Cooking and Eating . . . At the Table with my Italian family and friends
"sitting at the dinner table tranquil and relaxed is a lost pleasure that must be found again at any cost" . . . Associazione Ristoranti Tavole della Valpolicella
Many of the food traditions and recipes I will share with you have been passed down by my Lombardian relatives in the oral tradition of the great kitchens of Italy. They are written in the narrative style so that I might include the experiences I have had eating and traveling in Northern Italy,Tuscany and Umbria with my Italian family and friends.
All are reflective of the cultural heritage of the Italian people who when asked "What is the purpose of food?" Answer "To delight the palate and cheer the spirit" from Italian Made
Il Menu
l'apertivo l'antipasto
il primo
il secondo il contorno
l'insalata
il formaggio
la frutta
il dolce un caffe' il digestivo
The Italian Meal - Deconstructed
l'apertivo -Italians often begin the meal with an apertivo, a drink designed to "open the stomach" and aid in digestion; Italian apertivi are often extracts of aromatic herbs and roots blended with spirits in alchemic proportions like those used to make my favorite apertivo Campari ; or an apertivo can be as simple as a glass of prosecco, sparkling Italian wine; an apertivo is often an accompaniment to l'antipasto
l'antipasto - prepares the palate for the courses to come and stimulates the appetite, affettati misti is a variety of sliced cured regional meats arranged around a large platter with olives, sliced figs or melon sometimes with marinated vegetables and salted olives, cheese is not usually served unless as tiny round balls (bocconcini) of buffalo mozzarella with olive oil; an antipasti of fresh seafood is referred to as antipasto misto di mare often the seafood is dressed simply with olive oil and lemon or if the seafood is fried and served as a mixed platter it is known as fritto misto di mare
il primo - pasta, rice or perhaps gnocchi; portions are small; just enough to satisfy; may also be a soup
il secondo - meat, poultry or fish served alone on the plate can be accompanied by side dish; a contorno; as a vegetable, verdura or a salad insalata
The terrance restaurants on the 7th floor of La Rinascente Duomo, a landmark department store in Milano near the famous Galleria, are a perfect place to have lunch and an Italian apertivo. The rooftop foot court overlooks the spires of the Milan Duomo for the best view in town. I have stopped there on many occasions to enjoy the view and to sip an apertivo made with Campari. The history of Campari begins in Milano in the late 1860's when Campari was introduced at a cafe in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. You can still visit the iconic Cafe Zucca in the shadow of Milan's Duomo where Gaspare Campari first introduced Italians to a drink known then as "bitter Campari". The original recipe for Campari, still used today, includes 68 natural ingredients, spices, aromatic herbs, fruit peels and the scented bark of a tree grown in the Bahamas! Only two people know the exact ingredients and of course I am not one of the two but I am one of many who enjoy this bittersweet Italian apertivo. Here are a few of my favorite drinks made with Italy's Red Passion, Campari.
the Negroni, named after Count Camillo Negroni of Florence who always asked his favorite bartender to mix him this drink
˝ to 1 oz of Campari ˝ to 1 oz of sweet vermouth (recommended -Vaya Vermouth) ˝ to 1 oz of gin (recommended - Bombay Sapphire)
∫ build in a tumbler glass over cubed ice garnished with an orange peel, add a splash of soda if desired
Americano 1 oz of sweet red (rosso) vermouth 1oz Campari Pour over ice. You may then fill the glass with club soda (optional). Garnish with an orange or lemon twist.
Kyr Duomo Vino bianco (white wine) some people use prosecco Campari Club soda Creme de cassis (black currant liquer) about ˝oz I was never able to get the exact proprotions but the wine should be your base with additons of creme de cassis and Campari. Then add club soda to taste. Campari and Orange Juice (1/3 Campari to 2/3 fresh squeezed orange juice).
Campari was featured as the favorite drink of Bill Murray's character in the quirkly comedy The Life Acquatic with Steve Zissou filmed in and around Rome, Naples and the Italian Riviera.
Antipasti Misto- New Recipes Coming Soon
Primi Means Pasta or Rice- New Recipes Coming Soon
