Italian Food

Soup, Glorious Soup!
<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/I/7/1/1/pastafagiol.jpg" border="0" align="left" width="195" height="143" alt="pasta e fagioli">I find summer much too hot for most soups, so one of the nicest things about fall is breaking out the soup pot, and listening to it gently sing in the crisp clear autumn days. Should they turn dark and blustery, so much the better, because a bowl of soup keeps the chill at bay!<BR><BR> A few favorites:<BR><BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/heartysoups/r/blr0719.htm"><B>Adriana's Minestrone</B></A>: An extraordinarily creamy minestrone from the Veneto. It's perfect with croutons.<BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr0893.htm"><B>Jota</B></A>: A simple bean-and-sauerkraut soup from Trieste. <BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr0155.htm"><B>Pasta e Fagioli</B></A>: Bean and pasta soup is about as hearty as one can get, and tasty too. The header link is Tuscan, while <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr1612.htm">here is one from the Veneto</a>.<BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0159.htm"><B>Zuppa Con L'Osso del Prosciutto</B></A>: A hearty vegetable soup from Montalcino, which includes bread and a ham bone.<BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0677.htm"><B>Zuppa di Lenticchie</B></A>: An amazingly simple Neapolitan lentil soup. <BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/italiansoups/r/blr0164.htm"><B>Acquacotta</B></A>: A peasant soup from the Maremma.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/10/soup-glorious-soup-2.htm">Soup, Glorious Soup!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, September 10th, 2010 at 05:37:15.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/10/soup-glorious-soup-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/10/soup-glorious-soup-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/10/soup-glorious-soup-2.htm&zItl=Soup, Glorious Soup!">Email this</a></p>

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti alle Vongole
<IMG SRC="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/n/A/1/spaghettivongoleww.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=252 WIDTH=296 ALT="Spaghetti alle Vongole, with clams"><br /><br /> With clam sauce is one of the most popular ways to serve up spaghetti, and rightly so: it's tasty, and easy to make if you have a can or jar of clams. Tastier still if you have frozen clams, which I find similar in flavor and texture to live clams, though not quite as rich.<br /><br /> The one thing neither canned clams nor frozen clams have is clam shells, which might strike you as a funny thing to get excited about -- after all, you don't EAT them -- but they do contribute considerably to the appearance of the dish, and it is also fun to delicately lift the shells and suck the clams from them. And this is why Italian restaurants often use live clams in their clam sauces, and why you'll find sacks of live clams on ice in just about every well stocked Italian market. <br /><br /> They are well worth the extra time they require.<br /><br /> Some clam sauces, and more: <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishsauces/r/blr0058.htm">Spaghetti with clams in a white, tomatoless sauce</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishsauces/r/blr0816.htm">Spaghetti with clam sauce alla Viareggina, which has tomato</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishsauces/r/blr0590.htm">Spaghetti allo Scoglio has all sorts of shellfish</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishrisotti/r/blr0936.htm">Not Pasta? Ligurian Rice with Clams</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/tipstricks1/ss/aa031406.htm">How to prepare live shellfish</A></LI> </UL> And where was this shot taken? On the east bank of Lake Garda, at the <A HREF="http://www.ristorantecostadoro.it/">Ristorante Costadoro</A>. Quite nice!<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/08/almost-wordless-wednesday-spaghetti-alle-vongole.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti alle Vongole</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 04:47:43.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/08/almost-wordless-wednesday-spaghetti-alle-vongole.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/08/almost-wordless-wednesday-spaghetti-alle-vongole.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/08/almost-wordless-wednesday-spaghetti-alle-vongole.htm&zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti alle Vongole">Email this</a></p>

