The $110 Appetizer and the Gifts that Followed

Describing Venice as a "labyrinth" has the metaphoric equivalency of calling the Adriatic Sea "moist."  

Remember back to the SATs?  Venice : Labyrinth :: Adriatic Sea : ?

Get my meaning?  Good.  Then you'll understand what a remarkable feat it was even finding our hotel let alone the serendipity of finding one of the best restaurants in the whole city.

We took the train from Florence to Venice (assisted by a few very pleasant gypsies who helped fleece us out of 10 Euros more than they should have) and arrived at a train station.  Not entirely remarkable to itself, as we were traveling by train (see previous sentence), however, only in Venice will the train station be on the bank of a major water way trimmed in grand architecture dating back to the 13th to 18th centuries.  Speaking with the European tourists who frequent the city, we learned of the Vaporetti--the water buses that are the most commonly accessed water transport.  Studying multiple maps, we gained a good sense of what stop we needed and so we settled into the ride--jostling with locals and tourists from around the globe, and getting swept up in the sights of Venice.

We arrived at our stop, but on exiting the vaporetto, we had no markers to indicate which "street" would lead us to our hotel.  Wheeling our luggage behind us, we entered the closest alleyway to us.  As it turns out, everything in Venice that isn't water and isn't a building is either a bridge, a piazza or an alley.  And since the only land transportation is walking, size of alley doesn't really indicate the importance of the alley.  Wide alleys may dead end and narrow alleys may lead exactly where you want to go.  So it was with this alley we chose.  I remember thinking, "this can't be right," because the alley was so narrow I could not wheel two suitcases behind me side-by-side without scraping them against the 4-story buildings defining the passage way. 

We passed restaurants in open piazzas (mid-afternoon, so most were closed for lunch but may have served some light fare) then ducked back into another alley--still without any real idea of our direction.    By happenstance we glanced up an another alley we thought SHOULD be close to our destination, and there it was: our hotel.

We checked in, got the scoop from the boys at the front desk, toweled off (SO HOT and HUMID!) and then went back outside to explore. 

Venice is everything I wanted it to be and so much more.  I could go back tomorrow and enjoy it as if it were my first time. 

Initially, I had a mind to try and live on a budget.  This is probably the financial advisor in me, but I was really trying to shop and eat on the cheap.  At least until lunch on the second day.  We found a good, out of the way place (everything is sort of out of the way: did I mention that Venice is a maze?) and ate some really wonderful cuisine: frutti di mare.  Then everything sort of fell into place in my mind--like finding that one long piece in Tetris that clears all the rows:  I'm ME.  I love food.  Why would I punish us by avoiding some of the best food opportunities in the world?  Budget minded living gets you Olive Garden Venice.

We walked back to the hotel that night and past a little restaurant not 50 feet from the front of our hotel door.  We had passed it every time we went into or exited from our hotel, but with my newly renovated mindset, I noticed a basket of wild mushrooms, including boletes--mushrooms of the finest quality.  I used to hunt mushrooms in New Mexico and those were prizes, if found.  Their locations were closely guarded secrets by any mycologist lucky enough to find them.  Now, here they were, half a world away, and no less prized.  We told the maitre d' that we needed a shower but we would be back soon. 

They set a table for us upwind from the smokers (everywhere is a designated smoking area in Venice, doubly so outside) and we ordered a bottle of wine and asked how the chef recommended the mushrooms.  Like climbing the steps to Heaven, my taste buds ascended to levels of ecstasy they had never before known.  We split a serving of the boletes as an appetizer, then a shared course of risotto with seafood, we shared a small steak and vegetables, and finished with a panna cotta for dessert.  THIS!  This is what I know we deserved. 

We returned the next two nights, playing a repeat of that same theme: The second night having ravioli for an appetizer, a chanterelles risotto, seafood entree, more wine, more panna cotta. The third night we looked to blow out all the stops. 

Flashback:  I remember in college, The Old Towne Ale House had dollar beers and 10 cent wings on Wednesday nights.  Wednesday night became my night of gluttony, damned be the consequences.  And sure enough, the consequences usually damned me, some way, some how, either that night or the next morning. 

A voice in the back of my head may have whispered that this was about to happen again.  On a much larger scale.

Damned be the consequences? 

