What a pretty sight! These are pasta made by food historian and food teacher Oretta Zanini De Vita. As you can see, making pasta has so secret for her. She owns vintage pasta tools including a wooden stamp that mints pasta like coins. It is splendid.

Encyclopedia of Pasta

Oretta Zanini De Vita wrote a 300-page encyclopedia about the history of Italian pasta. The english version of her book will hit the store in a few days. This is not a recipe book. It is a book that explores all shapes and types of pasta. You will learn about their origins, the primary ingredients, the different names that it is called, and how you typically served them. It is a good gift idea for a foodie who likes to know more about food history.

In the interview on The New York Times, Mona Talbott said that the range of pasta shapes shows that cooking “was a way of self-expression for women to show their creativity and imagination with little or no resources”. When you see how beautiful these pasta are, I agree with her.

If you wish to know about Oretta Zanini De Vita’s quest to discover the history of pasta or you wish to admire more delightful pasta pictures, head to The New York Times.

SOURCING:
+ For Americans: Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini De Vita $19.77 USD
+ For Canadians: Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini De Vita $21.74 CAD
+ top photo: Chris Warde-Jones for The New York Times

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You know how I like kitchen gadgets that simplify my life and are easy to clean. I pick my big mandolin slicer when I need julienne strips but I would prefer a hand held option for when I only need to slice one carrot. I found this julienne slicer that seems to do a good job on Elena Pantry.

Another option is the Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler with Blade Protector, which costs less ($15 USD vs. $22.99).

+ Via Elena Pantry

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The photography and the recipes of Our Kitchen will inspire to cook. How can you resist the sight of this Lemon and yoghurt cake?

We can never read too many food blogs. I owe to my friend Lara of Ready 2 Spark the discovery of this blog produced by food lovers who work for the appliance maker Fisher & Paykel. This sponsored employee blog showcases everyday recipes.

+ photo by Emma of Our Kitchen

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Last weekend was the 2009 edition of Nuit Blanche in Paris. For the occasion, Gilles Stassart dressed mannequins in food. “Les diététiques” was presented in 4 cycles at 4 Monop’ stores. The most striking piece has to be this Chanel suit made with ravioli. Wow!

+ photo by Le Figaro

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If you up for the challenge, you could try to compose the best superfood (meaning high phytonutrient content) sandwich. Anne’s Food is having a contest. Anyone can participate. She thought of a price for her non-Swedish readers.

+ More on Anne’s Food

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Good news for home cooks. You can enter a recipe contest every week with a cool winning prize. Harper Studio will publish the winning recipes in the Food52 cookbook.

+ Food52 cookbook project

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I had a special lunch twelve days ago. Hivron and her husband Paolo Macchi received me for a tasting of their products at a local restaurant in Old Montreal. While talking to Hivron during the lunch, I discovered that we have several things in common. We both studied interior design for one thing.

Prosciutto crudo

Macchi imports and distributes the highest quality of Citterio’s prosciutto crudo (raw ham). They carry Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele and Culatello. I invited my foodie friend Nathalie Rivard to share this experience.

The Citterio’s prosciutto crudo are all natural. They are made without additives. The curing masters created them with ham, salt, air and time. Another main difference with these prosciutto is the sweet taste of the fat. These premium prosciutto are miles away from the taste of the pre-packaged prosciutto.

We savored 5 famous types of Italian and local (meaning made in the USA) prosciutto crudo. We were able to taste each prosciutto “nature”. Plus, DNA’s chef Derek Dammann made us as a delightful appetizer dish for each type. They each have their own personality.

I enjoyed the food combination that Derek Dammann served us. Derek had been Chef de Cuisine at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in London, England. You know how I love Jamie Oliver. He takes great pride in serving sustainably grown and harvested produce, meats and seafood because food tastes better when its ingredients are the product of thoughtful stewardship. He was the right chef to serve us this prosciutto.

I particularly enjoyed the plate where he mixed prosciutto with a very light mustard vinaigrette. A appetizer recipe that you can do at home is to drizzle aged balsamic topped with shaves of Parmesan Reggiano. The mix of salt and sweet is delicious. Another tasty combination was to serve prosciutto with dates.

Macchi imported directly from Italy as much as possible. It makes a difference. The pigs used in the United States are smaller than the pigs used in Italy. The Italian prosciutto is ham from a very rare bread of pigs that are bred in north-central Italy. How you cure the meat is also important. You get the best results with time. It generally produces a prosciutto that is more tender.

Shopping Tips

Look for these qualities when buying fresh prosciutto:

• Color should be lighter rather than darker, a light to medium pink. If it’s burgundy, don’t buy it!
• Fat colour should be white and not yellow. A fresh prosciutto should be sweet and not salty
• Ask to taste a slice before buying prosciutto
• Outside fat should not exceed 1/2-3/4 of an inch. Every animal is different. If it is more than 3/4 of an inch, they should trim the excess fat for you.

The Swedish-born Hivron writes a blog for Macchi where you can find recipes and food information.

SOURCING:
+ Macchi
+ DNA restaurant

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This menu is so quick to make that you still have time to serve this meal tonight to your family. To get the full effect of the charming sight created by this old table, you can postpone it for the closing party at the cottage.  When I saw this delightful scene, it reminded me of the South of France.

Because the temperature is colder and let’s face it, closing the cottage requires time, planning a simpler menu seem to be in order. I selected dishes that required minimum cooking and preparation.

