Foods of Abruzzo

During our recent trip to Italy, Rudy and I spent time visiting the region of Abruzzo. Both of his paternal grandparents were born and raised in two towns of Abruzzo: Pescara and Civitella Del Tronto. The eastern border of Abruzzo is the Adriatic Sea and the foods from the towns near Pescara are based on the fish of the Adriatic.

The propriator of the hotel we stayed at in Civitella, Daniele Zunica from the Hotel Zunica, treated us (and our translator) to a wonderful meal at a restaurant named Beccaceci in the costal town of Giulianova. The meal was outstanding and not typical of what many people think of as “Italian food.” We started with a raw fish platter (yes, raw fish), then stuffed mussels, followed by a calamari stuffed with scampi (which are tiny-lobster like crustaceans), then their famous seafood soup and the main entree of grilled monkfish on top of a potato puree. We washed it all down with a wonderful local white wine variety Pecorino.

Rudy and I were both full beyond belief! And, I now understand why Italian do not eat breakfast; one is too full from the meal the night before which didn't start until 8:30pm. Our breakfast would consist of a cappucino, cornetto (like a croissant) and maybe some prosciutto and bread.

The joy of traveling is learning about the culture and traditions of the locals and having dinner and great conversation with Daniele Zunica and our guide Guido gave us great memories. Join us at our wine dinner were we will feature a couple of the recipes we received during our time in Abruzzo.  

Raw Fish Platter

Stuffed Mussels

Monkfish

White Wine

Calamari

Fish Soup

Breakfast

Family Dinner in Rome

For il compleanno di Tereza (Birthday celebration), the family had dinner at LA CAMILLUCCIA (www.ristorantelacamilluccia.it) a wonderful restaurant specializing in traditional Sardinian cuisine and all things fish. We started with cocktail di gamberi in salsa rosa, a deliciously light antipasto. The second half of our meal was composed of a variety of primi dishes including: fettuccine integrali con carciofi, calamari e capesante, gnocchetti al sugo di salsiccia e provola, spaghetti con vongole e guanciale croccante. And since there is a second stomach for dessert, we indulged in a Sardinian sweet known as seadas. They are like sweet ravioli filled with cheese and glazed with honey. In addition to dessert, we enjoyed a few different digestivi in particular a liqueur called mirto. A ruby red liqueur, it is made from the berries of the myrtle plant and unique to the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. The evening concluded (at midnight) with espressos, singing happy birthday and a table full of sleepy laughter.

TANTI AUGURI CARA TEREZA!! BACI!!

Tanti Auguri to Dr. Lara Mastino!

Last August, our cousin Lara from Rome visited us for two weeks.  We had a wonderful time and she and Rudy collaborated on our Carbonara Special.  She graduated from medical school yesterday and our daughter Ersilia was in attendance and gives us a look inside an Italian graduation.  

"Each graduate presents their thesis in an auditorium with their professors, family and friends in attendance. They have a seven minute speech memorized with accompanying slides. After the presentations are finished, professors have the chance to ask the graduate questions about their thesis. After all the presentations, the graduates are called up to received their diplomas. The graduates exit the auditorium, greeted with confetti and champagne bottles popping as they enter the courtyard for pictures. As tradition, the graduates wear the laureate wreath around their head. 

The graduates either go into the city (Rome) as a group and celebrate, or relax at home before a celebration dinner in the evening. A celebration dinner is attended by family and close friends, and composed of multiple courses - starting at 8 pm and going until midnight. Gifts and parties favors are exchanged. It was a wonderful time"

Tanti Auguri (best wishes) to Dr. Lara Mastino!

December Italy Wine Feature

This is our last wine feature for 2014 and we have saved one of the best for last: Allegini's 2010 Palazzo Della Torre.  I am a huge fan of Amarone wines but one just can't drink Amarone all the time; therefore, I turn to Palazzo della Torre.

Palazzo Della Torre comes from a single vineyard (Villa della Torre) in the Valpolicella region about 10 miles from Verona, Italy. The wine is affectionately knows as a “Baby Amarone” because it is made using the ripasso method. The blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese takes two different paths. Thirty percent of the grapes are left to dry on racks till December, in true Amarone style, and the other seventy percent vinified immediately. The fresh wine is blended with the juice from the dried grapes for a second fermentation and the end result is a wine that bursts of rich, ripe blackberries, currants and mocha. We will be offering the wine at $10.50 a glass and $42 a bottle. 

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Cioccolato Italiano!

