Narrations, anecdotes, talks about food, and short stories of a lesser known Italy by SeveDB
After All About Pasta I thought it was a good thing to look up the other famous “Made in Italy”, his majesty the Olive Oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the most common seasoning on Italian tables. Italy is one of the biggest producers of olive oil; a market worth about 2 billion euros, thanks […]
Scallops or Capesante The word “scallop” applies to the meat of the bivalves, the adductor muscle, that is sold as seafood. In Italy are known as Capesante (Holy Shells), or Conchiglia di San Giacomo (St. James Shell). The “Gonad” which is that round coral-orange semicircle next to the adductor muscle, is white for male and […]
There was a popular restaurant in Washington, DC that served an appetizer called “Grilled Squid Over Creamy Polenta.” I used to love it, unfortunately the restaurant eventually closed. But I had eaten there often enough to know that dish quite well and I thought it wasn’t too difficult to make at home. So I did, […]
“Made in Italy” No, not really. Pasta the symbol of the food and wine tradition of Italy, is not truly “Made in Italy,” not all of it at least. In 2018 the pasta market underwent many changes; from new laws, to public opinion protestations, to agreements between the major players in the sector. Last February, […]
Well yes, the artichoke can be intimidating, and it requires a little dextrity in both preparing it and eating. But the rewards are great. I was always a little perplexed that in the East Coast artichokes were so little known, while in California, if you travel from Monterey down south there are fields and fields […]
Well, after my “Rise and Shine in Orange” this had to come! I confess I was a bit dubious about it when I first considered the idea of a risotto with such an ingredient. But then why not? I had seen other audacious pairings in the past, it was worth giving it a try. And […]
What in winter makes me get up with [a little more] enthusiasm is the morning freshly squeezed juice. Besides the very well-known Navel oranges, in Italy we have the oranges from Sicily that are excellent. Besides oranges, tangerines (here called Mandarines) and kumquats, we also have the fantastic, sweet-scented Bergamot. Bergamot A freshly squeezed Bergamot […]
The name may be misleading, because these are not the typical “gnocchi” made from potatoes. These elegant dish is called Gnocchi Roman Style, or more appropriately “Semolina Gnocchi” because that is what they are in fact. Semolina Flour This flour looks like the yellow corn flour used for polenta, but it isn’t. However, this flour […]
Let’s talk about the nutritional properties and the different uses of this elegant vegetable! The fennel is a very versatile autumn/winter vegetable. Fennel is available from November to March; it contains few calories and many mineral salts, and vitamin A. Its characteristic taste is determined by the anethole: an aromatic compound widely found in nature, […]
Risotto is a frendly dish. Once learned the basics (click here for risotto), many other ingredients can be added, often leading to splendid results. Sometimes a little creativity and daring can be very rewarding. This risotto has an unusual addition to the main ingredients. It may sound a little brow-raising at first. But the apple […]
