“You ought to have seen what I saw on my way
To the village, through Mortenson’s pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!”

Blueberries by Robert Frost

One of my favorite things about summer are fresh blueberries..all over the place..you can pick your own or find them at your farmer’s market or supermarket..almost everywhere there sits that box with a beautiful purple blue hue peaking out with  berries overflowing on top. My not so favorite part of  summer is traveling  to places that do not have local blueberries available. ( I so miss the little guys). You can only get the best, juiciest fresh blueberries in the summer..an experience not to be missed…and as the days of summer dwindle down so do the number of days that these bursts of flavor will be available at their best…. As summer goes on I find myself creating more ways to use them from simple salads to ice cream desserts and of course cakes and muffins. Popping a juicy berry into my mouth produces a burst of momentary euphoria..and they sometimes never make it into the recipe..

and wouldn’t you know it…. I had an inspiration yesterday ..combine blueberries with another one of my addictions…coffee..a great ending to an alfresco meal or a cooling, rejuvenating afternoon pause!

Blueberry Cream Frost

*1 tsp (3 gr) cinnamon

1 tablespoon (15 gr) honey

6 shots of espresso (measure with small espresso cups)

1/2 cup whipped cream

1 cup of frozen blueberries  (Place fresh blueberries in freezer for approx 40 minutes before making this)

1 cinnamon stick for garnish

unsweetened dark chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa) for garnish

Place cinnamon, honey in a shaker. Make the espresso and pour into shaker. With a small wire whisk, whisk all ingredients together.  Divide whipped cream into 4 ice  cream glasses (3 ozs each) filling each glass about halfway.

Place frozen blueberries in shaker with coffee mixture, cover and shake 8 times. Pour into ice cream glasses top with whipped cream,divide evenly between all 4 glasses. Garnish with cinnamon stick and shave dark chocolate.

copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

July 21-24- See you at Festa Italiana, the USA’s largest Italian Festival . The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be hosting many on stage cooking demos throughout the event, Nick Stellino will be onstage as well.

July 29-31 Gourmet Food and Wine Show-Bally’s Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be onstage throughout the weekend.

For info, sponsorship or advertising info  on any of these events, email events@marialiberati.com

For more recipes get your copy of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winning Cookbook at http:// www.marialiberati.com

**Free BOOK Offer..If you were not able to get to Book Expo America for the pre release book signing/event of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style, email: info@marialiberati.com and put free book in the subject and request the pre release mini version of the book. We will send a pdf  for download.

Editor: Karissa Martin

copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia, Inc./Maria Liberati

The official start to the unofficial beginning of summer is finally here…”as tasty as summer’s first peach” m yfavorite saying comes to mind!. I know most are thinking of barbecues this weekend but for me  it is all about the lush fresh fruits and vegetables….Mother nature is now at her very best!

Have your own Roman Holiday Staycation at home and avoid the crowds..pair the movie with tramezzini and you have an easy way to enjoy a vacation at home.

Princess Ann, played by Oscar-winner Audrey Hepburn in her first starring role, screams and becomes hysterical one night in Rome, the last stop on her European “Goodwill Tour” in Roman Holiday (1953). Weary from her princess duties and public appearances and stressed from her meticulously scheduled days, the princess can no longer handle the constant pressure. The doctor is called in, and his brilliant solution is to inject a new medication that will help her fall asleep. Feeling no side effects from the medication, Princess Ann sneaks out into the night in a delivery truck. When the excitement from escaping begins to wear off, the drowsiness from the medication sets in, and Princess Ann carelessly dozes on a bench.

After a night of poker, Joe Bradley, an American reporter played by Oscar-winner Gregory Peck, finds a girl snoozing on a bench on his way home. Not knowing what to do, he unsuccessfully attempts to wake her up, while she constantly mutters “so happy.” Unwilling to leave her asleep and alone at night, Bradley takes her to his apartment to keep her safe. Unaware of her identity, Bradley refuses to let Princess Ann sleep in his bed and proceeds to dump her onto the couch with a lift of the mattress.

The next day, Bradley sees the girl’s picture in a newspaper and realizes who is sleeping on his couch. He sees the potential for a story and contacts his editor. Princess Ann mutters in her sleep, unaware of where she is, “I dreamt and I dreamt. I was asleep in the street and a young man came. He was tall and strong, and he was so mean to me! It was wonderful…” After opening her eyes to find Bradley staring back at her, she realizes her dream was actually reality. A few explanations and a surprising run-in with the maid in the bathroom later, Princess Ann sets out to return home. However, she gets a little sidetracked and chops all her hair off instead and begins to explore the city. Bradley follows her and convinces her to take the day off, pretending that he is unaware of her identity. He asks her what she would do and she replies, “I’d do just whatever I liked all day long. I’d sit at a sidewalk cafe and look in shop windows. Walk in the rain, have fun and maybe some excitement.” Bradley does his best to make her wishes come true and calls his photographer friend, Irving Radovich, to help him get the story on the princess.

