Croccantino

For many years I have had the amazing opportunity to be able to travel to a small town in Southern Italy near Benevento called San Marco dei Cavoti.  Steeped in history, this town captivated my heart and soul.  It happens to be the town where my Mother-in-Law was born and raised, where my husband spent his early years before coming to the US and the namesake of my son Marco. Since the day I stepped foot in San Marco, I was also captivated by the famous chocolate, hazelnut and almond confection called Croccantino.  The flavor is something in between Nutella, honey and a Heath bar.  You can eat a lot of them since they are only 2 bites, so be careful, it can be dangerous! They are beloved by everyone in the town and everyone who I bring a box back to in New York.  My Dad ate an entire box in one sitting (about 20 bars) the first time I brought them back to the US.  Of course we always bring an empty bag to ensure that we can stock up!

The first producers of Croccantino started over 150 years ago, they are mostly family run and produce in small batches. This is why it intrigued me to find out that there was someone new on the scene.

About 3 years ago, I stumbled upon Autore online.  The owner Antonio Autore grew up in San Marco dei Cavoti.  He left for a while to study and work in international business throughout Europe, but returned home to, as he says, rewrite the tradition.  He has done an amazing job balancing the tradition of Croccantino while bringing the 150 year old recipe into the 21st century.  What first caught my attention was the beautiful packaging and the multiple flavors.  With flavors like Sicilian Pistachio, Coconut, Honey & Fig and Giundia, Autore extends the idea of traditional Croccantino.  This great YouTube video highlights the production process and gives you more insight into the world of Autore.  

The brightly colored packaging is eye catching and makes a great in-store display.  After six years in business, Autore has started to ship to the US.  If you are in NYC you can find his product at Buon Italia in Chelsea Market.  He also will ship directly to customers through his website.  

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Traditional Copper Pot 

Recently, I had the opportunity to do a quick interview with Antonio, here are a few highlights from our conversation:

When did you get the idea to start Autore and what was your inspiration?

I grew up in San Marco dei Cavoti the world capital of Croccantino, this famous crunchy bar of nuts laced with sugar and covered with dark chocolate. I left after high-school for my college studies and then worked abroad for a few years but always brought with me a box of Croccantino. Well wherever I travelled everybody loved the product and the idea of starting my own production started working in my head.So six years ago I returned to San Marco started the Autore chocolate. I created a catalogue adding new chocolate recipes to classic Croccantino and I built up a range of different flavors.

How many countries are you selling your product in now?

We are selling our products in 15 countries (most of the European countries, but also Japan, US and others).

What has been your biggest challenge?

To sell a traditional product with a more dynamic and modern approach, infact our motto is "rewrite the tradition" . We use a intriguing design and innovative packaging solutions that is very much liked by consumers

What is the most popular product?

The classic Croccantino is still the best selling product, but it is followed by Croccantino honey and raisin, Croccantino honey and figs and Pistachio

What is next for Autore? (US distribution, new products/categories)

We have just released the new Winter Catalogue 2016-2017 with quite a few new products: Minuto Ribes (white chocolate and red currant), a range of four spread creams and a few new gift boxes. The spreads have crunchy bites of croccantino mixed with cream and the feedback from the market is very positive.  All our products (except for the Panettone and the chocolate beer) are gluten free. Marketwise we are putting efforts to sell more in the US market through gourmet chains .

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Freshly dipped Croccantino

Autore has a very promising future.  With Antonio’s focus on quality and tradition plus a dedicated team he has a very bright future.  Just last week, he opened an official storefront in the town of San Marco.  So, if you happen to be in Naples, plan a trip to San Marco dei Cavoti.  You will get to see a beautiful town and taste some of the best chocolates you have ever had, then you too will be addicted.

La Sirena: Beautiful Cocktails

A few months ago the long awaited La Sirena opened in New York City's West Chelsea neighborhood, replacing La Bottega in the Maritime Hotel.  It is of course the newest restaurant in the Italian restaurant empire run by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. Luckily,  I have had the chance to eat there a few times since March.  The food is excellent as one would expect from the kings of New York Italian food.  But, the drinks are really something special.  

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The centerpiece of the restaurant a 38-foot white Caesarstone bar which functions as a grand entryway and the heart of the restaurant itself.  Since La Sirena is located in West Chelsea on the cusp of the Meatpacking District, it is important to consider dual functionality.  I think the team at La Sirena has stuck a fine balance between fine dining and trendy bar scene.

