andiamotrips - campania, italy with karen phillips

Here is a Christmas dinner that you don't want to miss... Mise En Place , THE cooking school in Vomero has organized an end of the year event that is the hot ticket of the season.  Dinner with the chefs and staff of Mise En Place... Chef Vito Bardaro, Alessandro Romando , and Armando Palmieri ---finger foods Chef Claudio Campanile ...antipasto (variazione di baccalà ; sfogliatella di baccalà in casseroula, baccalà mantecato al pepperoncino, baccalà in tempura con granatina di Asirinio di Aversa)  and first course (spezzatino di tonno al profumo di finocchietto)... Chef Giuseppe Giuliano ...second course (rollatura di pesce spada al pistacchio con caponatina di ortaggi in agrodolce profumata al canella) Chef Maurizio Santin ...dessert (grolla e golosità al cioccolata) The wines will be selected by journalist Luciano Pignataro as he presents his new book Guide alle Piccole Cantine della Campania,  which will be also your 'Christmas gift'.    Wines will be p

Another wine guide...and another opportunity to test the best wines from Campania and Basilicata...The appointment is for this Saturday in Avellino, at  the Auditorium Banca della Campania (Collina Liguorini) . A chance to meet with producers from Campania and Basilicata andto learn about wines and winemakers. A time of celebration and reflection around wines in Campania and Basilicata. At 1030 there will be a conference entitled "Environment, authenticity and quality. Viticulture ethics is possible, "with the participation of: Roberto Burdese , president of Slow Food Italy, the editor of the guide Giancarlo Gariglio , and Luciano Pignataro , responsible for the Campania, Basilicata and Calabria Regions. Cosimo Lombardi , Large Corporate Banca della Campania, and Lucio Napodano , Slow Food Trust of Avellino. The conference will be chaired by by Gaetano Pascale , president of Slow Food Campania. Afterwards there will be a chance to try the wines  from Campania and Basilic

Last week, during chef Claudio Campanile ’s lesson on Naples street food, Romina Sodano , director of Mise En Place , asked Which recipe are you going to put on the blog this week ?...And at the same time we both responded with a smile Fritatina di Pasta!… Here it is… Ingredients Bucatini pasta 500 gr. Milk 1 ½ liters Flour 300 gr Peanut Oil 3 dl Grated Parmegiano 150 gr. Chopped Parsley Salt and Pepper Prosciutto Cotto 150 gr Fior di Latte 200 gr 2 Eggs Yeast 15 gr Oil for frying 1 lt Bread crumbs Procedure Prepare a roux with peanut oil and flour. Let it cook for a few minutes and then add boiling milk. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, add salt and pepper, then let cool. This will be your besciamella needed for the next step. Cut the prosciutto and fior di latte into small cubes and mix with a portion of the besciamella and put to the side. Cook the pasta until it reaches the al dente point and place in a casserole dish. Let it cool down and then cho

The Camper is back on the road...this time the Basilicata region is Nando and Co.’s destination. This region is rich in interesting but not so well known products. On this shopping trip, they’ll be in search of products such as caciocavallo podolico, salsiccia pezzente, melanzane rosse , as well as visit some interesting local wineries. All to prepare a special menu for Thursday December 2nd at Abraxas Osteria . The menu, to be announced later, will consist of appetizers, 2 first courses, a second course, side dish and dessert. Wine will be provided by Cantine del Notaio - Il Rogito 2006,il Repertorio 2007,l’Atto 2008,la Firma 2007. The cost of the evening is 35 Euro and will start around 2030 ish To reserve a spot call 0818549347-3392236700 Abraxas Osteria scalandrone 15 Pozzuoli, Italy

Città del Gusto Napoli has organized a great event based around Carpenè Malvolti , accompanied with fine finger foods created by their chefs and surrounded by music from Radio Capri. Price: € 18.00 Gambero Rosso subscribers: € 15.00 Tickets can be purchased at Città del Gusto prior to the event (Office open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 17.00 pm). Note: The price is € 15.00 for Cral members, Slow Food, Ais, Fisar, Onav, and Aspi Feltrinelli card holders, but you must present your membership card . To buy tickets online, click here Città del Gusto via Coroglio 104 / E 80124 Naples Tel: 081/19808900/902/910 napoli@cittadelgusto.it   http://www.cittadelgusto.it/

