On today’s show I speak with Giovanni Ponchia, lead Enologist for the Soave Consortium. Soave is the most produced white wine in Italy, and hails from the Veneto region in Northeastern Italy. I speak with Giovanni about the Garganega grape, the chalky volcanic soil of the region, and what foods go well with Soave.

www.ilsoave.com

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Gilded Fork. www.gildedfork.com

[I'm bringing this show out from the archives in memory of K. Dun Gifford, who passed away very suddenly on Sunday. I have many happy memories of working for him, and know he will be missed. This show was originally published in October 2007. -JI]

The Mediterranean Diet is much more than a diet — it’s a lifestyle. Happily, olive oil plays a big part in that, and this week I’m talking to some experts on the subject of olive oil and living well. Join me as I speak with Dr. Fausto Luchetti and K. Dun Gifford about Sicilian olive oil, their work to advocate the Mediterranean diet, and the new Sicilian Regional Institute of Olives and Oil.

I also caught up with renowned restaurateur Tony May to talk about his adventures with other restaurant owners as they travel through Italy tasting and sipping (I need to get in on that group).

P.S. Don’t miss next week’s three-part video of our eating tour of the Lower East Side, coming out on Food Philosophy, ReMARKable Palate and All You Can Eat!

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Podcast Network (http://www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com/).

ReMARKable Palate #242: The Alta Cucina Society & Garofalo Pasta

This week, I have lunch at the Alta Cucina Society in New York City, a membership society for the celebration of Italian cuisine from all over Italy. I chat with Alberto Paderi and Amadeo Angiolilli about their mission over lunch of 3 different dishes made with Garofalo Pasta. First, Piero Signorini from Garofalo tells us about his company’s long tradition of pasta making in Campagna. We’re also joined by Susannah Gold, who paired the lunch with some tasty wines!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

If you’ve followed my musings for any length of time, you probably know that I’m a first-generation American. As such, I’ve made it a mission to learn as much as I can about my family pre-emigration, so the past few years have entailed a lot of research. My mother’s Scottish side has been quite easy to trace, as our clan (Forbes) is a prominent one with a well-documented history. On my father’s Italian side, however, the road has been an emotional one, and at times quite frustrating.

I find that you never really recover from losing a parent; it simply becomes part of the fabric of your history, and at times that material can feel a bit delicate. My father died suddenly when I was 18 years old, at a time in my life when I was absorbed in college and building my future, so I didn’t have a whole lot of interest in his history. The Calabrese are also known for their hard-headedness (“testa dura”), a trait I clearly inherited, so we weren’t always the best of friends.

Now that I’m older, and traveling the world exploring food and culture, it’s as if there’s a giant question mark floating above my head; since my father isn’t here to answer my myriad questions, I’m on my own to find out more about his homeland. Oddly enough, I’ve been to almost every other region of Italy, yet I seem to be saving Calabria. Perhaps because I’m trying to prepare myself.

In the interim, I’m happy to say that the rest of the world has also, at last, taken note of Calabrian cuisine, so I’ve been able to sample some of it from American soil while gathering the information to make my pilgrimage.

On the map of Italy, Calabria is the “toe” of the boot and home to the renowned bergamot orange, used in so many perfumes, and of course as the main accent in Earl Grey tea. Calabria’s landscape is lush, and was highly prized by the ancient Greeks as well as the broad collection of invaders who chose to call the region home throughout its colorful history.

As part of Vino 2010, Italy’s showcase of its regional winemakers, the Italian Trade Commission and the Region of Calabria held a winemaker’s dinner enabling me to explore how Calabrian wines were paired with its foods. The meal was prepared by guest chef Vito Gnazzo of Il Gattopardo restaurant.

During the welcome reception, we were served some of my favorite flavors, like Bruschetta con N’duja, the spicy sausage so indicative of Calabria. We also had Piccoli Peperoni Ripieni di Tonno (peppers filled with tuna) and Arancini di Riso (rice balls filled with veal, peas and Pecorino cheese).

When we sat down to dinner, our antipasto was a welcoming remembrance of childhood: Carciofi e Patate in Tortiera. Though this particular combination paired braised baby artichokes and potatoes, when I was growing up we often had a variation of this with eggplant, peppers and potatoes (which I featured on the Culinary Media Network as Serafino’s Sofrito). I could see this was going to be an evening of comfort.

