g2kitchen_holiday-issuu

Holiday Issue

Year I – Christmas Edition – Issue II

Photo by Asha Pagdiwalla

Holidays Guardian “In my childhood house there was a long corridor that separated bedrooms from the living room. Nothing exciting for me because it was dark and my room was right at the very end of it ... and I could never see anything from my bedroom door. Not a light or a glow ... Especially during the Christmas holidays, when my mom used to decorate every corner of the house, the corridor was always dark. In addiction to that, my dad insisted to hang the Christmas tree at the ceiling, worried that I could swallow a bauble or a small light, and that I could transform myself in a small firefly!

It was a real tragedy for me! I still remember it, white to look snowy and full of red baubles, hanging on our table, on our feast, with a threatening appearance.

I finally grew up and the tree landed on the ground, in front of the glass door that separated the long corridor from the living room. I remember the beautiful soft light that used to filter through the matt glass door, mingling through the magnified shadows of pine needles, turning continuously into bright blue, red and yellow.

Cuddled up on my bedroom door, I used to relax before going to sleep, lulled by that visual lullaby that filled my heart with joy and expectation and especially that never left me alone.

This memory has stayed with me forever, since we had to leave that house. That door that I could not stand at the beginning, became the symbol of my Christmas. That moment before my sleep made the holiday personal and intimate, I was convinced that I was the only one to see so much magic in it.

Nowadays, the Christmas tree in my grown up house must be the last thing you see before the stairs corner and the light from the tree must accompany our steps until the door of our bedrooms. A sort of guardian which, during celebration days, reminds us that we are never alone.�

Elga

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 3

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Photo by Genny Gallo

We decided to tell something you about our Christmas.

Each one of us in her own way. Someone indulging especially in her memories, someone telling you in great detail what will be on her table, or what used to be on the table when she was a child.

Christmas is a day to be spent with friends. And we have invited a lot of friends... to make G2K richer, to discover how we celebrate around the world, to offer recipes for every taste...

And so we learn what is the celebration of lights, have our party with a vegan banquet or with recipes suitable for those who can not eat gluten, we join to make tortellini in a kitchen full of busy women, and we also find out how is the upside down Christmas, the one celebrated with the sun. We also thought about the gifts, sifting through the many people who create lovely things with their hands...

And much much more ... ..

So, now run to read this issue, but before, all my best wishes to you ant to all the girls who have worked on this issue! Happy holidays ... whatever you decide to celebrate!

Genny

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Contributors GENNY GALLO

Student, wife, worker and dreamer .... my head is always full of ideas, perhaps too many sometimes, always with a hundred things to do, but a thousand to project, even when I should stop and take a breath, I really can’t do it ... Since 2009 I run my blog Al cibo commestibile, my little precious corner where I can capture and show the fruits of my two passions, photography and cooking.

http://www.alcibocommestibile.com

SILVIA LUPPI

Photography is my job and my biggest passion. Reportage, architecture, still life..... each and every aspect captures me! My desire to learn and discovery each style led me to the food world and consequently to open my own food blog. At the beginning, it was born as a simple amusement, a diary with recipes and personal memories, but my passion kept growing day after day, pushing me to study seriously this world that is giving me lots of satisfactions. Beside this, photography gives me the chance to test me every day, living different experiences that allow me to grow constantly, as a person and as a professional.

http://basilicoepinoli.blogspot.com

EDDA ONORATO

I’ve been living in Paris for some years. My father is Italian, my mother is French, so I’ve grown between flavours and tastes of these two amazing gastronomic cultures.

I’m passionate of and obsessed by cooking and everything that comes around food, ingredients and their stories. Recently I fell in love with photography, especially food photography.

I write my blog in French and Italian. Its name is Un déjeuner de soleil, a breakfast of sun: the French expression means something ephemeral.

My blog is a place to share my discoveries, my experiments and recipes, waiting to have you all as my guests for a tasting on a terrace bathed in sunshine. I cooperate with publishing houses as recipe author and photographer.

http://www.undejeunerdesoleil.com/

TIINA RINKINEN

Tiina Rinkinen is an editor, photographer and blogger living in Finland. She is the author of Sparkling Ink, a food & home blog about passion and love for food and simple living. Tiina’s recipes are inspired by fresh and local seasonal ingredients and the simplicity of Scandinavian cuisine. Having fun with new recipes, simple cooking with great ingredients, and gathering around the table with family and friends is what makes cooking so special.

http://www.sparklingink.com/

ALESSANDRA GENNARO

I learned to read with old Mickey Mouse comics, during kindergarten time, and since then I have not stopped yet. Over the years, books have become a part of me, my never ending bass tune, the backbone of my life, the resonance of my encounters and my passions. Among them, the passion for cooking, born within domestic home walls and then grown in spaces, first physical then virtual, from the thematic library to the blog. Forty-four year old, Genovese, globetrotter, I dedicate the left over time from family and professional commitments to reading, writing and talking about food, either into the official areas of publishing or into the homely spaces of my kitchen, that has always been a place of culinary experiments, more or less successful. From today, I’ll do this also here, retracing the story of a passion by its protagonists, from the most famous to the less well known, people that, with their curiosity, their enthusiasm and their desire to dare, have allowed food to become what is today: a meeting point, an exchange and comparison place, which draws from the roots of its past the lymph to renew itself every day, in the present.

http://menuturistico.blogspot.com/

SARKA BABICKA

Sarka is a London based blogger, food photographer and stylist living in London since 2008. She was born and brought up in Prague, Czech Republic. Her photography passion was ignited with a first photo she took for her blog Cook Your Dream about a year ago. She loves cooking, baking, travel and photography.

http://www.cookyourdream.com/

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GIULIA SCARPALEGGIA I’ve been living in the Tuscan countryside since I was born: Tuscany is my daily life and the landscape I see from my bedroom window each morning.

My first and upstanding passion is English and foreign countries. I’ve always loved travelling and discovering new cultures through their culinary traditions and through people experiences.

I started seeing my home land through the eyes of foreign people and I discovered a new point of view, new colours, fresh and primitive emotions, genuine flavours and tantalizing scents. I deeply fell in love with the vision that foreigners have of Tuscany. Hence my blog, Juls’ Kitchen, a sum of my passions – cooking and English – where opposite sensations and experiences find a perfect and luscious balance.

http://www.julskitchen.com/

ALICIA MANAS

A degree in languages and love took me to Italy, a love that increased to include photography and Italian cuisine, too. My interest in cooking comes from afar: when I was 10 years old my mom bought me my very first cookbooks that I still have and use for some legendary recipes. With the arrival of the Internet and the blogosphere, I have always been more passionate about it.

Two blogs (one Italian and one in Spanish) and many photos on Flickr, not only food related, are the result of this adventure.

http://erborina.blogspot.com - http://amiloquemegustaescocinar.com

CLAUDIA SCARPALEGGIA

My name is Claudia, I’m 20 and I study Food Technology at the University of Florence. I’ve chosen this branch of studies because I’m curious about all that concerns food, from organic growing to the study of its chemical properties…and obviously I like eating good and healthy things!

Moreover, I love travelling, taking pictures and I’m fond of trekking.

I’m going to update you every season about what you can plant and harvest, if you too want to have your own little vegetable garden, and about all the healthy properties of your fresh vegetables!

ELGA CAPPELLARI

My name is Elga, I’m a very Italian, 37 year-old mother of three children and a passionate about cooking, yes, just a passionate autodidact.

I believe in “we are what we eat” so I like to experiment and direct my children toward a food culture that can stimulate them to the taste research.

Struck by photography art, I love to capture what strikes my eyes and that moves me, both in the kitchen and during our travels.

I’m a home chef in my spare time and I manage my blog Semi di Papavero with dedication and enthusiasm, because in it I found my proper dimension.

http://www.semidipapavero.net/

CAROLINA CENNI

I’m Carolina and I’m 27 years old. I was born and grew up in Florence, but now I live in London. Officially, I graduated in Sociology and now I work for a newspaper. Unofficially, I am always in my kitchen playing with flours, spices, scales, and ladle, which is my wand.

My blog “Semplicemente Pepe Rosa” was created in April 2009. It’s a funny collection of tales, pictures and recipes. It’s my way to share food with all of you, which is one of the things that make me so happy…

http://www.semplicementepeperosa.com/

CHIARA BIAGIONI

My name is Chiara, also known as Kia, and actually I have some problems to explain with my own words who I am… I could try to define myself as a designer, an all around decorator, an aspiring painter, an employee with the head in clouds and the constant desire to use daily my hands… or just a mom!

I like using every means that creativity offers to express myself, being them fascinating brushes, a cold mouse, pots and pans or tissues and sewing thread!

Graphic designer for blogs and websites, I start with patience and enthusiasm this new adventure!

http://www.kiabia.it/

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 11

Into a box Christmas means family

Photo and texts by Giulia Scarpaleggia http://www.julskitchen.com/ 12 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

At home we have a shoe box li-

ned with colourful Christmas paper. Inside there are Christmas treasures gathered in a lifetime: greeting cards written by passed away grandparents, small delicate wreaths bought in Austria, recipes scribbled down with the handwriting of a child for the most important lunch of the year, English magazines bought in London with fashion ideas to decorate the house... There is also a very old magazine with Christmas carols, gift ideas and the recipe of the ladyfingers Christmas house.

If I close my eyes and think back to past Christmases, the first thing that comes to my mind is a huge yellow bag of an old duvet, Santa Claus’ gift sack for a tiny little Claudia. Just woke up, with a fleece pyjamas and ruffled hair, she used to run to my bed to drag me to the living room, ready to distribute gifts to everyone and curious to unwrap her presents with accuracy and attention.

This is our Christmas: the family still in pyjamas gathered before breakfast around a yellow sack. The biggest gift has never been inside that bag though: it is in our hearts, in our eyes, in the happiness of meeting and exchanging small presents as sign of the love that binds us.

Merry Christmas!

Giulia and Claudia

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 13

Ladyfingers Christmas House 400 g ladyfingers 250 g butter at room temperature 80 g icing sugar 20 g caster sugar To decorate: 100 g dark chocolate 250 ml cream 2 tablespoons icing sugar Cream the butter with icing sugar and caster sugar.

Building walls and roof.

For the two side walls: spread the surface of a ladyfinger with butter cream, lay a second ladyfinger over the first one, and so on, until you have laid 5 ladyfingers one over the other. Press gently and leave for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Repeat for the second side wall. For the front and rear walls: repeat the same process, stacking up with butter cream 8 ladyfingers this time, Leave for about 30 minutes in the fridge.

Do the same thing with the rear wall.

For the roof: join 7 ladyfingers side by side with the butter cream, to have one of the roof slopes. Repeat for the second slope and put in fridge for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, remove the roof slope from the fridge and brush with melted chocolate. Let cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Assembly the ladyfingers Christmas house.

Side walls are ready as they are. For the front wall, remove two triangles at the top to create the support for the roof slopes. Do the same for the rear wall. Remove a rectangle at the bottom of the front wall to make the door. Join with butter cream the four side walls. Cover with butter cream all the surfaces where the roof slopes will lean on. Put the roof slopes covered in chocolate over the house walls and press gently. Put in fridge to let the house settle.

Decorate the house.

Decorate with whipped cream at the very end. Whip cream until stiff with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, then fill a pastry bag and decorate the roof slopes and the house base. If you like, you can decorate the house with colored candies, chocolate and biscuits. You can store it in the fridge for a few days, without the whipped cream.

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I still remember that Christmas, when we made it for the first time, in my grandma’s kitchen with the TV in the background. Mom and granny were enchanted, looking at the house taking shape wall after wall.

This year, Claudia and I decided to live again that moment and build our ladyfingers house!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 15

Presents for Santa Claus

Children’s Christmas in the United States

16 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

In the United States, children often

leave out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa Claus before going to bed on Christmas Eve. Start a fun tradition by making some special cookies for Santa Claus this year. These Nutella Pinwheel Cookies are a delicious combination of sugar cookie scented with orange zest, wound around a creamy Nutella filling. Of course, once the cookies are baked, you will definitely need to sample at least a few, just to make sure that they are good enough for Santa Claus.

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Nutella Pinwheels

Makes about 60 cookies

226 g butter, softened 285 g granulated sugar 2.5 ml baking powder 2.5 ml salt 2 large eggs 5 ml orange peel, finely grated 460 g all-purpose flour 200 g Nutella In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs and orange peel until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide the dough in half. Place each half of dough on a large piece of plastic wrap, form into a square-shaped disc and wrap tightly with the plastic wrap. Chill the dough for about 1 hour, or until it is easy to handle.

Place one portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll it into a 25centimeter square. Spread half of the Nutella over the dough to within 1 centimetre of the edges. Roll the dough tightly into a spiral, then pinch the ends together to seal the roll. Wrap the roll in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Repeat the process with the second portion of dough. Chill the dough for 4 to 24 hours or until it is firm enough to slice.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Quickly cut the rolls into 1/2-centimeter slices, rotating the roll after each cut to keep it from flattening under the weight of the knife. If the roll becomes too soft during cutting, wrap it up and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes or until it firms up. Place the slices 5 centimetres apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

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Rachael Hutchings

I have eaten my way around the world, having lived in a variety of interesting food locations, including Paris, Tokyo, Yokohama, Memphis, and Los Angeles. I love cooking food that is a fusion of different flavors, influenced by the variety of places I have lived and visited, and the people I have met. You could say that my food has global roots with a local home-grown accent. I’m a self-proclaimed chocoholic and sushi addict. I spend my days raising my two active little girls, writing my food blog LaFujiMama.com, and doing freelance food writing and photography. www.LaFujiMama.com

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 19

oppies&

Elga Cappellari

Because children and cooking can get along well...

ALSO ON CHRISTMAS DAY!

Photos and texts by Elga Cappellari http://www.semidipapavero.net

Cook Lucilla saves the Christmas In the Christmas Village preparations are underway!

There are only three days to go before Christmas Eve and Santa Claus begins to get restless for the great night that awaits him.

