Tuscany….land of awesome!
Episode 7: I took notes so you didn’t have to….We talked about the following in this episode….Tuscany!
Maybe I watched “Under the Tuscan Sun” too many times or am a romantic at heart but I love Tuscany. There is something purely magical about the region, country side and the people who are lucky enough to call it home.
Pane Tuscano, so easy and so delicious! It’s the perfect vehicle for the big bold flavors of Tuscany cuisine. I think King Arthur Flour does a great job explaining this recipe here. The key is planning ahead a day or so before you need it and knead the heck out of it. Make sure you are eating this bread with dishes with big bold or spicy flavors since it doesn’t have any salt in it.
Balsamico!
The “real” stuff is only made, to this day in Reggio Emilia and Modena in Italy. Look for the DOP label, “Denominazione di Origine Protetta”, which means Protected Designation of Origin. This is for Italy only, France has the AOC label. But when you see this it’s ensuring that the product you are buying is made in a specific region in Italy with traditional methods to create the product. This is important as it really marks the high standards and optimal quality you are looking for.
Serious Eats does a great job of explaining the range of balsamico, “Because of the multi-barrel process, it takes complex math to gauge the average age of the bottled product, so instead a tasting commission of five expert judges convenes to taste the vinegars and determine an appropriate grade, and no age is printed on the label. In Reggio Emilia, traditional balsamics are graded affinato (fine), with a red cap, which roughly corresponds to a 12-year vintage; vecchio (old), with a silver cap, which roughly corresponds to a 15-20 year vintage; or extra vecchio (extra old), with a gold cap, which roughly corresponds to a 20-25 year vintage. In Modena there's just affinato, with a white cap, or extra vecchio, with a gold cap.”
I love using balsamico to finish dishes. From savory to sweet and everything in between. Once and awhile I will sneak a touch into a marinade to “round out the flavor” but honestly you don’t want to heat this up in any way as the flavors will breakdown and you loose the beautiful quality of the vinegar. This vinegar goes so beautifully with so many dishes that don’t involve salad. Drizzle it on anything below!
Strawberries and Goat Cheese
Strawberries and Vanilla Bean Mascarpone or Sweet Whipped Cream
Grilled Peaches and Vanilla Bean Gelato
Figs and Proscuitto
Finished Caramelized Onions with a Touch
Balsamic roasted cherries
I think this mocktail, which could be easily turned into a cocktail with your favorite Gin or Vodka is a great place to start for a balsamic shrub!
Eating in Tuscany:
Here’s the sandwich shop in Florence….yes it’s really worth the wait! And get three sandwiches!
Panzanella Salad
The love and lemons panzanella salad is one of my favorites! It’s not super traditional but man oh man is it good! Make this in the summer when everything is in season near you for the best flavor! I could eat it every single night when tomatoes and peaches are in season!
Bistecca alla Fiorentina
The key to this steak is the cut, the simplicity and really using the BEST quality beef you can find. Traditionally this only comes from a certain breed of Tuscan cow called Chianina. The cut is basically a porter house style steak. In Italy they are measuring this steak in “fingers” not inches but because I am sitting in the Boston area in the US as I type this, let’s use inches…. so you are going about 3 inches or so. You are going to cook this on extremely high heat. So season the steak generously with salt, pepper and a tiny bit of olive oil. Put it on a screaming hot grill for about 5 minutes and then flip it. Leave it for maybe another five minutes and that’s it! You are looking for an internal temperature of about 120F. When you get this in a restaurant it’s sliced and served and then placed back around the bone. The bone is basically the garnish to the dish. An easy roasted potatoes dish goes great with this or a simple dish of cannellini beans. The steak is the star here and serving it rare is the best way to go when using an amazing cut!
The lampredotto sandwich, which I know you all want to run out in get is not as scary as it sounds!! I really recommend trying at least a bite!!
