One of my first loves is food..but I have been known to have a fondness for Fashion and when in the kitchen-a home one or a professional kitchen-I am perplexed with a dilemma..wanting to always look ’smashing’ in the kitchen but wanting to make the food look and taste ’smashing’ as well…not as easy to do as it looks on TV

The other day my better half  commented, as I was lovingly preparing the risotto  ‘a deux’ “La Befana, but Christmas is over” (La befana is the good Christmas witch)..I realized I was taking the comfort of my home kitchen too lightly..baggy sweater, baggy comfy pants..baggy apron..hair pulled back in a frizzed out ponytail…ahhhh!! what have I done….so today I set out to find a solution to the fashion in the kitchen problem..ambiance has everything to do with food..and the cook is part of the ambiance…

Just in time for Valentine’s Day..apron elegance has beautiful stylish aprons so you can add some  style to any kitchen..

How  to accomplish both?…after all you should look just as smashing as your food tastes..

With these aprons..I will never be mistaken for La Befana..but maybe cupid or well someone else that is sweet and sassy…

For recipes and menus for Valentines’s Day

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

visit me at OpenSky

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Europe with the Christkindlmarkts of long ago that still exist today. I love to discover new ones .  This year I did just that by stopping by the Christkindlmarkts of the Northern Italian towns of Bolzano, Merano, Bressanone, Brunico, Vipiteno- are 5 cities in Northern Italy with 5 different styles of  celebrating  the festivities of the Christmas Season. This typical Nordic tradition in Middle Europe of the Christkindlmarkt (that began in Germany in the 14^th century) continues till January 6^th in the Alto Adige regions of Italy. The markets are filled with Christmas decorations and gifts. The main scents are of cinnamon and spices, of the wood burning in the mountains and sweet gingerbread, of vin brule (hot spiced wine). And the tastes? Many sweet gifts for the palate, the typical ‘zelten’ with candied fruits, apple strudel, homemade cookies known as ‘Lebkuchen’ and a type of sugar cake soaked in rum known as ‘Feuerzangbowle’. These sweets represent the classic and genuine recipes from Christmas markets of the past but updated for modern tastes. This year these sweets were made in 5 different shapes each one representing something special from each of the 5 cities:

*little angel for Bolzano

*lamb for Bressanone

*star for Brunico

*bell for Merano

*tower for Vipiteno

These sweets were sold exclusively during this year’s Christmas Markets and in Limited edition collectables. And with the purchase of the homemade ‘Lebkuchen’ a donation was made to a new project called”Francisville-The City of Mystery” for the Francesca Rava Foundation that will be used aid the children in Haiti.

Here is a recipe, for traditional ‘Lebkuchen’.  You can use these cookies as ornaments and cut into different shapes.

Lebkuchen 

• 3/4 cup honey 

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp of powdered cocoa

•  1 tsp cinnamon,

•  1 tsp coriander  

• 1tsp cardamom 

• pinch of nutmeg 

• pinch of ground cloves 

•  Peel of one  dried lemon and 1 orange chopped finely 

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3 tablespoons of milk 
  1. Heat honey, sugar and butter in top of  a metal double boiler until sugar is almost totally melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
  2. Add in egg, cocoa and spices,dried orange and lemon peels, blend well. Sift flour and add in. Mix with wooden spoon till blended into a smooth dough.
  3. Dissolve baking soda in milk and add into this the dough. Blend in with hands till the dough is smooth. 
  4. Let pasta rest at room temperature overnight or for at least 24 hours.
  5. Place dough on well floured wooden board. Roll out to about 1/4  inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.  If you want to use these as tree ornaments, place a hole in the top so that a ribbon can be strung through when cooked.

  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or baking paper and arrange the cookies on the sheet leaving some distance between each of the cookies. Bake them in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

   

For more info on the Christkindlmarkets you can also go to www.suedtirol.info

Have you ever made Lebkuchen, do you have a family recipe for Lebkkuchen you want to share?  Post them here…

Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

copyright 2009, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc and Maria Liberati

Hope you enjoy our continuing posting of  yummy Holiday recipes. Share your favorite Holiday recipe with us here or email to us at editor@marialiberati.com

 Here is the perfect main course for one of your Holiday meals, thanks to Fred Cohen of J & A Culinary Arts School in Philadelphia, the recipes use   Sempre Sapori-Tuscan Picnic  Spice Blend,all natural spices with Tuscan flavors, that  I developed in Tuscany, you can still get them for the Holidays here    and enjoy our Holiday Gift Guide, products that were selected by our staff for their exceptional artisan quality and for the experience  they provide consumers. Find a special coupon offer for the open sky store on the last page!

