tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157770162011-11-24T01:51:39.319+01:00The kitchen is my temple, the stovetop is my altar and gastronomy is my religion. La cucina è il mio tempio, il forno è il mio altare, la gastronomia è la mia religioneEdoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-55293479779405893702011-06-29T09:30:00.004+02:002011-06-29T09:35:10.349+02:00

By Melanie McGaughDuring September, in small towns all over the Berner Oberland, the traditional Autumn festival of the Chästeilet, also spelled Käseteilet in some parts, takes place. It is the Justital Valley Chästeilet though, that is the grand-daddy of these events. This chästeilet, which has been occurring for more than 250 years high above the town of Sigriswil on the lake of Thun’s north

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-61842097493214323812011-02-23T09:43:00.013+01:002011-02-24T13:14:37.820+01:00

The shop:Eataly in Asti arrived about a year ago and we have been a little disappointed in the scale of the shop compared to Eataly in Turin. The Turin installment of Eataly is a mega-store and the Eataly in Asti is a more the size of a service station convenience store. Selection is limited and seems to be mostly focused on gift items like luxury chocolate and expensive jars of preserved

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-31447947313738313912010-11-09T18:59:00.019+01:002011-02-23T22:12:21.827+01:00

Melanie and I had to go to Basel on business today, so we decided to hop the border to France and have lunch at A L’Aigle in Village Neuf where we had had a fantastic dinner back in May.Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed, but the restaurant “Le Bouquet Garni”, located right across the street, was open and it looked charming, so we decided to give it a try. Lucky decision for us! The

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-13777213104894528722010-09-27T08:23:00.047+02:002011-02-23T22:11:55.252+01:00

Piedmont is a place where extraordinary restaurants are not rare and yet, once in a while, you stumble on a restaurant that completely catches you off guard and thoroughly delights you in every way. Le Corte is just that sort of restaurant. We had eaten at Le Corte once, and it was good, and we had been meaning to return but for one reason or another we never got around to doing it. Well

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-74772246619521634222010-03-14T17:56:00.007+01:002010-03-14T18:07:02.661+01:00

If I think about traditional French flavors, mushrooms, thyme and cream are the first things that come to mind. This simple recipe captures all of those traditional flavors and will give you lots of pleasure. Suprêmes de Volaille Farcies Duxelles(serves four) 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts Stuffing 1/2 cup of shallots 2 Tb butter 1 cup of finely chopped mushrooms 3Tb

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-73622468107532337022010-03-14T17:25:00.006+01:002010-03-14T18:03:16.471+01:00

The beauty of Italian antipasti is the combination of simplicity, balanced and flavor. This simple recipe is one of the best and typifies Piemontese flavors. Peperoni alle Nocciole (Appetizers for four) 2 large roasted red peppers (pealed, stemmed and seeded) ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh Italian parsley ¼ cup of oregano Zest from ½ a lemon ¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-10556011297316189032009-06-08T19:42:00.020+02:002009-06-09T09:26:13.703+02:00

It has been a few years since our last visit to Bra so we stopped by Boccondivino again...Click on the pictures to enlarge (it's worth it).I needed to take a test picture to start things off... so this is the bread basket ;)This is "Lardo, salsiccia di Bra e carne cruda battuta al coltello": €8.00.My picture of " Insalata di pomodori e fagiolini" didn't come out very well but I hope you get the

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-51934182340636705442009-05-02T11:31:00.003+02:002009-05-02T18:34:09.428+02:00

Pasquetta is the day after Easter when most Italians in our area head for the country side and have a picnic and barbecue but we were short on time and decided to visit Lanterna Blu in Gaminella.Since we had stuffed ourselves at the Canon d'Oro the day before we decided to give the frito-misto a miss but we ate everything else. The place was packed with jovial locals, the food was just as good as

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-54505946855110352662009-05-02T11:23:00.003+02:002009-05-02T11:30:55.922+02:00

We had Easter lunch at Canon d'Oro in Cocconato yesterday. It was my first time at this restaurant and we had a great time. Food quality was very high and service was very friendly and presented table-side.The courses were as follows:Antipasti:- Liver paté with toast points and a tiny salad- Castelmagno cheese mousse sandwiched between dried apples- Insalata de carne cruda with parmigiano and

