copyright 2010, Maria Liberati/artofliving,PrimaMedia,Inc

Those who travel have many a tale to tell …or something like that… as an old saying goes..not only stories of places and sights but of foods and new flavors experienced. Thomas Jefferson who not only served as President but also an international ambassador. He  had a knack for great food and wine… Just think of the stories he told of his journeys in Italy, and his love of Italian pasta so much that he is credited with bringing the first pasta or maccheroni machine to the US and  the first Italian winemakers to the US.

Oce can only imagine his tales of far off foods and wines from a far off land (Italy) and how fascinating those tales may have been back in the day or should I say his day..Thanks to the former Prez… pasta machines and Italian wines are very well known in the US.

But local regional specialties in many a small town  have still not made their way here. Make it a point to find them wherever you go and you will also have many a tale to tell and cook for friends and family.

Here’s one of my favorites..I think President T.J. would have loved it, don’t you? It’s from a region rich with culinary history-Emilia Romagna. It’s a perfect treat for this time of year-Pampepato and if you are fortunate to travel to Emilia Romagna and find a local bakery that makes this-be sure to savor the experience there! You can find this in some gourmet stores in the US-but just not the same as experiencing the flavor in it’s hometown..

This recipe serves 6

PAMPEPATO

1 cup flour

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup powdered unsweetened Dutch cocoa

1/3 cup candied fruit

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp chopped cloves

milk or water

Icing:

16 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl-except chocolate for icing. Add milk or water until the dough is smooth  and sticky with some substance to it. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and place dough in shape of a round ‘cupola’. Or place in small cake pan covered with parchment paper. Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 90 minutes. Remove from oven. Place in a cool,humid place covered for 10-15 days. Then melt the dark baking chocolate in a double boiler and spread the chocolate on  tops and sides of the Pampepato  Serve when chocolate has hardened to form an icing.

Hope to see you at:

December 3rd-Copper Fish Restaurant- 6PM_ cape May NJ for a Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner and book signing from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

December 4th-Borders, Mount Laurel NJ at 1 PM

Visit OpenSky

Peace, Love & Pasta!
Maria

.

Favorite thing I enjoy  about  being on my book tour for my latest release The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition  is meeting so many ..and hearing of new little towns and places and traditions and foods..most Italian and some from other parts of the World..every culture in the World is somehow related to food.

At an event last weekend someone shared with me their Romanian grandmother’s recipe for a type of eggplant dip..A pizza maker,so proud of his pizza told me  a story of how he found out that one of his customers enjoyed his pizza with ketchup on it..so insulted he was that he told this customer he would never sell him pizza again…and on and on the food stories go…

My second favorite part is that I get to share my knowledge of wines and cooking with wine recipes and tips.. And when speaking about wines..my first suggestion is to read the label of the wine..just as if you would read a food label.. But I realized that many terms used on wine labels are in Italian and some terms are technical similar to  musical terms…you know Allegro…con vivace…con dolcezza…and not always easy  to decipher.

Here are some of my favorite wine terms you can find on bottles or  or you may over hear these terms at your next wine tasting:

Abboccato- lightly sweet

Amabile-semi sweet

Azienda Agricola or Vitivinicola-the farm or estate that produces all or most of the grapes for wine sold under its’ label

Cerasuolo- cherry-hued rose wine

Chiaretto-deep rose

Dolce- sweet

Consorzio-consortium of producers

Enologo-an enologist with a university degree

Fattoria-farm or estate

Invecchiato-aged

Frizzante-bubbly,sparkling

Imbottigliata- bottled

Passito or Passita-partially dried grapes and the strong sweet wines made from them

Rosso-red wine

Secco-dry

Spumante-sparkling dry or sweet wine

Uva-grape

Vino Novello- literally means new wine. But it is a wine that must be bottled and sold within the year of it’s harvest.

Vino da Tavola-table wine, not usually with a DOC or trademark. Most homemade wines are vino da tavola

Vendemmia- harvest

See you: 

November 13th at Borders Express in Woodbridge, NJ

December 3rd -Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner and Book signing at Copper Fish Restaurant in Cape May, NJ

Peace, Love & Pasta,

Maria

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati/art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc.

Tomorrow’s  menu I will be cooking on the NBC-TV !10 show at 11 AM is Cod in Acqua Pazza (Cod in crazy water) and   ‘Gatto” or what I like to refer to  as a  ‘heavenly version of mashed potatoes’…once hooked on this dish, regular mashed potatoes will be too plain and ordinary. This is a true Neapolitan dish. And both recipes are from my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition. Gatto is on page 103  of the book, but Cod in Acqua Pazza is below and see me cook it tomorrow  (see you tomorrow on the!10 Show on NBC-TV at 11AM.

