Italian Food Lovers

Hello again dear Italian Food Lover friends, and, as always, thank you for your loyal readership! (And, if you haven’t already done so, check out our RSS feeds, eh?).

It seems that this weekend, the guests at my house couldn’t stop talking about Italian Regional Cuisine, and, as such, I thought it’d be nice to spend a few keystrokes here discussing Italian Gastronomy, Academia Barilla’s mission, and, well, the Italian regional culinary scene in general.

So, when we talk about Gastronomy, and in particular local or regional gastronomy, we’re really talking about the culture and art of gourmet food and drink.

Right now, I want to blurb a bit about a few gastronomic gems - those gourmet regional foods that truly define the culture and art of la bella Italia - that I feel truly define Italy for me.

Based on these foods’ dispersion throughout the world, it would be safe to say that they also typify Italian gastronomy for many others, as well.

Cannoli (Sicily)
These archetypal desserts are some of Sicily’s true culinary gems - fried sweet dough stuffed with a sweetened cheese mixture inside and topped with a healthy dusting of powdered sugar.

They were originally made in the zone around Palermo during the time of Carnevale (Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday — right about now, in fact!) and due to their incredible taste and excellent audience, they’ve traveled throughout Italy and now throughout the world.

Some of my favorite treats from New York City’s famous San Gennaro festivals include NY-made cannoli… Perhaps I can coax Massimo and his team to drum up a great recipe for these sugar-filled treats in the coming future.

The Sangiovese Grape and its Tuscan Children
Sangiovese grapes are grown in many places in Italy, but in no region do they make such a huge impact as they do in Tuscany, where nearly all of the major DOCG red wines use Sangiovese of some sort as their base.

Indeed, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Carmignano are all comprised of at least 50% or more of the Sangiovese grape. Why is it so popular, you might wonder? Simple: the grape has been grown and made into wine in Tuscany for almost a millenium, and, well, if it has been working so well for so many years, why change a good thing? by the way, why do you think we keep selecting extra-virgin olive oil DOP from the Chianti area of Tuscany?

Tortellini (Emilia-Romagna)
These excellent pasta are usually ring-shaped with a whole in the center and an incredibly tasty stuffing inside (that is generally comprised of meat, prosciutto, cheese or a mixture of all three).

They are a typical pasta dish from Emilia-Romagna in general, but were born in the great pasta shops of Bologna and Modena (and don’t forget Parma, either!), where they are sold by weight and are made in the thousands every day, usually by only one or two people. Fresh, handmade and unbelievably tasty, Tortellini are truly a pasta dish that exemplifies the freshness and hand-made-ness of the Italian gastronomic tradition!

Trenette al Pesto (Liguria)
Liguria is known for its excellent Pesto, a sauce made from none other than garlic, small basil leaves, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pine nuts, among other spices and ingredients that differ from kitchen to kitchen.

I am trying to ask Massimo for his incredible variations on Pesto - including some that use pistachio nuts, cilantro and more - but in the meanwhile, I will mention how incredibly traditional this sauce, and their accompanying Trenette pasta (very similar to linguine) are served with boiled potatoes and green beans to become a truly Ligurian dish. Yum! Of course, we suggest to use Academia Barilla’s Riviera Ligure extra-virgin olive oil DOP, just to pair with the local flavors from Cinque Terre.

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (Emilia-Romagna)
We’ve devoted considerable time to Aceto Balsamico, as of yet, and, without a doubt, it has been worth it (ps - we’ll be devoting more to this excellent product in the coming weeks, as well!).

But, have you ever considered drizzling this dazzling liquid over ice cream? Or simply serving it the traditional way over Parmigiano-Reggiano chunks that you’ve broken off with a cheese knife? Have you tried Mario’s tips on how to taste balsamic vinegar on its own? Personally, one of my favorite ways of indulging a bit of 25 year Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale is over a filet mignon…mmm!

Bagna Cauda and Polenta (Piedmont)
We haven’t touched much on Piemontese cuisine, but I promise that we’ll take a look at this wonderful region in the coming weeks. One of their true gastronomic specialties - Polenta - is made with ground cornmeal and broth.

It is an excellent substitute for Pasta for these Northerners, and they typically serve it with Bagna Cauda - a “hot sauce” of garlic, butter and anchovy paste that is very tasty and very traditional. I think it is best served over polenta, but many family members and friends enjoy it simply as a dipping sauce accompanying steamed vegetables.

