tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49543680246250262622024-03-12T18:24:29.357-07:00FLAVORS OF ROMEA side dish of www.flavorsofrome.comCarol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-44300092717987553042010-08-15T18:49:00.000-07:002010-08-15T18:49:10.050-07:00EAT PRAY LOVE: All In One Place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZZNtbcoSX1KWMOV_7KxjDz92TgjwGRoEpIzRt1FeBTPoEsrP8v3aoPeRsK50kLnc_UV9ixuUu2HJouLLNbgRY0KzzRaGNwHgxnAHWoO1lDZe5fQPZDcBm9_55z1Hz_0uPkE4yRac8Yg2/s1600/IMG_0013_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZZNtbcoSX1KWMOV_7KxjDz92TgjwGRoEpIzRt1FeBTPoEsrP8v3aoPeRsK50kLnc_UV9ixuUu2HJouLLNbgRY0KzzRaGNwHgxnAHWoO1lDZe5fQPZDcBm9_55z1Hz_0uPkE4yRac8Yg2/s320/IMG_0013_2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="buttonheading"> <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/index.php?option=com_mailto&tmpl=component&link=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mbGF2b3Jzb2Zyb21lLmNvbS9pbmRleC5waHA/b3B0aW9uPWNvbV9jb250ZW50JnZpZXc9YXJ0aWNsZSZpZD0xNDQ6ZWF0LXByYXktbG92ZSZjYXRpZD0zNCZJdGVtaWQ9NTU=" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="E-mail"><img alt="E-mail" original="/images/M_images/emailButton.png" src="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/images/M_images/emailButton.png" /></a>Julia Roberts goes to Rome, and then all the way to India and Bali. I never got that far.<a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/"> I did it all in Rome.</a></div><br />
I loved Elizabeth Gilbert's book. We even had mutual friends in Rome - Depression and Loneliness. Like her they followed me around, sat next to me in restaurants, and often spent the night.<br />
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But that's not how it began. In the early days of my love affair with Rome, I didn't know those guys. Back then, 18 years ago, I was Donna Reed (or Carol Brady if you don't remember back that far), traveling with husband and daughters, the Griswolds doing Italy.<br />
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More than the David, the gondola rides, and the Colosseum, more than anything, my first meal in Rome (ordered by Roman friends- I knew nothing about Italian food back then) ignited a fire that kept pulling me back to Italy- to eat and to learn all I could about this spectacular cuisine in the land of my grandparents.<br />
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And when the earthquake hit, when the walls collapsed around my snug little world...<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flavors-Rome-Presents-Restaurants-ebook/dp/B003VIWORU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1279112900&sr=8-1">the food of Italy kept me alive.</a>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-27848496729511414612010-06-21T09:06:00.000-07:002010-06-21T09:15:40.914-07:00ZUCCHINI SEASON???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Egp8fqyFNZBQJhGhl5ks7FWGD6yVkiQRWxf0ceG6_-YZPfwX_-rTnYnsfBY2r46GcArFrM_6L1cjEp1dH3Toga5Ckfal8b4G6zjaguX5FvrhcmWexePH8k9-4E4Jx8Q-FWVVIpwvs2ch/s1600/IMG_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Egp8fqyFNZBQJhGhl5ks7FWGD6yVkiQRWxf0ceG6_-YZPfwX_-rTnYnsfBY2r46GcArFrM_6L1cjEp1dH3Toga5Ckfal8b4G6zjaguX5FvrhcmWexePH8k9-4E4Jx8Q-FWVVIpwvs2ch/s200/IMG_0163.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> Of course, zucchini are available all over the world throughout the year. So why are my Roman friends all atwitter (in the old sense of the word) over zucchini now?<br />
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Well, there is such a thing in Italy as zucchini season - just like artichoke season, fava season, or porcini season - and in Rome it's happening right now. This versatile vegetable, all grown up naturally on its own without the help of hothouses or other artificial agricultural measures, takes center stage at the Roman markets for at least a few more weeks.<br />
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Although I'm not in Rome now, but here in Florida, I'm remembering a dish prepared for me by a Roman chef. So in honor of him and the zucchini, I offer the following recipe.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">LINGUINE CON SCAMPI & ZUCCHINI</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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3 T olive oil<br />
1 # shrimp<br />
1 large garlic clove diced<br />
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped<br />
2 medium zucchini, about 2 cups diced<br />
1 1/2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes<br />
1 small chili pepper (peperoncino) or red pepper flakes, to taste<br />
Salt to taste<br />
1 # linguine<br />
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Place large pot of water on stove to boil.<br />
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Wash, peel, and de-vein shrimp. Chop about half of the shrimp into small bits.<br />
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Combine and toss chopped shrimp, parsley, and garlic.<br />
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Place olive oil in wide bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. <br />
Add cubed zucchini, tossing to coat. <br />
When almost soft, add tomatoes, stir for a few minutes. Add salt. <br />
Then add chopped shrimp, parsley and peperoncino. Cook and stir so shrimp doesn’t stick, over medium heat. <br />
At the very end of the process, add whole shrimp, turning from side to side quickly so they don’t overcook. Check for salt. <br />
In the meantime, add salt to pot of boiling water (adding salt to cold water slows down the boiling time), and cook linguine to al dente stage. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.<br />
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Add linguine to sauce in skillet and stir to completely coat with sauce, adding pasta water as necessary. NOTE: Be careful to not add all the pasta immediately. You want the linguine to remain silky and not soak up all the sauce even with the addition of the pasta water. <br />
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Plate and place several whole shrimp on each portion, sprinkle with more chopped parsley, and serve.<br />
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Buon appetito!Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-69801646394353311002010-05-31T19:17:00.000-07:002010-05-31T19:17:24.076-07:00PASTA E CECI: Hot & Cold<div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Romans love their <i>pasta e ceci</i> so much they’ve figured out a way to make this cold weather comfort food work for them in the heat of the summer. They call it <i>pasta e ceci freddo</i>, the exact same dish served, well, not exactly cold, but at room temperature.</span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa5rrKM2X7bccxYXnv9vfTNZbpH57QXarN08W2iyMUYd81fQWsc-YTMFJ8wDpAJhhR-M9TLVzCq_-zLep7SH-ChNMQ6J4FjPCOq8vhh5c5oB-I4Gmh-Cc50GXIEum9DXmrmSvWViWvxqX/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa5rrKM2X7bccxYXnv9vfTNZbpH57QXarN08W2iyMUYd81fQWsc-YTMFJ8wDpAJhhR-M9TLVzCq_-zLep7SH-ChNMQ6J4FjPCOq8vhh5c5oB-I4Gmh-Cc50GXIEum9DXmrmSvWViWvxqX/s320/IMG_1140.JPG" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">With that in mind, one very hot day here in Florida, I decided to ignore the 90 degree temperature outside and cooked up a pot of this classic Roman soup using the bag of ceci I had just brought back from Rome.</span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">At the end though I set the AC at 65, threw on a jacket, and ate it steaming hot. The next day - because it really does get better as it sits - I just took the chill off in the microwave, topped with a dollop of olive oil and a few spoons of grated parmigiano-reggiano, and found the flavors to be even more intense and satisfying in this mildly warm state.