Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare recalls an event in his youth that led to a lacking of chickens in his parents' chicken coup.

UNA PRIMAVERA SENZA POLLO

A Chicken- Free Spring

Suggested Wines: Chianti Dei Colli Senesi, Romitorio (Grapes: Sangiovese, Cannaiolo, TRebbiano, Malvasia); SAngioveto, Badia a Coltibuono (Grape: Sangioveto)

I was coming home in my yellow Fiat 500 one night when I grazed a fox that had darted out into the road. Ganzo, I thought, cool, a pet fox. I scooped her up, put her in the back seat, brought her home, and tied her on a short leash in the chicken coop. “Sei pazzo?” Papa blew up the next morning. “Are you crazy? Putting a fox in the chicken coop?”

Papa, I knew, wasn’t going to be the one to get close enough to liberate la volpe, so I teased him fr two days straight, and all the while, my new pet stayed put. She even left the chickens alone, though she wasn’t too fond of me; every time I went to see her, she’d give me dead-fish eyes.

Then one morning she was gone, her rope gnawed through, the chickens unharmed. I was a little sorry to lose her, but secretly relieved she hadn’t taken a chicken dinner with her. The relief was short-lived, however; within a day, la volpe returned, alla grande, in style. There were blood and feathers everywhere. Papa dubbed it a minimassacre and insisted on giving the victims a burial. If we couldn’t serve the chickens to customers, he said, at least we could use them as fertilizer. My punishment was to clean the coop, bury the chickens, and restock with new ones. I went to I Frati della Certosa, a local order of monks who raised chickens. It’s a hot place and smells awful. You have to pick the chicks one by one. I hated it. Then, for the whole spring, every time someone would as for chicken, Papa would smirk “E colpa di Cesare, se non c’e il pollo.” If there’s no chicken, it’s Cesare’s fault.

Cesare at Wegmans!

The following pictures are from Chef Casella's recent visit to Wegmans where he got to spend some quality time in the kitchen

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Ricciarelli, which are Siena cookies. These Tuscan treats are a delicious addition to any meal, and are sure to be a hit at your dinner table!


Ricciarelli
Siena Cookies
(Makes 20 cookies)


1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 egg whites
½ cup blanched almonds


Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the almond paste in a food processor and pulse until the paste is softened. It will take between 2 to 6 minutes, depending on the quality of the almond paste. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar and blend, then add the Grand Marnier and blend again.

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Transfer the almond paste mixture to a separate bowl. Add the whites, a tablespoon at a time. You will only need 5 tablespoons. Mix until a very stiff dough forms. Fold in the almonds and mix well.

Pinch off heaping tablespoons of dough and shape them into little logs, about 2 inches long ¾ inch wide. Place them on the sheet pan and bake until golden brown. 20 to 25 minutes. While the cookies are still hot, dust them lightly with the remaining 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for mixed nut biscotti, otherwise known as Biscotti di Noci Misti. These delicious cookies will bring a sweet ending to any truly Italian meal!


Biscotti di Noci Misti
Mixed Nut Biscotti
(makes 40 cookies)


½ cup sweet butter
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup toasted almonds
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup toasted hazelnuts
Grated zest of ½ lemon
½ cup toasted pistachios
Grated zest of ½ orange


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the 2 eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and continue mixing. Mix in the lemon and orange zests.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the sugar-egg mixture and blend thoroughly. Add the toasted nuts and blend thoroughly.

Divide the dough into 2 parts. Wet your hands and form each portion into a 12-inch log. Place the logs on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the logs are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and brush them with the egg wash. Return the logs to the oven for 5 minutes more, then remove and cool the biscotti for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. With a long metal spatula, remove the logs to a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut the logs in 1-inch thick slices. Stand the cookies up on the baking sheet, and bake for another 15 minutes. Cook on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a tale of stolen food and Cesare's witty retaliation toward whoever took his delicious meal!