Unlike Princess Ann’s usual schedule, this day is full of surprises. After being taken to the police station for erratic driving, some late-night dancing, and an all-out brawl with the secret service (in which Princess Ann bashes someone with a guitar), Princess Ann knows it is time for her to return to the palace. It was “the end of the fairy tale.” Though she had to go back to her duties, Princess Ann would never be the same again.

“Life isn’t always what one likes, is it?” But, you can pretend, if only for a little while. Try the elegant tramezzini sandwiches, and you’ll feel like royalty. With the gooey, fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and tasty basil, you may as well be sitting at an outdoor café in Rome with Princess Ann. Take a break from your life and try this tasty little food with the movie.

Tramezzini:

(4 persons)

Ingredients

12 slices thinly sliced white bread (with crusts removed)

3 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil

½ lb of fresh mozzarella (sliced)

3 tomatoes (sliced)

½ cup of fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons of freshly grated parsley to decorate plate

FREE Preview Book Offer: If you were not able to stand in line at Book Expo America last week in NYC and get a signed copy of  the pre- release version of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style. .send an email to info@marialiberati.com   for your free digital copy. The book will be released on oct 1, 2011.

copyright 2010. Maria Liberati

Longing for the flavors I met while in Italy this summer…my head bursting with the memories of freshly roasted peppers..that have still not left me.. I embarked upon an all day cooking event..trying to recapture that perfume..

Yesterday I had a ‘deja-vu’ experience, taken aback to our summer  beach condo in Pescara, Italy. The building is  made up of 6 floors, but one floor is  hauntingly aromatic  with the smell of freshly roasted peppers in the  month of August (when fresh peppers are at their peak)..you know that if you get off the elevator to the third floor hallway and just stand there for five minutes you will be almost hypnotized  by the perfume of freshly roasted peppers coming out of all 5 apartments on that floor..if I could  just bottle that aroma and carry it around with me! Everyone that lives on that floor is crazy  (and who could blame them) for fresh peppers and does their roasting at 6 or 7 AM before they go to the beach …

So today, my second day away from Italy, on US soil, I spent all day roasting peppers and reliving my summer at the beach in Pescara…if you would like to create this memory..in your oven..it is a minimalist recipe from the beach house (before the fresh peppers of summer are gone till next year) just clean, seed and cut fresh peppers into strips about 1/4 ” thick. Layer in a baking sheet and drizzle, generously with olive oil and tear fresh parsley leaves and sprinkle on top. Sprinkle a dash of salt Bake at 425 degrees till done and then put under broiler for approx 5 minutes to brown on top. Couldn’t be simpler and the added bonus is that your kitchen will be filled with this fragrance all day…

Use in a pannini, or a frittata, or place them  on top of crusty, warm bread..or on top of a hamburger or just eat plain..

For more great recipes and food memories get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-second edition

Sept 10-11 see you at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and Maria Liberati will take center stage at 1-2 pm each day with recipes ,stories from the latest book ,for info email: info@marialiberati.com

Be a Guest Writer and Share the Joy! Do you have a special food memory you would like to tell? In honor of the release of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition, we are inviting ourreaders to share a special Holiday food memory. From Sept 1-Dec 31st  one story a week will be selected and pubished on the blog and may be chosen for a national publication. Email your  300 word or less story to : sharethejoy@marialiberati.com

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

Castello D’Albola is a medieval wonder..in Chianti…a  castle with a vineyard  that produces award winning wines and the castle is filled with so much history dating back to many a noble family. In honor of my visit there this weekend a traditional Tuscan soup..that dates back to the cucina povera (peasant kitchen) times in Italy..how times have changed ?   Today this is considered a gourmet dish.

Ribollita (literally means boiled twice)

1 lb of cannelini beans (dry)-soaked overnight, then cooked for approx 1 hour

1lb red cabbage

1 lb savoy cabbage

1/2 lb fresh spinach-cleaned

1/2 lb of red, ripe tomatoes

1 potato

1 stick  celery

1 carrot, peeled and cleaned

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves

dash of thyme

dash of salt

1/2 lb of crusty bread sliced thick

grated pecorino cheese

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 cups vegetable broth

handful  fresh parsley leaves chopped

Place beans in cold vegetable broth and cook till tender. Finely chop onion, garlic, celery, carrot and parsley, place oil in saute pan and place in chopped veggies. Saute till golden brown, then add in thyme and the other vegetables-cut into large pieces. Add in salt,pepper and tomatoes. Add in some liquid from the boiling beans. When beans are tender, add in about 1/3 of them to the saute pan. Place 1/3 of bean mixture in food processor and blend. Set remaining third of beans to the side.

