Happy Halloween

Trick and treat!

Italy Part 31: Mission Complete

Something magical happened this week:  Monday I went for a pleasant jog in 80 degree weather - sun screen, shorts and all. Then, unexpectedly, Tuesday evening I was slipping and shivering out to my car after knocking off work. To my amazement, the sidewalks were covered with wet snow. Tree branches were gracefully stretching down to touch their roots, balancing heavy white masses. Dogs on leashes were happily sniffing their covered territory with white noses.  I guess I should start checking the weather before leaving the house in the morning! 

Cheesman Park after Denver's first snow fall of 2011.

Radishes made for fancy snowman buttons.

Second to snow, another magical thing happened this week: I completed my Italian cooking challenge!  Can you hear the confetti poppers and whistles?!  It took a total of four months to make 75 recipes, not to mention countless hours dancing around my kitchen banging on pots and pans, ventures into new neighborhoods hunting for exotic ingredients, many inquisitive or delighted looks from my husband as he surveyed the table of my latest creations.  And, of course, many treasured minutes (or hours) at the table tasting and laughing.  When I began this culinary journey, I desired for a challenging kitchen regimen that would spit me out as a better cook.  I wanted a reason to play with new ingredients, learn new preparation techniques, talk with local butchers and farmers... basically, dirty my apron on a regular basis. Mission accomplished.  

So without further ado, let me illustrate for you the lengthy (but completely worth-it) method for making Italian Panettone bread... the final recipe of the challenge.

Step 1: Intoxicate some fruit.

Sultanas, candied orange peels, and lemon-orange
zest were drizzled with rum.

Step 2: Butter  up some sweet batter.

"Sponging" the dough with yeast, butter and sugars. 

Two, 1-hr rising sessions separated with lots of kneading
produced a velvety and elastic dough ready for baking.
The fruit was folded and kneaded into the dough before
being dropped into the baking pan. 

Step 3:  Grow your dough!

After 45 minutes, I opened my oven's door
to find a golden loaf of Panettone sprouting
from the dimensions of the baking pan. 

Traditional Italian Panettone.

So, how did this girl celebrate?  She exchanged her apron for ski pants and chased the snow up into the mountains!  As it turns out, a thick slice of Panettone makes for a perfect pre-ski breakfast (paired with a hot cup of caffeine, oh course)!  This fruity rum bread may have been the last recipe, but I'm keeping it bookmarked as my favorite.

Heading to Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort.
Loveland Pass will only be open a few more weeks. 

A curious cook at play!

Despite the refined onion-slicing, egg-whipping, and squid-gutting skills that I have acquired, there was an additional outcome to completing this challenge. Something more valuable than any of the delicious recipes that I prepared.  I gained my creativity back... Something that I had pushed to the corners of my brain for years to make room for incoming data required for surviving university classes is now pulsing through my daily thoughts. I see the world around me in color again. Everything is so beautiful...  even the slushy, muddy mess that will remain in my entry way until spring.

Thank you for joining throughout my culinary tour of Italy!  Stay tuned for many more food-inspired stories to come!  Ciao Italia! 

Italy Part 30

Mushroom walks into a bar. 

Bartender says, "We don't serve mushrooms." 

Mushroom says, "But I'm a 'fun guy!'" 

Bartender says, "I just said that don't serve fungi." 

Mushroom says, "No, no, not 'fungi,' 'fun guy.' I made a pun!" 

Bartender says, "Get the *bleep* out of my bar."

Mushrooms may not be as witty as they are 'fun guys' to eat! Hehe. Last week I prepared the following recipe, Sauteed mushrooms with garlic (p. 100).  This dish paired nicely with warm, crusty bread as an elegant appetizer. 

Mushrooms sauteed in oil and garlic.

More cooking with fresh thyme, followed by high and low
temperature cycling to allow the mushrooms to release and
evaporate their juices. The final step required stirring in
fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Sauteed mushrooms with garlic.
This Italian cooking challenge is
now 99% complete!

In my last Italian entry I mentioned that I have been tallying all of the recipes listed for this cooking challenge using a separate word file on my desktop. Today, I cut and pasted it below so that you can observe how far this challenge has come since early June. Please note that I was forced to modify this challenge a smidgen by throwing out seven recipes (listed at the bottom) due to equipment, budget or ingredient availability constraints.   Current standing: 74 recipes down with only 1 to go!! 