Cari amici,

A warning before I begin! All recovering sugar addicts might not want to continue reading. This post may cause a relapse in cravings so intense that they could rival in destruction to the flames of the Great Fire of Rome in July of 64 AD.

Since 1993, the Eurochocolate festival happens at the end of every October in Perugia, the capital of Umbria, in central Italy drawing almost a million visitors. The city is an hour and forty minutes on a fast train from Rome, and a welcome change – calmer and with greater accent on its medieval past. The festival is held within the walls of the city’s fortress on top of quite a steep hill, and takes up seven piazzas (squares) and numerous side streets.  

Besides being filled with numerous booths selling heavenly sweets, the event planners also organize panel discussions, cultural events, chocolate sculpting competitions, and tours of the local chocolate factory. The city offers free transportation up to the festival by local buses, the minimetro which looks somewhat like the London eye, or a cute street train. (I took the street train, and since I was the only one waiting to go to the festival at the time, the conductor let me sit in front with him.)

But it doesn’t stop there! Festival employees hand out free chocolate samples from Italy’s most well known chocolate company: Perugina. One is able to get a sweet fix in any form imaginable – from the traditional candies and liquids, to the more unusual inventions such as chocolate kebabs, salami with fruit or nuts, and chocolate wine. And, I assure all of you, these are carefully scrutinized sellers; there are no expired Walgreens chocolate-chalk eggs here. From the big brands to little booth selling nonna’s recipes, the ingredients are as fresh and organic as possible. And if nonna is at the booth and likes you, she might even give you an extra piece of her homemade tartufo dolce balls coated in spicy dark chocolate.

Now, I’m trying to reign in my own sweet tooth, so I didn’t get too crazy. But I did have to try some things, for you all. First, I had a chocolate kebab! It was made by a girl shaving pieces off of what looked like the traditional lamb gyros cone, but was actually a milk and white chocolate rotating leg of chocolate. Then shavings were then put in a pita, topped with either warm vanilla, strawberry cream or fresh pane (like whip cream in the US but with little or no sugar). I also found it necessary to try the fresh chocolate covered strawberries, a rarity in Italy.

For my enjoyment later, I purchased chocolate covered hazelnuts, dark chocolate covered oranges, dark chocolate covered almonds, two hand dipped chocolate apples, four tartufo dolce balls (one dark, one milk, one spicy, one junky nugget), four biscotti with pistachio filling, four biscotti with fruit filling and a bag of biscotti covered in dark chocolate with almonds and fruit paste. In reality, it’s impressive I didn’t go into diabetic shock. But, I did have fun!

Until next time!

Ersilia

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Roman Pizza verses American Pizza

We have another blog post from our daughter Ersilia living in Rome.

Ciao Tutti 

 

A few weeks ago, my lovely cousin Lara and I went out to dinner with a few of her friends to celebrate my birthday. We tried a place called Sforno – Pizza e Vino, located in the San Giovanni neighborhood.  Lara was particularly eager as the many good reviews – people boasting it’s the best pizza place in Rome – made her hopeful she wouldn't have to drive all the way to Ostia for quality pizza. Lara’s – as well as my own – family come from the south of Italy, a small village close to Naples. Close enough to adapt the Neapolitan attitude of the dish – pizza is to be respected as the art form it is.  My grandmother Clara would agree I'm sure!

Here’s a good point to explain some of the notions we in the US have about pizza that do not hold up here in Italy. First off, we do not make pizza – what we make is similar to pizza but it is not the Italian dish pizza. Hai capito? The only way to get away with deep-dish style and all the brand names is to clarify that it is the US take on the Italian pizza. It is not pizza. Second, personal pizzas are not four slices of a smaller pie. Every pizza, in Italy, is a personal pizza. That being said, the Italians do not use jumbo or XXL to describe their food – so. Third, pizza is not served pre-sliced. The proper way to eat pizza in Italy is with fork and knife – though many do use their hands. If sliced pizza is what you are going for – you go to a specific pizzeria that sells pizza by the slice, taglia. And an extra fact, just to show we are all still one people on this earth – pizza is always drank with beer in Italy. (Peroni!)

 

We had a good meal at Sforno – though it did not live up to the hype of being the best pizza place in Rome. Still, in my naïve opinion, pizza in Rome – in Italy – is always better than pizza anywhere else. EXCEPT CLARA’s – did you know Elmer is really from Naples? Ask him about it.

Lara’s friend Elisa Pede took the great pictures attached to this post. I hope you enjoy.  Ciao, Ciao!

Visit Us: ClarasRestaurant.com 

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