SOUTHWESTERN CUISINE NEW AND OLD

…a serious influence
The American Southwest will always be a serious influence in my cooking and lifestyle.
Not only are there many regionally based cuisines in Mexico itself, but there are also unique variations in the American states bordering Mexico as well.

..."specialties" can run the gamut
This can include specialties from each of the border states- California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Those “specialties” can run the gamut from authentic Mexican traditions to highly adapted and popular cooking styles such as Tex-Mex. This does not even touch on the creative “Nueva” cooking from South Florida reflecting both Latin American and Caribbean influences.

…you will notice distinctly different styles
Even if you have wandered across the Border States (like I have) tasting food in the small Mexican restaurants along the way, you will have noticed distinctly different styles in the cooking of say, south Texas and northern New Mexico. There are also many chefs experimenting with combining the new and old in examples of crossover fusion cooking.

…it is quite possible to preserve authentic…classics…while encouraging innovation
Such innovation is not without controversy; although it seems to me that it is quite possible to preserve authentic regional classics while at the same time encouraging innovation and creativity in the kitchen. Such concepts as fusion, New American, New Regional American or even more specifically Comida Nueva are in a sense not new at all. The term “New American Cuisine” can probably mean just about anything. For my purposes here I define it as a combination of favorite regional foods and any number of international cooking techniques.

Antoine’s …can hardly considered modern or trendy
With the celebration of Mardi gras still fresh in my mind, I’m reminded of a very interesting conversation that I once enjoyed over lunch with Bernard R.Guste at his French Quarter restaurant, Antoine’s. Mr. Guste is the fifth-generation proprietor at the landmark New Orleans Creole establishment. Founded in 1840, this classic Creole eatery can hardly be considered modern or trendy. Yet, more that 150 years ago, this restaurant was experimenting with what can be called “New American Cuisine.”

Lacking a suitable snail in southern Louisiana…
As Guste tells the story, his great, great grandfather, remembering the succulent escargot of his native France, wished to serve something similar at his New Orleans restaurant. Lacking a suitable snail in southern Louisiana, he turned to an interesting substitute. In a move that would be considered rank heresy to many of his countrymen, the chef opened fresh oysters, packed the shell with delicious green herb sauce and baked them on a bed of rock salt. Thus was born Oysters Rockefeller, the original recipe still a secret to this day. Mr. Guste’s story has always seemed to me to be the perfect example of how to explain the rationale behind the New American movement.

My own tinkering…has not always been greeted by such enthusiasm.
Now, although generations of Americans have delighted in this chef’s innovation, my own tinkering with tradition has not always been greeted by such enthusiasm. Once upon a time, I suggested a minimal effort to make the lowly taco more appealing and acceptable to a vegetarian. My idea was to replace ground beef with a mixture of brown rice, cracked wheat and tofu flavored with easily recognized Mexican seasoning. It was really almost an afterthought and not one in which I had invested much time or energy. That being admitted, look at the extreme reaction that my recipe received from a food writer in one of the major Texas daily newspapers.

Real Texan (?)…
“We offer the following, not as a recipe we expect any real Texan actually to prepare and eat, but as an example of how New Age food mongrelization debases tradition.”

...self-appointed cultural arbitrators
Well now…….of course, I had to respond in kind! So, I said, “when self-appointed cultural arbitrators retreat into complaints about what a “real” Texan or “real” anyone might do or eat, it leaves me more than a little suspicious of that person’s sense of identity. Scratch the surface of someone crying about being a “real” Texan and often you will find just another self-consciously insecure urban cowboy wannabe!”

Naturally, I will share the recipe with you, let you judge for yourselves and hopefully inspire you to post some comments of your own.