Add processed beans to saute pan. Simmer for approx 5 minutes. Place slice of bread at bottom of terra cotto or earthenware serving bowls and ladle soup on top of bread.Garnish with remaining third of beans and serve.

This soup is typically eaten the day after it is made (That is why it is called ribollita-twice boiled) and served with a drizzle of olive oil.

My interview with the wine maker at Castello D’Albola will be published here shortly..

For more great recipes get your copy of  the award winning The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition winner of the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

See you at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival on Sept 10 & 11

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

Simple ,delicious recipes that use mainly Mother Nature’s Ingredients are my favorite..frittata with mentuccia (mint)…it is a recipe from the days of cucina povere..but the flavor of the mint makes the frittata fragrant…they work so well together (eggs and mint)..it is hard to resist! 
And with a garden full of fresh mint..this was a great excuse to pick some mint…tonight’s frittata for a light dinner on a hot August night under the stars..watching the fireworks in the sky from  a nearby town celebrating a festa..

Simplicity is an art..and this recipe proves it..so simple yet so delicious

Enjoy,.serve with crusty bread and a glass of Trebbiano or Est!Est!Est! and you will

Frittata con Mentuccia (Egg frittata with mint)

(serves 4)

4 eggs

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

one handful of fresh mint leaves chopped or torn into small pieces

dash of salt

Break eggs into bowl and whip with a fork. Heat olive oil in saute pan. Pour in eggs, sprinkle on mint leaves, a dash of salt to taste.When one side is cooked turn frittata over. When frittata is firm on both sides place in serving dish and slice into 4 slices,serve warm or cold the next day..my favorite way to eat this is leftover.. the next day in a pannino…

For more great recipes get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions

winner of the Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

See you Sept 10 & 11 at the Hudson Valley Wine Fest in Rhinebeck, NY. I will be on center stage at 1-2 PM both  days..

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

A cool August night in the piazza in Tagliacozzo and nothing soothes the soul more than eating a dish of creamy gelato in front of the fountain in Piazza Obelisco while discussing French and Italian wines….. and ..since the discussion is in Italy with only Italians… favoritism slanted to the wines of Italy..

As the heated discussion continues..and I try to concentrate on the smooth, creamy glob of chocolate sliding down my throat, and the medieval architecture of teh buildings in view… almost not paying any attention to the discussion that is well in progress..

Let’s just say that the conclusion was that Italian wines have an edge over French wines because of the superior quality of the Italian grapes, since climate is more favorable to grow grapes in Italy..,,grapes grown in France tend to be bitter…Italian grapes are sweeter..French tend to aromatize their wines.they have to because the grapes are bitter..Italian wines are made without anything added..just real grapes…

Anyway the perfect way to cool the discussion was to turn all thoughts onto the dishes of gelato we were at this point halfway through..after a few more spoonfuls who could think about anything else..our taste buds  were drunk with the intensity of the flavor..and the discussion turned to which flavor is the best and where the best gelato places were….even a subject that cool got a little heated since Italians are passionate about their gelato also…well what is it that they are not passionate about??

But the discussion all of a sudden stopped as everyone quietly concentrated  on finishing their dish…every last drop..and everything was forgotten..and we joined everyone for our evening walk around the piazza..and an evening of  intent discussion ended cool, relaxed and satiated..

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

Excitement is in the air here in anticipation of August the 15th…the beach resembles a large restaurant in the open with long tables set up everywhere and families and friends enjoying meals of large pizzas,fresh slices of watermelon and bottles of wine and Brachetto (A sparkling red wine) overflowing…the beach has become a piazza by the sea where people now linger from morning till sunset with food, friends, family..while the sounds of the sea keep the atmosphere relaxed..

I am keeping it cool and fresh…and in the morning..before getting to the beach, finding my local produce and creating recipes to use and share on the beach.. to use the fresh, local produce ..while it is still fresh and local..

Baked Fruit Kebabs with Gelato

4 tablespoons brown sugar

dash of freshly ground black pepper

small handful of fresh mint

4 apricots

4 fresh peaches

4 fresh strawberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pineapple in uneven rectangular shapes.  Peel peach and remove pit. Cut peach into quarters. Remove pit from apricots and cut in half, Hull strawberries, cut in half. Alternate fruit slices on four fruit sticks. After arranging fruit on them, place sticks on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper.

