kishko

WHERE TO NEXT?!

2007-08-30T16:41:00.000+02:00

It has been an adventurous year, filled with many new experiences, choices and absolutely no blogging. Thank you to everyone who has continued to write to me even though I have been blog silent for way too long. Some people get blog burnout, but I cannot say that that is my case. And, I am afraid to say I have no proper excuse. But if it will grant me any sort of pardon, I do know when it all started: when my ADSL line went down and I never made peace with the telephone company! Soon a new line and twist will need to be added to the KISHKO header as I am off to try my luck on the other side of the ocean, 16 years after I touched down in pastaland.........Ciao a e presto!

VENDITA DI VINO

2006-09-24T15:45:00.000+02:00

once upon a time, a very long time ago in florence, when you needed to do a shop up for wine, you would venture over to one of these tiny little doors found in various locations throughout the city. the vendors on the other side would fill up your bottles and then you would be on your merry way! this one is located in via del giglio in florence and was called very matter- of-factly, vendita di vino or wine for sale. and that's pretty much all i know about them! i will have to head over to my favorite wine shop soon and ask my wine guy to give me a quick history lesson, over a glass of wine of course!

OYSTER SHOT

2006-09-17T21:56:00.000+02:00

if you like a proper bloody mary and enjoy devouring oysters, this little number is for you! this summer i worked in an exceptional fish restaurant and was shucking an average of 10 kilos of oysters from brittany each night. clients who had never tried an oyster shot before would usually scrunch up their noses and cringe when i would describe how an oyster shot was prepared and enjoyed. however, once they tried one, they inevitably kept coming back for more. so at the end of my oyster shucking experience i concluded that oyster shots can be one of the most addictive drugs on the market!

ingredients:

recipe:
one chilled shot glass

a splash of fresh tomato juice
a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice
a pinch of salt
a dash of tabasco

one freshly shucked oyster

a top up of ice cold vodka
a grind of the pepper mill

method:
toss the shot back and simultaneously chew the oyster as you swallow and enjoy the layers of tomato, lemon and vodka as they slide over your palate

tools:
a napkin to wipe up the drizzle dripping down your lower cheek

MY EX-FRIEND, THE ITALIAN PHONE COMPANY

2006-08-08T10:24:00.000+02:00

the internet connection at home has disappeared and i have no idea when it will be back. our friends over at the phone company didn't tell us that when we increased the velocity of our line we would be WITHOUT a line for 1 to 3 weeks! in italian, that means at LEAST 3 weeks. so i don't know when i will be back and blogging. but the good news is that i am collecting lots of pictures and ideas! so please bare with me........

SUMMER SPRITZER

2006-07-24T23:37:00.000+02:00

lately there is a lot of talk about the heat and about thirst quenching salvations, i.e. pimm’s, rose’ and iced latte’s. we don’t really have a strict summer drink rule in our house. it just has to be cold, refreshing and have some sort of alcohol in it! however there is usually a dominating theme to our summer drinks. last year it was pimm’s and, i have to admit that, vodka tonic is a year round staple. the theme this year is the venetian spritz. traditionally spritz is an austrian cocktail. when the austrian’s occupied venice, they introduced this cocktail to venetians which has become something you can get anywhere and everywhere in venice. in fact, venetians aren’t big on cocktails, and generally won’t serve up anything other than a glass of wine or a spritz! the base of a true spritz is red or still white wine and seltzer water. the venetians stick to the white wine and add a choice of aperol, bitter campari, select or cynar. in some areas of the veneto they skip the seltzer water and still wine all together and simply use prosecco - a sparkling white wine. and that’s how we serve ours up, with the addition of ice and a green olive. you can also add a slice of lemon, lime or orange. we use lemon and lime, mostly because we always have them both in the house. this spritz goes down like water, so beware: you just might find yourself wobbling home! but in venice that isn’t a problem. since they don’t have cars, they walk home! i suggest you do the same........

basic spritz recipe:
1/3 bitter of your choice (aperol, bitter campar, select or cynar)
2/3 parts prosecco.
plenty of ice
a slice of citrus of your choice
an olive on a long bamboo skewer

cheers!

WHO IS KISHKO?

