Archive for the ‘food’ Category
Top Ten Signs You’re Addicted to Nutella
***Be sure to check out NutellaDay.com for the most up-to-date info!***
World Nutella Day is *tomorrow*, so I hope your Nutella posts are being polished! If you need some ideas, be sure to check out today’s post at Ms Adventures in Italy: Nutella Virgin? 50 Ways to Eat Nutella and Nutella Lover Types!
In lieu of a traditional What’s Cooking Wednesday this week, I’m celebrating Nutella for *two* days, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to whip something up for tomorrow by:
The Top Ten Signs You’re Addicted to Nutella
10. When your significant other asks if you want to spoon, you say “Sure!” and reach for the Nutella jar.
9. Your drinking glasses consist entirely of old Nutella containers.
8. You’ve never looked at the caloric content of Nutella and don’t plan on doing so.
7. Your afternoon snack is Nutella hot chocolate, Nutella on bread, and a chaser of a few spoonfuls of Nutella straight from the jar.
6. When invited to someone’s house, your only question is, “Will there be Nutella?”
5. Some people see things as they are and ask, “Why?” You dream of things that never were and ask, “Why not with Nutella?”
4.You’ve never met any food item that didn’t pair well with Nutella.
3. You carry around small snack packets of Nutella with you at all times in case you need a hit.
2.When faced with moral dilemmas, you ask “What would Nutella do?”
And the number one sign you’re a Nutella addict:
1. You have written to President Obama begging him to change his famous line to “We will extend a hand if you are willing to pass the Nutella jar.”
Be sure to check out the rules for participation in World Nutella Day here–we’re looking forward to lots of fabulous entries!
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Carciofi/Artichokes
One of my favorite food discoveries here in southern Italy has been the artichoke. Yes, I had eaten them a few times in the States, but, while tasty enough, they just weren’t something I sought out.
Now I very much look forward to artichokes appearing at the market, which they are starting to do now, and I’d like to tell you about them for this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday.
These flowers of a silvery-leafed plant can be quite a bit of work depending on how you prepare them, but before we get to my favorite artichoke recipe, let’s talk more about the ‘chokes.
History of Artichokes
Carciofi originated in Sicily, where they grow wild, as they do in Calabria, and *wow* are those good!
In the 15th century, Napolitans cultivated them, and artichokes soon made their way to the Medici dinner table in Florence, where they were an instant favorite.
Choosing, Buying, and Storing Artichokes
You want artichokes that have tightly packed leaves and healthy, colorful tips–if they’re browning, that ‘choke is on its way out. If you can get them still attached to the stem, do so, as they’ll stay fresh longer (you can also peel, cook, and eat the stems as well).
To store artichokes with stems, put them in a vase with water like a flower arrangement–move over Martha Stewart! Look at my Artichoke Centerpiece!
If you can’t get them with stems, wrap the artichokes in plastic wrap and keep them in your crisper. They should last a couple days, but do try to use them as quickly as possible.
Cleaning Artichokes
Regardless of how you’ll cook them, the procedure for cleaning artichokes is the same. Snap off the stalk and tear off tough, outer leaves. Rub them with lemon to avoid discoloration and/or put them in a bowl with lemon slices.
You’ll then have to boil them, either whole or in wedges for about 30 minutes for large artichokes or 15 minutes or so for smaller ones.
Be sure to remove the hairy choke inside before serving or stuffing.
Artichoke Recipes
Artichokes can be eaten raw (the tiny, tender ones), braised with olive oil, parsley, and garlic, or stuffed with any number of fillings.
My favorite?
A great dish typical of Calabria that starts with the braising as described above and incorporates eggs, breadcrumbs, and lots of grated parmesan cheese:
I’ve given you the recipe before for Pasta with Artichokes and Eggs, but you might have missed it, and I promise you, it’s too good to miss. It’s one of my all time favorite Calabrian dishes.
Do you like artichokes?
How do you prepare them?
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Pork, Italian Green Beans, and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
This week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday recipe is one of my all-time favorites from childhood, i.e., comfort food at its finest. It’s so comforting that I made my mom make it while she was here in June, and this *so* isn’t a warm weather dish.
In fact, Pork, Italian Green Beans, and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce is a great stick-to-your-ribs-meat-and-potatoes meal that you could even throw in a crock pot if you’re a crock pot user.
And if you’re not into the meat thing, I have a feeling this would still be pretty tasty without the pork and with more veggies thrown in.
If you can’t get fresh beans, you can use canned green beans or string beans as well but they won’t need to be cooked nearly as long.
I don’t know of a snappier name than “Pork, Italian Green Beans, and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce” but since it so accurately represents the dish, I’m sticking with it.
Pork, Italian Green Beans, and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound of pork ribs (or other cut on the bone)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large can and 1 small can of tomatoes
- 4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 pound green beans, washed with ends snapped off
- A few basil leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1. Parboil beans by bringing water to a boil in a large pot and then adding the beans, letting them cook for about four minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan and brown meat on all sides, remove from pan, and set aside. For great tips on browning meat (including why we do it), see Miss Vickie’s How to Brown Meat.
3. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent.