We told the maitre d' that we'd be back in 45 minutes and asked if we could have what had become our table.  We cleaned up and changed, and made our way back.  Our regular server had the night off, but we had seen tonight's server the previous nights and he had been prepared for our evening--looking forward to it, even.  We asked what he recommended for a bottle of wine to which he said the maitre d' recommends a very special bottle for us.  We accepted the personalized recommendation.  Let the stop blowing begin.  I asked about the mushrooms for the day, and there was a special treat: in addition to the chanterelles of the previous night, they also had a very beautiful, very large and very fresh truffle from the mainland. Truffle risotto?  Fillet with a truffle sauce?  We elected to have a simple saute of chanterelles for an appetizer, cuttlefish and pasta, the fillet et truffle and then we'd decide on something for dessert. 

The mushrooms came out of the kitchen and our waiter presented us two plates, as opposed to our customary one.  He hadn't been serving us the previous nights, and I hadn't thought to tell him that we share the courses. (In all honesty, each serving was exceedingly generous.  There would be no way we could each have eaten that much food without sharing, and we wanted to try as many dishes as we could.  Hence: sharing.)  We indicated our preference to our new waiter, but the appitizer damage was done.  And since we weren't really ordering from the menu, we didn't know the price.  We didn't think (want?) to ask, either. 

Damned be the consequences.  We ordered another bottle of wine.

We smiled and joked with the staff, with other patrons (Hello, John "James" Bond 006 3/4.  We agree, you didn't quite make it.) and passers-by.  We watched as people passed, women dressed to impress in their short dresses and high heels, staggering not at all on the cobbled walkways, the families with beleaguered children (or sometimes parents) in tow, the young, the old, the wealthy, the middle class, all flowing like water through the passageways of Venice. 

The hours passed and our evening started to wrap up.  My beloved excused herself to the women's room and our waiter and some of the staff joined me at the table.  I expressed my gratitude for the hospitality and the wonderful cuisine of the last few days.  I discovered that all of the ingredients are as local as possible and some--like the chanterelles, boletes and truffles--may be found wild.  They then presented the bill.

I would love to believe that I had a good poker face.  I knew the tab would be high.  I know I held it together well enough, because everyone was still smiling as my beloved returned with the maitre d',  having been introduced to our chef.  I paid the tab and kept the receipt.  Later I discovered the appetizer--those lovely chanterelles, hand picked and lovingly prepared--came to 75 Euros.  The rest of the dinner, the bottles of wine, all added up to a pretty penny.  Damn those consequences.

Rather than leaving, our maitre d' invited us inside (completely empty--for all the bustle of the restaurant, everyone wanted to sit outside) and offered us limoncello.  We sat and sipped and talked of good food and travel.  We shared some of our favorite recipes, and they presented us with a cookbook.  We shook hands and embraced as appropriate and we took our leave.  We waddled up to our room to go to bed for our last night in Venice.  The gondoliers still paddled through the tight canal, four stories below our window, their lanterns looking like fireflies dancing over the water. 

We reflected: the food was wonderful, the people were terrific.  The bill was large but worth it and the cookbook was a charming gesture of the hospitality of our hosts.  From one family who enjoys food to another.  The consequences were not that damned bad.

Here are a few interpretations of our favorite Venitian cuisine.  Buon appetito!

Sauteed Chanterelles
If you're lucky enough to get fresh chanterelles, that's great!  If you can't, don't despair: they dry well and can easily be reconstituted.  Simply simmer for 5 minutes in water, or white wine and water, or broth.  Remove from the heat and let stand, submerged in the liquid and covered for 10 minutes.  When they've softened, trim off the tough stem ends.  Reserve the liquid to flavor other dishes (like risotto).

1 1/2 cups fresh or reconstituted Chanterelles (I'm partial to Golden, but Black are also available and delicious)
1 1/2  tablespoons of Butter
1 large clove of Garlic, minced
1 small Shallot, sliced very thin
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
1 tablespoon Parsley, minced, plus a few whole leaves for garnish

(If the mushrooms have been reconstituted, saute them in a dry skillet for a few minutes to steam out most of the residual liquid.  Then continue.)  Melt the butter in a skillet on medium high heat until it stops foaming, then add the garlic and shallots.  Stir gently for 60 seconds (or one minute--your choice.  I'm not picky.) then add the chanterelles.  Saute for 2-3 minutes, moving them gently, occasionally.  Add the minced parsley and saute with the chanterelles for another minute.  Add the wine and reduce the heat to medium low.  Let simmer for 3-4 more minutes. 

Garnish with a couple of whole parsley leaves and serve hot.

