"Bella Baita View"

La Souppo Barbëtto or Zuppa Valdese or Waldensian Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Zuppa Valdese

Today is a mix of history old and current along with a side of soup with the recipe to boot.

Today I am sharing a very traditional and simple, "cucina povera"soup recipe steeped in the deep and very dark history from our valleys. Our valleys, that are collectively referred to as the Vadesian or Waldensen and Pinerolese valleys are comprised of the Chisone that I live in, Germansca, a side valley of the chisone and one in which we gaze over and into daily, and the Pellice, that lies parallel just over the tops of the lower range of peaks of our skyline. The valleys derive their name for the rivers that run through them. All of our valleys are part of the greater Turin also known as Torino province, a large and sprawling area that all belongs to the Piemonte region, which also made up the northern portion of the Savoy kingdom.

You can find a concise and yet comprehensive history of the Waldensians origins, their struggles, brutalizations and present day religious affiliations in this link to the Wikipedia Waldensian article. The main thing to remember is that they are considered to be the earliest recorded "protestants" originating around 1173, Their heretical core belief of apostolic poverty as a way to perfection proved so inflammatory to the the catholic church, that they were brutally and relentlessly persecuted almost to annihilation through the centuries with the help of the royal Savoy rulers. Finally, on 17 Februaury 1848 the Savoy King Charles granted them their civil rights, in the keeping with the unification of Italy. The Valdesians lit bonfires in the evening of the 16th of February to let everyone know of their liberation. On the morning of the 17th February, they walked together to meet their neighbors and worship openly as had been denied them since the beginning of their existence. This tradtion is carried on today.

Most notably in 2015, Pope Francesco visited a Valdesian Temple in Turin and made a formal apology for the "brutality and inhumane actions" of the Catholic church. A long overdue acknowledgment and attempt towards reconciliation for centuries of misery inflicted to the Waldensian people for their religious beliefs. It was a historic and appreciated gesture, even if long overdue, from this pope and the Catholic church he represents.

When Waldensian families gather to celebrate and remember together all that came before, they come together to worship at their temple and afterwards share a meal together in celebration. It would not be uncommon to find this soup served at one of these meals. It is a humble reminder of the deprivation and suffering of that time, but the elevation of such simple ingredients to utter deliciousness merely by the quality of ingredients rings true to their core belief of simplicity.

The soup as it is now made consists of well made chicken or beef stock, poured over grissini bread sticks with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg and a generous drizzle of butter. That's it.

I can't help but think that even this humble version of this soup is the rich man's version of it, due to the fact that grissini weren't really around until they were popularized by the Savoy royal family and the spices would have been a rare treasure.

The future king of Savoy, Vittorio Amedeo II suffered from debilitating digestive problems so the royal doctor wanted a bread that would be easier for the child to digest. The thought was that the local "ghersa" bread which was still moist after baking promoted bacteria to proliferate in the stomach making proper digestion difficult for the the child. Around 1668 they called in a court baker named Antonio Brunero, who is credited with thinning the "ghersa" bread dough, stretching it by hand into long strips and then baked crisp. There was little crumb and mostly crust thus aiding in digestion and the eventual restoration of the young royals health.

It is also said that Napoleon was so fond of these little bread sticks "ghersini" in local dialect, that he brought Turin bakers to Paris to recreate them. They were not successful atit as they thought the water or air did not contribute to their success, so he then had then delivered to him every day from Turin. Ah, the life of a royal or great conquerer.

Anyway, my thinking is that it most likely was made back in the day with dry bread, meat stock and if they were lucky, butter for a filling meal when there might not have been much else around. With the invention and popularization of the grissini or bread sticks and precious spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, finding their way to the mountains once life became better for the Waldesians, then this humble soup took a step forward toward the sublime.

Believe me, this simple soup is quite tasty and quite satisfying on a frosty day or night. The trick of course is to have the best tasting ingredients you can and making your own rich meat stock is the place to start. Crisp flavorful grissini and farm fresh butter will make a big difference. Here cinnamon is used sparringly as a back flavour adding interest and a back note with just a few grates to a nutmeg to enhance and harmonize the flavours.

For the Valdese Soup

6 Servings - easily scaled up or down

Ingredients:

Chicken or beef broth/stock*, at least 2 liters ( the amount of stock can easily be scaled to feed more or less people.

800 grams of grissini, here the type used dry and crispy

cinnamon powder

nutmeg, fresh grated if possible

butter, good quality for the best flavour, use as little or as much as you like

Toma, an aged variety, a local cows cheese or parmigiana, grated

Directions:

Heat your stock up in a pot.

Butter a pan with some depth to the sides in order to hold your soup.

Place a layer of grissini in the bottom of the pan, breaking them in to pieces to fit and fill the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle a little ground cinnamon and nutmeg on the layer and a few pieces of butter.

Repeat for several layers until everything is used.

Pour the hot broth over the grissini completely cover all and a little above the top layer.

Cover your pot and simmer gently until all is soft and absorbed. Add a little more as needed so it isn't completely dry. You also want a bit of liquid at the end so that it is soupy, but there isn't a lot of liquid.

When serving sprinkle grated toma or parmesan cheese on top of each serving and a drizzle of melted butter.

BUON APPETITTO!

* Stock is best when made at least one day before using and can be made 3-4 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator, degreased and strained.

To make a flavourful home made stock of about 3 liters/ quarts,
use a carcass from one chicken or about 300 beef bones.
Add a little oil to a sauce pan
Add the "sofritto" as it is called here or, as I like to call it,
"the holy trinity" of diced onions, carrots and celery.
Gently sauté the veggies till they start to get some color and then add the bones.
Brown it all up to bring the most flavour out that they can then impart to the water.
Add 4 liters/ quarts of cold water to cover the bones generously.
For this soup we add some aromatic herbs.
Tie a sprig or two of parsley, thyme and bay leaf together with some kitchen string and add to the stock. I sometimes add 3-4 black peppercorns, and occasionally rosemary and sage, if I have it on hand.
Bring to a boil covered, then quickly lower the the heat and remove the cover.
Gently simmer for at least 1 to 2 hours skimming the foam off as you keep an eye on the stock.
Let the stock sit with everything together overnight, if you can, to improve the flavour.
Next morning degrease the stock when cold, by pulling off the hardened layer of grease on top,
or let the stock cool some before straining all the bits out and then cool completely. Remove any grease on top.
Your stock is ready to use.

Links below to other of my posts about Waldensen and Valdesian February 17 Liberation Day Celebration and History

Valdesian Liberation Day Celebration in Pomaretto 2012

Viva la Valdesian Liberazione 2011

2010 Valdesian Waldensen Liberation Day

"Lâ Calhëtta dë Prâl" a Valdesian Soup

Waldensen Liberation Day, 2008 - this one I describe the history more than in the other articles, but sadly Blogger seems to have "lost" my photos.. I will eventually try and get them put back on, but the other links have a lot of photos

Culturing and Fermenting Food, the New Old Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 22:49:00 +0000

Assorted ferments l-r - Fire cider, kale kraut, kraut, apple and red cabbage kraut,

green tomatoes, green and wax beans and curried sunchokes and kombucha in the back

For the most part I try to keep on topic here about all things Italian especially from our Piemontese perspective here in the Alps, but before I jump into writing some posts this year about what we get up to in our slice of the Italian Alps, I thought I would share with you my latest grand adventure in food exploration. I occasionally digress and his is going to be one of those digressions.

Our organic garden produce

As a passionate and avid cook I have been on a food journey most of my life of some sort or another. Every step and stage of my life I have read, cooked, baked, canned and explored cuisines, techniques and pursued my all round unquenchable curiosity about our daily ritual of gathering, preparing and ultimately the enjoyment of feeding and dining with others.

This current very popular food trend of lacto fermentation and culturing food and drinks in America has been a hot topic of conversation with friends and guests with various levels of interest. Some people are familiar and for others it is completely new to them. I imagine if you are reading this you most likely fall somewhere in between. Fermenting and culturing is quite a broad subject that includes, pickles, cheeses, wild yeasted bread, also known as sourdough, and dairy products like yogurt and milk kefir, not to forget to mention wine, beer, mead, and kombucha and so much more.
Another endless journey where it's all about the journey.

My wild yeasted doughs in progress

My country loaf looking pretty inviting and makes me feel proud

I am not an expert at all, but I have done a fair amount of reading and experimenting with this revival of this ancient art of preserving of food, so I thought I would share some of my enthusiasm for culturing, fermenting and especially lacto ferementation and other fascinating food and drinks.
I will also share some of my sources of information and links to purchase some supplies and carry on your own research if you would like. You will find those links listed at the bottom of this post, so feel free to skip straight to them if you prefer.

Kombucha brewing

I grew up learning to preserve foods through salt and vinegar methods of jarring up pickles and veggies along with piquant sauces to enliven many a Mexican inspired dish or two after I moved out west. I really didn't know about fermenting foods with just salt and cool dark places. It seems that ancient tradition is long established in eastern Europe, Russia and Asia. I imagine if you came from immigrant families from those parts of the world these foods are more familiar to you.

Kimchi

If you are unfamiliar with the term, lacto fermentation, it is about preserving foods, naturally, mainly with salt, and "it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with dairy. Instead, the lacto refers to lactic acid. All fruits and vegetables have beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus on the surface. In an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, these bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid, which inhibits harmful bacteria and acts as a preservative. It's also what gives fermented foods their characteristic sour flavor."* I am providing links to some resources that I have found helpful and just to be clear, I have no affiliation with any of them nor receive any compensation, I just hope they will be useful for you also, or, at least give you a point to start your research. * quote from Emily Han September 2013 at "the Kitchen".

Making a variety of ferments and also jasmin tea kombucha

We have found it beneficial to be able to preserve an abundance of garden vegetables into tasty foods that will sit on the shelf until we can manage to consume them when the abundance has slowed down. It has the added benefit of adding much needed good bacteria to our often over taxed digestive systems from a variety of healthful foods, drinks and snacks. I would caution that there seem to be a lot of health claims being made for these sources of probiotics and for that I am always rather cautious with how much of it can be true. We do find that it has been helpful in aiding digestion and the kombucha and water kefir drinks give a refreshing lift. For me, if I feel indigestion coming on, a few tablespoons of sauerkraut or fermented root vegetable usually does the trick. I have also had success with my own apple cider vinegar and milk kefir too. For me they bring immediate relief and I find the milk kefir to be very comforting for the occasional bout of indigestion. Maybe its just me but you might at least give it a try. The various ferments add interest to salads, sandwiches, and side dishes, just like regular vinegar pickles do whilst adding more probiotic to your diet. Milk kefir has been a great way to make creamy salad dressings and dips as well as breakfast or afternoon pick me up smoothies. The journey to discover ways of enjoying all of these products is as interesting as making them.

Making apple cider vinegar

A few years back when I kept reading about lacto fermented foods everywhere I began my research in earnest, as it piqued my curiosity to learn more. Who knew what an all out frenzy of learning and experimenting that this way of preserving food was going to lead me down such a long and winding rabbit hole of discovery.

Giardiniera

It didn't take me long to drift over to a group on facebook called Wild Fermentation where the fun really took off. The group takes their name from the book by the same name, Wild Fermentation, written by Sandor Katz. You don't get very far into your research about fermentation before Sandor Katz's name pops up frequently. He refers to himself as a "fermentation revivalist" and it seems he certainly has had a pied piper effect in his sharing of fermenting knowledge. I promptly bought his book as an ebook and found it a great place to start and still reference it repeatedly. The folks on the Wild Fermentation facebook group are over the top crazy about preserving food in a tasty way. This effort to preserve has been happening ever since there has been an abundance of food that needs to be kept for the time when there is a lack of food. What a fascinating group of crazy fermenters. I had tried making a few jars of sauerkraut, which I hadn't made in years, but after discovering this group, I now have a whole new viewpoint for adding in other veggies, herbs and spices to add interest to the flavor profile. Who knew sauerkraut could be so interesting.

Smokey Kale and Cabbage Kraut

The facebook group has files which are a great source of information and inspiration, as well as just scrolling through the groups feed and reading what others have asked and the groups answers. I have found the people there to be very helpful whenever I have asked any question. People are fermenting things I have never heard of and things I would have never dreamed of doing myself, like miso and tempeh, but now I think, perhaps one of these days, I just might give it a go. It's just all truly fascinating to me.

So here are some of my suggestions for discovering the wonderful world of fermentation:

Read up on fermentation online, here and here, and youtube videos
Join a facebook group dedicated to fermenting, there are various ones. I like Wild Fermentation, there are others like WF Uncensored, etc...
Buying a book, Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz is a great place to start. This link is to his site, there are others, but I haven't gotten that far as there is just so much out there to try once you get the hang of percentages.
Sign up for Cultures for Health's newsletter and receive 8 free ebooks covering various types of fermenting and culturing that will answer a lot of questions and get you started with a source of recipes. You can unsubscribe at any time. They have a lot of sales and deals going all the time. The newsletters are very interesting and the website is a wealth of recipes, videos and selling point for products. My caution, I cut back on the frequency of their mailings and I am not completely convinced about the dried cultures. My preference is for live grains and starters. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.
Another great site is Yeemoos . I like their philosophy about "adoption" of their cultures and they have a smaller scale of information on their site. A bit more manageable. If I were in the states, I would be adopting a ginger bug faster than I can type this. Love all ginger option
The folks over at, "The Probiotic Jar" have made a really handy brining chart that I have found invaluable for quick reference on amounts of liquid to salt percentage solutions. They have a great line of fermenting supplies and vast amounts of knowledge and experience.
If you live on this side of the pond, I have found Happy Kombucha in the UK to be a great resource and where I sourced my Kombucha scoby and milk kefir grains a few years ago and they are still going strong.
Try your hand at sauerkraut, as it is simple and an easy way to success.