Inside the wooden house all lit up, elves are rushing, quick and busy to wrap the presents, while Master Elf Beruk directs the works with a big smile. It’s snowing outside and a white blanket has almost covered the barn where the eight reindeer are resting.

Santa Claus is sipping his hot chocolate, seated comfortable on the big red chair in the centre of the hall, while three little elves dressed in green and red are polishing his black boots. A melody of silver bells echoes and a great fervor reigns in the organization ... but suddenly something happens!

The music slows down dragging a slow and boring sound and elves slowly begin to sit in sequence, to crumple or even lie onto the floor! Some even fall asleep snoring loudly!

Santa Claus gets up quickly from his chair and exclaims “Elves!

What’s the matter? You can not stop now!

There is still lot of work to do! What is happening to you?” In a corner Rubus the elf says in a whisper, “We are so tired Santa Claus! We are exhausted from too much work! We need a little rest ... let us sleep!” Santa Claus, concerned, starts to walk up and down the hall desperately looking for a solution... He could not rob all children in the world of Christmas! Intrigued by the sudden silence, from the kitchen came the cook, Lucilla, who, worried about the sudden lack of energy of her elves, began to think how to help them.

She ran into the kitchen, opened the cupboard and took out as many eggs as the elves. She broke them up into a large silver bowl

and added freshly ground sugar and fresh milk.

The cook Lucilla had found the solution! With her omelets stuffed with fruit she could recharge the elves in a flash! She ran to the living room with a tray loaded with food and, going to Santa Claus, she said “Santa, let’s wake up the elves and give them this Christmas omelet, see how they will run again after this.” Santa’s eyes widened and soon he began to call by name all the asleep elves. They started to wake up slowly, stretching themselves and complaining about the too little rest ... but they also sniffed the delicious smell of omelets!

So they gathered around Santa Claus and Lucilla, eating that nutritious breakfast with great satisfaction. They came back to the living room to wrap gifts with their hands smeared with jam mustache made of icing sugar!

And while the music of the bells took up its pace, Santa Claus embraced Lucilla saying in her ear “Thank you my friend, you saved Christmas.”

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“On Christmas Eve make your children a hearty and tasty breakfast that will help them to face the long day of celebration. Sit down with them, indulging yourself to savor the moment. “

CHRISTMAS EVE OMELETTE 3 eggs 1 tablespoon of butter 30 ml of fresh cream 3 tablespoons of shaved coconut or white chocolate Soft fruits Granulated sugar icing sugar In a pan melt butter and brown it. Pour the beaten eggs and as soon as the edges are set, lift them with a silicone spatula to let the egg mixture slide below, in order cook it evenly.

Pour the cream into a bowl and mix in shaved coconut or chocolate making a thick cream. Pour over the omelette in the pan, fill with berries and granulated sugar and fold the omelette on itself.

Place the omelette on a plate and dust with plenty of icing sugar.

Fatti aiutare da un grande a creare Lucilla e l’elfo affamato, stampa questa pagina e segui le istruzioni!!!

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RITAGLIARE LUNGO LE LINEE CONTINUE E PIEGARE LUNGO IL TRATTEGGIO. INCOLLARE DOVE è IL SIMBOLO (*)

Photos and texts by Silvia Luppi http://basilicoepinoli.blogspot.com/ 24 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

FIG. I

photofood class

Photofood Ready for Christmas reportage?

by Silvia Luppi

It ‘s Christmas, preparations for lunch or dinner are now finished and the table is set!

Lighted candles, decorated plates, embroidered tablecloth, glasses filled with champagne and lots of excellent food to sample ... and yes, everything is magic!

You do want to have a memory of this good atmosphere, then, we are ready to photograph everything, but without annoying your neighbour, risking to overthrow the glasses or, even worse, saying, “Wait to eat!! I must take a picture!”, unleashing the anger of the guests!

No, no, this time you’re ready for a real reportage!

It’s important to have a clear idea before you start: a reportage should tell a story, from starter to dessert, and you need to enrich it with all the possible details, but above all: seize the moment! Eat, have fun, but always keep an eye open to what is around you!

Set the camera ISO sensitivity and aperture Use a high ISO sensitivity (from 500 to 800 ISO) because you are indoors, and certainly the environment is not so much enlightened (but decide according to the moment, if it’s a sunny day and the environment is full of light, it’s always preferable to keep the lowest sensitivity as possible!).

The diaphragm should be fully open, because not only you will let in more light, but there will be the blur effect so suitable for this kind of situation! Example: Focus on your plate and you’ll have as background a blur of the people who sit in front of you, or their plate, or the candles (photo A)... the photo subject is in focus and everything else will look like an evanescent image that will make a suggestion of the atmosphere that’s around you (so do not underestimate the blurred part, because it will make your picture magic!)

photo . A G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 25

Shutter speed You have two options: 1 - if you want to photograph your dish, therefore a still subject (photo B) you can also set a slow shutter speed (with slow shutter speed I mean a minimum 1/30 if you have a very steady hand, otherwise the photo will be blurred!) the more the shutter remains open, the brighter will be picture.

2 - if you have to seize the moment (for example, the person in front of you is pouring wine, or pouring of honey over the cake!) you have to be fast, therefore set a fast shutter speed, because you’re about to photograph action, a motion and you have to “freeze” it with your shooting (Photo C and G). You can set the camera on 1/80 or even a faster shutter speed if the action is quick! Less light will enter through the shutter, therefore you may be forced to choose a higher ISO value as the diaphragm is already wide open! (Does it seems difficult? Maybe at first, but then everything is automatic, because the camera becomes part of you!)

photo B

Shots Here are some tips to tell your story: make always a wide shot of the room where you are using the wide angle, then later alight on the details, and if you want, also on the portraits of those around you, but more than anything else: on the dishes! (Photos D and H) If you are close to the window (so you have a light source next to you, you were lucky) just choose the shot that you like, perhaps focusing on your plate, keeping out of focus what is in front of you or just shooting a detail of the food. (Photos A and E) If the light is not great (you can not bring on the table reflective panels or even lights!) you must take advantage of the point of view and then be creative, maybe shooting your dish from above by choosing a geometric and imaginative shot! (Photo F) Details are important to tell your story, so the centrepiece, the silverware, precious glasses, candles are shots not to be missed, that will enrich your story and will give something more to your reportage (Photo I).

Always combine the main photo with some detais! To finish, I recommend you to choose a meaningful picture, as, for example, smoking candles now extinguished that mark the end of the wonderful day you have lived! (Photo L) Now you’re ready to face Christmas as a real photographer!

26 - G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010

photo C

photo D

photo E

photo F

photo G

FIG. L photo H

Simplicity and tradition Photo and texts by Silvia Luppi http://basilicoepinoli.blogspot.com/ 28 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Christmas in my family has always

been highly anticipated. ... Especially for lunch!

Already by mid-November we start to draw up the menu, a list of complex dishes that with the approaching of the 25 of December is radically amended and revised. At the end, we look - my mother, my sister and me ... the cooks! - and we declared: “We cook the usual?” ... “Otherwise, what would Christmas?” answer my brother and my father!

Yes, we are traditionalists, even though we still strive to add something new, at the end the

voul au vent

menu is more or less the same for about 25 years! So: veal with tuna sauce that we’ve made some changes as some family members have become - by road - vegetarians! Pretzels, potato chips, olives, lasagna, gorgonzola flan, wineonions, and finally (but no less important) the real stars: the voulevant!

It ‘s amazing how these small baskets of puff pastry (which I love) ending up on our table only, and exclusively, on Christmas Day. But you can find them frozen in the supermarket all year round! What creates the real party atmosphere is the kitchen backstage! In fact this is one of the few moments when my whole family is here and we cook together. One who has absolute control of the stuffed voulevant is my father. My brothers and I can not help but go there before, as he prepares voulevants, and enjoying a moment of distraction ... and steal one!

(Serves 6): 500 g shrimps 250 g mascarpone 250 g Gorgonzola 160 g (goat)cheese 6 nuts 6 lettuce leaves 1 package frozen voulevants (18 pieces) 1 bunch chives 1 tube of cocktail sauce Lay the voulevant still frozen on a baking sheet with parchment paper, wet the edges with egg or milk, and bake at 180° degrees for 7 minutes, then turn the pan and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Mix the shrimp with cocktail sauce and stuff 6 voulevants. Combine the mascarpone and gorgonzola with walnuts and stuff 6 voulevants. Mix goat cheese with chives (washed and shredded) and fill the last remaining voulevants.

To garnish, add few leaves of lettuce on top of stuffing.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 29

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photo by Silvia Luppi G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 31

Along Ancient Spice Routes…

32 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

The trade in aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and the most prized of all, saffron,

has been the means for the rise and fall of many an empire. The spice trade between East Asia, India, Africa and Europe has been prolific since 3rd century BC. These trade routes have also been the vehicle for the spread of Christianity across the globe.

In India, the religion was introduced as early as 52 CE when Thomas the Apostle visited Kerala and established 7 churches. Portuguese missionaries introduced Catholicism among the St Thomas Christians in late 15th century. They, and later, the French, continued to expand their influence and Christianity spread to Goa and Mangalore. Protestant missionaries, Lutherans from Germany, spread the mission to Tamil Nadu.

Christians in India follow a unique blend of Indian and European cultures. In Kerala, the use of ornamental umbrellas and elephants during religious festivities illustrates the indigenous influence. The dance, song and cuisine of Goa have been greatly influenced by the Portuguese who colonized it.

Christmas is the most important festival for Indian Christians. As with all Indian festivals, it is signified by abundance of food and good cheer. Indian Christians decorate their houses with oil lamps and hang giant paper lanterns in front of their houses.

Spices have always been precious and festivals are the occasions to indulge. Accordingly, food on these special days is enhanced in flavor, aroma and richness by various spices and ingredients indigenous to the country like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and Basmati rice and those introduced through the ancient spice routes such as saffron, dried fruits and nuts. Food is an important part of every celebration but varies by region and local influence. Goans make Pork Vindaloo, a mild and tangy pickled pork dish, an adaptation of the Portuguese dish, Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos.

In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Christmas means rich Fruit Cakes dotted with dried fruits and nuts.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 33

Goan Pork Vindaloo Cups

(24 appetizer cups or serves 4 as main) 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed 500 g fatty pork shoulder, boneless ¼ cup malt vinegar 8-10 medium spice dry red chilies, deseeded 5 cloves of garlic 1 inch piece of ginger 2 medium red onions Whole Spices: 5 cloves, 6 whole peppercorns, 1 stick of cinnamon For roasting: 3 cloves, 4 peppercorns, ½ stick of cinnamon Warm the vinegar and soak the chilies for about 30 minutes. Cut pork into 2 inch pieces, sprinkle with salt and set aside. Grind the dry spices into a fine powder.

To this, add the chilies with vinegar, garlic and ginger and grind to a smooth paste. Pat the pork dry, coat with the spice mixture and marinate overnight.

Grind the onions to a puree and add to the pork. In a pan roast the cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns until their aromas release. Add the marinated pork mixture and cook for 2-3 hours over low heat adding as little water as possible and stirring occasionally.

The vindaloo is best eaten the next day as the flavors meld together better. It can be served as a main dish with rice or bread.

To make pastry cups, roll out each puff pastry sheet into a 12 inch square. Cut into nine 4 inch squares and fit them into a cupcake pan. Fill with vindaloo and bake at 400 F for 15 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Served with a dollop of sour cream or fresh cream and sprinkled with herbs.

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Christmas Fruit Cake with White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting & Fresh Raspberries

Fruit Cake {Recipe courtesy: Mathew Family} 250 g flour 250 g sugar 250 g butter, room temperature 6 eggs, separated ¼ cup walnuts, chopped; 1/2 cup of brandied dried fruits 2 - 3 Tablespoon liquid caramel 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla paste ½ tsp salt White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting: 125 g mascarpone 125 g white chocolate 5 teaspoon milk ¼ tsp nutmeg Melt white chocolate in milk over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. Mix in the cooled chocolate to mascarpone to make a creamy mixture. Fold in the nutmeg. Set aside until the cake is ready.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, and beat to mix well. Mix in vanilla paste.

Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the yolk mixture. Drizzle in caramel. Beat the whites to stiff peaks.

Fold a third of the beaten whites to the flour mixture to loosen it. Gently fold the remaining whites into the flour mixture. Fold in nuts and brandied fruits.

Transfer to a oiled and lined 8 inch spring form pan and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 45 minutes until the cake is set.

Cool on rack for 10 minutes in the pan. Release the cake from the pan and cool to room temperature.

When the cake is completely cooled, spread a thick layer of the white chocolate and mascarpone frosting over the top of the cake.

Decorate with fresh raspberries.

Asha Pagdiwalla I have always been a foodie. Pampered by two generations of talented home chefs on the maternal side, I have always had a very discerning palate. Five years ago, when I moved to New York City, my palate took wings and soared in an adventurous exploration of world cuisine. Two years back, when an unexpected twist of fate landed me with more time than I knew what to do with, I decided to channel my energies into recreating world flavours in my own kitchen, tiny as it may be. Along the way, I discovered a latent passion for creating food experiences and sharing it with family and friends. I am happiest planning for a weekend meal to be enjoyed at leisure with good company.

I also discovered a passion for photography and food styling and am obsessed with collecting props and vintage items. I write a blog, Fork Spoon Knife, which, fuels all my passions even more and has become a wonderful way to connect with so many more food enthusiasts! http://www.forkspoonnknife.com/ G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 35

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photo by Sarka Babicka

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Czech Christmas and a traditional Christmas bread

Photo and texts by Sarka Babicka http://www.cookyourdream.com/ 38 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Christmas Bread (Vanocka)

has a long tradition in Czech Republic and I can’t imagine Christmas without it.

Preparing Christmas Bread is not very easy, but the result is worth the effort. Vanocka is a sweet bread that is traditionally eaten for breakfast during Christmas holidays. Recipes vary from family to family and each vanocka will taste slightly different. Some recipes call for different dried fruits, nuts and spices and other recipes call just for raisins and almonds. However, any vanocka spread with butter or jam, served with a cup of hot tea will get you in the wonderful Christmas mood.

