Results for: “Cooking”

SICILY

Trinacria – the queen of the Mediterranean – was invaded time and again over the centuries by various peoples: the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans and the Arabs. Consequently, the island has a particularly varied cultural heritage. In recent years, the region’s wine production has attracted enormous attention, thanks to the prudent redevelopment of viticulture and the excellent results achieved with the cultivation of international varieties.

A winemaking estate in Sicily

Mirabile/SHUTTERSTOCK

The terroir

Sicily boasts an extraordinary heritage of grape varieties: among the whites Catarrato, Carricante, Inzolia, Grillo, Grecanico, Minnella Bianca, Malvasia delle Lipari, Zibibbo (or Moscato d’Alessandria) are native to the island, as are Frappato, Nero d’Avola, Perticone, Calabrese, Nerello Mascalese, Pignatello, Gaglioppo and Nocera among the reds. Nevertheless, international varieties – Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon – are also grown here successfully, yielding exceptional wines. For centuries, Sicily has been associated with sweet wines. Moscato di Noto, Moscato di Siracusa, Passito di Pantelleria and Malvasia delle Lipari are distinguished by their seductive and fruity bouquets, whereas Marsala, the Italian fortified wine that has made history, deserves special mention.

M

E

N

U

10

Y

ou

know

how

sometimes

there’s

a

break

in

the

clouds,

and

brilliant

yet

fleeting

rays

of

light

come

shining

through?

That’s

what

happened

here.

The

cloud

that

usually

encircles

my

brain

opened

up

for

a

brief

moment

while

I

was

looking

in

my

cabinet

for

a

pack

of

seaweed

snacks

that

I

knew

was

hiding

in

the

back.

I

spot-

ted

a

box

of

rigatoni,

and

out

of

nowhere

I

thought,

“rigatoni

poppers.”

I

briefly

pondered

what

to

stuff

into

them,

quickly

realizing

that

the

cashew

ricotta

from

my

first

book

was

the

obvious

choice.

I

never

found

those

seaweed

snacks,

but

I

still

go

searching

for

them,

in

an

attempt

to

re-

create

this

moment

of

inspiration.

L

I

B

A

T

I

O

N

R

E

C

O

M

M

E

N

D

A

T

I

O

N

The

Figgy

Lifting

Drink

(see recipe, page 194)

is

a

great

complement

to

this

menu,

as

its

bubbly

properties

help

lighten

the

rich

poppers,

and

the

figs

tie

into

the

asparagus

and

fig

dish.

You

could

also

grab

a

bottle

of

prosecco

to

enjoy

here.

E

F

F

I

C

I

E

N

C

Y

T

I

P

Unfortunately,

breading

the

rigatoni

poppers

ahead

of

time

and

refrigerating

would

yield

a

gummy

coating,

so

you

have

to

do

those

just

before

frying.

However,

you

can

cut

and

skewer

the

watermelon,

and

make

the

basil-mint

rub

in

the

morning

or

the

day

before.

Then

just

COLUMBUS

I stopped off in Columbus on my way home from Houston to see Rosanne Harrison for a few minutes, but ended up spending the day! A number of the girls were over having coffee and making plans for next year’s Magnolia Arts and Homes Tour Festival. It was so successful this year. People came from far and wide and just loved the band concert on the courthouse square, consumed gallons and gallons of hand-turned ice cream, and drank ten thousand gallons of cold, fresh homemade lemonade at the sidewalk café while they watched the buggies and wagons start for the tours of old Columbus homes and the Old Opera House where Houdini once appeared. In the late 1880’s, this was the only place between New Orleans and El Paso where opera was performed. The builder, R. E. Stafford, millionaire, cattleman and banker, built his own two-story home adjacent to the Opera House at an angle where he could watch the performances from his own bedroom! Liza McMahan, who, with her husband, is editor of the hundred-and-five-year-old newspaper, was acting as chairman of the Festival. The girls were also talking about the party they had been to the night before down at the Taits’ place. It was El and Alice Tait’s thirtieth wedding anniversary, and their two daughters had sent out invitations simply saying, “A Special Occasion,” with the time and the place. Special it was indeed! The guests danced on the wide front porch, which was added to the log cabin built in 1847. The music was furnished by one of those good Schulenberg bands, the Telstars. Lil Stallman started a long serpentine procession to the shed behind the house, where an enormous white-satin-tied box held a “special gift” for Alice and El. Suddenly the top of the box flew open, and amid colorful balloons, Rita Tait and her fiancé emerged to announce their engagement. Rita was wearing her mother’s wedding gown and John was wearing El’s wedding suit. Toasts were exchanged by Rita and her father, and later all the guests offered toasts to both couples. May West, who is reportedly one of the “best cooks” in Columbus, had made the traditional Wedding Cake she makes for her special friends on such occasions. May is a wonderful friend to have, as she has the largest deep freeze in town and keeps it loaded with all kinds of goodies she loves to cook.

SOUPS

Soups are good for the soul and so beneficial for a healthy gluten-free lifestyle. Our mouthwatering soups are filled with fresh vegetables, savory meats, and an array of bold herbs and spices to make them interesting and scrumptious. For a light, refreshing lunch on a warm summer day, chilled Guadalajara Gazpacho, with just a little spicy heat, is perfect.

For recipes that would ordinarily call for wheat flour, like our decadent Potato Leek Soup with Watercress, we’ve substituted gluten-free flours in just the right proportion. You would be shocked to find out how many of the canned soups on the market contain gluten.

Our delicious soups, which liberate you forever from canned mediocrity, are substantial, rich, and tasty. In fact, if we’re going to serve soup, it’s going to be the meal, not an appetizer. After you try these, we think you’ll agree it’s the only way to go.

ABRUZZO AND MOLISE

Regions where nature is unspoilt and at times spectacular, Abruzzo and Molise have always been rural areas given over to agriculture and stock-raising. It is no surprise then that the origin of their link with viticulture is lost in the mists of time. What captures the wine-lover’s attention, however, is their recent dedication to quality, which has resulted in the establishment of new appellations. Until 1982, Molise did not have a single DOC zone, whereas today it has four; and in Abruzzo it was not until 2003 that the region could boast a DOCG zone. Another development is that over recent years there has been a progressive diminution in the sale of loose table wine, and a substantial increase in the sale of hectolitres of VQPRD wine. The estates are for the most part small to medium-sized and family-run, with the exception of the cooperative wine associations.

Lake Barrea in Abruzzo National Park

ABRUZZO PROMOZIONE TURISMO

Abruzzo