</span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 14.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Call them ceci, chickpeas, or garbanzos, if you look at these little legumes (or pulses) closely and use some imagination, you'll see that they resemble little ram heads which is how they got their Latin name, cicer arietinum, from aries, meaning ram.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">If you're not going to Italy any time soon, you can order exceptional Umbrian chickpeas (they really are better than what you'll find in your grocery store) at <a href="http://www.gustiamo.com/cgi-bin/front_end/prodotto?id=25895">Gustiamo</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">PASTA E CECI</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">(pasta and chickpea soup)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 cups dried chickpeas</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 large garlic cloves, one whole, one minced</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 anchovy fillets, minced (optional)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2-3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 cup canned plum tomatoes, chopped</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">8 oz. (or slightly less) dried pasta (spaghetti broken in pieces or quadrucci)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 chili pepper (peperoncini) (optional)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">salt to taste</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Parmigiano-reggiano</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cover chick peas with cold water and baking soda and soak 8 to 12 hours.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Drain and rinse chickpeas. Put chickpeas in large pot with about 6 quarts water and one whole garlic clove. After it comes to a boil, lower heat, partially cover and cook until tender, about 2 hours. Drain chickpeas and reserve the cooking water for later.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Puree about 3/4 cup of the cooked chickpeas.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Return pot to stove, add olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, and minced anchovies and saute gently over medium heat, being careful not to burn - about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and one cup of cooking water. Add the peperoncino and a few teaspoons salt to taste and cook until tomatoes are softened, about 15 minutes.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Add chickpeas, the pureed chickpeas, and enough cooking water to just cover the ingredients. Stir occasionally while cooking for about another 15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook only until it becomes al dente. Check for salt, adding more if necessary.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Pour into individual serving bowls, top each portion with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and grated parmigiano-reggiano to taste.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This soup is even better the second day - or even the third - hot or cold.</span></div></span></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-43098712538199834302010-05-04T07:43:00.000-07:002010-05-04T07:47:00.923-07:00A Sicilian Import: Filippo La Mantia at the Hotel Majestic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA_XSblGhjpn_05d7VDUF55SqSvxoRYwEcmx_pmyimeME6yqMATZqSWSZyCJLHig9s2_UO3fExmQoc6V1j34eX8dquIgN5Lza_gv-AlhBep7n2Za5gBEPZD1i8ArAaKg8oI-yQqcFDJwb/s1600/IMG_5355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA_XSblGhjpn_05d7VDUF55SqSvxoRYwEcmx_pmyimeME6yqMATZqSWSZyCJLHig9s2_UO3fExmQoc6V1j34eX8dquIgN5Lza_gv-AlhBep7n2Za5gBEPZD1i8ArAaKg8oI-yQqcFDJwb/s320/IMG_5355.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Ingredients are Sicilian (minus garlic and onions), ambience is modern hotel elegance, buffet lunch an ensamble of <a href="http://www.rome-hotels-majestic.com/la_mantia.htm">Chef Filippo La Mantia's</a> own creations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5a3Zy_yXIQN5u_Bafd7haE1OLujQeUcwdoSfPmhfbhQh_OSXrnja2SY7jD1brGh3iYwCP55uSZ2b_QK1_54MmsoxPKWSsMHshJQdjbo75plLrfKwiKQr8Plz1S0tSs2KgGzoO6CA8HSz/s1600/IMG_5363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5a3Zy_yXIQN5u_Bafd7haE1OLujQeUcwdoSfPmhfbhQh_OSXrnja2SY7jD1brGh3iYwCP55uSZ2b_QK1_54MmsoxPKWSsMHshJQdjbo75plLrfKwiKQr8Plz1S0tSs2KgGzoO6CA8HSz/s200/IMG_5363.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>While Lo Chef and Raul Bova (star of Under the Tuscan Sun) were chatting by the window, Susan Van Allen (author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go) and I, unfazed by such luminosity, had one of everything.<br />
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Here a seasonal favorite, and on the menu of almost every <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">restaurant in Rome</a> at this time of year, fava beans presented as a thick luscious soup.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoWqRvxanGVL968_m6npW8mgcQvhipuK67YYruaX8qoJHZ4M-ODJeOxNSjuBZqT6Y4qpXpb42ly2-ehqt7EmcicjqIa3wX-6vxOoWAweUnJKhcno4bOcSJFYL0C6a_njXZ1jiDcwmdW-8/s1600/IMG_5361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoWqRvxanGVL968_m6npW8mgcQvhipuK67YYruaX8qoJHZ4M-ODJeOxNSjuBZqT6Y4qpXpb42ly2-ehqt7EmcicjqIa3wX-6vxOoWAweUnJKhcno4bOcSJFYL0C6a_njXZ1jiDcwmdW-8/s320/IMG_5361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Sicilian desserts truly take the cake in my book for best Italian dolci. On my plate - and it was all mine -torte di mele (apple cake), strawberry frappe, cream of pistachio (consistency of pudding), a true cannolo, and then the mini cassata - veramente la ciliegina sulla torta.<br />
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Now I can only imagine what it must be like in the evening for dinner.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-60880808501875235402010-04-28T04:00:00.000-07:002010-04-28T04:00:56.429-07:00CARAVAGGIO AT QUIRINALE - And MeThough not from Rome, Caravaggio, who spent much of his life and achieved his status as an artist here, belongs to Rome.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQECsvfRtfdh_9nh5kpl3HIfD0Kti-xxLWlfk9mRGQ-Tmf-Fchh4LpbxVYAngVm8Zz77ee9rQL_e6SiDO4eIiRwUm9rJ4cDzr6xN-fgIFV_gOUrDgVsoNiLDcUCkmcE6jMEa6m0Rvcnmuy/s1600/DownloadedFile.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQECsvfRtfdh_9nh5kpl3HIfD0Kti-xxLWlfk9mRGQ-Tmf-Fchh4LpbxVYAngVm8Zz77ee9rQL_e6SiDO4eIiRwUm9rJ4cDzr6xN-fgIFV_gOUrDgVsoNiLDcUCkmcE6jMEa6m0Rvcnmuy/s200/DownloadedFile.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>This exceptional exhibit at the Scuderie del Quirinale brings it all together: his ground-breaking use of light, the intensity in those faces and bodies which seem to strain to break off the canvas, his ability to take a scene such as the Annunciation or the Supper at Emmaus painted by artists before him many times over, and bring it to another dimension. Once seen, never forgotten.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvt6TjmdGIJTHbU_5nfOksonkVkBodbS30uyHGksPq6-9fAfNU6aCUd3KjZUUC-6WcNWv3z1MTZbs2u_F8ySZpqAMtqWq-VyxhzmxznG2NlvJvOC3uz83qS5n5xMwpQZe4kSpzry7OQ7VI/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvt6TjmdGIJTHbU_5nfOksonkVkBodbS30uyHGksPq6-9fAfNU6aCUd3KjZUUC-6WcNWv3z1MTZbs2u_F8ySZpqAMtqWq-VyxhzmxznG2NlvJvOC3uz83qS5n5xMwpQZe4kSpzry7OQ7VI/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The story goes that Caravaggio once was arrested over a plate of artichokes that weren't prepared to his liking. Whether he threw them at the waiter or smashed them in his face, police records verify the incident.<br />
