Friday, 7 June 2013
Port a Nova
Well is a beautiful Sunday, so a day off before next weeks cooking lesions so another shower experience before we head out, just too much fun to not have another go. Picnic packed in the small soft esky bag and with the 3 little freezer pac that I snuck into our luggage at the last minute, I said they would come in handy.
So we're off for a big drive on small roads down a big mountain, today we are only driving 40km so we should arrive at out next destination before dark.... We know where we are heading but will wing some accommodation as we get closer.
Gustave Class
We had set up a meeting at a country house in the hills above Fano to do a bread making and private demonstration class it was just perfect. It is interesting we have had classes that are really structured and some not so much, some are hands on other are stand and watch more of a demonstration by the chef in their own kitchens and one in a couple of weeks being as long as we eat in their restaurant and stay in their accommodation you can come into the kitchen and watch, learn traditionally and help, can't wait for that one.
The country house was once a great big old share farm house but today more basic in it accommodation facilities.
As we arrive mid afternoon a bit frazzled by the driving had a quick shower before heading to the kitchen. Well the rest of the room may have been a bit basic but the shower was where the owner had spent the € one would need a uni degree to work out all the buttons, and as I love button it can't be that hard. So Sandy takes one look at the shower and said well you first then when you have worked it out she will have next shower. Well firstly it was like a round clear cylinder that you had to step up into with 2 door that curved around you after you enter, with all sorts of nozzle up and down the prefab unit that squirted water at and in into all sorts of places fun and not so fun!!!! and the person before had left it in the squirt at the ankle mode which when you turn the water on the pressure could shoot right across the room. Ok so off with the water and close the doors and study the knobs a bit more. It was a bit to low for me to put my arms up, but wait ... an escape hatch at the top to let the steam out, they had thought of everything.....
So off the the kitchen now that I,m full of water.
We did make great focaccia with sweet onion which finely cut, sweated off in salt for a few hours, so is par-cooked in the salt, washed and dried before it is popped on the bread then into the oven. This method means the onion melts as a topping and not dried burnt bits on the top, very cleaver.
Then another with sundries tomatoes and olives. We soaked these in warm water for a few mins to soften and prevent them burning as quickly in the mix. His bread skill were very good his dark rye in particular.
We served the breads with a cold antipasto plate consisting of "mad sausage" which has a curation of only 4-6 months.
A gammon meat which was very red in colour and air dried so it was very intense flavour,
a peppered salmi,
proccutio crudo,
eye fillet,
rare roast beef,
buffalo mozzarella and pecorino cheese from sheep.
The hot antipasto was fried camembert,
tomato / onion sauce hot and fresh on bruschetta with a soft cheese,
layered apple battered and fried,
twice cooked herb soufflé.
A stew made from tomato and onion braised with small pieces of sausage.
Then we did a ravalio with we filled with ricotta and spinach and baked in a light creamy tomato sauce and toped with a Parmesan crust. Baked till brown served in the cooking pot.
He also served an eye fillet which he had done a sweet saffron glaze.... Just to show his skills.
The meat was cooked on the open wood fired grill and had an amazing flavour.
We cooked a side of potatoes on the grill and roasted tomatoes with a crumb of bread and Parmesan, well he did have a restaurant to feed that night and a wedding for 180 the next day, there was food every where and amazing being in such a busy kitchen to watch even if we couldn't cook to much. However Gustove was really informative and sharing. His food was very very generous we even had enough left over off our dinner for a big big picnic lunch to following day as we move a little further south before we head in to La Marche for our week cooking with an American chef.
So off the the kitchen now that I,m full of water.
We did make great focaccia with sweet onion which finely cut, sweated off in salt for a few hours, so is par-cooked in the salt, washed and dried before it is popped on the bread then into the oven. This method means the onion melts as a topping and not dried burnt bits on the top, very cleaver.
Then another with sundries tomatoes and olives. We soaked these in warm water for a few mins to soften and prevent them burning as quickly in the mix. His bread skill were very good his dark rye in particular.