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-71309608640861839152009-05-02T11:12:00.003+02:002009-05-02T11:22:55.893+02:00

We have been continuing our string of fine dining and the latest restaurant on our hit-list was Cascina Martini in Coteranzo where Gianluigi Giachino bends the traditional Piemontese ingredients into stylish and fresh new creations. Amazingly there were only six covers (including us) the Thursday night we were there. The restaurant decor is what I would call sophisticated Italian country and a

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-42796267194241441042009-05-02T10:03:00.027+02:002011-02-23T11:54:32.279+01:00

Cascina Rosengana is a lovingly restored farm that has been converted into a restaurant and B&B. The food is locally grown and organic and all of a very high quality. Our waiter was Massimo and I suspect one of the owners. He spoke English well and was warm and welcoming. The dishes were presented without fuss or pretention and the whole experience was a delight. The full menu with all the dishes

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-12237851247057816222009-04-04T21:17:00.018+02:002009-04-11T23:10:57.621+02:00

This bread is traditionally baked on Friday and is supposed to last over the weekend but rarely lasts that long.500 gr. of bread flour1 package of dry yeast 1.5 teaspoons of salt.5 teaspoon of sugar75 gr. melted butter1 egg yolk1 cup of milk1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon of milk and a pinch of salt for the glazePreparation:Mix flour and salt in a bowl, add yeast sugar, butter, egg yolk and

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-32768069422881921572008-12-28T12:05:00.022+01:002008-12-28T16:49:32.453+01:00

Finally I have a little down-time after Christmas so I have the chance to cook a little. Today it will be Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese and Roasted Roasted Red Pepper Gratin. Here is the recipe...Osso BucoServes: 41/2 cup flourSalt and pepper, to taste4 pieces veal shank with bone3 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons butter1 onion, chopped1/2 cup celery, chopped1/2 cup carrots, chopped4 cloves

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-43035871815353742982008-11-24T15:38:00.005+01:002008-11-24T15:50:07.287+01:00

Many people are confused about the difference in quality between a white truffle and a Summer truffle. The following should give you some idea of the difference:Here in Piemonte, 2008 white truffles are selling for about 4.5- 6.5 Euros per gram depending on size and quality.Piemonte summer truffles can be bought locally for about .13 euros a gram (in fact, I can buy them from a neighbor for 5

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-4888285526863440202007-09-13T15:35:00.000+02:002007-09-13T15:49:04.889+02:00

Famous eaters of all sorts have been flocking to Spain to see chefs like Ferran Adrià cook their modern molecular gastronomy, and the result has left many asking "Where is Italy now?" and mocking the slow food movement as archaic. One quote from Stephen Shaw the founder of eGullet was: "Italy's big selling point is "We cook the same food our grandparents cooked, we hate change, our food is simple

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-60658407044304156962007-09-12T09:32:00.000+02:002007-09-13T16:09:12.513+02:00

I often hear people say that French food is "heavy" and to be honest I can't understand what they are talking about. I have grown up with French food and cooked it all of my adult life (unfortunately, we are talking about a span of nearly half a century). Like Julia Child, my mother also attended the Cordon Bleu while she was on lay-over in Paris when she was a hostess in the 50's. I grew up with

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-43786529156228321142007-09-06T07:41:00.002+02:002009-02-08T21:40:15.341+01:00

Back in the 1960's when I was a kid I watched Julia Child's cooking shows all the time. In those days there were only two cooking shows on in the US. The Galloping Gourmet and Julia. I never liked the GG for some reason but I always watched Julia.It was always Julia's intention to teach people how to cook French food with American ingredients and I can tell you in the 60's there was not nearly as

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-76347725711479930282007-09-04T08:07:00.000+02:002007-09-04T08:36:51.534+02:00

I am wondering if the average gastro tourist coming to Italy is looking for traditional restaurants or Super Chefs? As I read food forums like eGullet it seems as though the majority are in pursuit of the latter.I find myself at a culinary crossroads. While I am interested in the creative new cutting-edge creations from world renowned chefs, I am also fascinated by the traditional preparations