TEXAS TOFU TACOS
Makes about 12 hearty tacos

18 oz. firm tofu
1 cup cooked crack wheat
½ cup cooked brown rice
2 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 ½ tsps. Salt or to taste
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. whole cumin seed, lightly toasted
3 Tblsp. tomato paste
¼ cup Avanti Savoia all-purpose cooking olive oil
12 corn tortillas
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1. Crumble tofu into a bowl with cooked cracked wheat and brown rice.
2. Add minced garlic and chopped onion to tofu-grain mixture along with salt, red pepper, cumin seed and tomato paste. Toss lightly.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet and stir in tofu-grain mixture. Cook 3 or 4 minutes or until sizzling and hot.
4. Heat tortillas home style by placing each one directly on a medium burner, either gas or electric, for just enough time to mark each side. Just a few seconds will be enough and a little practice will make you comfortable with the process.
5. Serve taco mix with heated tortillas and grated cheese. Allow guests to fill their own tacos.
6. Serve with guacamole, salsa and fresh sprigs of cilantro.

Texas Independence Day
On March 2, 2009 Texas celebrated 173 years of independence. We are observing the occasion not only with this post exploring culinary tradition and innovation, but also with a Southwestern “fiesta” for our friends, the East Tennessee Chapter of the American Wine Society. The menu will include Antojitos (Appetizers), Platillo fuerte (Main Course) and Postre (Dessert). The photo on this post is of the Main Course, Open Faced Turkey Tamales with Mole Sauce. Check out our next post with the complete menu, recipes, fiesta photos and a selection of wines carefully chosen to match the many flavors.

MARDI GRAS POSTSCRIPT:
Sometimes it’s easy to let simple things slip your mind. Like for instance, just how luscious our Carnaroli rice from Cascina Belvedere really is. Aroma, flavor, beautiful appearance and delicate texture... this plump, white rice from the Piedmont and Lombardy regions almost upstaged the gumbo we served with it for Mardi gras.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

Mardi Gras!
Most of us think of Panettone as treat to be enjoyed during the Christmas holidays and indeed it is. However, here is a fun way of using this classic delicacy to enhance your celebration of Mardi Gras. Bread pudding is a familiar dessert much appreciated when made with stale New Orleans French bread. It is a practical and delicious way to use up the leftover bread.

A different critter
But I’m here to tell you that good old bread pudding becomes a whole different critter when made with a fine Panettone, which we still available in a very limited quantity. Panettone takes its name from a legend from Milan. The Duke’s baker, it seems, had no dessert to serve his royal guests. On the spur of the moment a mere kitchen boy, named Tony (Antonio), baked an excellent sweet bread that became an instant hit. To honor the young fellow the dessert was named Panettone – “pane” a loaf of bread and “tone” (pronounced “tonay”). Today his creation lives on as Panettone- literally the “bread of Tony.”

Soon to be published cookbook
The recipe we offer you here, substitutes Panettone for the bread and figs for the usual raisins, and is adapted from a soon to be published cookbook entitled “UNDER THE FIG LEAF” by Sherri Parker Lee. I had the pleasure to serve with Linda Ullian Schmid on the team that tested and edited the recipes as well as styling the photos for the new book. We very much look forward to making it available to you through Avanti Savoia upon its publication in late summer 2009.


Fig-Panettone Bread Pudding

Serves 6

1 cup dried figs, chopped
¼ cup brandy
2 Tblsp. butter for greasing baking dish
6 cups (two 100g Bosari Classic Panettone from Avanti Savoia) torn into pieces
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Soak chopped figs in brandy and set aside until needed.
3. Grease a 9”x13”x2” glass baking dish with the butter.
4. Place the pieces of Panettone in the baking dish and toss them evenly with the figs and brandy.
5. Combine whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla powder, cinnamon, heavy cream, whole milk and sugar and stir well.
6. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with the salt until they form soft peaks.
7. Fold beaten whites into the egg mixture and pour over the Panettone and figs. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
8. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a splash of heavy cream.

Bon Appetite Y’all!

A “LIGHTER” TREAT FOR YOUR SWEETHEART

My wife, Gail and I do enjoy romantic occasions and we think any excuse is good one for a celebration. We have had some pretty wonderful times “doing up” Valentine’s Day. Plenty of beautiful tablescapes, antique lace, hearts, flowers, candles and nice crackling fire… you get the idea. Of course, some really delicious cooking (when we stay at home) is always part of the equation. Chocolate desserts or at least a gift of one of the beautiful chocolate treats from Avanti Savoia help make the evening special as well.