KM Zero Tours!!! Find them here and here on instagram. We LOVE them and I know you will too. If you are going to Tuscany please drop them a line and book a tour with them. Let them show you the beauty of the area they are so lucky to call home. Even if you can’t get to Tuscany I implore you to try traveling where you go in a “slow” style. Arianna talks about what slow travel means to them and it’s really about learning from each other. The memories you create stay with you because they are connected to these special experiences. Take your time, slow down and really enjoy the moment, the people, the food, the exchange and I don’t think you’ll have to stop and take as many pictures with your phone as you think because the memories you just created will last you a life time.
Arianna was kind enough to type up a few recipes for us and I plan on making all of them this week!
Polenta Recipe Abruzzo Style:
Polenta is a hearty, classic Northern Italian style dish. This is Alessio's mamma version, made using cornmeal only and topped with a hearty sausage ragu. It is bold and rich in flavour and was traditionally served spread onto the middle of the table so everyone could dig in and get their portion.
INGREDIENTS:
500ml/2cups Tomato Sauce (Passata)
Extra virgin olive oil
½ onion (diced into small pieces)
½ carrot (diced into small pieces)
4 x pork and fennel sausages (remove skin from 2 of them)
2 x pork ribs
500g/16oz pork mince (ground)
250g/1.47cups cornmeal (or one packet of ready-made polenta mix)
1L water
Parmesan
Rock salt
Fine salt
UTENSILS:
Small pot
Medium size fry pan
Large pot
METHOD:
1. For this Italian polenta recipe, add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil to a small pot, then add carrot and put it on the stove at a low-medium heat.
2. Leave it to fry for a minute or so before you add a whole pork sausage and two pork ribs to the pot, along with 500g of pork mince.
3. Mix the mince through so that it starts to brown and add some more EVOO to help it cook. Stir everything through to make sure it is cooked and ready to be added to the cornmeal polenta.
4. Then, add a pinch of salt, stir through and add 500ml of fresh tomato sauce.
5. To sweeten the taste of the sauce, add a touch of rock salt, and leave to simmer and cook through for at least an hour.
6. Now, it’s time to prepare the sausage you will add to the Italian cornmeal polenta (and it will also be used on top). Getting your medium size frypan, add some EVOO and place 3 more Italian sausages inside, breaking them up using a fork, by squashing and pressing them forward. They are to be enjoyed in pieces, not whole.
7. Cook this on a low-medium heat until well browned, adding 100g of veal mince and a pinch of salt. Mix this through and ensure it is well browned by moving the meat around with a wooden spoon.
8. Put a large pot on the stove, filling it with 1L of water. Leave it to heat up – but don’t boil it!
9. Add a pinch of rock salt to the water once it starts to heat and with the wooden spoon in one hand, get cornmeal in the other and slowly drop it into the water, while mixing it through with the spoon.
10. Don’t put all of the cornmeal in the polenta at once! You will see it start to grow in the water and eventually thicken, but the key is mix, mix mix!
11. Using a ladle, pour a portion of the sauce you prepared earlier, into the cornmeal polenta, and mix it through. At the same time add half of the sausage mince you also prepared and stir it in.
12. Keep stirring the polenta until it is a thick consistency and it should start to bubble.
13. Be careful not to undercook your polenta or it will be runny and not set!
Get a small amount of sugo, and put it onto a flat plate, then add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top. Next, pour the polenta on top of the sugo, spreading it out and adding more delicious sugo on top with a light sprinkle of sausage mince left from earlier! Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top, and add the sausage mince on top that was prepared earlier.
Ribollita - Tuscan Peasant Soup
INGREDIENTS:
300g dried cannellini beans
Extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
3 carrots peeled
1 small potato, peeled
500g cavolo nero cabbage or tuscan kale
200g swiss chard
150g stale tuscan bread, cut into cubes
1 fresh bay leaf
salt and pepper
Preparation: 2 hours
Start the day before by soaking the beans in the water overnight for at least 8 hours. The next day, start by cooking the beans. Discard the soaking liquid and boil the cannellini beans in a large pot filled with water, together with the bay leaf, until they are tender about 40 mins. Depending on how old your dried beans are, the cooking time could be 10 - 20 minutes shorter or longer.
In the meantime, chop your vegetables into 2” cubes and stripes
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft about 3 mins. Add the cabbage and continue to cook until softened, about 8 mins, stirring often. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes.
