted against the green grass and yellow flowers sprouting up everywhere.
I just love when Spring is springing in Calabria!
L’estate
I’ll admit that the Summer is probably my least favorite of the seasons here because it can (and does) get *so* stinking hot, but it’s still a great time to be in Calabria.
I’m not much of a beach person, but it *is* rather nice to have the option so close.
And I especially appreciate summer evenings when the stars are twinkling bright overhead and the moonlight leads the way.
And since we do live in stone, brick, and tile houses, certain rooms can provide a bit of respite from the most debilitating heat—usually the bedroom as Calabrians were smart to put them on the bottom floors.
L’autunno
I’m a Fall baby, so I’ve always loved the crisp air and changing leaves, but in Calabria, it also brings much needed and desired rain–and I happen to be a huge fan of rain.
Also, since I’ve spent the majority of my years going back to school in the Fall, right around September, I get recharged and remotivated to look back on what I had planned for the year, evaluate how far I’ve come, and decide how much I still have to do.
I also get inspired to get back into the kitchen after the scorching summer months, and that always energizes me (and my stomach) as well.
L’inverno
Some people don’t enjoy Calabria in the Winter because it seems so, well, dead as there are few tourists around compared to the rest of the year. Me?
I *love* the quiet that comes not only from the lack of people but also from the lack of construction in the village.
Can’t work on houses in the rain and wind!
And of course, since it gets dark so early, every evening has a fighting chance to be an intimate one, sitting by the fire with a glass a wine, P, the pooches, and a good movie or book.
I’m a homebody at heart, and Winter gives me the perfect excuse to indulge.
What’s your favorite season where you live and why?
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
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