2006-07-17T23:00:00.000+02:00

everytime someone leaves a comment on a post i am thrilled, i really am. it makes me so pleased that someone actually enjoyed the post enough to leave a comment for me! so, a few weeks ago when i was approached by a journalist who wanted to interview me for one of her articles, you can imagine my joy! only problem is, i am not japanese. let me explain. the name kishko threw her off. she was profiling the japanese experience in italy and assumed, as many do, that my name was japanese. so i thought maybe i should do some explaining, hence the added details to my “profile” and this post. kishko is a nickname that derives from a combination of my first and last names. this is not the first time i have been mistaken for a japanese woman. actually, i have also been mistaken for a japanese male! when i ran an academic exchange program all of my correspondence with professors and students was via email, so there was no voice to match to my mysterious androgynous name. when the students and professors would show up for the beginning of the academic year they would come to my office and ask for me, not believing that i was me! most people thought they would find a japanese male in my office. i do apologize for any disapppointments i have caused! but i do hope you will still continue reading and leaving comments!

EASY APPLE TART

2006-07-16T11:41:00.000+02:00

only a fool would turn their oven on in this weather.
i would be that fool.
i had to make a dessert. it had to be quick and easy but seem like i had labored over it! the easiest one i know is an apple tart i make that is the combination of about 5 different recipes. the method: slice, stir, bake and serve. it couldn’t get much easier than that, no? this time i also added an almendra para helado - almond sugar designed to be used for ice cream - i bought in mallorca, spain. it is 50% sugar and 50% ground almonds so it was a perfect addition to my creation. when the tart is still warm, i serve it up with fresh whipped cream that i spike with cointreau and cinnamon. it is also tasty with ice cream. and then there are those who choose to eat this tart with both ice ream and whipped cream! i’m not lying.

For the recipe, click on the Read more link below.

APPLE TART
3 apples, sliced papert thin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 T butter
3 T cointreau
1/4 cup sugar
puff pastry - enough to cover the baking dish you are using, rolled out to 2mm thickness

peel, core and slice the apples paper thin and put into mixing bowl. add lemon juice, nutmeg, cointreau, sugar, 1 tablespon of the butter broken into small pieces and mix well. Sprinkle the remaining butter on the bottom of baking dish and cover evenly with apple mixture. cover with puff pastry and bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes then flip over onto serving dish. serve immediately (you can wait to serve but the puff pastry absorbs all of the liquid from the apples and does not mantain a crunchy texture).

optional: i covered the bottom of the baking dish with a light coating of the almendra para helado that i had. and i added cinnamon to the whipped cream

A NEW SUPPLIER

2006-07-12T00:25:00.000+02:00

do you know what kind of gastronomical product this little guy chasing a chicken is promoting?? salt! i am addicted to salt flakes. my prefered brand has been maldon salt. i haven't been able to find it here so i stock up when i am in the u.k. or, i get a friend to stock up on it for me when he/she is off to the british isles. my last request was filed with a scottish friend. however, maldon salt was no where to be found in "scottie", so i was presented with a beautiful black box of cerebos salt flakes as an alternative. i haven't tried it yet, but the white crystals look like enormous white snowflakes, so it has to be good! have any of you tried these tiny bits of goodness yet?

MINI GUINESS (sort of)

2006-07-09T18:01:00.000+02:00

coffee is a very personal beverage. some like it at the bar, some prefer it at home served up from a coffee press or from a “moka” machine. in italy you can enjoy coffee in countless variations. for example:
espresso normale (single espresso)
espresso doppio (double espresso)
macchiato freddo (with a drop of cold milk)
macchiato caldo (with a drop of hot steamed milk)
lungo (or “long” meaning that they let extra water filter through the coffee)
corto (or “short” meaning a small espresso)
in vetro (in a glass)
cappuccino caldo (very hot cappuccino)
cappuccino tiepido (luke warm cappuccino)
caffe' latte (you all know what that is!)
latte macchiato (“stained” milk, which is milk with a drop of coffee in it)
and the list goes on and on, offering something for absolutely everyone! my idea of the perfect coffee is the kind you can drink straight out of a shot glass, no sugar, no milk. when the coffee is so pure and smooth that it just doesn’t need anything! it might sound strange, but even in italy (i should specify: northern italy, otherwise the southern italians, who pride themselves on their coffee, will boycott my blog!) i find there are very few places that actually make such a divine nectar anymore. i often go for a cappuccino when i am not familiar with a venue. however, when i become a regular somewhere, then i know exactly what i want and how i want it: caffe’ normale in vetro with a rich and thick head on it resembling a mini pint of guiness!

bar bellini
san lorenzo mercato centrale
florence

WEEKEND READING

2006-07-03T22:58:00.000+02:00

it is not so easy to get good reads in english when you need them here in florence. don’t get me wrong, there are some decent haunts, like the paperback exchange and some newsstands carry a good collection of books and magazines in english. not cheap, but good. but whenever mr. e. or i make a trip to the u.k. or to the states we come back with piles of “rags” (better known as magazines) and books. last week, mr. e. was in london on business and i was the lucky recipient of brand spankin’ new eye and brain food.