Add 1 liter of water to the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Let this cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add the cooked cannellini beans (without their cooking liquid) and cook for another 20 minutes. Ass some water during the cooking time to keep the soup thick but watery enough to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper
Let soup rest overnight as it is best the following day. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Reheat the soup on the stove top and stir in about a 1/3 of the cubed bread and warm through, about 5 minutes. Put the rest of the bread on top and don’t mix in. Drizzle olive oil all over the top of the bread and bake in the oven until brown and crispy on top. About 15 mins.
For a zuppa di fungi recipe there is this one or this one but again remember use what’s in season for the best flavor!
Olive oil is one of the most important ingredients to Tuscan cuisine. Make sure you are getting a good quality and look for it to be extra virgin, cold pressed and the first press. Get two kinds, one a little more high quality than the other. The nicer one use for finishing and realize that it varies from region to region in Italy, Greece, Spain, Sicily. So the olive oil from Tuscany is going to be bolder in flavor to compliment the dishes served in that area. The olive oil in Puglia is going to be lighter because the dishes down there are lighter. So think about what you are cooking and use an oil that really compliments and elevates the dish.
For wine, when buying Italian wine look for the “DOCG” label which I think thekitchn does a great job of explains what this means, “Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): Seeing this on the label of your wine bottle means that the wine producers followed the strictest regulations possible to make that wine. The wine was tested a committee that then guarantees the geographic authenticity of the wine and its quality” and if you are buying a true Chianti…look for the roaster on the label, most likely on the back of the wine bottle. This means it was made in Chianti.
If you want to try and not stand out in Italy as a tourist I would not order a cappuccino after 11am, don’t put cheese on everything and try not to dress “too summery” unless it really is more comfortable for you.
KM Zero Tours have put together these incredible gift boxes with products from producers in Tuscany. It’s a way to “travel” without leaving. Bring some of Tuscany to your world and support these local artisans!
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here!
xoxo
Beth
Puglia, Italia…land of my people!
Episode 6: I took notes so you didn’t have to….We talked about the following in this episode….Southern Italy, Puglia to be exact!
Pasta, Pasta Pasta….
Done by hand? Or done in a mixer?
When it comes to making pasta it’s all about how it feels. Can you use a kitchen aid mixer to make your dough? Sure, but if you are ok with trying to do it at first with your hands I would. One of the ways to become a more intuitive cook in the kitchen is by doing. And doing over and over and over again. Once you get a feel for what good pasta dough should feel like you will be able to most likely achieve it in a mixer but honestly I always opt to make it by hand. Maybe it’s the extra love I can put into because it’s done by hand but to me it always tastes better.
Flour time….
Flour matters and there are many different types of pastas and recipes out there. So find what you like and try it! I like this one from Gimme Some Oven or this one from BA. Or this one by my hero Samin Nosrat for the Times. She can do no wrong in my eyes!
My point is to get your hands dirty and dive in!
When it comes to rolling the pasta you can do this by hand with rolling pin, hand crank pasta machine or this is when I break out my mixer and use the pasta attachments!
While we are on the subject let’s talk pasta shapes and recipes…
Size does matter…well size and shape does when it comes to pasta! Now these are only suggestions. You should do you but I do feel like the right pasta shape with the right sauce can create an even better dish! Check out this article from BA as well. When it comes to pasta recipes there are a few near and dear to my heart. Maybe this might inspire you to try taking your own little Italian adventure!
And the adventure continues with one of my best friends and Puglia ambassador, Marissa! We talk about a lot but here’s a few highlights!
As she mentioned, recipes aren’t really a thing with local Italian cooking. It’s something that’s passed down from generation to generation by just doing it together. But she was kind enough to write down one and a few menu ideas for your next big Italian holiday party but really could be any day of the week!
Broccoli Pasta
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil with a chopped head of broccoli. Add directly to the pot whatever pasta you'd like (short is best; penne, farfalle, orecchiette, etc.). Stir every now and then. Once pasta is cooked to al dente, strain entire pot of pasta and broccoli, resserving about a 1/2 cup of pasta water. Pour back in pot and break up the broccoli floret with the back of your spoon so it becomes almost sauce-like. Gradually add the pasta water until you've reached your desired level of moisture. Add a few glugs of oil, crushed red pepper to your liking, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Serve hot!