RECIPES TO MAKE (n = 1)

Panettone (p. 146)

COMPLETED RECIPES (n = 74)

Sautéed mushrooms with garlic

Zuppa inglese

Rabbit with rosemary and white wine

Involtini of swordfish

Olive bread

Herb baked ricotta

Zabaglione

Chicken liver crostini

Polenta squares with mushroom ragu

Green beans with garlic breadcrumbs

Seafood risotto

Spaghetti with sardines, fennel, tomato

Stuffed crepes

Penne alla napolitana

Biscotti

Roasted rosemary chicken

Baked radicchio

Cassata alla siciliana

Caponata with tuna

Veal steaks with prosciutto

Panzanella

Minestrone with pesto

Mussels in tomato and herb sauce

Gnocci romana

Insalata di frutti di mare

Honey and pine nut tart

Orecchiette with broccoli

Roman lamb

Rosemary potatoes

Sautéed silver beet

Fried olives

Stuffed sardines

Baked eggplant with tomato and mozzarella

Espresso granita

Mozzarella in carozza

Marjoram salmoriglio

Spagnettini with garlic and chilli

Sicilian rice fritters

Fennel fritters

Pork chops in marsala

Carciofi all romana

Macerated oranges

Almond semifreddo

Tomato and basil crostini

Semi dried roma tomatoes

Bean and rosemary dip

Grilled squid with salsa verde

Focaccia

Bucatini alla norm

Lingunie pesto

Bucatini amatricana

Pizza rustica

Mushroom risotto

Arancini

Chicken caccitori

Shaved fennel salad

Frittata di asparagialla menta

Strawberries with balsamic vinegar

Figs and procuitto

Stuffed peaches

Pappa al pomadoro

Rocket and pecorino salad

Parmesan and rosemary crusted veal chops

Salsa rossa

Lemon granita

Roasted balsamic onions

Baked peppers with anchovies

Spaghetti puttanesca

Olive crostini

Napolentana crostini

Tuna and cannelloni bean salad

Chimneysweeper’s gelato

Insalata caprese

Homemade pizza (seen here)

RECIPES NOT PREPARED (n = 7)

Sicilian cannoli (p. 144)

Reason: Did not have proper equipment to roll cannoli shells, however, I did purchase all of the ingredients for the creme filling to put into pre-made cannoli shells. These were forgotten about during my stay in Minnesota so perhaps my mother will be the guest chef to present this recipe in the future. 

Fritto misto di mare (p. 125) 

Reason: Mullet and cuttlefish not available

Fried whitebait (p. 100) 

Reason: Whitebait not available

Stuffed zucchini flowers (p. 88)

Reason: Flowers not available. At the farmer's market I was told by multiple zucchini growers that the act of picking the flower from the squash kills the zucchini, so they do not harvest these flowers since the demand for zucchini is greater. 

Fegato garbo e dolce (p. 121)

Reason: I couldn't find organic, grass-fed cattle from which these calves livers are taken from. Calves livers are available at specialty delis, however, I just can stomach the idea of eating an organ that filters out toxins from poorly reared animals.

Homemade pasta (p. 106)

Reason: Can't afford to invest in the equipment

Herb filled ravioli with sage butter (p. 112)

Reason: Can't afford to invest in the equipment

Mini Pumpkin Cauldrons

Recognize these mini pumpkins below? 

Sweet Dumplings

I do, but I had never known their function beyond table decorations. They always seemed like misfits in the produce isle, piled haphazardly with various other mini gourds of all shapes and colors within an oversized cardboard box. Well, a few weeks ago, I picked up a pair not only to make our dining table look seasonal, but also, to do an experiment: Are they edible?   

The answer: Oh, yes!

Below you will find a recipe for what I call, Mini Pumpkin Cauldrons.  Halloween is exactly one week away so you may want to pocket this recipe as a first course for a festive fall party. 

Mini Pumpkin Cauldrons
Adapted from this recipe

Serves 2 (each pumpkin serves 1 person)

2 miniature pumpkin, such as sweet dumplings (shown here)

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2-4 Tbsp. cream or creme fraiche

2 fresh sage leaves

Hard white cheese for topping

Step 1: Slice off its tiny top and scrap out all of its seeds with spoon. 

