LUNCH AT A SEASIDE COCOON

There is something liberating about the sea in winter.  Bracing wind, empty beaches and long stretches of sand peppered with shells and shiny stones which beg to be picked up and pocketed.  Its always hard to turn back towards firmer ground, so what better then, after stretching your legs and working up an appetite, than to find a fish restaurant such as the Riviera Mare perched right on the water's edge, with views along the beach.  

The unassuming exterior of Riviera Mare, situated towards the far end of Riccone, belies a warm, cocooning interior, much welcome after the excesses and disappointments we experienced along the coast of Rimini.  White and light are the key words here, with helpful staff and a high standard of cooking.  In fact, even if you are not a hearty walker, the restaurant offers the perfect vantage point for watching others walk their dogs, which is of course almost the same thing as doing it yourself which in turn perfectly sets you up for eating a large lunch. 

Here fish is definitely the order of the day, with starters such as melt in the mouth tuna and salmon carpaccio which make you feel virtuous, but beware the first courses are particularly tempting and can lead to corruption of all your new year's resolutions.  Freshly caught fish cooked in a variety of ways provide a delicious second course.  The wine list holds its own, and should you just feel like having a coffee rather than munching your way through the menu, the staff are happy to comply.

At the Riviera Mare Giancarlo Tirotti has created one of those rare seaside restaurants - relaxed yet sophisticated, which makes you feel at home as soon as you walk in through the door and whose food lives up to the promise of its decor.  It will be interesting to see if he manages to repeat this success with his new venture the refurbishment of the Washington Hotel, which is due to reopen down the road under a new name but with his management in 2012.

DOVE COME QUANDO

Riviera Mare

Piazzale Venezia 1

Misano Adriatico 

Riccione

Tel. +39 0541 615175

www.rivieramare.eu

Prezzo medio:  45-50 euro

THINGS WE LOVE

Saturday sausage lunch with a difference.  Rosemary jelly by éxtra which arrived in the post this morning, and whilst in our eagerness to taste it we plumped for the quick route, this would make an excellent accompaniment to roast lamb.  A beautiful translucent jelly with an reassuringly authentic smell of fresh rosemary squeezed in your hand.

Also in the parcel was a large jar of Confit De tomate vert to which we are now addicted - yes even in such a short space of time.  This may have something to do with the colour, as it is a satisfying green, but could also have something to do with being a family of sweet toothed gourmet.  Eaten on its own by the spoonful it tastes similar to gooseberry jam, but the best paring we have found so far is salty cheese and focaccia, although of course it could also be good with the gamey flavour of the traditional Italian christmas capone.

DOVE COME QUANDO

E'xtra-Torino

Linea Philosophy

Azienda Agricola Valle Ostillia

   Via Viali, 16

   San Bartolomeo al Mare

   Imperia

BEAT THE BUG

If, like me, you are dreading picking up a winter bug including laryngitis which has reared its ugly head once more, leaving quite a few normally vocal people completely speechless, although sadly not many Italian politicians - you could try bucking up your system with the following juice composition.  Despite the mix its quite delicious too.


2 apples - medium size
1 carrot - large
A large handful of Spinach leaves 
A piece of ginger - about the size of four sugar cubes stacked in a new cube
Half a raw beetroot
Half a courgette
A smallish chunk of cucumber
A handful of grapes
Half a long stalk of celery
Half a fennel


Place all piece by piece into a juicer, drink it and bob's your uncle.

CUCINA POVERA DI SHELDON JOHNS

Its a warm, sunny autumn day and a new cookbook has flopped onto the mat for review.  Its neat size and strong evocative picture on the cover, which in itself is tactile and inviting, are reasons enough for me to pick it up immediately and begin to browse.

Inside I find myself captivated at first glance by the beautiful photography, the careful choice of a paper that calls to mind the printing presses of old, and by the recipes themselves.  Where to start when faced with the idea of making Frittura Mista di Verdure (fried flowers and vegetables), the time consuming Ribollita (classic tuscan vegetable-bread soup), - my favourite Pomodori, Fagioli,e Cipollini (roasted tomatoes, beans and onions), Involtini di Maiale (pork rolls stuffed with ricotta and spinach) or Brasato al Midollo (braised beef with marrow and shallots).  For those with a sweet tooth Mele al Forno (baked apples) can bring back childhood memories, and of course I will be trying Beetle's favourite, the mouthwatering Crostate di Prugne (plum jam tart).

