Raining Memories

On the second day of autumn this year, as on the first day, rain is teaming down, deeply soaking everything not under cover. Time to put on the fire and make a cup of dark, strong, aromatic coffee. As the little espresso pot begins to hiss and burble on the stove top, a flood of memories return, sailing across my inner vision, taking me back to my year in Italia.

Rain would be pelting down outside but inside the kitchen my friend and I would be sipping our afternoon cup of espresso. It was a ritual - after lunch the dishes would be washed, the kitchen cleaned and then, only then, would the espresso pot be put on. The two of us would pull up our chairs to the table, the sound of them moving echoing as they scraped along the tile floor, we would rest our elbows on the table and then savour of hot sweet cup of espresso. Our conversation would flow, she would help me with my Italian when the words weren’t quite right, and I would hear stories of life in this family and region of Campania. We shared our lives, past and present, tears and laughter, mingling it with the aroma of coffee inside and the sound of the rain outside.

One particular lunch that was like comfort food on a rainy day was a simple dish of lentils and spaghetti. Signora G, the Mama of my host family, would boil green lentils with a clove of garlic and salt, along with a little olive oil. When they were almost ready she added spaghetti. With freshly grated parmesan on the top it was deliciously simple. I still make this dish as comfort food on rainy days! Don’t we all have those comfort foods we like on rainy days?

Isn’t it amazing how food and memories are so connected? Those childhood favourites, celebration favourites, and things that Grandma used to make and what we remember as the scent of them reaches us.

The rain outside is flowing steadily, watering and nurturing the earth. I am enjoying sipping my hot cup of coffee, staying dry, and savouring the memories that have flowed within me this morning. And now, I think it is time for a nice bowl of lentil soup in honour of my dear friends in Italia! Then it is time to get moving and go to work.

Flowers For The Dinner

It is salad season and adding a little extra bit of colour to a salad can come in the form of adding edible flowers. Nasturtiums go wild once they get growing and they are a beautiful addition of colour and artistry to a fresh green salad. A sprinkling of bright orange calendula petals is another delightful splash of colour for the salad plate. You don't have to leave them - go ahead and eat them along with the greens!
This colorful and delicate annual is from Peru, where it was once used to treat skin wounds. Nasturtium is well known for its edible spicy flowers and leaves; what may not be so well known is that it has a high content of vitamin C and effectively treats infections and may help relieve colds. It was first brought to Europe in the seventeenth century and first cultivated only in abbey gardens for medicinal usage.
Today, nasturtium is used in cooking and as an herbal remedy. The plant's peppery leaves make a delicious addition to a salad - as long as pesticides weren't used on the plant! Nasturtium is most often used to stimulate the appetite and promote good digestion - a perfect blend of the delightful plant's culinary and medicinal properties. Nasturtium is an easy, colorful plant to grow and is available with trailing, climbing or mounding habits and either dark green or variegated leaves. Plant it in full sun or partial shade for a large harvest of leaves and flowers all summer long.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/herbal_lore/44947

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

The local café kitchen window (photo in the previous posting)grabbed my attention with the fresh herbs growing in the planter box, the luscious bowl of fresh tomatoes sitting in the open window and the colander hanging, ready at a moments notice to hold freshly washed produce as the cleansing water slowly dripped off. Summer time and plates of fresh sliced tomatoes always go together.

When I lived in Italy the tomatoes had flavour and colour that I have not found anywhere else. So red and juicy, to be eaten just as they were. Slice them onto a plate, fan them out, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and throw on some fresh basil leaves - oh so sweet and delectable! Travelling in Bulgaria several times, the shopska salad, made from fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, thinly sliced onions and feta cheese, was always cool, refreshing, and delicious. One never got tired of being presented with this simple salad.

Our tomato plants are currently laden with tomatoes: a hanging basket with cherry tomatoes, a roma tomato plant and one beefsteak plant. Unfortunately they are taking their time ripening so we have not been able to enjoy this fresh produce just yet. Soon some fried green tomatoes might end up along with our brunch omelette!

A plate of freshly picked tomatoes was in my line of vision and something for our evening meal was also on my radar so the idea of roasted tomato pasta sauce and spaghetti was what came out of it. The roasting of the tomatoes brings out their sugar and a deeper flavour for this sauce. Fresh tomato pasta sauce does not have the tang or the acid taste that using tinned tomato sauce can give. I was actually making this in the kitchen at work for our dinner so I didn’t have a camera ready to photograph it for this posting. So you will have to use the images your memory holds of steaming, heaped plates of pasta!

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti Sauce:

6 fresh good sized tomatoes (remove the stem core and then quarter them)
6 cloves of garlic (leave the skin on)
5 or 6 stems of fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon of dry oregano)
3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
Heat oven to 350F

Also:
½ cup red wine (if you like)
1 cup small cubed pancetta
Touch of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sugar

Gently toss the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, balsamic and oregano together and place on baking pan, put into the oven for 45 minutes.

When the tomatoes are done, gently squeeze the garlic out of the skins. It will be a bit caramelized which is perfect!

Put everything into your blender, including all the juices and the oil, and blitz it for just a moment. It won’t be really smooth - you don’t want it to be.

I just love pancetta in my spaghetti sauce so I then saute the cubed pancetta in a little bit of olive oil until it is getting lightly browned. This Italian bacon has a very unique flavour to add to your sauce. Add in your pureed roasted tomato and garlic mixture and add the red wine and the touch of sugar. Simmer this at a very low heat for about 20 minutes. Using a good size fry pan is best.

Cook up your spaghetti pasta (Garofalo brand is my favourite). When the pasta is ready, drain it (don’t rinse it) and put it into the sauce and toss it all together.

Add grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.

Buon appetito!

Fresh...

If only "fresh" ingredients were always this close at hand, this easy to procure!

Moments of Surprise

I adore those moments that take you by surprise, make you take a breath, then exhale, leaving you with a delicious sense of wonder with life.

Early the other morning I caught sight of the bear leaving the apple tree to head for something else. He stopped, stood tall, reached up and pulled down a towering sunflower and helped himself to the seeds it held.

A perfect morning snack on his morning walk!