The first course took the memories a step further with Lagane e Ceci, a thick chickpea soup with pasta. The dish had a fantastic peppery kick so familiar in Calabrian cuisine, and was paired with a big red wine, Ippolito 1845 Ciro Rosso “Liber Pater” DOC 2007. Ippolito is the oldest winery in Calabria, and this particular wine had one spicy profile. I think I may have preferred with the soup with a contrasting wine rather than another layer of spice, but I would love this wine served with beef.

The ever-familiar dried cod appeared in our second course as Lo Stocco di Mammola, a cod fish salad with parsley and extra virgin olive oil from Calabria. This dish was bright and sunny, just like its home region, and would be perfect on a summer afternoon. It was paired with Statti Lamezia Greco Bianco IGT 2008.

After a lemon sorbetto to cleanse the palate, we moved on to Cosciotto d’Agnello Lardellato al Polline di Finocchio Selvatico, a lamb shank scented with wild fennel pollen. (I do love the word finocchio, incidentally, as it is a perfect representation of Italian’s melodic lingual expression.) This mild dish was paired with Cantina Val di Neto Rosso “Arke” IGT 2005.

To cap the evening, we finished with a lightly sweet dish that finished things on a lovely, mellow note: Panzarotti Ripieni di Ricotta con Gelato al Miele, a crispy, flaky pastry filled with ricotta and served with honey ice cream.

This was paired with Amaro, perhaps the most indicative drink of Calabria. This rich, sweet dessert wine, F.lli Caffo Vecchio Amaro del Capo, added the perfect ending to a memorable evening.

There is much to come as I share my discoveries of the region of Calabria, but if you’d like to learn a bit more for yourself, you can visit ItalianMade.com to learn about all of Italy’s wines and regional specialties. Many thanks to the Italian Trade Commission, the Region of Calabria and Chef Gnazzo for enabling me to get a taste of it for myself, and for the comfort it brought me.

(originally published January 4th, 2009)
Winter can be a tough time for fruit lovers like me. I love simple desserts made with fresh fruits.  In North America, most fruits are non-existent, or shipped in from the southern hemisphere and taste like cardboard, since they’ve been picked far from ripe and shipped in a dark boxcar for weeks. (And you know how much we hate that!) So we must rely on tropical fruits or citrus that comes to us from more temperate climates like Florida and the Mediterranean.

One of my favorite fruits of winter is the blood orange. Native to Sicily and Spain, the blood orange is unique among citrus fruits for its intense deep red coloring, in some cases as deep and dark as blood. Like other citrus fruits, the blood orange is high in vitamin C. But what makes it unique is its high concentration of anthocyanin, an antioxidant which is believed to reduce the risks associated with many ailments, including age-related illnesses. Blood oranges diminish the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and “bad” cholesterol build-up. They may also reduce the risk of cataracts, and aid in the body’s healing process. [wikipedia]

While in Sicily last Spring, I got to taste many fresh blood oranges in the markets of Palermo and in the countryside near the slopes of Mt. Etna, whose rich volcanic soil aids in the growing of the blood orange. There are three varieties of blood oranges, the Tarocco (a “half-blood” variety), the Moro, and the Sanguinello (both “full-blood” varieties). The Tarocco and Moro are native to Italy, while the Sanguinello originated in Spain. All three are grown and highly prized in Sicily.

So while I enjoyed the blood oranges of Sicily greatly, I didn’t expect to be able to enjoy the juice so readily here in the US. Well, recently, I received a package with samples of a new juice available here in the New York area from I.O.  Italian Organics. I.O. is a blend of all 3 major varieties of blood orange, and it’s certified organic. Curious, I drank a bit (chilled, of course), and found it to be nearly as flavorful as the freshly pressed blood orange juice I sampled in Sicily. Sadly, it didn’t have quite the same punch of freshness that you’d get from a just-pressed orange, but it does have the sharp tartness and wonderful bitterness that hits the back of the throat.

So to really test this product, I decided to make a simple recipe, a blood orange granita. I love to have sorbets and granitas as an intermezzo between courses at a long dinner, or as a simple weeknight dessert. Cold desserts have to start with an intensely flavorful base, since the cold dampens the taste buds and makes it harder to taste the subtleties. So what better way to see just what kind of punch this juice would pack?