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I know exactly how he must have felt. Though never having resorted to violence, I've often sulked when my <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/articles.php">Roman artichokes</a> weren't just perfectly done.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-81535651718108111622010-04-25T13:42:00.000-07:002010-04-25T13:42:50.885-07:00FLAVIO AL VELAVEVODETTO: DINNER IN A DUMPMany, many years ago, before re-cycling came into being, ancient Rome solved the problem of what to do with all those empty amphorae used to hold olive oil being brought into port. They dumped them in a heap which in time became a hill of about 135 feet. Flavio al Velavevodetto is built right into one side of this mountain of crockery, visible through a panel of glass.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZznucDYJGQI-Ri35pPOAUFtbkqTVHrqBpz9O3xN-A21EriD1nTDndiZ4EF69ZcNIQ0yDYyGfBjrv8RktHeg6VuT1bcnyrrpWkSCsHIk-YNQZ-B-h7YzFVPaZCT95qV1_b1u4OkJ87Kzo/s1600/IMG_5061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZznucDYJGQI-Ri35pPOAUFtbkqTVHrqBpz9O3xN-A21EriD1nTDndiZ4EF69ZcNIQ0yDYyGfBjrv8RktHeg6VuT1bcnyrrpWkSCsHIk-YNQZ-B-h7YzFVPaZCT95qV1_b1u4OkJ87Kzo/s200/IMG_5061.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w9J_foPyUm63mW928tcI0uIkLanbjCDwrYkQQmr7lbjZLcMxbW3q-BiffcmgFrNnBmnFZkbJoJSpyi9LEBoTabLq0f-rgliYLmnam96b_3duFcXJLplr3BwowjFIYrkvjzqjU51vZpOt/s1600/IMG_5052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w9J_foPyUm63mW928tcI0uIkLanbjCDwrYkQQmr7lbjZLcMxbW3q-BiffcmgFrNnBmnFZkbJoJSpyi9LEBoTabLq0f-rgliYLmnam96b_3duFcXJLplr3BwowjFIYrkvjzqjU51vZpOt/s200/IMG_5052.JPG" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w9J_foPyUm63mW928tcI0uIkLanbjCDwrYkQQmr7lbjZLcMxbW3q-BiffcmgFrNnBmnFZkbJoJSpyi9LEBoTabLq0f-rgliYLmnam96b_3duFcXJLplr3BwowjFIYrkvjzqjU51vZpOt/s1600/IMG_5052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZznucDYJGQI-Ri35pPOAUFtbkqTVHrqBpz9O3xN-A21EriD1nTDndiZ4EF69ZcNIQ0yDYyGfBjrv8RktHeg6VuT1bcnyrrpWkSCsHIk-YNQZ-B-h7YzFVPaZCT95qV1_b1u4OkJ87Kzo/s1600/IMG_5061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But that's not the reason to come to this stylish up-scale trattoria. You come for the ravioli di primavera with fresh herbs, ricotta, and grape tomatoes, or the maialino arrosto con patate (baby piggy & mashed potatoes), and you finish with semifreddo with zabaglione and deep dark chocolate drizzles. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYKft9bMjaw7kDN3__g8c7AM4I2oAHguwG8IswR1fPJ01fKJZFY-Ay74IeNSYrMsKMPoi-DK-Om7zFzBtUga1Khzv1OQ3cxp-Mfv6PxyIfhyphenhyphenF1vgD2LCphaY0QF-tU8-SAod7TQgksux5/s1600/IMG_5069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYKft9bMjaw7kDN3__g8c7AM4I2oAHguwG8IswR1fPJ01fKJZFY-Ay74IeNSYrMsKMPoi-DK-Om7zFzBtUga1Khzv1OQ3cxp-Mfv6PxyIfhyphenhyphenF1vgD2LCphaY0QF-tU8-SAod7TQgksux5/s320/IMG_5069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And then after you figure out how to pronounce "velavevodetto" like a Roman, you tell your friends about it, and when they in turn thank you for giving such a <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">great recommendation</a>, you say " I told you so" which is, after all, more or less, the meaning of "velavevodetto".<br />
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FLAVIO AL VELAVEVODETTO, Via di Monte Testaccio 97/99, Rome, ph. 06 5756841<br />
<a href="http://www.flavioalvelavevodetto.com/">http://www.flavioalvelavevodetto.com/</a>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-72927924664135091472010-04-24T03:13:00.000-07:002010-04-24T03:13:51.339-07:00CUL DE SAC in Rome: Wine with a Side of Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41RPdTgfMhZJYDC1m1Z7V4DpdNa8NV-hMBfJgGTPzr8uyKmZCjS-G083HqHgDxLACUm2G9gqRbmgUqatumevwPiRi3YGGc7LB7HvN2BcIbhQyb15iUN-7VBKWyAMzBx9zmaDR-opjmICg/s1600/IMG_5043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41RPdTgfMhZJYDC1m1Z7V4DpdNa8NV-hMBfJgGTPzr8uyKmZCjS-G083HqHgDxLACUm2G9gqRbmgUqatumevwPiRi3YGGc7LB7HvN2BcIbhQyb15iUN-7VBKWyAMzBx9zmaDR-opjmICg/s320/IMG_5043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>What do you do in a walking city like Rome on a blustery rainy night? <br />
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You seek warmth and shelter and find comfort in a bowl of <i>zuppa di lenticchie </i>(lentil soup) at Enoteca Cul De Sac in Piazza di Pasquino. Pasquino is the most famous of Rome's "talking" statues placed around the city so disgruntled Romans could post their lamentations and outrages against authority, whether government or papal.<br />
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The food is good here, but the wine shines. Over 1500 bottles listed alphabetically by place of origin from all over the world. As busy as this place is, especially on a weekend, the staff are courteous and helpful with the selections. Our wine, a 20 euro bottle of Nebbiola Langhe, fortified us for puddle jumping back home.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_v505s1XXdCzpxVqi24ZTf_ZeCiI3KMjvtPZqzbb5dOH2L2alNKQnmIPdV_36BlCnxd6u-jK0oYwT-ZhblIWUVN8mKX6A8xWII_OJuDHHXzoF4xs4CHYNp1J_zgpani7UNgvzS4NwiBy/s1600/IMG_3715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_v505s1XXdCzpxVqi24ZTf_ZeCiI3KMjvtPZqzbb5dOH2L2alNKQnmIPdV_36BlCnxd6u-jK0oYwT-ZhblIWUVN8mKX6A8xWII_OJuDHHXzoF4xs4CHYNp1J_zgpani7UNgvzS4NwiBy/s200/IMG_3715.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>But before we did, we registered a complaint about this never-ending rain to Pasquino who will undoubtedly bring it to the attention of Zeus, whom every Roman knows is in total control of this kind of thing.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-38810256892359288122010-04-23T07:22:00.000-07:002010-04-23T07:22:29.721-07:00MY DATES IN ROME<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYRdsiYcW7yTynXfxxeUkczkbe7uaqH0b0SI8lTjqtlrWPPYteFNpNVDXh7taaivPdM1SfyIJ_iDUxX0jOR-t0_mbFEY3PjP3y-dCh66z7acPYiWXBbWg-I6_8UIsjOUHlpZrnVxoa78j/s1600/IMG_5009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYRdsiYcW7yTynXfxxeUkczkbe7uaqH0b0SI8lTjqtlrWPPYteFNpNVDXh7taaivPdM1SfyIJ_iDUxX0jOR-t0_mbFEY3PjP3y-dCh66z7acPYiWXBbWg-I6_8UIsjOUHlpZrnVxoa78j/s320/IMG_5009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I had planned to write about my dinner last night, but the restaurant - lauded by a major critic of <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">Roman food </a>- was painfully disappointing. And so because I can't say anything nice, I'll talk about tomatoes.<br />
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The best things in Rome, as in life, may not be free, but they can be very inexpensive. Purchased from the market in Campo de Fiori for a few euro, these little red gems called <i>datterini </i>(little dates) are sweeter than a bowl of M&Ms - and much better for you. So you can pop them down like pills all day long without guilt or regret.<br />
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Hard to imagine that something so identified with the food here were so scary to the Italians when they were first brought in from the New World - back in the days of Columbus. Thought to be poisonous, tomatoes were kept around solely for ornamental purposes. And then one day several hundred years later, one brave soul (no doubt intoxicated by that alluring fresh-tomato-in-the-garden smell) succumbed to temptation...and lived to digest it.<br />