We served the breads with a cold antipasto plate consisting of "mad sausage" which has a curation of only 4-6 months.
A gammon meat which was very red in colour and air dried so it was very intense flavour,
a peppered salmi,
proccutio crudo,
eye fillet,
rare roast beef,
buffalo mozzarella and pecorino cheese from sheep.
The hot antipasto was fried camembert,
tomato / onion sauce hot and fresh on bruschetta with a soft cheese,
layered apple battered and fried,
twice cooked herb soufflé.
A stew made from tomato and onion braised with small pieces of sausage.
Then we did a ravalio with we filled with ricotta and spinach and baked in a light creamy tomato sauce and toped with a Parmesan crust. Baked till brown served in the cooking pot.
He also served an eye fillet which he had done a sweet saffron glaze.... Just to show his skills.
The meat was cooked on the open wood fired grill and had an amazing flavour.
We cooked a side of potatoes on the grill and roasted tomatoes with a crumb of bread and Parmesan, well he did have a restaurant to feed that night and a wedding for 180 the next day, there was food every where and amazing being in such a busy kitchen to watch even if we couldn't cook to much. However Gustove was really informative and sharing. His food was very very generous we even had enough left over off our dinner for a big big picnic lunch to following day as we move a little further south before we head in to La Marche for our week cooking with an American chef.
My 1st 270 Km
So what a day it has been! once I got over the 1st shocks of driving on the right hand side of the road, and as in Italy the land of roundabouts I got very used to doing them from the right, and as there seems to be one every few hundred meter it kept the traffic a little slower for us thank goodness. We opted for the country roads as we wanted to travel south from Venice and experience some of the seaside views following down the Adriatic Ocean. I was not going to put myself onto the autostrada until I was comfortable driving over 40 km an hour so it did take some hours to travel the coast road which suited this little black duck just fine.
They, the Italians drive with the white line as a guide as to where the middle of their car is! and that is a bit off putting at first. They also seem to drift so gently in and out of the traffic and the people coming in the other direct do the same, so once you work that out its less of a panic seeing someone coming towards you 1/2 on your side of the road as they just drift back to their side again, its a bit like dancing to soft music. Then these great signs that say the road is going to narrow and that little white line from the middle of the road just disappears, but apparently that's OK as it is still 2 way so just drift off the road and onto the grass, it's just that they still manage to do it a great speed. It took me a little while sitting in the left hand seat to get the mirrors correct too. Go on, out to your cars and try it but this time looking for the traffic coming to overtake you on your left, and my brain has been on the other side for the past 34 years. Oh and that cuppled with me being dislectic and not so good with my left and rights well you get this picture. So keep it slow and stick to the right, but you need to turn left and that was a challenge moving to the left sitting in the middle of the road with traffic coming at you from both direction and in your mind you know that this is all wrong. So for the first 250km I couldn't turn left to go see the ocean, Sandy said we can't keeping turning right other wise we will end up back where we started. I smile and say "what do you want to drive????Feel free but as I can't navigate that whole left and right thing it's best this way and as well there are 2 sets of eyes watching the road."
So here goes, a break in the traffic, a turning lane to the town of Fano and we do it, we turn left it was an exciting moment and our reward, there in front of us is the sea. Well this is short lived as this opens up another issue "parking" hmmm and they are reverse parks! Back home no problem could do them with my eyes nearly closed but here with traffic shooting by so quick, try to get it into a reverse gear, yes yes smarties, I'm sure it would be easy for you all "in theory" so come on over and try it then we will see!!!! So it's like a miracle up in front a foreword park nose into the curb with the Adriatic Ocean just in front and we stop and I un weld my hands from the drivers wheel and get out and we go for a walk to stretch our legs......once we started our walk Sandy at that point admitted that her feet were a "bit cramped" as over the past 250 km and her sitting on the right and without a steering wheel is also a wee tad daunting and that she felt that she was trying to hang on with her feet as we did come very very close to the side of the road on many many time and didn't want to stress me too much. So that's why she was saying sweetie so move a bit more to the centre that good a bit more to the centre, like a cracked record but a beautiful softly spoken one. But I was more concerned with the traffic coming straight at me so did tend more to the far edge of the road!!!So after our walk for an hour we think that we should really make our way back to THE CAR and continue for the next 50 km as we do have a class tonight.