In a bowl place brown sugar and, finely chopped mint leaves and a dash of black pepper. Mix with wooden spoon.  Sprinkle on fruit sticks and place in preheated oven for approximately 7 minutes.. Remove from oven, place each fruit stick on a single plate accompanied by a scoop of gelato and a fresh mint leaf for decoration

 For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

Tonight, August 10th is known as the night of San Lorenzo and the night of the ‘stelle cadente’ or falling stars. Saint Lorenzo was a martyr and legend has it that on this night his tears shoot out of the sky as falling stars.

Every August 10th, wherever I may be here in Italy..as long as weather permits we eat dinner outside  after the sun sets..and while eating we watch the shooting stars,the beauty of the night adds so much to the meal….hope you can do the same wherever you are..and here is a recipe from tonight’s dinner table..this is served cold and refreshing for a hot summer night to watch the stars:

Tartare Di Mango e Verdure (Tartare of Mango & Vegetables)

(Serves 4 people)

1 mango

1 fresh beet ,cooked till tender and peeled

1/2 cup dried lentils, soaked overnight and cooked till tender

2 carrots

3 leeks

juice of one fresh lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Clean carrots and cut into little sticks about 2 inches long, 1/4 inch wide.Set aside, Cut beet into sticks same dimension of carrots.Peel mango and cut into small cubes. Clean leeks and cut into small pieces. I nab owl place in 3 tblsps olive oil and lemon juice,salt and pepper. Add in chopped leeks, blend with fork.  On a plate, make a small tower in this way- arrange in the center of plate  a layer of lentils, then a layer of carrot sticks, then beet sticks, then mango cubes,top with olive oil dressing and repeat in 3 more plates,serve as an appetizer with a glass of chilled Friuli Grave Doc

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

The excitement of summer is almost gone for most of us..with about a month to go..but here in Italy the excitement of summer has been re-ignited with the anticipation of the summer’s biggest crescendo.. August the 15th. A holiday that dates back to the Ancient Romans.

August the 15th reminds us that summer is almost gone and this is her last hurrah!! to celebrate the brilliance of the sun..the food.the sea, the beach ,the carefree relaxed feeling..

Today starts the anticipation with just a week to go..the beach has become one big block party..children running all over..people congregating in small groups everywhere on the beaach, taking a passeggiata from one beach to the next while taking in the fresh sea air and meeting friends along the way… talking, laughing,sharing recipes, making plans for the 15th..smiles abound everywhere..it is as almost as if Christmas is coming in the  Summer..well of course watermelon has replaced panettone (at least for this for season).

One of our favorite dishes to bring to the beach is Eggplant Parmigiano. It travels well, we can leave it in the glass dish it is baked in, slice it before taking it to the beach. Bring some paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, one spatula. And no need to worry about refrigerating leftovers..there are never any leftovers.. Slice up a watermelon for dessert, a bottle of mineral water and you have a great meal

Eggplant Parmigiano

2 lbs fresh eggplant-cleaned, sliced

1 lb scamorza cheese

1 lb red ripe plum tomatoes

3 leaves fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

1 fresh carrot, cleaned,peeled, cut in two

1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1 slice fresh onion

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Filet fresh tomatoes. In saute pan, place 3 tblsps olive oil,  whole garlic cloves, slice fresh onion. Saute for 2 minutes, place in tomato pieces, carrot pieces let simmer for 20 minutes.

In glass baking dish, layer, eggplant slices with tomato sauce, sliced scamorza cheese, sprinkle of parmigiano cheese. Top with scamorza cheese and grated parmigiana reggiano cheese and a sprinkle of breadcrumbs,. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven, when cool, slice, and it is ready to go-wherever your lunch will be.

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

My flavors have all been packed..well at least the dried ones..my fresh ones will have to wait till early tomorrow morning. I am packing for a week at the beach house..

Dried pepperoncini, dried rosemary, black pepper and its’ grinder, sea salt from Sicily..tomorrow morning awake early and grab a handful of fresh, organic rosemary from the garden,fresh parsley and fresh basil..some fresh lemons from Sorrento..a bottle of organic olive oil from Le Marche..a bottle of balsamic vinegar.

My suitcase of flavors always follow me to wherever I go..so that I can experience the local cuisine. One of the dishes will surely be a linguine with clams-those tiny little clams they have at the sea, a handful of freshly chopped parsley and a spritz of lemon to brighten the dish..

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition winner of the best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA

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Guest Writers Share your Joy with us..deadline July 31http://www.marialiberati.com/share-the-joy