WINTER SAVORY

When I first started using winter savory in a monkfish dish at Vipore, I told my clients it was an aphrodisiac. Then on day all the winter savory I had in the Arometo disappeared, just like that. So I started saying that stolen winter savory would curse the user with a sexual hex. I didn’t get my garden replenished, but I got the satisfaction of a few furrowed brows. I love the spicy, thyme-like taste, especially to flavor game dishes.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Coniglio Marinato alle erbe Aromatiche, which is rabbit marinated in aromatic herbs. Try this truly Italian dish and find the flavors of Tuscany on your dinner table!


CONIGLIO MARINATO ALLE ERBE AROMATICHE
Rabbit Marinated in Aromatic Herbs
(serves 4)


This dish combines innovation, tradition, and the fact that even my Vipore clients wanted to eat “light.” Our neighbor, Sodini, supplied us with the tastiest rabbit, and this dish became a big hit.


3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram 3 tablespoons plus ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh savory 3 bunches arugula, washed
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 3 shallots, finely chopped
1 (3-pound) rabbit, cut in 8-10 pieces,
Rinsed and patted dry



In a small bowl, mix together the chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, and shallots.

First rub the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then with the herb mixture. Cover the rabbit and

Refrigerate it overnight.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the rabbit ona sheet of aluminum foil and seal it closed to make an airtight pouch. Cook for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the thigh. If the juice runs clear, the rabbit is done. If not, return it to the oven another 5 to 10 minutes.

Beat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and use it to dress the arugula. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Place the rabbit pieces on top, drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil, and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Pasta al Gusto dell'Arometo, which is a garden fresh pasta. Try this truly Italian recipe at home for the flavors of Tuscany on your very own dinner table!


PASTA AL GUSTO DELL’AROMETO
Garden Fresh Pasta
(serves 4 as an appetizer)

When we made arometo sauce at Vipore, it was always enough to last a week or two. Since there was so much chopping to be done- it took 2 to 3 cases of herbs- the whole staff pitched in to do the work. Everyone would get their own mezzaluna (a knife with a curved blade), and as the chopping began, the restaurant would fill up with the most amazing aroma of fresh herbs.



3 quarts water
1/3- ½ cup extra- virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus extra to taste
½ pound linguine #8, spaghettini, or angel hair pasta
1 cup tightly packed fresh mixed herbs (use a combination of basil, rosemary, thyme, Italian Parsley, marjoram, and oregano)- ½ cup minced
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, diced small, for garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely minced


Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt.
In a bowl, combine the herbs, garlic, and olive oil and set aside. (This mixture will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. It’s best after 4 to 5 days.)
When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, then drain it and toss with the oil-herb-garlic combination. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper. Garnish the pasta with the diced tomato and serve immediately.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Insalata di Fagiolini, followed by an anecdote from Cesare's youth about some of his first memorable experiences with Pecorinio Reggiano. Follow Chef Casella's tips when selecting cheese in order to create a delicious and truly Italian meal in your very own cucina.



INSALATA DI FAGIOLINI

Haricots Verts Salad

(serves 4)



1 pound fresh haricots verts, ends trimmed

1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt, plus extra to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (truffle oil works well, too)

1 cup well-washed arugula

1/8 pound pecorino Toscano cheese shaved into thin slices

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar



Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the haricots verts and 2 teaspoons of salt. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but crisp. Drain the beans and chill.

In small bowl, mix the oil with the vinegar and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Toss the arugula with 1 tablespoon of the dressin, and the haricots verts with the remaining dressing.

Divide the beans among 4 plates and top each pile with a few arugula leaves. Finish each salad with some of the shaved pecorino and serve.