This year we’ve decided to take a little different approach with a low-fat dessert. Our motivation for slimming down a bit is an upcoming April cooking engagement in Hawaii.
A working vacation is a hard proposition to refuse. A trip to Texas last April allowed us to not only to enjoy a fabulous time in Texas, but was also the opportunity to work with my brother, Austin catering chef David Lowery. David is going to return the favor by joining us for the job in Hawaii. What a deal!

Our inspiration this time around is the classic French Coeur a la Crème or “a heart with cream” dessert. Usually this creation consists of a mixture of cream cheese and sour cream, crème Fraiche or whipping cream and sugar. It is usually made in a heart-shaped basket or mold with holes in it to allow the watery whey to drain away. After being refrigerated over night, it is unmolded and served with fruit and sometimes a sauce.

The “lighter” idea is to substitute strained non-fat yogurt for the usual mixture of dairy products. We think that our idea works quite well, looks good and taste delicious. It is still made with sugar and has plenty of carbs, but a ½ cup serving is only around 125 calories with no fat or cholesterol. I can assure you however, that I wouldn’t eat or serve it if it didn’t taste good.

“Coeur” a la Yogurt

One 32 oz. carton of plain non-fat yogurt
¼ cup blush wine
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tblsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon or orange zest, finely chopped
Fresh strawberries or raspberries for garnish

1. Line a large stainless steel strainer with a couple of layers of cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Empty the carton of yogurt into the strainer, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
2. When ready to assemble the “Coeur”, combine wine and gelatin in a small saucepan and let sit for a few minutes to soften. Heat and stir over a low heat until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt (discard the whey) and the dissolved gelatin with the rest of the ingredients. Blend well and evenly.
4. Line a 3-cup heart shaped mold with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. To serve, unmold onto a serving platter and garnish with fresh strawberries or raspberries. If desired, the “Coeur” can also be served with a fresh berry sauce or coulis.

Fresh Berry Sauce

1 pint fresh strawberries or raspberries
½ cup sugar
Dash of brandy or other liqueur

1. Combine all ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and chill.
3. Drizzle over servings of the “Coeur” or serve the sauce in a little pitcher on the side.


Still need a little chocolate? Do what we did and drizzle some of the Leaning Oaks Vineyard’s Cabernet & Chocolate Wine Sauce over the top of the “Coeur” & berries.

LowCountry Part II

New Year’s Day

It is from the Lowcountry tradition that we have inherited the New Year’s Day custom of eating Black-eyed peas and collard (or other) greens for good luck. The actual dish enjoyed in the Lowcountry is called “Hoppin’ John,” which is a combination of black-eyed peas (or cowpeas) and rice. The following menu was for our New Year’s Day celebration with our friend Gary Elgin, artist, meditation teacher and bon vivant. But, such a feast can be enjoyed anytime for a Lowcountry celebration with a contemporary feel.

Lowcountry Menu
Starter
Low Country Martinis
Hoe Cakes
Hoppin’ John
Red Tomato Chow Chow
Homemade Crème Fraiche
Main
Shrimp and Grits
Mixed Greens seasoned with Country Ham
Dessert
Warm Gingerbread with Lemon-Orange Sauce and Crème Fraiche

…as complicated or simplified as you might like

This is a menu that can be as complicated or simplified as you might like. The Lowcountry Martini is a variation of what is usually called a “Dirty Martini”. The Martini of course is an image straight out of our cultural mythology. Purist (and there are many) prefer and adamantly claim that a true Martini is fine quality Gin, a drop of dry vermouth, stirred not shaken and maybe garnished with an olive.

Lowcountry Martini

The “dirty” Martini is made dirty by the addition of some of the juice from the olive jar. Our Lowcountry variation substitutes some pickled garlic juice from Low Country Produce’s Pickled Garlic and uses Vodka instead of Gin. The following recipe is approximate.
Per drink, mix:
2 oz. Vodka or Gin
2 tsp. dry white Vermouth
2 tsp. juice from the pickled garlic jar
a clove of pickled garlic skewered on a fancy toothpick for garnish

(yes, we do prefer shaken)

Combine liquor, Vermouth and garlic juice in a shaker with ice and shake (yes, we do prefer shaken) until the outside of the cocktail shaker has frost on it. Strain the Martini into a frozen Martini glass and garnish with the skewered pickled garlic and serve. OR… prepare in whatever fashion that you enjoy the most.