Step 2: Rub salt and pepper throughout cavity, including the top of lid. Pup a rounded spoonful of creme fraiche or heavy cream into your "cauldrons." Place a fresh sage leaf on top of the cream base, and end with a thin slice of potent, dry white cheese (like Gruyere, hard swiss, aged white cheddar, parmesan, etc).

Step 3: Replace the lid and bake at 350 degrees F in a greased pan until tender, about 35-45 minutes. Serve with a spoon and dig in (literally)!

Italy Part 29

I feel as though I'm rounding the last bend and speeding towards the finish line of my Italian cooking challenge. Since the beginning of the challenge in early June, I've been keeping track of the recipes using a word document saved to my desktop. Each week I open it up, map out the next Italian meals and dishes to be made, prepare a grocery list, and schedule blog posts.  Today, I opened up this document only to see one remaining recipe that has not been crossed out!  Just one!

However, let's save the balloons and ribbons until that final day comes. Besides,  I have some catching up to do with sharing some previously made recipes!  Let me share with you another elegant Italian cake called, Zuppa inglese (p. 142), aka "cold cake." Making this cake began with preparing the foundation: "Madeira cake." I wasn't exactly sure what this was, and of course, my local grocery stores don't carry any. Remembering back to the Madeira-infused Cassata all Siciliana cake from last month, I made the same sponge cake recipe drizzled generously with Madeira wine. 

The sponge cake fresh out of the bunt pan,
anticipating a shower of Madeira wine.

Cutting the cake into three separate layers. 

After the boozy cake base was ready, I made the custard filling.  In the past, the only homemade custard I have made involved following the directions on the back of a box of flan pudding.  Italian custard is bit more complicated. First, slowly heat a pan of milk containing a split vanilla bean. While the milk is heating, whisk egg yolks, flour and sugar to create a pale, creamy batter. Once bubbles begin to form on the sides of milk pan, add the egg yolk mixture to the milk and stir over medium heat until the custard boils. Continue to stir until it thickens.  

Left: Egg yolks, flour and sugar.
Right: Milk and vanilla bean.   

Stirring, stirring, stirring.
After about 30 minutes, the custard looked like this. 

Once the custard mixture had thickened, I removed the pan from the burner and allowed it to cool slightly.  During this time, I had to apply more alcohol to the Madeira cake. This time rum mixed with a little bit of water. I was surprised by how much liquid I was giving the cake, however, perhaps it was to prevent the cake from drinking up the custard (remember, this same sponge cake soaked up all of its whipped cream topping in the past). The final step was assembly: a layer of cake, a layer of custard, another layer of cake, another layer of custard... finishing with a layer of custard sprinkled with chocolate shavings and sliced slivered almonds.

Custard layers.
Notice that the hole from the bunt pan was filled in
with extra sponge cake cut from the bottom. 

Zuppa inglese, 
another elegant Italian dessert!

The hardest part of this recipe involved waiting the minimum three hours to allow the cake to refrigerate.  Once that timer goes off, grab a fork and sharpen your elbows. This cake so good it's worth fighting over. In fact, my husband and I finished this entire sweet-tiered masterpiece in two days!

Italy Part 28

Have you ever scratched your chin wondering whether to have an after dinner drink versus a sweet treat? Introducing,  Zabaglione (p. 140).  A dessert that allows you both... in one glass!  I realize that the past few entries have been quite lengthy, so here is a refreshingly short entry of a neat little Italian treat that requires only three ingredients and an electric mixer.

Zabaglione,
A wine mousse of sorts.

Simply combine 4 egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 Marsala wine with an electric mixer in a large bowl over a pot of simmering water until the mixture is smooth and foamy (nearly tripling in volume). That is it! The result is a creamy, mousse-like drink that you eat with a spoon.  Neat, eh?

Placing my ingredients over barely boiling water.

Mixing non-stop for about 5 minutes.
The mixture begins to grow before your eyes!

It makes about 4 cups.