The recipe is quite simple:

Blood Orange Granita

3 cups blood orange juice

1/4 cup simple syrup:

(2 parts sugar to 1 part water, heated to boiling, then cooled)

splash of lemon juice (optional)

grind of black pepper (optional)

Mix the simple syrup into the juice until it tastes sweet enough to you. You want it to be too sweet to drink, but not so sweet that you won’t taste the distinctive tartness of the blood orange. You may not have to use all the simple syrup. If the juice is not very tart, you can add a splash of lemon juice, or a grind of black pepper to bring out the flavors.

Pour the mixture into a wide flat metal or glass dish. You want to have as much surface area as possible to help it to freeze quickly. Place flat in the freezer for a while, then scrape with a fork to break up the ice crystals and return to the freezer and repeat until the mixture is totally frozen and granular. I prefer to serve it very granular, with “chunks” of crystals. If you prefer, you can run it through a blender, then freeze again, if you want it to have more of a sorbet consistency.

I.O.’s juice did not disappoint. I found it to be very flavorful, very tart, and with a distinctive sharpness, that served as a perfect dessert for our New Year’s Day meal of Sausage and Mussels (see our recent video shot in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia with Chef Rick Ogilvie.) Try this yourself at home, but do try to get real blood orange juice, whether you find them fresh and juice them yourself, or from a quality bottled juice.

-Chef Mark

This past week the second annual Italian Wine Week, Vino 2010, took place in New York City. It’s the largest Italian wine event held outside of Italy, and I was lucky enough to attend last year. This year, because of travel for my birthday, I was not able to attend many of the events, which was a disappointment, since the celebration is filled with grand tastings, seminars, tastings, panel discussions, and did I mention tastings?

So while I couldn’t make the Grand Tasting, I did make it to the Thursday night regional wine dinner event at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. This was a unique event, with 4 separate winemaker’s dinners held simultaneously in different ballrooms of the hotel. Sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission, it was an opportunity for winemakers from the regions of Tuscany, Calabria, The Veneto and Apulia to show off their regional dishes and the wines made from native regional grapes.

I was invited to attend the Apulia regional dinner, while my partner in crime Jennifer Iannolo attended the dinner celebrating Calabria, since her father was born and raised there. She’ll have a report from that dinner.

The Apulia dinner was prepared by Chef Patti Jackson from I Trulli Restaurant in New York City, and hosted by wine writer Tom Maresca, who described each wine we had throughout the course of the evening. We snacked on focaccia and other nibbles before the first course, while sipping Alberto Longo Falanghine “Le Fossette” IGT 2008. Falanghine is an ancient native varietal of Apulia, not commonly found outside the Southern Italy. This particular wine had been aged in barrel for 18 months, which imparted quite a bit of oakiness which was not so appealing. Tom Maresca explained that this is not so typical for a Falanghine. I would have liked to taste a more typical interpretation of the grape, and not one that mimics a California style.

Our Antipasto course was a mixed salad of grilled “Cefalapodi”, squid and octopus, served over endive, baby brown chickpeas, and roasted baby tomatoes. I loved this dish, not only for the fresh and tender seafood, but also for the tiny chickpeas which had a nice bite on the outside, but tender on the inside. It was served with a Tomaresca Chardonnay Puglia IGT 2008. I found this a nice pairing, and the Chardonnay, unlike the previous wine, was not at all oaky.

The Pasta course was a Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe & Toasted Almonds, which is typical of the simple, honest, rustic food of Apulia. The Broccoli Rabe was not at all bitter, and the cavatelli was perfectly al dente. It was served with Cantatore di Castelforte Primitivo de Manduria “Donna Maria” DOC 2007. Primitivo is one of the most typical varietals found in Southern Italy, and is predominant in the neighboring province of Basilicata. Primitivo is a precursor, and sort of “cousin” to Red Zinfandel.

Our main course was a roasted rack of lamb with potatoes and a puree of fava beans and dandelion, served with Sampietrana Salice Salentino Riserva “Vigne delle Monache” DOC 2004, made with the Negra Amaro grape.