Have we discussed your favorite traditional gastronomic treat from Italy?

What defines Italian gastronomy for you? Let us know in the comments section below!

Valentine’s Day is here!

And, yes, while we here at Italian Food Lovers might not be completely swept off our feet by what has become a somewhat over-hyped holiday, we can’t help but think of the great excuses that we have for yet another great gourmet meal to celebrate.

So, while you’re wining and dining romantically tonight, we thought we’d put together a few gourmet food facts that you can pull out to impress your special someone.

Note: these gourmet food facts should be used tactfully and sparingly, so as to not seem contrived. For instance, when offering your loved one some of Massimo’s excellent ceviche, you can casually drop the “Honey, did you know that it is considered a faux pas in Italy to grate Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over seafood dishes, like ceviche or even Linguine with Mussels?” line — that’ll be sure to impress and show that you really know your stuff.

So, without further ado, here come some great Valentine’s food fact morsels for you, dear Italian Food Lover. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Gourmet (and Romantic!) Food Facts ala Italian Food Lovers

>> High quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil comes in dark bottles so as to not allow much light to pass through the bottle and potentially oxidize the fragile olive oil inside. The color of the oil inside the bottle doesn’t necessarily denote quality (Extra-Virgin oils can be a range of colors), but the outside bottle must be dark so as to protect the delicacy of the oil.

Here at Academia Barilla we even completely protect the oil from sunlight by wrapping our top gourmet olive oil bottles in golden paper, which completely protects the bottle and its precious content from all external lights (all other Academia Barilla olive oil bottles of course come with a very dark glass, that filters out most of the external light).

>> Everyone talks about the romance of Tuscany, and here are some food products that conjure up romantic and tasty notions: Tuscany’s famous wine, Chianti (which, like most Tuscan wines, is made with Sangiovese grapes) and Tuscany’s most famous sheep’s milk cheese, Pecorino Toscano, are an excellent combination as a appetizer or as a cheese course. They also make for a great start to a picnic basket!

>> Farinata is a famous Ligurian flatbread that is made using chickpea flour. It is commonly seen in the beautiful and very romantic towns of the Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast, same area where Academia Barilla produces its refinate Riviera Ligure extra-virgin olive oil, the one we wrap for max protection.

Completely unrelated to this delicacy is a historical figure named Farinata degli Uberti - he was a Tuscan military leader who Dante, famous poet of the Divina Commedia, had placed in Inferno. Perhaps there is a connection after all — maybe Tuscan Farinata degli Uberti made the Ligurian Farinata flatbread in his flaming tomb in the sixth circle of Hell? Only Dante knows the answer to that one….

>> Italians are known to fare la scarpetta at the end of the pasta course of a meal. This sweet little phrase, which literally translates to “do the little shoe,” signifies the ritual usage of bread to soak up any remaining sauce after having consumed the pasta. Make sure you drop this line to your Valentine when you’re about to finish your plate — and possibly their plate as well! after all, if you do it with style, it can also be a very sensual geste during a romantic Valentine’s dinner…

>> And, lastly, it is indeed considered a bit strange to mix cheese with seafood, though after years of seeing tourists request Parmigiano with their Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams), more and more Italian nouveau cuisine dishes are creatively mixing the milk with the fruits of the sea.

We’ll have to dig up one of those contemporary recipes in the near future, but, in the meantime, we recommend you save your DOP Pecorino Toscano for dishes that don’t involve fish, shellfish or other water-borne goodies.

Have a wonderful, tasty, gourmet and very romantic Valentine’s Day!

Alright, enough talk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, now let’s taste it – right from the source!
Here are some tasting guides we use in the Academia Barilla test kitchens to sample Parmigiano. Try this at home next time you open a wheel or break off a chunk.

1) Aroma – what does the cheese smell like? Break off a chunk – does the smell change?

2) Taste – insert a small chunk of cheese into your mouth and let it warm up. I usually count to about 10, and then smash the cheese on the upper roof of my mouth, being sure to let all of the flavors melt out and coat my mouth. What do you taste? Is the cheese salty, sweet, acidic, tangy, fruity or bitter?

3) Aroma, again - smell the cheese, but this time from inside your mouth. Does the back of your mouth pick up different fragrances than when you smelled it originally with your nose? Does that reflect itself in the taste of the cheese?