Of course they would not be able to do this without great drinks.  When I say great drinks, I mean well thought out mixology drinks with fresh ingredients. They are also true to the brand, many are classic Italian drinks with a modern twist. Here are a few of my favorites from the cocktail list (pictured below in order):

CLASSIC SPRITZ (my personal favorite) Aperol, Soda and Prosecco finished off with three classic olives

VIOLA made with Hendricks Gin, Hibiscus, Lemon and Prosecco.  It is served with a beautiful purple flower on top. 

NEGRONI della CASA-Another classic made with Plymouth Dry Gin, Antica Carpano Vermouth and House Blended Bitters

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The dinner menu is not available in the bar, but there are some amazing anti-pasti carts offering salumi, olives, wheels of Parmagiano Reggiano and the new and exciting Caprese cart  offering house made Mozzarella, tomato and basil to create a classic Caprese.  

Another thing to note, all of the juices are fresh and there are many choices.  The bartenders are highly experienced and will mix up something based on your tastes and what is seasonally appropriate if you don't want to order a drink off of the menu.

La Sirena screams summer with it's light and airy interior and it's massive outdoor terrace, so since it is about that time plan to stop in for some beautiful cocktails, you will not regret it.

La Sirena is located at 88 9th Avenue in Manhattan.  Hours are 7:00 am-11 pm on most nights.  Breakfast is served in the dining room on weekdays, brunch on Saturday and Sunday.  Dinner hours begin at 5:00pm.

PASTA: Why quality counts

One of the cardinal rules of Italian cooking: always use the best ingredients available to you. Pasta is no different.  It is especially important since pasta really brings together the whole dish. There are many, many brands of dried pasta, or pasta secco,  on the market.  Like most people I used to think they were all the same. I would buy Barilla or De Ceicco at the supermarket and that would be it. Then I tasted the difference between those brands and true Italian artisan pasta or Pasta Artigianale,  

Most of this pasta you will see in stores in the US comes from the famous town of Gragnano which sits in between Naples and the Amalfi Coast.  Gragnano boasts an over 200 year old tradition of pasta making.  There are many special steps and details that have to be followed in order to produce pasta with superior taste and texture.  The center of town is even said to be laid out so that the main street captures the salty, cool breeze off the the Mederterainian creating an ideal scenario for pasta drying.  All of these seemingly small details add up and in the end a superior product, both from a taste and texture standpoint, is created.

There are two important differences in the process vs mass produced dry pasta: the pasta is extruded through bronze dies instead of through industrial Teflon, giving it a rough-textured surface to which sauce clings rather than slipping off, and the pasta is dried slowly at low temperatures so that it retains more of the nutty flavor and aroma of durum wheat. 

Pasta from Gragano has become more widely available over the past few years.  In New York City, you can find it in specialty shops as well as some Supermarkets.  Some of my favorite brands can be found at Eataly, Buon Italia or Agata e Valentina.  Look for Afetlra, Di Martino and Garofalo.  Also keep in mind, many shapes come in larger packages, 500g or 1.2 lbs.  Most mass produced pasta comes in 1 lb portions.  Either way you will pay more for the small batch pasta, but you will not be disappointed.  Every time we have guests, we serve this special pasta, sometimes just with a very simple Carbonara or Aglio e Olio, and we get "recipe" requests every time.  

Gragano, Italy

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Afaletra Garganelli

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Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

This year for Easter I decided to try out a new dessert.  My go to Apple Cake is great, but since I always make it, I thought it was time for something new.  I came across this great looking lemon ricotta cheesecake thanks to Cooking With Nonna's Rossella Rago.  It is a classic Italian Easter dessert with a twist and it was a huge hit with my family!  It will be part of the holiday dessert rotation from now on.  Here is the recipe, great for spring and summer!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 ounces blanched almonds, ground
• 1/4 cup flour
• 6 ounces butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• Zest of 3 lemons
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions/Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8-inch springform pan with the tablespoon of butter.
3. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
4. In a bowl, combine the ground almonds with the flour.
5. Set aside.
6. Using an electric mixer, beat 6 ounces of butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
7. Add the egg yolks. Continue beating until well combined.
8. Add the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat until combined.
9. Fold in the almond-flour mixture. Set aside.

- See more at: http://www.cookingwithnonna.com/italian-cuisine/lemon-ricotta-cake.html#sthash.PVJsy995.dpufRemove the cake from the oven when the center is still slightly soft. It is best served warm or at room temperature. When served warm, the luscious creamy center balances the texture of the almonds and tartness of the lemon. Once the cake is refrigerated the center becomes firm. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithnonna.com/italian-cuisine/lemon-ricotta-cake.html#sthash.PVJsy995.dpuf

Food Cravings NYC Style

if you have been reading my posts, you know that I love food.  Sometimes it gets extreme.  Sometimes I HAVE to have something very specific and I don't care if I have to go to great lengths to get it.  Here are my TOP 5 food obsessions in New York City.  Most of them I have gone  on a solo mission to eat on my own, definitely my "happy place".  This list could have been longer, but I forced myself to edit!