here they are:

the perfectionist, by rudolph chelminski
this book has been popping up on my screen for months every time i go to visit pim. it is about the life and death of the geat chef bernard loiseau. i haven’t finished it yet, but at 150 pages into it, i am hooked. ANY food blogger will enjoy this read.

les halles cookbook, by anthony bourdain (a signed copy!)
written in true bourdain style, he manages to express smells and flavors through his words. and, he always saves space for a good laugh. the introduction opens with: “this is not a cookbook......i will assume only that you can handle a knife with reasonable competence, without being a danger to yourself or others....”

food & wine magazine, july 2006 issue
interesting review of the best new chefs of 2006 and an article on “the state of french cuisine” featuring francois simon from le figaro.

cook’s illustrated, august 2006 issue
i have always read this on line and only purchased copies when i am back in the states. i have finally splurged on a one year subscription. this is definitely my favorite foodie magazine (saveur takes 2nd place). void of advertising, they are free to write what they want to, when they want to and however they want to!

THE AMERICAN CLIENTS

2006-06-28T21:46:00.000+02:00

it happens to everyone, blog clog. you know when you are not as inspired as usual and you feel like none of your photos or writing is good enough to post? that, for me, is blog clog. i do have an excuse, if you accept it or not, here it is. the american clients. these clients are staying in a villa in southern tuscany and have hired me to cook for them for three nights. now as i have already told you, it is HOT here and all i can think of feeding myself is cold melon, limeade and beer! but these clients want the “tuscan experience”, full on tuscan cuisine. for those of you who are not familiar with traditional tuscan cuisine it includes things like homemade pasta with wild boar sauce, roast pork and potatoes, salami and salumi, baking and grilling with lots of heaviness and heat! needless to say, i have officially become a walking sweat factory and cannot bare the thought of one more dinner preparation. but this friday night, i have to muster up the energy to cook my last meal for the clients. they are perfectly nice people, but they get to stand by sipping their chilled wine as i cook, and bake, and grill, and serve, and clean, and feel like i never want to cook again in my life! the biggest shock came on my first evening with them. i walked into the kitchen only to discover that they were preparing frozen chicken nuggets and something that resembled mexican food called “taquitos” (frozen of course). have i been away from the states too long to understand such blasphemy? i know that in the u.k. they have similar habits and jamie has done an amazing job battling against them. i still can't believe that people really feed their kids that stuff and then wonder why they turn into beluga whales and/or have no brain power!! i know, it’s true, i eat fonzies and the food whore drinks pickle juice, but only every once in awhile. and come on! frozen preservatives warmed up and served on a plastic plate? what has the human race come to?! ok, stop. enough already with this ranting. but just in case i haven’t been comprehensive, please see above picture of mr e. and my favorite gargoyle in venice (not in that order) to get an idea of the state i am in! and if you are the client reading this, please forgive me for being so brutally honest.

A LIME-AID SMILE TO THE RESCUE

2006-06-26T20:07:00.000+02:00

as everyone knows, it is SIZZlin’ hot in southern europe right now. italy has the added "attraction" of humidity and the world cup. i was truly amazed that italy won tonight, taking them to the quarter finals. but THAT is enough about soccer.......one of the liquids that is keeping me on my feet through the heat is “limeade”. i love lemonade, but there is something about tangy limes that satisfies my tastebuds even more. for an easy batch of “limeade” pour the juice of 10 freshly squeezed limes in a one liter jug. dissolve 1 cup sugar (i used brown sugar which changes the natural green shade of the juice into a color that is much less attractive) in 2 cups of hot water. add the sugar syrup to the lime juice and fill the jug to the rim with still water. chill and serve with ice and mint (if you have it), and vodka (which every civilized soul must have in their freezer, no?!).

JUNK FOOD CONFESSION

2006-06-21T18:44:00.000+02:00

everyone has their weaknesses. one of mine is a junk food called fonzies. for you americans out there, fonzies are another version of cheetos and are made in germany. in general, i am adamant about using only seasonal produce and i make most everything i eat fom scratch. but every once in awhile i fall for these cheesy crispies (empty bag pictured above!). i know, i know, you are thinking "how gross!". but, they aren’t fried! they are baked so they can’t be THAT bad for me, can they?! i know the food whore drinks pickle juice (see june 14, 2006 post), so i am feeling fine about admitting to my fonzie addiction. and when they are accompanied by a beer and a good movie at the cinema i bet you’d be tempted to try them too! so go on, fess up! and make your junk food confession!