But perhaps a coffee or something before we HAVE to go get back into that car, anything to put off the driving for that little bit longer. It was a cooler morning and the people were still not coming to the beach so we had it to ourselves.They must get huge crowds once the days warm as there were hundreds of umbrellas tied up and lined up like solders for as far as we walked and we could still see them as far as the eye could see. Walking was also made easy as they had a removable rubber path that stretched as far as the umbrellas went also, so you could walk on the beach and not touch the sand, go figure!!! Also hundreds of little dressing sheds with their own little rubber paths to each pair. They were all colour coded in batches of either soft green to line up with a soft green cafe bar or soft lemon again with their own little soft lemon cafe bar and alternated down the beach. So it's a coffee at a beach bar and now I get it , I see the price list you rent per hour a spot under an umbrella and can hire deck chair and the little change sheds a ripper business in the summer I'm sure, but for today we were happy to have no crowds as I will find them back on the road.
The music at our bar was 80's and in English again go figure so we sat and listen to Michael Jackson, Madonna, Men at work, ect ! Oh and a song "I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar ar.....when I met you" hmmm can't remember the singer.... Oh and when you asked for a drink they said sorry don'ta speeka da English !!!!!!
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
But We Didn't Book A Sherman Tank
It did take a little while to make sure all the paper work was in place, and the Swiss man behind us wanted to know, are you buying the car??? and with a smile and a internal thought (put your head in) I turn back to our little Italian work experience girl and smile and she continues with our 164 questions and answers, thanks goodness Sandy did the pre book on the net before we came away. She then informed us that the Audi A3 is not available and your contract says A3 or similar. Hmmmm I know what the A3 was like as Daniella and Marina drove us around in one in Roma, so I know it was a smaller car so would suit the small country roads that we were wanted to drive on. I Being a non car boy "similar" what does that mean? She informs us, well it a new car only travelled 360km and it a V W Touran TDI oh and I'm supposed to know what that is! We are given the keys, so we make or way out of the airport terminus and over to the hire car pick up area. Looking for the number on the fence to line up with the number on the key and there it is.
It's huge well not quite a Sherman tank but big 7 seats and no boot, Sandy clearly told them we wanted a small car and with a boot for 2 cases.
So no one around to ask, we start to ponder do we or don't we. The car started to get a bit smaller as we sat in it, and when we discovered that the back, back seat laid down to make a big boot and turned it into a 5 seater it started to get that little bit smaller again, it did have good vision and loads of head space. A little man with a safety vest then appears from a corner of the yard and with a few more hints like where are the light switches and can I lower the seat as I felt too high so once that was done, lets go.
I sit there for a bit longer making sure all was OK, I look at Sandy and hmmm so with a few laps of the car park on the wrong side of road that is the right side here our little attendant feels he needs to give me the direction to the exit, but no, really I like it here, I can drive around the car park for the next 44 days, it will be fun, don't throw me out on the streets with real traffic just yet please......So finally were off and with my hands welded to the steering wheel and my bum cheeks holding so tightly to the seat " I would be waterproof too 500m " and sitting so far forward so I can see where I about to go.... So you get the picture I was a bit nervous to say the least.....and straight out of the car park with a turn right and that's weird, sitting on the wrong side of the car turning right on to the wrong side of the road again was clearly going to take some time.... Great, up a head is my first roundabout, again all was feeling weird... So get through that one and coming off the other side yes another one and another, what don't they have any straight roads!!!! Yes they do and now I on one following other traffic which felt good as at least I knew I was on the correct side of the road..... The traffic got faster probably getting up to 30km an hour and I fly off to the right into a pullover park area and look at Sandy and reach for my panic spray, Sandy looking worried, I assure her I will be OK just give me a few minutes to absorb what I have just done........ Re gather my thoughts and all will be fine, truly, if we sit here just a little.... So panic spray to the rescue and a joint if I had one!!!! We're off again and this time all is much better I'm starting to get the hang of it and today we have no accommodation booked and are heading south so will stop when we need to. So sit back and enjoy the ride cause I wont be looking at any scenery!!!!!
