Ugly, but extraordinary

In the Mediterranean Sea there is a little animal that is so ugly – I mean really ugly – that I’m sure that if it weren’t for its delicious taste nobody would have the courage to eat it.

It’s a grey white (with few pink shades) crustaceous approximately 20cm long that at one end has a little alien head and, at the other, a black stain that looks like two gigantic eyes…

The canocchia

Not yummy right? But this little thingy, the canocchia (also known as pannocchia, or panocchia, or by its scientific name Squilla mantis), is one of the tastiest examples of seafood that one can have.

A clean canocchia

Its meat presents a very mild taste – much more delicate than shrimps, for instance – and since it is very soft, it almost “melts” completely when cooked, creating a sort of cream that is one of the best pasta sauces I’ve ever tried.

Spaghetti alla chitarra with canocchie

In fact, my boyfriend knows how to cook some Linguini alle canocchie that always blows me away. In this recipe, apart from some olive oil and garlic at the beginning and a sprinkle of parsley at the end, has nothing else but the canocchie’s meat (added just at the end). It practically “dissolves”, creating this sauce that embraces each string of pasta.

Actually, the meat is so tender and sweet that eating it raw is also exceptional (I’ve written about raw fished and seafood here). And specking about that, as it happens with lobsters, the canocchie should be preferably bought alive, so that any doubt about its freshness is gone.

Their only flaw is the fact that they’re a little tricky to clean; it’s difficult to detach the meat from the exoskeleton without breaking it. But don’t worry, I can give you two options: (1) simply let it go, grab the little animals with your hands and suck out the meat (in fact this alternative is also valid when it comes to eating a canocchie dish at a restaurant, if served with the “skin”); or

After 40 minutes in the freezer it gets easier to detach the meat

…from both sides of the exoskeleton

(2) 40 minutes before preparing them, put them in the freezer. After that, the meat should be much more compact and all you have to do is to cut the laterals with some scissors and delicately detach the meat. I swear it comes out much easier.

And before concluding this post, I just would like to make a little disclaimer. In my opinion, writing about ingredients that are not found outside of Italy has good and negative sides: on one hand, I’m aware that it can be a little frustrating, because unless you come to Italy, you’ll not me able to eat them.

On the other side, I think it’s really interesting to share some curiosities and local facts that are indeed fascinating (at least to me), since even someone who’s far away can start to get more familiar with the Italian cooking. Therefore, whenever you get to opportunity to come, you’ll already be an expert! 🙂

Have a good week!

Bistecca alla fiorentina – Part I

This week I woke up craving meat. And, since in the past days I’ve had the pleasure to spend some time in Florence, I thought that it was a good opportunity to talk about her, the illustrious bistecca alla fiorentina. This post will be divided in two: this one, with its history and “technical features” and another one, with the place that, in my opinion, is the best one to taste such dish in loco, the Buca Lapi. Let’s start the first part.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina – Buca Lapi (Florence)

The bistecca alla fiorentina is one of the most famous dishes of the Italian cuisine – or, more precisely, the Florence region. Its history goes back to the Medici’s era (the Medici were the family that governed the region between the 15^th and 17^th centuries) and story tells that during the festivities of Saint Lawrence’s day (San Lorenzo), on August 10, the whole town gathered together to celebrate and the Medici family offered quality meat to the people – including the most outstanding cuts.

Everything was roasted in big bonfires across the town and, during the entire year, everyone looked forward to such feast. It was such an important occasion that its main dish became one of the symbols of the Florentine (“fiorentina”) tradition.

The word bistecca, on the other hand, has an even more curious origin. Rumor has it that during one of those feasts, and still in the 15^th century, some Englishmen were also present for business reasons – the Medici were one of the most important families within the finance world. Well, what happened was that after tasting the roasted meat, had falling in love with its taste, they started to shout: “Beef steak! Beef steak!” in order to get some more of that wonderful meat. The Florentine, on the other hand, having appreciated their reaction, immediately “Italianized” the word: “Bi-stecca!”

If all this is true or not doesn’t matter, but the fact is that the real bistecca alla fiorentina has some typical characteristics: firstly, it is made of a piece of meat located in the back of the cow (more o less half down the column) and necessarily comprises the filet, the sirloin and the bone – in other words, it is the American T-Bone Steak.

