November 18, 2023 by Gina Stipo Leave a Comment

Italian Cuisine in the World!

Eight years ago, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs started a week-long focus to promote fine Italian cuisine in the world. The multi-faceted focus is on Italian agriculture and food products. The topic of Italian cuisine in the world is so broad that it’s hard to know where to start. From health benefits of the Mediterranean diet to the quality of Italian food products and ingredients, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Let’s begin with the social and economic reasons that so many people migrated from Southern Italy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This mass arrival of immigrants changed nations. We can focus later on how Italian cuisine in the world changed once the Italians settled on the distant shores of North America.

How the Unification of Italy changed the world

As many who have traveled with us recently have learned, the diaspora of southern Italians over a century ago is linked to the unification of Italy in 1861. Northern patriots, with the goal of kicking out foreign rulers, began a civil war to unify the country under one government and monarchy. The Austro-Hungarian empire ruled the northeast, the Vatican owned much of central Italy, the Savoy family ruled Piedmont and Sardinia, and the Spanish Bourbons ruled over Sicily and southern Italy.

Known as The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, this kingdom was wealthier than all the rest of Italy put together. Its two major capitals in Naples and Palermo were filled with riches, art, huge palaces and a large aristocratic class. When they eyed unification, their goal in the south was two-fold: kick out the Spanish rulers and steal the immense wealth for their new country. The Savoy king in Piedmont bankrolled the war and became the monarch of unified Italy.

The development of the new country profoundly changed the southern Italian economy. It led to poverty and joblessness for the majority of people in the south. The nobility was heavily taxed, the coffers were looted, and the power of the ruling class left Naples and Palermo, transferring to the new capital in Rome. In two generations, people who had had jobs and livelihoods were left with nothing but a dream of escape: the New World.

Taking with them what they could carry, as well as memories and recipes from their families, towns and homeland.

The influence of Southern Italians in the US

One hundred years ago, products imported from other countries weren’t readily available in the US. When the southern Italians arrived in America, they didn’t find what they needed to recreate their dishes. Olive oil was unavailable, tomatoes were more acidic than those grown on the volcanic soil of their homeland, red wine was generally french and hard to come by. So the Italians set about making their home in America, planting vineyards in California, adding sugar to tomato sauce, and importing food staples from their homeland.

A ban on importing pork products from Italy opened the door for Italian butchers to produce sausages and salami. Mozzarella cheese is a southern Italian staple that doesn’t travel well, so delis began making it fresh. American soldiers stationed in southern Italy during WWII fell in love with pizza and pasta. Their return aided the explosion of Italian restaurants and pizzerias outside of Italian enclaves.

The use of oregano by southern Italians, originally a Greek herb, became the one herb that made a dish “Italian”. People from different Italian regions intermarried or settled next door and shared recipes. Over generations, American-Italian cuisine developed, often bearing little resemblance to dishes you find today in Italy.

Differences between raw ingredients in Italy and the US

As easy as it is to find really high-quality ingredients in Italy, it’s almost impossible in America. Italian food is simple, relying on the freshest ingredients. Those ingredients must be of the highest quality to stand alone. Two reasons make it difficult to reproduce authentic Italian food in the US: 1. our raw ingredients are grown with herbicides and pesticides and sprayed or gassed for a longer shelf life; and, 2. our processed foods have added fillers, sugars and chemicals.

A good example is ricotta cheese. In Italy, ricotta is fresh and local, made with only milk, cream, vinegar and salt. It is widely available in every grocery store and deli and is a delicious staple in many dishes. Ricotta cheese in America almost always contains additives such as locust bean gum and carraggenan. It’s not delicious and, unlike in Italy, is never consumed by itself.

Glyphosate, widely used as Roundup in America to harvest wheat, is illegal in Europe. Thus, Italian wheat products such as flour, pasta and bread don’t contain this harmful additive. Grape seeds contain high amounts of antioxidants and most grapes eaten in Italy still contain them. But in America, seedless grapes have widely propagated, leaving 80% of grapes sold in the US without seeds, more than any country in the world. Because Italy is so much smaller than America, most fruits and vegetables are considered locally grown and don’t need to be gassed or treated to lengthen the shelf life. Italians still eat with the seasons and so what they consume is fresher and more densely packed with nutrients.

There are so many DOP food products in Italy that have rules and regulations. From the geographic region to ingredients and process, DOP products are a consumers guarantee of quality. But that complex subject is for another article!

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet means eating locally, eating seasonally and eating foods that haven’t been hybridized or genetically modified.