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-51039449490481416932007-09-04T07:48:00.000+02:002007-09-04T08:41:46.064+02:00

Adelgisa is my friend Paolo's mother and she is the quintessential Italian "momma"... round and cherubic, she has fire in her eyes and cooks like an angel. I spent some time bent over her stove and this is what I walked away with.First a few comments:-This recipe seems rather basic but I assure you it makes your eyes roll.-I don't use measurements because this dish is always cooked by feeling...-

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-83043978639364885892007-08-11T18:40:00.000+02:002007-08-13T15:20:21.020+02:00

Since I have been in the Piedmont I have been trying a little known wine called Ruché (roo-kay) grown in our area for at least the last 100 years. There are two stories about the origins of the Ruché grape; one says the varietal is indigenous to the hills northwest of Asti and another says that the grape is a local variation of a grape imported from France. Either way we are lucky to have it here

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1162767830737177952006-11-05T22:46:00.000+01:002006-11-08T09:39:37.206+01:00

Before I begin, I would like to clarify that we only covered a small portion of the Salone del Gusto in Turin and that any opinions you are about to read are purely from the perspective of one that is barely half informed. But this condition has never prevented me from offering my 2 cents worth in the past and I don't see why I should tempt fate and alter my methods this late in my game.Mel and I

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1156971362573129042006-08-30T22:52:00.001+02:002006-08-30T23:12:46.306+02:00

In the region surrounding Cuneo there grows a special pepper that has been prized by the people of Piemonte for ages. It looks more or less like a regular pepper but tends to be a bit larger than normal. The peppers are a seasonal delicacy arriving late July every year and they fetch three to four times the price of a normal bell pepper. The Piemontese prepare them in a number of different ways

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1153899959444478892006-07-26T09:41:00.000+02:002006-07-26T09:54:18.236+02:00

I was born in Paris to a Swiss mother and an American father and grew up in the Middle East, Europe and the US. The expat term is something I am very familiar with. Although I am Swiss because of my mother, I was not born and raised here and Swiss German is not my native language and since I have only lived here for 7 years, my way of thinking is very different from the Swiss. I have based my

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1152452832314942872006-07-09T15:20:00.000+02:002006-07-09T16:06:07.676+02:00

Winter white truffles (tuber magnatum pico) are available from September through December and are hunted at night with specially trained dogs. The smell of a truffle comes only when it starts to decompose and only when they begin to smell can the dogs find them. The truffle is at it's peak for two or three days then dies fairly rapidly. This is why to really experience them you have to go to "The

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1149954482320216262006-06-10T17:38:00.000+02:002006-06-10T17:48:02.336+02:00

I am not sure what I was expecting at the time, certainly there was nothing pre-planned on my part, but as our eyes met we locked onto each other in what seemed to be much more than a just a gaze. She was young and delightful and I could feel my heart slip away from me as she returned my gaze and I sighed as if my very soul was leaving my body. I can not guess what she might have been thinking at

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1145828194794021382006-04-23T23:25:00.004+02:002009-08-24T12:33:51.738+02:00

One of the withdrawals I experienced here in Switzerland was pizza at home. Having it delivered costs a fortune compared to the States and in many places delivered pizza isn't even an option. I began to work on different pizza recipes and had varying degrees of success. The trouble was not recreating the toppings (that was easy) it was getting a really good crust. All that changed

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1142458798948491872006-03-15T22:35:00.000+01:002006-03-16T09:18:22.393+01:00

I'm self-taught...well I use that term loosely. I am really the product of 23 years of experiments in the kitchen on my own and some intense periods cooking under a couple of very gifted chefs to whom I owe a lot.In the early eighties I started cooking challenging food in my own kitchen. The more complex the dish was, the more interest it held for me. I cooked like a madman and believe me, I

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1141503411498040502006-03-04T21:07:00.002+01:002009-10-20T16:56:47.838+02:00