But to view this as just a cook book would be to miss the point.  Rather it is Pamela Sheldon Johns' personal homage to the courage and fortitude of all those who have lived and fought through hard times with ingenuity and grace, and as such deserves to be savoured and appreciated.

In Cucina Povera she has created a journey of memories that rise up like the steam from the cauldrons they recall, imbuing the book with the scents and images of times gone by, and illustrating a generosity of spirit which can be shared by all those who take up the challenge and cook something from it.

Under the book's dedication to Edna and Alvin Sheldon, she has written 'When life starts simple, influences from the outside world don't change it much' - a wise sentiment which we would all do well to remember.

DOVE COME QUANDO

Cucina Povera 
Tuscan Pesant Cooking

Pamela Sheldon Johns

Andrews mcMeel Publishing

euro 14.27/$ 21.00

192 pages

click here to see or buy a copy

GAJA: COPERTINA DI WINE SPECTATOR

Text by Marvin R. Shanken
Editor and publisher 
Wine Spectator

If you enjoy Italian wine, you owe a debt of gratitude to Angelo Gaja.  Beginning in the 1960s, Gaja took his family's small winery in Barbaresco, in Italy's Piedmont region, and made it a worldwide success.  Along the way, his energy, charisma, inspiration and vision drove all of Italian wine to a higher level of achievement.

Of course, many people have contributed to Italy's dramatic surge in quality and prestige over the past half-century.  There have been success stories from the snowy Alps in the north, through the rolling hills of Tuscany, to the sun-drenched islands of the Mediterranean.  Piero Antinori especially has been a leader.  But Gaja's story is unique.

His family was not rich; his winery's sales were mostly local; Barbaresco was not the household name it has since become.  But Gaja studied and learned, traveled and absorbed, and decided that Barbaresco in particular and Italy in general could make wines to rival the best in the world.  Over a career that has spanned 50 years, he succeeded in reaching these lofty goals.

In this issue's cover story, you'll follow Angelo Gaia's amazing trajectory - where he came from, what he accomplished, and where he and his family go from here.

This issue of Wine Spectator will be published on 31st October 2011

EMERGENCY CHOCOLATE

For those mad moments when nothing else will do.

DOVE COME QUANDO

www.bloomsburyusa.com

3.5 oz, milk chocolate cocoa 34%.

$5.00

"TUONO O COLPO DI FUCILE?"

IN THE PINK

A Pink Gin is made with 'Portsmouth' gin (sweeter than other gins), a dash of agostura bitters, from whence comes the pink colour, and garnished with lemon rind.  The cocktail was invented by the English Royal Navy to make angostura bitters, which originated in Venuzela and which were found to alleviate sea sickness, more palatable.   In other words, any excuse....
The pink gin in these pictures is however a traditional gin and tonic.  The pink hues come from the melted ice cubes which contained rasperries - another fantastic excuse.....

LIPSMACKING ITALIAN FRITTELLE

For a quick yet surprisingly nutritious lunch or a neat pic-nic to eat lying on the bank of a trout stream with your feet dangling in the cool, clear water, try these 'Frittelle'.  The recipe given below is full of approximations because it was handed on to me by Mauro's mother, who makes the best there are, but its good to experiment and see what works best for you.  The principle ingredients are parsley, lettuce and basil, but you can choose other herbs.  If you do decide to add these think first about the balance of tastes and avoid anything which is too strong as there is a risk of overpowering other flavours (I know this to my cost...) and the Frittelle can become bitter.

Delicious eaten alone, with small balls of buffala mozzarella or - my favourite - tiny spoonfuls of creme fraiche and some salt.

INGREDIENTS

Two large handfuls of Parsley - washed and dried with the hard stalks removed
One large handful of fresh basil
Six large leaves of green lettuce
Two large eggs (beaten beforehand if you prefer)
Three pudding spoonfuls of breadcrumbs - add these a little at a time watching the consistency of the mixture.
One or two spoonfuls of flour - again add one spoonful and then see if another is necessary later.
Two handfuls of grated parmesan cheese.
One large piece of garlic
One small piece of celery
One slice of cooked ham
Two spoonfuls of oil for frying

METHOD

Put the parsley, basil, lettuce, garlic and celery into a magimix or equivalent mixer and blitz until everything is minute and satisfyingly green, or if keen cook attack with knife whilst everyone else lies by the pool.   Blitz the ham too but separately - I find this gives better results.