Recipe for Cod in Acqua Pazza (Crazy Water)

Cod (Merluzzo) in AcquaPazza (Crazy Water) (for 2 people)

*Codfish > (fresh or fresh frozen) 1/2 pound divided into 2-3 pieces

*4 (fresh, red, ripe) medium size plum tomatoes or canned San Marzano  tomatoes (3 or 4 without the tomato juice) 

*2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

*2 garlic cloves

*1/2 t o3/4 cup dry white wine (or water) ‘

*3 tablespoons fresh chopped or torn parsley pinch of red hot

pepperoncino (red pepper )-optional

*2 thick slices of crusty bread-place under broiler till golden

Place in saute pan- olive oil, garlic saute for 1 minute, then tomatoes > fish, parsley and wine. Then cook 10-15 minutes or until fish is cooked.  Serve cod on top of bread slices and pour sauce on top. Garnnish with  fresh parsley on side.

The Following Review was just published by ForeWord Reviews at www.ForeWordreviews.com

copyright ForeWord Reviews

COOKING

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions —Second Edition

Maria Liberati

Art of Living, Prima Media

Softcover $24.95 (236pp)

978-1-928911-19-7

This is the second edition of the second book in Maria Liberati’s Basic Art of Italian Cooking series: The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions. This book focuses on cooking for celebrations, and its first edition won the 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for Best Italian Cuisine Book in the US A. It will surely be a celebrated addition to any foodie’s kitchen shelf. The book moves through the yearly calendar of holidays, beginning with Christmas Eve, a meal often celebrated in the United States. Liberati moves on to the lesser- known Feast of the Seven Fishes, a sumptuous Christmas Day meal, a celebratory New Year’s Eve and Day, La Befana, Valentine’s Day, and Carnevale (a feast rooted in Italian Roman

history). The author has assigned each festive occasion a few recipes for each course: appetizers,

first course, second course, desserts, and even beverages. Recipes each receive their own page, with Italian dish names translated into English for an American audience. At times, helpful tips related to food or table presentation are inserted along the bottom of the page.

The book’s straightforwardness and charisma comes as much from its tone as it s format of condensed, manageable ‘holiday’ chapters. In each section, the author introduces readers to the origins and significance of the meal by giving an anecdote from her own family experiences in her house in Italy. These stories lend a personal warmth, authenticity, and simplicity that

making readers feel that they might be in an Italian country house, chatting with extended family

members while the meal is being prepared. The recipes themselves are written simply, without jargon, and are accessible to cooks just beginning to dabble in authentic Italian cuisine. Liberati has also thoughtfully included a combined glossary and index of sorts in the rear, to help readers

navigate the many Italian words throughout the book. The only thing left wanting in this volume is the occasional photograph of a dish, either finished or in progress, which would be especially helpful to the novice cook.

When the holidays roll around, Liberati’s book might be a wonderful gift book for that gourmet chef in your life or the student of food culture, or for your own enjoyment. (July 2010) Gabriela Worrel

Review date: October 2010.

Get Your copy of the Book selected as The Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

October 27th-11 AM –the !10 Show NBC TV – cooking segment from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

October 29th-31st- The Gourmet Food & Wine Show at the Valley Forge Convention Center-culinary book signing with Christina of Christina Cooks! and Fabio from the Food Network.

November 2nd- Fair Lakes Pubic Library, Fair Lakes, NJ-Culinary Book signing and sampling of recipes

December 4th- Borders, Princeton, NJ- 1 PM

For more info on upcoming appearances email :events@marialiberati.com

Visit OpenSky

 

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati/art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

My suitcases were small (all that my airline would allow) but I brought back a lot, (things that are too special to carry in a suitcase) my souvenirs are made up of memories and flavors that I experienced while in Sacramento, California. One of my book tour appearances, last week)  brought me to the Italian Cultural Center there….a short visit that brought a long list of more memories filled with flavors and an experience of history that I never knew…

Large amounts of Italians emigrated from Italy to California during the Gold Rush  Many worked as miners, began hotels for the miners and helped in many other ways during that time….seems to be a fact hidden away in the history of the US and something I never knew. But one of my favorite things about Northern, California is a recipe that, is an Italian one,but adapted a bit to California style. It is Cioppino and one that California  call their very own. Legend has it that this recipe, in the 1850′s was brought there by an Italian named Buzarro, who had a restaurant  on a boat anchored off Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Although Californians proudly acknowledge it as one of their own recipes it was brought there and adapted by this Italian and became a popular one to this day. It is an Italian version of Bouillabaise or a fish chowder. Serve over toasty slices of day old Italian bread and you have a delicious meal!  Serve with a dry white wine from Napa Valley..