Czech Christmas is connected with many traditions, customs and superstitions creating a magical atmosphere. On Christmas Eve, a whole family gets together, the Christmas tree is decorated and parents prepare the Christmas Eve dinner.

The traditional dinner is fish soup followed by fried carp with potato salad.

After dinner, children open presents left under the tree by Baby Jesus. Then it’s time for Christmas customs like floating little nutshell boats with burning candles in a bowl of water. The boat staying near the side of the bowl shows that its owner is going to stay home. If the boat floats toward the middle of the bowl, the owner will take a long trip. Another popular custom is cutting an apple. If a star is revealed in the center after the apple is halved it foretells good health and fortune in the next year.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 39

Christmas Bread

Serves 10-12

8g active dry yeast 120g butter 80g sugar 3 egg yolks pinch of salt grated zest of ½ lemon 1 tsp vanilla 500g plain flour 250ml milk 70g raisins, soaked in 2tbsp of rum 60g whole peeled almonds, roughly chopped ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 1 egg, for glazing about 20 almonds for decoration In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1tablespoon of sugar and half of the warm milk and whisk thoroughly.

Leave in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx.

2cm of froth (10-15 minutes).

In a mixing bowl beat butter until soft and smooth. Add the sugar, egg yolks, salt, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until well combined and thick (about 10minutes).

Sift flour into a large bowl, make well in centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Add rest of the milk and the butter mixture and mix until a dough forms. Transfer to work surface and start kneading the dough. Dough will be slightly sticky but the more you knead it will become uniform. If it’s too sticky add a little flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Finally stir in the raisins, almonds and grated nutmeg. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

When the dough has fully risen, transfer it to work surface and divide into 9 parts. Roll each part into an evenly thick rope. To braid, line up the 4 ropes, pinch their tops together and start braiding. Take the left rope and lay it over the one to the right, then under the next one, and over the rightmost one. Repeat with the rope that is now the leftmost one. Repeat until you are at the end. Pinch the end together and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Take the next three ropes, pinch their ends together and braid.

Pinch the bottom ends together and place the braid on top of the four-strand braid. Tuck the both ends under the bottom braid. Make a two-strand braid of the last two ropes and place on top of the other two braids, tucking the ends under. Secure the braids in place by a few tooth sticks. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 20 minutes.

Brush the surface with beaten egg and dot with almonds. Let the egg wash dry, and brush again.

Bake in preheated oven to 190C for about 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 170-180C and bake until the surface is golden-brown for about more 30-40 minutes. If the surface is getting too dark during baking but the centre isn’t done yet, cover the bread with aluminium foil. Let it cool slightly, then remove the tooth sticks.

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Photo by Claudia Castaldi

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A gluten-free Christmas

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I love Christmas.

It is the holiday that I prefer and I live it with passion. The house is filled with decorations, every year a different color, and desserts.

Naturally gluten free. The scent of spices and chocolate invades the house and every day I experience something new. I don’t eat panettone and pandoro and I’m always looking for some new original recipe in the world.

To be celiac is not so bad! Recipes that I present are those who never fail at home during these holidays: champagne and smoked salmon rice, that has admirably replaced stock tortellini, Christmas Tronchetto (each year a different style), and truffe: my huge passion.

Risotto with champagne and smoked salmon Serves 4 320 g carnaroli rice 1 shallot an half bottle of champagne a piece of butter smoked salmon oil, lemon and dill vegetable stock

For the vegetable stock: boil a carrot, a peeled potato, a stalk of celery, tomato, cloves, parsley in a large pan with 3 liters of water. Boil, add a handful of salt and cook for about two hours.

Once the stock is ready, brown in a casserole (if it’s copper is better) butter and shallots, add the rice and toast. Add a scoop of stock and one of sparkling wine until the end of cooking. Chop the salmon and season well with a little oil, lemon and dill. When rice is ready, add other butter, let it stand for a few minutes and then covered. Serve, and then add the salmon tartare.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 45

Tronchetto speciale di Natale 120 g gluten-free flour 120 g sugar 4 eggs 1 pinch of salt For the cream: 100 g butter cream 200 g spreadable hazelnut cream To cover: 250 g fresh cream 50 g icing sugar * Separate yolks from whites. Beat the egg yolks with sugar. Add flour, whisk the egg whites adding a pinch of salt and stir in two stages to the first mixture. Line a pan (27 × 34) with parchment paper and pour the mixture. Bake at 180° degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Moisten a dish-cloth of the size of the pan and cut a piece of parchment paper of the same size. Spread the sponge with its damp cloth on the baking sheet and cover with another sheet of paper.

Rewind it all. Let the dough moisten in its cloth for 5 seconds and then unrolled.

Roll the sponge again and remove the baking sheet. Place on a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile prepare the cream.

Whip the butter for about 5-8 min and then add the spreadable hazelnut cream, work until the cream turns light brown. Spread the cream on the roll and roll gently. Refrigerate in the fridge.

Whip the cream, when it begins to thicken, add sugar. Whip until it becomes well firm. Take the roll, place the cream in a pastry bag and decorate as you like.

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Spicy Truff les

300 g dark chocolate * 200 g fresh cream 150 g ground almonds cardamom, cinnamon and ginger pistachio flour Coconut * Cocoa * sugar * Heat the cream over a bain-marie, when hot add the chocolate and dissolve in it. Allow to cool slightly and add the flour and spices to taste. Put in refrigerator and allow to harden overnight. When the dough is very hard to form the truffles, help with a teaspoon. In various bowls prepared cocoa, pistachios, etc. Using a spoon take a bit of dough, roll it between your hands and then pass it in the bowls with cocoa, coconut, pistachio,...

The products marked with an asterisk could contain gluten. When buying ingredients useful for the preparation of the recipe it is important to consult the handbook of gluten-free products that can be found online at www.celiachia.it

Anna Esposto

My name is Anna, I am 36 years old and I’m a nurse. My passion for cooking was born about 15 years ago when I discovered the celiac disease. I’ve done a thousand experiments to make tastier gluten free dishes, I can say with success today!

My blog, created 4 years ago, was born to make it clear to people that gluten- free doesn’t mean no taste! www.ilricettariodianna.com

G2KITCHEN G2KITCHEN||DECEMBER DICEMBRE 2010 - 47

Taste of Home Warmth of home

Photos and texts by Chiara Biagioni http://www.kiabia.it 48 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

The memory is present.

Christmasis mom’s home. It was unwrapping the presents under the tree in the morning, mom’s huge bed, then running downstairs to my grandparents to cover them with kisses and show them proud my beautiful gifts; it was waiting my Aunt coming with smiles of love, the new bauble for the tree and the cloth bags crammed with surprises, it was watching my father’s aunt coming with the zuccotto and the marron glacè, the smell of toasted bread to be soaked in broth for the chicken liver pate. There were uncle’s cappelletti, the shining tree in the corner next to the window, a crowded lunch full of smiles, laughter and warmth; it was champagne, the one saved for the holidays, Ricciarelli, panettone and the pepini that my grandfather used to store in his shop ... those in the glass jar with the tin lid…. those with a taste loved by grown-ups, but that I liked so so much.

Christmas is to wake up, open the gifts in our big bed, wear a party dress, get in the car and run to the grandparents, to my mom’s home. Christmas is always crowded ... always full of warmth... made of those who are still here and those who still continue to be here in the form of love.

Bring a new bauble for the tree... pepini like grandfather’s ones, from the glass jar with tin lid.

The Christmas tree is always in the corner near the window ... the chicken liver pate, the broth and the Ricciarelli ... the same warmth. * Pepini is how we call Siena cavallucci at home.

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The “pepini” from the glass jar with the tin lid Ingredients for fifteen pepini 380 flour 200 g of shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped 5 g of baking ammonia About 5 g of mixed spices (nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, fennel seeds, aniseed ... and if we call them pepini at home there will be a reason! So a pinch of pepper!)

30 g of candied fruit 250 g sugar 80 g of water icing sugar

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, with the exception of sugar and water. Heat up the water with sugar and to make a syrup. Cook them slowly, do not bring to the boil, avoiding the syrup from getting brown and making the caramel (the syrup will be ready when it will “fall” making a thin stream). Once you have the syrup, pour in the bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir well to form a ball. From this dough make many small balls, flour them with flour mixed with icing sugar and lay them on a baking tray.

Bake in preheated oven to 160°C for no longer than 8/10 minutes.

Once baked, deep smell .... close your eyes and start to sing with soft voice the notes that you feel more Christmas like, as “Jingle bells ... jingle bells ....” ... because without the pepino, what kind of Christmas would it be?!

Notes: The real cavalluccio from Siena, the true one, should be soft, therefore I do recommend you not to bake them for a minute longer than the specified time (and maybe everyone will have to test his own oven with more than a batch) and take care of the syrup, if it gets caramel like this cookie will be too hard.

Just between us, if your pepino will not be promoted in the oven test with flying colours... no problem at all ... there is always a solution ... dip them in the vinsanto ... the soak test will be passed for sure!

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How to make the pompon angel Draw on a resistant cardboard two circles of about 7 cm with a second circle in the centre of about 1.5 cm. Trim to create two “ paper donuts� Join the two circles, tie up the strand of a wool skein of (not larger than the hole of the circles) and start to wrap it around the hole to cover the entire surface. Remember that the more wool you will wrap around the circle, the chubbier will be our little angel.

Once covered the surface of the circle, even with more layers, enter with the tip of scissors into the gap between the two circles of paper, keeping the wool firmly together with your two fingers over the hole, and cut the wool around the perimeter.

Making sure that the wool doesn’t come out from its seat, put between the two sheets of paper a strand of of the same wool of the pompom and tie a tight and resistant knot.

Remove the two circles with care, and you get the pompom which will used to make the belly of our angel.

Use a 3 mm thick satin ribbon and make it double, make a loop knot of about 2 cm (it will serve to hang the angel) then insert the ribbon into a little ball made of glass, plastic, polyester... whatever you can find (mine is made of transparent and multifaceted polyester, but a big pearl will be perfect as well, the important thing is to have a central hole and that its size is proportionate to pompom you have made).

Now with the help of needle and thread sew the ribbon to the pompom, leaving the edges of the satin ribbon free to make a bow. The two parts of the bow will be our angel

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Photo by Giulia Scarpaleggia G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 53

A between different Christmas birthday and Winter Solstice.

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When I was a child my

Christmases were quite unlike those of all the other kids I knew. In comparison to the vast majority of people in the Western world my nonconformist parents celebrated this event in their own very special way. Having been born on the 25th of December in a small and non-religious AngloSwiss freethinker family plagued by distance and dispute, we were bound to do things differently than the common run of human beings.

Of course, we did throw up a party on that occasion, yet we did not have a big family reunion nor go to church. We spent the holidays in a small committee – it was just my parents and I. For us Christmas didn’t turn around Jesus and the Bible, it was all about our own neopagan version of the winter festival of Yuletide and my birthday.

We commemorated the Winter Solstice, the darker time of the year, but also the rebirth of light (the sun, the giver of warmth and life), an important turning point marked by hope and joy. This period was also full of significance for me on a personal level as unluckily my birthday fell exactly on Christmas day. That was real bummer for me as I only received presents once a year, never had school friends who came home for this very important milestone in a kid’s life and in a sense it was not really my day as I had to share it with Jesus.

It felt as if my birthday had been stolen. Those are sweet and sour memories for sure…

Anyway, Christmas with my folks was very enjoyable even if a little lonely (no big noisy partying here).

Our living room was joyfully decorated and we ate wonderful food that my mother prepared. We had an exhilaratingly odorant pine tree opulently garnished with delicate glass balls, garlands, cute wooden angels, neat little parcel ornaments and in addition to the myriad of candles spread throughout the place there were also a few greeting cards displayed on the sideboard and sitting room table.

On Christmas Eve we lit up candles, turned off the lights, played lots of old English music box chimes and medieval carols vinyls, chattered cheerfully and ate chocolates,

fragrant oranges, clementines as well as a variety of Swiss homemade cookies. On the 24th of December and on my birthday we used to have copious repasts. They were always democratically chosen, but rarely varied from one year to another. We consistently stuck to the traditional Anglo-Saxon turkey with sage stuffing, gravy, roasted chestnuts, Brussel sprouts and upscale mashed potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner. The dessert generally consisted of a refined, gelatiny and wonderfully tangy lemon mousse. Then the next day, we enjoyed my favourite Birthday meal that was comprised of smoked salmon with garlicky and butyraceous potato gratin and my Swiss grandmother’s incredibly addictive, luscious, decadently rich, truffle-like, slightly chewy, intensely chocolaty, divinely buttery and voluptuously light dark chocolate mousse (traditionally called “Délice Au Chocolat” or “Chocolate Delight” in English -the original version contains no chestnuts) which we loved to sprinkle with a little Kirsch from my grandfather’s own mini alcohol production.

Nowadays, my boyfriend and I feast in a very similar way, yet more humbly. As usual, there are no big crowds (our two cats and us) and we celebrate Yuletide in parallel to my birthday, yet certain things have changed. Heavy Metal, Blues, Psychedelic Rock, Electronic and Dark Ambient music has replaced the chimes and carols, and as an alternative to the big fresh pine tree that we can’t have due to lack of space we have a cute and classy little plastic tree.

Since the household budget is quite low we can’t afford to spend much money on luxurious gifts, so we try to concentrate all our attention on food instead. Our typical 100% homemade Christmas meals are composed of foie gras terrine with whisky and roasted nuts, a loaf of sourdough bread, some chutney or savoury jam and Gravlax or smoked salmon with potato gratin, both being accompanied by either red, white or sweet wines and ending with my Mémé’s (grandma) exquisite “Chocolate Delight”.

We perpetuate the tradition, but keep it all very sober and intimate. Once again, it might be a very solitary way of spending those holidays, but we are already so grateful to have the opportunity to savour some delightful food and be in good company!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 55

Dark Chocolate & Chestnut Mousse

Serves 6.