Hoe cakes

The Starter course that accompanies the Martini consists of Hoppin’ John served on Hoe Cakes and topped with Low Country Produce Red Tomato Chow Chow and a dollop of Crème Fraiche.

Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’John or something similar to it is famous in the south as a “good luck” dish served on New Years Day. Recipes abound, but the basic procedure involves cooking Black-eyed peas and rice in a savory broth heavily flavored with smoked pork. We cook this down until it is thick and can be spooned onto small Hoe Cakes, which are fried cornmeal pancakes. Topped with Chow Chow and a bit of homemade Crème Fraiche, this first course is both hearty and delicious.

Homemade Crème Fraiche

Homemade Crème Fraiche in its most simple form is made by combining 1/3 of a cup of sour cream with 2/3 cup of heavy cream and sometimes a little lemon juice. Blend well and allow to sit covered overnight at room temperature. Not only is Crème Fraiche used in savory recipes, it is also great as a sauce with the gingerbread cake.

“no dish more typically Lowcountry than Shrimp and Grits”

Shrimp and Grits have become such an omnipresent item on so many restaurants’ menus that it is amazing to me that I had not even heard of the dish before about 20 years ago. I was however familiar with a traditional brunch favorite in New Orleans, Grillades and Grits, which is pieces of fried round steak served with a brown tomato sauce over grits. I served the dish at a catering/teaching event a number of years ago and a guest suggested that I try grits “Charleston style.” I did and have loved and cooked Shrimp and Grits ever since, as well as enjoying it at many South Carolina (and other) restaurants, although it is certainly not limited to the style of just Charleston. Author and Chef, John Martin Taylor in his cookbook says he knows of “no dish more typically Lowcountry than Shrimp and Grits.”

Lowcountry delight

The key to this Lowcountry delight is fine quality grits cooked with milk or cream and served with fresh shrimp. The grits sometimes have cheese added and there are many variations to cook the shrimp. We usually just sauté the shelled and deveined shrimp in olive oil with garlic and a little lemon juice, but you can add bacon, onions or herbs. To serve: place the hot grits in a bowl or on a serving plate and top with shrimp- or mold grits in a ramekin, unmold on a plate and arrange shrimp around the grits. Serve as is or top with a sauce. We have sauced ours with everything from Hollandaise to Lobster Bisque, as well as serving it without any sauce at all.

Many approaches to cooking greens

The perfect side dish to Shrimp and grits has to be collard greens or in our case we used a combination of greens because we still have a row of mixed greens in our garden, including collards. There are again, many approaches to cooking greens. Our favorite seems to be first cooking down the well washed greens whole in stock with some smoked pork Next, we cool and chop the greens and sauté them with onions and garlic in bacon fat. Collard greens in the Lowcountry fashion are usually torn into pieces and simmered in a pork seasoned stock until tender. Collards may take 1 to 2 hours to become tender.

Lowcountry… has only become familiar to me in the last few years

Lowcountry cuisine and culture has only become familiar to me in the last few years, partially due to my wedding to my wife Gail in Greenville, South Carolina and our honeymoon on Edisto Island. Trips to Pawley’s Island, Georgetown, Charleston and Savannah, Ga. have only increased my enthusiasm for the area and its people.

…a most remarkable chef

In researching this post I have come across the work of a most remarkable chef and writer, John Martin Taylor. I spoke with Chef Taylor a few weeks ago and ordered his authoritative cookbook on the Lowcountry, HOPPIN’ JOHN’S LOWCOUNTRY COOKING published by Houghton Mifflin. You can order this online at HoppinJohn.com or call him at 800.828.4412 and he will be happy to ship you an autographed copy. I can highly recommend this book as a reference for Lowcountry cooking as well as the source for many authentic recipes. Do visit the chef’s blog at www.hoppinjohns.net; I truly think it is one of the most entertaining and interesting food blogs out there.

…not a recipe that I gleaned from the Lowcountry

To finish our feast we enjoyed a Texas gingerbread cake based on my grandmother, Clara Lowery’s recipe. Definitely not a recipe that I gleaned from the Lowcountry, but this recipe is a tradition in our family and perfectly at home with our menu.