To wrap it up

Italian cuisine in the world is developing. Many Italians from every region now live and work in America. Imported Italian products are widely available and Eataly stores are everywhere. It’s easier now to learn and create authentic Italian dishes if you pay attention to your ingredients and seek out the highest quality. Traveling to Italy is an easier and less expensive vacation than it was in the past. We love sharing authentic recipes and helping foodies and food professionals grow in their appreciation for Italian cuisine in the world today!

www.eccolacucina.com

January 21, 2023 by Gina Stipo Leave a Comment

Warming Winter soups

Here are a few ideas for warming winter soups to keep up your strength during the cold, dark winter months! Whether bean-based or vegetables pureed and deepened with cream, these soups are a welcome meal by the fireside. The mushroom soups have the additional benefit of being a strengthener for your immune system! If you don’t have a fireplace, light a bunch of candles against the dark and enjoy!

Zuppa di Carota e Finnocchio (carrot fennel soup)

1 lb carrots, cleaned and chopped

1 lb fresh fennel, chopped

1 onion, chopped

olive oil

3 tbsp butter

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water

Sea salt

white pepper

Sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Add butter, carrots, and fennel and continue to cook over a medium heat, stirring until the vegetables begin to soften. Cover with broth or water and continue to cook until the veggies are very soft, at least 30 minutes, adding a small amount of water or broth as it cooks off. Salt while it’s cooking. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. The consistency should be thick, you may add additional broth if you want it thinner. Before serving, reheat and stir in a light grinding of white pepper. Top with chopped fennel fronds and croutons.

Zuppa di Funghi (wild mushroom soup)

1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (chanterelles, blue foot, shitake, black trumpet)

1/2 cup dried porcini, soaked

1 medium onion, small chop

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teas fresh rosemary, minced

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup cream

Clean and chop the mushrooms into medium pieces. Saute the onion, garlic and parsley in the butter and olive oil until soft, add the mushrooms, the rosemary and the porcini, saving the water the porcini soaked in. When the mushrooms begin to soften and are well sauteed, salt and pepper to taste and add the white wine. Allow the wine to cook off, then add the saved porcini water and enough water to cover. Simmer at least 30 minutes and briefly puree with an immersion blender, keeping some mushroom pieces for texture. Add cream and serve. May be topped with croutons.

Zuppa di Zucca Gialla (winter squash soup)

1 butternut squash

1 medium onion, chopped

4 tbsp butter and olive oil, combined

broth* or water

½-1cup cream

nutmeg

salt

white pepper

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place it cut-side down in a roasting pan with a small amount of water. Roast the squash in a 400 degree oven until soft, remove from the oven, and when the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the meat and discard the skin. Sauté the onions in the butter and oil until softened, add the squash meat and sauté 5-10 minutes. Add broth or water to cover the squash, salt, nutmeg and a dash of white pepper and simmer on low at least 20 minutes.

Puree the mixture with an immersion blender and add additional water if too thick. Reheat and finish the soup with the cream, salt to taste. Top the soup with croutons and a good drizzle of new extra virgin olive oil. You can jazz it up and make it more elegant by sauteing porcini mushrooms and topping a crostino, floating that on the soup.

Making broth

*The best broth is the one you make at home with a little chicken, turkey bones or just vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, parsley and peppercorns, simmered an hour. It’s healthy and easy! But if you must buy a canned or boxed broth, be sure to dilute it as they’re very concentrated and can overwhelm the delicate taste of the squash.

Croutons:

One loaf of french or italian country loaf, something dense, with crusts cut off, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Cube the bread into 1″ pieces, place on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake at 400 until golden brown.

January 20, 2023 by Gina Stipo Leave a Comment

Visit Emilia Romagna

Come with us to Emilia-Romagna in 2024!

Beginning in the spring of 2024, we are excited to add a new region to our culinary tours: the beautiful area of Emilia-Romagna in north-central Italy!

A region that most tourists just pass through on the way from the hubs of Florence and Venice, Emilia-Romagna is one of our favorite places to visit. The rich food culture, delicious wines and historic architecture found in these two regions are worth a deeper dive. This is truly important if one is to understand Italy. The area is elegant, wealthy, and urbane, filled with open and friendly people.

For a more complete history of the region, dating back to Roman times, check out this Britannica link! https://www.britannica.com/place/Emilia-Romagna

Originally separate regions, Emilia and Romagna became joined administratively in 1947. The people of these two regions, recognizing their cultural diversity, still think of themselves as either Emiliano or Romagnolo.

Emilia

The western part of the region, Emilia, is known for its amazing food culture. These people are true gourmands, and it is in Emilia that many of Italy’s most iconic foods are born. It is home to Italy’s most important DOP foods such as Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, and Mortadella di Bologna. The pastas include tagliatelle or lasagna with Bolognese ragu, and garganelli. Among the many stuffed pastas are tortelli, cappelletti and tortellini. The wines of the Lambrusco grape are slightly frizzante and simple, yet perfect with the rich foods. The capital city of Bologna has leaning towers, medieval architecture, miles of loggias covering the sidewalks and the oldest university in Europe. The Basilica of San Petronio is incredible and opens onto the city’s largest public space, Piazza Maggiore.