Assorted ferments

Additional Fermenting Tips that I have found helpful along the way:

When making sauerkraut, use the direct salting and squeezing the cabbage to make its own brine. Don't use brine for kraut as it usually comes out too salty.
Cut or slice your veggies into similar sizes and thicknesses so that they ferment at the same rate.
Start with just 1 or 2 herbs or spices when you begin to add new flavors so you see how well you enjoy those flavors without muddying the results with too many different flavors going on. There is plenty of time later on to work up the complexities once you have a good idea of herbs and spices that work for your taste buds.
I use a 2% salt brine or less for most brines. The more the salt the crisper the veggies, although the softer veggies have their place as well. Adding grape, oak, horseradish, or currant leaves to jars will help add tannins to keep the veggies crisp as well. I always add horseradish leaves to my dill pickles.
Use the best water you can, chlorine will keep your veggies from fermenting and inhibit good bacterial growth.
The less salt you use, the faster the veggies will ferment. A cool dark place is ideal for fermenting and storage. WArm kitichen counters will speed things up so you need to keep a watchful eye.
Any type of pepper or pepper combo needs a 5% salt solution to preserve peppers and be safe.
Start out tasting your ferments every day or so along the way to find what amount of sourness works for you.
Don't give up too early as some times if you are not wild about the flavour, let it ferment longer and often it will vastly improve. I like my sauerkraut at least 2-4 weeks fermented. i had a beet and carrot combination that didn't excite my tastebuds till they had sat for 6 months. I had given up on it and was about to toss them. I was pleasantly surprised.
On the other had I have found that some ferments are better with a shorter ferment for my taste buds. For instance, when I have added apple to sauerkraut I like a much shorter ferment and try to at it faster than a regular sauerkraut that can sit almost indefinitely as long as you keep it in a jar that doesn't have too much air space. So you may need to keep moving it into smaller jars if you are eating it fast enough.
Here is "The Probiotic Jar's" Brining Chart for quick reference.
You can order their Probiotic Jar refrigerator magnet of the chart from here