It's Sausage Season!
Well, to be honest sausages never go completely out of season, because they're wonderful grilled at any time, but Italians are much less enthusiastic about using them in other ways during the summer months. Now that temperatures have begun to drop, they're reclaiming their place at the table. <BR><BR> First, a sausage recipe: <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/curedmeats/r/blr0700.htm">Salsiccia Lucchese</A>, a recipe from Lucca, which will yield mild sausages. If you want to spice them up, add crumbled red pepper to the mixture (I'd start going easy on the first batch). <BR><BR> <B>And Next, Some Ideas:</B> <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/heartysoups/r/blr0364.htm"><B>Sausage and Savoy Cabbage Soup, or Minestra di Verze</A>:</B> The combination does a superb job of warming the heart. <LI><B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/meatyrisotti/r/blr0366.htm">Risotto with Sausages, or Risotto con le Salsicce</A>:</B> Quite simple, and very tasty. Comfort food. <LI><B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr1058.htm">Rigatoni alla Burrina, with Sausages and Tomatoes</A>:</B> This is especially nice with sun-ripened tomatoes, though you can use canned. <LI><B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/stuffedpasta/r/blr1324.htm">Potato and Sausage Ravioli - Ravioli di Patate e Salsiccia</A>:</B> A delightful filling for stuffed pasta! <LI><B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/porkrecipes/r/blr0889.htm">Sausage and Potatoes - Salsicce e Patate</A>:</B> Mountain fare, from ip in the Alps. <LI><B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/beans/r/blr0644.htm">Fagiuoli all'Ucceletto - Tuscan Tomatoey Beans</A>:</B> They're a nice side dish as is, but become one of the most satisfying cool weather main courses if you cook some sausages with the beans. </UL><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/06/its-sausage-season-2.htm">It's Sausage Season!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 11:56:19.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/06/its-sausage-season-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/06/its-sausage-season-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/06/its-sausage-season-2.htm&zItl=It's Sausage Season!">Email this</a></p>

On Italian Meals
I recently got a note from James, who says:<BR><BR> <i>I enjoy things Italian, not the least of which is its food. Part of that enjoyment is the proper presentation of its food in the context of meal time. <BR><BR> There is some information as to what constitutes proper form of the meal: hors d'oeuvres, courses, etc. Not so much info regarding the recipes of the menu items, what is an acceptable first course, and what would be an appropriate second course, in light of the first course, etc. <BR><BR> I suppose it seems as though I'm overly interested in food, but it is more important to me that I have presented a meal in what is considered good form. It goes without saying that the meal should be well cooked, but more important, it should be well presented. <BR><BR> Could you direct me to any publication or organizations that address this issue?</i> <BR><BR> To which I replied:<BR><BR> Dear James,<BR><BR> I do discuss the organization of an Italian meal (the meals of the day, actually) <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/menues/a/aa112499.htm">here</a> . <BR><BR> In terms of form, it's important to remember that Italian cooking is quite seasonal, with people tending to cook the vegetables in season (<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/eggplant/Vegetables_Eggplant.htm">eggplant</A> in summer, <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/anitalianenglishglossary/g/cabbage.htm">cabbage</A> in winter), and make much lighter dishes during the summer months than they do in the winter. <BR><BR> Exactly what combination of dishes gets served depends upon the tastes of the cook, but in Italy cooking tends to be local. Neapolitans cook <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/southern_2.htm">Neapolitan</A>, Tuscans cook <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/central_2.htm">Tuscan</A> and so on. People do occasionally cook favorites from elsewhere, and there are some standard dishes, e.g. the <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/beefbracioleetc/r/blr0050.htm">cotoletta alla milanese</A>, but most dishes are local. So if you're preparing a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/islands_2.htm">Sicilian</A> first course, you probably won't want to follow it with a second from <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/northeastern_9.htm">Friuli Venezia Giulia</A>. <BR><BR> I hope this helps! <BR><BR> Adding to my reply, in the past I did put up meals for the week, and will resume doing so now. Among the meals posted to date are: <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/06/18/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-38.htm">Summery, with pappa al pomodoro followed by scaloppine</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/03/12/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-37.htm">Wintery, revolving around oranges</A> </LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/03/05/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-36.htm">Pasta and meat to serve with Chianti</A> </LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/02/05/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-34.htm">A cold weather meal revolving around broth and boiled meats</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/01/29/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-33.htm">Fish, and more specifically salmon</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/01/09/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-31.htm">A meaty fall meal, for when the mist comes in</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2009/10/30/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-and-gavi.htm">Another early fall meal, featuring fish and Gavi wine</A></LI> </UL><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm">On Italian Meals</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Saturday, September 4th, 2010 at 05:04:33.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm&zItl=On Italian Meals">Email this</a></p>