Fruiti di Mare
Most every culture that exists near the sea has some kind of seafood stew.  I can't think of any that don't, but then again, I'm not really trying.  This is one inspired by the seafoods available locally in eastern Italy, but adapted for the supermarket fish available in the mountains of Colorado.

1 lb Shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 lb each of live Clams and Mussels
1/2 lb small Squid, cleaned and cut into rings (and tentacles if you're lucky enough to get the whole squid)
10 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 large Shallot, sliced fine
3 tablespoons fresh Parsley Leaves, minced
1/2 cup White Wine
Olive Oil
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 cup Chicken or Fish Stock
Pasta (spaghetti or linguine)

In a large pan over medium high heat, add 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Wait 30 seconds until the oil can be swirled easily in the bottom of the pan, then add the garlic, shallots, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 (slightly rounded) teaspoon of red pepper.  Stir gently in the pan until the garlic has softened. Add the white wine and stock and cover.  Let come to a simmer and reduce heat.   Add the clams and mussels and cover the pan again. (Take care to sort out any with broken shells or which have already opened.)  Let simmer for 10 minutes until the shells have opened. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of  parsley.  Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add more wine and stock if needed. 

Start a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to directions.

As you put the dried pasta in the pot, add the shrimp and calamari to the tomatoes and shellfish.  Cover the pot.  Cook for about 5 minutes then stir to mix everything.   The shrimp should be pink and the calamari white.  Cover and remove from the heat.

Drain the pasta, and in a large bowl, combine the frutti di mare and the linguini and toss once or twice with tongs.  Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.  Serve in individual bowls with a little crostini on the side.

Limoncello
My beloved has been making this for years, but has recently changed the recipe. This is a wonderful after dinner liqueur, or you can mix it with sparkling water for a summer afternoon treat.

2 large, organic Lemons
Cheese Cloth and String
a large Glass Jar with a Lid

750 ml Pure Grain Alcohol (Everclear)

1 cup Water

1 cup Sugar 

juice of the 2 Lemons

 

Wrap the lemons in a piece of cheesecloth and tie the ends like a satchel, leaving enough string on both ends to hang a few inches below the top of the jar. 

 

Pour the alcohol into the glass jar. Holding the string ends, make sure the lemon does not touch the alcohol. Secure the string around the mouth of the jar and close the jar tightly.  (If your jar does not have an airtight seal, you can seal the lid by wrapping the seam with adhesive tape.)  Leave the jar in a cool, dark place for 3 months.  (Beauty like this takes time. Deal with it.)

 

When ready, prepare a syrup by combining the cold water and sugar. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves completely.  Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to rest until completely cool.

Unseal the jar, remove and juice the lemons. Pour the alcohol into a large jar along with the syrup. Add the lemon juice.  Mix very well. Pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a bottle.

Cork the bottle and let it rest for at least 1 week before using it.  Or as long as you can stand.  I think we waited about 5 minutes. 

Welcome Back

Hello again.  Miss me?

I needed this hiatus. My posts became increasing preachy and I needed some time to refocus.  I didn't know it would be a year, but there you are.

In the mean time, I've still been cooking.  We've been travelling (Florence, Venice, Slovenia, Marrakesh).   I took my first cooking class.  I've been experimenting with gelatin and agar agar.  I don't have an oven but I do have crazy good skills for finding alternate heating sources to cook food.  I've explored more wild foods.  We've fallen in love with even more restaurants.

I promise to share all of it with you. 

So where to go first?  How about a few recipes and then we ease back into all this?  Here's two.  Please enjoy.

Chicken & Mushroom Mac n Cheese
2 Chicken Breasts
1 large Clove of Garlic, minced
Olive Oil
Mushrooms, chopped
Butter
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Cream
Salt & Pepper
1 1/4 cup Orzo (dry measure), cooked and drained
Parsley, chopped and Cheese, grated

Slow cook chicken breasts, with salt and pepper in olive oil and garlic. Remove chicken from pan, leaving drippings and garlic. Add mushrooms and increase heat to sauté. When mushrooms have cooked, chop the chicken and add back to the pan, and reduce the heat to low.

In sauce pan on medium high heat, melt the butter, then add the cheese and cream, stirring constantly.  When the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth, stir in the chicken and mushroom mixture. Stir in the orzo.

Serve with a little grated cheese and chopped parsley on top. 


