Well my friends, alas my two months in Italia
are at an end…..for now. I catch my plane back home to NYC in a few hours. My
time spent in Rome and Florence has really been a fantasy, a magical, wonderful
experience that I won’t soon forget. I look forward to sharing my experiences with
you in more depth. I am so sad to leave this beautiful country that I have
considered my home these months. But, while I am sad to go, I have SO MANY
exciting things coming up in 2014. I will be making some very special announcements
over the next few months, I can’t wait to share this news with you all! I will
be back in Italy sometime around September, so really, going back to NYC
is just a long, LOOOOOOONG vacation before I come back home. Addio Italia, il mio tempo trascorso qui e stato davvero una benedizione.
Viglila di Natale..Or should I say, Christmas Eve. I feel very blessed to be
spending Christmas in the beautiful, eternal city, Roma. Christmas in Rome is
magical, from the beautiful lights that line every street to the Christmas tree
in front of the Colosseum, the city is dressed to the nines. I also had the joy
of standing in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday and hearing and seeing Pope
Francis. Every Sunday at noon he comes to the window of his apartment to address
the people and recite the Angelus. It was a very special experience for me, one
that I will not soon forgot. I thought I would share with you some of the beautiful
photos I’ve taken over the past two months. Some are from Florence and some
from Roma. I will be posting the second part tomorrow on Christmas. Buona Festa!!!
Ciao mei amici!
Having been involved in the food world for not even two years, I have been
fortunate enough to connect with some amazing chefs, restaurateurs, etc. One of
them is Chef Melissa Muller Daka, Proprietress of Pastai and Eolo, both in NYC.
I had the pleasure to first meet Melissa at a private luncheon at Eataly that
she planned the menu for. You may remember she was one of the first interviews
I ever posted, you can read it here.
At her
beautiful restaurant, Eolo in NYC, she will be hosting her fourth annual “Feast of the Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve, December 24th. For
those not familiar with the idea of - The Feast of the Seven Fishes – referred
to in Italian as La Vigilia – the tradition began in southern Italy and today
is celebrated by Italians around the world. There are various myths about the
significance of offering seven fishes. Some believe seven fishes refer to the
seven days of creation, while others cite the Seven Hills of Rome, seven
sacraments in the Catholic Church or the seven deadly sins.
Their five course menu will include: A welcoming dish from the chef, your
choice of a cold appetizer, hot appetizer, pasta, entree & dessert. Each
course ...will offer three dishes to choose from.
Wine Pairing will also be available with each dish. For reservations, you can call
646.225.6606. If you’re looking for a different way to spend Christmas
Eve or if you just don’t want to worry about the cooking this year, this is
certainly the event for you. The beautiful dishes you see here are Scallops, Swordfish, Halibut and Couscous and Pasta con le Sarde, listed in the order shown. For further information, be sure to take a look at
the Eolo site. If you do go to Eolo, be sure to tell Chef Melissa that La Cucina
Prima Donna sent you! Buon Natale a tutti!!
Ciao!
Some of you may recall a post I did last year on Cioccolata Calda, or as it is referred
to in America..Hot Chocolate! Last Christmas was my first time having
Cioccolata Calda in Italy and I just fell in love with it. Italian hot chocolate
is nothing like the American version. It is very thick, rich and not terribly
sweet. In fact, it is usually served with a pack of sugar on the side if you
care to make it sweeter. It’s practically like pudding, no lie. I returned to the scene
of the crime here in Florence two nights ago and got to enjoy my Cioccolata Calda once again. The photo on the top of the page is the cioccolata calda from last year and the one right below this is the same one, one year later!! It was just as delicious. I’ve
listed my recipes from last year plus a new one that I KNOW you’ll enjoy…it has
nutella…nuff said? Buon Appetito!!
Traditional
Cioccolata Calda con Panna
4 ounces of
good quality dark chocolate (70% or higher, I personally prefer 85%)
1 ½ cups of
whole milk
1 tbsp. of
cream
2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. corn
starch
Add your milk and cream to a pot over medium heat, let it get warm, but do not bring to a boil. Add the chocolate and sugar and mix until melted and smooth. Add the cornstarch and continue to mix. Stir until everything is smooth and creamy. Pour into mugs and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream…
Whipped
Cream
1 cup of cream
1 tsp. vanilla
extract
Add
the cream and vanilla extract to a small bowl and whisk with an electric beater
until it looks like whipped cream!!
Paleo
Cioccolata Calda
1 cup of almond
milk or coconut milk
2 tbsp. cocoa
powder
1 ounce dark
chocolate (85% is better for paleo)
1 tbsp. chocolate
extract
Add
your milk to a pot over medium heat, let it get warm but do not let it boil.
Add the cocoa powder and let it dissolve. Add the dark chocolate and stir until
melted and smooth. Add the chocolate extract and let heat until creamy. Pour
into a mug and add a dollop of whipped cream.
Nutella
Cioccolata Calda
4 ounces of
good quality semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp. nutella
1 ½ cups of
whole milk
1 tbsp. of
cream
2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. corn
starch
Add
your milk and cream to a pot over medium heat, let it get warm, but do not
bring to a boil. Add the chocolate, nutella and sugar and mix until melted and
smooth. Add the cornstarch and continue to mix. Stir until everything is smooth
and creamy. Pour into mugs and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream…