Romagna

Romagna makes up the eastern half of the region and was originally part of the Byzantine Roman Empire, as evidenced by the amazing byzantine mosaics of Ravenna. Due to the geographical barrier of the Appenines and a shared coastline on the Adriatic, Romagna aligned itself with the Marche to the south, rather than to Florence and Tuscany. Rimini is famous for its beaches and nightlife. The ancient etruscan salt flats of Cervia are still in use today. The main grape is Sangiovese, not Lambrusco, and tradition says that the sangiovese grape may have originated here in Romagna. Beautiful vineyards, ancient artisan products like ceramics and hand-stamped fabrics, and modern upscale car production tie the old together with the new in Romagna.

The Ecco La Cucina tour

Our week-long stay in this beautiful region will include 4 nights in the classic city of Bologna. Our four days will be filled with visits to experience the production of prosciutto, parmigiano and aceto balsamico; a cooking class with a focus on fresh pasta, and walking tours of the cities of Bologna and Parma. Included are lots of amazing meals and fabulous wines. The last three nights will be on a lovely wine estate in the heart of Romagna with visits to Faenza for ceramics, Gambettola for fabrics, a winery tour and tasting, and a day exploring the ancient mosaics in Ravenna.

Spring is the perfect time to visit the area with flowers and vineyards in bloom, warm sunny days and pleasant nights. Contact us for more information and to sign up!

Gina and Mary have been leading small group tours to Italy for over 22 years! Check us out on our lovely website Ecco La Cucina!

November 18, 2022 by Gina Stipo Leave a Comment

Chestnuts for the Fall

For the first time in years, this Thanksgiving we aren’t going to make our traditional oyster dressing for dinner. Instead, we’re returning to an old American classic dressing made with chestnuts.

Having recently returned from Puglia and seen first-hand the destruction of the thousand-year-old olive trees made me think about America’s own incredible loss of trees, the American chestnut. It once dominated the forests of the east coast. The rot-resistent, strong wood was used for log cabins, telephone poles and railroad ties. At one time the Thanksgiving table was not complete without a dish that included chestnuts! Then at the turn of the 20^th Century, a blight from Asia wiped out the trees completely.

Our grandmother’s valley in Campania, the Irpinia, is famous for chestnuts and many of those you find in the grocery store at this time of year come from there. They’re easy to find already cooked, peeled and vacuum packed from Asia.

Chestnuts can be boiled or roasted and are easiest to peel when hot. I like to throw whole, peeled chestnuts in the pan when the turkey is roasting, then scatter them on the serving platter around the sliced turkey. When roasted, they are perfect at the end of a meal with that extra glass of red wine and some clementines!

Whether boiled or roasted, chestnuts add a richness and meatiness to soups, stuffings and braised dishes and make holiday dishes seem extra special.

Below are two recipes: Chestnut dressing and chestnut soup. Both are perfect for the fall celebration!

Chestnut Dressing

I like dressing instead of stuffing, which is too fussy and complicated with its inherent warnings of food poisoning if not done just right. Who needs that kind of stress on Thanksgiving?!

1 onion, small dice

1 large stalk celery, small dice

½ bulb fresh fennel, small dice

Olive oil

Butter

2-3 cups chestnuts*, rough chop

4 cups bread cubes, unflavored (try Tuscan Pane from Trader Joe’s, cut into cubes)

Homemade turkey stock

2 tbsp parsley, minced

½ teaspoon ground fennel seeds

Sea salt and white pepper

Make your turkey stock. It’s so easy, there’s no excuse! While the turkey is roasting, take the neck and wing tips, cover them with water and add a carrot, celery, small piece of onion and some parsley stems. Simmer an hour, add some salt and voila’!

Sauté the onion, celery and fennel in a pan with enough olive oil and butter to coat everything.

Put the chestnuts, bread, parsley and ground fennel in a large bowl, add the sauteed vegetables and toss, adding enough turkey broth to moisten it. Season with salt and white pepper. Place it in a buttered casserole dish and bake at 375 til browned on top.

*We use the peeled chestnuts found at Costco.

Zuppa di Castagna (Chestnut Soup)

6 oz pancetta, diced

1 small onion, chopped

2 leeks, chopped

1 bulb fresh fennel, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp butter

1 sprig rosemary, chopped

2 cups chestnut meat, chopped

water

salt

2 bay leaves

1 cup cream

Sauté the pancetta in a soup pot with half the olive oil until warmed, add the butter and rest of the olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion, leek, garlic and fennel until soft and translucent. Add the rosemary and sauté for a minute, then the chestnut meat. Stir to coat with the oil and warm through, add enough water to the pan to cover, add the bay leaves, salt to taste and simmer for 30 minutes. Just before serving add the cream. Serve with croutons.

Check out our food and wine tours to Italy here!