Thai Chili Bitters
1 tsp Cloves
10 Juniper Berries
1 tbsp Allspice Berries
1 Bay Leaf
1 tbsp Black Pepper Corns
1/2 star of Anise
6 Green Cardamom Pods
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
2 Thai Chilies
Gentian Root Extract
750 ml Everclear

Follow the basic recipe for Bitters that I posted in 2010. 

After you've strained and filtered the bitters, pour it into a large non-reactive pot.  Reduce it over a very low heat.  This is the purest alcohol you can get and it's extremely volitile.  It will reduce quickly and you want it down to about 1/5 of it's original volume.  Use extreme caution if you are using a gas stove, because it could explode!  Do not cover.  Don't stir.  In fact don't even make this recipe unless you've got the fortitude to wade across a lava flow carrying that old lady who was too stubborn to leave her home until it was too late, even though Peirce Brosnan warned her to go.  But if you decide to make it, you will be rewarded with a spicy little number to accent your gin or rye.

Dessert on a Diet

The Quest: Make a dessert high in nutritional value, that tastes great and is relatively low in calories.  Bonus: Vegan (I want EVERYONE to be able to enjoy this.)
Double Bonus: The cooking time is less than a half hour, although the refrigeration is 4 hours.
The Experiment:  A different kind of Panna Cotta.

Back Story: Everyone will recognize that I've had no professional training for cooking.  Almost everything I've learned I picked up from my parents, reading cook books, watching TV and videos and lots of trial and error.  You also know that I've been on a bit of a health kick of late.  I want to look and feel better all of the time.  But I'm still a glutton at heart.  I love sweet, salty, rich and creamy foods.  How can a glutton have everything he wants?

This is my problem.  I can't read this.
Neither can you.  So, don't judge me.

The Players: Panna cotta is a milk-based dessert set using animal-based gelatin.  Neither of these things are allowed in a vegan diet.  What can be substituted for whole milk?  Nothing really, but I tried both unsweetened soy milk and plain almond milk.  I liked the taste of almond better.  It also has less fat (good for me, bad for dessert), less calories and more nutrition than soy.  Even more challenging, I need to find a substitute for heavy cream.  I selected canned, unsweetened coconut milk.  It has a relatively high fat content (although nowhere near real cream), is naturally sweet and rich. To set the gel, I looked for plant substitutes.  Agar (or agar agar) is a structural agent found in the cell walls of red algae.  I found it in the baking aisle of my local grocery store, in thread and powdered form.  (Like the adventuresome idiot I sometimes am, I got my agar agar from the Pacific Ocean Marketplace years ago before I knew what it was or how to use it.  It's been sitting in our pantry for at least 5 years.)

The cast of characters.

If I stopped here, the panna cotta would taste ok, but not great.  The really rich creaminess just can't be brought to life without richer and creamier ingredients.  Therefore, I decided to go in a different direction.  I added a can of pumpkin puree and 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger to really punch up the "wow" factor.  The resulting mix has only 94 calories, 110% daily requirement of vitamin A, 10% daily requirement of vitamin C, is high in dietary fiber, calcium and iron, has 0 cholesterol, and only 4 grams of fat.  And it tastes GREAT!

The resulting panna cotta?  A failure the first time around.  It didn't gel.  That was a fear of mine with so little fat.

The next try?  Stay tuned.

Tonight for dessert, we're having:

Vegan Pumpkin Ginger Panna Cotta Ice Cream
1 cup Almond Milk
2 tablespoons Agar Agar Threads
1 can (15oz) Pumpkin Puree
2 tablespoon grated fresh Ginger
2 cups Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 tablespoons Sugar
pinch of Salt

Pour the almond milk into a medium sauce pan and sprinkle the agar evenly over the surface of the milk. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the agar to hydrate. Get the rest of your ingredients ready and also fill a very large mixing bowl 1/2 way with ice and add enough water to let the ice cubes float off the bottom. Get another bowl ready that is small enough to fit inside the large bowl, and large enough to hold about 6-8 cups of liquid. Also set out the ramekins or cups you will use for chilling.

Heat the almond milk and agar on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the agar dissolves completely and the temperature reaches 135 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.

Pour the almond milk mixture, the coconut milk, pumpkin, ginger and the vanilla into the smaller of the two bowls and place that bowl into the ice water bath. Stirring constantly, chill the mixture to 50 degrees.

Pour the finished mixture into the cups, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

To serve, dip the cup into hot water for 15-20 seconds, making sure not to let any water spill into the panna cotta. Wet your finger and gently run it around the edge of the cup loosening the panna cotta's hold. Turn out onto a serving plate and top with your favorite syrup, sauce, fruit, nuts, etc.