Holiday Gift Guide 2009

Tuscan Roasted Chicken with Savory Herb Bread Pudding and Buttered Cauliflower

*Bread Pudding*:
Serves 6:
One large crusty loaf bread (crust removed)
1 t Sage leaves chiffonade
1 T chopped parsley
2 t chopped chive
1 egg yolk
3 oz chicken stock
1 oz heavy cream
1-2 oz milk
2 t Tuscan spice mix

*Tuscan Spiced Chicken*:
2 Cornish Hens, halved, serves  2 – 4:
2 oz butter
1 T Tuscan Spice Blend

*Procedure*:
-Remove the crust from the bread and cut into small dice. Place into a deep
dish container. Combine remaining ingredients to form a creamy batter. If
batter seems too thick, thin it down with a little bit of water, stock, or
milk to reach a creamy but not heavy consistency. Place mixture over the
bread and mix well. Allow to soak for 1 – 2 hours.
-In the mean time, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
-Create a compound butter by mixing the spice mixture into raw butter. Smear
the mixture over and under the skin of the Cornish hens.
-Place the chicken onto a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 35 – 40
minutes.
-Pack the bread pudding into ramekins that have been lightly sprayed and
bake for 20 – 30 minutes, depending on how brown you want it to be.
-To plate, take the bread pudding out of the ramekin and center it in the
middle of the plate. Lay the chicken on the side and on the opposite side,
lay some buttered cauliflower. Drizzle some parsley oil (or any oil of your
choosing) onto the side of the plate.

UPCOMING EVENTS

See you on Saturday December 12th in Somerset NJ at the Franklin Township library at 2 PM.. Cooking demo and book signing will feature my latest relaese The Basic Art of  Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions- winner of The Best Italian Cuisine Book of 2009 from Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

     copyright 2009, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

by Maria Liberati

My recent trek to the region of Ancona in the province of Le Marche led to the discovery of a few culinary delights.. Il Lacrima di MorroD’Alba …the locals call it  the ‘little prince’ of red wines in the region..

You can find the vines for this particular wine grown in the hills of Morro D’Alba and nearby towns of Senegallia and Jesi. Il Lacrima is really unique and different from the more well known reds, not full of tannins but very fragrant. More of a new wine ,not particularly aged. It is not presented as  a noble wine but considered the ‘little prince’ of wines..’profumatissime’ (very fragrant) and charming, endearing to the senses..

When it comes to wine not everyone appreciates those characteristics..but many are curious to taste it and slowly fall in love with this wine’s endearing qualities.

At one time, Il Lacrima, in the ‘novella’ stage, was the wine of the peasants,they would use it to accompany their grilled meats eaten while on break working in the fields. They could not wait for the juice to finish aging and would pour it directly from the barrels into bottles. So it is popular to this day as a new wine…more remnants of cucina povere…

Il Lacrima can be found for sale usually after the 15th of December quickly after the vendemmia of that year.

Great wine to accompany local pasta or meat dishes..recipes to follow soon..

Get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions before the Holiday rush. With over 140+ recipes, menus, wine parings and short stories of Holidays spent in the mountains of Italy.

have any questions on wine or Holiday celebrations..call in tonight to Celebrations trasio show and I will answer your questions or just listen in http://tinyurl.com/lkxl2v
 

 October 5th.. 7 PM- Sampler Dinner and Cooking Demo. Horsham Library, Horsham Pa. Join me for a Dinner/cooking demo at the  Horsham Library in Horsham Pa for a sampler 4 course dinner including specialties from  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions  Email:juzz@aol.com for reservations or email events@marialiberati.com Places limited!!

Nov. 5-7th- Christmas in Italy weekend..join me for a culinary weekend complete with cooking classes with fresh produce from Lancaster County and wine pairings using menus from

 The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions

at the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast

Experience Italy for the Holidays with no passport required in Lancaster, Pa… Spaces limited,

call 1-888-824-3763  or email info@harvestmoonbandb.com

 The day after Christmas was the feast of Santo Stefano. In Abruzzo, what is known as the traditonal cement of Santo Stefano- arrived and covered much of the region..the snow that is.

The eating feasts were still continuing. I had two ‘pranzi’ to get to and decided to eat the first and second course at the first pranzo (luncheon) and then ate desserts and fresh fruit at the second. The only way this could have worked out.

The evening was (brrrrrr) very cold and the traditional ‘mercato’ went off without a hitch since snow in this mountain town is a usual occurrence during the winter Holidays and always to be expected.

But the festa still continues and the eating feasts continue now till January 6^th.

But holidays are always very interesting since many of the residents of this town return for a day or two to visit family and friends during the Holidays. Although many residents, after graduation, leave to pursue their careers in Rome or Milan ,they still miss the quiet and the traditional things that still exist here..the central place that we all know as the piazza. A place where you can catch up with friends that you have not seen for years.