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The rest, as they say, is culinary history.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-76644168467171725192010-04-22T06:42:00.000-07:002010-04-22T06:42:59.804-07:00VINO AT MIDNIGHTSo what do you do after a private nighttime tour of the Vatican where it was only your group of 20 and the Vatican guards? You don't want the evening to end, but it's too late for dinner and you don't want to break the mood with the sound of music in a club. <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">In Rome, </a>you head for your favorite wine bar.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6TXzXVY2Vfvwtks2-as4-f0_hEI6RkfXluY3OgjJ9vHTzszdPQ4c6uNmOZCfO98nwuTQC_MK3O7u63tCPe4sK6M8kazS-NefH6Ma1vlN3tGuOY9Ef5ShoX9Gpym0g1urXv7VberpBuS5/s1600/IMG_5004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6TXzXVY2Vfvwtks2-as4-f0_hEI6RkfXluY3OgjJ9vHTzszdPQ4c6uNmOZCfO98nwuTQC_MK3O7u63tCPe4sK6M8kazS-NefH6Ma1vlN3tGuOY9Ef5ShoX9Gpym0g1urXv7VberpBuS5/s320/IMG_5004.JPG" /></a></div>L'Angolo Divino, Via dei Balestrari, 12 (Campo de Fiori) is that place where Massimo, the always in attendance owner and sommelier, knows just what to pour. <br />
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And so we sat and relived it all: the Sistine Chapel sans the tourist crush, Raffaelo's School of Athens, the Laocoon, the Room of Muses, the incredibe Hall of Tapestries, the Belvedere Torso that inspired Michelangelo - all seen as though for the first time.<br />
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Our glasses were finally empty, but the memory lingers on.<br />
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he memories linger on.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-26295496561473075212010-04-13T06:17:00.000-07:002010-04-13T06:17:40.732-07:00TOP TEN FAVORITE THINGS IN ROMEWe're talking vegetables, of course. Very important to the Romans, and it should be to you as well if you're traveling there. Along with Caravaggio at the Quirinale, Bernini in Piazza Navona, Michelangelo at St. Peter's, nature's artwork, always on display in the Roman markets, belongs on your <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">must-see list</a>.<br />
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And what to look for? According to Chris Boswell, sous chef at the prestigious American Academy currently engaged in the Rome Sustainable Food Project, the Top Ten Roman Vegetables are:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTXnvuuinsjTp7o2C4aSBW6XEbpGDs6GOjhSW7WfNKCFmn1i8y19ZITiL3lV5Xz3KBbUBr0gkfgLp-BVfnmvJd9KkUXxttnEKymy2wTOF7ekqUa_0TKX7QoDTt79y60l3GAjoxjde4Ws3/s1600/IMG_4013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTXnvuuinsjTp7o2C4aSBW6XEbpGDs6GOjhSW7WfNKCFmn1i8y19ZITiL3lV5Xz3KBbUBr0gkfgLp-BVfnmvJd9KkUXxttnEKymy2wTOF7ekqUa_0TKX7QoDTt79y60l3GAjoxjde4Ws3/s320/IMG_4013.JPG" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px;">1) Carciofi—Artichokes </span><br />
<div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2) Puntarelle—Catalan Chicory</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">3) Finocchi—Fennel</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4) Funghi Porcini—Porcini Mushrooms</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">5) Broccoletti—Broccoli </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">6) Fave—Fava Beans</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">7) Cardi—Cardoons </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">8) Rughetta—Arugula</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">9) Sedano—Celery </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> 10)Asparagi Selvatici—Wild Aspargus</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Enjoy them at their seasonal best at your leisure in all their splendid variations in the market stalls and on your plate. </span></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-14245426080101532152010-03-16T07:55:00.000-07:002010-03-16T07:55:32.079-07:00SALTIMBOCCA ALLA ROMANA: A Composition of 3 IngredientsOK, so I was all snarky about <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1430193484#!/pages/FLAVORS-OF-ROME/96974178597?ref=ts">Mario Batali on the Today Show</a> doing a segment called Saltimbocca Alla Romana and then preparing 3 dishes that weren't. So here's the classic dish as it's been served all over Rome for decades, a simple composition of 3 main ingredients: veal, prosciutto, and sage. (One example of the <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">Flavors of Rome</a>.) Besides that you need butter, a little white wine, and toothpicks. <br />
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I learned how to make this dish in all its beautiful simplicity many years ago at the <a href="http://www.pepeverde.it/">Pepe Verde Cooking School</a> near the Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the challenge is finding top quality veal and proscuitto as well as fresh sturdy sage leaves. The toothpicks should be a snap.<br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Saltimbocca Alla Romana</b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Veal Scallops with Prosciutto and Sage</i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A classic Roman recipe, molto semplice, from Scuola di Cucina Pepe Verde, Rome. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">12 veal scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced thin and pounded (not paper thin however)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">12 slices thin prosciutto slices, trimmed a bit shorter in length than veal scallops</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">12 fresh sage leaves</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 tablespoons unsalted butter </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 dry white wine</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Compose veal bundles by laying a slice of prosciutto on top of each veal scallop, then top with sage leaf, and secure with a toothpick.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Melt butter in large non-stick skillet.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On high heat, place veal bundles sage side down for one minute and then turn on the other side for another minute. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Season with salt (unless prosciutto is salty) and pepper.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Lower heat to medium and cook until veal is lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Raise heat and add wine, scraping bottom and sides of pan, for about another minute.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Serves 6</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-29262075822920794842010-03-08T09:27:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:27:25.619-08:00ROMAN ARTICHOKES AS INSPIRATION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHbAplukJ1cjPv93JmTfAq_oTEF-q4x-C3NqV_rmuA2lOtDqxgE61A0O0vP_z3EOqZV0O1c1e7McymoEMbCAYvy-zKAT4qZM-yJBUTZZs-QDVJriAW9mLMdQm6oqoDS23BIqBwqnmYQSV/s1600-h/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHbAplukJ1cjPv93JmTfAq_oTEF-q4x-C3NqV_rmuA2lOtDqxgE61A0O0vP_z3EOqZV0O1c1e7McymoEMbCAYvy-zKAT4qZM-yJBUTZZs-QDVJriAW9mLMdQm6oqoDS23BIqBwqnmYQSV/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" /></a></div>Robert Browning probably never made it to Rome in March during all his years living in Italy. If he had, he would surely have eaten a Roman artichoke and then, forgetting all about England in springtime, would have written "Oh to be in Rome now that artichoke season is here."<br />
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I, on the other hand, have been in Rome for every artichoke season since 1996 - except for this year. I'm not happy, but I'm dealing with it. And hoping some late bloomers will still be around in April<br />
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My friends have been speculating for years as to why I go to Rome every March. Maybe I've been rendezvousing with a mysterious Italian lover (they'd be sick with jealousy), sneaking off to experience the rejuvenation powers of a thermal spa (they'd be jealous of this, too), or maybe reaffirming my faith at a Vatican-sponsored religious retreat (they'd probably question this one)? Love does play a role here, and I certainly do get a physical and spiritual boost, but the object of my passion happens to spring from the rich, humid earth of the Roman countryside. I go to Rome every March because artichokes are in season.<br />