1. Luke's Lobster- The cravings usually kick in around April and last through the Fall and they are intense.  I love lobster and this is by far the best lobster roll in NYC. The best part about Luke's is that they do not use mayo just some lemon butter, secret spices and a buttered roll.  The pure Maine lobster meat is the star of the roll. There are a few locations, unfortunately none of them deliver to my apartment.  I have to walk about 6 blocks and 4 avenues to get my roll if the Nauti truck is not close by. Apparently, Caviar the delivery service will deliver Luke's, but I haven't attempted that yet.  I think I like it better when it seems harder to get!

2. La Rosticceria at Eataly-The Prime Rib Panino is my obsession.  The problem is, they always run out.  They start serving at 11am, my advice is to get there on the early side.  Every time I have been there after 5, the Prime Rib and the Carne of the day are sold out.  It is ridiculously flavorful and I have been known to go there alone on a summer Friday and devour the whole panino in Madison Park.  Side note, the rotisserie chickens are delicious as well!

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3. Shake Shack-Luckily I do not live far from the original Shack in Madison Park, but it is far enough to check the Shack Cam and see how long the line is.  If the line is not too long, I will volunteer to go, wait and bring back dinner before it gets cold if my husband will agree to eat Shake Shack.  I am a classic girl, Shack Burger with Cheese, fries and a lemonade is the usual order.

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4. Marea's Fusilli with Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow-One of the most delicious and unique pasta dishes I have ever had.  It is hard for me to eat at Marea and NOT order this dish.  I have made a trip there, just to sit a the bar and order it.  At $34 it is not a cheap craving, but it is worth it!  Check out this article from Serious Eats that shows how this dish is made.  http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/07/marea-nyc-manhattan-michael-white-fusilli-fussili-pasta-octopus-bone-marrow.html

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5. Big Gay Ice Cream- Before they exploded and opened brick and mortar shops, The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck took up residence on the corner of 17th street and Broadway, not far from my apartment.  This was when I got addicted.  Now, I will make a special round about trip to pick my son up at school stopping off at their 7th Avenue location on the way.  My go-to is the Bea Aurther, vanilla soft serve, dulce de leche and crushed up 'nilla wafers, haven!

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5 reasons everyone should visit Napoli

When I look back on my many visits to Italy, I can't help but think about my very first trip.  Growing up as an Italian-American New Yorker, I had a mystical idea of the country in my head.  From the stories my Grandparents told of their memories as young children immigrating to New York or how my Grandpa Mario joined the army to fight in WWII in hopes he would get stationed in Italy, a magical and very special place was painted in my head. Fast forward 20 years, I found myself at 24 finally getting to experience the homeland that my Grandparents spoke of.  

Luckily, I was able to travel with an insider who could show me the country as I only hoped and imagined it would be for so many years.  Six months into our relationship, my now husband, decided to take me to meet his family in Napoli.  We planned a trip around the visit, hitting Florence and Rome first, but Napoli is really where I felt like I was experiencing the Italy (or the picture of Italy) that I always had in my mind.  Since my husband had spent half of his childhood living there he had a lot to show me.   Friends who were with us wanted to spend time in Capri and the Amalfi Coast thinking Napoli was "dangerous", but all John wanted to do was take me to Napoli to eat a Svogliatella at Scatuchio in Pizza San Domenico Maggiore and get a Pizza Margarita at Pizzeria Brandi. We did both of those things on that day and many years later, many trips later I look back on that day as the day I fell in love with Napoli.  

Yes the city is gritty, semi-dangerous and has crazy traffic, but I love it that way.  It is also raw, authentic and proud.  Traditions run deep and are preserved magically in Napoli.  That is why I love it so much.

5 Reasons Everyone Should Visit Napoli, according to La Newyorkese

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1. Pizza - Pizza is a religion in Napoli. It is the birthplace of pizza and I promise it will be the best you have ever had.  People all over the world have tried to replicate, recreate and import all of the components from the water to antique pizza ovens. Many of the attempts that I have had in NYC are very good, but nothing comes close to the pizza in Napoli, even the ones that have a DOC or have been deemed Vera Pizza Napoletana.  There is, of course, a debate about who makes the best pizza, we love Pizzeria Brandi who claims they were the first to make Pizza Margarita in 1889.  Pizzeria da Michele is another highly touted pizzeria, made famous by appearing in the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" and on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" Naples episode.  

