the end of the summer

Before there was Reggio, and Chiara, and granita, and all those other things that have since defined summer for me, there was Cape Cod. My family has been going there ever since I was three years old, and our annual trek north-eastward marks the end of the summer. Here are some snapshots of just a few things that define my time there:













fried clams!



fruit crumble (pre-crumble)

s'mores

lobstah

homemade grahams

As you can see, it's mostly beach and food. Not much different than my summers in Reggio. Except there definitely wasn't a threat of shark attack in Italy, thus prohibiting me from getting in the water.

The mystery of the "cucuzza" continued...

I've been harassing Chiara to investigate this cucuzza business, and she recently sent me this amazing photo of her Mom, Marcella, in the kitchen with the cucuzzedda longa, which she swears I've eaten (à la this recipe).

Please look at how adorable my students are:

A few of my students run this channel on youtube.com. I'm unsure of the exact story behind it, but it's mostly commentary on current events, music, politics, etc. Here's the latest video they did, and they sent it to me asking or my opinion. Bravi ragazzi!

al di là

With such a plethora of amazing restaurants in NYC, it's often intimidating to try and hash out the really great ones. Being low on funds, I often go for the reliable, cheap options. But when I do want to treat myself, I'm lucky enough to have one of the best Italian restaurants in the city five minutes away from my house. I went to al di là for lunch with my Mom and Aunt to divulge in the excellent cuisine at this Northern Italian trattoria.


Mama Scott contemplates the menu



I love the floor, and the sunflowers

insalata di farro - spelt salad with zucchini, mint, and cucumbers. This dish was amazing.

shaved zucchini salad



homemade tortelli with ricotta and lemon - the best pasta I've had in a while.

grilled mackerel sandwich with pickled vegetables, arugula, and lemon aioli on brioche.

Is Italy Too Italian?

A really great article about the economic crisis that has been burdening Italy for the past decade:

Is Italy Too Italian? - The New York Times

delicious panino

The reason why a non-Italian (like myself) can never cook like a real Italian (like Chiara) is simple: I don't have the millions upon millions of culinary rules carved into my brain, and it's impossible to learn them all. Some are easy to follow: don't consume milk after noon. Don't shower after you eat (it's bad for digestion). Never put your contorno on the same plate as your secondo (woops). But some I just don't get. For example: I like to make a pasta dish with whole wheat rotini, pesto, walnuts, and cherry tomatoes. When I told my Italian friend about this, she grimaced with disgust. "Pomodorini? Con il pesto?", she asked incredulously. And why not?! It's basil, olive oil, and tomatoes. Aren't those the ingredients of a caprese salad? If it works in a salad, why can't I put that in my pasta?!

So excuuuuse me, Italy, for making this sandwich and enjoying every minute of it. Forgive me for putting figs in the same sandwich as prosciutto. Forgive me for calling it a panino, since I pressed it with my panini press, and if we were going to be picky, I would actually call it a piadina (with Swiss health bread instead of flat bread). And forgive me for using part-skim, shredded mozzarella. It wasn't my choice. It was all we had!

Swiss health bread from the farmer's market

+ the most delicious mustard from Dean & Deluca

figs



prosciutto

+ mozzarella

pressed

pronto!

Cacio e Vino

Dinner with some of my favorite people at one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. Cacio e Vino has delicious southern influenced Italian cuisine. Some of our party's favorites were the pasta with almond pesto, the prosciutto schiacciate (flatbreads), and the arancini. Good people, good food, good wine - it felt just like home :)