Ingredients: 200g Dark chocolate (72%) 200g Unsalted butter, at room temperature 170g Roasted chestnuts, at room temperature and coarsely chopped 150g Bittersweet chocolate (45-60 % cocoa, depending on how dark you want the mousse to be) 4 Eggs (~ 63g), at room temperature 3/4 Cup Water 2 Tbs Castor sugar 3/4 Tsp Fine sea salt Melt the chocolates with the water (3/4 cup) in big heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir continuously until the chocolate has completely melted. You must obtain a liquid, yet thick and creamy mass.

Once the chocolate has melted and is well blended with the water, add the butter, sugar and salt, and continue to stir. Remove from the pan once the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and homogenous.

Separate the eggs and put the whites in a the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer). Set aside.

Add the egg yolks to the chocolate mixture and stir continuously for about 20 minutes, until it is cold, smooth and thick.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

With the help of a spatula very gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, until well blended. Delicately incorporate the chopped chestnuts. Pour the chocolate mousse into a clean bowl or into 6 individual verrines (glass-sized). Place the bowl/verrines in the refrigerator, overnight.

Remarks : For a more exotic touch, you can also add 100g chopped candied ginger or candied orange peel to the mix or add the spices/flavours (coffee, coriander, curry, cinnamon, etc....) of your choice.

For optimum flavour and texture, the “Chocolate Mousse� should stay in the fridge for about 12 hours before it is served.

Serving suggestions: Serve with a dollop whipped cream and with a a few drops of Kirsch (optional).

I recommend that you eat this mousse when it comes directly out of the fridge, but if you like it less truffly in texture (the cold butter hardens the mousse), then get it out about 1/2 hour before serving...

Keep in the refrigerator for no longer than 2-3 days.

Rosa Mayland

My name is Rosa and I live in a small Geneva countryside village situated in the French speaking part of Switzerland - a few meters away from the French border. I’m an AngloSwiss food enthusiast who loves photography, loud rock and electronic music, walks in the countryside, meeting interesting people, cats, books and independent films.

I am very passionate about cooking/baking and can spend hours surfing the net for inspiration, reading blogs, creating dishes, testing new recipes or going through cookbooks and magazines. Flavorful and soul- uplifting grubs, spices and yummy textures are a must, therefore I’m particularly fond of Asian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, South American, Middle Eastern delights as well as regional and traditional specialities.

Quality food, regional and seasonal produce - I hate anything too industrial - are also very important to me, and in my opinion the best tasting dishes are homemade, cooked with love and much caring, because those are the meals which we will remember our whole life long. http://rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com/ G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010 - 57

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Photo by Rossella Venezia

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A dinner with friends to wish a wonderful Christmas

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One of my little Christmas rituals is to organize a dinner for women: I like to invite some friends to exchange greetings and greet them before I leave to reach my family in Italy. This menu, made of delicious and light

Baked potatoes with shrimp cream 4 medium-small potatoes, rinsed and dried 100 g crème fraiche 100 g shrimp, steamed and peeled 100 g spinach leaves 50 g cottage cheese ½ tsp matcha olive oil, salt, pepper Heat oven to 190°C. Pierce potatoes in several places with a fork. Grease them with oil, season with salt and pepper. Put them in the oven, placed directly on the grill positioned in the middle and bake them for 90 minutes. Cut the shrimp into small pieces and mix them with cottage cheese and creme fraiche, season with salt and pepper. Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with a pinch of salt and matcha.

When the potatoes are cooked, put them on serving dishes and carve them gently lengthwise. Spread with the shrimp cream and place next to the spinach leaves. Drizzle with the matcha olive oil.

Serve 4

Cashews scallops with parsnip puree serve 4

750 g parsnips, washed and peeled 350 ml of milk 12 scallops 10 g of dried porcini mushrooms 50 g cashews salt pepper olive oil Chop the dried mushrooms and soak them in warm milk. Chop the parsnips. Place it in a pot, season with salt and add 5 dl of water. Cook for 20 minutes with the lid. Check the cooking and then add the milk and blend until completely pureed. Preheat the oven to 200째C. Finely chop the cashews with salt and pepper.

Coat scallops with cashew dust, grease the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Serve the scallops with the hot mashed parsnip.

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Grapefruit and orange salad serve 4

3 pink grapefruits 2 oranges 30 g chopped candied ginger 1 vanilla pod 4 cm cinnamon stick 2 tablespoons sugar Boil 2 liters of water with sugar, vanilla split in a half and pounded cinnamon. Cook for 20 minutes, leave to infuse 20 more minutes then filter, add the candied ginger and let cool completely. Peel grapefruits and oranges. Scoop the citrus fruit in 4 cups/glasses and season generously with the infusion.

Chiara Bellasio I think it was my mother to pass me the love for cooking, and I mean the inner tension that gives me joy when I transform ingredients into a dish collecting all the flavours and fragrances. The colours fascinate me and inspire me. And so in 2005 I gave birth to this place, Il pranzo di Babette, a banquet of spicy flavours and travel stories that I love to imagine to be read over a cup of tea. http://www.ilpranzodibabette.com/

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Photo by Genny Gallo

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1 8 2

3

4

9 5

it’is’ the time

7

6

of the special gift, made with the heart

made with the hand 1. Ape Zoppa (www.apezoppa.etsy.com) - 2. Scacco alle regine (www.scaccoalleregine.it) - 3. Nella cucina di Ely (http://nellacucinadiely.blogspot.com/) - 4. Nina (http://Cartonine.blogspot.com) - 5. Jeyam fimo creations (www.jeyam-art.com) 6. Valeriatelier - 7. Stella di Sale (http://www.stelladisale.com/index.html) - 8.

Catascraft (www.catascraft.com) 9. Similaire (simi.laires@gmail.com)

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Apezoppa

Claudia tells us that “Apezoppa” is a project started two years ago as a joke by belts, buttons and fabrics mountain which has since become an important part of his life.

She produce hair accessories that likes to call RetroPop: vintage style with pop-colours touch!

Also customized! She has an Etsy shop: www.apezoppa.etsy.com But you can find her also on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ape-Zoppa/114799163704

Scacco alle regine

“Scacco alle regine” is a small setback to the creative ferment made in Italy that gives rise to jewelry and hair accessories for every occasion born from Gloria Di Blasi. “Scacco alle regine” offers vintage style filigree jewelry, crystals and resins and fine jewelry created in laminated paper art, painstaking attention to detail: from graphics to computer subjects and exclusive texts (also customized), the high resolution printing and laminated with plastic quality.The creations of “Scacco alle regine” born in a charming village of Lake Maggiore, inspired by the beauty that combines beautiful colors of nature. But also by the art of Mona Lisa, in the words of Shakespeare, from icons such as Totò, Audrey and Marilyn, resulting in forms and materials of the most different as paper, resin, glass, crystal, metal, filigree, wood, fabric, ribbons, leather...

And for Christmas G2kitchen readers, Gloria will reserve a special discount... www.scaccoalleregine.it facebook: http://www.facebook.com/scaccoallereginej

Nella cucina di ELy

Ely loves to cook and sew, there are meals in her kitchen and buttons in the same manner, and on his blog she alternates succulent dishes to beautiful creations made with colored threads and fabrics. For this time we worked with felt, creating beautiful cakes ... but you will see on the blog small and colorful bags, comfortable slippers, everything for the baby ... If you want to contact her, write to: eliscrap@gmail.com Or search for her into her kitchen: http://nellacucinadiely.blogspot.com/

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 67

Jeyam Fimo Creations

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Nina draws and writes. Sometimes she thinks to do not only for her, but over her feelings. This is how the “CartoNine� were born. In order to share and travel to those signs, maybe the street, it caresses recognizable, so that what seems to really go through the passenger space and time as we would like to mark the air moving. “Cartonine� are Nina’s drawings (aka Francesca Ballarini). They are messages in a bottle to throw into the water, or shells collected and then donated.

And drawings can also grow and become paintings, prints,... Or regroup them and then turn into beautiful calendars. http://Cartonine.blogspot.com http://sinfonina.blogspot.com/2010/09/vi-racconto-una-storia.htm

Valeriatelier

Valeria lives in a quiet village near Torino. She tells us: “I love painting, art, craft and creativity in all its forms. Since I was a child I always drew and painted.

In November of 2009 I opened my shop on Etsy turning in my personal atelier�.

Here you can find what you like. And we like all these bookmarks and costumized personal organizer. valeriatelier@yahoo.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/valeriatelier

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Fimo is a polymer clay that is modeled with the heat of your hands and cook in oven for creating a solid such as ceramics. It ‘s very versatile and mixing it or joining it to other materials allows for new lovely effects. Its extreme malleability allows to create very realistic detail, giving a very greedy these creations.This small collection is based on the sweet atmosphere of Christmas cookies, cupcakes and cakes with attention to the more detail to give the joy of the Christmas time!

Jessica works with Fimo for three years, taking care about details of the miniatures, creating particular foods and dishes of all types that make mouth-watering to only wear them! Jessica Montanelli “Jeyam Fimo Creations� www.jeyam-art.com For information and requests: jeyam.creativity@gmail.com

StelladisaleLAB

catacraft

Give her a sewing machine and that’s what creates very little!

Stella Pederzoli (owner of “Stelladisale.com” blog) has launched fantastically in this new production. We liked the “Cloth bag”. The “light one” unlined for shopping, lunch in the office or a trip, and space-saving. The “ladies” for every occasion, lined with roomy pockets, with zipper or button, various models and designs. The soft bag with zipper, the pouch with shoulder strap, the half-rigid “secchiello”. All hand-made, environmentally friendly and washable.

For information: http://www.stelladisale.com/index.html

“I’m Catalina Alvarez. I am an illustrator and I work with computer graphics, I love photography and crafts, am vegetarian, a lover of chocolate, full-time observer and happy creator of the blog www.catascraft.com.”

This is how Cata, the editor of one of the most famous creative blog of the blogosphere. network. In this blog there’s room for her creations, her photographs, up-to-date trends and even recipes. She is an in the round artist and she’s showing us some of her masterpieces. For any information don’t hesitate to contact her… together you will find a solution to all your creative ideas www.catascraft.com

Similaire

Sugar wire necklaces… But they are not edible!

It is a thin metal wire covered with paper and clear glass tiny beads, with which create beautiful pearls for beautiful necklaces.

Simona discovered them a few years ago wandering among the exhibitors in a trade show dedicated to hobbies, and she was immediately struck by their glitter, with which enrich any type of object.

Simona creates jewelleries: she likes to work with Sugar wire mainly because they allow her to play with colours and shades in order to create his own special pearls to match her chains and jewellery creations.

Simona lives in France and you can contact her at: simi.laires@gmail.com

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 69

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Photo by Edda Onorato

G2Kitchen Beautiful and Infallible

Beautiful and infallible

By Alessandra Gennaro

HOW TO LIMIT THE DAMAGE OF COOK-BOOKS VICTIMS WITH A LIST OF “SILVER BULLET”TITLES: CLASSIC OR CONTEMPORARY RECIPES, TRADITIONAL OR REVISED, GRANDMOTHER’S OR CHEF’S RECIPES, BUT ALL WITH A GUARANTEED SUCCESS.

Texts by Alessandra Gennaro. http://menuturistico.blogspot.com/ Photo by Genny Gallo 72 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Martha Stewart

Biscuits, Sablés, Cookies

The breaking news describe her as in the meddle of a crisis with her lifetime friend Hilary Clinton who, apparently, caught a knowing gaze too much exchanged between Martha and the impenitent Bill. In addition she was also let down but the dog who, forgetful of the good manners Martha bad taught him, thought of nothing better than biting a cameraman while a TV shown was being aired.

Could G2Kpass the chance of putting the boot in? Of course not! Even more so considering that that this book, disrespectful of the “Sweet American Dream” brand and mass production, is a collection of more than 150 cookies recipes from all over the world.

In this book everything is smart and sexy, from the index, sporting a picture for every cookie, to the packaging tips for these sweet creations...

In addition every single recipe is a silver bullet since all are tried and tested. In summary this is a perfect gift for the kitchen dwellers, from the apprentice to the master chef!

For those for whom “Christmas ain’t Christmas without cookies!”

Philippe Conticini –

Sensation

Philippe Conticini – Sensation

Everybody had already understood the the boy was not kidding, but this book brushes any doubt aside: Conticini just goes above and beyond forms, tradition, fashion: “avant-guard” is his rallying cry and he proceeds with humor, discovery, creativity, in his research to which all is instrumental, starting from the shapes, here capable of sparking interest in long forgotten recipes and as such unduly neglected (from the squared Saint Honorè to the cubic choux).

You don’t believe me? Well, browse the pages of this book and you’ll see the most daring creations subdivided on the basis of the sensations they excite in the senses. A surplus of work for the palate, a joy for the eyes, pure pleasure for the mine, an unlimited and unconstrained geniality. All in all, sensational!

For those for whom “La France c’est la France, Paris c’est Paris and Hermè is always preferrable to Hermes!”

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 73

Paul Bocuse,

La Cucina del Mercato

The master chefs, just like the star, every once in a while feel the need of reminding us the they, in the end, are just like us: the bring the kids to (a luxury) school, they wait in line at the gate before boarding the plain (first class) and, above all, they do go to the grocery! Even Paul Bocuse did it, as far back as 1976, and in doing so he conjured one of the most sacred tome of the world’s gastronomic literature, now recently reprinted in Italy by Guido Tommasi. In the meantime: Bocuse has consolidated his fame as the the King Midas of the Stars, effectively turning into a Michelin firmament everything he touches and Les Halles of Lione were refurbished, becoming the “Heaven on Earth” for any serious gourmand thanks to its most illustrious client, to whom “Les Halles” have also been dedicated, talking about bad luck...

What has remained untouched by the time is this book, which is still fresh despite 25 years having elapsed and despite the total confidence in the nouvelle cousine: each of the one thousand two hundred recipes deals with healthy cooking, with essential techniques aimed at exploiting the quality of the raw material, not at mortifying it. All is put in a context in which innovation strives to honor rather than to betray the French culinary tradition, giving away a message that today is even more topical than it was back then. This is why, even if less than 25 years old, this book must be considered a true classic!