Gingerbread Cake

Yields 12 large pieces

½ cup (1 stick butter)
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
½ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-b-12-inch baking pan and line it with waxed paper.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and gradually add brown sugar.
3. Add molasses, eggs, vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Sift flour with baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and ground cardamom.
5. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and beat just enough to blend after each addition.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a little Crème Fraiche and Lemon-Orange sauce.

Lemon-Orange Sauce

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
The juice from one lemon
2 Tblsps. cornstarch
2 to 3 tsps. Orange liqueur
Zest from 1 lemon (stripped from the lemon before you try to juice it)
2 Tblsps. butter

1. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Combine lemon juice and cornstarch and thoroughly blend. Cook for several minutes until it thickens.
3. Stir in Orange liqueur, zest and butter. Stir a couple of minutes to blend and serve warm drizzled over Gingerbread Cake. The cake is great with this sauce and a bit of the Crème Fraiche.

Low Country

Part One

One of the prominent influences in American cooking today
One of the prominent influences in American cooking today is actually one of the older food traditions in the US. The term “Lowcountry” refers to the costal plains and Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia. The climate, history, location and cultural identity of this area have all combined to create a remarkable example of “fusion” cuisine.

Fusion is a word that we see often
Fusion is a word that we see often describing the amalgamation of different cultural and cooking traditions in restaurants across the country. Today’s chefs do have incredible resources from which to draw their inspirations. However, the phenomenon of fusion cuisine has really been occurring ever since the first immigrants combined their ideas of cooking and eating with the foods they found in the new world.

The Gullah…are a source of pride for all African-Americans
There are similarities between Lowcountry cuisine and other styles of southern cooking, including Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun, but it is the presence of the Gullah culture that gives the area its historical uniqueness. The Gullah, also known as Geeche are descendents of slaves brought from Western and Central Africa. They are recognized for having preserved more of their unique cultural history than any other African-American community and as such, are a source of pride for all African-Americans. Resort development along the coast has posed certain threats but fortunately this unique part of American heritage continues to thrive.

…a living and vibrant approach to cooking and eating.
This includes maintaining their distinctive dialect, craft traditions and a living and vibrant approach to cooking and eating. The Gullah culture is known for their storytelling, music, quilt making and most especially basket making. Using locally harvested sweet grass, palmetto leaves, longleaf pine needles and black rush marsh grass, they produce beautiful coiled baskets, prized by collectors.

...such an impact on contemporary American cooking
It is however, their culinary achievements that are having such an impact on contemporary American cooking. This is not only obvious in the fine dining establishments of Charleston and Savannah but the widespread appearance of such dishes as Shrimp and Grits on menus all across the country. In 1976, grits were actually declared the official state food of South Carolina.

…many foods brought from Africa
There are many foods brought from Africa that are now associated with Southern eating habits and also cooking techniques. Techniques coupled with available foods resulting in many dishes that would be familiar to just about any southerner. Even foods that did not originate from Africa have become part of the Gullah experience thanks to their methods of preparation and cooking.

…the Lowcountry of South Carolina is a hot spot
There is a long list of Gullah influenced food, besides Shrimp and Grits such as She-crab soup, Okra gumbo, Hoppin’ John, Frogmore Stew, boiled peanuts, collard greens and many other examples of one-pot dishes. Today the Lowcountry of South Carolina is a hot spot of traditional Gullah cooking and Gullah inspired crossover innovations. We have even seen sushi rolled in collard leaves instead of nori. Rice is and always has been a dominate element in low-country cuisine. Many African-Americans came from rice growing areas of West Africa and at one time the low-country was covered by thousands of acres of rice producing plantations.

…the old fashioned southern way
As part of Avanti Savoia’s commitment to search out “treasures from around the world” we are very happy to introduce you to the fine products from Low Country Produce, a small South Carolina business that specializes in high-quality relishes, chutneys sauces preserves and pickles made in the old fashioned southern way. We think that you will appreciate these slow cooked, hand packed, all natural products as much as we do.