“Oh dear!” He said in a mock British accent. “ I think we have a teensy weensy problem.” “What’s wrong?” she asked as the car shuddered to a stop. “I’m afraid we are out of gas.” “Oh dear!” she echoed in the same accent with a funny frown on her face. “I’m terribly sorry Christina, but I forgot to look at the gauge before we headed out this morning. It’s my fault, so I’ll walk back to the last

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1139303081124395192006-02-07T09:52:00.001+01:002009-05-02T11:10:27.128+02:00

“Tell me” Paolo asked reflectively “do you like pizza?” It was a simple enough question and easily enough answered. “Of course I do!” I replied, knowing full well that we have not even scratched the surface of the question. To me, pizza is a measure of a connoisseur. Pizza is complicated and complex, great pizza cannot be completely understood in only one day. Pizza takes time, much more time

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1138867831879996112006-02-02T09:09:00.000+01:002006-02-07T11:47:25.840+01:00

Perched on the top of a hill a couple dozen kilometers north of Asti in the heart of the Monferrato is the tiny village of Villa San Secondo. San Secondo, as the name implies is not the first name of this hilltop sanctuary. The original name was Cossombrato, but 600 years ago the lord of Cossombrato decided he couldn’t get along with the people of the village and he decided to move lock, stock

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1138866665861764072006-02-02T08:47:00.000+01:002006-02-02T19:31:11.956+01:00

The Piemontese are well known for their food and wine and rightfully so. In the last few weeks I have been served beautiful Salumi, hand-made from personally selected pigs and Salccicia made from pork, ground fresh every morning in a specially designed refrigerated meat grinder, so it can be served raw on the luncheon tables of half the houses in the village. Raw pork and beef are quite common

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1137704071446517472006-01-19T21:49:00.000+01:002006-02-07T11:50:24.600+01:00

The Slow Food movement has been heartily embraced by the Piemonte region. I am sure that has something to do with the fact that Slow Food is based in Bra and is the brainchild of a Piemontese. Being a new pilgrim to the Piemonte it is difficult for me to say exactly how much change has occurred over the last 20 years but evidence is everywhere. That little snail pops-up in the darnedest places!

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1137604030558044522006-01-18T18:06:00.002+01:002006-02-07T11:53:02.493+01:00

It has been over a week since we returned to Italy and most of my days have been consumed with planning, cooking and occasionally cleaning-up after nearly a dozen meals. With the exception of one “traditional American fried-chicken lunch” which I cooked for some Piemontese friends (they were very brave and tried everything), all of the meals I have cooked have been versions of traditional

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1137603955255373242006-01-18T18:04:00.000+01:002006-02-08T14:35:47.446+01:00

I reached the Alps: the soul within me burnedItalia, my Italia, at thy name:And when from out of the mountain’s heart I cameAnd saw the land for which my life had yearned.I laughed as one who some great prize has earned.Oscar WildePiemonte is slowly becoming mine. I am not only coming to understand the “how” of the Piemonte but I am beginning to appreciate the “why”. The Savoyards are the

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1136218930424985982006-01-02T16:58:00.000+01:002006-01-02T17:44:37.286+01:00

I would have to admit that I am more of a rhum and cognac man, but in the last 8 or 9 years I have become interested in grappa, mostly because of my discovery of the Italian kitchen.When we were in the Piemonte in October we had the good fortune to visit a grappa distillery called Vieux Moulin which you can’t miss if you drive along the road from Asti to Alba because there are several large signs

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1134422884944244402005-12-12T22:19:00.000+01:002006-01-02T17:55:25.496+01:00

Ok, I know it isn't a food story...but I did mention a glass of Mosel!"Five cats!" I said "You have five cats?" My disapproval was tactlessly revealed. She looked at me as if to say "I thought you were a really nice guy up to this point!" "I can't believe anyone would have five cats!" There was a pause while she looked at the ground. In a stronger voice she said "We like cats!"...We? Oh, now she

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1134034182539738182005-12-08T10:21:00.001+01:002009-05-02T11:11:21.502+02:00

We lived in Interlaken for 4 years and I suggest:Gasthof Alte Post3764 WeissenburgTel. +41 (0)33 783 15 15Fax +41 (0)33 783 15 78On the road from Interlaken to Gstaad. Old coach stop. Very charming dining room. Very good food, served table side and you get seconds. Prices are moderate.In Interlaken there is a good wine bar near the "West" train station:Vineria Grapperia "Per