For those who “work all day, 9 am to 5 pm but, whatever happens, still go to the grocery”

Benedetta Parodi

Cotto &Mangiato:

“cookbok” is for sure a much too big word for this... uhm... book? But, for sure, it is foolproof! Unless you are so unlike as to stumble upon either a can of beans that cant be opened or a roll of pastry beyond sell-buy date at the refrigerated provision counter of the local Super Market. Well, after all this is the anti-kitchen that Benedetta Parodi kindly administers us every day, an hymn to the ready-made and to the precooked, an ode to the “let’s make it quick” that, just like a stampede, crushes all that gets in its way, from the respect to the raw ingredients to the love for the culinary art, a passion so overwhelming that it left no trace in this book. Despite all the above, believe it or not, this is the Italian Best Seller when it comes to cookbooks! Hundred thousand copies sold, inflexible gastronomy critics crying shame to defend her on TV, all going crazy trying to find out the secret of such success: be it the last name of the authoress, the daily air time she has on a national TV, the marketing strategies a a giant like Mondadori, a mix of the above... Well, not a single one of them realizing that the only theme of the entire book is “he who boasts it off wins,” ever. And the kitchen, unfortunately, is no exception.

Forthosewho“theliftingwiththeloanandtotheMauritiuswiththemortgage”

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The genoise pandolce: a jewel box for the stingy

Texts and photos by Alessandra Gennaro. http://menuturistico.blogspot.com/ 76 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Let us make things clear, it

is not our fault! It is the fault of who, back in 1978, hosted Montesquieu in Geova.

Nobody knows exactly what happened during his short stay but, it goes without saying, for sure it was not a five star hospitality: as soon as the great philosopher was back home he started hurling abuses at my ancestors, deprecating their excessive avarice and accusing our palaces of being the most fake residences in the entire world: “you see a superb palace from the outside, but once inside you will find just an old maid, spinning.

Inviting you for launch? Something unheard of, in Genoa!”

With few words he was able to ruin the reputation of a population who, up to that time, was well known for his discretion and for the capability of astonishing the foreigners by means of the treasures hidden beyond the much too sober facades.

While Genoa’s rich sobriety is well known thanks to the foreign visitors, Rubens in primis, it is a sweet ? pastry? that has been, for centuries, her ambassador throughout the world: the pandolce. As the legend goes Doge Andera d’Oria announced a competition among Genoa’s confectioners for the creation of new product capable of best representing Genoa, some sort of an ante litteram testimonial: such a jewel box, rough on the outside but extremely rich inside is truly the most genuine and tasty personification of Genoa.

On the contrary, history narrates a rather different tale: the pandcolce comes from the

East, in particular from Persia, an everlasting synonym of seduction and refined opulence, where it was the auspicious pastry offered on new year eve to the court by the youngest subject.

Throughout the centuries it has become the typical Christmas sweet pastry, but the ancient Persian tradition are still alive: as it is customary that it is the youngest member of the family to set it on the table, while it is the oldest who slices it, after removing the small branch of laurel or olive, yet another auspicious gesture. The first slice was set aside for the first poor who knocked at the door, the second was set aside to be diveded among all the members of the family on 3rd February, Saint Biagius’ day, patron of the throat, as a remedy against winter maladies. There are two rather different version of pandolce: the “tall” one, the most ancient one, is a product of natural rising, the “old”, or “low” one, despite the name, is more recent and uses chemical rising agents. The ingredients are about the same for both versions while the time needed to prepare them is rather different: the latter one can be made rather quickly, the former requires several hours, as the slower is the rising, the better is the end product. This fact was well known to the Genoise women, who used to go to sleep taking the doe along, keeping it warm under the blankets and close to the “priest” which is the wooden structure that, in those time, was used to keep the foot warmer.

Now, don’t you dare asking the reason for such name: I have already told you that the people from Genoa are very discrete!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 77

Flat Pandolce 500 g flour 200 g soft butter, cut into small pieces 200 g raisins 150 g sugar 50 ml of orange blossom water 50 g of orange and citron peel 50 g pine nuts 2 eggs 1 sachet baking powder (about 15 g) Mix the flour, sugar, orange blossom water, butter and eggs to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Add the raisins soaked in warm water and squeezed, the candied fruits and pine nuts and mix them thoroughly. Finally, add the yeast and knead again, giving the shape of a round loaf. Cut a cross on the surface and bake at 180째C for 40 minutes.

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A vegan Christmas Tempting for everyone

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The vegan choice can be made for many different reasons: for an ethical, environmental, heal-

thy issue, or, as often happens, a combination of these factors... not to talk about who finds himself forced to remove dairy products or eggs for allergies and intolerances.

But no one should be robbed of a proper Christmas dinner with the company of loved ones!

Of course, this sometimes presents some difficulties: how to explain to my grandmother, now at the threshold of the nineties, what is tofu? Or convince my uncle - closed towards news - to try that thing that seems meat but it’s not meat?

Having to come to an agreement with everyone, I choose to draw with both hands on the ingredients of our tradition: for the cocktail buns, toasts or pastry appetizers with olive paste and sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables in olive oil made during the summer and a lot of scented bread. Then lunch goes on this way, combining a variety of pulses, seasonal vegetables and fruit that nature provides us... all ingredients that my beloved ones have already met and that are in everyone’s pantry, for a delicious Christmas lunch but without stress for anyone!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 81

Pappardelle with wild mushrooms, leeks and nuts

Ingredients: 250 g of durum wheat 100 g of Manitoba 4 leeks 100 g breadcrumbs 50 g hazelnuts, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic 8 g of dried porcini ground into flour vegetable broth dry white wine extra virgin olive oil crumbled dried chilli thyme Make the pasta with the two flours, porcini and water. Sauté leeks, peeled and cut into slices, with 1 chopped clove of garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a drop of wine, add 1/2 glass of broth and cook for 30 minutes, until leeks become very tender. Cook the pappardelle in salted water. Meanwhile, sauté 1 clove of garlic in plenty of olive oil, then remove it it. Add the breadcrumbs, hazelnuts and pepper to taste. Brown everything. Sauté quickly the pasta with leeks and serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs and a few leaves of fresh thyme.

Ingredients: 600 g of natural soy yogurt 400 g pumpkin, cut into 1 cm pieces 60 g chopped almonds 60 g flour 4 sage leaves 2 cloves garlic extra virgin olive oil salt chilli Mix the yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Put it in a cheesecloth, close it and hang it. Let it drain off the whey for 24 hours until the yogurt has been reduced in a half. Season the squash with olive oil, salt and chilli. Add the sage and garlic cloves. Wrap everything in an aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes at 200°C. Remove the aromas.

Make the crumble: combine flour, almonds and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 20 g of olive oil and a drop of water, enough to form a crumbly dough. Place pumpkin and drained yogurt in 4 single portion moulds of 8 cm of diameter. Cover with the crumbles and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C.

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Pumpkin crumble

Beans and walnuts fl ans with parsley sauce Ingredients: 250 g chickpeas, already cooked 150 g of boiled lentils 100 g chopped walnuts 60 g of red wine 4 sheets of carasau bread 2 shallots extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin 3 sage leaves 1 sprig of rosemary 2 cloves of garlic 3 large handfuls of parsley 2 tablespoons of capers 1/2 teaspoon of apple vinegar salt and pepper Make the sauce by blending all the parsley, but a tablespoon that will be used for the flans, with capers, 1/2 clove of garlic, apple vinegar, olive oil to taste, salt and pepper. Finely chop shallots and fry with 1 clove of garlic, rosemary, sage and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cumin, the walnuts and sauté for a few minutes until golden. Add the wine and remove the spices. Put in a mixer walnuts, chickpeas, lentils. Season with pepper and about 1 teaspoon and a half of salt. Blend all ingredients and add the left parsley. Moisten carasau bread with water, let it rest for a few minutes until soft and brush with olive oil. Use it to coat 4 moulds of 8 cm in diameter, leaving the greased side on the outside part. Fill in with the mixture of walnuts and pulses, press well and cover with more bread, removing the excess. Brush with olive oil the surface. Bake the flans for about 20 minutes at 180°C and serve warm with the parsley sauce.

Alice Martini

Vegan for an ethical choice and very Italian, I live in Verona with three turbulent cats and a partner I love to tempt with delicacies. My passions? Before cooking, the food: I am an incurable greedy! My mother loves to tell a story about my first words: mama, daddy and mimì. Mimì in my child vocabulary stood for cheese. She always tells of when, practically still in swaddling clothes, I used to sit in front of the fridge at home, knocking on the door and calling “Mimi, Mimi!” to have a piece of it. Like many others, when I began to read I discovered Grandma Duck manual, and with it came the first messes, the first burned biscuits hard as bricks, dishes encrusted with caramel I did not know how to clean, hidden under the bed to prevent my mom from noticing that, during her absence, I had made my usual mess. Once left the family, my home began to get crowded with magazines and books on the subject, I could finally manage on my own my shopping, touching, smelling and choosing what would go into my pantry ... then slowly came the web and finally my blog, with which I discovered another way to court my love: photography. http://www.kitchenbloodykitchen.com/ G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 83

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photo by Giulia Scarpaleggia

A Christmas afternoon To slow down and relax

Texts and photos by Tiina Rinkinen http://www.sparklingink.com/ 86 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

A cozy and relaxing holiday afternoon is made of sweet warmth and the spices of the

season. After the busy days and holiday preparations, it’s time to slow down and relax with family and friends lifting glasses of homemade mulled cider. The scent of bread pudding and laughter fill the kitchen. For me Christmas is all about spending time with family, beautiful wintery view, candle light, laughter and sharing.

The coldest time of the year has warmth like no other time.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 87

Christmas Bread Pudding

(serves 6-8) 8 slices white bread 450 ml milk 1 tablespoon butter 130 g chocolate 2 eggs 100 g sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon a pinch of nutmeg pecans, currants, chocolate shavings for the top powdered sugar for dusting Toast bread slices at 150 C for 10 minutes until crispy. Tear the bread into pieces and transfer into a greased oven dish. Heat milk, butter and 100 g chocolate in a sauce pan stirring constantly just until melted. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar. Add in cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in the milk chocolate mixture and pour over the bread.

Bake at 150 C for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and decorate with pecans and currants.

Shave the remaining chocolate and sprinkle on top. Dust with powdered sugar.

(serves 6-8) 2 liters cider 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 vanilla bean 4 cloves a pinch of nutmeg juice of 2 clementines zest of 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoon cane sugar Pour cider into a pan. Add cinnamon stick, half vanilla pod, cloves and nutmeg. Squeeze in the juice of 2 clementines and shave a few slices of lemon zest in. Add sugar and mix. Heat until steaming but not boiling. Run the cider through a sieve and serve hot.

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Mulled Cider

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photo by Asha Pagdiwalla

These percent Cappelletti

air of tradition

These percent Cappelletti: To Lucea

does not make sense to exist if it does not begin with the cappelletti in stock.

Cold, rain .... Gray. Ah it is winter! Maybe it was snowing. At least we are sure that it is

“... Heroes who boast of having eaten one

Christmas. The big day is approaching. Gifts

hundred ...”

and anxiety in the air glowing preparations of the exhausting banquet, just missing.

For me the Christmas atmosphere is this air

Countdown to the day when all get together,

of tradition, all in the kitchen, with mother,

far and near, ready to run out around the ta-

grandmother aunt and cousins, and the great

ble stuffing myself to the slow and relaxed

marble table, with hands-on and the assem-

family peace, strengthened heart and mind.

bly line comes to life. The tradition of large fa-

And finally, as every year, to say with pride

milies, in these winter evenings, they begin to

peaceful, but as we ate well again this year!

prepare for the Christmas dinner, tons of pasta, which then naturally end up being given

The beauty of sitting at the table together,

away to friends and relatives. Some make

the traditional dinner from the many courses

the hook and who stretches the dough. And

that are followed slowly with chatter and

what started the afternoon gatherings of

glasses of wine ... If there is one thing that I as-

mothers, aunts, cousins and grandmothers.

sociate with Christmas is stock with cappel-

There are those who are beginners and who

letti. Not so much for that valuable function

is a veteran of war. All have their own tools

that the hot soup during the cold winter, but

of the trade and personal, everyone has his

for all that is familiar.

hand and his cut its fold. Unmistakable and unique mine from yours, even if in the end

At the gates of Christmas, is established tra-

everything is reshuffled.

dition that housewife who expects to find in the great grandmother’s house, to begin the

Although there are classic versions of the na-

annual production of fresh cappelletti for the

tural evolution of a recipe, subject to the pas-

dinner.

sage of time and to pass on word of mouth, here’s my personal recipe:

Quite simply the stock cappelletti? No! The dear old Artusi says that a Christmas menu

Cappelletti in broth (Serves 10)

For the fresh egg pasta 1 kg white flour “00” 6 medium eggs 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil For the Filling 500 g veal 250 g pork 250 g ham 150 g parmesan 3 eggs 100 g butter salt freshly ground pepper nutmeg Place the flour and in the centre put the eggs.

Add the oil (to keep the dough elastic). With the help of a fork, begin to stir and knead with your hands.

When everything is well blended form a floured ball, wrap in plastic wrap and rest in freezer for at least half an hour. In the meantime, prepare the stuffing.

Shred the beef and pork and toss in a pan. Sauté with butter on high heat for few minutes, then finish cooking over low heat. Just finished cooking, add the ham into small pieces, mix quickly with the help of a spoon and then mix all together in a blender, until mixture is smooth.

Stir in eggs and parmesan, stirring carefully. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

While the filling rest, roll the dough thin (3 mm type) with a rolling pin with flour. Obtain the square of 5 cm, with smooth or toothed wheel to taste * Distribute dollops of filling on each square, fold in a triangle and then pressing the air out and close.

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Wrap around your finger to give the classic form.