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2.  Pastry-The pastry is to die for.  You haven't tasted a Sfogliatella the way it was meant to be unless you have had it in Napoli, warm out of the oven.  Personally, they were never my favorite here in NY (I always chose cannoli growing up).  In fact the fist trip I didn't even order one and caused a ruckus when I tasted my husband's, who wound up giving me his.  To this day, he says that is how he knew he really loved me!  He also learned to order extra! Our favorite place is a small stand in the Galleria Umberto called La Sfogliatella Mary. 

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3. Spaccanapoli and Duomo- Walking through Spaccanapoli will take you into a scene from years past.  Laundry hanging outside balconies, people selling all kinds of specially items from amazing food, Capodimonte ceramics or the beautiful nativity scenes called Precepe that are handcrafted in Napoli.  The Duomo di San Gennaro is a medieval cathedral on Via del Duomo, one of the most notable churches in the city.  It is the location that houses the famous blood vials of the patron Saint of Naples, San Gennaro.  Every year on September 19th, there is a ceremony to see if the blood will liquify.  The vial is held up in front of a packed church, if the blood liquifies (it usually does) this is suppose to mean the city will have good luck.  Rumor has it that the last time the blood did not liquify, there was an earthquake.  

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4. Piazza del Plebiscito and Caffe Gambrinus:  Piazza del Plebiscito is an open piazza close to the water front.  It is a great place to take the city in.  Our tradition is to visit Caffe Gambrinus for a gelato and sit on the steps in Piazza del Plebiscito.  You can also sit at Caffe Gambrinus, have a caffe` or cappuccino and people watch.  It is a beautiful, old world caffe founded in 1860. 

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5. The Views-between the Bay of Naples, Mt. Vesuvius or the view of the entire city from the fashionable hilltop neighborhood of Vomero, the views are breathtaking.  On a clear day, you can see out to Capri (which you can get to in about 45 minute on a ferry that departs from Naples almost every hour, if I had a #6 on the list it would be that you can get to Capri, Sorrento or rest of the Amalfi Coast from Naples)

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If you decide to take my advice, please comment on what you liked or didn't like.  I would love to hear feedback!  Writing this is making me very hungry and giving me the travel itch! 

Boun Viaggio! 

Taralli the Italian Pretzel

One of the go to snacks in our house are taralli.  Hailing from Puglia, they were first introduced to me in Naples by our cousin Laura over 10 years ago.  I was addicted at first bite and I think I ate a whole bag!  I couldn't believe the flavor that could come from such a plain looking bread product.  When my son was old enough to eat crunchy food, we introduced taralli to him right away.  They have become the snack he requests most often, although he did not like it when I tried to slip in the fennel flavored ones to his school snack.  Taralli come in many variations. There are savory flavors like fennel, peperoncino and black pepper. You can also find sweet taralli glazed with sugar and often flavored with lemon (we are talking about Southern Italy so makes sense!)  We use the savory ones as part of our go to cheese plate adornments and they are also great dunked in wine.  You can find them at any Italian  special shop from Eataly to Di Palo's in NYC.  A bag usually costs around $3.50, a pretty inexpensive treat that will add a little piece of Puglia to your day.  On my list is to make them from scratch, so stay tuned to see how my homemade taralli come out!

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The Pennsy

A few weeks ago, something amazing happened.  A brand new food hall opened up right across from my office!  It is called The Pennsy and it also happens to be right next to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden in NYC.  It is one of the many new high end food halls to pop up in the city over the past few years, but this one is a little different.  First of all, Mario Batali is involved, so that alone makes it special in my book. Secondly, Pat LaFrieda has a counter in this food hall, the first of it's kind.  For those of you who do not know, Pat LaFrieda provides the best quality steaks and burgers to all of NYCs top restaurants.  The Pennsy has done a great job of curating a stellar line up, mostly focused on lunch which is a home run for the area.  As someone who has worked in the area for a long time, the lunch options are not the best.  Now I have a different issue, a very tempting food hall across the street!  Oh, and they JUST got their liquor license, perfect for game nights at the Garden! Here are a few pictures and descriptions of what you can get and what I have eaten so far.

Mario by Mary

Of course this was my first stop.  Mario by Mary is a collaboration between Batali and Mary Giuliani, his catering partner.  The menu is well thought out consisting of Italian comfort food that reminds me of home.  The grilled cheese with truffle honey is amazing, pictured below.  I got the combo #1 that came with a sandwich and a soup (I got the white bean and escarole, so good!) There is a selection of hot panini and cold panini that can be pared with a variety of soups.  And for dessert, rainbow cookies!   Panini run $9-13, combos are around $15.