And there are also some other details: it must be served rare and seasoned only with unrefined sea salt and pepper – only after it’s already ready to serve. That simple.

Before and after – and a great article from Dissapore.com

As for the entire piece of meat, the ideal is that the animal from which it is cut is killed at least two weeks before and that the meat is stored in a cold cellar for this entire period, until served. This big chunk of meat is then cut in slices of at least “one and a half fingers” height and prepared in the simplest way: grilled over charcoal, i.e., as the noblest barbecue of Italy.

See the size of the chefs? Well, now figure the size of the bistecca they serve…!!

This dish is a classic of Florence and I can’t help but smile when I see tourists – particularly Japanese – astonished and overwhelmed when the plate containing that beauty arrives in front of them.

I know that Brazilians and Americans may be used to a good barbecue. But I can guarantee that if you find the right place (that uses the right technique and has excellent meat) it will blow you away. In fact, I guarantee not only the smile when the dish arrives, but also the satisfaction when it ends.

– In the nest post, I’m going to talk about the place where I ate the best bistecca alla fiorentina in Florence, the Buca Lapi.

See you soon! A presto!

When in Italy

The panettone is from Milan, but is everywhere, like in my beloved Florence

One of the most famous sayings in Italy is: “paese che vai, usanza che trovi” (very freely translated as: “every country has its own customs and traditions”).

Usually we hear this phrase when one faces a strange habit in a place that is not their home. And it’s not about a bad thing, but something like a positive astonishment.

Well, now with Christmas coming, I’m gonna use this saying to talk about one of the Italian’s symbol of Christmas, the panettone. But before getting into details, let me first draft a little parenthesis.

So many options!!

This fluffy wonder full of lovely air bubbles was born in Milan, but is always present in the Italian tables form north to south. Its origins, as always, is controversial; some say it was created by a man that fell in love with the baker’s daughter that, in order to make her notice him, invented a sweet bread full of fruits inside.

Others say that during a Christmas dinner, the cook of one of the most notorious families in Milan burnt the desert just before serving it and, having seeing the desperation of the man, one of his helps called Toni, suggested him to serve a sweet bread that he had prepared in that morning – the Toni’s bread, or “pan del Toni”.

Either way, I decided to write this post just to illustrate how something so familiar for us Brazilians can actually be different for the Italians. Here is a list of some Italian “panettonic” habits

1. Mascarpone – Since Christmas here is a synonym of cold weather, serving panettone with ice cream (as we use to do in Brazil) is not very common… But the Italians have found another way to sweeten up and put some cream on it: the mascarpone cream, made with this cheese, sugar and eggs. They work perfectly together, especially considering that the Italian panettone is a little dryer than the Brazilian version.

Mascarpone and panettone!

2. Sugar bag – Especially when it comes to industrialized panettones (and particularly those with a topping of almonds), it is common to find a little bag containing sugar inside the box. The kids always have fun when it’s time to open the bag, throw the sugar inside of the cellophane bag that contains the panettone and shake it all in order for the sweet snow to cover the whole bread!

Panettone covered in sugar!

3. No filling – Here, the panettone may have some versions such as the traditional one (with caramelized fruits), chocolate chips or just raisins – not to mention the pandoro, which is simply made of a fluffy dough baked in a tall baking-pan shaped as a star. However, Italians have a hard time accepting panettones with filling, such as the ones we find in Brazil. Can I just say something? It’s a shame… I would love to find a very big one, filled with brigadeiro here!

There are so many versions, but none of them with filling 😦

Mortadella’s cousin

Originally published in Portuguese here and kindly republished in English in the blog “More Time to Travel” (by Irene S. Levine and  Jerry Levine), here.

Nice to meet you, salame rosa.

Pasta etiquette in Italy

Originally published in Portuguese here and kindly republished in English in the blog “More Time to Travel” (by Irene S. Levine and  Jerry Levine), here.

Pasta etiquette

The kingdom of the truffles

Portuguese Version

Cheers to autumn! Truffle and funghi for everyone!

If summer here in Italy (and anywhere else in the world) is the time for relaxing, vacations and beach, autumn is the season for eating well. Some of the most prestigious products on the menu appear in this time of the year: mushrooms (especially the beloved porcini), grapes, a sea of pumpkins and squashes, chestnuts and some of the most flavorful greens like broccoli, cabbage and so on. However, with no doubt, the king of the autumn is just one: one of the most expensive – and most rare – products that one can have on a table: the truffle (in Italian, tartufo).