The cappelletti must rest for a few hours, then can be cooked in boiling stock and serve with lots of parmesan cheese, directly on the table. Or give a few days in gift bags to freeze and store in freezer. Overproduction is obvious, natural and even desired! It’s a tradition that when works are completed, we count diners (15 cappelletti max each) and we offer the leftovers. We make little gift bags, to eat or freeze. It’s part of the tradition of Christmas share what’s more with friends and family, isn’t it? In addition is a great mix of everyone’s work, where you can always try to identify who did what, reliving those moments and days of hands-on here, looking edges and dimensions of cappelletti. * That’s the beauty of the wheels at will: be able to leave that unmistakable, maybe not too perfect, but definitely unique. A signature, a confession, a portrait.

“Oh look! I caught one of her aunt ... is not your grandmother’s see how it runs ... well ...” But above all, during the actual family binge, can say with pride, attracting the admiration of others,” Stop, the bigger one I just found me ... I won this year! “ Pinkie rais and sounded suck up the spoon, we are in family.

Claudia Castaldi

Claudia Castaldi, aka Pyondi, is a blonde photographer and confused food stylist.

Visibly Tuscan and tirelessly foodie. She graduated in photography at Architecture at the University of Florence, lives and works as a freelance in Milan since 2005. Currently full time foodstylist and photographer, cooperate with agencies, publishers, chefs and catering to document events and achievements of recipes. Always chasing what’s really happening inside and outside the kitchen: fatigue, stress, laughter, anger ... the people you meet are born or are passed down stories, secrets, gossip, where you also find yourself taking care of itself, to tell and tell. www.claudiacastaldi.com come esperienza personalissima e soggettiva legata alla cucina www.tourdefork.net dove il cibo è il legame ed il veicolo tra creatività, società e cultura.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 95

Novy God New Year’s Day in Russia

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Novy God, is New Year’s Day. It is the most popular holiday in Russia.

It was introduced by Peter The Great in 1700. He ordered to celebrate the new year in the night between the 31 of December and the 1 of January, decorating the Christmas tree, dancing and having fun until sunrise.

Traditions were enriched by the appearance of two characters from stories: Ded Moroz and Snegurochka. Moroz was one of pagan gods. He was responsible of the frost. Then, he turn in a sweet grandfather with a lot of presents. The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree is very old. Ancient slavic hung fruits and other items on the branches. They did that because spirits became benevolent towards them.

Mors

Up to mid-nineteenth century, Eve din-

Ingredients:

ners were not provided. There were only

200 g red currants

dances and refreshments. Then, nobles begun to eat zakuski (appetizers).

100 g honey 1 l water

At the end of the nineteenth century,

Wash, dry and mash red currants. Conserve

there were (in addition to pickles and

the juice.

cold fish dishes) also caviar, good fish, roasted goose and game.

And, obviously, a lot of wine and champagne.

Boil the water with the peel and the pulp.

Cook for 5 – 6 minutes. Then, filter.

Add the honey and dissolve it. Pour the juice and cool.

Goose with buckwheat and mushrooms 2 – 2,5 kg gutted goose 200 g buckwheat 100 g diced bacon 30 g dried porcini (soaked and squeezed) 20 g butter 1 onion salt pepper Boil the buckwheat. Chop the onion and brown in the butter. Add diced bacon and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Mix the buckwheat. Salt and pepper the goose, stuff it with the buckwheat and stich.

Bake it at 200° degrees for 1,5 - 2 hours, grease often the goose with its grease.

Giulia Nekorkina I am Giulia, aka Rossa di Sera (Red Evening), born in Moscow, living in Rome, food addicted by nature.

I love cooking and eating, preferably with friends, but also taking pictures, travelling and talking about my beloved Russia! http://www.rossa-di-sera.com/

photo by Giulia Nekorkina

Dulce navidad

from the beginning to the end

Texts and Photos by Alicia Ma単as http://amiloquemegustaescocinar.com/ 100 - G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010

Christmas begins with lights,

shop window decorations or the traditional villancicos… but not always. At home Christmas used to peed out with the first mantecados my grandfather used to buy for me as soon as there were available. They were so big and tasted so good. These delicious sweets meant for me the beginning of one of the most beautiful times of the year. I don’t think I had ever tasted mantecados as good as his.

With the beginning of Christmas time shops and homes fill with Christmas sweets: mantecados de almendra, with an Andalusian origin, made with lard, almonds and cinnamon hojaldrines, their name derives from hojaldre (puff pastry) roscos de anís, ring shaped aniseed sweets turrón (soft or hard), a nougat confection made with almonds, honey and eggs.

The list is endless, above all if we include all the variations the confectionery industry has invented in the last years.

So, could there be something funniest than making your own traditional sweets?

Obviously it becomes more fun if you share these moments with your family and friends!. Funny, easy and quick. Just a little organization is needed.

But lets see, for example, the mantecado de almendra. It could be easy to think of their Muslin origins (because of some ingredients as cinnamon or almonds). Nothing farthest from reality. One of the principal ingredients of mantecados is the pig fat or lard. In the 16th century there was an surplus in the production of this ingredient in Andalusia, so it is thought that this could be the origin of mantecados, apart from being already a largely-used ingredient for Andalusian sweets. Preparing them is very easy. You have only to follow a little advice: The dough mustn’t be too sticky or too dry It is advisable to try their final consistency by baking 1 or 2 of them as a test After baking set aside and cold completely on a rack

mantecados

ingredients:

Makes ±30 biscuits

Lard or butter at room temperature 175 g Sugar 200 g Peeled almonds 125 g Flour 400 g Cinnamon 3 soupspoons Sesame seeds In a non-stick fry pan over medium-low heat, toast the flour (without any fat) for 5-10 minutes until slightly brown. This part of the preparation is quite delicate since if the flour becomes too brown it will damage the final flavour.

Likewise, in another fry pan without any fat, brown the almonds lightly. Set aside to cool.

Beat the lard or butter until foaming. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Finally add the flour and almonds; stir in until mixed well.

Roll out the mixture uniformly to a thickness of 2 cm. Cut the biscuits with a 5cm round cutter.

Place them on a lined baking tray and decorate with sesame seeds.

It is advisable to make a baking test with 1 or 2 biscuits to check their consistency. Bake them at 150°C (300°F) for 30 minutes. Once cooled try them to see if they are too thick (too much flour used); instead if they easily crumble you can add a little more flour. Take always into account that these sweets are quite friable.

The same way Christmas

begins with the mantecados, it ends with another sweet: il Roscón de reyes. in Spain, like in many other countries, Santa Claus is a recent practice. Our tradition celebrates the arrival of the Reyes Magos or rather Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar. The Three Wise came to Jerusalem to pay homage to the King of the Jews and offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Christmas time finishes with the arrival of the Kings of the East and the exchange of Christmas gifts. The last day, Jan the 6th, it is usual, after lunch or at any other time of the day, to eat the roscón de reyes. This crown-shaped sweet bread keeps inside two little surprises: a little gift (it can be a coin wrapped in tinfoil) and a dried bean. The tradition tells that the one finding the first must pay for the roscón; instead, the one finding the bean is symbolically “crown” king of the kings.

With its dried fruits decorations, the roscón looks like and symbolizes the crown of a king. It can be served alone, with whipped cream or, for those whose stomachs allow them to keep on eating, with hot chocolate.

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Roscón de reyes

Serves 6-8 ingredients: Flour 600 g Fresh yeast 30 g milk 150 ml salt 1 pinch oranges 1 eggs 3 room temperature butter 80 g sugar 80 g for decorating: dried fruits Icing sugar Dissolve the fresh yeast in the warm milk together with a soupspoon of sugar.

In a bowl, sieve the flour, make a hole in the middle and pour in the milk and yeast. Let them settle for 15 minutes.

Whisk 2 eggs together with the butter until foaming.

Blend the flour with the yeast, add the eggs and butter, the grated zest and juice of the orange. Finally add the salt and knead well.

Make a ball with the knead, place it in a capacious bowl covered with a clean cloth or protective film. Make it settle for at least 1 to 1 & ½ hours or until it doubles its volume.

Take the mixture out of the bowl and knead it once again. Make a ball with a hole in the middle; open this hole until creating a crownshaped bread.

Place the bread in a lined baking tray and let it settle for at least half hour.

Brush the surface with a whisked egg and decorate with dried fruits.

Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Set aside and allow to cool on a rack.

Decorate with icing sugar and serve.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 103

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photo by Silvia Luppi

Christmas

... on the table

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Party atmosphere We need a few things to warm holiday winter evenings: a candle, a ribbon, a decoration, the smell of freshly baked spicy cake. In a moment it’s Christmas.

And the greatest gift is to have a little more time to cook and dedicate the same time to set the table, one of the great protagonists of the party, of the desire to stay at home in the warm atmosphere, of desire to take care of all the guests in a special way.

There are many ways to set and decorate a Christmas table, and above all there are plenty of opportunities during the holidays to come together around a dish, a dessert or a good glass of wine, Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas lunch , the exchange of gifts between friends over a cup of tea, or even just an infusion accompanied by a biscuit.

Sometimes you just need a detail to make a difference. And if you really want to follow the etiquette to set the table, here are some simple rules to keep in mind ...

The table Low is better than high (max. 75 cm) and round (or square) is better than rectangular (because in this case a particular care is required in the guests disposition).

The tablecloth It must be nice. Not necessarily valuable, but of good fabric, perfectly neat and ironed, strictly lying above the duffel, and accompanied by 45 x 45 cm napkins.

The fall from the table surface must be at least 30 cm on all sides. Every centimeter more is an earned pinch of elegance.

The Style If there is a basic idea, a theme to relate to, follow it in the colors and details: The table can be classic and very traditional, or very natural, or informal and colorful. However, it is important that not to have a too large range of colors, and that all its elements, seen from a distance, constitute a whole.

How to set the table The rules are not very strict, and may differ from one country to another. It may depend also on the menu and the circumstances. In principle this is how to set things on the table: 1. dishes: in order under plate, dinner plate and bowl. The fruit or dessert plate is to be brought to the table once removed the under plate; cups with two handles, equipped with saucer, will be brought to the table if the menu provides a consommĂŠ; the salad bowl will be to the left and it could also be replaced with a small dish; the special plates for the bread will be placed in the top left of the plate and will be removed after serving cheese.

2. oil and vinegar: they only appear on the table if and when they are needed to the service.

3. glasses: they are three, two for the wine and one for the water, and should be placed in the top right (in order from left to right: large for water, medium for red wine and small for white wine ). The flutes or champagne cup, or any other dessert glass, should be brought to the table only when in use, when there will be only the water glass.

4. cutlery: they must be placed beside the plate in the order they will be used, starting with those located further out. Each, after use, should be taken away with the plate.

5. napkin: it should be placed to the left of the table but never under the cutlery 6. The flowers or centrepieces should always be odor-free and low not to cover the sight in front of you. Candles in candleholders can be a centrepiece, but they must be always lit up, always new and only in the evening.

1. soup bowl 2. dinner plate 3. underplate 4. fish fork, if required 5. fork 6. knife 7. fish knife, if required 8. soup spoon, if required 9. napkin 10. water glass 11. red wine glass 12. white wine glass 13. fruit and dessert cutlery 14. bread plate

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 107

Tortellini in broth For the pastry: 300 g flour 3 eggs

Serves 8

For the filling: 1 egg 1 grated lemon grated nutmeg to taste 25 g butter, melted 200 g of grated Parmesan cheese Mix flour and eggs until a soft dough forms and set aside for half an hour.

Prepare the filling by mixing the egg, grated lemon and nutmeg, melted butter and parmesan (in stages, the quantity may vary depending on the degree of cheese maturation). Form many balls of 1 cm diameter with the stuffing.

Divide the dough into two or three parts, to be able to roll it out very thinly with a rolling pin or with the appropriate crank or electric machine, and cut into discs of approximately 3-4 cm in diame-

ter, or cut into squares of 4 cm side.

Place a ball of filling in the centre of each shape, fold in a moon or triangle shape (depending on the original shape), and close them in a tortellini shape. Keep the working surface floured during the operations and wet with your fingers the edges of dough, if necessary.

Cook in broth for about 5 minutes (it may also depend on the thickness of the pasta), serve hot.

Pepper sauce for boiled meat

Serves 8

600 g of peppers in olive oil (yellow and red) a handful of pickled capers (20-30 g) 6-8 anchovy fillets in oil 2 cloves of garlic, cut in a half, without the inner part Extra virgin olive oil to taste Drain the peppers thoroughly, rinse the capers and squeeze them, pat the anchovies dry with a paper towel.

Chop it all together in a mill*, then sautĂŠ in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, in which you have previously browned two cloves of garlic.

Add a pinch of sugar to the mixture and cook uncovered until all the pepper liquid has dried up, for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the garlic and serve cold with the traditional boiled meat. * You can use an immersion blender as well, but the hand mill prevents the mixture from warming up before cooking (the hotblade changes the taste) 108 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Dried fruit tartlets

Ingredients (for 12 tartlets) for the pastry crust 100 g flour 25 g cornstarch 75 g butter ice water

For the filling 2 small apples or 1 large apple 80 g currants (or raisins) 20 g pine nuts 90 g cane sugar 1 teaspoon powdered mixed spices 2 tablespoons whiskey Mix with a mixer, or with the help of a fork, flour and cornstarch with the cold butter into cut into small pieces, until the mixture is slightly crumbs, then, stirring constantly, add cold water gradually spoon after spoon, until you get a ball. Cover and place in the fridge for half an hour.

Meanwhile, cut the apple into small pieces and mix with currants, pine nuts, sugar, spices and whiskey.

Roll out the dough into a 2 mm thick sheet, then cut into 12 discs of 7 cm of diameter and 12 stars.

Place the disks of dough into low moulds (you can use the muffin moulds), fill each one with a spoonful of filling, then place a star on top of each tart.

Bake for 15 minutes (or 20, depending on oven) until golden.

For a less spicy and more delicate version, replace the raisins with the equivalent weight of dried apricots, cut into small pieces, pine nuts with 40 g of sliced almonds, spices powder extracted with the vanilla seeds.

Rossella Venezia

My name is Rossella and I am 33 years old. I belong to Marche and Lucania, I live in Rome and I love Paris, I am an architect and a landscape designer. Cooking is relaxing and fun for me. I’ve always loved to photograph, but the culinary theme has come to populate my photos only recently, when I opened the blog “Vaniglia, storie di cucina�.