TOMATO GUMBALL

2006-06-20T15:55:00.000+02:00

this little joy looks like a sweet and sour gumball but it is actually a tomato called “camone”. i don’t know anything about it except that it comes from sardegna, it has a thin crunchy peel and a juicy center. can anyone help fill me in on the details??

VENETIAN DOORBELLS

2006-06-18T14:40:00.000+02:00

these guys reside in the part of venice called san lorenzo. i was busy taking lots of photos of them when someone stopped to ring one of the bells. as i looked up to apologize for being in her way, i was greated with a warm "ciao, come stai?!". the owner of these funky faces is a person i know! what a small world. anyways, she gave me a brief history: they were custom made by a venetian artisan and are copies of gargoyles from the notre dame catherdral in paris. to ring the door bell, just pull!

OFF TO GONDOLA LAND

2006-06-12T20:00:00.000+02:00

i'm heading to venice tomorrow for a wedding and for the sampling of tasty treats! i will be back next week with plenty of pic's and news from gondola land!

FLORENTINE FAVORITES: LA LATTERIA

2006-06-07T16:32:00.000+02:00

latteria literally means milk shop and this one has been around since 1931. as a milk shop would do, they used to sell only fresh milk and dairy products. clients would arrive with their glass milk bottles and have them filled up on the spot. obviously things have changed since then. matteo missoni now runs the the latteria and still sells milk, but now it is in cartons and you wouldn’t specifically go there to buy your milk. however you must go their to have a mega capuccino served in an oversized american style coffee cup and one of the best brioche in florence! baked fresh everyday, they have a mouthwatering selection including “assaggiare senza chiedere” (don’t ask, just try it) and “sfoglie napoletane” pictured above. i won’t tell you what either one is filled with, you just have to go and try one when you are in florence. i would suggest booking your hotel in the neighborhood.

la latteria
via de’ neri 50/r
open monday to saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
closed sunday

FLYING KITES

2006-06-05T21:13:00.000+02:00

is it as cold there as it is here?! the days are crisp and cool, gorgeous for september and october weather, bit geeeez! it is JUNE! it is supposed to be balmy and sizzling hot already! however, despite the crap weather, last weekend we did our best to adapt and i think we did a hell of a job eating and drinking and eating some more. the main course was the "schiacciatine" pictured above (from vale', in forte dei marmi) - crunchy, hot, salty yumminess paired with cold beer went down quit well. but we are still flying kites and praying for summer to arrive..........

da vale'
piazza garibaldi, 4
forte dei marmi
tel: 0584.89361

THE BOZZA: "PANE SPECIALE CHE PIACE"

2006-05-30T19:20:00.000+02:00

yes, i know, i was complaining about tuscan saltless bread, and here i am again talking about it. but i found yet another tuscan loaf i can actually eat! so i gotta tell you about it. tuscans pride themselves on their saltless bread and declare that it the perfect bed for salty toppings like prosciutto crudo (cured ham) or rich pecorino cheese. when i was at the beach in castiglione della pescaia last week i found myself in front of what looked like a huge corn flake cookie: the bozza bread (sorry for the neon lighting that doesn't do the color of the bread justice!). advertised as "special bread that people like", bozza literally means a "rough draft", or something that is "oversized and swelling". when i asked how they make it, i got the typical answer: "just water, yeast and flour!" but everyone has their secret ingredients whether it is lard, olive oil, sugar, honey or milk. so what the answer really meant was that if i want more, i have to go back! i didn’t get the secret out of them, but i brought a loaf home with me.

SUNDAY IN THE CITY at FUORI PORTA

2006-05-29T11:11:00.000+02:00

i should probably add this to my list of florentine favorites as it is an old standby that i have been going to for years. when we just want a simple snack and a good glass (or bottle!) of wine without having to take out a loan, this is one of the places we go to. the name fuori porta means “outside the door”, which is literally where this local favorite is, just outside the old city gate called san niccolo’. fuori porta has a daily menu with pasta dishes and main dishes, but they are famous for their crostoni, or oversized crostini. they serve up some great flavors from smoked scamorza cheese and truffles, to artichokes, to the old fashioned ham and cheese. the wine list brags 650 labels and their speciality is red wine. they have outdoor seating in the summer months and they are always open, which is quite the rarity here. usually eating establishments close in the afternoons and at least one day a week.

fuori porta
via monte alle croci, 10r
firenze
055 23 42 483
www.fuoriporta.it
open everyday
12.30 to 00.30