Leaving Venice
So leaving Venice after a week doing some amazing cooking classes and spending our days walking are now behind us. The water taxi came at 11.15 as organised with last weeks driver to take us to the airport on the main land so we can pick up a car for the next leg of our food travels around Italy.
Out from our apartment to the boat ramp we are again helped on to the gleaming stretch boat with a Mama Meah from the driver as the 1st case is lifted into the boat, so I grab the second and throw it into the boat and he gestures that I must be so strong, and I gesture quickly and quietly that you must be a girl! So with a smile back from him the translation came out as, that's fine I can do it.
This driver must have been instructed by higher powers to get us to the airport in a hurry as we must have a private plane fuelled and ready to catch, we were treated like royalty. The trip to the airport is about 25 mins and again just too much fun, by now with a warm day and the sun out the canopy was down. So as we arrived into Venice like actors in a 007 movie we were going out the same way. We stand in the back of the boat admiring the last of the Grand Canal building and taking those last couple of pickies as we float off and make our way down a few quiet little canals for the last time. At a certain point once in open waters the driver looks behind and with a smile and a gesture to hang on the race begins. It's like a freeway on water timber pylon mark the route at 200m intervals and as wide as a 4 lane highway with a overtaking lane, well that what it felt like. Loads of taxi making their way to the airport but our guy loved to overtake so we hung on and enjoyed the ride, the more we hung on the more he overtook and we bounced in the wakes to was just soooo cool.
We arrived to the dock at the airport and 2 burley big guys " what we get bodyguards too " get our luggage out of the water taxi and both help us both get off. We pay our taxi the 95 € and this time I can get a receipt before he reloads with the next lucky joy rides in the que ( getting a receipt in Italy some times can be a challenge but that's a story for later ) so the bodyguards turn out to be porters and for 20€ they can escort us to the checking desk which is several mins walk, I look at Sandy and we accept their offer, lets suck ever last bit of attention before we are set free of Venice.
20 € well spent as we are taken right to the front of a que and directed to wait for our next instructions!
S. Francesco D' Assisi
www.bb-sanstae.com
Start time 10 am for a 1pm luncheon.
Maria is real and full of information and in her home we had a private class, she is an artist and a art teacher also has her own B & B which has 2 rooms between 80 to 110 € The rooms were simple but all you would need if you were in Venice for a couple of days. Her preparation was perfect and she was so organised and today we are learning a menu and how to prepare it in the stages required to get it on the table as required for a dinner party.
The menu for today will serves 4
Asparagus Omelette
Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes
Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes
Tiramisu
TIRAMISU In a medium bowl beat the 3 egg yokes with 3 tablespoons sugar until foamy.
Softy combine it with 250 grams of mascarpone cheese. Set aside In are large bowl
whisk the 3 egg whites until they have stiff peeks.
Hand fold whites into the yoke mixture and fold from the bottom to the top don't over work.
Combine 1 cup coffee + 1 small glass brandy, quickly dip 12 ladyfingers one at a time. They should absorb some liquid without being mushy. Lady fingers biscuits should still snap. Place some of the semi soaked fingers in a large serving bowl or 4 separate small bowls + a layer some of the mascarpone mousse and repeat, chris cross the fingers and finish with the mascarpone mousse.
Mix 2 teaspoons cocoa and coffee powder and in a sifter sprinkle over the top of the tiramisu place in fridge for at least 2 hours. You can freeze them and defrost them in the fridge several hours prior to eating.
