And so goes the summer..almost..one month left to summer..don’t let it pass you by without taking advantage of something ‘summery’..eat an ice cream or a gelato outside…al fresco…at the beach..taking a stroll..on the boardwalk…sightseeing..just relaxing..anyway to really enjoy that gelato/ice cream

I am getting ready to do our evening ‘passeggiata’ in the piazza with some friends and enjoy my first gelato for summer 2010..can’t believe I have almost let summer pass me by without taking time to do that.

Does anyone have a favorite gelato or ice cream place anywhere in the world they can share.. In Rome, one of my favorite coffee bars for artisan gelato is Giolitti. In the seaside resort of Pescara my favorite gelato place is out of the center and not very ‘touristy’ but it is delicious and will have you dreaming about it for many days after. It is simply called Bar Bologna-if you want to go there, just send me an email and I will tell you exact address.

Does anyone know of any homemade ice cream places anywhere? We all would love to know …

Saturday has always been one of my favorite days..it is market day..and I  always am too excited to sleep the night before anticipating  an early cappuccino and cornetto (Italian version of the croissant) at our local coffee bar..the best way to wake up for the long ..and continually growing market… and also pondering  what particular treasure (s) I may come upon.

Fresh speckled beans, zucchini, basil ,parsley,  tomatoes,celery, cucumbers and zucchini..the fragrance was hypnotizing as  I returned home on foot, carrying bags filled with these ultra fresh, local veggies…

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On a lazy summer Saturday..decisions are not easy to make..the brain isn’t in full focus..the sun,the fresh air, the fragrances..when will we be going to the beach house…all of  what seems to be (at least for the moment) summer’s most important decisions..but no, now the difficult choice of selecting today’s lunch.

A summer light pasta dish with an uncooked tomato sauce made with fresh red, ripe tomatoes, chopped (farm fresh) celery and celery leaves, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and pinch of salt. Let that all marinade..like a summer day marinates in the bright sunshine,fresh air and quiet…

For great recipes, get your copy of the award winning The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA

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Sept 9-12 Hudson Valley Wine Festival

Oct 29-Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

Evenings here always include a walk in the piazza to chat with old friends, make new ones, catch up on town gossip, and share recipes. The best excuse to take a walk after dinner….going to the piazza. Last night, besides some fluff type conversation of ‘how are you doing?” and “how is the family?” we also caught up with an old friend of ours that runs a local trattoria and also has a small farm that produces many of the vegetables served there. He bragged about his  eggplant (melanzane) this year  and he shared a recipe for a specialty dish they are serving at the trattoria in honor of his successful crop of eggplants.

But even better yet, since I had such a ‘voglio’ to make this dish  for today’s lunch….this morning I was gifted with 3 fresh eggplants from Mario’s small farm…and am feverishly working on the recipe now….serve with a glass of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and eat al fresco (if possible).

(So glad we went to the piazza last night!)  Please write and let me know if you get to try this easy recipe!

Pennette Alla Melanzane (Small Penne Pasta with Eggplant)

1 lb of pennette (small penne pasta)

1 lb of fresh eggplant-washed and cut into cubes

1 lb fresh plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion-finely chopped

‘1 tsp of capers

1/4 cup black olives ,pitted and chopped

handful fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Place pennete in a pot of boiling water and cook for time indicated on package-till al dente.

Place olive oil in saute pan, place in chopped onion, saute till just before golden, place in cubed eggplant, diced tomatoes, add in pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Saute for 5 minutes ,add in chopped black olives and capers. Saute for 15 minutes over low heat ,covered.  Uncover and stir with wooden spoon every 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat, place in drained pasta toss. Serve hot ,cold or warm with a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil leaves.

For more great recipes get your copy of the Award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Looking for Guest writers to Share the Joy. Do you have a favorite food memory of a Holiday you would like to share with our readers? Stories are being selected now  for publication

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Sept 9-12 –see you at  Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY.  Join me for onstage demos of recipes from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking series.  For more info or for sponsorship info email: info@marialiberati.com

In our American culture we tend to consider things that are not  pristine and spanking brand new less than worthy..but if you are planning a trip to Italy you will need to change your frame of mind… Italy is like a woman that has aged  beautifully..yes there are wrinkles and the foundation is not perfect but the history she has lived through and experienced all contribute to a different type of beauty. It is a type of beauty that you can’t purchase in a makeup bottle.. a beauty that is not achieved  easily..one that takes years to develop..like a fine bottle of wine or aged cheese.

ahh..fine aged cheese..gruyere cheese and potatoes and the perfect ‘pranzo’ (lunch)…working on this easy recipe for lunch for our first course..a change instead of pasta..great with a bottle of chilled Prosecco. You can also have these as a ‘chic’ appetizer…

Crostatine di Patate e Gruviera (Potato & Gruyere Tarts)

1 lb of gold potatoes

1 cup flour (unbleached)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1 egg

1/4 lb of gruyere cheese (Or substitute fresh mozzarella cheese) cut into small pieces.