Whereas the “black” variety starts to grow already by the end of summer – the so-called “tartufo estivo”, which has a more delicate taste – the white ones, the quintessence of the aroma, reaches its top in October.

In the most fruitful zones, whole towns party to celebrate and taste the product and, of course, local restaurants create special menus for the occasion.

Last Saturday I had the privilege to know one of the most famous restaurants specialized in tartufo (and more) in the surroundings of Bologna, the Trattoria Amerigo, in Savigno (approximately one hour from Bologna).

Before I get into details, I just wanted to say the following: if you come to Emilia Romagna, GO TO AMERIGO. I swear I had one of the greatest gastronomic experiences of my life and I can’t wait to go back.

The restaurant opened in 1943 and, apart from the sublime restaurant, right at the entrance there is a little grocery with sauces and homemade. Behind the main place there is also a mini hotel, where people can stay after a great dinner (with a lot of wine) without having to come back home driving.

Me with a silly face in front of Amerigo’s shop

In the “classic” menu – which I studied for more than ten minutes before choosing – there are traditional dishes and very interesting reinventions, such as the gelato di parmigiano con tigelle e aceto balsamico (i.e. parmigiano ice cream with tigelle – the typical bread from the zone – and balsamic vinegar).

Gelato di parmigiano con tigelle e aceto balsamico

The fascinating thing however is the fact that the dishes are elaborated with very few ingredients – only the best ones – and without unnecessary fireworks; just the essence of the flavor.

Going at this time of the year though is even more magical: there is also the menu “Tartufo bianco naturale” (“Natural White Nartufo”), a little leaflet that offers not only the selection of dishes prepared with this ingredient, but also very interesting explanations:

Menu Tartufo Bianco Naturale 2014

“Tartufo bianco naturale” (“Natural White Nartufo”), a little leaflet that offers not only the selection of dishes prepared with this ingredient, but also very interesting explanations:

“The season 2014 seems to begin very well; for now, the quality is high and the prices are reasonable. We hope that when the cool weather arrives, our favorite “fungus” comes plentiful and, most of all, top quality.

We remind you that in order to strengthen the flavor we do not use (and never will) aromatic oils and butters that always contain artificial fragrances. The delicate taste and inebriating scents of out Tartufo will always be only the natural ones, no tricks added.

The amount of [tartufo] Bianco used is the right one, at least 15g in the primi piatti and 10g in the secondi piatti; approximately the half of it in the appetizers.

Using less than that would make no sense. Neither would make sense to use a mountain…

The white truffle is calculated per table, 2.50 euros per gram and you can taste it in the following dishes: (…)”.

Our chosen ones were: the divine “polentina fluida con olio extravergine, parmigiano e tartufo bianco” (“runny polenta with extravergine olive oil, parmigiano cheese and white truffle”), the infallible and classic “tagliatelle al tartufo bianco”,

Tagliatelle al tartufo

the “filletino di maiale su vellutata di cardo al tartufo bianco” (“little pork fillets with a cream of purple potatoes” – when I ate it the potatoes were substituted with “cardo”, a vegetable similar to the artichoke)

“Filletino di maiale su vellutata di cardo al tartufo bianco”

and a steak with mix of funghi, valeriana (a salad) and, of course, white truffles.

steak with mix of funghi, valeriana and white truffles.

I confess that a meal like that is something that happens very few times in life, especially when it comes to truffles that although very full of aroma, when fresh are not easy to use – the risk is that the flavor becomes almost hard to notice. But not this time. In each dish it was possible to feel the scent (so intense that almost slaps you in the face), the almost crispy texture of the flakes and of course the flavor (delicate but to the right point), which involves every bit of the dish.

Do you think you can handle all that? (Photo: Simone Tortini)

Without mentioning the quality of everything else that was served (particularly the meat, coming directly from one of the most famous butcher shops in the region, the Macelleria Zivieri).

Well, as you could see, it’s not just a restaurant that offers truffles, but also a place that, along with everything else, has also them in the menu.