PECORINO REGGIANO



Papa and I used to go once a week to Civage near Modena to buy fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. I loved the drive, passing the dairy cows in the fields, the great green pastures, the silos. That farmer, I remember, had the best Parmigiano- nutty and grainy at the same time- and butter better than Nonna Maria’s. But the image that sticks most in my mind was when he’d tell Papa how he was planning to take the Parmigiano rounds “to the bank.” I thought he was taking them to the center in Modena and depositing them in the Banca Populare in exchange for money. In fact, he was taking the cheese “to the bank” to be aged.

Good Parmigiano is expensive, but you can’t cook Italian food without it. Buy the cheese in a chunk and store it in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp cloth or in an airtight container. For the freshest taste, grate the cheese just before eating. Look for the parmigiano-reggiano stamped into the crust of the cheese. Some people prefer Grana Padano, which is more moist than Parmigiano-Reggiano and doesn’t have as much bite. (Other substitutes are American Parmesan and Argentinean Reggianito).

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

In today's recipe excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare recalls his efforts to create his perfect pesto! Follow his directions in this excerpt and make your very own pesto that can be added to any dish for a truly Italian meal.


IL MIO PESTO

My Pesto


Suggested Wines: Villa Bianco, Antinori (Grapes: Trebbiano, Malvasia, Chardonnay); Spartito, Castellare

(Grape: Sauvignon Blanc)


I’d been to Recco, a small town outside Genoa which, like all of Liguria, is famous for silky, emerald pesto, redolent with garlic and basil, and cool Ligurian breezes. The Genovese turn a plate of trenette al pesto, a simple primo or first course, into a perfect well-rounded meal by adding green beans and potatoes. I had an astounding plate of this at a Genovese restaurant called Manuelina with my friend Giorgio Onesti and on the way home became obsessed with creating a Tuscan pesto.

Literally, pesto means “crushed.” In Liguria, recipes specify crushing the basil by hand in marble mortar with a pestle “of good wood.” In Pieve San Stefano, I had in my garden forty-seven herbs I could crush. I started to experiment.

It took me a month to find the right combination and proportion of herbs. I didn’t want to take a bite and be able to discern a little marjoram, a little thyme, a little mint. What I wanted was for all the herbs to fuse into one flavor. I started chopping herbs and letting them macerate in olive oil for a week at a time until I got the taste I was looking for. A journalist I know, Domenico Acconci, dubbed the results “l’Arometo,” which means “the place where aromas come from”- just as frutta (fruit) comes from a frutteto, olives come from an oliveto, and grapevines come from a vigneto.

Diary of a Tuscan Chef exerpt

This lovely dessert not only satifies any creamy craving you might have and ends with a lovely citrus note.


PANNACOTTA CON SALSA DI ARANCI

Flan with Orange Sauce

(serves 4)



Though pannacotta and crème brulee are often confused, there is a big difference between them: pannacotta is a cooked custard (literally, cooked cream), while crème brulee is an egg custard that you dust with sugar and broil (literally, burned cream). The crème brulee I like best is Le Cirque’s, but my pannacotta holds its own.



1 cup whole milk

2 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water, or 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered

1 cup heavy cream

gelatin sprinkled over 3 tablespoons cold water

½ cup sugar



Orange Sauce (recipe follows)

1 vanilla bean, split; or

¼ tsp vanilla extract



In a medium-size saucepan, heat the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla over high heat. Whisk the micture to dissolve the sugar and bring it to a quick boil. Remove the pan immediately from the stove. Continue to whisk the mixture to combine all the ingredients. Add the soaked gelatin sheets (or the dissolved powder) to the hot cream mixture. Whisk thoroughly and let the mixture cool for ten minutes. (If the vanilla bean was used, discard it at this point).

Ladle the mixture into individual ramekins or custard cups, filling them almost to the top. Cover each cup with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Then place them on a sheet plan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set.

When you are ready to serve, spoon a little sauce on each plate. Remove the pannacotta from their cups and place one in the center of each plate, upside down. Place 3 or 4 orange sections around each custard. Decorate the plate with the orange zest.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Chef Casella describes how to make a perfectly cooked bowl of pasta. Try his tricks in your own cucina for a truly Italian meal!