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Pat LaFrieda

All of the sandwiches entail some sort of meat, of course.  I tried the classic steak sandwich and it was great.  The quality of the steak really shines though, great flavor and very tender.  They also have a hot pressed meatball sandwich, a fresh roast beef toasted sandwich as well as roasted turkey.  The portions are pretty big, so go hungry.  Sandwiches range from $12-15. 

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Marc Forgione

AKA Lobster Press, named for the signature hot pressed lobster sandwich that you dip into a delicious chili sauce.  I have sampled a few things from here and all were good.  I think my favorite was the coconut lobster bisque, not too heavy but it has a ton of flavor.

The lobster press is good, I wouldn't say the best lobster sandwich I have had, but the chili sauce really makes it special.  Lobster Press is the priciest place in the The Pennsy, with the signature sandwich running at $17, the combo is $21 and comes with chips and pickled vegetables.  If you are in the mood for lobster and feel like splurging on lunch, check it out. You may even get lucky and have Marc himself serve you one day, that happened to me.  He was very nice and it was great to see a chef connecting with their customers.

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Besides these three featured counters, The Pennsy also features The Cinnamon Snail and The Little Beet.  I have yet to try either, but will definitely be back soon to try both of them, that is if I can be strong enough to not get a Mario by Mary grilled cheese every time I walk in!

The Pennsy- 2 Penn Plaza, New York, Ny

Lamb Sugo

Over the past few weeks, I have been actively building my Instagram following.  This includes sharing pictures of the food I eat on a daily basis.  I have also begin to follow many chefs and food bloggers which provide daily inspiration for my meal planning.  This week, someone posted an amazing looking brunch dish from Barbuto  in NYC: Lamb Sugo over polenta topped with a poached egg.  This of course looked delicious and my husband and I knew we could make it easily.  The starting point is an amazing lamb sugo (sauce) that can be made ahead of time and used for multiple dishes during the week (recipe below).  Polenta is easy enough, just make it according to the package directions and add in some parmigiano cheese.  Last, poach an egg for each person who you are serving.  Layer in this order: polenta, lamb sugo, egg on top, salt, pepper and a little extra cheese.  The result is a hearty, soul warming dish that is full of flavor!

Lamb Sugo

Ingredients

• 2 35-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, whole 
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups)
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
• 4 Lamb Shanks or Lamb Shoulder (or a mix of both)
• salt
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably the type dried on the branch, crumbled
• 4 cups hot water

Directions

Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with the fine blade or crush with your hands in a separate glass bowl. Set aside.

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy  5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Make a little room in the center of the pot, dump in the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the lamb shanks and cook, turning, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Continue cooking until the meat is browned about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaves and oregano then pour in the wine. Bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the pot, until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Pour in the tomatoes, then stir in the tomato paste until is dissolved. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to a lively simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce takes on a dark red  color, 3 to 4 hours. Add the hot water, about 1/2 cup at a time, as necessary so that the sauce does not get too thick.

• Skim off any fat floating on top and adjust the seasoning as necessary. The sauce can be prepared entirely in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months

• It goes well in the polenta/egg dish I discusses above or beautifully with pasta!

Italian Baked Eggs

Winter is finally upon us in New York City and we are all in the mood for some comfort food.  Today as my husband and I came up with a dinner plan, we decided we were in the mood for this delicious comfort dish: Italian Baked Eggs.  This is something anyone can make with only a few ingredients that most people will have on hand most of the time.  

Step 1-Tomato Sauce in a baking dish.  We made our own quick Marinara sauce (1 can San Marzano tomatoes, garlic sautéed in olive oil, salt, pepper, basil).

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Step 2-Add eggs to tomato sauce.  We did individual servings in small baking dishes, so 2 eggs per person.

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Step 3-Cover with shredded mozzarella and top off with parmigiano. 

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Step 4-Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with parsley for some color and extra flavor. The eggs should be runny, if you want firmer eggs, bake for a few extra minutes.

You can add other ingredients to the baking dish, some suggestions-sausage, hot pepper if you want some kick, or even shredded chicken for extra protein.

Serve with grilled or toasted Italian bread, you will need it to zuppare! 

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San Marco

About 90 minutes outside of Naples, Italy in the Provence of Benevento, lies a magical town. I am lucky to have been there many times as it is the hometown of my Mother-In-Law and my son's namesake.  It is the quintessential Italian medieval town, dating back to the 14th century.  From the outskirts of town, you can see for miles through the clear, crisp mountain air.  Walking through the pristine streets that lead to an adorable piazza, I always feel like I am in a fake Disneyland version of Italy, but then I realize it is real.  