I hope you have found this of interest and you will feel inspired to add another element to your cooking and daily diet.

~~~ ciao for now and happy fermenting ~~~

Marla

Buone Feste a Tutti - Happy Holidays to all of our Friends Old and New

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 13:54:00 +0000

Wishing you a blessed end to this year

and a fresh start in 2018.

Marla and Fabrizio at home with our cats Max and Misha and some of our cooking. Santa is in Pinerolo at the market.

We've had a great season this year and I find that with all of our activities I just have a hard time keeping up on everything. I have however taking a lot of photos and have quite a few stories about what there is to see and do in our not well known but oh so deserving val Chisone.

I plan to share stories and recipes in this coming year and will strive to get in a rhythm of posting more frequently as I love writing about our life and our neighborhood.

Wishing you all the best now and in the coming year.

I hope to get to know some of you and you will come back here and maybe even come and see us where we live.

Tanti Auguri!

Marla & Fabrizio

Bella Baita B&B -Italian Alps Retreat

wwwbellabaita.com

Making Fresh Tomini Cheese at Home

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 16:20:00 +0000

Super fresh Tomini Cheese

Tomini Cheese, in this part of Piemonte, Italy, means a soft fresh cheese that looks a lot like miniature ricotta cheese. Looking up Tomini in the large Piedmont chapter of our Slow Food book on Italian cheeses, Tomini is referred to as Tomini di Talucco, which happens to be the valley just on the other side of our on hillside, and it refers to it as pure goats cheese. It also states that the territory of origin comes from not only Talucco, but Grandubbione, which is where our road deadends 5 km further up the road from our house. It is the only Tomino listed in book which covers ever single region of Italy. So this type of cheese really is from our neighborhood.

Here the Tomino is eaten in it's fresh state after a day of settling and letting the water drain out, it is salted top and bottom. Tradition is also to mature the cheese after it has firmed up by dusting them with some black or red pepper, or domestic or wild thyme and then place it in a earthenware vessel called an "ule", or glass jars, till it is ripened to the cheese makers taste. My mother in law loves to ripen them till they are quite aromatic.

Earthenware "ule" for ripening tomini cheeses, missing its lid

Ripened Tomini using black pepper and hot red pepper

So in our part of northern Italy Tomini was made completely with whole goat milk, although with changing times and palates you will find it also made with half goat and half cows milk or an all cows milk variety for those that like the style of cheese but not so fond of goat milk. I love goat cheese, so I'm a fan of the original, but not opposed to the other varieties. They are all delicious.

There is also a variety of Tomini that is sometimes called dry Tomini that has been innoculate to form a white crust similar to brie cheese. Most cheese makers here call this type of cheese Pagliarine. It's a great cheese, but to me it tastes nothing like the Tomini type that is typical to here.

Dry Tomini or what most cheese makers here call Pagliarine

I've seen a variety of cheese makers work their their magic and thought why not give it a go at home since it seems relatively easy and I have access to fresh unpasteurized milk from what I like to call our mechanical cow over in Pinerolo. It's great because it still has the cream on top once it sits and it truly is delicious. It's our very own local milk without the milking.

Fresh unpasteurized milk, €1 per liter

We have a lot of cheesemakers in our valleys and a long history of being famous for our cheeses. Its been said that General Hannibal, of the elephant fame, crossed the Alps around 3through our valleys because it was not only the quickest way to cross, but it was an opportunity to try and nourish his dwindling number of men on our Alpine dairy products, most notably cheese.

A few years back we went to a Tomini cheese making demonstration in Talucco at Agriturismo Pinareul Arios, which just happens to be cousins in the extended way that people are related when your family has lived in the neighborhood for many generations. They still make their Tomini over a wood fired stove and it all done by hand within the family. They also operate a charming dining room that features their delicious genuine home grown and made food and is famous, not only for their Tomini, but for also their Fritto Misto alla Piemontese , an extravaganza of all sorts of savory and sweet fried foods. It's a popular indulgence in these parts and they do it well.

Hand produced Tomini di Talucco at Pinareul Arios

We also take guests up our Chisone valley to Vento Grigio Farm for a demonstration of milking and Tomino making complete with a light picnic lunch outdoors with a fabulous view of the Chisone valley and a change to have a go at milking a goat if you want to. Naturally we get to sample some of Cesare's pure goat cheese Tomino and you won't be disappointed.

Milking Goats at Vento Grigio

So now you can try and make some at home, as it isn't difficult, you just need some good quality whole milk, cows or goat, a large stainless steel cooking pot (needs to hold at least 5 quarts liquid), some rennet for producing the curds, something to hold the curds and shape the cheese while allowing the water or whey to drain out.

There are proper forms that you can find from cheese making suppliers or some cheese cloth lining a strainer or colander that you could use while you decide if this is something you might make more than once in a blue moon.

Tomino making steps

Tomino Cheese

12 approximately cheeses, depending on how well you fill them

Equipment:

1 - 5 liter cook pot, stainless steel best

Cooking thermometer

5 cm x 4-5 cm (2inch x 1.75 inch) round cheese form for draining cheese in (strainer lined with cheese cloth will work)

Ingredients:

4 liters ( 4 quarts) whole milk, best if unpasteurized, but can make it with pasteurized milk

2 grams per liter (8 g = 1.6 tsp ) caglio ( rennet or vegetable rennet)

Method:

If the milk has been refrigerated, let the milk set out to bring it to room temperature before heating.

Place ambient temperature milk (37*C / 98.6*F) in the large pot.

Slowly raise the temperature of the milk to at least 75*C (167*F) that will pasteurize the milk.

The milk can go as high as 85*C (185*F)

According to some cheese makers, bringing the milk to 75*C-85*C (167*F-186*F) pasteurizes the milk but leaves some good bacteria that adds flavor and nutrition.

If you heat the milk all the way to 90*C (194*F) it sterilizes the milk.

Once the milk reaches the desired temperature hold the milk there for at least 5 minutes.

My pots hold the heat quite well, so I turned the heat off and kept the thermometer in the milk to make sure the heat didn't dip below the 75* mark until after the 5 minutes. Descriptions of making Tomini states the milk needs to go to 85*C, but cheese makers seem to have varying opinions on this point. It seems to be their twist on making the Tomino recipe their own.

Allow the milk to cool down in the cooking pot to 38* (194*F).

While the milk is cooling measure out your caglio (rennet) and have it ready to add immediately at 38*C (195*F)

The temperature can drop quickly so keep a close eye on the temperature of the milk.

Add the caglio (rennet) and stir throughly to distribute the rennet. Cover the pot with a lid and allow to cool undisturbed for at least 40 minutes - 2 hours. You can raise the lid to peak in just don't stir or move the pot gently if needed so as not to disturb the milk curds. I did the 40 minutes one time and it didn't seem to be enough time for mine to set properly, so now I just go with the 2 hour timing.

Once you let it cool down you will find that the milk has softly solidified and pulled away from the sides of the pan. There will be a clearish whey formed between the cheese and the pot.

Take a long handled spoon or metal spatula and start by making a long cut through the top to the bottom of the curd and draw a line horizontally toward you. Lift the spatula out make the same motion horizontally across the curd to form the blessing of the cross.

Then gently cut the curds up the same way throughout the whole of the pan until the curds form and the whey begins to be throughout the whole pot. Let the curd set for a few minties and then either scoop up the curds with your form or fill the forms gently lifting the curds and pouring then into the draining forms. Fill a few forms and keep going back to refill, as the curds will give a lot of whey even after sitting.

**Do not let the cheeses sit in the drained whey because it is bitter from the rennet and will give an off flavor to the cheese. There are draining trays here for helping with that problem, but even with those you must keep watching them for a few hours as they will give off whey for a couple of days. After the first few hours the amount will slow down, but be very vigilant with making sure the cheese does not rest for very long in the whey.

They can be eaten after a couple of hours, but will be quite soft. I would let the others sit at least over night if you can before unmolding them to stand on their own. If desired, you can sprinkle a bit of salt on the top and bottom of the individual cheeses, but not everyone does that. Many people here prefer them with out the salt to taste the freshness os the milk. its a bit like unsalted and salted butter. They both have their place. You can always salt them to taste when eating.

The cheeses will last several days to a week ot so depending on your salting or not and how you hold them. I keep the nin the refrigerator unless I am going to salt them and dry them with a bit of pepper or herbs. After a day or two of air drying you can then put them in the jars or earthenware jar. They will get strong tasting after a week or so and you can ripen them to taste. Usually for us, they never get that far, as we will have eaten them with tomatoes, and a drizzle of good olive oil or hot pepper oil, a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper for a delicate fresh cheese that you made yourself.

Do enjoy.

Fresh Tomini cheese with a parsley garnish

*The whey is good as an addition to bread and some types of baked goods. It has also been used in making home made soap. You will find that many animals will enjoy the rennet also, but not all.

Pasta and Potatoes / Pasta e Patate - A Classic Recipe to Chase the Chill Away

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 16:35:00 +0000

Pasta and Potato

Pasta and Potatoes

It's still chilly these days even though February this year was milder than usual and bowls of hearty vegetables and pasta still go a long way to taking the edge of that chill off. This particular recipe I started making this summer after one of our volunteers, Mascia, prepared us one of her favorite dishes, her grandmother's recipe for pasta e patata, or pasta and potatoes. It's always a treat when someone cooks for us, and especially so when its from one of our volunteers. We've had a variety of International cuisines over the years, Japanese, French, Dutch, Italian vegan / macrobiotic and even my familiar American.

Most everyone can always use another pasta dish to add to their repertoire.This one seems to be a classic dish in many parts of Italy with as many variations as their are cooks I would imagine. In it's simplest form it is very much like what many of us think of as minestrone soup without the beans. Some people like to add a bit of saltiness and flavor punch by adding in some form of porky cut of meat with various levels of fattiness and smokiness or not. Some like a bit of red pepper zippiness or a touch of oregano. Most are a thick "stick to your ribs" kind of consistency. The Neapolitan version is finished off in an oven proof dish smothered in smoked, or not, provolone cheese slices and heated till the cheese melts and served right away.

This version is a simpler straight forward version that Mascia insisted that the butter used to sauté the vegetables was her nonna's secret ingredient. Here in the north they are fond of using butter and it does make a tasty addition to this simple dish and is highly recommended. What ever your preference might be I think you will find this classic pasta dish a great comfort and "go to" recipe for any day of the week.
Thanks Mascia for sharing your nonna's recipe.

Yield : 4 servings

Ingredients:

2-3 T olive oil, extra virgin

30g / 2 T butter

50 g smoked pancetta, prosciutto, or guanciale (optional)*

80 g / 1/2 c white onion

80 g / 1/2 c carrots, diced

80 g / 1/2 c celery, diced

100 g / 2/3 c cherry tomatoes or pachino, blanched, peeled and diced
or some ready made tomato sauce or a combination of the two

3 ½ – 4 cups water or stock

1 vegetable bullion cube, use if you don't have chicken or vegetable stock

500 g / 2 3/4 c potatoes (peeled and cubed)

160 g / 1 1/3 c small shaped pasta ( small tubes, wheels, gnocchetti, mixed pasta, half penne)

2 -3 Parmigiana or Grana Padana crusts (optional)*

Parsley chopped to garnish or some oregano as some recipes call for

Grated Parmigiana to sprinkle

Salt and pepper or hot red pepper to taste

*Variation: In Naples and other southern parts of Italy they will put the finished dish in oven proof bowls and cover the top with some slices of smoked provolone cheese. Heating it to melt the cheese before serving.

Directions:

In a medium pot, at least 2 qt/L, heat your pan, then add the butter and olive oil.

Once the butter has melted and the oil is heated, add the diced onion, carrot and celery.

Sauté the vegetables on a medium heat for a few minutes.

Cook until the vegetables are soft, but hasn't picked up any color, about 3-5 minutes.

Then add the meat if using, and tomatoes, cook a few more minutes.

Add 3 cups of water to the sautéed vegetables along with bullion cube, if using

and the potatoes and pasta.

Taste and adjust seasonings keeping in mind that the crusts will add salt to the dish.

Add the Parmigiana crusts if you have them.

Cook until the potatoes and pasta are cooked, adding the other ½ -1 cup of additional water to reach a creamy texture, but not too soupy.

Serve hot and garnish with Parmigiana if desired.

Buon appetito!!

3rd Annual "SMTA - Sustainable Mountain Tourism" Ostana, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 21:39:00 +0000

Heading over towards Monviso, in the distance, to Ostana

It's the beginning of another annual ride around the sun for all of us who mark our calendars beginning with January 1.
What will 2017 bring to us and what will we focus on in our alpine Italian life?

Good questions that had one immediate answer when Fabrizio was searching around the internet one night last week. Lo and behold he found a symposium on "Sustainable Mountain Tourism" that was to take place in 2 days time in Ostana, Italy, which just happens to be 65 km away and a couple of mountains over from us, where mighty Monviso peak resides.

Approaching Monviso -Ostana in the Summer

Naturally this piqued our interest as we started our own "Sustainable Mountain Eco Tourism" - "T.E.M. Association" ( Tourismo Ecosostinible Montano- Associazione Di Promozione Sociale) about 10 years ago.

What is sustainable mountain tourism you might ask? A simple definition of sustainable tourism that lines up with our beliefs I found on the The Sustainable Tourism Gateway website.

"Sustainable tourism in its purest sense, is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism that is both ecologically and culturally sensitive."

Our Eco Sustainable Mountain Tourism Association Logo

The addition of Mountain into Sustainable Tourism, creates a specific viewpoint as life in the mountains can be a delicate balance between maximizing economic development and protecting fragile environments and sensitivity to cultural heritage.
According to "Euromontana", a European association of Mountain areas, with whom we presented our Bella Baita B&B mountain living model to their annual meeting in 2013; 60% of all Europeans live in the mountains. I found that statistic to be rather astounding and important to consider how important it is to support these rural and sometimes fragile communities.

Anyway.....

We were thrilled to write to the SMTA and within minutes find out that they were happy, on short notice, for us to attend their 3rd annual international edition of "SMTA Sustainable Mountain Tourism Alliance".
It was with great excitement that we set off to join the discussion. We really knew nothing about them, but off we went on Friday (the 13th no less) to check out this day of exploring what Sustainable Mountain Tourism means, building a meta-network (a network of networks) and the circular economy.

Arriving at Ostana in winter was just as as impressive as arriving in summer. We drove over there in July for a days outing on my birthday to see a restored and revitalized mountain village that we had heard a lot about. The mayor of this village has been committed to revitalizing for the village for the past 20 years or so to try and breathe new life into what was an almost deserted village. The buildings were neglected and crumbling after the town was all but abandoned when people moved on to look for economic opportunities, mostly after WWII. We have the same scenario in our mountain neighborhood. And it was the same story in the mountains of Colorado that I use to live in until they started the ski areas.
Ostana has struggled along, mostly being home to a few hearty souls and a few who came for the beauty of the area and the outdoor mountain activities that are on hand. The Monviso ski area use to draw in people in the winter when the ski industry was buzzing in the 70's. That however has slowed to a trickle as many ski areas have felt the sharp pinch of the Italian economic slow down along with aging equipment and a lack of funds to upgrade.
The town's mayor has made a real effort to bring in support for getting the buildings renovated and attracting new life into this small but now growing community.

Sant Antonia - a small borgata, a part of and up from, Ostana, where our meeting was held.

We had lunch this summer and also during the symposium at the beautiful Galaberna rifugio, another project that has brought business into the mountains. There is also a bar and a couple of stores, one offering quaint home accessories and another with outdoor sporting goods and local artisanal products which adds quite a lift to this charming hamlet. The revitalization of this community is a testament to commitment to a vision to bring growth and find the ways and means to do so. Good for Ostana and its residents, you are inspiring.

Back to the symposium.
Our symposium was up, and I do mean up, the hill to another cluster of houses and buildings that had a very state of the art meeting room, along with a tiny bar that made for a cozy day of exchanging ideas and lively discussions on mountain tourism.
We met some fascinating people that share many of our ideals of supporting life in the mountains through tourism that supports tradition and innovation. The symposium was led by one of the founding members of SMTA, Swiss educator, Dr. Tobias Luthe, who presented what work they have done in working towards making sustainable tourism a concrete and viable means of income in the mountains of Europe. Starting with the focus on concrete means of bringing money for rebuilding and attracting others to live in rural areas that are in need of new ideas for saving abandoned hamlets and revitalizing these communities through reconstruction and touristic activities that can support small local businesses. Tobias was the main moderator but there was at least one other founding member and other students and educators and various business partners who participated and shared their vision for mountain redevelopment.

We broke out into several small groups to discuss specific topics and came back together to share our thoughts. One of the things that struck me was even thought we all had the exact same discussion topics, we came up with such diverse ideas and angles of approach. I think that is what makes getting people from different countries and diverse touristic backgrounds together such a worthwhile endeavor. It brings many different points of views and ideas to the table. I found the topics stimulating and the company pleasantly interesting.

SMTA 3rd Annual Symposium Ostana, Italy
Dr. Tobias Luthe presenting in the top middle photo

We took a break for lunch with a walk down to Galberna Rifugio for a convivial and traditional Piemontese mountain lunch that was outstanding. High quality food and wine, prepared simply with the personality of the chef shining through, made for a delightful meal together with new friends. Then after our break we trudged back up the hill which seemed to get just a tad longer and steeper on the way back, but the fresh air and beautiful mountain scenery made it all worth the effort. It also helped to keep us alert after such a satisfying meal and enabled us to remain engaged for the afternoon topics.

Photos of Ostana this past July when we had lunch at La Galaberna.
The food was excellent both times we ate their. Highly recommend it!

The small group discussions included not only what exactly is needed to identify what exactly sustainable tourism is, but how to you brand it so that people will know what they are looking for and what exactly they will be receiving. Also, how do you measure if this type of approach to mountain tourism is easily recognizable and effective. How do we bring this movement forward together and also concretely measure progress being made.

Sharing our ideas

I'm not sure how the symposium found its way to Ostana, but I am sure there is an interesting story there. We learned there is the beginnings of a "Monviso Institute" in progress to bring yet another portion of this cluster of mountain neighborhoods back to life.
Some of these same folks have bought a small cluster of abandoned houses even further up from these buildings and have started to renovate them to turn them into a project

"as an experimental real-world laboratory for sustainable design and living." MonViso Institue