Homemade breadcrumbs (put day old bread in food processor,grind to crumbs and place in oven on cookie sheet till toasted)

dash of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Peel, clean potatoes,place in boiling water and boil till tender-approximately 20 minutes). Place in food processor and mash. Place in bowl while still hot and add in butter, parmigiana-reggiano, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend with a wooden spoon, add in some breadcrumbs to make the mixture firm.  Divide mixture into small meatballs-the size of small peach. pat down slightly to make small pizza shapes.  Place on cookie sheet or grill pan that has been lightly coated with olive oil.Cover top of patties  with gruyere cheese. place under broiler for approximately 4 minutes or until cheese has melted and slightly golden. Serve hot with some freshly chopped parsley leaves and or top each little pizza with some chopped ,fresh tomatoes.

Buon Appetito!
Serve with a chilled white wine,Prosecco or Champagne

As Napoleon once said “one needs to drink champagne to celebrate  victory or to console oneself  upon defeat” .

For more great recipes get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

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Sept 9-12-see you at Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY. I will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking to center stage with cooking demos, wine pairings from the latest book release.  For info or to sponsor on stage apperances email us at: info@marialiberati

Some of the new exciting happenings here in Italy while I have been gone..the invention or creation of a  gelato sandwich (because of the hot hot summer temperatures). it consists of gelato made of creamy parmigiano reggiano cheese, a slice of prosciutto ,a brush of hazelnut mayonnaise all served on white bread with crusts removed..sounds refreshing but I have not been able to find one… If anyone out there  can tell me of a  coffee bar serving this, please let me know!   Hopefully my ‘gastronaut ‘skills will lead me to one this summer. I think they are all the rage in the North… but now I am off to the local fish market for fresh clams and the local market to find a lemon from the Amalfi Coast..what would a plate of linguine alla vongole be without a spritz of the fresh juice of a lemon from the Amalfi coast??…not worth eating

For more recipes get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Sept 9-12-see you at Hudson Valley Wine fest in Rhinebeck NY at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. For sponsorship info for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm booth and on stage cooking demos- email: info@marialiberati.com

I always think of myself as a ‘gastronaut’- ( gastronomy + astronaut=gastronaut) someone that travels and explores through food..and I think there are many of you out there! 

Sundays in the center of Rome are my favorite way to spend a lazy summer afternoon,  exploring as a gastronaut..while many flock to nearby beaches I prefer to ‘sweat it out’ walking through the cobblestoned streets and admiring  the view and  some of the simple foods special to this city..gelato, pizza,cornetti, tramezzini..

You can find these in other places in Italy..but you will find the best of them here,in Rome.  And on Sundays if  lunch isn’t eaten at home in grand fashion,it is a casual lunch while making my way through this living art museum they call Rome. A tramezzini is my usual choice for lunch..I call it the elegant sandwich (If you have a favorite food from your trips to Rome, let us know!)

Tramezzini are beautifully decorated sandwiches usually placed in front in the glass cases at the coffee bars at lunchtime,sometimes even for breakfast and during happy hour eaten with aperitifs. When I’m not in Rome but longing for my days there, I make a tramezzini on a lazy Sunday afternoon-wherever I am and reminisce…

Tramezzini are great to bring to the beach or a picnic or even to the office. Who thought Italians use sliced bread? crusts are removed to make this an elegant sandwich

Tramezzini

serves 1

3 slices of thinly sliced white or whole wheat bread (crusts removed)

1- 3ounce can of tuna packed in water

*1 chopped celery stalk

*1 small tomato sliced

*1 tsp chopped red onion

*1/4 cup shredded romaine lettuce

*4 large green or black olives hulled and chopped

*2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

Drain and flake tuna, place in bowl. Add in chopped red onion, chopped celery,olives. Drizzle one tsp olive oil on top and mix.

Cut bread slices in quarters- triangle shapes. Brush both slices with olive oil, place in oven under broil for a minute to toast. Remove from oven. Make small sandwiches by placing tuna mixture on top of one slice then place a triangle on top, then place a slice of tomato, drizzle with olive oil, cover with another triangle. Now stick a toothpick through to hold it together. Place a grape tomato or olive on top of toothpick. Make 4 of these. You can use the same fillings for your sandwiches that you use for almost any sandwiches-cheeses, meats, roasted veggies

Garnish with parsley leaves,serve. No passport needed!

Any foods that take you back to a special place? Share your summer food memories here..or foods that bring you back to a special place…we would love to hear about them!