We finished off the dinner with Sweet Baby “Calzones” filled with Hazelnut puree, Fried Dough Rosettes topped with Vanilla Ice Cream, and Stuffed Figs. These sweets were served with A Rivera Moscato di Trani “Piani di Tufara” 2007, an appropriately sweet Moscato typical of the sweet dessert wine style, with notes of honeysuckle an melon. It was a fitting ending to the evening.

In his latest ReMARKable Palate episode, Chef Mark recapped some of the delicious discoveries we made at a recent dinner at Felidia highlighting the flavors of Basilicata, Italy, which lies between the Apennine mountains and Tyrrhenian Sea (or the “instep” of Italy’s boot). The event was hosted by Lidia Bastianich and our dear friend Lou DiPalo, whose ancestral roots can be found in Basilicata.

Lou’s son Sam was recognized as an ambassador to the region that evening, and it was delightful to see the pride on papa’s face as they both enjoyed that special moment. DiPalo’s (both the store in little Italy and the online store) features the products we tasted at this event should you find your mouth watering.

We would be remiss if we didn’t share images of the dishes from the menu, as the regional flavors came together at the hands of chefs Mario DeMuro, Rocco Cristiano Pozzulo and Francesca Rondinella to emphasize the beauty of simplicity. We were very taken with the dried Senise peppers (left side of photo below), which we were initially hesitant to bite into lest they be fiery hot. Much to our surprise, they had a delicious sweetness that would replace most snack foods for us. They were crunchy like a potato chip, but flavorful and sweet like a natural food should be.

Our first course featured a selection of Basilicata cheeses including Caciocavallo Silano DOP (one of my favorites) and Pecorino de Filiano DOP, served with regional honeys, preserves and olive oil. The orange blossom honey was my absolute favorite, with acacia following at a close second. The dish was accompanied by pickled eggplant slices that packed a tart punch, so our mouths were dancing before we reached the last forkful.

Next was a dish of comfort food at its finest. Rich yet surprisingly light, the cavatelli with Fagioli di Sarconi IGP, this flavorful bowl of goodness was perfect for a chilly winter’s night. Pasta e fagioli is a classic combination (“pasta fazool” for those who insist on using a dialect…sigh).

Our next pasta course highlighted those lovely dried Senise peppers, sprinkled over stracinati pasta with cacioricotta (a sheep’s milk cheese) and toasted breadcrumbs.

A surprise awaited us with the next dish. As it said “flan” on the menu I was expecting the typical flan texture as one might find in a dessert flan; this, however, was firm, composed of Canestrato di Moliterno DOP cheese and with flavors that mimicked the taste of the inside of a ravioli. Decadently rich, the flan’s accompaniments of tomato sauce and crispy fried basil leaf provided a lovely counterpoint to make for a dish that, for me, screamed Italy.

I get a little bit excited about figs. Dessert had me writhing in my chair a little bit, as the honey dessert (described as a tart, but much more like a Madeleine texture) was served with a pistachio sauce and caramelized fig. I would trade chocolate and any other candy for these figs, and must now have them in my pantry. They would be perfection served with a light creamy accompaniment — even vanilla ice cream.

Many thanks to the region of Basilicata, Lou DiPalo, Lidia Bastianich and Felidia for inviting us to be a part of this evening. As Lou DiPalo likes to say, Italy is a region of 20 different countries, and we are learning the unique components of each as we taste our way around the boot. There is never a dull flavor moment.

ReMARKable Palate #230: The Foods of Basilicata

On this week’s show, I attend a special dinner at Felidia Restaurant in New York City to celebrate the foods of basilicata, the region in southern Italy at the instep of the boot. The dinner was hosted by Chef Lidia Bastianich and our old friend Lou Di Palo of Di Palo’s Fine foods in Little Italy, who’s great grandfather emigrated from Basilicata. We got to taste the products of this charming land. Later in the show, I speak with my pal Chris Marquardt about the 2nd Edition of our Brooklyn Cookin’ workshop.