Put the mixture and ham into a large bowl and add in the two eggs.  These can be beaten beforehand or broken into the bowl and mixed in directly.  Next add in the parmesan cheese and one spoonful of breadcrumbs and one of flour, and a little seasoning.  The final mixture should NOT be stiff, and should remain quite sloppy although it should be firm enough to heap into a spoon and place into the frying pan without spreading out too much.

Once the mix is completed, heat some oil in a frying plan, this should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan but does not need to be particularly deep, and prepare a plate nearby with some kitchen paper on top.  With a wooden spoon or a normal pudding spoon scoop up some of the mixture and place it into the hot oil.  Fill the frying pan with your frittelle and let them sizzle away.  They will probably go slightly brown, but you should try not to let them get too dark.  This can of course occasionally happen if you are trying to check your emails and cook at the same time, but is best avoided.  Once they have started to change colour flip them over to cook on the other side.  Note:  the heat should be quite low to allow the frittelle to cook right through.  Nothing worse than a bite of undercooked, slightly raw eggy mixture.

Once ready take out of the pan, pop onto the plate and paper, and start the next batch.  You can eat these hot, warm or cold which of course means that as the cook you could test them first if feeling peckish, and then eat the rest with everyone else.

VIOLET HOLROYD'S COOKIES

What better on a strangely hot English summer afternoon than to sit in the garden with friends quenching your thirst on home made lemonade and munching Violet's chocolate chip cookies still warm from the oven. 

Here, thanks to Tamsin and to Violet and her friend, is the recipe:

Violet Holroyd's Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Debrett's Cookbook In-a-Stew by Antoinette Saville)

INGREDIENTS
75g unsalted butter
75g light brown sugar

75g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g plain flour
1/2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
150g milk chocolate coarsely chopped

METHOD

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugars together and beat in the egg and vanilla. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl and lightly fold into the butter mixture. Carefully stir in the chocolate pieces. Place spoonfuls of mixture and on to a non-stick tin and bake for ten minutes or until the cookies are just golden. Cool for one minute and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an air tight container. Makes approx. 24 cookies.

AUPRES DE L'EGLISE

Never feed your Tom Tom before you travel, and especially not fromage the night before, because that is when the nightmares begin.  Five hours into our journey heading towards the English Channel, the Tom decided we were in Portugal and despite frantic whispers of Estoril (it's vaguely in the right direction) peeped out completely at Mulhouse.  Result:  a beautiful cross-country drive to Champagne watching the sun set over the cornfields with a cloak of sign hiding darkness settling in all around us.

We despondently arrived at Aupres De L'Eglise at 22.00, a full six hours later than our ETA, envisaging a night in the car eating the melted remains of a kit-kat.  The gate, however, stood optimistically open and lights and doors went into action on our arrival.

Crossing the threshold away from certain death (mine) we stepped into a visual feast.  Belying its typical French exterior, the Aupres De L'Eglise bears testament to its owners' combined talents and their characters - charming, warm, eclectic, chic and harmonious, and above all comfortable and welcoming.

Despite the hour we sat down to a delicious Confit of Duck - made with homegrown cherries - mashed potato and french beans accompanied by glasses of a local champagne and swiftly followed by a satisfyingly tart rhubarb tartine topped with creme fraiche.  Then up the uneven foot worn wooden stairs to soft beds with perfect duvets allowing us to sink into dormouse oblivion.

In the morning, Glenis had prepared the breakfast that would see us through to Hilfield, and amidst talk about costume design - her chosen profession - she gave us a tour of their beautiful garden, whilst the Beetle bounced his heart out on the trampoline.

Anyone who is travelling through France or visiting Champagne should consider staying here.  It is excellent value - our one night stay, with two rooms, an anti-camera filled with books, and a bathroom overlooking the church, two three course meals with a bottle of champagne and some white wine + the best breakfast this side of La Manche came to Euro 170.  Glenis and Michael are kind, thoughtful and intelligent hosts with that glimpse of humor that comes from not being French (both are from New Zealand)  But hurry, the word is out in Paris and its best to book early to avoid disappointment.



DOVE COME QUANDO

AUPRES DE L'EGLISE
2 Rue de l'Eglise
OYES
CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE
FRANCE
Tel: +44 7808905233
www.aupresdeleglise.com

[Price in Euros]
Double room for 2 with Breakfast...€70
Family room for 4 with Breakfast...€100
Additional foldout beds available for children with Breakfast...€15
Cots and Highchairs available at no extra charge

Evening meals with wine including a champagne aperitif...€30 per adult

NARMIN'S ALLOTMENT THERAPY (8)

Narmin Mohammadi, a traveller who occasionally works in London as a successful fashion PR, also takes time to write about her experiences in her city allotment.  Here is her latest installment:


GOOSEBERRY BURGLERS

Just over three weeks ago, I decided to take a Friday afternoon off to spend a few hours on the allotment. I wanted to give everything a good watering as we were having such a dry period. I pottered about, checking on the progress of the veggies, delighted that the radishes and beetroot were growing so fast, and generally happy that the plants were coming along nicely despite the lack of rain. I then went home in the early evening to discover the bottom half of my front door missing and the police waiting for me- I, along with three of my neighbours, had been burgled.