Cioppino

 

* 1 1/2 lbs firm flesh fish (fish like sea bass, shark, etc.)

*1/2 lb shrimp

12 -clams or oysters or mussels or combination thereof

*1 large or 2 small crabs

1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil

*2 cloves garlic whole

*3 lbs fresh red ripe plum tomatoes, fileted-or two cans of plum tomatoes

*1 small onion chopped finely

*2 cups of dry red wine (Chianti, Montepulciano,etc)

*1 small handful fresh parsley chopped

*1 small greeen pepper chopped

*Salt and ground pepper to taste

Clean, shell and devein shrimp, clean clams, crabs and mussels but leave in their shells. Place olive oil in large pot, add in garlic cloves, chopped onion, chopped pepper, tomatoes, saute for approximately 10 minutes. Then place in fish, layering with clams, oysters or mussels on top, then top with chopped parsley, ground pepper, pinch of sea salt. Cook for 30 minutes, or until fish is done. Top again with fresh parsley and ground pepper. ladle over crusty Italian bread slices. For an extra great taste, drizzle with Meyer Lemon Oil..   Enjoy.

 

For info on any of these upcoming appearances email:events@marialiberati.com

October   14th, 7 PM-  Lower Southampton Twp.  Library, Feasterville, Pa. for a demo on Olive oils and tasting and a book signing of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd ed. For more info or to make a reservation call  the Library 215) 355-1183 X104. Reservations are needed, this usually sells out fast!

October 29-31-See you at the Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show at the Valley Forge Convention Center, Valley Forge , Pennsylvania

Nov 2, Franklin Lakes Library for a book signing, reading and sampling from the latest award winning cookbook

Get your copy of the book selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Share your favorite food memory and Share the Joy! See your favorite story in Print

Try some of my new oils and Balsamic Vinegars..great for a special recipe or just drizzled on salads and bruschetta!

Sacramento (California) here I come..Italian culture and food ..well what is one without the other..I am on my way to the Italian Cultural Center  to do a book signing this weekend. I’ll have a few postings about the sights and flavors when I return..but check out their website for some interesting bits of info on Italian culture at www.italiancenter.net..

While visiting their site enjoy these freshly made lemon biscotti. I have always believed that family recipes are like a painting, a painting of your family’s memories and history..just like DaVinci’s Mona Lisa is a memory of La Giocanda..your family recipe can help to recreate a memory of a special time or place or event.. These are one of my comfort foods, cookies flavored with fresh lemon peel..my grandmother used to make these for Holidays and they could  made any day a special one…I can still remember the smell of fresh lemons coming out of the kitchen ..the lemon perfume wafting through the house..that filled the air and   follow me everywhere until I took that first luscious bite

And by the way these cookies are made in the shape of an ‘S’

Lemon Cookies (biscotti al limone)

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

peel of 1 lemon grated

4 tbsps fresh lemon juice

1 egg beaten

2  cups  flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tablespoon milk

Cover a cookie sheet with baking paper. Place butter, sugar and lemon peel in a  bowl and mix till well blended.Add in beaten egg and lemon juice, and milk, a little at a time, mixing  after each addition. Place flour and baking powder in a sifter and sift into the dough a little at a time mixing after each addition and until a soft dough is formed. Place some flour on a wooden board, and place dough in center. Divide dough into 50 equal parts. Roll each one onto a little sausage and then form each sausage into an’S’. Place cookies onto baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

 See you October 3rd at at Italian Cultural Center in Sacramento, California, For more info :info@marialiberati..com

The villa stands on the top of the hill. From the balcony in front  you have a magnificent view of all of Chianti; behind is an old garden with wild mint and hedges, grass walks and an artificial lake in which water glistens under the bright Tuscan sun.

The oldest building on the estate-Cassero D’Albola- was built in the 12^th century when it was the property of the nobility of Monterinaldi. In the 15^th century the castle was built and transformed during the Renaissance into a spectacular villa.

It was most recently restored by the Zonin family, one of the oldest and largest importers of wine throughout the world. And it was they who invited me to spend a few days there getting to know the wines of Castello D’Albola.

My apartment there at the Castello had large and lofty rooms with a large window in the kitchen that opened out to the view of the gardens. It was August and I spent most of my days admiring the peaceful serene countryside and the hills of Chianti that were painted with endless vineyards and cypress trees.

When I was able to get over the splendor of the views I would spend much time seeing the sights, pleasant mornings in Radda in Chianti or Greve in Chianti, small, characteristic little towns. Although we were in close proximity to Florence I seldom visited except to lunch or dine with friends. I was in awe of the beauty of the castle and preferred to walk about the gardens and relax with a good book.