Every food has a story and every story leads to the many facets of a single recipe. The kitchen, the garden, the living room and the library ... I believe that every space in a house can not be designed without a thought of those who experience it, what are you cooking and eating, and all the countless stories that revolve around. http://vanigliacooking.blogspot.com/ G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 109

photo by Rosa Mayland 110 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 111

Dulce navidad

DIY wrapping paper Gift ideas

Making our own wrapping paper is very easy!

You just need little time, a potato, acrylic colours and some aluminium biscuit cutter.

Lets see these simple steps: Cut the potato in two parts. Set the cutter intro the potato to outline the shape with a little pointed knife, cut the shape around the potato.

Apply the colour over the potato surface and print the shapes all around a large piece of brown manila paper.

Let the colour dry. Your DIY wrapping paper is ready to use!

112 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Texts and Photos by Alicia Ma単as http://amiloquemegustaescocinar.com/ G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 113

NoĂŤl Blanc..

White Christmas Sensations

Texts and Photos by Edda Onorato http://www.undejeunerdesoleil.com/ 114 - G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010

White Christmas, more

than in color, are the feelings that I get to Christmas.

White, slow, peaceful, a break out of time.

It’s so that I thought this holiday menu. Delicate, light and refined menu, full of winter scents such as citrus... Simple and quick dishes to prepare (in advance, such as truffles or cookies) in order to enjoy holidays.

I propose you my Eve menu with a French freshness touch.

For me Christmas has always been something intimate. The warmth of home and the love and the desire to make please our loved ones. We have the all family away (Italian grandparents in the South and French grandparents in the North…

We were in the middle) and, as a child, I always spent Christmas with my parents and my brothers. Sometimes we invited the grandparents, a friend, a neighbor.

Some days before Christmas I saw my parents thinking about menu. My mother was in the kitchen to prepare roasts, cakes and wonderful biscuits. My father went to the beach in order to buy fresh fish. And then there were stocks of dried and candied fruit, citrus, nougat, chocolate, Panettone and Pandoro. And the smell of pine, which lasted until Epiphany. I felt on a little chocolate cloud,and so excited by the idea of the surprises that came from so far. A bit of this spell has remained.

For years now, I prepare Christmas. Just one month before I start preparing the delicious goodies to offer to friends or relatives before the holidays. I focus on the menu, looking for some inspirations here and there and changing idea ten times, otherwise it is not funny! And I’m looking forward to see us gathered around the table and chat for hours in a relaxed way, eating truffles for example. Short and simple pleasures.

Holidays open with happy, delicate and Mediterannean flavoured dolls. To munch alone for kids and with bubbles for adults.

Parmesan cheese, olive oil and almonds dolls (Makes 10)

80 g flour 60 g parmesan cheese 50 g almond flour 50 g butter, softened 30 g olive oil salt, oregano, pepper, peppercorns (for decoration) Mix the flour with the Parmesan cheese, almond flour, a pinch of oregano, salt and pepper.

Add the soft butter and the oil and work quickly in order to obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator at least two hours (even overnight). If you prefer, you can freeze for several weeks.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a few millimeters thick. Get the dolls with the cutter (or use other forms). Decorate with peppercorns. Arrange on a baking sheet dolls covered with wax paper and chill in refrigerator for about twenty minutes.

Heat oven to 170 ° C. Bake the cookies for about ten minutes (depending on oven and size of cookies) until they are golden. Let them cool on a rack. They keep a days in a tin box.

A refined, reassuring and seafood soup. Fleshy and orange and chervil scented prawns make it more substantial.

Orange Shrimp Bisque

serves 4 400 g fresh shrimp 200 g fresh cream ½ cup dry white wine 1 bay leaf 1 shallot 1 orange 1 spoonful of cornflour fresh chervil (or dill), olive oil, salt and pepper

Shell the shrimp by putting the heads and shells. Cut the flesh into cubes and let marinate with the orange juice, a few sprigs of chervil and a pinch of salt.

Peel shallots and cut into slices. In a saucepan, sautĂŠ shallots with 2 tablespoons oil. Add the bay leaf, shrimp heads and shells.

Sprinkle with cornstarch then deglaze with the wine. Cover with water (1 liter) and cook for 20-25 minutes, taking care to crush a little heads every now and then to release the juices.

Pass the whole through a sieve pressing still heads. You need to obtain a tasty soup (bisque).

Correct for salt. At this point, the soup can be stored in a refrigerator in one day sealed container, or you can freeze.

Bring the broth to a boil and add the cream. Boil a few minutes.

Stir-fry the shrimp meat with a little oil and the juice of the marinade. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm with the shrimp bisque and a few sprigs of chervil.

Note: Chervil is an aromatic herb with a delicate fragrance that comes close slightly aniseed. It goes very well with prawns and orange, adding a touch of freshness. You can substitute with fresh anise, basil, or with the parsley (although the result will be different).

Delicate chunks of fish arrange on a soft and crispy potato and fennel bed.

Skewers of monkfish with lime and fennel with potatoes

Serves 4 600 g potatoes 300 g of chopped monkfish (ideally the cheek) or other white fish such as sea bream or sea bass 3 limes 1 medium fennel 1 shallot parsley, fresh rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper Peel shallots and cut into slices. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. In a frying pan a bit deep fry 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the shallots. Add potatoes, salt lightly and cover with water. Cook 20-30 minutes as long as the potatoes soften and the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile cut the fish into regular cubes and marinate them with the juice of 2 limes. Insert some sprigs of rosemary.

When the potatoes are cooked, mash with a fork, add some parsley and correct salt.

Discard the tough part and then cut the fennel, diced small. Add to potatoes into a kind of coarse pulp.

Heat a pan and pour in 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Cook the skewers about 2 minutes each side (so that they remain soft), taking care to turn them over only when it has formed a crust on cooked side.

Serve the fish on a bed of warm potatoes with a little pepper, zest and juice of files remained.

Candied, fragrant and irresistible clouds. As in fairy tales...

The white chocolate mounted ganache makes these truffles particularly light.

A sweet morsel after a meal or even challenging the idea of gourmet gift.

Orange blossom flavoured and white truffles (Makes thirty)

150 g good quality white chocolate, chopped 120 g whole fresh cream 2 tbs orange blossom water 1) Eve. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie. Boil 60 g of cream then pour in three times the white chocolate in order to incorporate evenly. Pour the remaining cream cold (60 g), the orange blossom water and mix gently. Cover the cream with cling film and refrigerate overnight (or at least 5 hours).

2) The next day. Whisk the cold mixture with an electric whisk, like cream (it must form a tip on the electric whisk). You have a mounted ganache. With the help of a pastry bag, form truffles.

Let dry in a refrigerator at least an hour before serving. They keep cool for one day.

Note: you can replace the orange blossom water with rose water or liqueur such as Grand Marnier or rum for example. Or you can spice up the truffle by omitting the orange blossom flavour but adding spices (cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom,... Preferably in powder) in the cold cream infusion for at least an hour before use.

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118 - G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010

Photo by Rossella Venezia

A warm Christmas in New Zealand

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Traditional Christmas

fare - roast poultry, game and richly fruit studded, dark steamed puddings native to the Antipode’s motherlands in the Northern Hemisphere will probably never disappear. But more and more Downunder we are preferring to prepare lighter, cooler and simpler foods for Christmas day.

Christmas in New Zealand arrives during the longest days of sunshine in the year. The temperature can soar to over 30 degrees Celcius and many families spend the two weeks over Christmas and New Year camping or picnicking throughout the country in our many alluring holiday spots. We are truly spoilt with few New Zealanders living far from either the Tasman Sea or Pacific Ocean coasts or the numerous glistening blue lakes in the centre of each of the main islands. Water sport is naturally a favourite pastime in December. If there are any keen fly-fishermen in the family, smoked trout or salmon may be served for Christmas lunch along with new potatoes, sweet baby peas and copious colourful salads. Barbecuing and grilling our most revered export: lamb, is also a common alternative to the traditional roast turkey. Dessert and sweets will almost always include mountains of freshly picked berries as they are at the peak of their season, scattered on our nations best known culinary invention - the mighty Pavlova or together with lusciously large scoops of ice cream.

Growing up I spent many Christmases in the picturesque township of Lake Wanaka, Central Otago in the South Island. My uncles ran boat hire and fishing tours from a small beach side hut. It was here my older brother, sister and I were frequently employed to “advertise” the various recreational watercraft they had on offer. First Mum would douse our fair skin in gallons of sunscreen, the thick kind that fine lake sand simply loves to adhere to, especially between the creases of a young girl’s swimsuit. Over the shoulders would rise a hot sun-baked foam scent in the form of a well faded orange life-jacket. We squeezed our large heG2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 121

ads through the small tight openings and clipped the buckles tight. Pushed out onto the lake in wet, soggy bottomed canoes, or rainbow coloured aqua bikes we would race each other around the buoys and splash about until more holiday makers made for the hut to hire them.

Back on the beach we spent many hours bouncing on a large black trampoline. The safety pads at the side would scorch your feet and thighs as you clambered on. Unlike today, where there is a trampoline in nearly every Kiwi backyardd, they were very rare in the 1970s and for a few cents you could buy 15 minutes of uninterrupted bounce.

Finally relief would come in the form of the Tip Top truck to restock the boat hut’s chest freezer with all forms of frozen delights. We three were well recognised as we lined up, with our black Labrador and my uncles German shepherd queued behind the truck with the intense smell of the melting asphalt below our feet. Before he could even hop out of the front cab we had enthusiastically placed our order, and we were generously handed our favourites and two small vanilla ice cream tubs for the hounds from the back door of the refrigerated truck.

Despite our small size New Zealand is amongst the highest per capita consumer of ice cream in the world, only 2nd or 3rd behind the USA. We consume a whopping 24 litres per person per annum, 23 litres of which I’m pretty sure is consumed in December!

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Hokey Pokey

Hokey Pokey ice cream is a national icon, often included in lists of what we refer to as Kiwiana - “quirky things that contribute to a sense of our nationhood”. The second most popular flavour after vanilla, Hokey Pokey consists of small pieces of “sponge toffee” folded through vanilla.

Here I’ve made a Hokey Pokey semifreddo cake to be served with summer berries, however, I’m sure it would be equally enjoyable with a dried fruit compote or other seasonal fruits.

Ingredients for 6 persons For the Hokey Pokey 50 g white sugar 2 tbsp golden syrup or honey 1 tsp baking soda Place the sugar and golden syrup in a medium-sized saucepan and stir constantly over a low heat until the sugar dissolves and comes to the boil. Boil for 4 minutes over a low gentle heat, stirring the mixture occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the baking soda, quickly stirring until the mixture foams. Immediately pour the Hokey Pokey out onto an oiled baking paper lined tray and allow to cool. Once the Hokey Pokey is solid, break into small chips and store in a dry, airtight container.

For the Semifreddo 250 ml of cream, lightly whipped 5 egg yolks 50g of caster / superfine sugar 1 vanilla pod, seeds Line a loaf tin with two layers of plastic wrap. In a large bowl with an electric beater or your stand mixer whip the egg yolks and caster sugar until they are very thick and pale, approximately 8 minutes. In another bowl whip the cream along with the vanilla pod seeds.

Gently fold both mixtures through together. Pour the combined mixture into the lined loaf tin and wrap the sides over, freeze for 1 to 2 hours Uncover and fold through some of the Hokey Pokey chips, smooth the top, recover and freeze for a further 3 to 4 hours.

To serve; remove the semifreddo from the loaf tin, peel off the plastic and cut thick slices.

Serve 2 slices with a handful of fresh berries and any remaining Hokey Pokey chips.

Bron Marshall I am a freelance writer, photographer and stylist specialising in food. I’m a trained chef with New Zealand National Certificates in Professional Cookery and have worked in several restaurants throughout the South Island of New Zealand.

When not engrossed in food and photography, I can be found homeschooling my two daughters and running our small 5 acre farm with my husband in North Canterbury, New Zealand. http://bronmarshall.com - http://bronmarshall.org

Channukkah The festivity of lights

(‫)גדול היה פה‬

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The 25th of Kislev,

the fourth month of the Jewish calendar, we Jewish celebrate Channukkah. This festivity lasts for 8 days and remembers a very important historical events for the Jewish people.

It was the year 165 AD when Yehudah, son of the priest Mattatiah called the Maccabeus, entered the temple in Jerusalem at the head of his proud followers to reconsecrate the Temple to the Lord and destroy the idols that were installed there by king Antiochus IV of Syria, under which ruling the land of Israel had befallen.

Antiochus was an evil king who wanted that the Jews abandoned the Torah, the Jewish Law, to follow Greek religion and culture. Nevertheless, many Jews chose to die rather than to submit to Antiochus’ will and betray their beliefs. Others instead pretended to embrace the new belief, while privately continuing to profess the Jewish religion.

With the passing of time though, the Jews could not accept anymore the undergoing violence and so when the old Mattatiah and his sons started the revolution, many did not think twice about joining them.

The forces of Israel, were able under Yehudah to face and overcome the enemy in Jerusalem.

The first objective for the Jews was to reconsecrate the Temple with the lighting of the oil lamp that illuminated it.

The Talmud, one of the holy books for Jewish religion, tells that the Jews found the temple with only a small flask of pure oil with the seal of the high priest, enough for just one day. Instead a big miracle happened (in Jewish nes gadol ayah po, (‫ )גדול היה פה‬and the oil burned for eight days, giving this way time to the priests to find the new oil for the next days.

It was then proclaimed that the 25th of Kislev this event would be celebrated, for all times to come.

Also today we light the lamps for eight nights to remember not only the oil miracle but also the prodigy that few Jews - with the help of the Lord - succeeded in defeating the powerful Syrian army.

On the first night of Channukkah, one candle is lit on the channukkiah, the eight-branched candelabrum characteristic of this festivity. On each of the following days a new candle is lit so that at the eighth day of Channukkah the whole candelabrum is lit.

While lighting the channukkiah we recite the Hanerot Halalu prayer, in which it is said that the candles of Channukkah are sacred and that we are not allowed to use them (for instance to illuminate a room) but we can only admire them to thank the Lord for all the miracles and prodigies He performed.