PERFECT PASTA

I remember hearing with disbelief that Americans tested spaghetti by throwing a strand against the wall; it was ready to eat if it stuck and didn’t slip. I’d like to believe that story was apocryphal, but just in case, a few words about cooking and choosing pasta.

First of all, the pasta is the basis for your dish and is just as important as the sauce. It must be cooked in the right amount of water, with the right amount of salt, for the right amoung of time. I suggest 3 quarts wter and 1 ½ tablespoons of salt for every ½ pound of pasta. (The salt will vary depending on the saltiness of the sauce.) Some insist that the salt be added before the water boils. Others, only after. The important thing is to remember the salt- preferably kosher- and to taste the pasta for doneness. That is the only failproof test. Pasta should be cooked al dente, so that it is still resilient when you bite it.

The other important thing about pasta is that certain shapes go better with certain sauces. A safe rule is, the thinner to the pasta, the lighter the sauce. A heavy cheese sauce on capellini will result in a blob; olive oil an garlic on bucatini will be lost. Rotelle are good for “catching” tomato sauce, as are conchiglie. Use short pastas with chunky sauces; longer strands for “saucier” sauces.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

In Italy, it’s difficult to get precooked crab meat, so for a recipe like this, we boil the crabs ourselves in vegetable broth and tomatoes, then remove the meat and add it to the tomato sauce. This makes a tastier sauce, but the procedure is such a headache, I suggest you start off with cooked jumbo lump crab or back fin crab meat.
(Serves 4 as an appetizer)

PENNE CON FAVOLI (Penne with Crab Meat)

Ingredients
3 quarts water
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
1 ¼ cups crushed canned tomatoes
½ pound penne pasta
2 ½ cups cooked jumbo lump or backfin crab meat, picked over to remove cartilage
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Procedure

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the 1 ½ tablespoons of salt and the penne.
2. Place the olive oil, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
   
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
   
4. Add the crab and cook another 5 minutes.
   
5. When the penne is very al dente, drain the and add it to the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
   
6. Stir in the black pepper and serve.

Buon Appetito!

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

In keeping with the theme of voyaging to markets, today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a favorite recipe for incorporating seasonal vegetables in a Tuscan kitchen:

ANTIPASTO DAL MERCATO
Roasted Market Vegetables
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

1 head endive, cut into 4 lengthwise pieces
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

1 head radicchio, cut into 8 lengthwise pieces
2 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
½ medium head fennel, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

4 tablespoons white wine
¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 tablespoons water
4 scallions, cleaned

1 teaspoon salt
4 stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Procedure

• Turn on the boiler: Place all the vegetables in a roasting pan.
  
• In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, wine, water, salt, and black pepper.
  
• Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the vegetables, and stir to coat them well.
  
• Place the pan under the broiler for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching so the vegetables don’t burn but become slightly grilled and tender.
• Serve the vegetables on 4 separate plates or on big serving platter while still hot.

Introduction to Italian Cuisine Part III - Diary of a Tuscan Chef

The following excerpt is the final section of the introduction to Diary of a Tuscan Chef. Continue to follow Chef Casella's excerpts to discover the recipes and cooking styles that have helped him become the amazing Tuscan chef he is today!

Since the Italian cheese, wines, and salame- cured meats- are worlds unto themselves, I have also included tis to help the person cooking at home begin to understand them. With every menu, I suggest two Tuscan wines because they are the ones I know best and feel most comfortable recommending. (This, of course, is merely a guide. All of the wines might not be available in the United States, and they might not suit your taste. You can either rely on the type of grape named to select an alternative, or simply pick a wine you think will complement your meal.)

