Adri Barr Crocetti

Nowhere is Bogie’s sentiment more apt than when used to describe the vicissitudes of a home remodel. Selecting a backsplash for my kitchen has sent me into a tizzy. A tizzy, in case you are not familiar with the term, is Bart’s chosen descriptor for that peculiar state of mind that overcomes me when I am overwhelmed, angry or quite undone. It is not a compliment.

Help however, is not far behind, and it comes in the form of a cocktail, the Backsplash. This one is a combination of Cocchi Americano Rosa, the newest vino aromatizzato (aromatized wine) from The House of Cocchi and Solerno, a liqueur made of Sicilian oranges and lemons. The citrus in both liquors marry beautifully and the kiss of bitter in the Americano Rosa lends a most adult finish. Read the remainder of this entry »

Ghiaccioli di arancia rossa e Solerno

I’m not done with blood oranges yet. No way, and I couldn’t resist this one. I know ice pops in the dead of winter might seem a bit much, but remember I am in Southern California, and we do not do winter. And the fact remains blood oranges are seasonal. So if an ice pop in March is too much for you, buy the blood oranges now, juice them and freeze the juice. In summer your family and guests will thank you. Read the remainder of this entry »

I know it is winter. I know it is cold. But it is also blood orange season which, like winter, will not last forever. The deal is though, unless you are the patient type, willing to gather those rosy orbs, juice them, freeze the juice and cool your heels until warm evenings roll around, you’d better make this sorbetto now. For Valentine’s Day dessert, of course. Read the remainder of this entry »

La Figlia del Reggimento – The Daughter of the Regiment

All’armi!

They called them Lincoln’s Foreign Legion, men from all over the world who fought on the side of the Union. Of the many foreign born patriot units, none is more well known than the 39th New York Infantry Regiment, the Garibaldi Guard.

On December 20, 1860 South Carolina seceded from the Union. A house divided. The Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter commenced before daybreak on April 12, 1861. The Civil War was on. Our nation was on a course that would sorely test the Union, pitting brother against brother and expatriot against expatriot. Read the remainder of this entry »

The Bloody Monty, or The Orange Monty Redux

My regular readers may recall the delightful mix of orange juice and Amaro Montenegro that made its first appearance in my post Pazza per Amaro. That drink, thanks to Brian of the site Live Like an Italian, has come to be known as the Orange Monty. Since it is blood orange season, and since that season does not last forever, and since the Orange Monty is such a cool drink, I submit for your drinking pleasure the Bloody Monty.

I was cutting and juicing blood oranges for a kitchen experiment, and when I saw all the juice, I felt the tug of distraction in my brain. For those who do not know me, I am somewhat, well, I’ll call it focus challenged. If I were a third grader, I’d probably drive my teacher nuts.

I looked upon the pitcher of remarkably, I mean completely, opaque blood orange juice. This particular juice had come from my Moro blood oranges. They are my favorite because their juice is dark as blood, consistently so, a trait not shared by the other varieties of blood orange, Tarocco and Sanguinello. I saw the juice, and I knew what I had to do. First, I went for the Solerno blood orange liquore, that amazing distillation of Sicilian blood oranges and lemons – the Sicilian sun in a bottle. Yes, Dear Reader, this is a step above. And I’ll make it simple – if James Bond were ordering this one it would go like this:

“One measure of Amaro Montenegro, 2 of blood orange juice, 1/2 of Solerno, over cracked ice. Then add a thin slice of orange.” Just imagine sidling up to a bar and intoning those words.

The Bloody Monty

makes 1

2 ounces blood orange juice
1 ounce Amaro Montenegro
1/2 ounce Solerno blood orange liquore
slice of blood orange for garnish

Fill an 8 ounce glass half full with cracked ice. Add ingredients, stir with a bar spoon, and garnish with a thin slice of blood orange. Serve at once.

A couple of notes:

Blood orange season does not last forever. Buy as many blood oranges as you can, and juice them now. Fill ice cube trays with the juice and freeze. Pop out the cubes and bag them for a supply of juice with which you can dazzle family and guests all year long.

I have always loved the artwork from old fruit and vegetable crates. Italy, home to the world’s finest blood oranges, has a similar tradition of wonderful and whimsical produce artwork. Check out Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome to view a great collection of charmingly beautiful Italian blood orange paper wrappings.

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.

Zabaglione with Cream and Mixed Berries

Christmas has come and gone, but the holidays are far from over. And that means you need another one or two desserts. By now lots of us want to keep it on the lighter side, so how about frutti di bosco topped with an orange scented zabaglione? Frutti di bosco – fruits of the forest, or as we say, mixed berries – often raspberries and blackberries – are a wonderful flavor combination, and oh so beautiful to behold. A big glass bowl of mixed berries looks like a collection of jewels to me, and there is no better way to serve them than topped with Zabaglione con crema.

Zabaglione (zabaione, or to the French sabayon) is a luscious blend of egg yolks, sugar and liquor, traditionally Marsala wine. The yolks, sugar and wine are whisked vigorously over a double boiler until thoroughly cooked, and tripled in volume, with no trace of raw egg yolk taste. Once cooked, it can be served as is or combined with whipped cream to make a most ethereal dessert a friend of mine calls “clouds.” Read the remainder of this entry »