Are you a fan of homemade pickles?
We highly recommend the intensely flavored Blackberry Preserves and zippy Garlic Pepper Jelly. When we tasted the Sweet Potato Butter we found it not only fantastic, but a perfect interpretation of the Lowcountry tradition. Are you a fan of homemade pickles? We are and we think you will love this line of Sweet Pickles, Sweet Pickles with Jalapeño, Pickled Okra (a special southern treat), Pickled Garlic and Dilly Beans. We complete this rainbow of flavors with Peach Salsa, Tomato Sauces, Chutney, Artichoke Relish and Red Tomato Chow Chow.

…this historic cuisine
In the south, serving Chow Chow relish alongside a pot of beans is a long standing tradition. Low Country Produce’s In House Chef, Maggie Radzwiller recommends adding this Red Tomato Chow Chow to homemade pimento cheese spread or to turkey or ham sandwiches. The chef also recommends the tomato sauces as a base for quick versions of Italian favorites such as Puttanesca and Fra Diavlo sauces. In a particularly creative expression, Chef Radzwiller purees her Colonial Chutney with brandy, Marsala or Madeira wine for a sensational sauce with pork or game. Whether you are a long standing connoisseur of low-country fare or just beginning to appreciate this historic cuisine, we know that you will be charmed by the great offerings from Low Country Produce.

Continued in LOWCOUNTRY Part Two

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

…the iconic images of our culture.
Not surprisingly, a good many of my memories concerning holidays are centered on food. As I have been pondering my own experiences, I have also been thinking about other people’s food memories as well as some of the iconic images of our culture.
My question…
Playing with this theme, I decided that it would be fun to take a quick reading of the experiences of the partners at Avanti Savoia: Doug, Ben and Vito. My question to each was, “What holiday food experiences or family traditions stand out in your mind?”
…the treasure was mostly his to relish alone.
Doug, remembering his childhood in Chicago, answered that it was a marvelous 5 pound fruitcake given to his father each Christmas by a now long defunct neighborhood bakery. Doug was the only member of his family to enjoy fruitcakes and so the treasure was mostly his to relish alone. I’ve always loved them as well, and have often wondered why they are the butt of so many jokes and yet so prevalent around the holidays. Somebody, besides me and Doug, must love them too.
…still prepared by his family much to his delight.
Ben’s reply reflected a much more contemporary take on the subject. He remembers Christmas Eve at his grandparent’s home with his aunts providing food for the celebration. A couple of dishes stand out for him. One was a layered concoction of cream cheese, cocktail sauce and crabmeat served with crackers. The other was bacon wrapped water chestnuts served with a tangy sauce. These favorites are still prepared by his family much to his delight.
…centuries of Piedmont tradition…
Now this whole conversation took an entirely different tone when I questioned the very Italian, Vito de Carolis. Vito’s experiences reflect centuries of Piedmont tradition that we Americans can only imagine. He stressed that Italian traditions are very definitely regional and are different in different parts of his country.
“must haves”
Vito states outright that he “can’t have Christmas Eve” without Cappelleti, literally “little hats”. Similar to tortellini, Vito fills this pasta with a savory mixture of cooked beef, mortadella, cheese, spinach and nutmeg. Scapece ranks high on his list of “must haves”, as well. This version consists of pieces of eel, fried with onion, garlic and sage and then marinated in white wine vinegar.
…the de Carolis family feasts
On Christmas day, at their home in the city of Turin, the de Carolis family feasts on the classic Vitello Tonnato, a carefully prepared cold veal dish with tuna sauce. Chocolate Mousse, a white Moscato wine from the Piedmont and of course, the Christmastime favorite, Panettone, which is available now from Avanti Savoia.
…a venerable collection of cookie cutters
As for me, making sugar cookies with my Dad was a holiday treat. Using an old family recipe and a venerable collection of cookie cutters, my father was an accomplished sugar cookie baker. My grandmother always made wonderful candies like Divinity and fudge, but I do not remember the children helping with these projects. I do remember the adults enjoying a “Lemon Stew” at my parents’ home. It was always served in a beautiful German tureen with matching cups, I have no idea where the name originated, but the beverage was simply hot lemonade spiked with a little bourbon.
The Puritans…even outlawed Plum Pudding
Now, I’m going to move onto the “Spirit of Christmas Past, Present and Future” all at the same time. Like most of us, I grew up with the story and imagery of Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, first published in 1843. The life and work of Dickens has had an enormous influence on Christmas celebrations both in Britain and America. In the early 19th century the celebration of Christmas in England was in decline. The Puritans had been highly critical of such “displays” and even outlawed Plum Pudding as “sinfully rich.” Dickens championed the idea of a joyous celebration of Christmas for all, especially the English working class as personified by Bob Cratchit. I always enjoyed any and all of the versions of A Christmas Carol that happened to be on TV, but I was intrigued and puzzled by the dramatic serving of the “Christmas Plum Pudding” at the end of the Cratchit family’s Christmas feast.
A pudding made from plums?
Certainly nothing in my family’s world even resembled this curiosity. A pudding made from plums? Somewhere in my career I became vaguely familiar with the dish, but I actually never tasted or made one until about 20 years ago. As a matter of fact, plum pudding never contained plums at all. “Plum” was a term that in the 17th century generally referred to raisins and other dried fruits which are included in the dense, rich pudding. Here is where the story gets a little more interesting and personal for me.
…the answer was yes.
One night in early December a couple of decades ago, I was finishing the last of the orders in a little restaurant in Texas. Just before we “broke down the kitchen” for the night, the captain came to me and said, “Chef, there is a very nice gentlemen with a small group of guests that have just come in the door. Could you please still serve them?” The line was still set, the oven on, the butter clarified, and the mise en place reasonably intact and so of course, the answer was yes.
…the “nice gentleman” wished to have a word with the chef.
In came the orders, out went the plates and the cleanup proceeded. In due time the captain returned and reported to me that the diners were very happy and that the “nice gentleman” wished to have a word with the chef. Out I went and introduced myself to the guests. They offered a round of gracious comments and then the “nice gentleman” introduced himself.
…this clearly was a special man with a colorful personality
In an unmistakable British accent and with the most courtly manners he introduced himself to me as Cedric Charles Dickens, the great-grandson of Charles Dickens (yes, that Charles Dickens)! In the restaurant and catering business one does meet all manner of celebrities, but this clearly was a special man with a colorful personality straight out of one of his famous great-grandfather’s novels.
He…promised me his grandfather’s recipe.
Cedric (pronounced said-drick) asked me to join them over a glass of wine, and we talked and we talked. Certainly one of the main topics was “Dickensian” food. He extolled the preparation, serving and enjoying of Christmas Plum pudding and promised me his grandfather’s recipe. Sure enough, a few days later a copy appeared of Cedric Dickens’ book, Dining with Dickens. Described as “a ramble through Dickensian foods”, the book contained not only a most generous and complimentary inscription to me, but also the original recipe for “A Christmas Pudding’ as prepared by Mrs. Cratchit herself!