So with the Tiramisu in the fridge now its time for a bit of a house wander, I do get itchy feet and need to look around these amazing places, this terrace is about 250 year old so new on Venetian standards and is on the 3rd and 4th floor with her own extra top floor attic and more small stairs out to a typical Venetian terrace made out of timber and not cut into the roof but sits on top of the roof "Altana" . From the ground you would see them a lot, it looks like they put brick piers up and then toped it with a timber platform some looked a bit scary. Maria's was about 16m/2 so enought room for a small table and 2 chairs and all around the railing was terracotta pots with her herbs, some tomatoes and a couple of flowers. She would dearly love a small garden but land is just not available in Venice for such an extravagance.
So back to the kitchen to start on the Risotto with Prawns & Artichokes Rice
In the Middle Ages it was light and easy to transport and store along with the dry ingredients. It was filling and easy to combine with other fresh ingredients once you got to the next place to set up camp. Carnaroli Rice is traditional in Italy for a risotto but in Australia we have arborio if you can't get carnaroli. A rice with the most starch is the best style of rice for a risotto as it gives a creamy finish without becoming to mushy, but must be alway stirred during the cooking to bring out that creaminess. Best if stock is prepared and a good risotto needs a good stock.
So to start the prawn and veggie stock
Into 3/4 Lt. water in a big pot place 1/2 glass dry white wine, big pinch sea salt, 1/2 celery stem, 2 medium carrots, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 5 crush pepper corns, 4 cloves pressed into 1 small onion cut in 1/2, parsley stalks, cut all into biggish chunks + heads and shells of the 600 grams of fresh prawns required. Get on heat bring to boil then simmer for 30 mins let cool abit and drain, discard solids, keeping the warm prawn and veggie stock on the side of the stove top. Get the peeled prawns and cut in 1/2 along the length to conserve the shape as rice is small so you don't want a big bit of prawn,set prawns aside. Prepare 2 artichokes taking off the hard outer leaves ( you could use zucchini or asparagus but as these are soft vegies add towards the end of the cooking process ) cut in 1/4 and soak in water with lemon to stop oxidisation till needed. In a heavy bottom pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil drop in 1 medium leek the white bits finely chop for 2min,s than add artichokes squeeze out the lemon water first, add to the leeks and cook for another 3 mins until the moisture is gone and the leeks are becoming clear, don't brown, a risotto is soft and clean never dark or over heated. Add 1/2 glass dry white wine and 2 cups of the rice, combine on the heat for a another 1 min seat aside to be cooked after the main course is in the oven. Pre heat oven to 200c cook 1kg 40 mins 1/2kg 25 min So for the mains Baked Sea Bass (venice local fish from the canal) with Cherry Tomato, olives, potatoes and capers (small salted ones are the best from Sicily if possible )
So in a large roasting pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil and put 1 kg of nearly cooked sliced buttery style of potatoes on oil, place the whole Bass about 1kg or you could use rock fish or sea bream, 300 grams cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2, 50 grams olives also cut in 1/2, small handful washed capers, 2 cloves whole garlic, sprinkle Q B dry oregano, 2 bay leaves, pinch salt and a splash more olive oil with 1/2 glass white wine. Bake for 35 /40 mins if the skin looks too dry spoon some of the oil and white wine mix over the fish. Turn off the oven and leave fish in the heat until service time So while the fish is cooking its back to risotto. Return the stock to the heat and once up to heat then put the risotto back on to a medium heat stir continually for starch to come out, set timer for 20 mins adding in small ladles of the warm stock at a time as required never flood the risotto. If all works to plan it will take all the stock to finish the risotto if the rice is still under cooked next time make more stock but for now get some hot water and warm white wine to finish if required as they say in Italy refer to the good old QB so now you need the second person to finish the risotto while the 1st course of the mini Asparagus Omelette are being prepared Get your 20 asparagus cut into 50mm pieces keeping the heads separate. Drop the bottom bits into a pot with butter and a bit of olive oil and a splash of water for about ten minute. For the last 1 minute drop in the asparagus tips Put in a bowl 3 eggs + 2 pinch salt and pepper whisk, then add 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese grated and mix, now add 100 grams ricotta cheese again mix slightly with a fork then add hot asparagus. Heat a little 150mm frying pan with a drop of some olive oil put in some of the mixture cook until lower side is firm then turn and cook the other side. Than Maria says " Allola" meaning Than, Ok , is that fine lets eat ect ect. So the Asparagus Omelette is served and demolished as our antipasto For firsts the Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes was Devine if I say so myself and for this style seafood risotto it is served with some lemon juice and NOT Parmesan Seconds is the Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes it was so moist yum yum yum Desert of Tiramisu hmmmm lovely but for me, its to creamy, I'm a savoury boy! So with lunch over we leave and head back to our apartment, via the long way, a real long way to see some more of Venice as well as walk off lunch. 2 hours later and back home where does the time go ready to sit back and watch the world float by on the Grand Canal once more.
