In my chat with Francesca Montilloback in 2016, we talked about her cooking classes and culinary tours of Italy. In today’s episode, Francesca introduces her first cookbook which stems from her experience as a cooking instructor. The 5-ingredient Italian Cookbook is an overview of traditional Italian cooking with 101 regional classics described step-by-step.
During the episode, Francesca shares a behind-the-scenes on the making of the book, from the choice o the recipes to the use of a test kitchen to validate them and photograph the resulting dishes.
Being 3rd generation Italian-American, Kelly’s connection to Italy is rooted deep in her ancestry. But her passion for the Italian culture and language has brought her even closer to Italy.
During the episode, Kelly describes how she combines her love of cooking, language, photography, and videography through her blog. She also talks about the importance of conversations and introduces #dolcevitabloggers, a blogger/vlogger community open to everyone who talks about Italy, whether in English or in Italian.
Among the many risotto variations, asparagus risotto (‘risotto agli asparagi’) is one of the most successful, and one of my favorites. There are a few different ways to incorporate asparagus in a risotto. In my recipe, diced asparagus are added in stages, from the bottom of the stalks to their tops, to ensure uniform cooking and to get the most in terms of flavor. For best results, however, it’s recommended to use the freshest possible asparagus. Since the shoots are still actively growing, even if kept in the fridge and in the dark over time they tend to consume their own sugars and to dry out(1).
For this risotto variation, I made use of the Parmesan rind as a way to add more flavor, and because I love eating it in small bites together with the risotto. As I mentioned in a previous risotto recipe, the rind is added at the beginning of the preparation so that it cooks and rehydrates along with the rice. If you haven’t had Parmesan rind, however, you may find it chewy and too strong. In that case, you may want to use it just as a flavoring aid during the cooking and then discard it.
(1)Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004)
Asparagus Risotto
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2/3 cup Carnaroli rice (Arborio can also be used)
10 oz (300 g) asparagus (about 12 thick stalks)
1/2 shallot
1 oz (30 g) unsalted butter
½ glass of white wine (at room temperature)
3 cups of vegetable stock
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano
some Parmigiano rind, scrubbed and washed
salt and black pepper
Preparation
Wash and trim the asparagus. Thinly slice the shallot.
Cut the asparagus in three sections: lower stalks, middle stalks, upper stalks.
Cut the lower stalks lengthwise and add them to the vegetable stock (which you'll have boiling in a second pot).
Slice the middle stalks in ½ inch cylinders.
Slice the upper stalks thinly, but leaving the buds whole.
Sauté the shallot in the butter for a couple of minutes at medium heat, then add the middle stalks.
Add the rice and "toast it" for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine and set a 18-minute timer (15 if you're using Arborio rice). Stir until the wine evaporates. Then add the Parmesan rind.
Add the asparagus-flavored vegetable stock, on ladle at a time, stirring constantly until absorbed.
When there are 10 minutes of cooking remaining, add the upper stalks and buds.
When there are 5 minutes of cooking remaining, add 2/3 of the grated Parmigiano.
Continue adding the vegetable stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until absorbed.
Add the last of the stock when the rice is a couple of minutes from being ready: at the end, the risotto will need to be slightly runny.
When the time is up, take the pot off the heat. Add "a nut" of butter and stir gently for one extra minute.
Serve sprinkled with the rest of the Parmigiano and a hint of black pepper.
Originally born in Naples, Marzia Molatore grew up near Valtellina, in northern Italy. About 15 years ago, she moved to Vancouver, Canada, where she teaches traditional Italian cooking.
Her case, however, is far more extraordinary than this. Recently, she shared on her blog the truth about the events that affected her life in Italy and which she has now started to leave behind. In the episode, Marzia shares more on her story and I am proud to have had the opportunity to record it directly from her own voice.
In the second part of our chat, Marzia talks about her cooking school and her goal to spread her love for cooking and dining together, as well as inspire more people to cook real food – an objective with which I couldn’t agree more!
You can follow Marzia on her blog, as well as on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Please join me in congratulating her for her incredible strength and fantastic attitude in life.