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And a Roman artichoke, unlike a lover, never disappoints.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/articles.php">For more, including recipes...</a>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-35524633900907892742010-02-21T06:07:00.000-08:002010-02-21T06:07:31.112-08:00ABOUT PASTA ALLA NORMA - MOSTLY<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #646322; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px;">Romans aren't particularly crazy about change. <br />
<img align="right" alt="ARA PACIS 2" border="0" height="111" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.137" src="http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs080/1101390036130/img/137.jpg" width="266" /><br />
They've never quite gotten over architect Richard Meier's design for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ara Pacis </span>(the 13AD altar commemorating the triumphs of the Emperor Augustus), a contemporary intruder boldly positioned in the middle of Old Rome.<br />
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<img align="left" alt="Last Judgment" border="0" height="185" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.134" src="http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs080/1101390036130/img/134.jpg" title="Edit Image" width="170" /><br />
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And after more than 15 years, many Romans haven't yet warmed up to the transformation of the "newly" cleaned and brilliantly revealed <span style="font-weight: bold;">Michelangelo's Last Judgment </span>in the Sistine Chapel.<br />
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There was something comforting and familiar about those old murky colors with everyone writhing in hell.<br />
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So it follows that Romans are fiercely attached to their classic recipes and don't want you fooling around with things.<br />
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<img align="right" alt="Purple Eggplant" border="0" height="300" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.135" src="http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs080/1101390036130/img/135.jpg" title="Edit Image" width="400" /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pasta alla Norma</span> is not of Roman origin. But Romans have lovingly adopted it from its Sicilian roots, maybe because this dish makes such nice use of their full-flavored basil and their beloved multicolored eggplants. <br />
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Like Roman cuisine in general, <span style="font-weight: bold;">pasta alla Norma</span> is bold and lively, much like the indomitable plucky heroine of Bellini's opera <span style="font-weight: bold;">Norma</span> for which, some say, it was created. (Other theories are floating around on this subject. If you have one, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ncjq6jdab.0.0.cfpm4xbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpages%2FFLAVORS-OF-ROME%2F96974178597&id=preview" linktype="link" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">let's talk about it)</a><br />
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Please keep in mind the<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ncjq6jdab.0.0.cfpm4xbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flavorsofrome.com%2F&id=preview" linktype="link" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on"> first rule of Italian cooking:</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Use only the freshest and highest quality ingredients.</span> If the eggplant is spongy and brownish inside, if the basil is limp and lacks flavor, if your bottle of olive oil costs $1.98, go buy a steak and throw it on the grill instead.<br />
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But if you follow this primary rule along with<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Daniela Del Balzo</span>'s recipe (it's a simple dish, but you still have to have a plan), the result will be<span style="font-style: italic;"> spettacoloso. </span>You can read about Daniela and her cooking school in Rome at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ncjq6jdab.0.0.cfpm4xbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.astheitalianscook.com%2F&id=preview" linktype="link" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">AstheItaliansCook</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PASTA ALLA NORMA</span><br />
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<img alt="100 Places" border="0" height="336" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.131" src="http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs080/1101390036130/img/131.jpg" width="448" /></div><br />
2 eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 2 cups cubed)<br />
2 - 3 tablespoons Canola oil, or Canola oil spray, for frying eggplant<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with back of knife<br />
2 cups fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, and roughly chopped or small can (14.5 oz)San Marzano tomatoes, drained and chopped <br />
1- 3 tablespoons tomato puree (called passata in Italy)<br />
2 - 4 tablespoons ricotta salata, grated<br />
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
1 #rigatoni <br />
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Place large pot of water on stove to boil.<br />
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Place the eggplant slices on a plate or other flat smooth surface, sprinkle with coarse salt and let set for 30 minutes to remove the bitterness. Wash slices under cold water, dry well with paper towels.<br />
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In large non-stick frying pan, heat oil and fry eggplant on both sides until golden brown. (Turn heat to medium low after oil has heated to prevent burning.) Remove slices and let rest on paper towels.<br />
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To frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the crushed garlic for about 2 minutes (do not let burn). Then add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, and pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 15 - 20 minutes or until the sauce reduces slightly. Add eggplant and chopped basil. Cook and stir over medium heat until eggplant softens.<br />
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To boiling pot of water, add liberal amount of salt and rigatoni.<br />
Cook rigatoni until al dente and drain.<br />
Add rigatoni to sauce and mix well.<br />
Place in individual serving bowls and top with grated ricotta salata and additional whole basil leaves if desired.<br />
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Serves 6.<br />
