briciole

M come Matera (Basilicata): strascinati con la menta / M like Matera (Basilicata): strascinati with mint

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] ready to be served "La città dei Sassi" (the city of the stones): this definition in crossword puzzles taught me what is the defining feature of Matera, a city in southern Italy. What are the Sassi? The Sassi district is the ancient heart of the city of Matera. The Sassi... constitute a city unto itself, completely carved out of the face of the calcareous rock - what is known as tufa stone. The Sassi district is a system made of dwellings carved out of the steep slopes of a deep valley with... Read more →

hummus ai carciofi / artichoke hummus

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] This is a spread I had had in mind to make for a while. I saw it somewhere on the web, but I can't remember where: I only remember that it was a hummus made also with artichokes. I like artichokes a lot. My mother made them often, when they were in season: artichoke frittata and carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style) were often on the table. The important ingredient in the latter is mentuccia, a type of mint that grows wild. According to my mother, there was no substitute for it, so we... Read more →

passato di carote e zucchine al levistico / carrot and zucchini soup with lovage

my exhuberant lovage In a previous post I mentioned the beautiful lovage (levistico) that I have in my herb garden.The plant is now over four feet tall and looks simply gorgeous. The photo shows just a detail of the copious foliage. The need to use some chicken stock from a batch I had previously defrosted and the presence in my vegetable bin of two beautiful, dark green zucchine (zucchini) from the farmers' market suggested the word "soup" to me, and I heeded the suggestion. Before starting to make the soup, I cut a stem of lovage. I can't say I measured... Read more →

chèvre fresco fatto in casa e levistico / homemade fresh chèvre flavored with lovage

In my cheese making, I like to alternate between fresh and aged cheeses. Fresh cheeses have the advantage of being ready for consumption within a short time frame and so they balance out the need for longer waiting periods required by aged cheeses. A few days ago, after getting a quart of fresh goat milk, I decided it was time to use the chèvre direct-set packets I had in my freezer. I added to it a quart of cow milk and followed these instructions to make the cheese. This is as easy as it gets in terms of making cheese at... Read more →

erba cipollina / chives

(Allium schoenoprasum) I like to make experiments in my little herb and vegetable garden (orto). I do not call myself a gardener, and manage not to get too disappointed when things don't happen according to expectations. On the other hand, I get very excited when things go well: I feel like I receive a gift I do not deserve. Last year, I had a small bed built along one side of the house, and in it I planted, among other things, chives. The plant did well (I guess it liked its environment) and I harvested leaves from it for several months.... Read more →

timo / thyme

In Italian we use the same word to refer to thyme, the beloved herb, and to thymus, the lymphoid organ located behind the sternum. I will devote the rest of the post to timo, the herb. The genus Thymus, family Labiatae, contains many species. I planted two of them in my little herb garden: Lemon Thyme (photo on the left), and German (Winter) Thyme (photo on the right). I also have some Silver Thyme in a big pot in front of the house: its leaves have a silver rim. I love thyme and I use its tiny fragrant leaves often. They... Read more →

santoreggia / savory

There are two main kinds: santoreggia: summer savory (Satureia hortensis) santoreggia montana: winter savory (Satureia montana) The word comes from the Latin satura, indicating a mixed dish, usually of legumes, which was seasoned with santoreggia and other herbs. According to my dictionary, there is also an influence of the word santo (holy) as a reference to the therapeutic properties of the plant, which have been known since ancient times. Santoreggia has a flavor reminiscent of thyme, with mint and pepper tones. Besides being used as seasoning, it is an ingredients of herb liqueurs. My experience with savory prior to last Sunday,... Read more →

prezzemolo / parsley

Petroselinum sativum Hoffm., Petroselinum hortense Auct., Petroselinum crispum Hill — apparently, these are all synonyms Prezzemolo derives from the Greek word petroselion, meaning celery of the rocks, and it refers to the fact that the herb can grow on less than hospitable terrain. I find this particularly encouraging, because I consider my little herb garden a rather welcoming place, which means parsley should find adequate accommodation in it. The best known varieties are the one with flat leaves, most commonly used in Italy, and the one with curly leaves, which I had never seen before moving to California. In Italy we... Read more →

salvia / sage

Salvia officinalis Ancient Greeks and Romans prized sage for its medicinal qualities and it was only in the Middle Ages that people started to use it as an ingredient in food preparations. The name reflects sage's fame as a plant with curative properties: salvia, in fact, derives from the Latin adjective salvus, meaning safe, healthy. Salvia has a distinct flavor, which makes it a beloved herb in the kitchen. It is also a pretty plant, with velvety leaves that sparkle in the sun and delicately-colored flowers. Nowadays there are many cultivars of sage, some of them selected for ornamental use. I... Read more →

maggiorana / marjoram

Origanum majorana (Majorana hortensis) Mediterranean people have been using marjoram both as a culinary and a medicinal herb since ancient times. Besides being prized for its flavor, fragrance and curative properties, marjoram was considered a symbol of happiness. Sweeter than thyme and milder than oregano, as seasoning marjoram can be used either fresh (recommended) or dried (if you have no choice). Its fragrance is sensitive to heat and therefore, if you plan to add it to a cooked dish, do so at the very end. Marjoram is perfect over pizza, with vegetables, meat, fish and beans. With such a versatility in... Read more →