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Rossini, Cocktails and Spring Holidays
April 19th 2009 by Maria Liberati

rossini-cocktail.jpggiacomo-rossini.jpg

 copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Editor: Erin Kuhns

Easter Sunday is usually a never ending meal, like all holiday meals in Italy. This
year in Abruzzo, still stunned by the earthquake the week before, families managed
to pull together whatever they could. All whilst knowing that the aftershocks could
hit at any moment.   Unless you were in the city of L’Aquila the aftershocks
(luckily) did no physical damage  and were just constant reminders of the
devastation they caused to the beautiful historic city of L’Aquila.

But fear is an awful thing and unfortunately occupied the minds of everyone during
Easter dinner.

While usual Easter dinner banter is about what everyone is doing for “Pasquetta”
(Easter Monday holiday), conversation was filled with ‘what were you doing when the
quake struck?” and all the precautions to take for the coming week..just in case..

Pasquetta plans were curtailed. While this is one of Italy’s biggest Holidays that
marks the start of Spring and people usually to take to the mountains, the sea or go
for a picnic..most in Abruzzoo stayed close to home Most took ’staycations’ at home.
Automobiles parked outside in the open fields  dotted the landscape.. automobiles in
an open field can provide a safe refuge in case of an earthquake.

Through it all,  the meal began with a Holiday lasagna, traditional easter lamb and
Pizza di Pasqua (Easter bread made with candied fruits and a light touch of
cinnamon) and dark chocolate easter eggs.

To start off the meal, an aperitif -the Rossini cocktail..yes that is Rossini… as
in Giacomo Rossini-the famous composer.   Of course..how could you begin a meal with
a Rossini cocktail without breaking into songs from The Barber of Seville…. at
least those of us that are ‘opera diva wanna be’s’….  could only hum the William
Tell Overture… but at least a fun way to lighten up the conversation… . Here’s
the recipe .

(Keep the city of L’Aquila in your thoughts and prayers, I will be posting more info
on how you can help and the rebuilding of this art filled city in near future posts)
The Rossini is another version of the Bellini cocktail. It began to become popular
in the last century. Prepared with puree of fresh strawberries and Prosecco or
Champagne. Serve this cocktail in a fluted glass and you will have an elegant and
refreshing drink.
 
Recipe for the cocktail is 1/3 fresh strawberry puree to 2/3 cold Prosecco or
Champagne. The preparation consists of the simple union of the ingredients in a
glass with some ice.
 
The most complicated part of this (if you can call it that) is making the strawberry
puree. The only way to do this is to put in a blender or small food processor. Once
pureed, mix with a few drops of lemon juice and some sugar syrup (made by mixing
water and sugar over low heat till sugar is melted)
*Wine Pairing Dinner-Join me on May 6th for a wine pairing dinner at Country Creek
Winery in Montgomery County,Pa. I will be preparing an authentic Italian sampler
dinner, 4 courses, and pairing it with 4 of their wines. Reservations required and
spots are limited. Call the winery at 215-723-6516 or email at
events@marialiberati.com for info
*May 11th- 7PM I will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School from Italy
to  Whole Foods, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Philadelphia, Pa We will be doign a
sampler picnic in Tuscany-recipes from the best selling book The Basic Art of
Italian Cooking and cooking school in Italy. To reserve your spot email us at
events@marialiberati.com
Get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at
http://www.marialiberati.com
Join me in Italy at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School and Experience Italy at
our villa in Umbria/Tuscany on Sept 23-Oct 6th. Spaces limited. Includes all cooking
classes, your stay at the villa, all meals, excursions and transport to and from
airport. Limited to only 12 participants. Call 1-800-581-9020 to reserve your spot
or email: events@marialiberati.com 
For more recipes and articles
Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,
MariaLink to the post: http://marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=594Link to Maria Liberati:
http://marialiberati.com/blog2

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Abruzzo, Caro Diario.(dear diary..), Cooking School in Tuscany, Facts, Features, Holidays, La Dolce Vita, aperitifs, cucina, cucina povere, entertaining, history of foods, recipes, special occasions5 Comments
How to Cicchetti in Venice
July 31st 2008 by Maria Liberati

 I have taken some of the staff and editors of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm to my office in Italy and  some are traveling around  Italy as well,  capturing interesting stories ,places ,faces and more,..In honor of the culinary cruise I will be doing in Venice this winter, here is an interesting bit of info for those of you wanting to visit Venezia.

Cicchetti is a word used in Venice to describe appetizers or anything served on a stick at their version of happy hour. Learn how to cicchetti in a fashionable way, and its history.

When one thinks Venice, the word tapas is not typically part of the vocabulary. But, while the small plates are a Spanish custom, it’s not all that strange to find them in Venice. In its days as a major trading post, the island city traded not only with Spain but with the moors, who are thought to have pioneered the snack foods, and Venice, in turn adopted its own version: cicchetti, a favorite early evening bite among Venetians, many of whom have post-work drinks and snacks in tiny local publs (baccari).

It’s a fun way to mingle and an inexpensive and delicious way to have a meal. With options ranging from tiny salami sandwiches to toasted polenta, it’s tough to choose what to have, but all the options are bite-sized, making it easy to have a little taste of everything. Think deep-fired mozzarella, Try deep-fried mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, olives, and prosciutto with melon. Anything, in short, that can be eaten with a toothpick.

But how to do cicchetti?

When in Venice…

When in Venice, do as the Venetians do, of course. A giro d’ombra (giro means stroll and ombra literally translates to shade) is a Venetian version of the pub crawl. The name reflects a time long since passed, when a portable wine bar would move through St. Mark’s Square, so as always to hide in the shadow of the Campanile bell tower.

There is no more wine cart on St. Mark’s, but the ombra, which is slang for a glass of wine, lives on, and can be found in baccari in back streets throughout the floating city, and with wine comes cicchetti. When seeking out baccari the trick is to get lost, and this is not tough in Venice. Simply wander away from St. Mark’s and into the maze of residential back streets, where plenty of baccari are waiting, complete with counters full of bite-sized savories and wines by the glass written on chalkboards.

Though ordering a whole plate is an option, the true Venetian way is a slow sampling. Sip wine, or, to be truly authentic, start with an aperitivo (a before-dinner drink), like a Bellini or a Prosecco and work your way through the toothpicked noshes, starting with a little of this and moving on to that (and that and that…), and finally ending with a fragolino, the local sweet wine, which typically comes with a small biscotti for dipping. Since the bars aren’t open very late, get an early start (by 6:00 pm) which will allow access to the best cicchetti.
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For more great tips ,recipes ,travel info to Italy get the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Ciao for now!!
Maria
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