Start time 10 am for a 1pm luncheon.
Maria is real and full of information and in her home we had a private class, she is an artist and a art teacher also has her own B & B which has 2 rooms between 80 to 110 € The rooms were simple but all you would need if you were in Venice for a couple of days. Her preparation was perfect and she was so organised and today we are learning a menu and how to prepare it in the stages required to get it on the table as required for a dinner party.
The menu for today will serves 4
Asparagus Omelette
Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes
Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes
Tiramisu
TIRAMISU In a medium bowl beat the 3 egg yokes with 3 tablespoons sugar until foamy.
Softy combine it with 250 grams of mascarpone cheese. Set aside In are large bowl
whisk the 3 egg whites until they have stiff peeks.
Hand fold whites into the yoke mixture and fold from the bottom to the top don't over work.
Combine 1 cup coffee + 1 small glass brandy, quickly dip 12 ladyfingers one at a time. They should absorb some liquid without being mushy. Lady fingers biscuits should still snap. Place some of the semi soaked fingers in a large serving bowl or 4 separate small bowls + a layer some of the mascarpone mousse and repeat, chris cross the fingers and finish with the mascarpone mousse.
Mix 2 teaspoons cocoa and coffee powder and in a sifter sprinkle over the top of the tiramisu place in fridge for at least 2 hours. You can freeze them and defrost them in the fridge several hours prior to eating.
So with the Tiramisu in the fridge now its time for a bit of a house wander, I do get itchy feet and need to look around these amazing places, this terrace is about 250 year old so new on Venetian standards and is on the 3rd and 4th floor with her own extra top floor attic and more small stairs out to a typical Venetian terrace made out of timber and not cut into the roof but sits on top of the roof "Altana" . From the ground you would see them a lot, it looks like they put brick piers up and then toped it with a timber platform some looked a bit scary. Maria's was about 16m/2 so enought room for a small table and 2 chairs and all around the railing was terracotta pots with her herbs, some tomatoes and a couple of flowers. She would dearly love a small garden but land is just not available in Venice for such an extravagance.
So back to the kitchen to start on the Risotto with Prawns & Artichokes Rice
In the Middle Ages it was light and easy to transport and store along with the dry ingredients. It was filling and easy to combine with other fresh ingredients once you got to the next place to set up camp. Carnaroli Rice is traditional in Italy for a risotto but in Australia we have arborio if you can't get carnaroli. A rice with the most starch is the best style of rice for a risotto as it gives a creamy finish without becoming to mushy, but must be alway stirred during the cooking to bring out that creaminess. Best if stock is prepared and a good risotto needs a good stock.
