Pastry of the Nobility

That is- during the Renaissance. Have you ever had sfogliatelle? It just happens to be the very first pastry I learned to bake; let me add labor intensive to make. I have loved it ever since. As you know, I don't gravitate towards chocolate, mouses or cakes. The sfogliatelle is anything but that. It's the right mix of many, many layers of thin flakey dough, stuffed with a citron semolina and ricotta filling; shaped like a clam shell. It has a bit of crunch with a dense custard textured center.

Sampling purely for research purposes, (ahem) I find it difficult to decide - is sfogliatelle better in Rome or Amalfi? Well New Yorkers, I admit this Neapoliatan pastry tastes just as good in the Bronx, NY. But please do yourself a favor and go to a real authentic Italian pastry shop. Tastes best, served warm with a good espresso.

sfogliatelle

Tapenade

How about entertaining with a bit of Northern Spain/ South of France influence? Stock up on Olives and Anchovies. Tip: Give Arbequina olives a try - they are grown in Catalonia, Spain and have a buttery flavor with hints of pepper.

Tapenade comes from the word tapeno which means capers in Provence. The addition of sun dried tomatoes adds a little sweetness.

Olive Tapenade

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 1 cup

2/3 cup black oil cured olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted and finely chopped 

2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped 

4 cloves caramelized garlic 

2 Tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed under cold tap water and finely chopped 

2 small sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 

4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3 basil leaves , chopped

In a bowl, mix together the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, sun dried tomatoes, oil, pepper, and water. Spread Tapenade on toasted French baguette bread, top with fresh basil, or serve with your favorite sandwich. 

February Flavors

Well here's one more reason to think of warmer weather in February; Grom and their acclaimed Gelato and Fruit Sorbets. Grom's Gelato tastes like I walked-up to a Gelateria on Via Veneto, but the odd thing is - I'm in New York. How is this possible? It's a great story. 

Two Torin partners, Martinetti and Grom fused their passion and intentions to make the best artisanal Gelato and make it available to the world, mindfully. Sounds simple, but it's not. To producer food this way, it is actually harder. They simplified everything in the ingredients; adding no preservatives or flavor enhancers. Slow food is the basis for their local ingredients. Grom takes great pride in telling you what's in their product and also go through the effort to list what you are not eating. Each ingredient has an address of origin and a story behind it. The milk is from Savigliano, the peaches from Canale, the almonds from Sicily, and strawberries from Ribera - you get the picture. The partners have also acquired land to produce some of there own ingredients.

In just a matter of seven years Grom has launched a few shops in New York; in The Village and on The Westside, with another on the way. Even with Grom expanding, Martinetti and Grom have stressed the importance of not getting too big, shunning the word franchise. 

The word on Grom pistacchio, it's the best - you just have to try it. 

GROM New York:

233 Bleecker Street (and Carmine) - Greenwich Village - New York City - Ph. (+1) 212 206 1738 

2165 Broadway (and 76th) - Upper West Side - New York City - Ph. (+1) 212 362 1837

Coulommiers Rouzaire

You know I like to pass along good stuff when I come across it. Today's topic, the ever important wedge of soft cheese - that you don't need to hold on to your hat, when buying, this quality of product.

Fromagerie Rouzairein, is a third generation cheese factory owned by the Rouzaire family. The factory is located less than one hour from Paris center, in the heart of the Seine et Marne, the Île-de-France region. 

Old Ourcq canal dockside in Meaux, France, image; LundeuxMeaux medieval passage

Coulommiers, made from cows milk, is considered a member of the Brie family made in Meaux, aka the "land of Brie," about 40 miles east of Paris. It is smaller and thicker than the more typical Brie-style cheeses, and some say that Coulommiers is the predecessor of Brie. 

Coulommiers' hand molded artisanal cheese is described as "the color of fresh churned butter with a supple paste and well-developed rind with a hint of hazelnut." 

The famous Brie de Meaux, crowned "king of cheeses" at the 1815 Congress of Vienna, has a Label of Controlled Origin. It is a distinctively soft cheese, encased in a covering of white skin, scattered with reddish pigments, with a light hazelnut taste

Coulommiers is delightful on crackers, spread on a baguette and pairs well with with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or even Merlot.

Available at fine specialty shops and artisianalcheese.com

My Proline

Those that know me-know, I am not big on collecting kitchen gadgets. It might stem from my fierce culinary training. We were programmed to believe that you can't hide behind all the fancy kitchen accouterments. Frankly, there was no time to reach for the special doohickey for this or that; which explains why for many years I drank my coffee black - adding milk takes an extra 30 seconds. Well things have changed, somewhat. I now put milk in my coffee and have gotten used to a few good kitchen gadgets, my coffee maker, The KitchenAid Proline Coffee Maker. It is worthy of touting about. I know I am not alone, a good cup of coffee in the AM can help get you on the right foot for the day.

Other articles:

Coffee, Beyond the Brew

The Daily Grind