Occasionally, I will describe a salami I like or tell a story about one of my favorite cheeses. Tuscany, for example, is famous for its pecorino. There are dozens of different pecorinos; they vary from frazione to frazione (village to village) and farm to farm. Some are sold ages because the farmer loves far from the central market and only goes to town once a month; others are eaten fresh; some are spicy; others mild. Myself, I like pecorino best at the bar of Il Vipore, in the company of Piero “Penna Bianca” (the White Feather), my best friend Emilio, and Ernesto (a.k.a. Camay, because when he was young, he would steal bars of Camay soap to give to the local girls). On Sundays, we play briscola, an Italian card game, until very late. Everyone smokes, and as we insult each other, yell and pound the table, we consume slabs of cheese, washed back with Forci’s best red wine.

Eating in Italy is almost a full-time occupation. There is as much pleasure in anticipating a meal and reminiscing about it afterward as there is in the eating. That’s because Italians love Italian food. I even know a few who carry pasta, olive oil, and espresso with them when they travel- for fear of going hungry. I’ve gotten over that, but what I do miss about eating in Italy is an attitude. Italian cooking isn’t just reipes, it’s a fusion of many cultures, and it’s from the heart. It’s simple, based friendship, good whether you’re dining on fagioli (beans) or cavaile (caviar). In fact, the best Tuscan dishes are simple, like fettunta, toasted bread with olive oil, or acquacotta, literally; cooked water, to which vegetables, a piece of meat, whatever is in the cupboard, are added.

In opening my diary to you, I share my childhood, my life in New York, and my secrets from across the Atlantic. Sometimes, you’ll find ingredients that don’t exist in traditional Tuscan cooking. That’s because when I caem to the United States, I had to adapt and adjust an juggle to re-creat the taste of Italy. I took my clues from the peasant’s wife, the mother of Tuscan cooking. She works the fields all day; then returns home to put a meal on the table for her family. She doesn’t run out to the supermarket for anything at all. She doesn’t have to. She takes stock of her pantry and goes to work, more often than not producing love, and sometimes magic. I hope to help you do the same.

SPRING MENUS

1. Al Mercato con Papa/ At the market with Dad

Antipasto dal Mercato/ Roasted Market Vegetables

Penne con Favoli/ Penne with Crab Meat

Filetto di San Pietro di Brodo di Lattuga e Finocchi/ John Dory in Lettuce and Fennel Broth

Pannacotta con Salsa di Aranci/ Flan with Orange Sauce

2. Il Mio Pesto/ My Pesto

Insalata di Fagiolini/ Haricots Verts Salad

Pasta al Gusto dell’Arometo/ Garden Fresh Pasta

Coniglio Marinato alle Erbe Aromatiche/ Rabbit marinated in Aromatic Herbs

Biscotti Misti/ Mixed Cookie Plate

3. Una Primavera Senza Pollo/ A Chicken-Free Spring

Insalata di Carciofini/ Baby Artichoke Salad

Pasta con Verdure alla Griglia/ Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

Osso Buco con Pure di Patate/ Veal Shank with Mashed Potatoes

Frittelle di San Guiseppe/ Father’s Day Fritters

4. Campocatino/ On My Mountain

Torta di Erbe della Lunigiana/ Herb Pie, Lunigiana Style

Spaghetti con Pecorino/ Spaghetti with Pecorino

Controfiletto di Maiale al Profumo di Rosmarino/ Pork Chops Perfumed with Rosemary