Note: you can do the same procedure with zucchini or broccoli rabe!
Christmas Eve Dinner - Fish Menu
Antipasto - raw shellfish (mussels, oysters, sea urchins)
Primo - spaghetti alle vongole (pasta with clams) spaghetti con le cozze (pasta with mussels) risotto ai frutti di mare (risotto with shellfish)
Secondo - grilled prawns, baked fish - They serve most fish intact and you clean it at the table removing the bones and head, etc. and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and salt
Bread + Salad
Fresh fruit - in the winter usually pineapple and fichi d'india (prickly pears!)
Assorted cream puff pastries
Panettone - traditional pound cake-like holiday dessert
Christmas Eve Dinner - Meat Menu
Antipasto - fresh cheeses like ricotta, stracchino or mozzarella di bufala, cured meats like salami, bresaola and prosciutto, taralli and fresh tomato bruschetta
Primo - a baked dish like lasagna, baked ziti (pasta al forno) or a meat sauce ragu over orecchiette
Secondo - braciole (rolled up super thin meat wrapped with cheese and herbs that stews in tomato sauce), or horse sausage sauteed with tomatoes
Bread + Salad
Fresh fruit
Assorted cream puff pastries
Panettone - traditional pound cake-like holiday dessert
We talked about taralli, these tasty little wine biscuits that are super popular to eat with aperitivo but honestly I snacked on them all day long!
I adore this focaccia recipe from Vindi at My love of baking with a sourdough twist!
Some Italian tips that American’s may or may not do…
Taste your pasta water before it boils. Does it taste like the ocean? No? Then add more salt! Infuse flavor every where you can!
Don’t put cheese with broccoli or fish
Chicken in pasta? Not if you’re trying to make an authentic Italian pasta dish
Save that chopped garlic for something else. Simmer a split garlic clove in a dish but remove it before serving.
Simple is best! Cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients and let them sing!
No cappuccino’s after 11am in Italy. You can ask for one in a cafe and they will give it to you but try to sip espresso in the mid day, it’s good for your digestion! And for the record your afternoon 8 oz cup of coffee has more caffeine in it than a shot of espresso. So sip that mid day espresso for the perfect light pick me up!
And incase you were wondering what scarpetta is…it literally means “little shoe” in Italian and it’s the little piece of bread that you use at the end of the meal to get that last bit of sauce on your plate. Everyone does it in Italy so be Italy and join in on the fun!
Marissa is the truly one of my favorite humans on the planet. Connect and work with her here or if you want to meditate with her on insight timer you should! I’ve worked with her on many levels! From manifesting to working through letting go of self doubt and doing my Reiki I and Reiki II courses with her. I believe she might even have some online healing and meditating workshops in the words so sign up for her mailing list to get updates or add her on instagram @marissabognanno.
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here!
xoxo
Beth
Breakfast and her sassy, drunk older sister… Brunch
Episode 5: I took notes so you didn’t have to….We talked about the following in this episode….
All things Oatmeal!
I always soak my oats ahead of time before cooking. It helps me digest them better but also lends to a creamier texture when I cook them. I personally like using about a 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and filtered water, jut enough to cover them with a little extra, give them a stir and put them in the fridge for the evening. In the morning, give them a good rinse and you are ready to cook them how you like. If you want to add a little extra protein to your oats I love adding an egg white or two.
Adding egg whites to your oatmeal:
I use about 1/4 of cup of fresh egg whites
You want to add these in the last step of cooking your oatmeal. Once the oatmeal is cooked to your liking, pull it off the heat and start whisking your oatmeal with a balloon whisk, and slowly drizzle in your egg white. Once everything is incorporated and you’ve whisked well, you are all set! Top away!