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San Marco dei Cavoti is also the home of Croccantino di San Marco, the delightful chocolate covered hazelnut and almond bars that are just the perfect size.  They're not too small, about 2 bites, but not so big that you feel like you are eating a whole candy bar. The town boasts 10 producers of Croccantino in 18 square miles.  Every December they hold the Festa del Torrone e Croccatino, which celebrates the town and their beloved chocolate.  One of the oldest and, in my opinion, best  producers is Borrillo.  Their adorable shop is right in the center of town on Via Roma, a throwback to another era.  Barrillo focuses on a few key products with beautiful packaging such as classic croccantino and my favorite classic torrone  ever. They also sell these amazing Cassatine (below), you can see a picture of Marco enjoying one in my Welcome page.

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 A newer producer of croccantino is Autore.  Started by Antonio Autore in 2009, this producer has approached croccantino with a new twist.  There are many flavors like honey with fig or Sicilian pistachio  with beautiful color coded boxes to delineate  flavors.  Autore is now shipping to the US and can be found in Chelsea Market at Buon Italia.  Barrillo was shipping to the US a few years ago, but I believe for now you will have to travel to Italy to get them.  Or put your order in with me for my next trip. 

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A beautiful walk through the town

There are a few small Bed and Breakfasts in the town as well as some small restaurants, but I have not tried either.  If you plan a trip, please contact me and I can help guide you.  The croccantino factories also conduct tours.  Autore, for one, organizes tours of his factory as part of an agrotourisum package.

If you find yourself in Naples on your next trip to Italy make a special trip even just for the day to San Marco.  You will not regret it.  

Baita

A few days before Christmas, I set out on one of my favorite shopping trips of the year.  I love to shop at both Eataly and Buon Italia in Chelsea Market for all of the Christmas Eve and Christmas Italian food.  From olives, to salumi and mozzarella, I love to shop for both meals and bring all of my favorites home for my family to enjoy.  The two days become a glutenous eating and cooking fest, the shopping tip is the pre-game.   This year was no different, I planned my day so that I would end at Eataly around lunch time since I had made a 1:00 solo reservation at Baita, the pop-up restaurant on the roof which is normally Birreria. It is a cozy space that makes you feel like you are in a ski lodge in the Italian Alps, lap blankets and all. The menu has an overall rustic feel with dishes ranging from mulled wine to braised pork shoulder and polenta.   If it hadn't been 65 degrees that day, I would have felt like drinking a cioccolata calda to warm up, but the decor alone helped to put me into the Christmas spirit. 

I decided to try two small plates and enjoy a glass of white wine.  The first dish was Uova, Speck e Patate, a poached egg over speck and a potato pancake.  The egg was perfectly cooked and the combination of the speck/egg/panacke created a perfect bite.  

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For my second dish I got the Strangolapreti con bro e salvia, spinach triangle shaped gnocchi in a butter and sage sauce.  I actually had ordered something else, but someone next to me was having this dish, so I called the waiter over and had my order switched.  I made a good choice.  They were light, but rich at the same time and perfect complement to the egg dish.  This seemed like a go-to dish, as I saw quite a few coming out of the kitchen.  

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All in all, I definitely recommend getting to Baita before the winter ends.  Go on a cold day for the full effect and spend some time taking in the scenery.  The pop-up will be in effect until March.

Eataly is located at 200 5th Avenue in Manhattan, 23rd street and 5th Avenue.

Aldo

I just have to share this one with all of you.  Sorry North Fork friends, but I have to tell the world about how amazing Aldo's coffee is.  Aldo is one of the most unique yet classic coffee shops you will ever go to.  The owner, Sicilian born Aldo Maiorana, is also quite unique.  Donning a full head of white hair, he resembles an Italian Albert Einstein.  He can be spotted most days hanging out in his shop, talking with customers and enjoying his house roasted coffee.

Aldo has been in Greenport village since 1987, long before it became cool.  Today he has created a unique foodie spot, one of the cornerstones of the local food scene in the North Fork. 

The minute you walk into the shop, you are hit with the wonderful aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans.  Aldo roasts his beans in an old-school roaster that sits in the front window of the shop. His menu is pure and simple, no Frappuccinos here.  The menu, pictured above, is written plain and simple on a chalkboard over the bar.  Most of the drinks he serves are what you would find in at an espresso bar in Italy, espresso, doppio espresso, cappuccino and house roasted american coffee.  The beans are for sale in the shop and online.  Check out his website below.

Aldo's 

Aldo has some interesting YouTube videos, check them out to discover this great artisan who's passion for coffee shows in his wonderful product.

https://youtu.be/nd77OtjWq2Q

Grazie Aldo!