So to start the prawn and veggie stock
Into 3/4 Lt. water in a big pot place 1/2 glass dry white wine, big pinch sea salt, 1/2 celery stem, 2 medium carrots, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 5 crush pepper corns, 4 cloves pressed into 1 small onion cut in 1/2, parsley stalks, cut all into biggish chunks + heads and shells of the 600 grams of fresh prawns required. Get on heat bring to boil then simmer for 30 mins let cool abit and drain, discard solids, keeping the warm prawn and veggie stock on the side of the stove top. Get the peeled prawns and cut in 1/2 along the length to conserve the shape as rice is small so you don't want a big bit of prawn,set prawns aside. Prepare 2 artichokes taking off the hard outer leaves ( you could use zucchini or asparagus but as these are soft vegies add towards the end of the cooking process ) cut in 1/4 and soak in water with lemon to stop oxidisation till needed. In a heavy bottom pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil drop in 1 medium leek the white bits finely chop for 2min,s than add artichokes squeeze out the lemon water first, add to the leeks and cook for another 3 mins until the moisture is gone and the leeks are becoming clear, don't brown, a risotto is soft and clean never dark or over heated. Add 1/2 glass dry white wine and 2 cups of the rice, combine on the heat for a another 1 min seat aside to be cooked after the main course is in the oven. Pre heat oven to 200c cook 1kg 40 mins 1/2kg 25 min So for the mains Baked Sea Bass (venice local fish from the canal) with Cherry Tomato, olives, potatoes and capers (small salted ones are the best from Sicily if possible )
So in a large roasting pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil and put 1 kg of nearly cooked sliced buttery style of potatoes on oil, place the whole Bass about 1kg or you could use rock fish or sea bream, 300 grams cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2, 50 grams olives also cut in 1/2, small handful washed capers, 2 cloves whole garlic, sprinkle Q B dry oregano, 2 bay leaves, pinch salt and a splash more olive oil with 1/2 glass white wine. Bake for 35 /40 mins if the skin looks too dry spoon some of the oil and white wine mix over the fish. Turn off the oven and leave fish in the heat until service time So while the fish is cooking its back to risotto. Return the stock to the heat and once up to heat then put the risotto back on to a medium heat stir continually for starch to come out, set timer for 20 mins adding in small ladles of the warm stock at a time as required never flood the risotto. If all works to plan it will take all the stock to finish the risotto if the rice is still under cooked next time make more stock but for now get some hot water and warm white wine to finish if required as they say in Italy refer to the good old QB so now you need the second person to finish the risotto while the 1st course of the mini Asparagus Omelette are being prepared Get your 20 asparagus cut into 50mm pieces keeping the heads separate. Drop the bottom bits into a pot with butter and a bit of olive oil and a splash of water for about ten minute. For the last 1 minute drop in the asparagus tips Put in a bowl 3 eggs + 2 pinch salt and pepper whisk, then add 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese grated and mix, now add 100 grams ricotta cheese again mix slightly with a fork then add hot asparagus. Heat a little 150mm frying pan with a drop of some olive oil put in some of the mixture cook until lower side is firm then turn and cook the other side. Than Maria says " Allola" meaning Than, Ok , is that fine lets eat ect ect. So the Asparagus Omelette is served and demolished as our antipasto For firsts the Risotto of Prawns & Artichokes was Devine if I say so myself and for this style seafood risotto it is served with some lemon juice and NOT Parmesan Seconds is the Baked Sea Bass with Cherry Tomato, capers, olives and potatoes it was so moist yum yum yum Desert of Tiramisu hmmmm lovely but for me, its to creamy, I'm a savoury boy! So with lunch over we leave and head back to our apartment, via the long way, a real long way to see some more of Venice as well as walk off lunch. 2 hours later and back home where does the time go ready to sit back and watch the world float by on the Grand Canal once more.
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Gondola Ride
A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without a romantic ride on a gondolas.
We are walking in a back calla and the boys in their blue and white stripe shirts are out touting for business. We are standing on a small bridge over a narrow canal watching them trying to get some of the passing people attention. It's been a quiet week for them with a few days of rain and they are starting to do some deals with big smile and many rejections, I approach and said you are not having much luck today! and asked, so what sort of deals Are You Offering...
Wella fora todaya only.... Fora youa and youra bella lady........ these boys are smooth talkers and not bad on the eyes either, well they have business to do and you wouldn't want Quisemoto taking you! So boys cut to the chase how many € for the Aussie Touristico ?