Or, if you want me to be even more precise: there, not only do you leave satisfied, (smiling like a child and inebriated with the scent of the truffles) but also with the reminiscences of one of the best meals of all times.

sighs…

Not croissant, cornetto (or brioche)

Portuguese Version

Brioches at Jazz Club

– Buongiorno, posso avere una brioche?

– Certo, quale vuoi? Vuota, salata, al cioccolato, alla crema, alla marmellata, integrale al miele o salata ai cereali?

The dialogue above, even if you didn’t understand a word, repeats daily, zillions of times, every morning in Italy.

It’s actually a brief conversation between a sleepy client trying to choose which will be his first meal of the day and the owner of a bar (Note: in Italy, bar is a place where you have breakfast, not a beer).

Usually, the traditional prima colazione is made of one puffy pastry bread like a croissant (which can generally be called “pasta”) and an espresso or cappuccino.

 But don’t mix things up: do not mistake cornetto or brioche, with the buttery and savory French croissant. The first basic difference is the fact that here the dough is much lighter. The second one is that here it usually comes with a filling – the classic ones are pastry cream (alla crema), jam (alla marmellata) and chocolate (al cioccolato).

Savory (inside of the bown, behind, with jam, with cream…

Here in front there are the “vuote”, that is, sweet without filling.

Then someone will tell me:

– Hold on! But there is the pain au chocolat in France!

Right. But if the delicious French beauty is almost a square filled with pure chocolate, the Italian one is a cornetto filled with Nutella – that’s right; here in Italy when one says of chocolate in the morning, he’s talking about Nutella.

Simplesmente NUTELLA

– Ok, but I’ve been to Italy and I ate a brioche without filling…

Yeah, you’re right again. And to be more precise there are two versions: the sweet one (“vuota”, or “empty”) and the savory one (“salata”). As for the first one, it’s called “vuota” exactly because it’s the base for all the fillings that will come next – the little breads are manually filled and in the best bars just moments before they’re served to the client.

To make things ever more interesting, they recently invented two variations: the whole-wheat brioches, that can be savory and served with little grains on top (my favorite ones) or sweetened with honey.

Savory whole wheat brioche

Whole wheat brioche sweetened with honey

Since we’re talking about the traditional breakfast menu, it’s not surprising that the supermarket shelves are packed with an incredible variety of ready-made products. They are not necessarily bad, but it’s not the same as eating something that just came out of the oven. Yes, because the best bars bake them every morning (at my favorite one, the Jazz Club, the owner doesn’t even use frozen products; his supplier comes at 6 a.m. everyday with hundreds of fresh brioches).

For all such reasons, beginning the day with a warm cornetto that just got out of the oven means a starting with the right foot – and no one will blame you if you start looking forward to the next morning right after.

Buongiorno!

Italian sashimi

Portuguese Version

Crudità – Acqua Pazza (Bologna) Foto: Simone Tortini

(This article was originally published by What the Food!, on 10/14/2013. Click here to go to the website)

If in a cosmopolitan city like Sao Paulo or New York finding a good place to eat sushi is almost as easy as finding a grocery shop, in the most part of the Italian cities – each one with their millenary gastronomic cultures – discovering a good Japanese restaurant is a hard task…

I’m not saying that they don’t exist, but the number of places like that is inversely proportional to the quantity of people that turn their noses up at soy sauce and wasabi.

However, a raw fish lover like me had no alternative except to find a solution… and it’s called “cruditè” – the fancy French name – or simply “crudi” (“raw” in Italian.)

 It’s always good to remember that Italy is a peninsula, therefore surrounded by the ocean from one side to the other. For such reason, it’s easy to taste good fish and seafood (always fresh!) pretty much anywhere – a classic example is the “spaghetti alle vongole” (spaghetti with clams), a dish that’s always on the menu.

On the other hand, raw fish and seafood are not that common (in other words, are a delicacy) but, thank God, if one knows where to search, they can be found from north to south.

Gamberi rossi – Frescobaldi Wine Bar (Firenze)

There was even raw octopus! – I Due Foscari (Molfetta) – Foto: Simone Tortini

Crudi – Gambero Rosso (Riccione)

The peculiarity here in Italy is the fact that if the ingredient comes from the sea and is fresh, people eat it. That is, if in Brazil we’re used to eating only raw fish, a dis of crudi here might contain not only those, but also an amazing variety of crustaceous (and you can’t imagine how many weird things they have here! Google cannochie, for instance…), mollusks (either those with the little shells or fiercer ones like the octopus) and etcetera. They are all served almost alive and with as little seasoning as possible – olive oil, salt and pepper are enough.