It all sounds very exciting to not only meet people that are trying to generate a way of bringing economic life back to the mountains, but who are actually putting in to practice the systems they are trying to create and nurture.
In summing up the whole concept of sustainable tourism we talked about a circular economy. The term has been used in the industrial realm to move away from the linear model of 'take, make, dispose' economic model to "a circular economy that is restorative and regenerative by design, aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times. "
For me a circular economy is really just a getting back to basics of relying on your community to provide services and goods from local sources and sourcing things closer to you so that the money stays in the community and recycles itself around. I love purchasing our food from the farmers that produce it and try to make a habit of keeping that in mind whenever possible. From my perspective we are looking to go back to a system that we lost sight of when the promise of globalization seemed to be an answer to so many needs. Communities use to rely more on each other. I think you still find this interdependence in rural communities still, but it is ever increasingly important to commit to buy and work with local professionals for supporting a healthier and more robust local economy in order to keep the circle to include your neighborhood.
I think that one of the biggest takeaways from the conference was to generate enthusiasm for thinking globally and acting locally, through talking together and sharing ideas to take back home and see what can be implemented and what other ideas can be generated with ones own community. Our concerns for our natural environment, our neighbors, and communities economic health is brought into clearer focus with an eye towards generating more opportunities to work together with ur neighbors to build the community we dream of. Lofty goals indeed, but starting from where one is situated and reaching out to others is a place to start and communicating around a table, usually laid with great food, is where we like to start. So we shall see what we can bring about in our community and we look forward to participating with this group again as well as discovering what the MonViso Institute will have on offer as well.

View of Monviso from our neighborhood

Onward and upward, I say.

Ciao for now!!

A Few Easy Gift Ideas Just in Time for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 16:35:00 +0000

"And we've really no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....."

Christmas is more than rapidly approaching and the countdown is almost at ground zero. If you are in need of some inspiration for any last minute ideas, I just happen to have a few that mostly should be there in time for making an appearance under the tree or on someone's device. The wonder and glory of downloadable gifts or certificates. I don't know about you, but I love this new virtual world, most of the time at least. When you don't live close to many of your loved ones, the internet highway is a high speed way to get the message that I love you and am thinking of you done fast.
Many people think the internet option is too impersonal, but I love all the choices and possibilities on finds on line. However the look and touch of real books and other tangible items will never be completely replaceable, but there are some great options to there to be had.

The Framed Winter "Bella Baita View "

I have started to embrace the written word on electronic devices even though I don't have a dedicated reading device, I do have an ipad and that has made recipes in the kitchen a delight to use. I also have started to read fun novels and even a magazine or two on my iphone and ipad. It makes for an enjoyable read without more magazines and books around our small apartment. I have even taken to scanning or photo graphing some of my favorite cook book recipes so that the recipes are readily available. I have even found some cook book titles that have been on sale and so I have tried them out and that helps me decide if I want to have an actual hard copy of the cook book to my ever groaning cook book shelf. I do think there are limitations with cook books as they are sometimes difficult to get to the page you want in some of the formats that the authors have laid them out in, but still I love my little collection of mostly bread cook books and a smattering of various titles of cuisines around the world and my new expanded love of fermenting and culturing foods. It's been exciting learning all about foods that are alive and often feel like being a mad scientist. But I do digress.

I have gathered a few of my favorite reads at the moment and one fantastic apparel company with some suggestions for gifts that can give more than once and sometimes to different recipients. These are easy to purchase ( I guess that is the case in most purchasing now isn't it, although you can do it from the comfort of your home ) and easy to tuck under the tree, stuff in a stocking or have delivered to your designated device. Some of these ideas are so nice you may just want to some for yourself as well to enjoy as well. I hope you find something to intrigue and delight you this year.

and visions of sugarplums danced in their head..

#1 First up - "Living in Italy The Real Deal" Stef Smulders

If you have ever thought you might want to chuck it all and live in Italy, run a B&B or some other type of business, then this is a book you cannot afford to miss! When Stef Smulders reached out to me to have a go with his newly English translated version of his ebook, Living in Italy - The Real Deal, I readily accepted. How lucky for me. His book about his and husband Nico's experiences of deciding to leave their native Holland to purchase a home in the Oltrepo Pavese region of northern Italy is a fun and enlightening read. You may think you have read this story before and maybe you have, but this book is a fresh and engaging story that has real benefits if you are seriously considering this very adventure. Stef's use of real Italian phrases while telling their tale will also be extremely useful as you will most likely encounter many if not all of these chapters in this process of buying in a foreign country such as Italy. He doesn't sugar coated their experiences here, and that is a good thing. You will find there is always a way through the morass of red tape and cultural differences that makes for light hearted entertaining reading and hopeful happy endings. Of course, the process is always a journey and Stef will have you enjoying the journey along with them. This really is an entertaining must read if you are serious about moving and purchasing a property in Italy. It is also a story that will have you scratching your head and chuckling along with them on their journey.

You can purchase a copy of his book here at Living in Italy - The Real Deal

You can also find our more information about staying with them at the destination at the heart of this book here Villa I Due Padroni. You can stay and let them point you in the best way to discover yet another worthy "off the beaten path" destination in Italy. I am sure they are very happy to share more stories about their whole adventure with you as well. Tell them Marla at Bella Baita sent you.

#2 - 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

Susan Van Allen's very popular book is a must read also for anyone wanting to visit Italy and doesn't know quite where to start. Even seasoned Italophiles will find much to discover on her website and in her book, blog and "Golden Day Series". Susan has let me know that the book has been fully updated in the newest edition.
You ca find her website here, and information as to where to purchase her book.
You will find my blog Bell Baita View listed in the book's new edition in its Online Resources.

You can also read about what I consider a perfect day out and about in our beloved Val Chisone at my post on her Golden Day series.
You'll find it here.
Golden Day Fifty-Three: A Little Piece of Heaven in Serre Marchetto

#3 - Dream of Italy Newsletter and now TV Show

Kathy McCabe's website and Travel Newsletter is a wealth of information about traveling in Italy. It is a subscription service that also offer the subscriber many extra perks aside from the premium content that is on offer. There is also an abundance of free content to entice you and help you make the most of any visit you might make to Italy. She now has a new TV Show in PBS about here visit and suggestions of Italian travel and you can find more information on the website here and the this other link takes you directly to the membership page.
Dream of Italy - Travel Resource and Now TV Show

You can find us mentioned on her site on the Piedmont Page as well as on her Cooking School page .

Cooking in Piedmont: Lessons in a Lovely Mountain B&B

#4 - Some Cookbooks I have found of Interest this year:

These a few of the books that caught my attention this year. The first 2 titles are new this year, the third last year and the other two are older than these, but all are very worth discovering. I know some of the authors from online and expats groups, although have not met them all in person.

Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City

In a nutshell, I fell in love with so many aspects of this book. I have the hard cover and I love the look and feel of the matte finish cover, the recycled paper, the incredible photos and writing and lastly the recipes. I enjoyed the well researched history behind the recipes and the culture and history of Rome through its food. I read some critiques of this very fact that it isn't an exhaustive list of Roman dishes, but I found that I loved all of the recipes that made the cut in the selection process. I love that some of the classics are pure and some have a modern take and some simply are not something I would make, but still all entranced me and had me reading it like a series of short stories.

Preserving Italy: Canning, Curing, Infusing, and Bottling Italian Flavors and Traditions

I came across this book a bit too late in my preserving season to truly put it to good use this year. That's ok, because I now will have the winter to read through it and make a plan for next year. I have quite a few favorite recipes for preserving fruits and vegetables the Italian way, but there are plenty of recipes here to delight and try out. The syrups, liqueurs and fruits have quite a few that have my attention as well as some interesting variations on vegetables that are sure to ratchet up the flavor profile. It has a wide range of preserving methods and some recipes using what has been for later use. A very enjoyable book that portends well for putting food by the Italian way.

A Kitchen with a View - Letizia Mattiacci

I have made a number of Letizia's delicious recipes from her fabulous "Madonna del Piatto" blog, so when I heard she was making a cook book I was excited. This cookbook is exquisite in its beauty and feast for the eyes, much as they view from her kitchen offers. Her recipes are classically simple and yet refreshingly diverse with flavor. and surprises She is generous with her knowledge and that is helpful when making an unfamiliar dish. I think this would be a welcome addition to anyones Italian cookbook repertoire.

Cucina Povera - Pamela Sheldon Johns

This is the latest gorgeous book on the subject of Italian cooking close to this authors heart. Long before she moved to Tuscany full time and started her organic olive oil farm and holiday apartments, she has written numerous cookbooks on Italian cuisine. This volume celebrates the simplicity and splendor that is simple Italian cooking that elevates what is on hand in the pantry to exquisite new heights. The Italians are masters of this; making much from virtually nothing. That is the beauty of Cucina Povera. There are stories and background to put the recipes into context and for me I love this aspect of cooking, as it often brings a deeper appreciate for the dish. These type of recipes rely even more heavily on the quality of the ingredients to elevate the dish to memorable so no scrimping there. There is a very reasonable priced ebook available to might convince you that a hard copy os the way to go as well. E-cookbooks help preserve your hard bound cookbooks from the drips and splatters that happen along the way when cooking with them in the kitchen, an added bonus.

Wild Fermentation - Sandor Katz on Cultures for Health Website

This book is usually the bellwether and standard for which most people refer to in reverential tones when one talks about the revival of fermenting and culturing food and drinks that has exploded on the scene the past few years. I had no idea about so many of these foods until more recently when Kombucha and the revival of milk kefir seems to have taken the US by storm, and brought to light all the places where this tradition never completely went away. It's a fascinating and delicious journey that like so many disciplines, seems to be endless and that, actually, is a good thing. The book is full of sound advice based on science and easy to glean the information. The Cultures for Health website is a treasure trove of resources to get you started and access to start this culinary journey. There are a goodly number of free ebooks on the various culturing disciplines for merely signing up for their newsletter. This community is generous with their knowledge and very helpful when needed. Just ask.

#5 A New Active and Casual Athletic Apparel Company,

whose goal is to empower women....

"Mpowher Apparel"

What can I say except I love this concept, this idea, these products, these 2 women who are making it happen, following their dreams and working hard to bring other women along with them. Their company was founded so the 20% of their proceeds, "supports and funds a wide array of non-profits that directly impact women who are aspiring to do more." What is not to like about that?

Founded by Hanna Bowden and Laurel Kasel, friends and basketball team mates from their years at Colorado Mesa University playing college basketball and all the other sports that Colorado has on offer. Their years in the women's sports field inspired them to found their company.
Hanna spoke about their motivation in an interview she did last month with "The WON - Women's Outdoor News" publication in which she noted,

" Mpowher was born from the fact that we saw a lack of empowerment of women from all our years playing team sports to working in corporate America. This lack of empowerment was everywhere."

All I can say is they are producing a great looking product line of casual active athletic apparel that does more then keep you comfy and styling. Have a look at their products and support this small business to reach their dreams and achieve their goals in which they realize a business that is about empowering women more than merely making money. Refreshing perspective in this world today.
Go Hanna and Laurel!

Mpowher Apparel

** Full disclosure...I have known Hanna since she was a twinkle in her parents eyes. Her mother is a dear friend that dates back to our days working together at the Sunshine Cafe in Silverthorne, Colorado and her dad when he was a snow cat driver at Keystone. This family knows a thing or two about sports. Hanna and Laurel came and stayed with us a couple of years ago on their whirl wind tour in Europe. They were a delight to have stay with us and we are just so delighted to see them really doing something that stands out in their industry. they are starting from where they are and I am sure they will be very successful. Please encourage them on their journey!** Marla

Fabrizio, Marla, Laurel Kasel, and Hanna Bowden- May 2014

# 6 Last but not least - Take an online class and learn a new skill or craft

Craftsy

I discovered Craftsy a few years back when Peter Reinhart offered his bread baking class on this site and discounted it to boot just before Christmas. I just checked now and there are a lot of classes on sale on the site right now. Very worth checking out. There are hundreds of classes to choose from. I also bought a cheese making class as well. They are great, because you have a lifetime access to the class, there are recipes to download, video to watch at your leisure and over and over again if you like and an online forum where you can ask questions of the teacher or other students and share your triumphs or less than stellar attempts. It really is a nice format. There are also a number of free classes on a wide range of topics too.

Skill Share

Speaking of FREE.... Skill share is another site where most all of the courses are free and as wide ranging as learning to paint to learning how to code computers. there are some cooking classes and design classes and all sorts of interesting topics that people are willing to share for free with you. There now is a premium feature that gives you access to more involved , but there really is a wealth of free classes to choose from and probably something to interest most everybody.

Christmas tree in Naples bar

With love from Marla & Fabrizio

at Bella Baita Italian Alps Retreat

Wishing everyone, everywhere a very special

Winter Solstice, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas

and any others you care to celebrate in peace.

"Peace on earth, goodwill toward hu-mans!"

Our Bella Baita View - Winter Version

Slow Food's Biennial Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre Arrives Again

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 22:09:00 +0000

I went, I saw, I explored, I discovered. I sampled, I chatted, I learned. I imbibed, I flagged, I stayed till the end of the night, arriving home around 2 am-ish and was, well, exhausted, again.
That, my friends, is the nutshell version of my time visiting this years 2016 edition of Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre. Living the slow life, it seems that getting this post up has all the hallmarks of a sloooooooow post.

There is so much more to tell and share. I was so excited to share my impressions immediately after the event, as it always leaves me in high spirits, inspired and hopeful that real change is coming to the way we eat, produce our food, treat our animals, planet and each other. However I didn't get to do that right away as we have been busy with guests, gardens and "work-away-ers", so I have had some time to digest and reflect on my experience this year and I'm still pretty excited. So was every one else too.

Bernard Elixirs with Fabrizio, Nina and Enrico Bernanrd

First off, you either are familiar with Slow Food or you are wondering what the heck is this all about?! Their Slow Food International website is a great place to start to learn about what the movement is all about. I have attended quite a few editions of the every 2 year event called Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre and have written about it every time I have gone.

Terra Madre Welcomed Representatives from over 140 countries to this years event

I went into quite bit of detail from the 2014 edition and you can read more about my insights here, here, and here, and if that isn't enough links will come up below those posts to older editions to this event. I have been attending since 2004. So now let me talk about this years event.

This year saw the event taken to a whole other level. They blew the doors off of this event, moving out of the Lingotto Conference center and adjacent venues and expanded into the whole of central Torino for the first time ever. It was a risky move. The weather can be a cruel partner, but moving the event to an earlier time in September instead of October, the chances of the weather holding up were better. We were lucky this year as the weather was cooperative. Being an almost exclusively outdoor event scattered around the town, there was no longer a need to charge to attend the event,

Piazza Reale Turin
The City of Turin Welcomed 2016 Edition of Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre

Fun for everyone

The Lingotto center had just gotten too expensive to justify holding the event hostage there, according to Carlo Petrini, Slow Food International's President and founder. Carlo Petrini really is the father of this movement and person to whom most look to as the driving force of this grass roots movement. He has written many books and works tirelessly to bring about a change to peoples awareness to preserve our culture and heritage of our basic need to survive, and of course that is our need to eat.

Carlo Petrini, leading the way

To eat. To eat together, to eat with pleasure, with awareness and mindfulness of all that goes into the production of our daily ritual and all of the ripple affects. To be aware that others do not have enough to eat and to consider the consequences of our food choices that affects not only our health, but our planets health and so very much more. This is a celebration and hopefully a raising of awareness of all these issues and more. It's a mammoth undertaking, but in the words of philosopher Lao Tzu "the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step", and so we take a step on the journey.

Terra Madre Parade and Welcome that included trading of native foods with one another

The opening ceremony for this edition of Terra Madre featured a parade of representatives from over 140 countries attending this year. It was colorful and joyous. People were also carrying sign boards, with slogans, such as, Love your Mother, Save Biodiversity, Vote with your Fork and other statements. There was a ceremonial exchange of of traditional foods between diverse countries on stage and an general exchange in the piazza with much merriment. It was an emotional and inspiring symbolic fellowship. It was a festive start to the festivities.

Terra Madre Opening Parade

I love seeing what people from near and far are producing and eating from all around the world. Parco Valentino hosted most of the many Italian producers as well as the rest of the world.

Parco Valentino Vendors