As I have been in Venice for the past week I knew that the normal fee is 80 € for a 40min trip ( without singing ) so when he offered 70€ for the 40 mins or 100€ for 1 & 1/2 hour and he would sing also. I opted for the latter and he was thrilled and as we're we. It was a bella day so what would be better than to just sit back and be spoiled for the next hour and 1/2.
His gondola was right next to the dock and I gestured that Sandy was a bit unsteady on boats let alone a long narrow Gondolas. No Problemeo he gets one of the other gondoliers to come and help, so with 2 gondoliers to assist, Sandy is now safely in the arms of two young striking looking men and no complaining from her about that I'm sure! before we know it we are gliding down a small canal.
The gondolas is 11 m long and is a tad wider than well,Sandy and my bottoms so just perfect. We are seated in 2 black highly lacquered low chairs with black furry cushions looking forwards over the very long beautiful and pristine gondolas with it silver adornment on either side and the large silver crest sitting proud right to the front. So our young who is standing on the deck behind us bends down and introduces himself as Petro and that he was 28 years old and that there are traditions to be up held by a gondoliers in Venice. Oh do tell us more, all those Italian words mixed with English was so quaint.
There are only 420 gondolas registered in the waters of Venice and he had been at Gondolier school for a year, seams to me to be a long time to be at boat school, but do go on. So how much do they cost, and what are the working conditions. Some where between 25,000 to 60,000 € each, ouch thats a lot of €. Winter is slow but good for him as her only works perhaps 3 days a week between say 10 & 3 as it is to cold and windy out of those time so he is able to then go home and play on his X Box, as he still lives with his mum!!!! that has just killed it, not the image that his looks gave off... But summer is the time to make money as the days are long but not so good for his social life...... or his X Box again to much information. So where is the singing you promised and as we gathered a little speed he softly sings in italian and Sandy and I are transported to a world that is so romantic. So Pete from now on don't ask to many question as the answers don't alway fit the image....
As I have been in Venice for the past week I knew that the normal fee is 80 € for a 40min trip ( without singing ) so when he offered 70€ for the 40 mins or 100€ for 1 & 1/2 hour and he would sing also. I opted for the latter and he was thrilled and as we're we. It was a bella day so what would be better than to just sit back and be spoiled for the next hour and 1/2.
His gondola was right next to the dock and I gestured that Sandy was a bit unsteady on boats let alone a long narrow Gondolas. No Problemeo he gets one of the other gondoliers to come and help, so with 2 gondoliers to assist, Sandy is now safely in the arms of two young striking looking men and no complaining from her about that I'm sure! before we know it we are gliding down a small canal.
The gondolas is 11 m long and is a tad wider than well,Sandy and my bottoms so just perfect. We are seated in 2 black highly lacquered low chairs with black furry cushions looking forwards over the very long beautiful and pristine gondolas with it silver adornment on either side and the large silver crest sitting proud right to the front. So our young who is standing on the deck behind us bends down and introduces himself as Petro and that he was 28 years old and that there are traditions to be up held by a gondoliers in Venice. Oh do tell us more, all those Italian words mixed with English was so quaint.
There are only 420 gondolas registered in the waters of Venice and he had been at Gondolier school for a year, seams to me to be a long time to be at boat school, but do go on. So how much do they cost, and what are the working conditions. Some where between 25,000 to 60,000 € each, ouch thats a lot of €. Winter is slow but good for him as her only works perhaps 3 days a week between say 10 & 3 as it is to cold and windy out of those time so he is able to then go home and play on his X Box, as he still lives with his mum!!!! that has just killed it, not the image that his looks gave off... But summer is the time to make money as the days are long but not so good for his social life...... or his X Box again to much information. So where is the singing you promised and as we gathered a little speed he softly sings in italian and Sandy and I are transported to a world that is so romantic. So Pete from now on don't ask to many question as the answers don't alway fit the image....
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