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Buon Appetito!Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-12846353995193448232010-02-09T10:54:00.000-08:002010-02-09T10:54:39.961-08:00THE SPAGHETTI SPOON: Or the Art Of The TwirlIn most of the utensil using world, grown men and women with no apparent physical limitations approach plates of spaghetti, fettuccine, and other long pastas with fork in one hand, large spoon in the other.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1yowFKEL8eCWnGZRKGJDPbybzcJMMsKBmJzazpYJoOzQ2RMupAFmAc8Z5Z4ykn1N5J4AIOkanOW2HHMz_LZ0eQ29mY1GoipUPnwT7bVGsr708Qz_cSTzn-ohG_oyxQWhUoSf5xPVYIp/s1600-h/IMG_4555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1yowFKEL8eCWnGZRKGJDPbybzcJMMsKBmJzazpYJoOzQ2RMupAFmAc8Z5Z4ykn1N5J4AIOkanOW2HHMz_LZ0eQ29mY1GoipUPnwT7bVGsr708Qz_cSTzn-ohG_oyxQWhUoSf5xPVYIp/s320/IMG_4555.JPG" /></a></div>In Italy, only small children and those challenged by small motor skills would place a spoon in opposition to the twirl of the fork. I've queried many of my Roman, Milanese, and Calabrian friends on the subject. They all concur that it's sort of like training wheels on a bicycle: once the child - or determined adult -gets the hang of snagging the right amount of pasta along with the required number of rotations, it's time to drop the spoon and go solo with the fork. <br />
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If this just doesn't work for you, then better to ask for a spoon that to use the knife to cut your spaghetti into little bite-size pieces, a serious infraction of Italian<a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/"> culinary laws </a>at any age.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-24431103270386586172010-02-05T11:14:00.000-08:002010-02-05T11:23:34.826-08:00CARNEVALE IN ROME: Feasting on FrappeRome loves a party. And this year, Carnevale in Rome -- though not approaching the decadence, debauchery, and downright tomfoolery that took place during the pagan forerunners of this Christianized celebration -- has been pumped up with various forms of street revelry, most notably this Saturday's parade of costumed Romans on horses and chariots following the ancient route down Via del Corso.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtgY7B13MGuJSRdrEEIAqchCrTgxOvrFNCMJc0n_FvrQTVCYOvsOTiMxZdFzHzLIfbll7S_Gw_QGi0EBlfQvVUEnmnG5MwvVfBAsY3ygkfkquigxvcTbhpmhbEYHKTEBF4YPpFRVc7g59/s1600-h/frappe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtgY7B13MGuJSRdrEEIAqchCrTgxOvrFNCMJc0n_FvrQTVCYOvsOTiMxZdFzHzLIfbll7S_Gw_QGi0EBlfQvVUEnmnG5MwvVfBAsY3ygkfkquigxvcTbhpmhbEYHKTEBF4YPpFRVc7g59/s320/frappe.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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So what will everyone be munching on during these festivities? Not popcorn, not soft salted pretzels, not Buffalo wings on a stick. The traditional "you can't eat just one" Carnevale treats in Rome are frappe, fried ribbons of dough copiously dusted with powdered sugar, temptingly displayed in every pastry shop window - and, oh, so easy to love.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw_d9pI_wvavB_3jMRazNsXehB6y5PG-1MqnaX4_nCNbqVj9wqaRlMYGPlzsEJoAt8rmahwqeR9E2Zm8blO2HoM3vYALgpprZoJZ7NtCHKXQiIoUQGhqqZ3_M0dzF9x-9zp4-8i7zldJT/s1600-h/Bread+mask_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw_d9pI_wvavB_3jMRazNsXehB6y5PG-1MqnaX4_nCNbqVj9wqaRlMYGPlzsEJoAt8rmahwqeR9E2Zm8blO2HoM3vYALgpprZoJZ7NtCHKXQiIoUQGhqqZ3_M0dzF9x-9zp4-8i7zldJT/s320/Bread+mask_2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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But it doesn't stop there. You didn't think Italian creativity was restricted to just sculptures and paintings, did you? Take a look at one small example of what some very artistic pastry chefs can do.<br />
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One of the many reasons my heart belongs to a <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">very old city</a>.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-34483389777345250572010-01-28T05:47:00.000-08:002010-02-01T11:26:31.885-08:00SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS: 1 + 1 = 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmG5JnjK4Afl5XNZk4Hp0GlMF3uACttfwH-h2M4AvX0IEydvPm-oPt-SGtZg6ZhgIE37Ox8BezZnH-VOKmDJpDZLRjWGjvWyj2S2gEwKCn8GA4LAwHNSBLrx2EymAYiYzqk2Oyi6US3HK2/s1600-h/IMG_0377_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmG5JnjK4Afl5XNZk4Hp0GlMF3uACttfwH-h2M4AvX0IEydvPm-oPt-SGtZg6ZhgIE37Ox8BezZnH-VOKmDJpDZLRjWGjvWyj2S2gEwKCn8GA4LAwHNSBLrx2EymAYiYzqk2Oyi6US3HK2/s200/IMG_0377_2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>No matter how often or persistently we Italian food purists try to separate them, put them on separate plates, offer them at separate courses, Americans want spaghetti and meatballs. Together, in one giant heap spilling out over the sides of one dish. It's a cultural thing -- like peanut butter and jelly, a burger and fries, popcorn and the movies. <br />
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In yesterday's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/dining/27feed.html?ref=dining">NYTimes</a> article, Alex Witchel recounts a visit to an Olive Garden in midtown Manhattan stuffed with tourists ordering that All-American Italian comfort food. <br />
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How they eat in Italy has nothing to do with it. Americans own this dish. We invented it, we love it, and, by golly, we'll go to New York where there are more authentically Italian restaurants than anywhere on this side of the Atlantic, and we'll order it.<br />
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I'll still have my meatballs on the side. And hold the spaghetti.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-78843676775394262922010-01-21T06:47:00.000-08:002010-01-21T09:33:22.232-08:00PINING FOR ROME<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_cMrXpedtBhX94guABTPoOX8BkUuVS0apHRT7l2lm2a9OBRH0h4uj-3pfrI1qCVyF3wYC1fFEbfT2Bggu5-VPDK4h8BRgPVp5AhtsY3D3EyT_oaDOdQt2TgmUgaW56YkkG2Fs_KrCSWY/s1600-h/IMG_3907.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_cMrXpedtBhX94guABTPoOX8BkUuVS0apHRT7l2lm2a9OBRH0h4uj-3pfrI1qCVyF3wYC1fFEbfT2Bggu5-VPDK4h8BRgPVp5AhtsY3D3EyT_oaDOdQt2TgmUgaW56YkkG2Fs_KrCSWY/s200/IMG_3907.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429210382760445202" /></a><br />You know how when you were in high school, you'd gaze longingly at your boyfriend's picture during the summer months while you were separated by those boring family vacations or sleep-away camps, yearning -- as only teenage girls can yearn -- for his return?<div><br /></div><div>Well, that's me when I'm not in Rome. A crazed yearner! But it's not a lover I'm pining away for. It's food, glorious <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/">Roman food</a>. It's <i>spaghetti alla carbonara</i> and <i>rigatoni all'amatriciana</i>, <i>abbacchio al forno</i>, as they can only be done in Rome. I torture myself daily with my stockpile of photos taken table side, such as this one: <i>coniglio </i>(rabbit) with olives and points of bruschetta in a luscious winey sauce. I would have jumped right in had the bowl been a bit wider and my dining companion not a member of the italian aristocracy. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you journey south of Rome to the <a href="http://www.castellodifumone.it/">Castello di Fumone</a> restaurant in the medieval town of Fumone, such intense dining pleasure can be yours. </div><div><br /></div><div> I just can't promise the marquis.</div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-34464465245585574832009-12-30T17:34:00.000-08:002009-12-30T18:13:28.220-08:00COTECHINO E LENTICCHIE: NEW YEAR'S EVE IN ROME<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTmJalsmmXnWlfuZ0aMHQyvyIdqxM3Ggs9gaCzJ15DMSqcXH8UIMfjYl2fE8YdjiNRwCMKE-U6IZ1NNCUnDbGsfUFGYp-SvzcFmU57wgAkGVnbJV7asoojs6P8DStO9BEeQy0CpmiI4vH/s1600-h/cotechino.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 84px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTmJalsmmXnWlfuZ0aMHQyvyIdqxM3Ggs9gaCzJ15DMSqcXH8UIMfjYl2fE8YdjiNRwCMKE-U6IZ1NNCUnDbGsfUFGYp-SvzcFmU57wgAkGVnbJV7asoojs6P8DStO9BEeQy0CpmiI4vH/s200/cotechino.