Diana Zahuranec is back on the show to join the conversation on culture shock – whether it’s associated with relocating, and whether it can also occur when going back. During the episode, Diana shares her experience following her six-year relocation to Italy and her subsequent return to the United States. She also analyzes the life in New York City, where she is now based, in contrast with suburban living in the USA, and in surprising accordance with the Italian lifestyle she was used to in Turin.
Diana and I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject! What is your definition of culture shock? Have you experienced it? Was it associated with a relocation? Please add your comments 🙂
This episode’s guest is Pina Bresciani (pinabresciani.com), a talented food blogger based in Vancouver, Canada, with strong ties to Italy.
Join me as I learn more about Pina, starting from her upbringings in an Italian family in Vancouver, speaking Italian at home and English at school, and spending her summers at her grandparents in Sperlonga, a seaside town between Rome and Naples. Growing up, Pina continued to keep close ties to Italy, while growing fond of Vancouver’s natural beauty and multicultural vibe. In 2015, Pina decided to start a blog as a creative outlet and, naturally, she gravitated towards Italian culture, and, just as naturally, food became the main focus. Pina’s recipes show her continental Italian roots, at times incorporating a west coast influence, beautifully presented thanks to her amazing food photography.
During the episode, we touch on some of Pina’s posts:
Thoughts on the Table is back after a very long absence with an autobiographical episode. Following my relocation to England, I’ve now been living in my new home for five months, settling in and getting used to the local culture and habits. In this episode, my friend and recurring guest Nick Zingale takes the lead as we discuss the so-called culture shock experienced when relocating to a different country, as well as the “reverse” culture shock of going back to one’s native land.
How do we cope with culture shock? When do we start adopting new habits? If we go back, do the acquired habits stick? Do we see our native land differently? Join us as we try to answer these and more questions while trying to break down the differences between Canada, England, and Italy.
Hello everyone! Today this blog turns eight years old, prompting me to give an (overdue) update.
As you have heard in the latest podcast, and seen on “the social channels,” I have some big news. After spending over 17 years in Vancouver, two months ago I moved to England! Precisely, to the town of Guildford, 30 miles south-west of London. I won’t go too much into the reasons for the relocation, other than saying that they are both personal and professional, and that I am super excited about being here!
Guildford – High Street
If you wonder what’s going to happen to this blog now that I am much closer to Italy and perhaps no longer bombarded by the worst Italian Food “interpretations,” please rest assured that I will continue the project! Even though England’s proximity to Italy, along with a much reduced Italian-American influence should result in a much closer rendition, Italian cuisine is still foreign, and as such, subject to adaptation to the local palate, and I have started to see this already. But in any case, what I’m interested in the most is food culture (and I think you are interested in it too!); England has so much to offer on that front, and I hope to dive into it over time.
Cream-tea: fruit scones, clotted cream, jam, accompanied by tea, of course!
For now, all I can do is share my first impressions. I may be stating the obvious, but, to me, the most noticeable difference between England and western Canada is that in England, the weight of history has resulted in a stronger national identity. However much I love Vancouver’s openness towards all cultures, it’s fascinating to now be exposed to more rooted customs, which may be even stronger in a small town such as Guildford. Moreover, it’s exciting to have the opportunity to explore and discover, for instance, that pretty much all cafes serve cream-tea, that the only fruit in fruit scones is raisins (or should I say sultanas?) and that crusty bread may be called a ‘bloomer’ (having no reason to be called “Italian!”)
I will talk more about British culture and traditions going forward, in comparison to the Italian and North American ones.
Now, onto a brief retrospective on this last year of blogging, or podcasting, as I should say. With only one article published, no recipes (boo!), and eight podcast episodes, it appears that I have been dedicating myself almost exclusively to Thoughts on the Table. I have certainly enjoyed producing each episode, along with my wonderful guests (some returning and some new): from the planning, to the recording, to the editing. If you missed any of them, here is a summary:
Returning guest, food blogger and photographer David Scott Allen returns on the show to discuss The Basic Rules of Italian Food, such as that no Italian would dare to cut spaghetti with a knife, or to have a cappuccino after a meal!