More on tramezzini

For more recipes get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holiidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition –selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA

Sept 9-12-Hudson Valley Wine Festival- Maria Liberati and The Basic Art of Italian Cooking take center stage for cooking demos and book signings. Held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY. For more  info to attend or to sponsor the cooking demos, email us at : info@marialiberati.com

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Your Chance to Share your Holiday and food memories and see them in print!

Just a short note to invite you to Share the Joy! with all of our readers. In honor of the release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition the Gourmand World Cookbook Award winning book which includes recipes ,menus and food memories  of the Holidays-we invite our readers to share their food memory stories of the Holidays! Submit your story of no more than 300 words about any special Holiday food memory related to any Holiday, can include but does not have to include a recipe, can be related to any nationality.

Each week from September 1st to March 30th a story will be selected to be published on the Blog here. Stories become permanently archived on the Blog and may become part of a national publication at a later date. Go to Share the Joy for more details or email: sharethejoy@marialiberati.com

Look forward to your Holiday stories

For recipes and Holiday stories get your copy of  the book selectedas the Best Italian Cusine Book in the USA -The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Sept 10-12 join me at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival. I will take center stage with Celebrity Chef Vincent Tropepe there at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Book signing for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd editon and recipes. For more info or to sponsor the cooking demos email: Info@marialiberati.com

Just about half over..summer that is…and just about time to recharge your summer before it is all gone. Here are some fun things to do to put the spark back into (what is left of) Summer:

*Eat a meal (or two) al fresco..there is nothing like it. Keep it uncomplicated, make it fresh!

*Purchase fresh produce at a local farm market. Summer gives us fresh produce like no other season..don’t forego the taste of freshly picked summer blueberries, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, corn. The fresh taste will dazzle your taste buds.

*Visit one of the summer county fairs held throughout the country. A great way to experience local food finds and local regional specialties.

*Get an ice cream maker and make your own fresh ice cream or gelato! Nothing like it. I just made a fresh strawberry gelato with local strawberries..all I can say is mmmmmmm!

*Try berry picking at a local farm..it is a fun but also educational thing to do with the kids.but you can do it yourself or friends as well.

*Make a blueberry or strawberry pie or crostata with those fresh berries. If you make a vanilla ice cream or gelato this makes the perfect accompaniment

Tours To Italy

For more recipes get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

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Today’s mailboxes provide so many choices from slots, to wall mount mailboxes to curbside, to column and others. Just think, if you want to attract attention to your home or building –outside decor provides the first glance and your first chance to make a great impression for your building.

Match your style to your mailbox. Wall mount mailboxes can highlight the architecture of your building,such a small touch that will bring about a noticeable difference. Whether your style is modern, vintage or retro, old fashioned,white, black, wood, antique- you can make the perfect match.

 Mail Boxes can express your style and make your property stand out as unique. And no matter what style you choose,mailboxes are more than just a box to hold your mail..they can even be a piece of art…

I’m really not fond of pate..are you? But I am always on the lookout for ways to make a non-traditional type of pate.

At our country house in Abruzzo-we have an organic garden that I love to tend to-we had so much thyme one year..I made some bouquets of thyme and placed in the kitchen or la cucina..but wanted to use it up before the bouquets dried.

A fridge full of fresh mushrooms..a quick trip to the local cheese store on Via Corradini.  I look forward to my walks to Via Corradini.  A principal street in the center of town..one can find a local coffee bar,a fresh pasta store, a forno (or pizza & Bread oven), a bakery and a small local grocery store. If you pick the perfect hour  and if the wind is blowing just the right way your nose will be entertained by the fragrance of fresh bread baking or pizza just dancing it’s way out of the oven.

As you continue your walk the mountains of Abruzzo provide a live painting to view as you make your way the sight of an old church steeple..no need to bring a watch..you can depend on the church bells to ring out the time on the hour, every hour.

When the stores begin to lock their doors and close their lights it is time to head home to prepare the afternoon meal. But that’s okay..by this time you are ravenous from the sights, smells and sounds.

A bottle of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo will make this a perfect summer meal..add a plate of fresh fruit for dessert.

Crostini with Mushroom Pate

1 egg

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms-washed and sliced

1 branch of fresh thyme

1 head of lettuce

2 slices of thinly sliced (American style sliced) bread with crusts taken off

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt

½ tablespoon of butter (unsalted)

dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place butter in a non-stick pan, add in mushrooms, pinch o f salt, and 4 washed lettuce leaves. Cover and saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Boil egg in water for 10 minutes. Place under running cold water and peel. Remove mushrooms from heat, set aside a few slices for decoration. In food processor or blender place in mushrooms mix, egg, yogurt, ½ tsp finely chopped thyme, mayonnaise. Belnd till smotth cream. Cut out 8 circles from bread slices.. Toast till golden under broiler. Remove from oven and spread with cream mixture.

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions –2nd edition. The book selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA

Tours to Italy

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