4) Texture – note how the texture of the cheese has changed since you originally put a chunk in your mouth. After 5 seconds, or even 10, does the cheese still hold its original form? After you smash it against the roof of your mouth, are there still smaller granules you taste?

I won’t say that what I experience in Parmigiano cheese tasting is in any way definitive, since each person’s taste is different. However, whenever I taste a perfect Parmigiano, I am reminded of the scents of Hay, as well as of the market cheese shop, and then the flavors of sweet/salty/nutty Parmigiano. I know, that’s a terrible description, but, after growing up with Parmigiano on a near-daily basis….there’s nothing quite like it in the world.

Academia Barilla has these notes, and others, in the cheese tasting guide published on AcademiaBarilla.com.

Now, if you’re planning on coming to Italy any time soon, there are a few excellent resources on where to go to see traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano production, as well as tasting of this excellent traditional Italian gourmet food product.

For all intents and purposes, the links and resources below represent only a few possible places you can look for further information about visiting casefici of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy. And, with the clear and distinct exception of the Academia Barilla experiences listed below, Academia Barilla makes no endorsement of any of the following links, resources, or places.

Academia Barilla – Parma, Italy

Come to Italy and learn from the best – Academia Barilla! Our expert staff will be happy to show you around the beautiful Emilia-Romagna region and take you directly to some of the locations where we make Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

In addition, we offer cooking classes to teach you the details and intricacies of this beautiful product. If you’re only in Italy for a limited time, come visit us and we’ll jam-pack your Parmigiano experience into one culinary learning vacation you’ll remember forever.
Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano – Parma, Italy, and environsThis organization is dedicated to all things Parmigiano, and has been since its inception over a century ago.It maintains lists of all of the dairies that produce Parmigiano, including Academia Barilla’s contracted dairies, and offers resources on how to get in touch with them. An excellent resource if you’re exploring Parma, Emilia-Romagna and the north-central of Italy on your own.Can’t make it to Italy? Well, luckily, Academia Barilla has your connection to the best cheeses from Italy, and you can sample traditional and authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP cheese and other Italian DOP gourmet products by simply visiting our online store.

OK, OK, so, perhaps my last post on Parmigiano-Reggiano and its production was a bit wordy… Well, you’re right, but to produce such an amazing cheese, you need a truly amazing description. And I dedicated a whole year-long blog post about it. Cosi’ e’ la vita!Nonetheless, there are so many ways to use this nutty, tasty, incredible cheese that I could post 40 times as much as I have already, and still not finish with even some of the ideas. And keeping in mind that I am not the chef around this blog, I’ve still got some ideas as to how to use Parmigiano-Reggiano in a fun way.

Massimo will surely give you more ideas as to how to use Parmigiano-Reggiano. Above all, the importance of knowing about this cheese, and its many uses, it paramount to understanding Italian culinary tradition, as well as the uses of a great traditional product.

Right now, let’s examine how to use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in fun and simply ways that don’t involve simply grating it onto your pasta.

RECIPE IDEA 1: Really Simple

Parmigiano + Balsamico = “Basta, that was easy!”

Here’s an age-old classic that never fails. Parmigiano-Reggiano chunks, either fresh from the wheel or just from a larger chunk, can be drizzled with aged Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for an excellent and easy antipasto cheese plate.
Combine with a few grapes, walnuts, Anjou Pears and Braeburn Apples, and you have a gourmet picnic.

RECIPE IDEA 2: Simple

Parmigiano-Reggiano Crisps

What you’ll need: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, about one cup. Also some black pepper, or cayenne, if you’re one of the “I like it spicy” crowd.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a Silpat, or any other nonstick silicone baking sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of cheese and then flatten with the back of your spoon.

Make sure there’s enough space between each cheese crisp, usually about 2-3 inches or so.

Season lightly with pepper and then bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

Watch these carefully, as your oven could brown ‘em up a little too fast…

Serve as a delectable garnish to soups, salads, or whatever else you want.

A note about wine pairing.

Now, it is seemingly customary here in the United States to pair Parmigiano-Reggiano with Port or Zinfandel. While that pairing generally works, I encourage you, dear reader, to put down the Dow’s next time around, and think about these wine pairings.

Brunello di Montalcino – one of the king wines of Tuscany, this 100% sangiovese wine can be lovely with a hunk of stravecchio Parmigiano. Try vintages from 1997 or 2000, if you can find them for under $100 a bottle!