La Torta co’ Bischeri/ Scalloped Pisa Pie

5. Il Vin Italy/ The Competition

Scarpaccia/ Zucchini and Red Onion Scramble

Insalata di Coniglio e Radicchio/ Rabbit and Radicchio Salad

Pollo Ripieno/ Stuffed Roast Chicken

Torta di Marmellata/ Marmalade Tart

6. La Zuppa Dei Sommazzatori in Diretta/ Scuba Soup, Live!

Calamari Ripieni/ Stuffed Squid

Fettuccine dell’Ortolano/ Greengrocer Fettuccine

Cacciucco/ Tuscan Fish Stew

Torta di Riso alla Carrarina/ Carrara Rice Pie

7. Cesare Va in Dieta/ Cesare Goes on a Diet

Insalata di Sette Vegetali/ Seven-vegetable Salad

Minestra Chiara Componibile/ Do-It-Yourself Vegetable Soup

Pollo al Cartoccio/ Chicken in Paper

Spumini/ Meringue Cookies

8. Un Granchio Fuori D’Acqua/ A Crab Out of Water

Granchi Teneri Fritti/ Deep-fried Soft-shell Crabs

GRanchi Teneri Saute/ Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs

Risotto di Granchi Teneri/ Soft-Shell Crab Risotto

Zuccotto/ Tuscan Parfait

9. La Business Class/ Traveling Business Class

Sardine Gratinate/ Sardines with Bread Crumbs

Zuppa di Fagioli, Cozze, Vongole, e Tartufo Nero/ Bean, Mussel, Clam and Black Truffle Soup

Piccione Ripieno/ Stuffed Squab

Spumone al Miele/ Honey Mousse

10. Le Cene/ The Dinner Parties

Insalata di Funghi/ Wild Mushroom Salad

Farfalle al Salmone e Asparagi/ Bowties with Salmon and Asparagus

Pollo con Peporino/ Chicken with Peppers

Zuppa Inglese/ “English Soup”

My Introduction to Italian Cuisine, Part II

In the Summer of 1993...

I came to New York to be the executive chef for Coco Pazzo, a popular restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At the time, Coco Pazzo was THE scene, packed with celebrities and loyal regulars. On a busy night, we did three seatings back to back, ninety people at a clip. After that whirlwind experience, I moved on to work in several other restaurants, planning all along the way to open my own place.

It was certainly an experience, learning to live in a city with 8 million people! What a joy to discover I could walk between worlds in ten blocks, from Chinatown to Little Italy to Little Korea. I knew even before I got here that life in New York would be much more stressful than what I left behind in my beloved Pieve Santo Stefano, but I also know there was no other city that would offer so many opportunities. For an Italian, the idea of limitless possibility is something incredible. For someone who likes to compete and win as much as I do, New York City offers a daily challenge to overcome, and is therefore the perfect place for me.

Of course, no matter how long I live in this city, I will always be un ragazzo di campagna, a country kid. My connection to this heritage is what drove me to write Diary of a Tuscan Chef. Yes, there are already dozens of Italian cookbooks on the market. But as far as I know, no one has written a cookbook for the American public that presents Tuscan food at its best - simple, natural, and delicious. The Tuscan table should be as easy to set in New York as it is in Garfagnana or in Rome.

Remarkably, I've seen books where they use tons of butter - in Tuscany, this is done rarely, and then only in the mountainous regions. I've seen books relying on exotic products, which doesn't accurately reflect the unique nature of Tuscan life. These books do not highlight the Tuscan tradition that forms my culinary backbone.

The way I learned to cook, the way my family ate as I was growing up, and the way I cook today is true Tuscan cooking. It is using what you have on hand - whether from the garden or the cupboard or clipped from a street market on the way home from work. Being creative with what is at your disposal is an important factor in Tuscan life when your local store is at least an hour or more away.

Tuscan cooking doesn't require a professionally equipped kitchen or pantry stocked full of every spice and condiment imaginable. Where I grew up, if all you had one evening was canned tuna and spaghetti, then you put that together with a few grinds of black pepper, good bread, table wine, and presto - dinner. You learned to be flexible and to experiment. If a recipe called for lemon thyme and all you had was mint, then you went with it; if you wanted to flavor your seafood risotto with pancetta, you threw caution to the wind and forged ahead.