We use to place the candelabrum in front of a window or near the main door of the house so to bring the light of Channukkah also outside our house.

Before lighting the candles, we say some prayers: - ashèr kidshànu bemitzvotàv vetzivànu leadlìk nèr shèl Channukkah: (Blessed be You o Lord king of the world) who has sanctified us with His commandments and has ordered us to light the candles of Channukkah; - shecheiànu ve kiemànu ve ighiànu lazmàn hazè: (Blessed be You o Lord king of the world) who has kept us alive and has protected us and has allowed us to reach this moment; - sheasà nissìm lavotèinu bayamìm haem bazmàn hazè: (Blessed be You o Lord king of the world) who has performed miracles for our fathers in the past, during this season.

Usually we also sing a chant called Ma’oz Tzur or “Stronghold of Rock”.

Traditionally the kids play with the spinning-tops (sevivòn) for the whole night, as the Jewish kids used to do at the time of the miracle; since they were used to study the Torah secretly, when Anthiocus’ guards arrived, they pretended to play with the spinning-tops to avoid being killed.

At Channukkah we are also used to exchange presents, to gift money to the kids that have diligently studied the Torah and, to remember the miracle, we eat food fried in oil among which the traditional sufganyot and the typical latkes.

The sufganyot are none other than a type of doughnut; this is my family recipe, abundantly tested by many generations of family members.

The sufganyot Ingredients (make 10 sufganyot): 3/4 glass of milk 30g fresh baker’s yeast 1 whole egg + 1 yolk 2/3 tablespoon of sugar 1 pinch of salt 30g vegetable shortening at room temperature ca 250g flour marmalade or pastry cream for filling the doughnuts oil for frying Warm up the milk, pour it in a bowl and mix it with the baker’s yeast and one tablespoon of flour.

Let the yeast mixture rest for 15 minutes.

When this time will have elapsed, add to the bowl the rest of the ingredients and, mixing by hand or with your electric mixer, add enough flour to obtain a soft and slightly elastic dough.

Once ready let the dough rise for 2 hours in a warm and not drafty place.

Using your rolling pin, roll the risen dough to a sheet 1.5cm/1” thick; using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut an even number of circles out of the sheet of dough. Spoon over half of the circles some marmalade or pastry cream then brush with some water the exceeding dough and close each circle with a plain circle of dough paying particular attention to seal them well, you do not want the filling to run out while frying the doughnut.

Let the sufganyot rise for another 2 hours before frying them in hot oil.

To avoid the bad smell of fried food, you can add few slices of apple in the hot oil; it is a great remedy against this persistent smell.

When the sufganyot will have attained a nice golden color, take them out of the oil and let them drain well over some kitchen paper.

Once cold, you can dust the sufganyot with some powder sugar and serve them.

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Latkes are simply fluffy potato pancakes crispy on the outside.

latkes Ingredients (enough for 4 latkes) 4 big potatoes 1 onion 1 egg (if you are using one of those small organic eggs, you might need 2 of them) 1 tablespoon of flour salt and pepper to taste Peel the 4 potatoes and then grate or cut them into shreds.

Put the shredded potatoes into a kitchen towel to drain the excess water.

Thinly mince the onion, put it in a big bowl and, with the help of a fork, mix it with the shredded potatoes, the egg and the flour; season with salt and pepper. The resulting batter should not be too dense.

Warm up some oil in a pan and fry 1 ladle of the batter at the time, taking care to color well one side of the latkes before flipping them over using a spatula.

Let the latkes drain over some kitchen paper before serving them.

Latkes are delicious when eaten with sour cream, or in the lack of it also with some cream cheese. The perfect coupling though is that with smoked salmon and thyme or chives.

Jasmine Guetta My name is Jasmine, I’m 21 years old and since one year - with my friend Manuel – I write my foodblog, Labna.it. I started to cook enlightened by Ratatouille’s idea “tout le monde peut cuisiner “and since then I have never moved away from the stove. I love Italian dishes but also those of Jewish and Eastern tradition that belong to my family: for this reason my blog is a mixture of many food cultures http://www. Labna.it G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 127

B没che de No毛l

A soft and yummy hug

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The month leading up to Christmas

always creates a warm and fuzzy feeling inside as I get more and more excited about the Christmas celebrations. Everywhere you look Christmas paraphernalia looms and while that can get a bit overbearing (given that they start filling shelves in October these days) it doesn’t stop my eyes from twinkling like christmas lights. Food, of course, preoccupies a large part of my Christmas planning. I spend a lot of time deciding on a menu and thinking of themes, colors (sparkly silver, crisp whites and pastel purples) and all the flavours and experiences I want to impart on our guests. Time is beautifully spent in the kitchen making assortments of gorgeous cookies for dunking into a warm cup of cocoa, pates and chutneys and let’s not forget the wonderful smell of homemade cinnamon rolls permeating through the house on crisp, early mornings. Christmas is about stopping and spending quality time with loved ones, recalling memories and sharing laughs around a burning fire, roasting chestnuts and sipping on copious amounts of red wine as the nutcracker plays in the background.

Growing up in Lebanon meant we always had a beautifully presented Buche de Noel on the Christmas Eve table. I know what you’re thinking... That’s not Lebanese! But, since the French Mandate many in the country have adopted the tradition and so for this G2kitchen Christmas edition I would like to present you with one.

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 129

Bûche de Noël

cocoa genoise with a chestnut and brandy cream f illing

Serves 6-8 Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Sit time: 5 hours Required: 15×10 inch jelly/swiss roll pan 2 20×10 layers of Parchment/Grease proof paper For the genoise 120g muscovado sugar 85g all purpose flour 50g of butter, melted 30g cocoa powder 5 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder For the filling 435g chestnut puree 400ml brandy creme (or use same amount of double creme with 2-3 tablespoons of brandy) 80ml warm water 64g sugar 2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peak 1 packet of gelatine For Decoration: Icing sugar, for the snow effect

To prepare the genoise Preheat the oven to 400f/200c/6g. Lightly spray your Swiss roll pan with a bit of spam. Line with the wax paper. In one bowl mix together all your dry ingredients except the sugar. So combine flour, cocoa, baking soda. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together: butter and vanilla. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together for about 1 minute or so. In another bowl using clean whips, beat the egg whites till they are frothy set aside. Add your dry ingredients and wet ingredients (except for egg whites) together and gently whip for about 1 minute.

Now fold the frothy egg whites into the rest of the ingredients, mix well. Spread the batter evenly onto the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Lay a moist towel on the counter and place a sheet of the parchment paper on top of it.

Remove the cake from the oven and gently invert it onto the parchment paper then gently and slowly remove the parchment paper.

Using the parchment paper and starting from the long side, roll the cake into the log shape and let it sit, seam side down, to cool for about 2-3 hours.

To prepare the chestnut brandy filling: Whip the chestnut puree once with a hand blender just to ensure no chunks. Now add brandy creme and sugar and whip for about a minute or two. In a mug, add the warm water and then sprinkle the gelatine stirring continuously until gelatine is dissolved. This should take about a minute or so. In a separate and clean bowl whip egg whites (using a clean whip) till you reach stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture and set aside for 1-2 hours or till it sets.

Put it all together Gently unroll the cooled cake log. Evenly coat the unrolled genoise with the chestnut brandy filling, but not all the way to either end, as it will spread out when you roll it. Roll it back into shape, sit it seam side down, cover with cling film and set in the fridge for 2 hours or till ready to serve. When you are ready to serve, cut a thin piece off each end, enough to show the pattern and the place on a decorative plate, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and go wild! Happy Holidays to all. Feast and be merry!

130 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

Bethany Kehdy In am a 20-something corporate drop-out and Global Patriot; I was born American, raised Lebanese and is now married to a Brit and living in Bloody England. I love to spend my time concocting Lebanese delicacies for her popular food blog Dirty Kitchen Secrets. I work as a recipe developer, food writer and food photographer. I also lead culinary tours across Lebanon as well as run cookery classes two to three times a year. In my spare time, I organize Food Blogger Connect, Europe’s first and only conference and forum for food bloggers. http://www. Dirty Kitchen Secrets.com G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 131

Il natale

From the same, old, wonderful script

Photos and Texts by Genny Gallo http://www.alcibocommestibile.it 132 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

I am a person who waits.

Always and everything.

I live constantly in the village taken from the hustle and bustle of the Leopardi Saturday, work hard to get to the goals and once, when I arrive, I do not enjoy the pleasure but I think to the another one.

So, you can understand that for me the real party is not Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve. I’m still a curious child, and I spend the hours since midnight trying to understand the gifts under the Christmas tree, those who can only open the next morning, with a slice of Panettone in order to try to feel the taste buds that is holiday!

However the 24th, after the frenzy of work, you go home fast, and then you to your mother...

There are such great things on the table, those will make ready the next day for the official dinner.

What you cannot miss are potatoes: boiled, in salads, so simple and poor. They open the meal as usual at Gallo’s house, as my father always wants, in memory of what he ate when he was a child in the boarding school, when this was perhaps the only sign of celebration, the only thing that makes Christmas different from any other day...

And then usually followed a pasta dish: some rich and stuffed pasta, perhaps even with fish and bake... as what I propose...

Then I learned to appreciate the celebration. I learned that those moments that may seem boring and repetitive, the same year after year, are exactly the same as waiting for a working life, and those for which, after all, not worth changing plans!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 133

Salmon and ricotta cheese stuffed conchiglioni with artichokes

(Serves 3) 15 conchiglioni 100 g smoked salmon 100 g fresh ricotta cheese 4 artichokes hearts 200 ml milk 20 g butter 20 g plain flour salt pepper garlic oil Boil the conchiglioni in salt water. Drain and cool quickly passing with cold water. With a sharp knife chop the salmon, mix with ricotta and season with salt and pepper.

Slice the artichokes very thinly and cook them with a little oil and a clove of garlic in a pan, until they are soft.

Prepare the besciamella sauce: heat the butter, add flour and cook the “roux� for some minutes. Dilute with cold milk, bring on the heat and thicken. Assemble the dish: arrange a few tablespoons of sauce on bottom of baking dish, pour half of the artichokes, place the conchiglioni filled with salmon and on the top place artichokes and besciamella sauce. Gratin in the oven for a few minutes.

134 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 135

136 - G2KITCHEN | DICEMBRE 2010

Photo by Genny Gallo

Simply London

Christmas In London

Try to think about Christmas in London. What do you think? Yes, exactly! Here, Christmas is exactly like this, but not only…

I’ve tried to think about an adjective that could hold all the facets of this magic period, but I have to admit that wasn’t so simple! But I think to find it. I would like to define it: diversified.

This “crazy” city is capable of offer an incredible diversified Christmas. There is something for all tastes…

So, you can switch from the slow living of Christmas Fair and Christmas Markets to the sparkling and attractive Christmas of Oxford Street and the huge department store. What do you prefer?

1) You seem to live London for a couple of hours and to dive in a timeless and spaceless reality imbued with orange, cinnamon and vanilla scents. Many ladies who seem Beatrix Potter without Peter the Rabbit will offer candyfloss, sweet candy that stick to teeth and magic candy apples. Precious Christmas ornaments will make you sigh continuously.

2) But! You will know exactly where you are. In London, of course! A so gourgeous Christmas is achievable just in few city and London is one of this. More than 4 km of suggestive ornaments, magic lights

Texts and photos by Carolina Cenni http://www.semplicementepeperosa.com/ 138 - G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010

and sweet jingle make Oxford Street a must for Christmas lovers. Oxford Street is regarded as one of the largest, famous and popolar shopping street of the world. And they do not care about costs in this period! The result is a real show that enchant adults and kids.

Then, the department store like Harrods, Selfridges and John Lewis offer every “game” that a passionate about cooking can wish and add into the wish list to Santa Claus…

As often happens in London, I can assure you that you can find everything you wish!

G2KITCHEN | DECEMBER 2010 - 139

Did you remember to write your letter?

Certainly as a child your claims were written with unsteady hand between drawings and colours, but here if you want to take yourself seriously, we need to use stamped paper ...

It is a grown-up to write a request to this old grandpa dressed in red!

FAO Mr. Santa Claus (Joulupukki) Arctic Circle 96930 Rovaniemi Dear Sir Santa Claus

Finland

Best regards

Photo by Giulia Nekorkina

G2kitchen

Christmas edition, year 2010

www.g2kitchen.com Do you have proposals, suggestions, criticisms, candidatures to cooperate to be sent?

Write us to:

info@g2kitchen.com

Waiting for the next issue, you find us here: Genny - http://www.alcibocommestibile.com Giulia - http://www.julskitchen.com Alicia - http://erborina.blogspot.com Alicia - http://amiloquemegustaescocinar.com Silvia http://basilicoepinoli.blogspot.com/ Edda - http://undejeunerdesoleil.com/ Sarka - http://www.cookyourdream.com/ Tina - http://www.sparklingink.com/ Chiara - http://www.kiabia.it/ Elga - http://www.semidipapavero.net/ Alessandra - http://menuturistico.blogspot.com/ Carolina - http://www.semplicementepeperosa.com/

Design, project, coordination and website Genny Gallo International edition coordination Giulia Scarpaleggia Translations Carolina Cenni, Alessio Fangano, Giulia Scarpaleggia Graphic design and website Chiara Biagioni Contributors of articles and columns Sarka Babicka , Chiara Biagioni, Elga Cappellari ,Genny Gallo, Alessandra Gennaro, Silvia Luppi ,Alicia Manas, Edda Onorato , Tiina Rinkinen, Claudia Scarpaleggia, Giulia Scarpaleggia Thanks to Chiara Bellasio, Claudia Castaldi Anna Esposto, Jamine Guetta, Rachel Hutchings, Alice Martini, Rosa Mayland, Bron Marshall, Bethany Kehdy, Giulia Nekorkina, Asha Pagdiwalla, Rossella Venezia to have agreed to take part to this special issue. foto di copertina di Genny Gallo Each author is the owner of the text and images he created and is fully responsible for the content of his articles

See you before the end of the winter!