SAVORY STARTERS

2006-05-22T15:30:00.000+02:00

i was inspired by keiko at nordljus to get the book starters, first courses easily turned into main dishes, by shane osborn. and it was a great buy. everything i make from this cookbook is excellent. thanks keiko! my latest experiment was the caramelized onion and mushroom tart. i didn’t have all of the ingredients so i made some variations, but it was still tasty. the savory mushrooms with chives paired nicely with the sweet caramelized onions. the puff pastry was not homemade but the italian brand buitoni makes a great time saving puff pastry that tastes just like the real thing! here’s the recipe, copied and adapted to the supplies i had in my kitchen!:

shane osborn caramelized onion and mushroom tart

serves 4:

shallot stock:
i didn’t have shallots or stock so i skipped this part

caramelized onions:
50g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper

tart bases (i made one whole tart instead of 4 small ones):
250g ready-made puff pastry
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

mushroom topping:
400g mixed mushrooms (button, chanterelle, shiitake, oyster) cleaned
65g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp double cream
1-2 tarragon sprigs (i used thyme and chives)
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

method:
caramelized onions - melt the butter with the garlic in a heavy based frying pan, then add the onions with a pinch of salt. cook over very low heat until the onions are softened and caramelized; about 45 minutes to one hour. season and discard the garlic. let cool.

for the tart base - preheat oven to 220C. roll out and place the pastry in your baking tray with parchment paper. prick the dough evenly with a fork. spread the caramelized onions out evenly on top of the dough. sprinkle with thyme. brush the border of the pasty with the egg wash. bake for 12- 16 minutes until the crust is evenly golden. remove from oven and let cool.

mushroom topping - halve or slice the mushrooms. heat 50g butterin frying pan until foaming. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. season with salt and pepper. (add the stock but i eliminated this step since i didn’t have stock). add the cream and stir in remaining butter. stir in lemon juice, check for seasoning and discard garlic.

to assemble - place the warm tart base on a warm plate. spoon the mushrooms on top. garnish with tarragon and serve. i used thyme and chives instead of tarragon and i added thinly sliced pieces of a soft pecorino cheese as well.

UNDER A TUSCAN SKY

2006-05-21T22:12:00.000+02:00

i really hope i am not boring anyone with these sunset pictures. but if they continue to be this gorgeous, then i am sorry but "sunsets" will just have to be the theme of the month at kishko!

FLORENTINE FAVORITES: Perche’ no!

2006-05-21T19:00:00.000+02:00

this time it’s ice cream. it is finally ice cream season, at least for me. i have a hard time eating ice cream unless it’s nice and hot out. i have two favorites in florence, but my number one pick is perche’ no! which literally means, why not! open since 1939 perche’ no! has been making delectable flavors with wholesome ingredients. besides the regular standbys like chocolate and strawberry they have pistachio, sesame and honey, green tea, almond, coffee crunch, and ginger, just to name a few and they are all made with the “real thing”: no powdered milk here! the flavors are fresh and clean in your mouth. they don’t leave any of those nasty aftertastes of preservatives or film residue in your mouth like some ice cream does. i know you know exactly what i am talking about! it is also aesthetically pleasing to look at (can you tell that i am a libra?!) it’s not piled high in gooey mounds of lumpiness that looks like it has been there for at least a week. you might be surprised to know that you actually see a lot of that here in gelato land! anyways, back to perche’ no! - it’s about a two minute walk from the duomo so if you are in florence you have no excuse not to go there. unless of course it isn’t ice cream season. for any non-dairy desires, they also make granite and sorbet (but i haven’t tried them yet!).

perche’ no!
via dei tavolini, 19r
florence
tel.: 055.239.8969
www.percheno.firenze.it

BABY BLUE AND POWDER PINK

2006-05-20T20:55:00.000+02:00

i swear i did NOT retouch this image! this was all thanks to mother nature

SUPER SIMPLE ZUCCHINI

2006-05-19T12:30:00.000+02:00

i rationed the zucchini purchase i made with ilva on wednesday into two portions. tonight, a super simple tasty recipe:

zucchini sautéed with mint and garlic

1 large whole clove garlic
300grams whole zucchini (about 6 medium zucchini), cut lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces and then slice the pieces into thin strips
2 sprigs fresh mint, whole
olive oil
salt
chili pepper or chili oil (optional)

put the ingredients in desired sauté pan in the following order: garlic, zucchini, mint, salt and oil. sauté on high heat for about 5-10 minutes, depending no how crunchy you like your veggies. i am serving it tonight as a side dish to an indian meal of vegetable pulau and grilled marinated chicken breasts. if all goes well, i’ll post those recipes too!