A CHRISTMAS PUDDING

6 oz. breadcrumbs

6 oz brown sugar
12 oz currants

8 oz. sultanas
4 oz. muscatels
2 ½ oz mixed peel
7 oz. suet

3 oz. Guinness

pinch of salt

pinch of mixed spice

3 medium eggs

1 oz. Pussers Rum

Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients with the suet taking care not to overmix. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk to mix the yolk and white together, then pour in the Guinness and rum while whisking. Moisten the dry mix with all the liquor and leave until next day before placing in a cloth and steaming for 5 hours.

All that I will add is to say that I steam mine in a covered glass or ceramic bowl. I also enjoy allowing the pudding to age for at least 2 or 3 months, drizzled occasionally with a little brandy. To serve, I steam it again for at least another hour. Next, it is unmolded, placed on a tray and flambéed with brandy and has a sprig of holly stuck in the top. Although not mentioned in the original, I always have served my puddings with Hard Sauce.

HARD SAUCE

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup brandy
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Cream the butter with powdered sugar until fluffy. Add brandy and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Offer a generous serving with Christmas Puddings or other desserts.

“Ever the best of friends”
CEDRIC CHARLES DICKENS
1916-2006

CREATING COMMUNITY

FISH Hospitality Pantries, where sharing food is just the beginning

“not all pantries are stocked as well as ours”

From our beginning, Avanti Savoia has always been fanatically dedicated to the highest quality products. We take our motto, “Culinary Treasures from around the World” very seriously. We are passionate and enthusiastic about bringing our treasures to your pantry, but we are also realistic and aware that not all pantries are stocked as well as ours.

