Anniversary Lunch
Had you been in my neck of the woods on Friday, I do hope you would have come for lunch.
The six of us - all strangers before a few short months ago - laughed, drinking in the wine and the sunshine and the companionship, and it was delightful. I felt very, very lucky. You were missed. And damn, like always, we had food for every reader who's ever stopped in here to have joined us. (You would have had to eat with your hands, though!)
The weather cooperated and we sat outside. The table was decorated with cut rosemary and purple artichokes. The guests all contributed wine, desserts, and vin santo -- each from their respective regions. I purposely picked recipes that were Italian - not my comfortable/easy to prepare normal fallbacks. I used both sage and basil growing in my yard ("how farm-girl do I feel!?!?", she said triumphantly...)
EuroBimbo, my personal paparazzi - supertalented photographer that she is, captured the whole thing in exceptional detail with her swanky new highpowered camera lens, HERE, on her blog. (Go for a visit, she's got amazing photos over there - you can see why I hang out with her, and NEVER bring my camera -- my camera seems disposable by comparison!)
ANYHOW ... as for the food, the sage-walnut pesto you've already got the recipe for, here's the other pasta:
Radicchio Gorgonzola Pasta
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1/2 finely diced onion
1 head of radicchio, cut into 1/4" strips
1 c red wine
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
Ground pepper, generous "grinding" across the pan.
1C heavy cream (or 'panna di cucina' if you're in Italy)
3/4 C gorgonzola cheese, cut into small chunks
Heat the oil in the pan, cook the onion until soft.
Add the radicchio, cook until soft - about 10 minutes.
Add wine, sugar, salt and pepper; cook until it all reduces.
Add cream and cheese, cook until the cheese melts.
Toss in fresh, cooked pasta (I used something sort of like fusilli, but smaller and less twisty. Can't remember the name!)
Indeed, a fab time was had by all, and most importantly,
Abbiamo mangiato bene! (We have eaten well!)
The six of us - all strangers before a few short months ago - laughed, drinking in the wine and the sunshine and the companionship, and it was delightful. I felt very, very lucky. You were missed. And damn, like always, we had food for every reader who's ever stopped in here to have joined us. (You would have had to eat with your hands, though!)
The weather cooperated and we sat outside. The table was decorated with cut rosemary and purple artichokes. The guests all contributed wine, desserts, and vin santo -- each from their respective regions. I purposely picked recipes that were Italian - not my comfortable/easy to prepare normal fallbacks. I used both sage and basil growing in my yard ("how farm-girl do I feel!?!?", she said triumphantly...)
EuroBimbo, my personal paparazzi - supertalented photographer that she is, captured the whole thing in exceptional detail with her swanky new highpowered camera lens, HERE, on her blog. (Go for a visit, she's got amazing photos over there - you can see why I hang out with her, and NEVER bring my camera -- my camera seems disposable by comparison!)
ANYHOW ... as for the food, the sage-walnut pesto you've already got the recipe for, here's the other pasta:
Radicchio Gorgonzola Pasta
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1/2 finely diced onion
1 head of radicchio, cut into 1/4" strips
1 c red wine
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
Ground pepper, generous "grinding" across the pan.
1C heavy cream (or 'panna di cucina' if you're in Italy)
3/4 C gorgonzola cheese, cut into small chunks
Heat the oil in the pan, cook the onion until soft.
Add the radicchio, cook until soft - about 10 minutes.
Add wine, sugar, salt and pepper; cook until it all reduces.
Add cream and cheese, cook until the cheese melts.
Toss in fresh, cooked pasta (I used something sort of like fusilli, but smaller and less twisty. Can't remember the name!)
Indeed, a fab time was had by all, and most importantly,
Abbiamo mangiato bene! (We have eaten well!)
posted by Viaggiatore | 5/24/2006
3 Comments:
V:
So glad you have marked your first year! I enjoy reading your blog and I enjoy living vicariously through you, for sure.
WHo kows what the future holds, but I sure like your attitude. :)
Take care an enjoy your summer! And, yes, dance when you feel like it!
Si, davvero, abbiamo mangiato molto bene. Un vero piacere e ti ringrazio sinceramente per la tua benvenuta.
Alla prossima, alla mea!
Julienini: when you finally make it here, we'll celebrate again! Keith & Judith: you two would make it a party wherever you were; thanks for being here! Cheers, V.
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