briciole

curry di fagioli con pomodoro e anacardi / beans in cashew and tomato curry

before the final stirring What does life look like in a country recovering from genocide? The novel Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin, which is the current Cook the Books selection, offers a fictionalized glimpse of life in Rwanda after the events of 1994. The protagonist, Angel Tungaraza, has moved from Tanzania with her husband, Pius, who works at the local university, and their five orphan grandchildren. The family lives in an apartment complex with other foreigners, who have moved to Rwanda to help with reconstruction after the genocide. Angel's home-based business baking and decorating cakes (torte) puts her in... Read more →

cielo e terra / heaven and earth / Himmel und Erde

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] soft, savory, sweet, smoky A visit to Germany is not complete without a taste of potatoes (patate). The traditional dish Himmel und Erde tempted me with its flavor combination and the poetic name, in which apples (mele) represent Himmel and potatoes represent Erde. According to wikipedia, a German dialect word for potato is Erdapfel" (literally, "earth apple" which is also the name in French pomme de terre) so there is a nice connection between apples and potatoes. The other two ingredients that I put into this side dish are onion (cipolla) and... Read more →

peperoni Shishito / Shishito peppers

memory of summer I first read about Shishito peppers in an article by Deborah Madison. I later met them in person, at the Temescal Farmers' Market (Oakland). I find their shape quite interesting. Brightly colored Shishito peppers are festive. The photo above is from last summer and I chose to share it now because... edible Christmas tree decorations with their shape and color they could play the role of Season's decorations. This is my contribution to edition #110 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar,... Read more →

gelata / frost

my parsley does not look pleased For the past 10 days or so, bright sunny days have fallen asleep into freezing nights. This is not an unusual occurrence in the area where I live, but this year it has happened early and it is lasting longer than I remember. In the morning, it is difficult to convince my body cocooned in warm blankets to get up and walk into a chilly house. But when I pull up the shades, my eyes smile at the sight of the embroidered grass and bushes. The parsley I still have in my small patch does... Read more →

Q come Quarkkeulchen / Q like Quarkkeulchen

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] highway to the sky One morning in early March, a good number of years ago, I boarded a train at Milan's Stazione Centrale. After crossing the border, the train glided across Switzerland, breaking the silence of meadows and woods sleeping peacefully under a thick blanket of snow. After the sun set, it became more difficult to follow the progress of my journey and I settled with my book. Around 10 pm, the train arrived at Cologne Central Station (Köln Hauptbahnhof) and I got off. The brisk air carried the memory of recent... Read more →

casseruola di uova e formaggio con verdure / egg and cheese casserole with vegetables

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] detail of: The garden of earthly delights When I was in Madrid for a conference a good number of years ago, I spent an afternoon at the Museo Nacional del Prado. It was an amazing feast for the eyes: more sumptuous than expected and completely satisfying. One of the most interesting works I admired that day was Hieronymous Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights. I lost track of time as my eyes lost themselves in the intricate details of Bosch's vision. I still have a few postcards from that visit and I... Read more →

crostata di pere asiatiche e formaggio Quark / Asian pear and Quark cheese tart

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] a symphony in three layers You know how they say that subscribing to a CSA makes you learn to use new types of produce? Well, it is true. Asian pears look charming with their distinctive portly shape, exuding authority and the worldly wisdom of someone who has traveled from afar. When I started receiving freshly picked organic Asian pears of the varieties Shinko and Nijisseki (a.k.a. 20th Century, see photo below) in my weekly CSA box a few years ago, I got down to becoming friends with them. When in doubt, ask... Read more →

annuncio / announcement: My Legume Love Affair #66

I have the honor of being the host for the December 2013 edition of My Legume Love Affair (MLLA), the popular, legume-centered event that is the brainchild of Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook and has been hosted by Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen since February 2013. Participation in the event revolves around a recipe that showcases one or more legumes. The recipe can be savory or sweet but must be vegetarian. The legume (or legumes) must be one of the main ingredients, not a minor character. (Exceptions to this general rule are legumes whose flavor is so intense that they are used... Read more →