The first few days after the burglary, I didn't want to leave the flat. My mother managed to persuade me to get to the allotment to water the plants by driving me over so that I didn't feel too anxious about being away from home for more than a couple of hours. My wonderful allotment neighbours tried to cheer me up by giving me plants - special thanks to Harry for all the kale (two varieties no less!) and to Hope for goving me punnets of her delicious raspberries. Once my new door was in, I felt safe leaving the flat unattended and was looking forward to spending proper time at the allotment. On my first proper visit after the burglary, I noticed that all the gooseberry bushes were bare. I put it down to birds eating the berries. I then got suspicious when I looked around the bushes and didn't see any berries on the ground; if the birds had been picking at the bushes, then there would be some fallen berries. But there were none. My gooseberries had been stolen. I felt sick, and incredibly upset - who would want to steal unripe berries? I am surrounded by, and have come across, such generous people at the site that it feels like such a kick in the stomach to think that there are thieves amongst them. I still find it hard to believe that a fellow allotmanteer would do such a thing. I'd like to think that it was a rogue visitor who stole my gooseberries.  So I told eveyone I saw over the next few days and was sad to discover that there's been a history of stealing in my area of the allotment. But  upwards and onwards; no use crying over stolen unripe berries. I  now have a project for the winter- to build a fruit cage where we will keep all our berries under lock and key. Unfortunately, I have learnt the hard way that I need to protect my berries  in the same way that I protect my flat.

NARMIN'S ALLOTMENT THERAPY (7)

Narmin Mohammadi, fashion PR, traveller and occasional gardner, 

continues her series  on life on her allotment in London.

My yoga teacher tells us, his students, that we often belong to the ‘96 percentile’. This represents the majority of us (the 96%) who lead our day-to-day life in a ‘conditioned existence’. This is a state that is referred to in the opening prayer of ashtanga yoga, where the guru is thanked for eliminating ‘the delusion caused by the poison of conditioned existence’. So every time we get on the mat we are working towards releasing ourselves from this state.

For the past four months I have been a card carrying member of the 96 percentile, deep in the grips of my conditioned existence. I let my work take over my life leaving me exhausted, and frustrated, so most of my free time was spent trying to maintain an equilibrium. Out went my regular yoga practice, as well as long visits to the allotment (the cold weather didn’t help either). But as the days started getting longer, sunrise happened earlier each week and the sun started to shine, I suddenly felt that I wanted to break the shackles and get back to spending time doing what I love. So, out came the seed catalogue, I cleaned out the propagators and started planning what to plant where. Weekends were spent digging; hard work as we’ve had very little rain and the ground was hard. The seed packets arrived and were duly planted and monitored. The beds were dug over again to break up the soil further and covered in compost (by some fluke we managed to get quite a few barrow full of the stuff after the last delivery, even though they delivered on a Wednesday and I got there on a Saturday). Slowly, slowly our plot started looking alive again.

 

I’ve started getting a bit adventurous with my planting and ordered seeds such as purple French beans (which turn green when you boil them – great for kids, as they think the beans are magic!), ‘golden’ beetroot and purple carrots. I feel like now that I kind of know what I’m doing it will be fun to experiment a little. Some of my seeds have let me down and not germinated. After a long conversation with one of the allotment veterans I realised, much to my relief, that it happens to everyone! So I’ve learned that I need to plant extra seeds to be on the safe side. And now I realise why people have extra plants!

I’m trying to stop being impatient, and comparing our plot to those of our neighbours. Compared to them we were a little late getting our potatoes, and root vegetable in, but I keep reminding myself that we’re still in early May and that we have the whole Summer ahead of us, so plenty of time for the veggies to grow. Having surveyed the plot today, I was happy to see that the potatoes are beginning to grow, the radishes seem to have come up overnight, and the carrots and beetroot seeds I planted at Easter are poking up through the soil. Two of the three courgette plants I had grown in the propagator are now planted out, as are all the cabbages. As I stood there looking at all these wonderful vegetables, I realised that I have started to nudge my way out of the 96 percentile.