There was so much to sample and discover and so little time. I arrived early and stayed very late, but truly I really didn't feel like I had been able to take it all in. I did have some nice chats with various Terra Madre people, but didn't have time to attend the many fascinating forums about such diverse food issues, in just one day, but so it goes. I did really savor every delectable experience that I could absorb in the day. I love too that there are always some crafts that go hand in hand with the food traditions and on display representing other aspects of our food cultures and ways of living as producers of our worlds foods.

Traditional block stamping for material and paper making lovely crafts

I think I will try and finish off this never ending homage to one of my most favorite events in the world, with a variety of photos, so you can experience a tiny slice of what was on offer. I hope you enjoy the tour.

Beans and Corn of Every Type - Saving Biodiversity

Food, Costumes and Fun

A Few of the Wonderful Things on Offer to Sample and Buy if You Like

People From Around the World, Sharing Their Food and Other Traditions

Perhaps one day you might consider experiencing it on your own.

Piazza Reale at Night during the Salone del Gusto

Next time around will be in 2018.
See you there.

Serre Marchetto Mountain Trail Mix for National Trail Mix Day 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 10:15:00 +0000

My Serre Marchetto Trail mix and local maps of our area

Who knew that August 31, was National Trail Mix Day? I didn't, that's for sure, until the folks over at Nuts.com let me in on this American designation. So, when they told me about a contest they are cosponsoring where the winner of the contest's recipe will be featured on their Nuts.com blog, I thought it would be fun to participate. What's not to love about making a great snack worthy of tucking into your rucksack, backpack, or hand bag for when you are hitting the walking, running, cycling or traveling trail. I thought, hey, why not? Why not indeed, as hiking, or as the Brits much prefer to call it, just plain ole walking, is one of my favorite pastimes and our very own Serre Marchetto neighborhood in Val Chisone, Italy is just full of trails in every direction from our house. Our Bella Baita B&B -Italian Alps Retreat is a great choice for exploring the trails and beauty our neighborhood has on offer.

All roads lead to Serre Marchetto, well at least some do

My husband has been making wooden trail signs, marking and cleaning paths in collaboration with our local chapter of C.A.I. (Club Alpino Italiano, passionate mountain enthusiasts), for a number of years now to reclaim our neighborhood paths for all to enjoy and find their way round our neck of the woods.

Some of Fabrizio's , my husband, handiwork

In collaboration with our "Regione Piemonte", Fabrizio Roncaglia and our friend Silvano Damiano, have worked tirelessly to clean, reclaim and map out our trails, putting all the trails on a GPS system. We are one of the first communities to utilize this equipment that literally puts our trails on the GPS system. They have made a small map of the area with descriptions of 6 classic walks in the area for all to use. We're really proud of this undertaking and happy to help make this happen in what ever way we can.

The Pinasca trail map resulting from all that hard work

This is an ongoing project with many paths being dusted off and made walkable for the public to discover and will continue to maintain the trails for years to come.

Fabrizio, Silvano and Valentina, Silvano's daughter working on the trail signs and others coming along for the guided walk

We live in the Italian Alps, off the beaten path, in the lower part of the Piedmont Alps where we are spoiled for choice, where every type of mountain exploring is possible. A high energy snack that is easily portable is a necessity to keep you going when the energy levels dip. Sounds like a handy, energy filled, natural snack is an essential part of what to take along when you are out on the trail, don't you think?

Hitting the trail in nearby Val Pellice

So why take the time to make a trail mix when there are so many options available and they are all just the same, right? Well no, not exactly. I have to admit, that often I find commercial blends to be just a tad boring or they don't have the right combinations or proportions of the ingredients I like, so making ones own is a smart and often economical choice.

So you say a trail mix is a trail mix, which is just another trail mix? Well, I might agree with you except I just happen to think that roasting your seeds and nuts make the flavors stand out rather than the somewhat bland and familiar raw taste of the seeds and nuts. Maybe that's just me. I like to add a little saltiness by way of using soy sauce to the seeds after I have lightly pan roasted them to give that little "je ne sais quoi"? ( translates as "I don't know what" ), or what I think of as an added depth and flavor profile to this mixture, which for me, makes this combination a real knock out. Naturally, like most trail mixes, the amounts are variable depending on your particular preferences. If you prefer your mix without the saltiness or can't be bothered toasting the seeds and nuts, then by all means, don't, but I think you'll be happy that you did if you go to a little extra effort. Happy munching and tramping around in the woods, or enjoying this mix in all the ways this powerhouse of flavor and energy can stand in for your average neutral trail mix.

Serre Marchetto Trail Mix

Serre Marchetto Trail Mix Recipe

Yields about 5 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 c / 5 oz /150g Sunflower seeds
1/4 c / 1 oz / 30g Sesame seeds
1/4c / 1 oz / 35g Pepitas or pumpkin seeds
1 Tb / 1/2 oz / 12g Soy sauce
1/2c / 5 oz/ 150g Almonds
1/2c / 2 oz / 75g Hazelnuts
1c / 5 oz / 150g Golden raisins
1c / 5 oz / 150g Dried Cranberries
1/2c / 1 oz / 40g Dried Apple cubes
1/4c / 1 oz / 25g Goji berries
3 Tb / 3/4 oz /25g Cacao nibs

Method:

Measure out all of your ingredients so they are ready to toast and mix.
I like to begin by warming up my heavy cast iron skillet.
I toast my almonds and hazelnuts in the pan, stirring or shaking the pan to evenly toast to desired color. I tend to like them only slightly toasted. Remove from the heat and set aside in a mixing bowl to cool until you add the other ingredients. Place your pan back on the heat. **You can do this in the oven as well, but I don't like to turn the oven on for such a simple task that doesn't require a lot of time to achieve the right color and flavor. Your choice, just don't walk away and forget your nuts as they toast up fast either way.
Now add the sunflower and pumpkin seeds to the pan and lightly toast them, stirring or shaking the pan regularly. As the seeds begin to get a little color I sprinkle the sesame seeds in and stir them to toast. Note that the sesame seeds will pop and dance about, so you might want to have a lid handy to keep them in the pan.
Once you have the seeds to a light color, turn off the heat and add your soy sauce to the seeds and stir to coat all. The heat makes the seeds stick to the pan a bit, but also adds a bit of flavor as well. Let cool a bit before adding to the other nuts.
Add all of your other ingredients while the seeds are still warm as they will soften the dried fruits and slightly clump up for your snacking pleasure.
Let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
Take along whenever a high energy snack is needed.
Happy Trails!!!!

Serre Marchetto Trail mix and local maps of our neighborhood

Farinata, farinata... (Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?)

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 10:19:00 +0000

Farinata with Fresh Ricotta Cheese and Black Pepper

Ok, so just a little play on words from a song that I think many of us learned as children in our French classes, Frère Jacques or also know in Italian as Fra Martino... "frère Jacques, frère Jacques, dormez vous, dormez vous....farinata, farinata....ok ok, so I'm easily amused.

I meant to get this recipe post quite awhile ago as it does require heating up the oven and for some of you that may just not be in the cards for you these days, but alas life happens and blog posts languish. Here in the Alps we are have such a mixture of weather that turning the oven on is still a viable option. So if you plan to have the oven on for something else perhaps with a little planning ahead you might enjoy this subtly flavored chickpea pancake. It's good hot out of the oven and in Piedmont you usually you find it served up as big rectangular slices or wedges piping hot out of the oven, alongside pizza by the slice. It is usually baked in the oven in copper bottomed pans about 40 cm or 15 inch round pans, traditionally, but you will also find it cooked in large sheet trays as well, just like focaccia. This culinary treat is native to Liguria and also a popular dish from Provence where it is called Socca. You can find variations in Tuscany and Sardinia as well. I'll let the 2 Mediterranean regions battle it out for which one is the birthplace of this dish.
At home I go for a bit of garnishing with sometimes just black pepper and lime juice squeezed over it once it comes out of the oven, right before serving. I like it with soft cheese slathered across it and maybe some chives or other fresh herbs to taste with a sprinkle of gourmet salt, or a sprinkly if fresh rosemary as well. It can also be rolled up after smearing it with soft cheese and any other sprinkling of garnishes that strikes your fancy, like finely chopped radish, sun dried tomato bits, olive slices, capers, roasted peppers and on and on. Fill and roll it up like a jelly roll and cut it into to swirled slices for finger food or stuzzichini. You may need to hold it together with some toothpicks to keep them from unravelling and easy serving as well. Have at it and give it a whirl. It is delicately flavored, but for those of you, like me, that just can't get enough of that mysteriously subtle chickpea flavor, this is one to try.
I hope you enjoy it.
Marla

Preparing the batter and pan for baking

For the best results give the batter a long resting period for the chickpea flour enough time to absorb and soften, at least 2 hours and some recipes call for 8 hours. Mix it up in the morning or the evening to cook later on.

Farinata Wedge

Farinata al Rosmarino

Serves: 6 people

I have a large 12 "heavy pan with a removable handle that I use to bake this in to two different batches. Cast iron skillets work well also. I have used sheet pans, but it didn't work quite as well, but I might not have gotten the pans quite hot enough either, which is key to success. Hot preheated pans, then pour in the oil before pouring the batter in. This is the one of the main keys to success.

This recipe easily halves and is good for just 2 people.

Ingredients:

300g chickpea flour (10.5 oz) (150g/ 5.25 oz for a half batch)

1 liter water, tepid (1 quart with a little splash more) (1/2 liter or quart half batch)

1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1 T salt (1/2 T half batch)

110ml extra virgin olive oil (3.75 oz/ 7.5 T) (55ml / 1.8 oz /3.75T half batch)

2 sprigs or so of fresh rosemary leaves removed from stalks

Method:

I like to use my immersion wand blender, but a whisk works just fine as well.
I will put the water in a tall narrow container like or a large bowl.

Gently pour in the chickpea flour, whisking to avoid lumps.

Add the pepper and salt, stir, and allow to sit in a warm place for at least two hours and up to 8 hours. the soaking time

Preheat the oven to 230*C / 450*F

Remove the foam from the top of the batter and stir in 110ml olive oil.

Pour a further tablespoon of the oil into the farinata pan or frying pan and put into the oven until the oil is just smoking.

Quickly remove the pan and pour in 1/2 of the chickpea batter. (I do this in 2 batches for best results in my pans you might have 3 batches with a cast iron skillet)

The farinata should be thin – no more than 2cm deep. (If you make the full batch at one time, it will be thick and will need to cook longer, which is fine, totally up to your taste)

Sprinkle the rosemary leaves over the top and return to the oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the top is brown and crisp and the middle is still slightly soft.

Remove from your pan if it is a no stick pan before cutting into to wedges and garnishing.
Serve warm with whatever toppings suit you.
Buon appetitto!

My happy husband Fabrizio getting ready to dig in

Ride the Cottian Alps with an E-Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 15 May 2016 15:53:00 +0000

View of Monviso and Cro from the area just beyond our Bella Baita home.

As spring continues to come on here in the Alps of Piedmont, one can not help but think of getting out and about in the mountains as the snow recedes and the green takes over in earnest. The usual harbingers of spring, birds singing their little hearts out, wild flowers popping up sometimes only to have a layer of white cover them up to slow them down but certainly not able to stop the tide of green that is surely on its way. Thoughts of gardening and yard work turns to reality and signs of life are everywhere after a long winters sleep. Out thoughts have turned from the winters discussion to the reality of a day out mountain biking with a twist.

Carlo, owner of Holitaly and Fabrizio of Bella Baita B&B

Our friend Carlo Grangetto of Holitaly has the concession for electric mountain bikes in Italy and has been telling us about how much fun they are, so, of course we couldn't resist a day out and about a few weeks back past, when he offered to take us out on a beautiful spring day in our neighborhood now could we? Of course not, and what a grand day out it was!

Delivery and guiding service all included

He brought the bikes to us and after we adjusted them to fit us and a little practice with the ins and outs of gears and using a bit of "go get em" juice from the electric power, we were off and pedaling.

We went back towards the end of our road in the Grandubbione area riding to the end of the pavement and off into the woods. We rode a bit of double and single track and a good dose of stopping to take in the fantastic views of our gorgeous Cozie alps.

Views and challenges were just the right mix

What a fabulous day out enjoying the views and reawakening of nature and the feeling of enjoying our neighborhood in a new way. When you come to visit here there is so much to see and do and precisou little time to pack it all in, so the use of an electric bike with a guide to make sure you get the most our of your time riding in the woods is a great value I think.

"Country roads....take me home...to the place, I belong....."

Carlo's guided tours are very reasonably priced for a full day out with a guide to make sure all goes smoothly, you really couldn't ask for more. On our little backyard jaunt, we made a stop for a piece of tarte tatin and a hot tea, which helped fuel us towards home. You can find all the details here on his site, Holitaly. It's still all in Italian, but the English version is coming and naturally, we can always help you out with information too.

We hope you'll come and stay with us this summer and give yourself enough time to add this wonderful day out on mountain bikes to your holiday. We're convinced you'll love it too.

We're waiting for you!

Agretti Spaghetti - An Ode to Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 18:14:00 +0000

Agretti Spaghetti with lemon and blue Toma cheese

If you have ever had the pleasure of eating agretti, barba di frate, which translates to friars beard, then I know you have probably been in search of it ever since. This is a veggie that just screams "spring" to me. It's also called saltwort, and was once highly sought after throughout Europe for it's leaves that were reduced to ashes which were then used in the process to make glass.

Italian Agretti. barba di frate or Salwort

This harbinger of spring has a short lived appearance in the markets and when I spy them, I make sure to bring them home. It's a funny looking vegetable that resembles a bunch of skinny succulents. The flavor of these fleshy needle like leaves are a little reminiscent of pencil thin asparagus with a subtle and slightly mineral taste.

Lightly boiled and then slightly sautéed in olive oil and garlic before adding cooked pasta

Most of the time I lightly boil or steam them, drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. They do need a bit of salt even though I have confused them with seaweed, as they are sometimes referred to as land seaweed. I thought they would be salty, but they are not. Their delicate flavor is almost nutty sweet and they taste best when least fiddled with.
Most agretti and spaghetti recipes I have found call for boiling them together before saucing it all with a gorgonzola cheese sauce and maybe a light sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts or walnuts. That sounds great, but in the end I found that I preferred a light handling of the cheese, a few cheese crumbles on top and was fresh out of nuts and found that we liked this version very much. I preferred to boil the spaghetti and agretti separately so I didn't over cook the agretti. Next time I might start the spaghetti first and then add the agretti a little while into the cooking for a one pot wonder dish, and I will definitely sprinkle a few nut pieces, or I might just make just like this again, cause to me it was just that good.

Moncenisio Blue Cheese

Agretti and spaghetti united

Agretti (barba di frate/ friars beard)

Ingredients for 4 :

500g spaghetti

400g di agretti o barba di frate

1 lemon, juiced and the zest from the peel

olive oil

1 clove of garlic

salt and fresh ground pepper

100 g or so Blue cheese crumbles, I used a local toma called Moncenesio - ricotta salata or parmigian are other good choices

Method:

Wash the agretti thoroughly and trim the roots off from the stems.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Mince the garlic and have your other ingredients ready to go as it all comes together quickly at the end.

Either cook your agretti first till desired tenderness, about 5 minutes and remove from the water and then add the spaghetti and cook till al dente.

or begin to cook your pasta adding in the agretti a little later so they cook at the same time.

While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a large flat sauce pan

add the garlic and only let the garlic barely cook and then add the cooked agretti.

Cook a minute or two to coat and soften the garlic before adding the cooked spaghetti.

Once all is coated with olive oil and thoroughly mixed, season with the lemon juice and zest. Season with the salt and pepper.

Serve the pasta and sprinkle the pasta with blue cheese crumbles to taste on individual servings.

Agretti spaghetti with lemon and blue cheese crumbles

Happy International Womens's Day, again.

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:17:00 +0000

International Women's Day

Festa della Donna

(as we say in Italy)

Yellow Mimosa tree

Another year has come round to the promise of spring and the international day of recognition of roughly half of our planets's inhabitants, women.

I have written about it a few times over the years and so I won't go into any great detail today, but have added some links below to other articles I have written in the past if you are interested in a bit more information about how it started and what it is all about. I think perhaps my fascination with this celebration is partially because it is pretty much non existent in American, in spite of the fact that it originated there. I also love the liberal use of yellow mimosa, which I don't remember ever seeing in the states, but reminds me of forsythia which is usually one of the first colorful plants to emerge in the spring and never fails to lift my spirits with the promise of spring and everything emerging after a long winters nap.

Aside from these pleasant, if not somewhat frivolous points of interest, there is a serious side to this day of reckoning. This is also a day to focus on women's achievements and issues that deserve greater attention. Women have made great strides in getting equal pay for equal work, although there is still much to accomplish, as the western world has done more to advance the equality of women where much of the world not all women enjoy this human right. Women are also still vulnerable to violence, particularly, domestic violence and this is an issue worth speaking out about so that women will get the helping hand they need to rid themselves of dependency in these situation. Not an easy task for so many, as it isn't easy to walk away when you have children that are at risk and times are not so easy for anyone in this time of economic uncertainty. Issues of arranged marriages with child brides and women's health, to determine what is right for every women that will definitely navigate through during their lifetime, are worth the scrutiny and effort to find real answers. No, it is not easy to solve all of these concerns, but together when we shine the light of acknowledgment and search for real answers together, then we all benefit in one way or another.

So I say, hooray for women and what we bring to this world and to each other. May we celebrate our sameness and differences and always support each other, since you can never have too many sisters, mothers and daughters in your life, even if they are just that in spirit. I feel blessed with all of the different women friends in my life, and say say to you, thank you, for being exactly who you are. Bloom where you are planted.

xoxo

Marla

Previous posts on International Women's Day or Festa della Donna

"Bella Baita View": March 8, 2006 Festa Della Donna

Mar 8, 2006 ... Funny, it is, I believe, International Women's Day. It was on this day, March 8th, in 1884 that Susan B. Anthony addressed the United States ...

bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

"Bella Baita View": Festa della Donna 2009

Mar 7, 2009 ... Do you celebrate International Women's Day where you live? You might also like: International Women's Day 2010 or Festa della Donna.

bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

"Bella Baita View": Happy Festa della Donna

Mar 9, 2007 ... A Happy International Woman's Day to all of you out there of that ... In the US there is no official celebration of Women's day but Italy still ...

bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