A bag of Aldo's house roasted beans

Grand Ticino

Sometimes on Christmas Eve, I stop and think about one very special New York Christmas Eve I had back in 1994.  I was a freshman at Fordham University and got to spend Christmas Eve at a very special old school Italian restaurant. My Dad was working that day, he is a sound engineer for musical acts.  He happened to be working for the legendary Laura Nyro who was playing at the Bottom Line, another historic New York establishment which sadly closed in 2004.

After the show, we went to have dinner at the famous Grand Ticino.  I of course was pleased to be eating Italian and even more excited that this was the location where a scene from Moonstruck was filmed (one my my favorite Newyorkese movies).  

The Grand Ticino had an 82 year run at 228 Thompson Street in Greenwhich Village (1919-2001), it was one of the old classics. From the classic menu to the old word decor, it was Italian-American at it's best. I can still remember the delicious ravioli I had, freshly made of course. I am glad I had the chance to eat there and be part of something with such history, there are not many places left in New York like this.  At the time I did not know how lucky I was.

FungHi e TAleggio

For over 10 years I have been in love with this unique and delicious pizza from Otto Enoteca Pizzeria. As you probably already know, this is Mario Batali's very popular and always packed pizza restaurant located on 8th Street right off of 5th Avenue.   I order it almost every time we eat there or get delivery (they deliver!).  Tonight was no different.  It was amazing as usual, a rich combination of taleggio cheese (soft, pungent Italian cheese) and earthy mushrooms topped with fresh parsley.  

To complement my pizza, we ordered our other favorite dishes:  Romane and Red Onion Salad, a few different Vedure and a selection of cheeses.  But, the best part of the meal was the bottle of Lambrusco that came complements of Chef Mario Batali!  It was a wonderful gesture and a very good bottle of Lambrusco.  It might be my new favorite.......Concerto from Medici Ermete

Thanks again Chef!  

Lambrusco: Italian pronunciation: [lam.ˈbru.sko]

Lambrusco is one of my favorite Italian wines. Originating from Emilia-Romagna A light, bubbly red or rose` that is a great alternative to prosecco or Champagne.  It isn't fancy, but it is fun and is a great Holiday gift. The pink bottle of this Labrusca Rose` makes it a great gift or even a surprise pairing with pasta for dinner. This one is produced by Lini 910 and can be found at Bottle Rocket on 19th Street in Manhattan for $15. They also have a red,  Check our their website: http://www.lini910.it/en/labrusca.htm    Salute!

Struffoli Time

Christmas time in an Italian home is very eventful.  We have so many culinary traditions that are both delicious and momentous.  One of my favorite are Struoffoli. They are a tradition in Naples and also in NYC where there is a large Southern Italian population.  I must admit, I usually buy them at an Italian bakery, but this year we are going to make them.  We are going to start a tradition with the kids so that Marco and his cousin Freda will know how to make this very special, very Italian Christmas treat.  I will report back on how the Stuoffoli making goes, but for now here is the recipe that we are going to use.  Let us know if you tried to make them and how they came out.  Would love to share tips/stories!

Ingredients
Dough:
2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
1 large lemon, zested (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 large orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon anise liquori
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Sugar sprinkles, for decoration
Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional

Ingredients
Dough:
2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
1 large lemon, zested (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 large orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon white wine, such as pinot grigio
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Sugar sprinkles, for decoration
Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional

 

Begin by preparing the dough. 
Form a well in the flour, and to the center, add the soft butter, sugar, milk, a pinch of salt, baking soda, eggs and anise liqueur.

Using your hands or a fork, start mixing the ingredients together, slowly incorporating the flour until you have a smooth, uniform dough. If needed, add additional flour or milk so that the dough is not too soft or too dense.

Once you have a smooth dough of the right consistency, continue kneading for 5 or 6 minutes. When done, cover the dough with a bowl and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

Once the time has past, begin preparing the struffoli.

Cut off a piece of dough and roll it out until it is about ½ inch thick in diameter. Cut the roll into small, ½ inch, cylindrical pieces. Repeat using the rest of the dough.

Then fry the struffoli, a few at a time, in a pan of hot oil. Once golden, after 5 to 10 seconds, remove from the pan using a slotted spoon. After frying, place the struffoli on a plate lined with paper towels. Finish frying all of the dough.

Prepare the icing by cooking the honey in a large pot. Once the honey begins to boil, add candied orange peel and mix with a spoon.

Let cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the honey is foamy. Then remove the pot from the heat and add the struffoli. Stir them carefully, trying not to damage them, then transfer them to a plate. Immediately cover with the colored sprinkles.

Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Olives

Something hit me last week during Thanksgiving shopping, while standing at the deli counter in Lombardy's in Mattituck, LI.  I realized that most people can not tell the difference between olives and have a hard time shopping for them.  A woman next to me started asking me a lot of questions, I guess I looked credible?  She was trying to remember which ones her Dad likes, I finally pinpointed what she was looking for: Gaeta.

I on the other hand was buying my go to cheese/salumi plate olives: Castelvetrano.  The small, bright green Sicilian olives with buttery texture.  They are heaven.

Here is a quick guide to Italian olives to help you out next time you are in your local Italian specialty shop. 

Brine Cured vs Oil Cured-The brine cured olives will be smooth and plum while the oil cured ones will be more wrinkled and coated in oil.

Castelvetrano-A bright green Sicilian olive, great for snacking and of course for cheese plates. Almost always with the pit and brine cured.

Cerignola-From Puglia, come in red, black and green.  Brine cured and quite large.  They are also great for snacking/cheese plates.  They are mild and buttery. 

Gaeta-Dark purple or black. Soft tender flesh, citrus flavor. Can be found both brine cured or oil cured.  Great in pasta, especially Puttanesca.

Saracena-From Sicily, small dark black olives.  Cured in salt and more pungent. Great for pizza!

Taggiasca- Smiliar to a French Nicoise olive, small with a lot of flavor. Grown in Liguria.  Great for tapenade. 

Of course you can mix them all together, a variety is great.  I personally love when they are marinated in oil and citrus rind, amazing.....

I hope this helps, olives make a great addition to any salumi or cheese plate, they are great in pasta, pizza and salads.  They also make the perfect hostess gift when attending a dinner party.

Apple Cake, an old school tradition

I wanted to share a particular tradition that we have in our family.  My mother-In-law Maria, who was pure Napolitana, had to learn about American Thanksgiving and adopted this cake as her signature holiday dessert. When she passed away 6 years ago, I took on the duty of Apple Cake.  Both my husband and brother-in-law love this cake and I am expected to produce it for every major holiday.

The original recipe comes from a news clipping in the Washington Post from 1986, here you have it:

Apple Walnut Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups vegetable oil
• 2 Cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup whole-wheat flour, sifted
• 4 Cups shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 Cups coarse chunks of peeled and cored apples
• 3 Tablespoons applejack
• Apple Cider Glaze (recipe below)

Apple Cider Glaze:

• 4 Tablespoons sweet butter
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons applejack or apple brandy
• 4 Tablespoons sweet cider
• 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat vegetable oil and sugar until thick and opaque. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, cloves, cinnamon, mace, baking soda and salt, then stir in whole-wheat flour. Add to oil and egg mixture and mix until well blended. Add walnuts, apple chunks and applejack all at once and stir batter until pieces are evenly distributed.
3. Pour batter into a greased 10-inch round cake pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Apple Cider Glaze:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Pour while still warm over warm cake. When cooled, the sugar will crystallize forming a lovely, crunchy and sweet icing.
3. Makes 1 1/2 cups glaze.

Serve with either fresh Panna or Vanilla ice cream.  

TIP: Make sure you have the correct pan, it really has to be 10 inches.  I have tried to make it with a regular cake pan and it doesn't come out the same at all.  The pan is the same pan that Maria used to make it, pictured above.  It is a magic Apple Cake pan!

Thanks Mario!

Yesterday I posted that we got some amazing truffles at Eataly on 23rd street.  They were running a sale and we had to take advantage!  Well, I didn't mention that on my walk there as I crossed 17th street and 5th Avenue, I looked up and saw one of my favorite people!  Mario Batali was stopped at the light right in front of me,  riding his Vespa with his son on the back.  I played it cool and didn't bother him, but I saw it as an obvious sign.  I JUST launched this blog, which is in part inspired by him, and I was walking to buy truffles from his store when I run into him! It was pretty cool I must say.  So, I took to Twitter to ask him how we should enjoy the truffles.  He replied with a great answer, pure and simple:  Over tagliatelle with butter and parm!   

So here you have it:

1 Lb Fresh Tagliatelle or Pappardelle

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Freshly Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Salt to taste

Fresh Black Pepper

Shaved White truffle (we used Urbani from Alba) about 7grams

Boil water in large pot, salt the water then throw in the pasta.  While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saute` pan.  The pasta should not take long, about 5 min.  Take it out while it is still al dente.  Drain with a  pasta drainer and add to the saute pan, toss with the butter.  Add the parmigiano reserving some for plating.  Plate the pasta, shave the truffle over the hot pasta and finish off with cheese, salt and pepper.  Buon Appetito!