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1133937985869385142005-12-07T07:44:00.000+01:002005-12-07T07:50:18.260+01:00

Every year the local bakeries in the German part of Switzerland make Grittibänz to be eaten on St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) . They are made from a very lightly sweetened brioche dough and taste delicious. Usually they are pretty simple but some of the finer bakeries can make some that are much too pretty to eat.He originally came from the German-speaking central plain, the Basel and Neuchatel

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1132135361434261202005-11-16T10:11:00.000+01:002005-11-16T21:00:12.726+01:00

Officially the traditional Piemontese recipe for Brasato al Barolo is as follows: (From Claudia C.)Brasato al Barolo2 lbs (1 kg.) beef shoulder2 TBS (50 gr.) butter3 TBS (50 ml.) olive oilsalt and pepper to tasteFor the marinadeA bottle of Barolo wine1 onion1 celery stalk1 carrot3 clovesA cinnamon stick2 bay leavesA fresh rosemary twigCombine the beef with Barolo wine , diced vegetables , herbs

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1131919446429803852005-11-13T22:23:00.000+01:002005-11-13T23:36:17.596+01:00

Continuing along the "this is really a lot of work" theme, we decided to make a traditional Piemontese Tajarin. Tajarin is an egg yolk rich pasta, in fact the ratio is 40 yolks for one kilo of flour. We made a smaller amount but kept the same ratio. We used 10 egg yolks and 250 grams of flour. We used medium eggs and the ratio was not nearly enough to make a moist dough. I would guess we could

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1131790953289615122005-11-12T11:05:00.001+01:002009-01-04T23:36:10.238+01:00

I am a relative newcomer to cooking polenta but I have decided to start experimenting with it. Truthfully, I am fascinated by the laborious cooking process devoted to such lowly ingredients. It is similar to making pasta by hand... lots of hard work for something that you could easily dump out of a bag from the grocery store... but then, where is the adventure in that?I have tried three or four

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1131260204181949482005-11-06T07:39:00.000+01:002005-11-06T17:20:29.040+01:00

Heading down:We set out on a foggy Monday morning for Italy, specifically we were headed towards the Piedmont but because we found an interesting Gasthaus for sale on the internet our trip down was slightly a roundabout one, taking us first through Zürich and then down the south-side of the Zürich See and over to the little town of Sattel to have a look at the dying 150 year-old Gasthaus Krone

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1129023120854217762005-10-11T11:19:00.001+02:002009-05-02T11:12:09.658+02:00

A warm and inviting restaurant with a bright Indo-Moroccan decor. The aroma of exotic spices welcomes you in as soon as you enter the front door. We went for a Monday lunch and nearly every table was occupied. Café Gourmand is a small restaurant run by Bea and Sergio, there is one waiter and one sous-chef. Attention to detail is paid especially in the cooking department. It was recommended we

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1128536373226776432005-10-05T19:45:00.000+02:002005-10-06T11:14:10.430+02:00

Recently my cooking has taken a provincial turn. I have become fascinated with simplicity. I use meats and vegetables that take hours to cook, and I am using Dutch-ovens and cast-iron pots more than ever before. I am in quest of ancient recipes and forgotten techniques: food that our forefathers cooked, “cuisine terroir“. For the time being, I have turned my back on all "new" food. Restaurants

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1128289040551647932005-10-02T23:36:00.000+02:002005-10-02T23:47:06.556+02:00

Wine labels attract us in mysterious ways. The sight of a Chateau Petrus or Mouton Rothschild label makes some people weak at the knees. It's the same with cognacs, cars, cigars, almost every hobby seems to have it's coveted marks. I suppose it's because we are confronted with so much mediocrity in our day-to-day lives that we are automatically attracted to excellence like moths to a flame. The

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1127581882034664202005-09-24T18:51:00.000+02:002005-09-24T19:11:23.286+02:00