BLOWING IN THE WIND

A breeze is all that's needed to bend the resistance of a vine leaf, or dry it up all together.   Untidy rows of vines, bunches of grapes tormented by hot or cold winds: the Italian vine lives this fascinating variation from North to South.  Federico Curtaz, agronomist-oenologist and a close observer of climate changes from the vegetative period through to the winter slumber, is convinced of this.  "The answer is blowing in the wind...." sings Bob Dylan and who amongst us has not stopped for a second to look at the whirling paintings of van Gogh or read the verses of Cesare Pavese?

"A decisive variant for any winemaker", says the Sicilian oenologist, Vincenzo Bambina, taken by surprise in the vinyards of the Contessa Entellina one summer's evening controlling the health of the vines after the summer heat.   Leaves that scrunch up like paper spread out anew and breathe thanks to a fresh wind.  And should the hot scirocco arrive from the Sahara at a temperature above 45 degrees centigrade, the Marsala grapes on the plains of Trapani will be guaranteed the right levels of maturation and dryness.  Which is also the case on Pantelleria, an island ideal for making Passito, one of which is the "Ben Reyé" Arabic for "son of the wind", which is produced by the Rallo family of Donnafugata.  Curtaz:  "In fact, it is a ventilator which dries the dew, which is why, if it is excessive it creates problems of drought.  It is basically a big thermic regulator which transports cold or hot air."

Curtaz, along with Silvia Maestrelli, produces a red wine in the vineyards of Castiglione di Sicilia that is redolent of the foot hills of Etna.  The volcanic wine, made of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio grapes, absorbs the evening winds which bounce off the mountainside and calm the air that comes down from an altitude of 3000 meters to the vineyards sitting at 300 meters.  As the agronomist, who originally comes from Brusson, explains "It is basically a great lash.  This thermic jump favors the development of aromas, the night accumulation of sugars allows for the best evolution of tannins, up to the point that they become silky."  Each seasons it blows in a different way.  In autumn, just before the harvest, its role is fundamental.  "It wedges itself in, alternating with the rain, which means there is not space for mildew or mould, it dries and frees the plant from the damp" says the agronomist.  Just a handful of hours are needed in direct contrast to the North, where for example, in the afternoon between the towns of Gargnano and Brenzone the 'hour' takes shape.   A type of slalom which blows hot air thanks to the solar irradiation on the lake's surface and the mountains.  

The meeting of cold fronts generates a "radiator effect".  A thermic wind which threads towards the valleys of Trentino and the Alto Adige.  "Here it favors the growth of the Chardonnay and Muller grapes - explains Curtaz - guaranteeing a constant breeze which in autumn, for example in the case of the Nosiola grape, helps the drying process and the making of the Trentino Vin Santo.  The oenologist, who in the past worked for Angelo Gaja, in Barbaresco, would never plant Nebbiolo grapes on the extreme ridges of the great Sorì where Barolo originates from in Le Langhe.  In the past this patch of ground was used for Barbera vines because they were more resistant:  "We were shown the way by the older generation.  Normally the Marin, which arrives from the Ligurian Gulf, is mild but when it is cold and it hits the grapes the damage can not be undone.  In the past country dwellers were terrified that it would wet the freshly cut hay".  He who loves the wind often dreams that it is kind.  "When it is, it means that the wine will be better, the health of the vines good, and that the danger of late blight more remote" clarifies Curtaz.  In the Maremma the attacks of the Tirreno often herald bad weather and the real fight begins with the Maestrale.

An encounter with which, however, is favorable for the Morellino di Scansano.  If instead the currents bring about a meeting between the Maestrale and Tramontana in Sardegna, where they make the Vermentino di Gallura, "Its like being flung about in a boat in between the lines of vines".  Federico, who is 50, and who has seen more than a few harvests, smiles when he talks about Emilia and the Sangiovese grape.  The tricks played by the Libeccio, between May and June, are well known.  Now and then the vines cultivated in the espalier manner are literally wrecked.  A curse for winemakers who have nicknamed it Corinna, the name of the feminine sound.  None of them, on the borders with Romagna have forgotten the song "And yet it blows - Eppure Soffia" by Pierangelo Bertoli, who explained the effect between the trellises "the wind caresses the sides of the mountains and ruffles a womans hair....".

Mauro Remondino

First printed in Corriere della Sera - 5.04.11

Translation and photographs Susannah Bosanquet