Fun oatmeal topping ideas:
canned organic pumpkin, vanilla bean paste, pumpkin pie spice, tiny bit of maple syrup and top with toasted chopped pecans
apples that have been sautéed with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and tiny bit of butter, add a little extra cinnamon to the oatmeal, brown sugar and toasted sliced almonds
medjool dates, vanilla bean paste, tiny bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup (if the dates aren’t sweet enough for you) and top with toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
for a savory twist add in a little cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and top with a poached egg, sliced avocado and a little bit of chili crisp
the berries of your choice, a little extra milk of your choice (to drizzle in at the end), agave or honey and topped with sliced almonds (kind of like a berries and cream sort of feel)
a little fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, a handful of really good dark chocolate, I love Valrhona.
sliced banana, medjool dates, chopped toasted pecans, cinnamon and a tiny bit of brown sugar
Other Breakfast Ideas: (both eggy and not eggy!)
Smoothie Ideas: everything starts with 1/2 of a frozen organic banana, whatever milk you like (just fill the blender up just past the ingredients, you can always add more.) and a scoop of this protein powder…I adore it, it tastes amazing and all the flavors have been winners for me! Blend AWAY!
1/4 cup of frozen mango, frozen pineapple, frozen young coconut (I found some in my frozen fruit aisle at the grocery store) and two handfuls of fresh organic baby spinach
1/4 cup of organic canned pumpkin, shot of espresso, 1- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (adjust for your taste), 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice mix and 1/2 cup of ice cubes
1 cup of frozen wild blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or a mix of berries
1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and 1/4 of frozen mango
2 pitted dates, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, pinch of fresh nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, 1 peeled and chopped carrot, 2 tablespoons of chopped shredded coconut, minimalist baker has a great recipe here!
Because I have now made this four times…here’s the dutch baby from episode three’s interview with my trainer and good friend Kristen!
Quinoa for breakfast?! Yes! Here’s a great recipe from love and lemons, we love them and food and wine, we love them too!
And I know what you’re thinking… “Beth, now I have extra ricotta from the food and wine recipe. What should I do with it?” Oh let’s make some ricotta breakfast toast!!
It starts with some really good bread…toast it…
In a bowl mix in about 3/4 cup of ricotta, 2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener, i.e. honey, maple syrup, agave… (adjust to your tastes) and then here’s where it gets fun. Is it berry season? Great let’s add in a little lemon zest and then schmear this the toast and top with fresh sliced berries or if you are using frozen, great! Jus thaw them out and cool them then top the toast with the berries. Ok it’s not berry season, no problem. Do you like cinnamon and sugar? Put some cinnamon in the ricotta and then top the toast with some fresh sliced figs or dates or bananas and sliced toasted almonds or are you obsessed with the vanilla bean or lemon paste? Put that in! And then go with a berry direction again or toasted chopped nuts. Honestly have fun and be creative!
Yogurt parfaits…here’s the granola I like but honestly there are so many great brands out there so you do you or make your own with one of Minimalist Bakers!
We spoke with my brother from another mother, Nick, aka Poodle aka Nicky! Tomorrow happens to be his birthday so if you see him on social media or gay twitter make sure you wish him a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Love you so much!
Here’s his sourdough english muffin recipe. And if you need a sourdough starter recipe, I like this one a lot…
Tater tot waffles?! Yep! You heard Nick right! Here’s the recipe he likes a lot.
Here’s a banana pancake recipe if you are feeling frisky…they have their place but I love these pancakes even more…
Are vegan scrambles your thing? Here’s one that looks interesting. Let me know how it goes.
Nick and Chad (his husband) do Sunday Supper and here’s one of the winners they made recently!
Let’s talk brunch cocktails:
The executive mimosa, girl you do you and put in whatever vodka tickles your fancy but here’s a recipe to get you started. Also heed Nick’s warning..too many of these at gay brunch may lead to going on out a sunday night which may lead to domino’s at 2am and then waking up the next day calling in sick to work but everyone needs a story to tell so again girl you do you. No judgement here!
Wanna do a mimosa flight? Here’s a massive list of ideas! Pick three and get those glasses ready. Didn’t someone say variety is the spice of life?
My favorite for any time of day is the Aperol Spritz…LOVE IT! Or a Paloma…I adore tequila, even at brunch.
Pineapple Cosmo? Yep…it’s a thing. Here’s a good recipe.
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here!
xoxo
Beth