blogfromafar

Can Skip Pienza

We love everything about Montepulciano: the drive there from Siena, the decent mix of “local” food stores and enotecas, the life-sized “Pulcinella” clown striking the hours…it maintains the sense of a walled town without becoming an “attraction”. We think Kyle Phillips’ walking tour of Montepulciano does a good job of hitting the high notes.

What would we add? Montepulciano is basically a straight shot uphill from the Porta al Prato. The 2nd enoteca (wine store) on the left has a fabulous underground labyrinth well worth the visit. Midway up the hill on the left is a gelato shop that got high marks in our “Top Five” gelatos on our trip (we’re on the trail in the picture above), then on the right is the fabulous linen shop Biagianti (Piazza Michelozzo, 5) with reasonably priced kitchen linens featuring olive oil, pici, other Tuscan specialties that are easy to pack and take home. Also near the gelato store is Batafilante (Via del Paolino, 2), oh-so-touchable linens, less reasonable prices. Next time we go, we’ll stop at the restaurant Osteria Acquacheta (Via del Teatro, 22 www.acquacheta.eu), which was full of vivacious locals totally enjoying themselves in mid-day but unable to seat us American tourist-types-on-a- schedule in time for…well, our schedule.

What to miss? Well….we were disappointed in Pienza. Yes, yes, yes, tons of Pecorino to taste and wonderful flavors (we loved Zazzeri www.zazzeripienza.com) but at least on the particular afternoon of our trip, the touristy seemed to overwhelm the tasteful. Do you disagree? What did we miss? Send us an email and a piece of your mind!

What to Think?

Last week, the New York Times, discussed the controversy regarding truffle oil. We addressed this issue in our January 17 2007 newsletter. Here’s what we said:

Truffle Oil controversy: If you follow the foodie press, you’ve noticed the debate on truffle oil: what it is, what it ain’t, and whether you should buy it.

At Flavors From Afar, we sell O&Co. White Truffle Oil ($25) and Black Truffle Oil ($19.50). Both oils are clearly labeled as including natural truffle aromas infused into the oils to produce the truffle taste. Is this oil made from solid truffles? No. Is it a good-value alternative for everyday use? Absolutely.

Hamburger Help, Grilled Peppers, and Grilled Pizza!

First off, the New York Times gives us help on hamburgers. Their suggestions? Get the best beef and grind it yourself. Sounds simple! Our take? Order our Fruth Farms grass-fed beef ($7.50/lb for ground beef, $17.99 for rib eyes and steaks). We’ve got some ground beef in stock, steaks by request.

Next up: Grilled Peppers! The idea is straight from Italy, with special delivery from Kyle Phillips. Our only suggestion: let the “Peperoni alla Griglia” steam in a paper bag after cooking, to make the peppers easier to peel.

And last? You too can try this at home! Grilled Pizza. It really works – and for adding some tomato oomph while we wait for homegrown….Try our Ritrovo Tomatoes with Tuscan basil ($10.99/jar but worth it!)

Perfect Platter for Memorial Day Munching!

For the past few weeks we’ve been deconstructing this beautiful appetizer platter, just brimming with Flavors From Afar special ingredients. For a complete list, check out your May 17 newsletter, or email us and we’ll fill you in!

This week, we’ve got a Tale of Three Cheeses: At the upper left of the picture, we start with Pecorino rubbed in red wine from Il Forteto near Florence ($9), smack dab in the middle is local Tonia Ashworth’s Herbes de Provence fresh goat chevre($8.99), layered with lavender, and at the bottom right we have Paula Lambert’s Blanca Bianca ($4.50), an aged cow’s milk cheese rubbed with white wine.

These three are perfect for wine pairing, since wine is part of the mix for two of the cheeses. Last night we hosted the American Institute of Wine and Food and asked for their input on the best wine and cheese pairings. What we learned: Not surprisingly, our white wines fared best with the Blanca Bianca and the Herbed Chevre, while the reds matched well with the Pecorino. Suggestions? We loved the Italian Wine Guy’s Southern Italian picks for Salvatore at Daddy Jacks: Arancio Grillo from Sicilia (light, lemony, fresh) and Cantele Primitovo from Apulia (clean, bright red notes). All available at Jimmy’s.

Want to try this at home? Newsletter subscribers can purchase any of the elements pictured above for 10% off, or all of them for 25% off! We’re here to make you shine!