I will note that you may want to consume immediately or within a few hours after making. I ate one fresh (pictured above) and it was perfect! Light and fluffy. Sweet and fruity. After a night in the refrigerator, the others had deflated into a half foam, half liquid mixture... not as appetizing... so grab a few friends before making so that you can finish the batch while it's fresh.  Tootles!

To the Rockies and Beyond

It just so happens that the month of October got even more eventful last week. Upon returning to Denver from Minnesota, Joe got an extremely rare week off from his internship.  I quit my job of four days and we packed up the ol' Civic to embark on an extensive road trip across Colorado.  Turns out we covered a total of 1,100 miles in three days (that is nearly 24 hours of driving)!  Using the map below, you can route our trip that took us from the familiar city surroundings of Denver, southwest into endless scabby ranch lands juxtaposed next to snowy mountains, and back home via narrow county roads zigzagging through the Rockies. There is nothing quite like waking up to an intimate view of the sun rising over the mountains framed by the car window, and a body tingling with excitement wondering where the road ahead will lead...

Thanks to Google Maps.

Road trip itinerary:

Day 1

(A) Denver to (B) the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City  [2.5 hrs]

(B) Canon City to (C) the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve in Mosca [3 hrs]

(C) Mosca to (D) Durango  [3.5 hrs]

Day 2

(D) Durango to (E) Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings near Cortez [1 hr]

(E) Cortez to (F) the Four Corners Monument near Shiprock, NM  [1 hr]

(F) Four Corners to (G) Telluride to (H) Grand Junction [4 hrs]

(H) Grand Junction to (I) Glenwood Springs [1.5 hrs]

Day 3

(I) Glenwood Springs to (J) the Maroon Bells Mountains near Aspen [1 hr]

(J) Aspen to (K) Leadville to (L) Vail to (M) Denver [5 hrs]

Our first glimpses at the famous bridge that leads nowhere.
The Royal Gorge Bridge is one of the world's tallest
suspension bridges, held up by 300 tons of US steel beams. 

Joe "planking" on the planks.

We took this Aerial Tram, one of the world's longest
single-span sky trams, across the Royal Gorge
to get another perspective of the bridge.

Gliding 1,200 ft above the Arkansas River at 11 mph.
Terrifying!

Our final activity at the Royal Gorge Park was riding the
world's steepest incline railways. This caged train took us
down 1,550 ft at a 45 degree angle to the Arkansas River banks.

Going down, down, down...

A view from the bottom.
Old electricity poles cower below
The Royal Gorge Bridge above.

Upon arrival at the Great Sand Dunes National
Park and Reserve, we couldn't stop snapping
photos of these seemingly misfit sand mountains.

We climbed to the summit of the "High Dune,"
which was not an easy task considering our
feet kept sliding back from underneath us.

The winds were strong that afternoon, making any
 exposed skin turn raw from the relentless assault
of fast moving sand particles. After we reached
the top of the dune, it was a race to the bottom.
Joe, who stopped to take more pictures,
is waving from near the top. 

Journey through the bluffs to Mesa Verde National Park.
We stopped to check out the views from the "Park Point" lookout.

Taking a tour to see the "Cliff Palace" dwellings.
Just one of many ancient and mysterious city
remnants from a time long past.

These Puebloan peoples built multi-level resident towers with
local stones and clay. Fires were burned as a heat source in the winter,
still visible by the thick layers of soot covering cliff "ceilings".

Maize, squash, beans and small game were food staples.
Here are some old corn kernel grinding stones.

The Four Corners Monument.
My body was in four states at once:
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona!

You know you are in the Southwest when...

For the final day of the road trip we headed UP
to gawk at the Maroon Bells Mountains, one
of the most photographed spots in Colorado!
The aspen-lined trail itself was picture worthy.

Upon reaching our destination at Crater Lake,
we further explored the area and found this
fascinating terrain of crackled frozen mud.

The Maroon Bells rising up in the background,
wearing their famous snow-stripped winter sweaters.
This one's a keeper.

On the final leg of the drive back to eastbound I-70, we
stumbled upon The Top of the Rockies lookout point. 

Happy tourists!

This spontaneous trip across the great state of Colorado may be over, but I think we both pocketed a hearty sense of adventure that will serve as a compass as we journey through life's long, meandering road ahead.