My interest in wine is a direct result of the times I shared with my Swiss grandfather in the late 70's. He kept a wine cellar of a couple hundred bottles in his home in Zurich and I remember him taking me downstairs to the cellar after breakfast to choose a bottle for lunch. It was an old house built at the turn of the century and he had a big ring of keys that unlocked several doors that

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1127427422577358092005-09-22T23:41:00.000+02:002005-09-23T09:19:02.006+02:00

Business has forced us to live on the road a good deal, in fact one year we spent 172 nights in hotels. Living on the road is less than desirable to say the least, but we always tried to make the best of it. We soon discovered that restaurant food is really pretty bad for you and we longed to cook our own food. Often times the only dining option was a McDonald's or a delivered pizza, so we gave

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1127285004977168282005-09-21T08:34:00.000+02:002005-10-15T09:47:46.936+02:00

In 1961, in a stony vineyard in Chateau Neuf du Pape some magical grapes were grown. They were carefully made into wine and shipped halfway around the world to Kansas City. One day, a young couple ventured into a wine store and purchased a bottle of wine made from those grapes and decided to save it for their new baby girl's wedding day. That baby girl was to become my wife, Melanie.More than

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1126506023972285552005-09-12T08:14:00.001+02:002009-01-04T11:47:49.158+01:00

You see, by the age of ten I was already a bit of a nomad. I had been born in Paris to a Swiss mother and a midwestern, American father who had chosen a career with the airlines TWA. Shortly after my arrival in 1962 my folks moved to Kansas City, then to Florida and then back to Kansas City, which is where my story begins. One day, my parents sat me down with some ceremony and began to pitch

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1126505362792747342005-09-12T07:56:00.001+02:002011-02-23T22:37:20.610+01:00

I have had a little love affair with the Franche-Comté region of France for many years now. For those of you that don't know this region of eastern France prepare yourselves for a culinary journey into an area that is as rich in culinary history as any place in France. The food is totally unique to France and the wines even more so. This will be a journey into the very heart of French cooking and

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1126268174070249222005-09-09T14:07:00.001+02:002009-05-02T11:11:45.572+02:00

We were coming back from England the other day on the A4 and stumbled on to a little find! The restaurant is called Le Cheval Rouge in the town of Saint Menehould (pronounced "Menou") between Châlons-en-Champagne and Verdun where Dom Pierre Pérignon was born. The town is famous for "Pied de Porc à la Sainte Menehould" pork trotters bound and boiled for 12 hours in stock with white wine, herbs

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1125319192363993232005-08-29T14:13:00.000+02:002005-09-09T20:03:45.526+02:00

It has occurred to me that some things in life need to be explained for the benefit of those who have neither the time nor forethought to actually plan and execute the perfect Sunday lunch for friends.Sunday is the perfect day, because everyone has finally relaxed from the busy work week and with any luck, on Saturday have completed all those strenuous "pleasure" activities like skiing, hiking

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1125098196978928622005-08-27T01:10:00.000+02:002005-08-27T18:23:10.916+02:00

I have a little confession to declare. I am a seasoned vodka drinker. It all started 20 years ago when I became overly interested in pre-revolutionary Russian art.... you know, Fabergé and the like. I was fascinated by all things from old Russia and at that time Stolichnaya was pushing hard to beat Absolute out of the first chair of vodka so I decided vodka was “the thing” and I experimented

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1125037392113282292005-08-26T08:22:00.000+02:002005-08-26T09:51:12.456+02:00

First, let me say that I am a student of good bread, not a master. I have been trying different recipes for years, and I can honestly say I have managed to learn a little from all of my experiments.I would like to clarify one thing: I am lazy. I don’t mind kneading a bread like a mad-man from time to time. I even find it somewhat therapeutic. But the reality is that if I have to work like a

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15777016.post-1124954020566957012005-08-25T09:09:00.000+02:002005-08-25T23:59:24.730+02:00

My businesses and my fondness for good food have allowed me to eat at many coveted restaurants over the years, but now I don't visit those places as often as I once did.... they have lost much of their allure for me. These days, I look for examples of what I call "homemade" food... the sort of food that is too simple to charge top-money for. Cassoulets or stews that cook for hours over a slow

Edoroviohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11683244464245115227noreply@blogger.com2