Anyone can cook an assortment of sausages on the barbecue. Devise a meal on a theme by assembling a platter of cured meats and salami for appetizers. Pay attention to the condiments to make it more special. Get several types of mustard. To play on textures, it is important to add crush with salads and pickled vegetables. Drinks are straight-forward since this menu called for European beers and red wines. Also provide one non alcoholic drink besides water.

You can made little bouquet with an assortment of fresh herbs from your own garden or wild flowers from your land. Tie each bouquet in with a simple string. Insert the end in a small plastic bag filled with a little bit of water and tie at the top. Then, you put the bouquet is a tall Mason jar with a gift tag. Voilà!

SOURCING:
+ Salami Sampler at Dean & DeLuca $40 USD
+ Grilling Sausage Set $25 for 12
+ Dean and DeLuca Chile Dijon Mustard $6 USD
+ Dean and DeLuca Sweet Cucumber Pickles $9 USD
+ Walnut Harvest dinner scene by Cooking Light – photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner

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Old cooking traditions are hot again. According to an article on the Globe and Mail, the younger generations enrolled in canning workshops. I feel that it is simply a continuation of the grow your own vegetable garden movement and the desire to eat better.

My mother was running her own business when I was a kid so she did not have the time. Now that she works less, she takes the time to pickle fresh cucumbers and make her own ketchup. Since she lives 130 km from me, I do not think of asking her to show me the proper technique of canning.

What is stopping me is that I am afraid that my jars will not be sterile enough or that I would not sealed them well. Plus, I need good proven recipes.

For first timers look for canning workshops and books. A book that shows the basics, including which canning supplies we need, is Complete Book of Home Preserving. Depending on where you live it will be related to the Ball brand or the Bernardin brand.

Join the Canning Revolution

Canning Across America is a nationwide, ad hoc collective of cooks, gardeners and food lovers committed to the revival of the lost art of “putting up” food. The weekend of Aug. 29-30, 2009 they had a series of how-to classes, demos and home canning parties in cities around the country. The Canning Across America’s blog provides great information and recipes. For an overview of the process, watch this video by Seattle chef and veteran canner Diane LaVonne, of Diane’s Market Kitchen. You will see if it is for you or not.

SOURCING:
+ Top collage: photos by TheBittenWord on Flickr
+ For Americans: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry $15.61 USD
+ For Canadians: Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry $17.61 CAD
+ Canning Across America

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You probably noticed the trends towards miniature vegetables. Chefs like to use them. They are cute and make it easier to plate your dish.

Savoura, the brand that brought us the delicious tomatoes on the vine and the cocktail tomatoes, is launching a new product. This cucumber variety is unique to Quebec and exclusive to Savoura in Canada. They remind me of Lebanese cucumbers but a lot smaller. The mini cucumbers are harvested once they reached 10 centimeters (4 inches).

I have the pleasure to taste them. My friend Michelle Sullivan sent me the free samples (see photo for content) through its client, Savoura. I like it. The pale flesh is crisp with the tininess seeds. In fact, you do not taste the seed. The skin is thin and mild to the taste. I bet that they will become favorite for a crudité platter. I know I will use them from now on sice it looks better and is simpler to prepare.

You can find the Savoura’s mini cucumbers at grocery stores across Canada (I think) in 2 formats: the lunch bag containing 3 miniature cucumbers for a little snack and a 8-cucumber packet.

MORE:
+ Savoura – their Web site has not been updated to include the mini cucumbers.

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Naming a restaurant Basil and Cacao is a sure way to grab my attention. I had the pleasure of eating a wonderful gastronomic at Basilic et Cacao located in Eastman, Quebec last Friday night. Friends who were vacationing in the region invited us. We are glad we drove from Montreal to experience a delightful meal. Since our cottage is in the Eastern Townships, we took this opportunity to relax a bit.

The restaurant is run by the husband and wife team. Mario does the service. Monique is the cook, an outstanding cook. It is good to know that the woman who prepared us these fabulous creations is not a Chef. We were all astonished by her talents. I am telling, you will take notes on how to dish your plates.

The menu is one prix fixe menu per night. It costs $50 per person. They served nothing else. They carry a nice wine list. The 5-course dinner is made of an amuse-bouche, a soup, the appetizer, the main meal and the dessert. Do not worry, when you call to reserve that will inquire if you have allergies or strong dislikes.

Since we were in season, the herbs and vegetables were freshly picked from their small garden. They grow out of the ordinary varieties like the maroon carrots and the very long French beans. Each course was a refined composition of food and presentation. Everything went well together.

We had rolls of foie gras and a fig for the amuse-bouche, two tapenades that complement the soup, an ostrich carpaccio and its local cheese mousse decorated with an ostrich chip before we received a superb duck entree with lightly cooked vegetables. A chocolate waffle with a chocolate sauce filling topped our dinner. It was exquisite! I will definitely return during the ski season.

MORE:
+ Gastronomy at Basilic et Cacao

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It was such a treat to see all these rows of local grown vegetables that I could not resisted taking some pictures. I bought everything we ate tonight. My husband and I cooked us a delicious and healthy meal. It is easy to find a parking spot on a weekday afternoon. My visit convinced me that I must stop by the Atwater Market more often. Enjoy the views.

For dessert, I bought a small basket of wild blueberries from Abitibi. Lac Saint-Jean also produced amazing wild blueberries. Everything here knows that the wild blueberries are the best. It is hasd to see on my photos that they are about of third of the size of the commercialy grown blueberries. I am leaving me because my half is waiting for me on the table.

Atwater Market p 514-937-7754
138 avenue Atwater, Montreal, Quebec H4C 2H6, Canada
Find directions

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