Pour all the ingredients into the ice cream mixer.  Add 6 more tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.  Mix and chill according to the mixer's instructions.  Freeze for a bit longer.  Serve 2 scoops in a bowl or on a cone.  Contemplate another solution to the panna cotta dilema.

Reflections and Diminishing Returns

I was on the radio this past Friday.  It's always funny to hear how I sound when I hear my voice played back to me.  I get very self-conscious.  I can hardly sit still.  So while I was listening to the broadcast, my mind started to wander and I got to thinking about how we (people) view ourselves.  What creature of even moderate intelligence isn't fascinated by its own reflection?  Humans, even more so.

I considered what has shaped my opinion of my self.  Every story that I have created of every event of my life, however important or trivial has lead to the person I am today.  Every choice I have ever made leads me to where I am now.  Mom and Dad, my brothers, my wife, every girlfriend I've ever had, peer pressure from friends and frenemies, every mistake and every success are filtered, magnified, diminished, remembered and manipulated by my mind to create this persona.  I'm amazed at my own success of who I am, because of and in spite of, my own mind.

Pretty heavy so far?  You're doing this, too.

So I guess what this really means is that I, and I'll include you in this, too, so I'll say "we," are still making choices today that will lead to choices we get to make tomorrow.  I pretty much like me, but there is one thing that has been looming over my head: my health and physique.  I want to trim down a little.  Therefore, I am endeavouring to make slightly better choices today: I'm going on a "diet."

This is me. 
This is what I look like.

I announced this to a few people and everyone has asked, "why?"  You all flatter me.  Remember in my last blog post how I said I want to be able to do pull-ups again?  A lighter me will help with that.  Also, I have clothes I like that I would wear if I could breathe while wearing them.  But mostly, I am convinced that WiiFit is making fun of me.  My on-screen avatar (my Mii) is shaped like a watermelon.  Curse you, Wii!  Who knew that the manufacturers of the WiiFit program can do what doctors could not--elicit change--just by making my cartoon body as wide as my cartoon head.  I want a cartoon head that is twice as big as my body!

How to create a successful diet, though?  I've written before on why diets fail, and came to the short conclusion that the foods we have grown accustomed to eating have programmed our bodies and minds to crave those foods.  Naturally, reprogramming my mind will overcome those cravings and I will be wildly successful.  HA!  If only it were so easy.

With the help of a friend, I found an iPhone app that allows me to track every bite I put into my fat yapper.  It calculates my goals and sets my daily calorie limits.  My limit is 1497 calories per day.  This means that I SHOULD lose 1.5 pounds per week and in 20 weeks (or near my birthday) I should be at my target weight.  (I'll let you do the math.  Yes.  I'm overweight. We wouldn't be having this conversation if I were already at my ideal weight.)  One week down and tracking what I am putting into my body and the calories I expend in exercise, I have gained 1 pound.  Cousin Boinker!!  (I'm also trying to swear less. I'm trying different not-quite-swear combinations that will let me think about what I'm saying and maybe laugh at myself instead of get angry.  It's still meeting with mixed success.)

I won't abandon this goal and program, however.  At least not yet.  I'll stay under my calorie count and will try to keep my activity level up.  I will keep you posted every now and then to let you know my progress.  Anyone who wants to join me can by going to MyFitnessPal.com or loading MyFitnessPal on their app-enabled device.  And, of course I will provide some good recipes to help us along this path.

For dinner tonight, try this low fat, low calorie dinner:

Poached Shrimp With Ginger and Bamboo Shoots
16 large Shrimp (22-26 count), in shell, headless and de-veined
1/2 teaspoon Red Curry Paste
1/4 cup dry White Wine
1/2 cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
8 Allspice Berries
10-12 whole Black Peppercorns
1 small Shallot, minced
1 large clove Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh grated Ginger
pinch of Salt
2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1 10oz can of sliced Bamboo Shoots, drained

In a 10" skillet, heat the curry paste, water and wine to a slow boil, stirring until the paste dissolves.  Add in the shrimp, bay leaf, allspice, peppercorns, shallot, garlic ginger and salt.  Stir once and cover.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are pink.  (Flip the shrimp midway through to cook evenly.)

Remove the allspice and peppercorns (as best as you can).

Add the vinegar and bamboo shoots.  Return to a simmer. 
Serves 2; about 120 calories per person.