“this is in our backyard!”

The headquarters of Avanti Savoia is located in Knox County, Tennessee, where it is estimated that some 47,000 people live in poverty. Children make up 40% of this group. This is not some remote and exotic part of the globe, this is in our backyard! We are fortunate however to have an extraordinary local organization addressing this problem.

“These are very real people”

As part of the FISH network of food pantries, Hospitality Pantries, Inc. is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization working to end hunger by providing over 12,000 food packages each month in our county alone. This is more than all other local food pantries combined. These are very real people, not just numbers. To prevent hunger and assure adequate nutrition is certainly the organization’s primary purpose, yet there are other goals as well.

“All who come for food are welcomed as guests.”

Hospitality Pantries are about relationship and people working together toward a more compassionate and just community for all people. The pantry strives to be “a hospitable, non-judgmental presence in the community that respects human dignity and privacy. All who come for food are welcomed as guests.”

“One thing is certain…you will be assured of getting some food. No one will ever be turned away.”

Not all food pantries are created equal nor do they have the same approaches to their missions. I was certainly aware that food pantries existed and had even worked at restaurants that participated in such programs. Even so, I knew very little about the day to day reality of a working food pantry. There are a number of pantries that offer only occasional assistance and many that are quite strict in their guidelines for qualifying for assistance. “One thing is certain. If you are in need of food, and you can get to one of our pantries on any given day, you will be assured of getting some food. No one will ever be turned away,” writes Beth Carroll Hunley, Hospitality Pantries Community Organizer.

“It was not long before I contacted the director”

About a dozen years ago I did a little looking around at the state of local food pantries in order to assist a “down on his luck” acquaintance. As I arranged for my friend to pick up some needed food, I spoke at length with a volunteer at the Hospitality Pantry. I was intrigued by their attitude and underlying philosophy that seemed to be in such contrast to other programs. It was not long before I contacted the founder and Director, Jim Wright and committed myself as a new (and naïve) volunteer. From the beginning of the program in the 1980’s, Jim Wright knew that feeding the hungry should be accomplished without limitations and in a non-judgmental way. He believed that people were nourished as much in the way they were treated as by the food itself. He asked volunteers to suspend judgment. To quote Mr. Wright, “Givers and receivers are united, for in helping to free others we are ourselves freed by the same spirit”. It was in the context of a new volunteer, that I began to appreciate the concept of non-judgmental welcoming that is so central to this organization’s work. Through my work with other volunteers, I began to confront my own pre-conceived attitudes and subtle prejudices. I’ve always considered myself to be relatively open minded and compassionate person; but my experience was really one of shock as I began to recognize my own personal elitism.

“distinction between the “helpers” and those that need “help” is constantly blurred”
As important as is the need for food, the pantry is also committed to be a place in the community where people from diverse backgrounds, races, heritages and economic circumstances, can come together to create true community. On a typical day the pantry is a beehive of activity and energy. It is not unusual to hear bits of Spanish, Russian, German and even Romanian spoken by the busy volunteers. People from varied circumstances are transformed by being in relationship with one another. This experience has allowed diverse members of the community to grow, learn, and enjoy one another. The distinction between the “helpers” and those that need “help” is constantly blurred as these relationships develop and artificial boundaries disappear.

“Avanti Savoia is very happy to contribute”

Donated food is only a part of the pantry’s program, because a great deal of their food must be purchased. That of course means cash and that cash comes from individuals, business interests, churches, certain foundations and the all important Gift Card Project. Avanti Savoia is very happy to contribute various food products to the Hospitality Pantries throughout the year as well as participate in their main fundraiser, the Gift Card Project. Last year over $63,000 was raised from the gift card project. For just $5, or any multiple of $5, you can spread goodwill and feed hungry families at the same time. With this gift, a family of four can be fed for three days with just a $5 gift. Please consider this meaningful gift in your holiday gift buying frenzy. We have included in this post a sample of this year’s card. For more on this vital project and other information, please visit their website at http://www.fishhospitalitypantries.org/.