If I wanted to go out I preferred to get into our Fiat and explore the Chianti countryside. As I was winding along the hills of Chianti a sense of tranquility  came over me..the brilliant hue of the dark purple Sangiovese grapes almost ready to be harvested and the greyish green olive trees..the beauty was… captivating..

Vin Santo produced there made a perfect accompaniment to the cantucci biscotti I would find at a local bakery each day in one of the little towns. Finding great cantucci became somewhat of a ritual every day so that we would have a reason to sip Vin Santo  in the evenings after dinner..

Cantucci Biscotti

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup whole almonds

4 whole eggs beaten

1 tsp of grated orange peel

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.

Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in  almonds and blend in.

Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.

For more stories of fabulous places in Italy and great recipes get your copy of the book that was selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

See you at the Philadelphia Gourmet food & Wine Show on Oct 29-30 at the Valley Forge Convention Center

*Oct 3rd- Italian Cultural Center in Sacramento, California

visit me at OpenSky

 copyright 2010, art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

In honor of the official release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition (ISBN 978-1928911-19-7) the award winning recipe novel that includes recipes and Holiday food memories- we will be posting one story a week from our readers about their favorite food memory and why it holds a special place in their heart. This is the first, and we will be posting one new story each week till December 31st. Thanks Jennifer for sharing this great story with us!

From:  Jennifer Reich, co author of the new book The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth and cofounder of www.MommyMDGuides.com

“My husband and I honeymooned at Walt Disney World in 2002. We were married in their beautiful wedding pavilion with a view of Cinderella Castle. That night , we enjoyed a great meal at the Italian restaurant in Epcot. I had their delicious Fettuccine Alfredo, one of the best meals I’ve ever had. A few weeks after we got home, I found the recipe online for that restaurant’s fettuccini alfredo. Now I’m not the best cook ever–a passable cook at best. But there must have been a little pixie dust included with that recipe because I managed to recreate dish just as I remembered it from my honeymoon!”

 Here’s a Recipe for a Lighter version of Fettucini Alfredo

Be a Guest Writer:If you have a special food memory and would like to share it with our 100,000+ subscribers from all over the world, email the story to: sharethejoy@marialiberati.com  For more details

Get your copy of the book that was selected as Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Filled with recipes, charming stories and food memories from a country house in the mountains of Italy and Holiday ideas.

Visit OpenSky

Saturday has always been one of my favorite days..it is market day..and I  always am too excited to sleep the night before anticipating  an early cappuccino and cornetto (Italian version of the croissant) at our local coffee bar..the best way to wake up for the long ..and continually growing market… and also pondering  what particular treasure (s) I may come upon.

Fresh speckled beans, zucchini, basil ,parsley,  tomatoes,celery, cucumbers and zucchini..the fragrance was hypnotizing as  I returned home on foot, carrying bags filled with these ultra fresh, local veggies…

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On a lazy summer Saturday..decisions are not easy to make..the brain isn’t in full focus..the sun,the fresh air, the fragrances..when will we be going to the beach house…all of  what seems to be (at least for the moment) summer’s most important decisions..but no, now the difficult choice of selecting today’s lunch.

A summer light pasta dish with an uncooked tomato sauce made with fresh red, ripe tomatoes, chopped (farm fresh) celery and celery leaves, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and pinch of salt. Let that all marinade..like a summer day marinates in the bright sunshine,fresh air and quiet…

For great recipes, get your copy of the award winning The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA

Visit OpenSky

Sept 9-12 Hudson Valley Wine Festival

Oct 29-Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show

Your Chance to Share your Holiday and food memories and see them in print!

Just a short note to invite you to Share the Joy! with all of our readers. In honor of the release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition the Gourmand World Cookbook Award winning book which includes recipes ,menus and food memories  of the Holidays-we invite our readers to share their food memory stories of the Holidays! Submit your story of no more than 300 words about any special Holiday food memory related to any Holiday, can include but does not have to include a recipe, can be related to any nationality.

Each week from September 1st to March 30th a story will be selected to be published on the Blog here. Stories become permanently archived on the Blog and may become part of a national publication at a later date. Go to Share the Joy for more details or email: sharethejoy@marialiberati.com

Look forward to your Holiday stories

For recipes and Holiday stories get your copy of  the book selectedas the Best Italian Cusine Book in the USA -The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Sept 10-12 join me at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival. I will take center stage with Celebrity Chef Vincent Tropepe there at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Book signing for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd editon and recipes. For more info or to sponsor the cooking demos email: Info@marialiberati.com