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi
<IMG SRC="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/m/A/1/trissughiww.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=232 WIDTH=298 ALT="Tris di Sughi"><BR><BR> <strong>Or Three Sauces,</strong> and this is what you'll get with your bigoli (thick-stranded pasta) if you order them in a traditional eatery in the Veneto: <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/vegetablesauces/r/blr0022.htm">Tomato Sauce</A>, <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa061703.htm">Peas</A>, a Tomatoless Meat Sauce, and you sauce your pasta as you see fit, adding grated cheese to taste. It can be very nice!<BR><BR> <strong>The meat sauce, you wonder?</strong> If the restaurant is very traditional it will be made from <em>rovinazzi,</em> or chicken giblets:<BR><BR> 2/3 pound (300 g) chicken giblets (gizzards, cockscombs, hearts, and livers)<BR> A sprig of fresh sage <BR> A sprig of fresh rosemary<BR> 1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter<BR> 1 cup (50 g) freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano<BR> Salt<BR><BR> Clean and wash the gizzards. <BR><BR> Bring a small pot of water to boil, salt it lightly, and simmer them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and dice them finely.<BR><BR> Use a needle to prick the cockscombs and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain them, skin them, and chop them.<BR><BR> Wash the hearts and livers under cold running water, removing filaments and fat, and all traces of bile (greenish spots on the livers). Chop the hearts, and crumble the livers with your fingers.<BR><BR> Heat the butter with the sage and rosemary, and when it begins to crackle add the chopped gizzards, cockscombs and hearts, and simmer for about 15 minutes over a low flame. <BR><BR> Remove the herbs, add the livers, season to taste, and cook, stirring, over a brisk flame for about 3 minutes. <BR><BR> It's done! <BR><BR> Serve your bigoli (figure 3/4 pound, or about 320 g for 4 people, and time the cooking so they will be done when the sauce is), with the giblet sauce, tomato sauce, peas, and grated cheese on the side for those who want it. The wine? Red, and <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa041297.htm">Valopicella</A> will be perfect.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 05:19:48.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm&zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi">Email this</a></p>

Peperoni...
<IMG SRC="http://italianfood.about.com/library/pics/peper.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=187 WIDTH=244 Align="left" ALT="Peppers">It suddenly occurred to me that I have yet to say much about peperoni, bell peppers, this summer. A serious failing on my part because they have been good. But there's still time, and should you pick up a few at your market (the ones shown here are <i>Corno di Bue,</I> or Bull's Horn peppers, from Piemonte), you have many options, including these, most of which will also be nice at a cookout or picnic: <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0182.htm">Bell Pepper Rollups, or Involtini</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr1802.htm">Goria-Style Marinated Grilled Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr1483.htm">Grilled Bell Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0273.htm">Neapolitan Stuffed Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0825.htm">Peperonata Rustica</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/Peppers-Stuffed-With-Tuna-Mozzarella-And-Pine-Nuts.htm">Peppers Stuffed with Tuna, Mozzarella and Pine Nuts</A></LI> </UL> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0168.htm">More Ideas for Bell Peppers</A></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm">Peperoni...</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 10:25:09.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm&zItl=Peperoni...">Email this</a></p>

Dining at the Shore
<IMG SRC="http://z.about.com/d/italianfood/1/0/4/y/bright.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=167 ALIGN="LEFT" hspace="5" vspace="5" WIDTH=200 ALT="Fresh fish">August is traditionally the month Italians head for the shore, and this of course means eating fish. That people now stay at the shore for days rather than weeks doesn't change the picture much -- people simply enjoy as much fish as they can in the time they have. I know we're at the end of the month, but there's still time for one more weekend meal.<BR><BR>One might start out with <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0931.htm">Cozze al graten</A>, a classic Neapolitan recipe for baked mussels (or go with a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0932.htm">Sicilian variation</A> that also has tomato), followed by <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0930.htm">impepata di cozze</A>, a peppery mussel stew (if you really like mussels) or the classic <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishsauces/r/blr0058.htm">spaghetti alle vongole</A>, spaghetti with clams, and finish with <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/freshfishthebasics/r/blr0851.htm">grilled fish</A>, perhaps an orata or a spigola (sea bass or snapper, respectively) and a zesty tossed salad. The wine? I'd go with a Falanghina, a delightful white from Campania. And dessert? <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0115.htm">Gelato</A>.<BR><BR> <B><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishdishes/ig/La-Galleria-del-Pesce/">La Galleria Del Pesce, The Fish Gallery</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/aboutingredients/ss/aa081106.htm">How To Select Fresh Fish</a></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm">Dining at the Shore</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 18:39:51.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm&zItl=Dining at the Shore">Email this</a></p>