Colli di Parma Rosso DOC – A truly hard-to-find red wine here in the States, this DOC red made mostly of Barbera matches nearly perfectly with Parmigiano-Reggiano’s nuttiness. Why? Well, it is grown in the hills very close to where the mucche rosse reggiane graze for the milk that goes into Parmigiano. Any good, hearty Barbera from Piedmont or Northern California could do, however.

In the blogosphere, check out Catherine Granger’s useful blogpost that mentions Parmigiano (even if she spells it the “American” way, wink!) and Brunello, and describes the majority of Parmigiano uses.

Have a good wine pairing of your own? Leave a comment below!

Whether you eat it grated over a pasta dish, or into your risotto during the crematura, or simply with aged traditional Balsamic Vinegar atop it, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is one of the greatest tastes to come out of la Bella Italia.Its production is also a great thing – carried down by years of tradition and excellence. Let’s examine how true Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is made, and where exactly it comes from.

Historians first noted the nutty, granular cheese of the area between Parma and Reggio-Emilia in the region of Emilia-Romagna about a millennium ago. It is said that famed Tuscan writer Boccaccio even incorporated references to Parmigiano in his famous Decameron.

Since those days, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese has continued to capture the hearts, minds, and mouths, of many an Italian, European, and global citizen.

The DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production of today comes from farms in a limited area between the towns of Parma and Reggio-Emilia, with a line extending out in the directions of Modena, Bologna and Mantova.

More often than not, farms in this area employ the lactic help of the Reggiana Red Cow, or mucca rossa reggiana, for the production of milk for Parmigiano. These cows must feed on grass and hay and are allows to graze the many hills in the Emilia region.

Academia Barilla is proud to select only cheeses made with latte di collina, or “milk from the hills.” This means that the Reggiana Red Cows are allowed to go to pasture in the hills and mountains of the area, and therefore are able to graze on finer grasses. In essence, Academia Barilla uses “Free range” milk for its Parmigiano-Reggiano!

Cows are milked twice a day for Parmigiano milk – once in the morning, and again in the evening. The evening milk is eventually skimmed overnight, and then is combined with full-fat milk from the morning milking to start the production of Parmigiano.

Academia Barilla’s website has a great photo gallery of a traditional cheesemaking with the latte di collina – click here to view.

Nonetheless, this load of milk is then funneled into cone-shaped tubs of about 300 gallon capacity and is warmed while rennet is added to induce coagulation. Here’s where the real artistry takes over: an Academia Barilla Maestro Caseario, “master cheesemaker”, then has his hand at the Parmigiano, and uses a technical instrument called the spino to break up the clotting milk curds into the rice-like granules that will later become hard, nutty, and perfect to grate over un bel piatto di pasta!

At this point, the curds are lifted out of the copper vat and placed to drain – from this comes the whey of Parmigiano, which also has a special use, but more on that in a later blogpost, perhaps. The curds are placed into a huge flax cloth and are cut in half to form the gemelli – twins. These twin wheels will then be shaped by hand and machine to form their wheel shape.

After a few days rest, the wheels have formed a hard outer shell and are then given an imprint of PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO, as well as a healthy dose of salt. The wheels are placed into a saline solution, a brine of sorts, for up to 30 days. This is the only preservative that Academia Barilla uses in the production of its authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Last comes the aging process: Parmigiano-Reggiano has to be aged at least 12 months in order to be considered DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano. At this point, an appointed cheese-tester from the Consorzio DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano comes by to inspect each wheel of cheese. (If you think I have an OK job, you should only meet these guys! Lucky! Testing cheese for a living – whew!)

With a small hammer, the expert inspector taps the cheese, checking for cracks or imperfections. His ear is so well-tuned to the intricacies of cheese that he can sense when a cheese does not make the grade. If it does, it then may be ready for sale.

In some cases, cheeses can be left to age even further. After 18 months, Parmigiano-Reggiano gets the title “Vecchio” . Give it another few months, and, at age 2 years, or 24 months, the wheels attain “Stravecchio” status, meaning that they are extra old.

Learn more about Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this re dei formaggi, on the Academia Barilla website.

Be sure to check out Academia Barilla’s excellent online shop, as well, where you can buy 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, or even whole traditional Parmesan wheels, perfect if you are a Chef, own a restaurant, or just throw a party with a gourmet buffet!

Alla prossima!