In order to minimize any risks, before coming to the table, the little animals are submitted to a process called “abbatimento”, which basically means being exposed to very low temperatures for a brief period of time so that eventual parasites are killed.

With that said, here is a tip to raw fish lovers: when you come to Italy, first (and of course) eat all the pasta, pizza and salame; then, if the abstinence comes up, go for the crudi – it’s worth it and you won’t even miss the soy sauce.

The best orange in the world

Portuguese Version

(This article was originally published by What the Food!, on 09/30/2013. Click here to go to the website)

 I love orange. Ever since I was little, as soon as I heard the noise that came from the orange-squeezer – announcing a fresh juice – my mouth would fill with water. However, during my last vacations in Italy I discovered another kind of orange… less healthy, yes, but to-die-for – and so satisfying that can substitute a lunch. I’m talking about the arancini (or arancine, depending on the region).

In Italian, arancia means orange; arancini thus is its plural diminutive. To simplify things, it means little orange.

But I guess you already noticed it: I’m not talking about the fruit… I’m talking about the number one snack in Sicily, filled deep-fried rice ball…! The traditional filling is Bolognese sauce, mozzarella and peas, but it can vary – e.g. spinach, pistachio, ham, cheese, etc.

And don’t even think it’s just a small appetizer; we’re talking about a tennis-ball sized wonder – or, in other words, the size of an orange (Hence the name. Got it?). Moreover, it’s not made of tasteless white rice, but risotto (normally with saffron or tomatoes) deep-fried with a lot of filling…

The arancino is as popular in the south of Italy as the donuts in the States; it’s present in every corner, at anytime of the day, in any occasion. Even on the beach, with a hundred degrees – seriously, I’ve seen A LOT of people eating it in bikini.

And, well, who am I to blame…

Slow and steady

Portuguese Version

(This article was originally published by What the Food!, on 05/27/2013. Click here to go to the website)

 

Knowing the real importance of the food for an Italian can be a hard task. Here in Italy, eating well is not a simple treat, but one of the most basic assumptions of a respectable life.

Walking on the streets, at anytime of the day, and listening to people (of all ages, either in casual conversations between old ladies, or between young guys sat at bar tables) exchanging recipes, tips and details of the last night dinner is one of the most beautiful things of this place.

Therefore, it is not surprising to know that here was born one of the most important “gastronomic trends” of the past years: the slow food.

Bugged with what he foresaw as a trend that would lead to the standardization of flavors and gastronomic cultures around the world, the Italian Carlo Petrini created in 1986 a movement (later, in 1989, formalized as an international association) for the rescue of the deepest layers of the relationship between men, nature and food.

More precisely, he based himself on the belief that the food we eat has to be “good, clean and fair”. That is, has to be a source of pleasure – not only sensorial, but also “affective” (recalling reminiscences of enjoyable moments) – and should also be produced and commercialized in the fairest and more respectful ways towards the environment and to the ideals of social justice.

Today, the Slow Food Association has more than 100,000 members in over 150 countries, reverberating its values through events and publications that foster the educational side of the gastronomy.

Here in Italy, where the movement was created, apart from innumerous stickers with the symbol of the association (an unhurried snail) attached to the doors of many restaurants that share their philosophy, there are also several interesting initiatives, such as the “Earth Markets” spread by cities such as Bologna, Turin and Milan. There, local producers – that alternate from week to week – offer vegetables, fruits, cheese, meet, bread, beverages and etc., produced locally or cultivated according to the principles of the Slow Food.

In Bologna for instance, the market opens its doors every Saturday morning – or Monday evening during summer – and since along with the local producers’ stands there is a profusion of tables and benches, what is bought there can be consumed in loco – and the place turns into a lively and colorful meeting point.

Thus, it’s possible to say that “Slow Food” is much more than a mere slogan; it is, at the end, a global call for people (more and more everyday) to to appreciate food in all its dimensions, with pleasure, respect and admiration – in other words, “all’italiana”.