Topic Index
The font size for a topic word is sized by the number of articles that reference that topic. The more articles the bigger the font.
Click on a word to search for posts with that topic. This page will reload with the search results.
My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher
A Book Review
My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy’s Undiscovered South
I have mentioned it before. I am a cookbook addict, an avid collector. I love the genre, and my shelves are overflowing. Positively, absolutely overflowing. The truth is the books have begun a slow walk across the library floor, down the hall to the side of my bed. Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you. It is only fitting that the books have made their way to my bedside since cookbooks are my preferred bedtime reading. But with all those books I have had to become highly selective with my purchases. This one, however, was the proverbial no brainer. As soon as I heard that Rosetta Costantino had written a book on the cooking of Calabria, I knew I had to buy it. Ms. Costantino was born in Calabria, and at the age of fourteen came with her parents to the United States. She and her family live in Oakland, California where she teaches cooking. Her book was released late last year. I apologize to you all for keeping it to myself. Its 416 pages are filled with the food and culture of Calabria, all from the very personal viewpoint of Ms. Costantino. This collection of recipes, reminiscences and cultural background will have you reaching for your Post-It Flags. Read the remainder of this entry »
Corzetti: The Intagliatore of Chiavari
This is Part 2 of a series – The Corzetti Files
For detailed information and photo essays on how to make corzetti, along with recipes, please delve further into The Corzetti Files:
Edible Art, The Corzetti Files – Part 1
The Intagliatore of Chiavari, The Corzetti Files – Part 2
Corzetti agli Spinaci con Gorgonzola, The Corzetti Files – Part 3
Where to Buy Corzetti Stamps, The Corzetti Files – Part 4
Corzetti Stampati – and a Giveaway! The Corzetti Files – Part 5
A Gold Coin
The pasta we know as Corzetti started with a gold coin, the Genovino d’oro. Rome had fallen, and the curtain of The Dark Ages had descended over western Europe. Trade has fueled society for centuries, and it is trade that brought gold coins and light back to western Europe. The gold came across the Sahara from north Africa and Genoa’s harbor assured her of preeminent mercantile stature. King Conrad granted Genoa the right to mint her own gold coinage in 1252, and these pieces of almost pure gold summon up the history and wealth of The Most Serene Republic of Genoa.
Coming in at about 3.5 grams, the earliest of these coins feature the city gate and to honor King Conrad and his participation in the Crusades, a Crusader cross on the reverse. The coins are covered with a beautiful relief. One of the most famous coins honors the first Doge of Genoa, Simone Boccanegra, and later coins honor subsequent families and Doges. Today one must visit a museum or be fortunate enough to know a collector to view these coins, but with Liguria’s gift to the world of the pasta known as corzetti stampati (kohr-TSEHT-tee stahm-PAH-tee), the legacy of these glorious coins is alive and well and available to us all.
A Piece of Wood
I have an ongoing love affair with handmade pasta, and this one captivated me from the start. Imagine my delight when I discovered its history, how it was made, and that I could do it at home. All I needed was a corzetti stamp, the two piece tool that cuts and imprints the pasta. By the way, you may come across pasta in shops, in recipes or on menus called croxetti, crosetti or curzetti – these are all names for corzetti. Read the remainder of this entry »
Cheesy Eggs
...
This will make enough for breakfast for two.
5 large eggs
10 Juliet tomatoes, halved
4 ounces Italian fontina cheese, cubed, generous 1/2 cup
1/4 cup loosely packed basil, cut in chiffonade
salt and pepper to taste
butter
Parmigiano
…
Cut fontina in 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
Cut Juliet tomatoes in half lengthwise and set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon butter in skillet and warm skillet, melting butter. Place cheese in skillet and cook, until cheese begins to melt. You may see some of the cheese start to brown. That is fine.
While the cheese is cooking, crack the eggs into a bowl, and whisk with 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine.
The cheese will melt after just a couple of minutes. Next add the eggs, and begin to scramble them.
Just before the eggs are done, add the tomatoes to the skillet and toss to warm them and cook slightly.
Remove from heat and add basil and pepper, tossing to combine.
Turn onto serving plate. Grate parmigiano over the eggs and serve.
…
Feel free to adjust the cheese up or down. Sometimes I use a combination of cheeses; cheddar is a particularly nice choice. And if you are lucky enough to get your hands on it, Baby Parmigiano is fantastic. This is a nice dish to serve when you eat breakfast on the patio. Start with coffee and grapefruit. Then make your eggs and serve them with slices of hearty whole grain toast and bacon for a great start to a summer day.