Hiking and Trail Maintenance in the Neighborhood

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 17:38:00 +0000

My father in law Dante, on top of Cucetto peak a few years ago

This winter just hasn't really gotten off the ground like some of our winters. Mind you, I am not complaining, especially as our livelihood doesn't depend on it like so many other people in the ski industry does. That of course wasn't always the case. Snow farmers are what we use to refer to ourselves when I worked for a ski resort back in my Colorado days.

Fabrizio working on making new trail signs this winter

Anyway, I find myself looking forward to hiking the hills around our house these days since skiing and snowshoeing just aren't accessible right outside our door this year. However since I started writing this post we are waiting for a big snow storm to arrive, so I just may be dusting off the snow shoes for a romp around the neighborhood yet.

Fabrizio and Dante trail reclaiming

We have already done a search and recovery of an old circular path that has potential, in spite of some of it being lost to the ravages of time and disuse. One of the things I love when we are tramping around in the woods here in our neighborhood, is discovering all the old rock walls and structures that are left behind to stand witness to a different time. It always make me think of what life was like back then. I am always in awe of the labor that went into all the rock structures. They must have been mighty hungry after all the days of dragging those stones around and fitting them together to last all of the years later. Always impressive.

Rock retaining walls and old stone houses left behind

Then when you think about what they must have been eating back then, cheese, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, repeat, and repeat again. They certainly must have been happy when there were some new greens pushing up through the winter brownness to offer something fresh to eat. I have developed the theory that may be why Italians or Europeans are so fond of their bitter greens, because when something fresh use to come up after a long winter, it tastes mighty good no matter if it might be a tad bitter. I've developed a fondness for the bitter flavor as well.

Primula -harbingers of spring

Fabrizio has spent a lot of time with his father making signs for the mountain trails that meander throughout our neighborhood. These paths were once the only means of people moving about as they took their cheeses into town to sell, or made charcoal from the abundant chestnut forests that gave themselves up for this source of heat and cooking fuel. Once our paved road came in in the early 1960's, and the car became the main mode of transportation, it didn't take long for many of the old trails to begin to disappear.

Reclaiming and signing our trails

About 5 years ago our Regione Piemonte got involved in a program with Switzerland called Vetta and then announced a program here to help reclaim the old trails and offering equipment to map out the trails and put them on GPS. My husband Fabrizio Roncaglia and Silvano Damiano took on the challenge along with help from Silvano's two children, Valentina and Matteo, as well as Fabrizio's father and our local C.A.I. walking association, that have been cleaning and marking our local trails. Silvano has done a phenomenal job with the actual GPS mapping and photography of the paths, as well as getting it all online. Now these local paths will be GPS mapped and won't easily disappear and will be GPS accessible. Nice job on all the hard work everyone.

Silvano Damiano

there has been a lot of effort that has gone into the cleaning and marking of our paths. There is still much to do to tie all of this hard work together, but it is exciting to see it all progress.

Fabrizio Roncaglia painting trail markings.
These photos taken by Silvano Damiano

New signs, new connections to old paths that are easier to find. We have paths that head up for the big views and down to the river for the idyllic idle complete with a few deep pools for splashing your hot tired feet in. We also have lots of contour paths that go round the mountain and expose all of those old rock buildings and remains of walls and fences. A bit if this and that for everyone.

Merla Peak cross and the Grandubbione pool in the river

If you like to walk in the woods and feel the healing presence that nature offers, then visiting with us is a great choice. If we are in the middle of a path cleaning day, you are always welcome to tag along and help if you like.

Dante and Fabrizio clearing a path and CAI sprucing up our signpost

However there is plenty of opportunity to make the most of picnicking in the mountains with trails that aren't as challenging as others. We are situated in the mountains and that in of itself is a beauty worth discovering. We look forward to sharing it with you when you come, so come on!

Bella Baita View this winter

Baccala, or Salt Cod, Like Nonna Maria Use to Make

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 14:30:00 +0000

Baccala alla Nonna Maria da Venezia

Italians are crazy about Merluzzo Baccala or Salt Cod as it is known in English. You will find it all over in the markets here in the winter especially. Most cod comes from Norway, where the cod is found and fished in the icy waters of the northern seas. They say that it was originally just air dried, but as salt became more readily available and cheap, it became the preferred way to keep the bounty of fish. this method of preservation meant that the fish was easily transported and kept well for at least a couple of years. Baccala then came to southern Europe where it became very popular and still is, especially for the Catholic countries that use to observe not eating meat on Friday and during Lent. Even though times have changed and the Catholic edict to eat fish on Friday is no longer in existence, salt cod is loved and served regularly in many various preparations.

The recipe I am sharing today is something I recreated from a dish that Fabrizio's maternal grandmother, Maria, use to make him when he was young and some suggestions I saw on an Italian TV cooking show. Nonna Maria was born and grew up in the Veneto, which is the province that Venice is located in and famous for its love of fish dishes. Nonna Maria once worked as a cook and house keeper for a wealthy family before she married Fabrizio's maternal grandfather, who was born in an old stone house over by where our garden is today. She was known to be a very good cook and is where Fabrizio's mother learned to cook before Fabrizio's parents pursued their dream to open "La Baita" restaurant here back in the 60's.

As they were getting the business built and established, Fabrizio stayed with both sets of grandparents to keep him out from under their busy feet, so he has lots of fond memories of Nonna's cooking. When I served him my version awhile back, he complimented me saying it was just like what Nonna Maria made. I like that kind of compliment. it makes me feel proud to recreate a flavor from his childhood and one I now love as well.

Merluzzo Baccala - Salt Cod

Just like most Italian recipes, this one is a little loose on exact amounts, quite easy to make and oh so delicious. I tend to make it to fit my cast iron skillet, that my grandmother and mother did a lot of cooking in too. So this is a nostalgic dish that touches a lot of buttons. So relax and don't worry too much about the amounts, just put it together and either bake it in the oven or cook it on top of the stove like I did. In the end I thought it was a lot easier and true to the fact that Italians are not quick to turn on the oven and make most everything on top of the stove, I thought it worked just fine. Feel free to choose your favorite way, oven or stove.

Finished dish

Baccala alla Nonna Maria delle Veneto

Serves 2 hungry people

Ingredients:

500g /1 # salted cod, soaked in cold water for at least 24 hours days, changing the water at least 3 times over the soaking time.

1 medium to large onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, diced enough for flavor but not enough to overpower

2 medium to largish potatoes, your favorite variety, a somewhat floury potato is good, peeled or not as you like but scrubbed and sliced in to thin rounds. I like them about 1/8 inch or 1/4cm thick so that they don't take too long to cook.

250 - 325ml / 1- 1 1/2 c. milk, as needed. You can use all milk, or half and half, single cream and a heavy splash of heavy cream with the milk for richness if you like

1-2 T Olive oil
1 Bay leaf

Paprika

Method:

Heat a heavy 9 inch or 24 cm sauté pan slowly.

Prepare your cod by pulling any long pieces of bone that might still be in the fish and peel the skin off.

Slice fish into thin slices by holding the knife at an angle and cut at an angle to the table. This should make thin slices. Don't worry if the fish crumbles some.

Thinly slice the washed potatoes with or without peels.

Once you have all of your ingredients assembled and prepared, begin to sauté the diced onion and garlic.

Add the bay leaf.

Once the onion has begun to turn translucent, lay slices of fish in a single layer on top of the onions and garlic.

Next cover the fish and onions completely with the potato slices.

Pour the milk or milk and cream combination over the whole top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with black pepper and paprika.

Cover the top and cook over low heat till all is bully and the potatoes are done.

Remove the top if it seems too soupy and you want to reduce the liquid some or if the m ix seems too dry before the potatoes are cooked, then a dad bit more milk.

You can also cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake it in a moderate oven till all os bubbly. Remove the foil and let the top brown up if you like.

Serve while hot.

Ingredients, Layering the pan, Milk added and Paprika dusted, Cooked

New Post for a New Year - Nearby Manta Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 14:34:00 +0000

Manta Castle

Here it is past the middle of January and time's awasting. I must make haste to keep up with some very modest goals I have set forth for myself and my blog for this year. I noticed that when I was writing a roundup of things to do in this area on my last post, that there were many interesting attractions noticeably missing from my lists. I have been meaning to get around to writing about a few of them for a long tim. Others I thought I already had written up, but couldn't locate them perusing through my back posts, so I thought I would make it a goal to post a least once a month about some of the local attractions that we send our guests off to see and usually have taken in ourselves at least once if not a few times.

One such glaring omission is splendid Manta Castle (Castello di Manta), just past and overlooking the charming town of Saluzzo that sits where the base of the Cottian Alps (Alpi Cozie) and Po river plains unite, in the neighboring province of Cuneo.

Monviso of the Cottian Alps meets the Po river plains

Manta boasts a small castle perched on its hillside that has been returned to its former glory when the Lords of Saluzzo called it their home. The original building dates back to the 12th century and over the years the building grew with expansions and richly decorate with various additions of masterful and fantastical frescos whose handiwork still remains anonymous. The current family descendants enlisted the help of Italy's preservation society, FAI to help raise funds to restore the deteriorated paintings, replace furnishings that had disappeared over the centuries and breath life back into the castle. These frescos are said to be a rare treasure of late gothic paintings still found in northern Italy. They really are worth a visit as they are so well preserved and magnificently interesting.

Héros, Heroines, and the Fountain of Youth Frescos

In addition to the main castle they have also restore an adjacent church and plans to continue to restore other surrounding buildings in the neighborhood. They really have done a fine job. I especially like that included with the very modest entrance fee of around €7.50 adults and €3.00 for children (2016 prices) is the use of complimentary headphones to insure you get the most out of your self guided visit. There are a number of different languages offered and they do periodically update the narration to reflect the ongoing historical discoveries or completion of nearby ongoing projects.

Manta Castles' Church

The castle is of a manageable size so that it makes for a great half day visit and suitable for children, who will enjoy the artifacts and furnishings as it is not only the paintings and church that are of interest. Nearby Saluzzo is another great place to stop also for a bit of shopping, sight seeing or eating, naturally. The grounds are peaceful and would make for a lovely picnic setting. You can also walk up through the woods or park closer and take a more direct route.

Castle life

Whatever you do, when you find yourself in northern Italy, you will want to make sure and not miss out on this local treasure, when you visit our slice of Piedmont, preferably when you come and stay with us. We'll be waiting for you with many more suggestions.

Bella Baita BandB - Italian Alps Retreat

The castle is open Tuesdays - Sunday, closed Mondays (unless it is a holiday in which they say they are open. Always good to check)

10:00 - 18:00 March 1 through the end of September and

10:00 - 17:00 October through 27 of November.
Last entrance 1/2 before closing

Closed December through February.

Directions to Castello di Manta from Bella Baita B&B and Italian Alps Retreat

Out with 2015 and Benvenuto 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:56:00 +0000

Part of our Bella Baita view

Greetings from the Italian Alps.

2015 is rapidly coming to a close and 2016 is not far ahead. We' re happy to say that we've had a superb year here at Bella Baita. After a couple of quieter years, it seems people decided to move around for their holidays this summer and we were delighted that many decided to come our way.

Monviso on the horizon on the way to Bella Baita

We enjoyed "Cooking Together" with some of our guests, as we offer cooking lessons for everyone. and we always enjoy our forays to the Pinerolo market on Wednesday or Saturday, when we aren't foraging from our garden.

Family group lesson

Some things I made

Garden gifts

Market Tomatoes

Cutting Parmigiano cheese to order.

We also had some folks that enjoyed learning about our local wines while they sipped and sample the local wine whilst learning about our traditions here.

Wine tasting in the garden

There were walk ins in the mountains, excursions out and about, meals together in the evenings and making new friends and in some cases reuniting with old friends. All in all it is good to be here in the mountains and be able to open our home, share our cuisine, wine, neighborhood, culture and passion for Piedmont with all whom stop in. We hope that your coming year is a blessed one and perhaps you might come and visit with us and share in some of our adventures this coming 2016.

I've listed a few links below to some other articles I have written about other things there are to do in the area that you might find of interest.

Happy reading and exploring our Piemonte mountains here in Val Chisone.

Happy New Year to all our friends and all our friends we haven't met yet.

Articles about Points of interest close to Val Chisone

Fenestrelle Fortress / Forte di Fenestrelle

Lake Avigliana and Sacra San Michele

Vendemmia in Val Chisone

Occitan Dancing in Usseaux

Piemonte Birthplace of the Slow Food Movement

Waldenses or Valdasians - the first Protestants

Sculptor and Ghironda Maker

Pinerolo's Man in the Iron Mask

From our Home to yours, Buon Anno or Happy New Year 2016!

Bella Baita in the Snow last January 2015

Winter Squash Alfredo for an Autumn's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 15:43:00 +0000

Creamy Winter Squash or Pumpkin Alfredo

This time of the year when the weather has turned and turned a tad early it seems, most of us start to think of comfort foods that are heartier than the summer fare of veggie salads and light summer fare. I must say I hate to see those warm summer days and the parade of garden veggies pass on into a fading memory that won't return until three more seasons have passed, but comfort food is here to stay for awhile.

Autumn around our place, Bella Baita

We have been putting the garden to bed, but still have a fair amount of things to eat and put up to keep us and our volunteer helpers busy. The weather is changeable and so we change up our work from outside to in and back again as the season dictates. We so appreciate their help and its always interesting to meet new people.

Fabrizio and David with an autumn haul form the garden.

And so with the harvesting of quite a few winter squash I have been busy making all the usual dishes in my repertoire of squash recipes. Every season I try to add a new or few new ones on. This season I came across a video for one pot creamy squash alfredo that I liked, but naturally just had to tweak to my taste. I seem to keep inheriting more squash from other peoples bounty of winter squash as well, (Thank you cousin Giorgio!), so this recipe helps keep the bounty of squash in check.

Give this recipe a whirl, and maybe put your own touches in it as you see fit and enjoy a delisciously creamy pasta without any cream.

The elements and finished pasta dish

Winter Squash Alfredo

Serves 4 ish

Ingredients:

2 T butter
2 T olive oil, I've made it with all oil and slightly less fat in general also

1 cup diced onion, I like red onions

1 T fresh rosemary, chopped, or you can use just the rosemary

1 T fresh sage, chopped

3 cups butternut squash, (1 1/2 lb / 800g) or any other winter squash that you have

1 cup vegetable stock

Cook 15 minutes

Smash the squash with a smasher till smoothish but still with some texture

1 cups milk, or stock if you prefer,

1 cup Parmigiano cheese

a bit of nutmeg, grated fresh into the mixture

4oo g fettucine, (generous 5 oz) I used our home made tagliatelle, a mix of spinach and plain egg

Method:

In a large deep skillet or saucepan, heat the oil and butter and add the onion. Saute´ the onions till they soften. Add the herbs and squash and continue to saute´ for a few minutes before adding the vegetable stock and cooking for about 15 minutes till the squash is soft and cooked through.
Meanwhile start to boil salted water for your pasta.
Cook the pasta till still firm, a bit more than al dente
Smash the mixture with a potato smasher.
Add the milk or veggie stock to make a loose sauce and continue to cook the sauce till it reduces to your desired creaminess. You can use more or less to get the sauce as you like it.
Stir in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
When the pasta is cooked, drain and mix into the sauce.
Adjust season and serve.

Summer Bella Baita Highlights 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:09:00 +0000

Bella Baita and View of the French Border Along with Our Vegetable Garden

Time flies and the spring and summer season has passed me by in a blink. I had great intentions of keeping up on sharing the goings on of our life here in the alps, but alas that was not to be. We have had a great season this year with incredible hot sunny weather and friends visiting from around the globe. There are always so many directions to go when there are gardens to plant and tend, meals to plan, make and serve and new and old friends to enjoy visiting with. So here it is the end of August I guess I will share some of the highlights of this past season and savor the moments with you now that I have the luxury of time to do so. Naturally there is still plenty to do around here, but the pace has slowed and the season is changing. I hope you like photos cause I am going to let them do most of the talking.

My childhood friend Denise and Me (Marla) What a great visit!

Unlike last year when the summer weather was less than stellar, this summer we have had blue skies and very warm temperatures, scorching and record breaking in parts of Italy. Even our little slice of heaven in the alps has been so warm that we've been sleeping with all the windows open for weeks now. Usually we tend to only have a short period of heat as the mountains seem to cool off quickly when the sun goes down but this year has been different. Warm days, warm nights, garden bounty with gelato and sorbet applied liberally and frequently.

Home made Strawberry Sorbetto

The summer not only brings friends out to tramp around our forests, sample our cooking and discover this little known part of the Italian Alps, it also brings us a variety of volunteers that work along side us during the season. Whether we are preparing the garden or tending it, chopping and stacking wood for the winter, weeding around our house, cleaning between stones on the old family home that is being reborn, whilst cooking together when we have cooking classes and cleaning up after meals, we always have time to learn more about other peoples lives from different parts of the world, and that is an enjoyable bonus to the season and extra hands helping out is always a big bonus. We thank all of our volunteers for all their hard work and companionship that made this season and every season such a success. You guys rock!

Some Woofers and Workaway Volunteers 2015

A lot of our life here revolves around food as we are keen gardeners, cooks and market shoppers.
The twice weekly market in Pinerolo is one of our favorite stops. I love buying directly from the people that produce the food we buy and putting the money directly into their hands that are often gnarled and usually rough. It is a good feeling. We have become friendly with so many of them over the years and two of my favorites have finally been retired from the market by their daughter. At 86 years young they have been coming to the Pinerolo's farmers market for well over 60 years, 6 days a week, bringing everything on their bikes as neither ever drove a car. Luigi always had a trailer behind his rattle trap bike that he filled with recycled crates out of dumpster bins that overflowed with fresh picked fruits ad vegetable with the occasional chicken or rabbit to boot whilst he maneuvered his bike and cargo with ease, come rain or shine. Their vitality in their older years amazed me and I admire their frugality and ingenuity. His gnarled hands tied up bundles of greens and carrots with lengths of flexible willow. No twist ties for them. They had green beans so slender and tender and the most delicious figs that makes you want to sing. But with the advancement of age and a few tumbles with thier bikes they are no longer coming to the market. It is hard for me to see their spot at the market empty or slightly taken over by the nearby vendors and I have no doubt it has been a difficult adjustment for them. Here's a small collage of some of my photos of them.