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421208103918150850" /></a>A picture's worth- well, you know how it goes. Even when it's not a particularly pretty picture, it's one to cause mouths to water all over Rome. Superstitious traditionalists that they are, Romans would sooner walk under a ladder with a trail of black cats in tow rather than bring in the New Year without a plate of cotechino e lenticchie. <div><br /></div><div>A large ( about 3 inches thick and 8 inches long) spiced up pork sausage, cotechino and zuppa di lenticchie, lentil soup, pair up as Rome's New Year's Eve good luck meal. Lentils which resemble small coins insure prosperity. As for the pork sausage, well, I have my own suspicions about that given the plethora of phallic symbols all over the Eternal City. </div><div><br /></div><div>Capo D'Anno, as New Year's Eve is called in Italy, is also the day that ancient custom demands the getting rid of all bad things from the past and making way for the new. Although now forbidden by law, Romans have traditionally done this by hurling unwanted items out of windows. Shoes, broken dishes, sofas, refrigerators - they all went flying out of windows like missiles at the ringing of the midnight bells. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a good night to stay inside, just in case, and enjoy the customary cotechino e lenticchie. </div><div><br /></div><div>Felice Anno Nuovo - <a href="http://www.flavorsofrome.com/book.php">whatever you eat</a>.</div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-35543240131828525982009-12-29T06:17:00.000-08:002009-12-29T06:48:05.258-08:00FOOD RULES: Italian Version<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1C6JSYObLO9H7-gxJswsvrZabb9lmC0H1JJ1MIA_RaumCjNFtdCz205UPiaDkbX1z3xAg1xca3EiJRc0f_FZPUtNAyoYvdXgbiquUNy96F8pD8wCWc9FoFBwKUMROyWq1jl2JNylFhGg3/s1600-h/food_rules.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1C6JSYObLO9H7-gxJswsvrZabb9lmC0H1JJ1MIA_RaumCjNFtdCz205UPiaDkbX1z3xAg1xca3EiJRc0f_FZPUtNAyoYvdXgbiquUNy96F8pD8wCWc9FoFBwKUMROyWq1jl2JNylFhGg3/s200/food_rules.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420662601572699634" border="0" /></a><br />In his new book Food Rules, Micheal Pollan lists the 10 Commandments of a healthy eating plan. I hope this book is an explosive best seller. I hope it gallops out of book stores and is passed around like a reefer at Woodstock. Food Rules should be required reading for every gastronomically confused American (most of us), but especially those dealing with health and weight issues.<br /><br />But Food Rules would never sell in Italy. What Pollan has written, Italians know. It's why eating in Italy is an art form, why Italians are so fiercely proud of their regional products and recipes, and are so devoted to preserving culinary traditions.<br /><br /><br /><br />So read this book, memorize those rules, and then for your graduate study program, go to Italy and eat as the Italians do.Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-36082196088854141002009-11-30T07:14:00.000-08:002009-11-30T11:06:46.822-08:00IL GATTOPARDO: EAT, READ, SEEWhat connects a Manhattan restaurant, a work of historical fiction, and an old Burt Lancaster film? It's not just in the name.<br /><br />I suspect the link has a lot to do with a romantic and profound attachment to heritage and a fierce dedication to quality. At least that's what ran through my mind during my lunch at Il Gattopardo last week.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnKTqIexoxIM8qerWCc4LhoTpZazc5OLKOWD5MfoBA8w5iTCK7PlfNstIWbC7fpxbpiHOUSvE4E-syvts_Bcr5qzIh_Tx45q2WUJm94HaLAsfYPsaiWGowNF__VU7OOCPsD2G8_M5Lf1U/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnKTqIexoxIM8qerWCc4LhoTpZazc5OLKOWD5MfoBA8w5iTCK7PlfNstIWbC7fpxbpiHOUSvE4E-syvts_Bcr5qzIh_Tx45q2WUJm94HaLAsfYPsaiWGowNF__VU7OOCPsD2G8_M5Lf1U/s200/IMG_0220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409950134067643634" border="0" /></a><br />It started with this: parmigiana of zucchini, smoked mozzarella, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. A very good way to start.<br /><br />And continued with a pasta dish: paccheri (typical Neapolitan artisanal pasta) in a rich sauce made from pork ribs.<br /><br /><br />And ended with a beautiful Pastiera, that most classic of Neapolitan desserts, a ricotta cake with lemony-orangey overtones.<br /><br />An earthquake registering 10.8 on the Richter scale couldn't have pulled me away from the table.<br /><br />The menu at Il Gattopardo is southern Italian in the way that may surprise some Americans accustomed to the ubiquitous red-checkered tablecloth variety of Southern Italian fare. Here the ingredients and flavors are certifiably of the Amalfi Coast, but enhanced by the the creativity of Executive Chef Vito Gnazzo who never veers far from the roots of his native Salerno.<br /><br />Located a few doors away from MOMA, Il Gattopardo is under the watchful eye of owner Gianfranco Sorrentino from Naples.<br /><br />So... as for the novel and the film, I highly recommend them, but nothing trumps a great meal in my book.<br /><br />Il Gattopardo<br />33 W. 54th St.<br />New York, NY 10019<br />PH: 212 246-0412Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-29357161237975885402009-11-15T07:44:00.000-08:002009-11-15T08:52:10.502-08:00HOW TO MEASURE - ITALIAN STYLEFollowing a recipe in Italy has nothing to do with measuring cups and spoons. There aren't any measuring cups and spoons as I discovered when I asked some Roman chefs, friends, and other members of the general population. They don't use them and, in fact, find the concept odd.<br /><br />The only form of measurement used in Italian kitchens is<span style="font-style:italic;"> quanto basta </span><span>which means "as much as you need". And they always seem to know how much that is. It's an inherent ability, a genetically determined form of creativity that the rest of us can only struggle to learn. </span><div><span></span><div>Fine tuning the art of <i>quanto basta</i> is essential to replicating the dishes you fall in love with at the table in Italy (asking a chef for a recipe usually gets you a patronizing smile and a list of primary ingredients).</div><div><br /></div><div>So it was in this spirit that I attempted to create at home an antipasto from Ristorante La Rocca in Fumone, "my" medieval town south of Rome. The main ingredients are zucchini, smoked provola, and salmon. Here's where it got challenging: I can't find smoked provola where I live and of the 3 or more times I'd eaten this dish, sometimes the salmon was</div><div>fresh and other times it was smoked. </div><div><br /></div><div>With blazing determination, I made some wild and risky decisions, putting blind faith in my ability to know when <i>quanto basta</i> was enough. </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqNexdNTBZAlaol1XRR8sbqjueaUPqu8McObuEZc8ZP-4HDCXOX_O72ouGPtMzjilN2T6iy8KljYaxdy88Tpbw4ZoqSoy7d4zivcb0aU9rPR_ZU-bRwb_IXD3qS0sEu8pHwv5IRqwPZmY/s200/fumone+food2_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404364575106162018" /></div><div>Here's what I did: </div><div>*Slice zucchini in 1/3 inch rounds, place on lightly greased cookie sheet in 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Zucchini should be slightly soft but still firm.</div><div>*Arrange each portion like this: create a flower-like shape by over-lapping zucchini rounds, top with smoked mozzarella (unless you can find smoked provola), top that with salmon, either fresh or smoked (I used smoked). </div><div>*Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and finely chopped parsley.</div><div>*Place under broiler - not too close - for about 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and slightly browns.</div><div>*You can top with a sliced cherry tomato or not. I prefer more parsley.</div><div>And that's it! </div><div><br /></div><div>This is more of a guide than a recipe, so please do your own riff on what I've done and let me know. Try your own hand at <i>quanto basta, </i>and free yourself from a dependency on those measuring cups and spoons.