Food blogger Alida Zamparini returns to give us an update on her latest recipes and blogging trips. As you will hear, Alida has been focusing on regional Italian products and artisan craftsmanship, such as the production of ricotta in the Friulian Alps. Alida also introduces her passion for ancient grains such as spelt and Kamut Khorasan.
An interview with blogger Enzo De Chiara during which he explains his link to the United States and how he started his blog to document his food, travel, and lifestyle experiences across from his hometown of Bergamo (in northern Italy) and his adoptive city of Columbia, Missouri.
A Christmas episode with my friend and recurring guest Nick Zingale. In the episode, he describes how his Italian-American family celebrated Christmas over the years, with a special mention of the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Yvette, Giampaolo, and 9-year-old Azzurra describe how they started producing short videos to promote their Memphis restaurant and help introduce continental Italian food to North America.
Foodiamo’s founder Raffaele Asquer and chief editor Roberto Croci talk about the Foodiamo project and how it expanded from guide to Italian food in Los Angeles to online magazine of global appeal.
Neapolitan born and raised Giuseppe D’Angelo describes how he made a mission for himself to discover the best Neapolitan pizzerias around the world. In his blog, he praises how pizza makers outside of Naples can obtain an excellent product despite operating in less than ideal conditions.
Writer and editor Melinda King talks about her background in food and wine science and history and shares her view on the true nature of Italian food with an insightful analysis that transcends its well-known allure.
When I started Thoughts on the Table, I never would have thought that it’d reach its 67th episode, that it would feature so many amazing guests, and that it would have allowed me to approach Italian food and food culture from so many different angles! This episode’s guest is Melinda King, an established writer and editor who has worked in the food industry and who has an extensive background in science and history. In our chat, Melinda introduces herself and then shares her view on what Italian food really is, with what I think of as one of the most insightful analysis I have ever encountered!
During the episode, Melinda mentions the book by Alberto Capatti and Massimo Montanari titled Italian Cuisine – A Cultural History, a wonderful read for anyone interested in understanding where modern Italian food comes from and in the premises of its very identity.
If you want to know more about Melinda, please check out her bio below. To get in touch with her, please leave a comment or contact her at setteveli21 AT gmail DOT com.
Melinda “Mindy” King is a writer and editor finishing her graduate thesis at the Università degli Studi di Padova in Agricultural Sciences and Italian Food and Wine, currently living in the Veneto countryside tending vines, animals, and a cornfield. With ten years in publishing management, research, freelance writing and illustration (having ghostwritten over 320 books), she earned degrees in European History (emphasis Medieval and Renaissance Studies—science and medicine), Anthropology, and Environmental Sciences having studied at Chapman University, Universidad de Monterrey, The British Institute, and Università di Firenze. With a background in wine studies (Sommelier, distribution, sensory analysis, and retail) she now applies herself to land management and training techniques. A lifetime of restaurant management and cooking (Colombian-Spanish and Swedish chef-family of wine and paella fiends), she has an eye to quality and tracking, as well as a sense of humor. Meanwhile, she has been a teacher and translator having traveled and worked in over seventy countries. Born in Santa Ana, California, spending much of her childhood in Mexico, Mindy moved to Italy in college to study, and finally found her home. Melding history and science, her focus on viticulture and vinification emphasizes vini autoctoni d’Italia (native grapes). The importance of this topic, she believes, is in the manner the grapes are cared for, and the people who do the work. The theme of her life is “inviting people to share their stories,” and Italian grapes have much to say. Investigating vines in the Etna volcano region (specifically Nerello Mascalese) in Sicily, she is further inspired on the beautiful connections between time, tradition, and soil. Her obsession is Italian “terroir,” and the historical meaning behind what “tastes good.” She is grateful to have parents with deep curiosity and dynamic appetites. Science is the study of energy. Taste is the observation of culture. Italian food are these things, in perfect practice.
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