By the way, Kim Pierce was foraging recently and featured some of these goodies in this week’s DMN Taste. Click here and read more…

The S 68 From San Gimignano to Volterra

Sundays in Italy are not unlike the afternoon “riposa” there; you’re never sure what’s open, what’s not. Perfect day for a Sunday drive about 30 kilometers down the S 68 from Colle di Val d’Elsa to Volterra and, if you’re in the mood, on down to our favorite ristaurante in Montescudaio, Bibere. A cautionary note: this trip is not for the light of stomach. The 30k will take an hour or two to complete, and you pretty much have to go out the way you came unless you want to head north or south and end up somewhere different than where you started.

An Itinerary:

• Head out mid-morning and go west on the S 68.
• Drive past Volterra. Lunchtime? Two choices: Head on to Montescudaio, about 30k west of Volterra to Bibere. Wonderful food every time we go, but it’s a bit of a haul to get there. Another place that we’ll try next time is Osteria San Lorenzo, just south of Saltine di Volterra in San Lorenzo.
• Head back East and on to San Gimignano, the “New York” of Tuscany with 14 towers standing out of an original 72 (it seems their 9/11 was the plague). You’ve heard about it, so try a walking tour. We loved it less than other Tuscan hill towns (lots o’ tourists and paved-over streets) but the gelato got top licks from Susan Douglass, our designated Gelato sampler. Don’t miss Gelateria di Piazza, Sergio Dondoli’s award-winning establishment in Piazza della Cisterna.

A word on driving in Italy: Renting a car is really the only way to get out and see the countryside, visiting the little hill towns when the mood strikes. Italians drive on the “right” side of the road but do employ the “roundabout” as a way of dealing with intersections (yield to those already going ’round; get in the inside lane if you’re not getting off right away; no penalty for continuing to go ’round till you know where you want to go.) The drawbacks: Signs and maps. The road numbers on maps do not necessarily correspond to the signs on the road, a road that says it is going to “Point B” will suddenly say it’s going to “Point C” even though B is coming right up. Get an excellent map, be patient, stop when you’re confused and ask for help if you can (practice that Italian), relax, and love the ride!

Something a Little Different

Pat and Carole Brophy traveled with us to Tuscany in April (pictured above at Dievole winery in Chianti) and passed on this yummy recipe for baked salmon. If you’re tired of flipping fish on the grill, do this:

Is There Something Fishy Going On at the Copper River?

It’s time, it’s time for those athletic salmon, full of Omega 3 after exerting themselves, swimming down the Copper River to head to our tables. But can we be sure we’re getting the real thing? This article from the NYTimes Archive found that 3/4 of their samples of “wild” salmon were really farm raised, and therefore lacked the high nutrient value (and taste) of the wild. Fun fact: Farm-raised salmon would normally be white, but their feed includes an additive to make them look red, as we expect salmon to look. This article from Jon Rowley and Gourmet, tells us the difference between farmed and wild salmon, and what to look for in selecting your fish. (Best quote? “Know your fishmonger!” Who, by the way, is probably not the teenager behind the counter at the grocery store.)

Elements of Beauty and Taste – and What to Do Next!

For the next few weeks we’ll be deconstructing this beautiful appetizer platter, just brimming with Flavors From Afar special ingredients. Last week we identified all the elements, perfect together for a light summer’s eve repast.

This week, we focus on Roasted Sweet Balsamic Peppers ($8.49) at the upper right hand side of the square platter. Lovely by themselves or in panini, here are two other ideas for lively use!

Prosecco Country, and what about Puglia?

This summer, we’re heading north on a side trip to the Veneto to check out that most summery of bubblies: Prosecco. Click here to read local wine guy Alfonso Cevola’s review of a few of his favorite spots. Anyone out there with other favorites? Send us an email reply and we’ll add it to our list of places to go.

And finally, is Puglia the next Tuscany? Evidently not yet, according to this latest article in the New York Times. But the idea of uncrowded beaches and standalone cathedrals in sunny Italian summers inspires. Have you been? Thoughts?

Elements of Beauty and Taste – and What to Do Next!

For the next few weeks we’ll be deconstructing this beautiful appetizer platter, just brimming with Flavors From Afar special ingredients. This week we’ll focus on the elements themselves, then follow up in the weeks to come with ideas for using them in recipes.

In this display, we’re using a pedestal cake plate pulling in some crackers positioned below. but note we’re not pulling the eye towards the center of the plate, but rather to the upper right, with a final cascade to the Italian urn topped with Cerignola olives. Rather than the usual concentric circles and balance, try for a few layers and off-center effects!

So what is all this yummy stuff? Ok – starting with the round crackers at 6pm at the bottom, then the cheeses on the plate at 6pm, we’ve got:

On the Right: Italian Cerignola olives $11.99 fill a yellow Italian urn from Abigail’s $52