Last night, my better half ran into two of his friends from high school that he had not seen for many years. One has moved to Rome, but told us that he missed the piazza here..a place that you can come to relive memories with friends from the past. Not everyone understands this small town tradition, the piazza, the camaraderie it provides.

It is like a constant in your life..something comforting that you can always be sure of. Even if you move far away..you can be sure that if you go to the piazza at 6:30PM (before dinner) or 10 PM (after dinner) there is usuallly someone to catch up with..you may even find someone that wants to catch a movie or grab a cup of coffee or get a pizza..

Some former residents miss this so much that they drag their spouses back, even if just for Holidays , to experience this with them..and some don’t appreciate this or understand this tradition..as evidenced last night.

A man who had since moved and settled into big city life in Rome and Milan with his wife, had insisted on coming back to visit family and friends and going to the piazza for a few nights to catch up with old friends..However, he announced that his wife just left him without his car, house keys and returned to their house in Rome.

She had announced that if he was not back by 4 PM she was leaving for their house in Rome..alone… and alone he was also. They were staying with his family so he has a bed to sleep in but a way to get back to Rome was his only concern as he tried to make train reservations by cell phone while reminiscing with friends in the piazza.

Not everyone understands or appreciates this old world…. laid back…. style of life and camaraderie..still being able to lose yourself in the conversation of old friends and chatter about nothing important or maybe being able to philosophize about the state of the country or the world or rising gas prices or what your plans are for Capo D’anno (New Year’s).. nothing that will change the world or change your life for that matter..just something that you can always be certain of in this uncertain world..a meeting place filled with friends..

Anyway, here is a fun ,easy to make dessert. The apples are great this time of year and even though we have many desserts left over from holiday get togethers I usually try to make this for an informal get together with friends. Happy Holidays..

Torta Rovesciata alle Mele

(Upside Down Apple Cake)

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 4 ounces butter-softened

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 3 fresh apples (granny smith)

Place 2 ounces of softened butter in bowl with flour,1 tbsp sugar and egg yolk. Blend. Add in ½ cup cold water. Mix together with hands. When dough is smooth consistency, place in aluminum foil. Leave in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Peel apples and thinly slice. In small sauce pan, caramelize remaining butter with remaining sugar over low heat. Remove from heat just before butter turns golden brown. Pour butter mixture into pie pan, arrange apples on top.

Roll out dough to make pie crust. Place crust on top of apples. Bake in oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

When cooled invert pie pan onto serving dish toll pie comes out. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or small scoop of vanilla gelato.

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

For more great recipes, get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Buon Natale as I am writing here from my office high in the mountains of Abruzzo. Yesterday was a whirlwind of Christmas celebrations-from Rome to Umbria and Abruzzo.

The culinary tour I am hosting here will get to be part of many special events not to mention the Holiday cooking classes of traditional Christms dishes and a wine pairing at a vineyard in Umbria..

Although I am on a whirlwind of going back and forth between Umbria and Abruzzo- I was able to fit in a ‘vigilia’ ( christmas Eve) dinner was filled with many fish dishes. Though many of you are still emailing my assistant for this article about the traditional seven fishes Christmas dnner-here it is http://www.gomestic.com/Cooking/Traditional-Italian-Feast-of-the-Seven-Fishes.58592

But I have been doing some research of my own on this ‘tradition’ that many seem to be fascinated with especially in the US- and have come to the conclusion that eating a variety of fish dishes on Christmas Eve is the tradition. The part about the seven fishes may well be something that our grandparents and-or great grandparents who came to the US when they were young teens- began as a tradition in the US.   The households questioned in many parts of Italy are not at all familiar with the seven fishes dinner. So it could also have been a very old tradition from the late 1880’s or early 1900’s…

And all of the fish dishes served are light dishes using fresh fish, no heavy tomato sauces, dishes ranging from Clam Casino to seafood salad to fresh pasta with seafood in a light tomato sauce to fritto misto (fresh fish dipped in flour and then  flash fried lightly)… Delicious and authentically Italian using only the freshest and best ingredients.

Wishing you all the best and brightest of Holidays..Stay tuned for recipes and photos from the culinary tour to Umbria, and side events in Rome and Abruzzo.

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

For more recipes get your copy of the best seling book  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Thanksgiving and each one -no matter how they are spent is always one for the memory books.  This year I was fortunate to have my feast with close friends and thier families. 

 The food was great but we also added in a touch of ‘warm feelings’ of sharing a meal with friends and family and then a pinch of memories from Thanksgivings’ past  that I always carry with me no matter where  I go.. and this was our formula for a great day..

Another one for my book of memories….

Now that the Holiday season has officially begun here is a recipe for the traditional Italian Christmas bread. This is an easier recipe and after you make this look for my recipes that use leftover panettone (that is if you have any leftover). 

http://www.notecook.com/Bread/Panettone-for-Christmas.57131

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

 ”Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene”

Maria