You can register for the workshop at www.tfttf.com/bk2010

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #205: Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani

If you watch Bravo’s Top Chef, you undoubtedly remember Fabio as probably the most colorful contestant in the show’s 5 seasons. Well, Since the show, Fabio has been working hard in his California restaurant, Cafe Firenze, and has JUST released his first cookbook, the Cafe Firenze cokbook, Mangia e Bevi! I speak with Fabio about his childhood in Italy & learning his love of food from his grandparents, and we learn about his commitment to quality eating, including teaching kids healthy eating & he shares what he learned from Top Chef.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #203: Local and not-so-local Foods with Julia Della Croce

Today’s show is a revisiting of a conversation I had exactly a year ago with Julia Della Croce, one of the pre-eminent authorities on Italian food. Julia has written 11 cookbooks, each focusing on regional Italian cookery. When we spoke a year ago, we discussed the local food movement and what it means for food in America, and it’s interesting how much has changed in a year, with people embracing the idea of intentional food choices, and improving the quality of food we feed our children in schools. Here’s that conversation again.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #196: Avalon Wine Tours

I speak with Peter Smith, owner and operator of Avalon Wine Tours, which offers tours of most of the world’s leading wine regions. He talks about his evolution from Yacht captain to enophile, and how he crafted a business he loves sharing his love of wine with enthusiasts.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #195: Slow Food in Piemonte

I report from a recent trip to Piemonte Italy, where I attended the BITEG conference, the Borso Internationale di Turismo Enogastronomico, all about wine and food tourism. While learning about the great foods of Piemonte, I met several people involved in the Slow Food organization, which got it’s start in Piemonte. We attended a taste around dinner featuring local artisanal products at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenza.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

I’m in Piemonte for BITEG 2009, (Burso Internazionale di Turismo EnoGastronomico), and discovering the typical foods of the province. These a few quick videos shot on my handheld camera. More to come later in full CMN fashion!

The first day we had an exquisite lunch at the Grinzane Cavour Castle, which is ground zero for the celebration of the much vaunted white truffles from the Alba region.

The next day, we are treated to a cooking class with Chef Cesare Giaccone at his Villa Contessa Rossa Restaurant at the Fontanafredda Winery

We also discovered a secluded Apiary called Il Potere dei Fiori up in the hills near Ponzone, and we reached it via a hike to the top of the mountain.

Note: These really are just quick one off video blogs shot with a handheld camera. I’ll have fully edited, high quality videos of all these visits in the main video feed in the coming weeks and months.

CMN Video: Brunello Luncheon

We attend the Brunello di Montalcino Preview Luncheon for the 2004 vintage at the Villard Mansion of the New York Palace Hotel. Chef James Staiano shows us how each dish for the meal is prepared.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #174: Italian Holiday Treats with Divina Cucina

I speak with Judy Witts Francini, of Divina Cucina in Tuscany, about the foods of Siena and Firenze, and the holiday treats they enjoy there. www.divinacucina.com

Shop for holiday gifts for the food lover in your life at our Gilded Fork Boutique. Special discounts for our newsletter subscribers!

http://shop.gildedfork.com

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #170: Balsamic Vinegar

This week, we speak with 2 experts in Balsamic Vinegar: Christina Crotti from Il Borgo del Balsamico, which produces traditional balsamico in Reggio Emilia and a new condment style balsamico. I then speak with Cesare Mazzeti of the Consorzio Balsamico, who describes to me the new higher quality controls being adopted by acetaios to assure that their product is of the highest quality, and he shares with me some news of the recognition of geographical protection.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Making a Sicilian Cassata

While in Palermo, Sicily, we were treated to a gala dinner in a medieval palazzo. For dessert, the chef showed us how to make a classic Sicilian dessert, the Cassata.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Exploring Palermo’s Capo Market

Jennifer and Chef Mark explore the stalls of Capo Street Market in Palermo, Sicily, discovering the vibrant fruits and vegetables on display. Chef Mark speaks with Culinary Tour Guide Michele Topor about the more unusual meats on offer.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Chef Mark is joined by Penny Murray of the Planeta Estate in Sicily, who describes the qualities of their 3 olive oils, and their unique process for extracting the oil from their olives.

www.planeta.it

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer learns the proper way to smell and taste olive oil from Sylvia di Vincenzo of the Mandranova Estate in Sicily.

Look for part 2 where Chef Mark speaks with Penny Murray of Planeta, also in Sicly.

www.mandranova.it

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com