4. Add tomatoes.
5. Put meat back in the pan and add potatoes and green beans.
6. Add basil and salt.
7. Let simmer for an hour to an hour and a half until meat is cooked and tender.
8. Just a few minutes before you take the pan off the heat, add parmesan cheese and mix through.
9. Serve hot with fresh Italian bread.
Buon appetito!
World Nutella Day 2009 & Italian-Style Hot Chocolate with Nutella
It’s that time of year again…time to celebrate the wonder that is Nutella with World Nutella Day!
For those who don’t know, Nutella is more than just a “chocolaty hazelnut spread,” it is a way of life.
From childhood memories to oozing hot crepes, from breakfasts on vacation to free-spooning sessions on the couch, Nutella is prominent in the memories of many children and grown-up children in the world.
Two years ago we gave it its own holiday, and this year we’re continuing the tradition.
Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso (and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit) solemnly declare Thursday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2009″ – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.
How to participate:
(Please read carefully because the rules are a bit different from previous years)
- Do something, anything with Nutella. Make a recipe, take a picture of yourself eating it with a BIG spoon, make art, wax poetic, re-live your first experience eating Nutella. Have a Nutella-eating contest or even a Nutella party!
- Take pictures and/or upload a video then blog about it ON February 5th, 2009. In your blog post, include links to Ms. Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso, and World Nutella Day as well as the World Nutella Day 2009 badge/button (below). Please try to post ON FEBRUARY 5 so that we can create a true chocolaty hazelnut wave across the blogosphere on World Nutella Day!
- Email nutelladay [at] nutelladay [dot] com with the subject “Nutella Day Entry” and include:
- Your Name
- Your Blog’s Name
- Your Blog’s URL
- Your Post URL/Permalink
- One 100×100 pixel photo
We will post the round-up of all submission on Monday, February 9, 2009, but in the meantime, please feel free to post this announcement on your blog to spread the word!
And if you want to use an organic or other type of Nutella substitute, go for it! It’s all about the chocolate and hazelnut love!
Be sure to also add your photos to the Nutella Day Flickr Pool and your videos to the YouTube Nutella Day Station. You can also join the World Nutella Day Facebook group and follow @NutellaDay on Twitter!
Check out the last two years of World Nutella Days for inspiration:
And now to kick things off, I’m going to share my latest Nutella creation, Italian-style Hot Chocolate with Nutella.
I’ve written about Cioccolata Calda over at Italy Magazine, so do have a look if you don’t know what I mean by “Italian-style hot chocolate” (and see a great instructional video on how to make your own at home).
Let’s just say Italian hot chocolate isn’t watery, more syrupy, even pudding-y if you like it that way. Ilva of Lucullian Delights also has a great recipe for dense hot chocolate.
The recipe below is something simple that I whipped up the other day. You can add cocoa and/or espresso powder, a cinnamon stick, some vanilla, even peanut butter, but this is the basic recipe and technique. And it’s *so* good.
Italian-Style Hot Chocolate with Nutella
– 1 cup of milk
– 3 tablespoons flour or cornstarch
– 3 tablespoons Nutella
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together flour and milk and heat through, being sure to get out any lumps.
2. Add Nutella and bring to a boil, stirring to get the consistency you like. If you want it thicker, add more flour or cornstarch; if you want it thinner, add milk and use less thickener next time.
3. Pour into your favorite mug (yes, mine is a Nutella mug!), and enjoy with a spoon. Be careful as it’s very hot!
Buon appetito!
Now don’t forget to spread the word about World Nutella Day and get your recipes ready! And check out the rest of the What’s Cooking Wednesday recipes too!
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Purpette – Polpette – Meatballs
I have been blogging for over two years and I haven’t posted my grandmother’s meatball recipe? What’s that about?
It could be because we really don’t eat them very often here. As you may or may not have heard, even though it’s probably the most popular menu item in Italian restaurants abroad, Italians in Italy really don’t do the whole “spaghetti and meatballs” thing–and if they do, the meatball is huge and served as a second dish after the pasta. Usually.
I say usually because in my house, I make the meatballs much smaller, like my grandmother taught me, and we (yes, including P) eat them right alongside the pasta–just like I love them. But only if they’re homemade.
When I was in the States, you see, I never, ever ordered meatballs in an Italian restaurant because I knew I wouldn’t like them; fellow diners would get them, I’d try a bite, and nope. Never like my grandmother’s.
If you’ve never made meatballs (polpette in Italian; purpette in Calabrese), trust me–they really *are* worth your time, and they don’t actually take too much effort to make, especially once you’re past the stage of measuring anything, which I’ve been for many years. I used to be the meatball mixer and roller with my grandmother on Saturday nights after church, and some things just stick with you, you know?
I’ll never forget how cold my hands would get while digging into the mixture. My grandmother used to run warm water over them when I’d complain too much, but then I was right back to work.
So below is my grandmother’s recipe for this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday. Measurements are extremely approximate, but they are the ones she gave me way back when, and now they are yours.
Mangia mangia!
Meatballs – Polpette – Purpette
- 1/2 lb ground veal
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoons onion powder or 1 onion very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 large clove of garlic very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- olive oil (for frying)
1. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and combine until the mixture sticks together.
2. Roll into golf-ball sized balls.
3. Fry in hot oil, turning with a wooden spoon until all sides are browned.
4. Add to sauce of your choice and let simmer for at least fifteen minutes to be sure the meat inside is cooked.
Buon appetito!
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.
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