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!
<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa072507.htm"><IMG SRC="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/h/A/1/piadina10ww.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=231 WIDTH=300 ALT="Piadine"></A><BR><BR> Piadine are the wonderful flatbreads made in Romagna (east of Bologna), and though one might expect them to be an old, old tradition, their status as the day-to-day bread Romagnoli enjoy is fairly recent, because they contain lard that few could afford (except for special occasions) until after WWII. <BR><BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa072507.htm">Piadine are quite easy to make</A>, and quick too, because there's no rising involved. Tradition dictates that they be slathered with a spreadable cheese, for example stracchino, topped with prosciutto, and folded in half, but I have also enjoyed a piadina folded around grilled sausages and onions -- it made for a different and quite invigorating breakfast, and was just what I needed after a night in the rain at Imola, where my friends and I had gone to see a Formula 1 race.<BR><BR> If you serve piadine at a cookout or picnic, expect people to wonder at their appearance, and then gobble them up! <BR><BR> <B>Some other Hearth Breads<br /> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa051906.htm">Panigacci are Ligurian</A><BR> <A HREF="http://indianfood.about.com/od/breadrecipes/ig/How-to-Make-Chapatis/">Chapatis are Indian</A><BR> <A HREF="http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/pitabreadrecipe.htm">Pita Bread is Middle-Eastern</A></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 07:08:50.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm&zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!">Email this</a></p>

Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!
<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/ss/aa121305.htm"><IMG SRC="http://z.about.com/d/italianfood/1/0/-/G/most10s.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=164 ALIGN= "LEFT" WIDTH=200 ALT="Jars of Mostarda"></A>The end of summer is one of the richest periods of the year for fruit, and your markets may be overflowing with all sorts of things that would be nice to carry into the winter months. What to do? <BR> Make <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/a/aa121405.htm"><I>Mostarda</I></A>, a traditional Italian fruit condiment that's perfect with boiled meats or vegetables (and is also nice with a roast); it gains a healthy kick from ground mustard seed or mustard oil, but otherwise has little in common with the yellow stuff the French call <I>Moutarde</I> and Italians call <I>Senape.</I> <BR> Though it will take you several days to make a batch of mostarda, the actual process is quite easy and the steps only take a few minutes per day. <BR><BR> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/a/aa121405.htm">More about mostarda, and several recipes</A>.</B><BR> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/ss/aa121305.htm">Making mostarda: the steps, illustrated</A>.</B> <p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm">Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 at 04:41:40.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm&zItl=Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!">Email this</a></p>

Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?
It's wild berry season in Italy now, and this especially means blackberries; the brier patches are heavy with ripe black berries, and you'll find people happily picking them if you drive out into the country. What next? They're wonderful over <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://">gelato</a> or with whipped cream, but the best thing to do with a blackberry (I think) is <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/preservesetc/r/blr0507.htm">make jam</A>. For that matter, buy other ripe fresh fruit while you're at it (Italian markets sell it by the case at this time of year, especially <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/preservesetc/r/blr0795.htm">peaches</A>) and make <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa053099.htm"><I>lots</I> of jam</A>. <BR><BR> It's important to sterilize home made jams, and after the jars have cooled you should tap the lids to make sure the seals ring true. If one doesn't you simply open it first. Got two that don't ring? Use one to make a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0253.htm">crostata</A>, the classic central Italian jam tart. They're wonderfully tasty, and you may find yourself hoping more jars clank.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm">Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, August 20th, 2010 at 01:58:06.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm&zItl=Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?">Email this</a></p>