Tuscan food has always been and still remains a cuisine without rules. Some dishes, like a ragu, are more time-consuming to create than others, but almost everything is sweetly simple. You need only to know your ingredients and to be willing to improvise. I believe that the most important tool for organizing a menu is your calendar, which is why I've arranged this book along seasonal lines. I've put together dozens of menus - both traditional and innovative - inspired by moments from my life, favorite meals, the vendemmia (grape harvest), and the sbottaturra (when new wine is transferred from barrels to bottles).

As we continue to get to know each other, I will sometimes digress and talk about Giancomo Puccini, a native of Lucca, as famous locally for his beautiful music as for his appetites - romantic and otherwise. Or I reminisce about my friend Lorenzo in Forte di Marmi, who makes the most incredible baby octopus "salami." Then there's my friend Romano, from Viareggio, who makes the most phenomenal prawns. These stories are part of who I am, and I am so excited to share them with you!

In Bocca al Lupo,

Cesare

New Horizons: My introduction to Italian Cuisine

To continue my tradition of imparting my most treasure recipes and experiences, I invite you to journey with me down memory lane. In these next entries, I'll explore the history of Tuscan cooking that has culminated in my fulfilling and diverse culinary career in New York City and abroad.

---

I don't know where I was conceived exactly, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was in the kitchen, among dusty rounds of Pecorino cheese put up for the winter, tins of salted anchovies to be eaten with freshly baked bread, jars of preserved shallots, and liters upon liters of vino delle colline Lucchessi (the house wine for natives of Pieve Santo Stefano, the tiny Tuscan town where I spent my youth).

Now that's not to suggest that my mother, Rosa (who was twenty seven when I was born) and my father, Pietro (also twenty seven) had a scandalous tryst in my grandmother Maria's pantry... they were destined for each other! When they met, Rosa was already working in the kitchen of a prominent Lucchese family and Pietro was running the restaurant owned by Zio Francesco, who later took off for Canada.

Their first date was on New Year's Eve, for dinner in Altopascio. Their courtship blossomed in modest countryside trattorie as they saved money for the day they would marry. When Papa popped the question, he treated Rosa to a fantastic dinner at Solferino (a restaurant that actually used tablecloths!) just down the street from where I would eventually grow up.

As a couple, Rosa and Pietro longed to have their own restaurant. I remember visiting many possible restaurant locations in Pieve Santo Stefano, sandwiched between my mother and my father on our Vespa. Mama was in the back with her arms stretch long around Papa to keep me safe in the middle. Until just a few years ago, that trip from Lucca to Pieve Santo Stefano was a treacherously bumpy twenty minutes. (The most direct road collapsed after a storm in the early seventies and wasn't repaired for almost two decades).

One day in April, we passed Solferino and went to look at a run down country tavern, Il Vipore. I later learned that this location was infamous for renting rooms upstairs by the hour, no questions asked. In August of that same year, Rosa and Pietro signed their lease. After two weeks cleaning and scrubbing, we went into business!!

On opening night, I got my first taste of the famous local rosso, or red wine, from the region of Forci. I don't remember that moment, but Mama says I drained my cup. I'm sure that I did, as I have done so many times since. My first night with my parents at Il Vipore was the beginning of a long and luxurious love affair with wine and food.

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Stay tuned for tomorrow's update with Part II of my introduction to the world of Italian cuisine!

Ciao bellas,

Cesare

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

Today’s recipe excerpt from True Tuscan is Misto di Bosco, which means Fruit of the Woods. This dessert is a fruit salad that leaves you with the freedom to substitute your favorite kinds of berries into the recipe. Try this delicious meal-ending dessert in your own cucina to round off any truly Italian meal.

MISTO di BOSCO

Fruit of the Woods

I used to serve this at Vipore, my family’s restaurant in Lucca, as soon as berries came is season. You can obviously change the kind of berries and the proportions, too. I like adding a spoonful to a glass of Prosecco. SERVES 4

2 cups currants

2 cups blackberries

2 cups raspberries

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Gran Gala or other fruit liqueur

WINE SUGGESTION - Spumante or any other light sparkling wine

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Any leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.