Laura and Luigi our favorite Pinerolo market vendors. Fabrizio and Marla are with them in the bottom corner

So between our garden and shopping in the market, we manage to serve some wonderful food throughout the year. We love featuring our local Piemontese specialties with whatever is in season and looks inviting.

Our mountain garden

Our tempting array of culinary treats.

Picture left to right top to bottom...involtini with garden green beans, selection of local cheeses, peach and blackberry rustic tart, agnolotti del plin (meat ravioli), gifts from our garden, grilled aubergine and zucchini with dried tomato hazelnut pesto

We also love making pizza and baking my wild yeasted bread in our wood fired oven. There's nothing quite like the food that comes out of that oven. It's flavorful and fun to cook with.

Our home canned tomatoes make our pizza sauce all the more delicious

One of the highlights of our summer too is cooking together with our friends and doing a bit of wine tasting of local varieties, like Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and Arneis. Pasta and raviolo making as well as gnocchi as well as bread and desserts, is a wonderful way to spend some of your holiday time with us.

One of the highlights of our summer too is cooking together with our friends and doing a bit of wine tasting of local wines.

It might seem like it's all about food, it isn't even though that is a large part of of our focus.
There are however mountains to see and climb or ride up on a ski lift during the summer.

Bella Baita View of the French Border

Prali Ski lift

There is the largest fortress in Europe, often referred to as the "Great Wall of Piedmont", to see.

Fortezza di Fenetrelle

Quaint villages to explore.

Street scene in Usseaux

Music and events to catch.

And so much more to discover.

We hope you'll come and visit with us and discover a part of the Alps worth finding.

More stories and recipes coming up now that we have moved into the next part of the year.

ciao for now....Marla

Apricot Budino Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 14:59:00 +0000

I'm late. I'm late.
For a very important date!
No time to say "hello" good bye.
I'm late.
I'm late.
I'm late.......
Said the white rabbit.....Ok perhaps I'm not too late.
There are still fresh apricots in the market and I hope you will be able to find some to make this incredible pudding.

I have been making this apricot pudding for a little while now since I discovered the recipe this summer in a local Italian magazine called, "Sale & Pepe" (Salt and Pepper).
Then the apricots began to rain down and I haven't stopped making it yet.
To me apricots are such an under appreciated fruit.
They're soft and luscious with a tartness that cuts through their sometimes mushy mash that delights and surprises the taste buds alone or with the other usual suspects, like deep rich chocolate or buttery crisp pastry with a good measure of almonds, just to name a few.
However I digress.
Trust me try this pudding while the apricots last and if you miss them this year, make sure you book mark this recipe to try later.

Budino di Albicocche e Amaretti

Apricot and Amaretti Pudding

6 servings:

500 g apricots, fresh

120 g sugar (10 T)

3 ½ oz / 100 g (1 dl) white wine

1 stick of cinnamon

1 vanilla bean

4 eggs

5 amaretti cookies, crushed into fine crumbs

Wash the apricots and remove the pits.

Place the apricots, 40 g sugar(3 heaping T), white wine, sugar and cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean in a small sauce pan and cook on moderate heat for 30 minutes.

While the fruit is cooking, make the caramel.

Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon and the vanilla bean.

Blend the fruit with the liquid till al is smooth and homogenous.

In a bowl whisk the eggs, add 80 g (the rest of the sugar) sugar, fruit sauce and amaretti crumbs.

Blend till well mixed.

Caramel;

100 g (½ c) sugar

15 g (1 T) water

In a smooth heavy bottomed sauce pan add the sugar and water.

Turn on the heat, cover with a lid.

Don't get distracted or walk away or most likely you will have burnt caramel.

Watch the pot till the sugar dissolves without stirring it and only slowly shake the pot if need to make the sugar smooth out.

Once the liquid begins to turn a golden caramel color and the desired color is achieved remove from the heat.

Slowly pour the caramel into the bottom of a small smooth bottomed tube pan, tilting the pan so the caramel goes slightly up the sides and center tube. Set aside till filling later.

Pour the fruit egg mixture into the tube pan with the caramel on the bottom. Place the filled pan into a larger pan that you can fill partly up the sides of the tube pan to make a water bath.

Bake the pudding at 350*F / 180* C. for roughly 1 hour or till the pudding is well set.

Remove from the oven and hot water bath and cool till tepid.

Refrigerate the pudding in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night if you like, before serving.

To serve, remove the pan from the refrigerator. Run a palette knife around the edges of the pudding to loosen. Sometimes it also helps to run the bottom of the pan over a warm surface or flame to loosen the caramel.

Place a plate over the top of the pudding pan and gently flip it over.

Tap gently if the pudding needs to be nudged to drop to the plate.

Slice and serve with whipped cream with a drizzle of the caramel from the pan.

I can hear you smacking your lips now.

Ciaooooooo!

Weed Your Garden and Make Ravioli Gnudi with Nettles Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Fri, 01 May 2015 22:10:00 +0000

Nettle Ravioli Gnudi with a Side of Smashed Cooked Cauliflower

Spring is here at last in full form and we all breath a sigh of collective relief. Ones attention turns toward activities that will take us outdoors after our winters nap and we fell the sun on our face and the fresh air fills our lungs. We can finally get our hands into the dirt and begin to plant that garden we've been thinking about all winter. We begin to eat a lighter fare after all of those hearty dishes of comfort that we rely upon to get us through times of cold and longing for the delicacies of summer. Naturally we dip back into those comfort foods at will, especially in the changeling seasons of spring and autumn before the season steadies on with, full on, hot or cold. However let us forage forward with a dish that is somewhere in between.

A popular dish from the Tuscan region of Italy is called ravioli gnudi or naked ravioli.

Adam and Eve "gnudi" - Mural Painting in the village of Usseaux

That's right folks, this is the ever popular spinach and ricotta filling rolled into balls and left without its pasta cloak on, then rolled in a bit of flour coating and lightly boiled. Once they have sunk to the bottom of the pan and then floated to the top, they are gently simmered for a short time. They are lifted out and drained of water and tossed into to your favorite sauce, and voila`, springtime is served up.

Stinging Nettles in the wild

Naturally, I took a turn and headed for the garden and after pulling a copious amount of stinging nettles from between my currant and raspberry canes, I became inspired to swap out the nettles for the spinach and use rice instead of wheat flour to make them suitable for celiacs or gluten intolerant folks. The way these are boiled by gently dropping them into the water, where they promptly sink, and then waiting for them to come bobbing back up to the surface and simmer just ever so slightly, is reminiscent to me of our beloved northern gnocchi. It's the same cooking method and determination for doneness. For this subtly flavored wild green, that loses its ferocious sting once it is cooked, I used a simple butter, walnut and chicken stock combination to showcase and elevate the nettle flavor as well as add the Piemontese favored walnut for added texture. It all worked very well I think.
Italians are very fond of stinging nettles or "ortiche" as they are called in Italian and are liberally used in soups, tea, pasta, crepes and any filling that would use spinach. They are purported to have a fair amount of health benefits, such as helping to reduce hypertension, and asthma, relieve arthritis and menopause, encourage milk production in lactating women, break down kidney stones, and help with diabetes, just to name a few. Maybe it does or doesn't do these things, but they are tasty and a change from your regular spinach consumption.
Please note.
While I do recommend that you give these a try when you find some nettles that haven't gotten too old or gone to seed, if possible. The younger plants flavor is mild like spinach, but do be forewarned, they sting like the dickens, so wear protective gloves and maybe even long sleeves when picking them and kitchen gloves when cleaning them. *When cleaning them, give them a thorough water rinse, using a good slug of vinegar if you want to make sure and get them thoroughly clean, and don't forget to wear your kitchen glove. Drain and sauté them in a tablespoon or two of olive oil or butter till they wilt , adding a bit of water so that they cooked through. Squeeze them dry before chopping and adding them to the ricotta. If you aren't able to find any nettles or aren't so adventuresome, then by all means, replace the nettles with an equal amount of spinach.

There are a number of recipes you can find online, but I modified and put my own spin on Barbara Elisi's recipe that you will find here.

Stinging Nettle and Ricotta Ravioli Gnudi

Ingredients:

250 g (9 oz) ricotta (drained by setting on a sieve or strainer)

250 g (9 oz) fresh nettles (*cleaned, see note above, cooked, drained, squeezed dry and chopped)

1 egg, medium

100 g / 1/2 generous cup, Parmesan cheese, grated

1 or 2 T of rice flour ( if the dough looks too soft add a tablespoon or two)

1-2 T olive oil or butter to sauté the greens

Rice flour ( for rolling the formed balls in before simmering in water)

Directions:

Wear gloves to pick and clean the nettles
Weed your garden or find a patch of nettles and pick a goodly amount of nettles to bring home and clean.

Set the ricotta in a strainer to drain the water off.
Strip the leaves from the stalks, discarding the stalks and place in a bowl and cover with fresh water and swish around letting set to let debris fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Discard and repeat the process till the greens are clean, as mentioned above. Drain the greens of water.
Sauté in a small amount of oil or butter till wilted and cooked.
Squeeze dry (gloves not really necessary now)
Chop the greens small.

Once all the ingredients are ready,

Whisk the egg lightly in a medium bowl and add the ricotta and nettles and mix lightly just to combine.
Add rice flour if you find the batter too soft to manage.
Fill a roomy pasta sized cooking pot full of salted water to a boil.
Using a teaspoon or your hands and drop small amounts of your mixture onto a rice floured surface or drop rounded nettle ricotta balls into a small bowl with rice flour and roll around to shape into balls and coat with the flour.
Set the coated balls aside until your water is boiling and your sauce is ready to go.
Roll the batter spoonfuls into the flour and then
Drop into the boiling water.
When the gnudi emerge on the surface of the water, boil a further 1 minute or so and
Gently drain with a skimmer.

Combine with Walnut Butter Sauce sauce and serve.

Butter Walnut sauce:

100g butter (sometimes I use less butter and add a bit of chicken or veggie stock to lighten it up )

200 g walnut, rough chopped medium
Melt your butter and add you r chopped walnuts and cook lightly till bubbly.
Add your hot cooked ravioli gnudi.

Mix to coat and serve hot with a generous grating of Parmesan on top.

Ricottan and Nettles mixed

All rolled in rice flour and waiting to be boiked

Ready to go into the sauce

Voila' Nettle Ravioli gnudi is served

Winter Gifts from the Garden: Savoy Cabbage and Cheesy Potato Bake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 09:28:00 +0000

Savoy Cabbage Layered with Taleggio Cheese and Potatoes

It is finally spring and for those of us in the mountains it comes just a tad later than it does for most folks. I still have ample supplies of some of our winter staples like potatoes and savoy cabbage that we are using for a delicious result these days before all the spring delicacies take over. I thought I would share one of my favorite dishes combining these pantry staples. I am sure most of you are thinking of Easter with asparagus and peas and those sorts of veggies, but we are still having cooler temperatures here and sounds like we are not the only ones and this dish is one that I think is sure to please as it has just the right amount of comfort foodiness to it. Let me know if you agree.

I made it the traditional way the first time in an oven proof pan in the oven and it was like a variation of scalloped potatoes, which will always make me think of my mom and growing up in southern Illinois. I added some parma ham once when I had some that need to be used up and I had some mozzarella as my only cheese, which worked out well with the ham giving it some needed salty element to the dish. I naturally have used all sorts of local cheeses because this is a recipe that lends itself to variations and innovation, so by all means feel free to add your own special touch. My latest change has been to make it in a skillet on top of the stove without turning the oven on to great success. I do miss that crispy top crunch, but not enough not to make it when the oven is not part of the plan. This recipe is based on Antonio Carluccio's recipe that he used for one of his Italian sojourns that featured Piedmont. By chance it was one of the possible entertainment selections that was on offer on my flight back from the U.S. a few years back. It was a great episode and a great reminder of a dish that is comforting to anyone and especially those of us from the former kingdom of Savoie, where Savoy cabbage hails from.

Savoy Cabbage from our garden and the stove top version

Oh yes and if you are not familiar with Savoy cabbage, it is the one that is green and wrinkly. I find it to be mild and tender and certainly one of my favorites. It hails from this part of Europe and is a winter time favorite as it will keep under the snow for when you are ready to harvest it when needed. My in laws have always kept some all winter for not only our eating pleasure but also for salad for the chickens when she used to keep them. We aren't the only ones who like some greens in the winter. You can make this dish with regular smooth cabbage as well it just is a slighty different flavor and texture, but it will be almost as good, so do try and find the savoy cabbage if you can. but don't not make it if you can't.

I thought I would also share with you a little video I put together from our harvesting of the last of our cabbages a few weeks ago. We still have patches of snow dotted around now, but the "foehn" (warm strong) winds that have been howling for the past few days have helped the big patches evaporate rather quickly.

This is me filming Fabrizio harvesting our Savoy cabbage a few weeks ago. I hope you enjoy my second attempt at making a movie from my videos.

Savoy Cabbage and Potato Bake

(Cavolo Piemontese con Patate)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

650g / 1 1/2 lb Savoy cabbage, cut out the tough main rib* of the leaves leaving two halves of the leaves.

8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (medium sized floury potatos, although red ones will work as well)

300g / 10oz Taleggio cheese, thinly sliced (or any other melty cheese, fontina, mozzarella and a little parmesan)

Some grated Parmigiano cheese to sprinkle on top and maybe between layers if you are using mozzarella

150g / 51⁄2oz butter for greasing your pans ( I didn't use it when I finished it in the skillet, although I did use a bit of olive oil.

salt

black pepper, freshly ground

**I have added a layer of prosciutto crudo on occasion and used mozzarella and liked the results

Preparation:c

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F.
Boil some slightly salted water in a sauce pan.
Cook the potatoes for about three minutes,in the salted water, then scoop the potatoes out with a large slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Plunge into cold water if you want to hurry them along and make them easier to handle when layering.
Cook the cabbage for about five minutes in the same potato water until tender. Drain well*.

*You can retain the cut out cabbage rib and the boiling water for a soup if desired or you might want to use it for adding a bit of moisture to your dish as it cooks if needed or dispose of both as you see fit.

You can finish this dish in two different ways.

You will layer the cabbage, potatoes, cheese in a ovenproof pan or skillet depending on how you prefer to finish cooking this dish.
The original recipe calls for baking it in a 9"/ 23 cm(approximately) oven proof pan, which will give you a nice crispy top when you bake it.
You can also layer it all in a skillet and cook it gently covered adding milk or your leftover boiling water if needed, till all is bubbly and cooked through.
Grease the ovenproof dish generously with some of the butter.
Arrange half of the potato slices, slightly overlapping, on the bottom of the dish, dot with some more butter
Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the cabbage and half of the cheese on top of the potatoes
Season with salt and pepper.
Top with the remaining potatoes and cheese.
Dot with the remaining butter.
A generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese is a nice finish as well

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, removing the foil five minutes before the end of the cooking time. Remove from the oven and serve.

Or cover your skillet with a lid and gently simmer on top of the stove until all is soft and smooth through. If you find the dish is too soupy, you can uncover it for a bit to evaporate some of the liquid. If too dry add some liquid as needed when cooking.

I have made it both ways and enjoyed both. Sometimes you just don't have enough reason to want to turn on the oven and I am happy with the stove top results too.

Hope you enjoy this dish.

Her's a stovetop version I served with some chicken strips I made

Hope you and yours will enjoy this hearty Piemontese dish. From our home to yours!

Bella Baita's 1st Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:02:00 +0000

Udite! Udite!

Announcing Bella Baita's

Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop

May 22-25, 2015 (2 Days / 3 Nights)

Learn to make gorgeous handcrafted breads in the beautiful Italian Alps using natural leavening and commercial yeast to produce incredible tasting bread with a longer shelf life.

Ralph's Trademark Lattice loaf

I am more than a little excited to invite you to join us to participate in our 1st Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop coming up this May 22-25.

Fabrizio and myself, Marla will be hosting this 2 day workshop with our very special guest teacher, from Holland, the very talented and masterful baker Ralph Neiboer.

Ralph Neiboer and some of his breads

I met Ralph online through an Artisan Bread Baking Group where he not only posted some of the most incredibly beautiful and tempting breads, but I noticed he seemed to be helping everyone with with his friendly and encouraging expertise. When I saw that he taught workshops it didn't take us long to contact him and decide to offer this bread making workshop.

Ralph is a self taught baker whose passion for making bread that is well made using a variety of grains and methods for crafting bread that is incredibly flavorful, but are works of art in themselves. Ralph followed his passion in 2012 and began Bakkerij or Breadworks Workshops , as a way for him to teach his gospel of authentic bread made by your own two hands. He teaches in and around Schagen, Netherlands and also further from home around Europe. He also attends several master classes in bread making taught by masters like Josep Pascual and others whenever he can. You will not want to miss this opportunity to bake with Ralph and learn what this humble bread master has to share with us.

Ralph at home baking pizza in a wood fired oven

Ralph's Pizza

Classes will take place in our kitchen and dinning room where we normally host our cooking classes at Bella Baita. Our kitchen is set up for hands on classes, mixing everything by hand to get the feel for the dough. Techniques are easily adapted to mixers that you might use at home.

Our dining area also has tables to mix and roll out doughs with plenty of room to spread out.

Marla and guests

We will be baking in a convection oven, gas, and wood fired, so we will really get to see the differences they all make. Participants will be limited to no more than 8 people, so there will plenty of opportunity to get personalized instruction and attention to your questions.

Bella Baita's breads and pizza in our wood fired oven

The workshop will cover a variety of methods of bread making, including natural leavening often called sourdough, but more accurately described as wild yeast as well as some breads made with commercial yeast. We will be using different types of leavening, some that are liquid and some that are firm. You will be instructed on how best to maintain them. Best of all you are welcome to take some of the natural leavens home with you when you go.

During the workshop you will be introduced to:

The making of a wild yeast starter along with the care and feeding of it