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-39749043590039379372009-11-01T06:16:00.000-08:002009-11-01T07:13:01.134-08:00WARNING SIGNS!!!Our world is full of signs steering us away from danger and disaster: SLIPPERY WHEN WET! BUFFALO CROSSING! ATOMIC BOMB TESTING SITE! You need to pay attention and run the other way.<div><br /></div><div>It's in this spirit of civic and moral duty that I post this alert. </div><div><br /></div><div> If you're hungry in Rome (or anywhere in Italy, for that matter)</div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH5Oyt3So4zEmuiadp6C_oOwePnArupwK_CrMS0r3wTBhgWdMhZRjnTVxgETOsrqtpgvY21qdP1Nh-0knP-sOqSlJq6YdqvNpodaLZ6cZR3Y4-VTnb_Qbl8TQk2HWUklib7FLSQfAal1y/s200/Pasta+Sign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399146239020241986" /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 152px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYMZ9QCzMRIHzTGwksXIioGeEKHCxrPnWZGAMJQyLnEzUdrLzrsMomTOF3-qBJYoWMLBh8XMOzX3ErZU9ll2b0EALbG1o_yG-p4GXk8QhFN3nqvX9Fb-pZM9485JTvU9spsI5U3bgcAAj/s200/PizzaSign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399147148101926834" /><div>and you come across one of these plastic signs, usually large and glaring, STAY AWAY! You will not eat well--which is hazardous to your sense of pleasure and overall great travel experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>These signs lure you into what I call imposter restaurants, often located around the major piazzas, like Campo de Fiori or Piazza Navona, and equipped with waiters beckoning in what they guess is your native language. What you'll get is a good view and poor to really terrible food. If you're drop-dead exhausted or otherwise in need of a brief respite, take a table and order something to drink, enjoy the piazza scene, and then go elsewhere for your meal. </div><div><br /></div><div>Consider yourself warned.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-20620257962245127902009-10-18T08:34:00.000-07:002009-10-18T13:23:01.848-07:00AUGUSTARELLO/LA GENSOLAIn life as in eating. timing is everything. So it was that on my last days in Rome with so many restaurants yet to visit, I had no choice but to double up on big meals, both <i>pranzo</i> (lunch) and <i>cena</i> (dinner). One day in particular, I hit the big gustatory jackpot: two spectacular feasts. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLTJjdM4GOQlXEal2A5BANgzt629CzQ8oLiC_3vc5Ve7H4gkEhi4phTt7z2TwUdaI-Pnr2pt6oDnICBehWqBbMvGuMT0uW3qv9uPQWI0Ijvs3I5PnXydsNVvAfVNsNM2_KUveH84hJlo0/s200/Cotiche.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393971244912934770" /><div><b>Augustarello</b> had been on my must-go-to list for several years, and this trattoria in the Testaccio area did not disappoint. From the owner himself, the son of the original Augusto and the embodiment of the seemingly gruff, but, under the barely scratched surface, warm and welcoming Roman nature, to the hearty dishes which for about 150 years have defined the Eternal City's <i>cucina povera</i>, the food of the poor. Pictured here is just one-sixth of my mega-lunch: borlotti beans, sausage, and <i>cotiche</i> (similar to pork rinds) in a creamy slightly tomatoey sauce.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dinner was at another Roman institution, but a bit more upscale.<b> La Gensola</b>, poised between the trattoria and restaurant category in Trastevere, is owned and run with passion and a palpable sense of humor (the large glass doors were replaced in the main room during </div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmluwYHmJq9zxpTq1zTH0CH9sRbOZiqRxrPJTh1dtsW0aMZOYHDicKmpvfIamtQpU0tuwqVfIEs_3Ph1V9vQA2hpyfzj7YMQukb376UOkIocjSJghXQjIP1A6Ih1WI0rYLSrjOea6tuc41/s200/seppie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394013113417298386" /><div>prime dinner hours with a smile and an apologetic shrug) by husband and wife, Claudio and Irene. Who cares about chaos when you're being served an insalata of <i>seppia</i> (cuttlefish) with bruschetta points rubbed with olive oil and pancetta (pictured) and tagliolini with<i> tartufi neri</i> (black truffles).</div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-37847746950237823002009-09-30T07:38:00.000-07:002009-09-30T08:05:51.147-07:00SETTEMBRINI: A Flavor of Rome<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E3LZXsLvo5GU92mkLfz0xYYQvD6gC3w7iC1bFvZndKONlakZSEMPGTnFuXGTRdzJKsKBEDwDqyzdraiYek5dCkNgY8EtCFukdjn-0CAb4XU9mbfFscP4H9qqeahPiF__dODDy5PvZds7/s1600-h/pizza+e+fichi.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E3LZXsLvo5GU92mkLfz0xYYQvD6gC3w7iC1bFvZndKONlakZSEMPGTnFuXGTRdzJKsKBEDwDqyzdraiYek5dCkNgY8EtCFukdjn-0CAb4XU9mbfFscP4H9qqeahPiF__dODDy5PvZds7/s200/pizza+e+fichi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387272248998132706" /></a>Summer is fading, giving way to the coming of fall and a farewell to those sweet succulent figs, one of my favorites of the many flavors of Rome. The last of them are called <i>settembrini</i>, and perhaps because they'll soon be gone, are to me the best of all.<div><br /></div><div>So it was with bated breath and fear of disappointment that I rushed into the Forno di Campo de Fiori to find, much to my greedy delight, <i>pizza e fichi, </i>Rome's white pizza stuffed with figs, and, in this case, also prosciutto. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's impossible to describe the flavor, the lusciousness. You think you know how good a simple little ripe fig can be until you've had a Roman fig, and then, like many things in life, nothing else will do.</div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954368024625026262.post-88871356565190990572009-09-16T12:03:00.000-07:002009-09-16T12:43:41.672-07:00PASTA IS A GREAT BONDING AGENTOne beautiful moonlit evening several years ago, I was invited to an event at the Belgian Embassy, the terrace of which offers an exquisite view of the Roman Forum. Amid the chatter and the ciaos of both- cheek- kisses (Italians don't air- kiss like we do), I was introduced to Susan Van Allen, a writer from California. We ended up having dinner together at Ar Galletto in Campo de Fiori, and after a couple plates of pasta (what kind, I can't remember), we began a friendship as fellow writers, Romaphiles, and Italian-Americans discovering the land of our grandparents.<div><br /><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3fRx6LVq9g8KYZv7MBKVi1k72ZoS2ns-3TLhqvWaF-LMWaZc7QDALP2o_D0S9nhuwdFutcdsdYuc5S3BjxumMMReEQv8LqRuLKYDThWAt1SzwwgP8RPbVDZbwsTpxtuCPgTg6jrp2aQ_/s200/100+Places:small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382151405021313602" /><div>Since then, we've sometimes managed to replay our pasta dinners in Italy, but since we live on opposing coasts of the U.S, our friendship been sustained by phone calls and emails - and by each of us being Head Cheerleader for the other.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susan's book "100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go" will be released mid-October. I've read the book and the only "criticism" I have is that it shouldn't be restricted to the female gender. Susan's exhaustive research (most of it on sight), her enthusiasm for Italy as a land of enchantment, and her skill as a writer have resulted in a must-read for anyone going to Italy who has a soul. (Italians call this "anima" - it indicates someone of some sensibility and depth.)</div><div><br /></div><div>So buy it, read it over a dish of pasta - any kind will do - and bond with the thought of planning that long-put-off trip to Italy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Carol Coviello-Malzonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09901986023095583130noreply@blogger.com0