High hydration bread doughs and how to handle them

Whole grain and heritage flour varieties, like durum, spelt, rye, einkorn

Shaping of loaves making a variety of shapes

Long cold proofing of loaves for maximum flavor

Decorative techniques and styling

Some of the possibilities that will be covered will be no knead bread, ciabatta, country batards, boules, rolls, lattice covered loaves, pizza and focaccia

Ralph's open holed structured bread

Marla's Einkorn loaves with sourdough scones made with stone ground wheat flour

Bella Baita with Monviso in the background

For those of you not familiar with Bella Baita, we are a small B&B Inn located 50km southwest from Turin's Caselle airport, in the foothills of the Italian Piemontese Alps, 12km west from Pinerolo. We are situated at 1,10 m (3,600 ft) in the chestnut and pine forest about 6 km up from the small village of Pinasca.

As we are somewhat remote from town, we are making the work shop over a long weekend, arriving Friday in time for dinner where we can all relax and introduce ourselves. I will be demonstrating a focaccia dolce that we will have for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Marla and Fabrizio

Fabrizio and I will be on hand to facilitate the workshop and make your stay with us a welcome one. We are both former chefs that have been running our B&B Inn for about 11 years. We teach northern Italian cooking and are passionate about our mountains, food, and promoting this area for its beauty and off the beaten path charm. We have an organic garden, actively shop our farmers markets, promote local food producers, artisans, and do our part to support all local businesses. We hope you will join Ralph and us as we share our passion for healthy genuine bread.

Our dining and part of our work space

The price for the workshop is €250 per person and includes:

Three nights lodging
All lovingly prepared home made meals with local wine or soft drink
All materials and course fee for the workshop

**Inquire about pricing that includes includes all meals for non participating workshop guests sharing a room with a workshop participant.

Please do not hesitate to call or write us now as places are limited and times is drawing near.

Write us at Info@bellabaita.com
Mobile Tel: Marla (0039) 339 750 3940
Mobile Tel: Fabrizio (0039) 347 984 2945

Visit our website to learn more about the area and our inn

Bella Baita- Italian Alps Retreat

See you soon!!!!!!

Take Me Away to the Via Lattea!

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 17:03:00 +0000

Postcards from our passing 2015 winter

Colle Bergia- Claviere Peak

Though the sounds, smell, and feel of spring are thick in the air, I am just not quite ready to leave this winter wonderland beauty behind. Having lived and worked in a Colorado ski resort area for many years, when we got to March and April spring's warmth and promise of summer to come would be vaguely in the air, when it wasn't buried under a ton of snow. I found it was such a beautiful time of the year and a wonderful time to ski. Normally that time also coincided with it being our busiest time of the year, so it is nice to enjoy the beauty of winter here in our Italian alps with out all the stress of mass producing loads of bakery products. Instead I am working on my home production of new foods and ideas for our coming season of guests and "Cooking Together" classes.
Nice change indeed.

Fabrizio in Claviere and Marla in Mongenèvre

Fabrizio and I managed to pull ourselves away form our endless projects, got up early and treated our selves to a day on the Via Lattea. The "Vialattea, Sciare senza confini "which translates as the "Milky Way, skiing without borders" is the largest interconnected ski areas in Europe.

The Alps stretching out before us from the top of Claviere ski area

It unites 7 ski areas, two of which, Pragelato and Sestriere, are at the top of our Chisone valley, and goes up and over to the Susa valley that runs parallel to us over the mountain behind us and included in these Olympic venues of 2006, is also Mongenèvre in France. So we headed up and over the top of our valley to Claviere and skied in two countries in one day, Italy in the morning and late afternoon and France for top of the hill skiing, with lunch on the deck in France on a clear blue sky kind of day, ooh, la la!

Please note that all the food is served on real plates, cutlery, and glass water bottle. Very Nice!

La Baita --note the name, a mountain house or chalet

A little chalet right on the ski piste

We usually ski across the way at Prali one of our most favorite and closest to home above tree line ski areas, and Sestriere being the next closest. We are close enough for a great day out skiing, but if you are planning a ski holiday where you will ski every day, you would want to be much closer to the slopes than where we are located. Guests at Christmas time have often spent a few days skiing and other days doing other activities, like snow shoeing, site seeing, cooking or shopping.

Mighty Mt Chamberton

It's a great thing living so close to the ski areas, but not right in them. I love that we are moving in to t spring. the primula are poking their heads out of the snow and the birds are singing their little hearts out as well. I heard a woodpecker today making a bit of racket after all of this white winter quiet. It is nice to revisit and it nice to know that spring is surely on its way, but just for today, we'll enjoy this winters wonderland.

Our Story - Marla and Fabrizio, a Valentines Tale

noreply@blogger.com (Bella Baita Marla) — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 08:35:00 +0000

Fabriazio and Marla -Bella Baita Italian Alps Retreat 2014

San Valentino or Valentine's day is a special day for us. It's our wedding anniversary, and it was an unforgettable experience, however I am getting ahead of my story.

Bella Baita B&B in Summer

If there has been a singular question asked of me in the past 14 years, it has undoubtedly been, "Sooooo, how did you two meet?" or some variation of that phrase. I have a standard short and long form of my answer, that Fabrizio always defers to my telling of the tale. Today, I am going to tell you the condensed long version. I hope you enjoy it.
Before I met Fabrizio, the number one question was, how did you end up working in Europe, so I will start out by setting the stage for "our story" by answering how an American ended up in the Italian Alps of Piedmont, with my darling crazy mountain man. I hope you enjoy our tale.

Marla & Fabrizio - date in Volterra, Italy summer 2001

C'era una volta, or once upon a time.....

I had a desire to do something significantly different from my then so called life in the mountains of Colorado. It might have been a mid life questioning of where I had been and where I was going or perhaps it was the shedding of yet another skin of my layered life. It turned out to be a combination of both.
After many years of living at big altitude, (9,075 ft or 2,776m) where I made peace with winter by learning to ski and worked my way up the slippery male dominated ladder of professional success, to become the pastry chef for Copper Mt Resort, for abut 12 years, I felt restless to move on, to stretch and try something new. Thing is in a ski resort area, there weren't always a broad spectrum of opportunities. Usually it seemed that you were changing locations and people, but the seasonality and job ended up being much to be more of the same. I wasn't sure what this change was suppose to look like, perhaps, to travel and not be in one place. I had reached many goals and lived a great mountain life, but my life had changed and I needed a completely new challenge. Running a pastry department in a large ski resort had been an incredible experience of growth and opportunity as well as meeting and working with a lot of different people. However, mass production for 4 cafeterias, 5 restaurants and conference services with a summer crew of 7 and around 20 ski and snowboarders that changed every season, had worn a little thin over the years. I really wanted a new challenge, one that would be quite different from what I had already done. Hmmm, what to do?

Skimming through the short and not so sweet want ads in the daily paper I wasn't expecting much. I had been perusing the ads for awhile and knew them by heart, ski resort workers, ski techs, wait staff, cleaners, mountain photographers, and shuttle bus drivers, just to name a few gives you the drift of my indifference. However, when I spied "Chalet Host Required", my interest was piqued. My heart did a little "skip to my lou". The interview with the program director and resort manager from the UK, sealed the deal for me. They were so charming and we laughed so much, and when I told them that I really needed for the job to be more than just for the winter and maybe could I work in Europe for them, I was delighted when they said yes. After much soul searching and reevaluating of how I could completely rearrange my life both physically and financially, to make this kind of crazy seasonal job work, I found myself with a year round (with a few gaps between the two seasons) for a British Tour company that would allow me to work in Breckenridge, Colorado in the winter and the Alps of Slovenia, Switzerland and Austria in the summer. It was, to put it mildly, a blast. I now had guests instead of employees and even though my work load increased and my monetary income decreased, I was happy to be doing things that I knew well and others that were completely foreign. It was a wonderful experience with a whole new world of package holidays and British guests that opened up my European sojourn. That however is another story for another day. Suffice it to say that after about 4 years of the Holiday Representative life, which means mostly living in a hotel, and was suppose to be a one year transitional job, I found myself looking yet again for yet another, different experience.

On the main street of Casole d'Elsa where I lived

A fortuitous phone call I received one day out of the blue, made my day and sent me on my way to Italy. An American colleague that I had worked alongside in the chalet hosting days in Breckenridge, called me a couple years after an off hand comment to her, that her job as a chef for an English art school in Tuscany sounded like something I would love and if she ever was getting rid of it, I would be interested. How lucky was that? Turns out it was pretty lucky. Next thing I know I landed that job and I was off to little Casole d'Elsa in the Siena province of Italy to cook my little heart out for the Verrocchio Art Center ( Il Centro d'Arte Verrocchio), for yet another exciting chapter in my life.

Marla between meals on the terrace of the Centro d'Arte Verrocchio 2002

I would like to point out that this is the happily ever after version of my story. I have included only the best and happiest parts only of my tale. Naturally, the whole tale, has it's dark moments of self doubt, uncertainty, fear of failure, seemingly defeat and triumph as well as heart wrenching loneliness at times. I traveled through the whole spectrum of human feelings that go with change and the risk of trying something new. It is easy to leave those parts out as they are so personal and dark, but just know that my life isn’t charmed, it is real with all the good and not so hot stuff included, but over all I can say I have made every effort to embrace everything that comes my way. It is part of the spice that makes it my life. I just want to share the triumphant part right now.

So now I found myself in a small (900 people including the surrounding hamlets) walled hilltop town in Tuscany with only 3 streets running through town. Casole d'Elsa is situated in the neighborhood of Siena, Firenze, San Gimignano and Volterra. Wow, can you say wow! It was amazing and intoxicating as Tuscany's scenery is so iconic and evocative with its rolling hills, slender cypress trees, walled hilltop towns in the distance, oozing beauty, art and history. What's not to love. I busied myself immersing in the local flavor and figuring out what the local cuisine was all about before taking over the reigns of the Centro's kitchen where I would be in charge of the feeding the art school's staff, students and teachers that changed every fortnight. Many of the attendees had been coming to this school for years and years, so there was pressure to measure up and surpass expectations. I was nervous. Luckily my friend, Euni who was leaving the position, was around for a couple of weeks so that I could observe and learn whilst I served food at the local osteria /enoteca, Caffe` Casolani. It was a very confusing time at first, between the language, or more accurately my lack of, and reorienting myself to being in a new kitchen with none of my usual tools since I hadn't been carrying any of that around whilst walking and skiing the Alps. Fortunately, every one was generously helpful with their knowledge and time, so I was starting to relax into this new Italian rhythm.

Caffe Casolani- where I worked when I first arrived

The first new rhythm I had to adjust to was the heat. It was spring and the mornings and evenings were lovely and cool, but the heat of the day meant that it was best to get up early and get things done and pull down the shades in the afternoon and try not to sweat your soul out or maybe take your mid day break in the local bar whilst chatting and getting to know your new flat mates and coworkers from the art school. So one day, in what was either my first or second week in the job by myself, the two British gals I worked with and I were in Bar Barroccio, passing our mid day break in casual conversation and cooling drinks. I noticed there were a couple of guys in the booth next to us but didn't really pay much attention other than one of them was intently reading the paper. It wasn't too long before the cute curly haired one, who had seemed so engrossed in his paper reading, was leaning over towards our table whilst he commented to his companion. "Hey Johnny, there are some girls over here that you can speak English with, in fact, you can speak American with one of them." What an opening line, and one that I have never forgotten. We all chatted for awhile and as it turned out we all had to go back and serve dinner that night, but we would maybe see them again that night after work. What do you think the chances of that were? Well, there were only 2 bars in town and the other one is where you bought your tickets for the local bus, but seldom ever stayed in there for very long as it was smoky and full of old men usually playing cards. The other bar where we met, was where the night life was, if there was any. It was mostly doing the "passeggiata" up and down the main street of Casole, either getting a drink at one end or a gelato at the other. There were always people promenading up and down the street trying to keep cool on these hot Tuscan nights.

That was how we met and it wasn't long before Fabrizio was kindly offering his help for expanding my Italian culinary knowledge. He was working as a Maitre' d hotel in a local Agriturismo along with John, who was an American doing a stage at the same restaurant. The restaurant was working toward getting a Michelin star. Fabrizio took a degree as a chef when he was young as he grew up cooking and serving in his family's "La Baita" mountain restaurant. He went on to take a couple more degrees, as he found that he preferred to be out front with the guests and managing the restaurants. Anyone who knows Fabrizio would understand that, as he has such an outgoing personality and loads of energy. Fabrizio can keep the show going and everyone laughing, which are a couple of wonderful qualities that I adore. Fabrizio had found his way to Casole after escaping where he grew up and about four years working in the UK where he perfected his English. Unfortunately for him, he has now perfected his American. He had been working in different parts of Italy with a couple of stints in Poland doing some consulting work on setting up hotel restaurants and various other restaurant work when he landed in Casole to help them reach some of their goals. It didn't take him long to get his apron on and help me out in the kitchen at the Centro, so that I got myself organized and comfortable so that I could relax into the job, but also so I could get out of work a bit earlier on our mid day break and see a bit of the countryside. It was a memorable season and will always be a special time in our lives. It was pretty easy to fall in love with a man that cooks and sings to you in the kitchen. That is also not to mention that he does dishes, will clean the house, fix the car, chop the wood, get up and build a fire before any of us are up and will try any cuisine I make and compliments me frequently. I was to learn all of that along the way. He is a pretty special man and I am happy we met and that our paths continued in the same direction. I think we are both pretty lucky.

Fabrizio and Marla in the Centro d'Arte Verrocchio kitchen

Over the next year we came up here to his family's home to assess the possibilities. We went to America to meet my family and check out Colorado where I had lived and still feels like home to me. I returned to Tuscany for another season and Fabrizio came here to work on setting up the rooms that were not in use so that we could open as a B&B and try to make a business where there wasn't one. His parents had retired and were renting out their restaurant part of the building to other people and so we made the rest of the building come to life as Bella Baita B&B.
We returned to America in 2007 and had been trying to manage the logistics of where and how to get married for a few years without it ever becoming clear or easy. So when one of my friends mentioned the Loveland ski area's Valentines Day promotion, "Marry Me and Ski for Free". We decided that was really just the thing for us. So we got a license and joined 60 other couples on a cold and snowy Valentines day and said our vows to each other on top of a ski mountain. It was special, we both cried and then we skied a few powder runs before enjoying a reception at the ski lodge. We had already booked to teach a cooking class for that night, so off we went to teach and celebrate a lovely evening with friends, good food we made together and wonderful wine from the wine cellar. It was memorable and unique and just right for us.

The snowy ceremony- many people were inside keeping warm

Fabrizio and Marla February 14, 2007 Loveland Ski Area, Colorado ,USA

As they years have passed, we now have use of the whole of the building, we offer cooking classes, local short break culinary tours, we have a large organic garden that we are constantly improving with the help of volunteers from organizations like Wwoof.it and Workaway.info. We will be offering courses on sustainable living and gardening in the future and expanding our cooking classes with bread workshops and more varied culinary tours. We are still chefs that enjoy guests and we hope that now that you know a bit more about us, that you might come and meet us in person and share our slice of Italian life in the Alps and discover our not so well known, but certainly deserving valley and what we have on offer. Vi aspettiamo. We are waiting for you.

Marla and Fabrizio at Bella Baita February 11, 2014

Bella Baita View

"Bella Baita View"

La Souppo Barbëtto or Zuppa Valdese or Waldensian Soup

Culturing and Fermenting Food, the New Old Ways

Buone Feste a Tutti - Happy Holidays to all of our Friends Old and New

Wishing you a blessed end to this year

and a fresh start in 2018.

Making Fresh Tomini Cheese at Home

Tomino Cheese

Pasta and Potatoes / Pasta e Patate - A Classic Recipe to Chase the Chill Away

3rd Annual "SMTA - Sustainable Mountain Tourism" Ostana, Italy

A Few Easy Gift Ideas Just in Time for Christmas

"And we've really no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....."

#1 First up - "Living in Italy The Real Deal" Stef Smulders

You can purchase a copy of his book here at Living in Italy - The Real Deal

#3 - Dream of Italy Newsletter and now TV Show

#4 - Some Cookbooks I have found of Interest this year:

Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City

Preserving Italy: Canning, Curing, Infusing, and Bottling Italian Flavors and Traditions

A Kitchen with a View - Letizia Mattiacci

Cucina Povera - Pamela Sheldon Johns

Wild Fermentation - Sandor Katz on Cultures for Health Website

#5 A New Active and Casual Athletic Apparel Company, whose goal is to empower women.... "Mpowher Apparel"

# 6 Last but not least - Take an online class and learn a new skill or craft

Slow Food's Biennial Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre Arrives Again

Serre Marchetto Mountain Trail Mix for National Trail Mix Day 2016

Farinata, farinata... (Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?)

Farinata al Rosmarino

Serves: 6 people

Ride the Cottian Alps with an E-Bike

Agretti Spaghetti - An Ode to Spring

Happy International Womens's Day, again.

Hiking and Trail Maintenance in the Neighborhood

Baccala, or Salt Cod, Like Nonna Maria Use to Make

Baccala alla Nonna Maria delle Veneto

Serves 2 hungry people

Method:

New Post for a New Year - Nearby Manta Castle

Out with 2015 and Benvenuto 2016

Winter Squash Alfredo for an Autumn's Day

Winter Squash Alfredo

Serves 4 ish

Ingredients:

Method:

Summer Bella Baita Highlights 2015

Apricot Budino Dream

Weed Your Garden and Make Ravioli Gnudi with Nettles Recipe

Stinging Nettle and Ricotta Ravioli Gnudi

Ingredients:

Directions:

Butter Walnut sauce:

Winter Gifts from the Garden: Savoy Cabbage and Cheesy Potato Bake Recipe

(Cavolo Piemontese con Patate)

Bella Baita's 1st Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop

Udite! Udite! Announcing Bella Baita's Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop

May 22-25, 2015 (2 Days / 3 Nights)

Ralph's Trademark Lattice loaf

Please do not hesitate to call or write us now as places are limited and times is drawing near.

See you soon!!!!!!

Take Me Away to the Via Lattea!

Our Story - Marla and Fabrizio, a Valentines Tale

#5 A New Active and Casual Athletic Apparel Company,

whose goal is to empower women....

"Mpowher Apparel"

Udite! Udite!

Announcing Bella Baita's

Handcrafted Artisan Bread Workshop