November 25 2010. The fourth Thursday in November. A day where Americans, all over the world, celebrate Thanksgiving. A day to share with family and friends…A day to go home for the holidays… I decided to do just that..go ‘home’. My home away from home…A16. This time I headed towards Sorbo Serpico…towards Feudi dei San Gregorio . To their Michelin star restaurant Marennà , and to my friend Chef Paolo Barrale . On this particular cold, rainy autumn day, the staff at Marennà made me feel instantly at home the minute I walked in the door. Angelo Nudo , Marennà’s sommelier , greeted us, took our coats and showed us to our table. Chef Paolo Barrale… Paolone … grinned, waved, and greeted us with a Happy Thanksgiving…No turkey today , he smiles, but I am not disappointed. I knew that whatever would come out of his kitchen would be appreciated…would make me feel comfortable and cozy…make me feel at home. DUBL Spumante Greco di Tufo 2006  arrives…a toast to the holiday, and we begin. A

Amidst the traffic, the chaos, the vicos, the vias, the pizza, the music, the history and the art…it’s there. You can’t miss it. Neapolitan street food. In perfect harmony with the hustle and bustle of the city. The city that brought us O Sole Mio and Christmas Alley (Via San Gregorio Armeno) brought Napoli a culture of spectacular street food. And at Mise En Place , last Monday evening, Chef Claudio Campanile took us strolling through the Spanish Quarter sharing some of the recipes that make his Napoli Bella … Claudio presented a wide variety of fried foods, many with a particular batter. Mozzarella in carrozza, fried pizza stuffed with cicoli and ricotta, zucchini flowers, frittatina di pasta, fried zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, and pizzete d’alghe. He also tossed in a surprise...fried polenta with cicoli...in Naples it’s affectionately called e’ scagliuozz . That wasn’t the only surprise…in a clear glass bowl, it sat. Musso…the snout of pig. This snout that became part of

Città del Gusto Napoli has recently announced their line up of cooking classes to get you in the Christmas spirit... 1 December -Christmas Lunch 2 December -Christmas Chocolate 7 December -Christmas Eve Dinner-Revisited 9 December -Christmas Desserts 15 December -Christmas Eve Dinner-Traditional 16 December -New Year's Eve Dinner For more information and to sign up, contact Città Del Gusto Napoli , Via Coroglio 57/104E napoli@cittadelgusto.it or call 081 19808900 

A promise is a promise.  And I promised my son David that I would take him to the new Pizzaria La Notizia , back to Enzo Coccia , after the inaguration...after things calmed down, well, calmed down a little. So, Sunday evening (1930 is the perfect time for families) we pulled up to Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A and walked in.  Before the usual crowd...that did arrive later.  Before the beautiful organized Neapolitan chaos...that did show up, David and I had a chance to chat with Enzo...Chat about how he's been, what he has been up to, what he has in store next.  But David reminded me that we came for pizza.  David wanted the Enzo ...a pizza with fresh tomato slices, mozarella and rucula.  I opted for one with fresh funghi porcini mushrooms... Between bites of our pizza, we watched Enzo back in action preparing his specialties like rotolo con ricotta e pezzente (rolled pizza with ricotta and ham from Caserta), pizza al bianco, and pizza with prosciutto cotto. It was gre

Muffa Nobile -Noble mold or rot. I heard these words for the first time during my level one sommelier class. Latin words… Botrytis cinerea , a mold that forms inside a grape, and is the goal of any winery who wishes to produce a passito, a dessert wine. A couple of paragraphs in our text book, a photograph on page 164. I wanted to get up close and personal…to visit a vineyard with grapes still on the vine while this muffa nobile formed. To walk through the rows of vines and pick this sweet fruit off the plant, like a kid in a candy store. I wanted to go back to Montemarano…I really wanted another visit to Mastroberardino ’s Aglianico vineyards. Saturday afternoon, November 13th. Back in Antonio Dente’s SUV after a week of wind and rain in Irpinia. Rain that turned this vineyard’s terrain into a muddy mess. No way a tractor could get through here for the harvest the following week, Antonio shared. Wow…I was here about three weeks earlier. What a difference. First of all, half of t

Claudio Campanile Mise En Place hits this streets again.  This time, Chef Claudio Campanile presents a menu straight from the vias and vicos of Bella Napoli ... • mozzarella in carrozza • pizza fritta ripiena cicoli e ricotta • fiore di zucca in pastella • frittatina di pasta • pizzette d'alghe • musso all’insalata • la trippa • brodo di polipo piccante • mini baba’ This week's menu will be paired with artisan beer from B1080. The course begins at 1800 ish, at Mise En Place's usual location, Le Arcate, Via Aniello Falcone 249 (Na) The class costs 75 Euro and includes the lesson, a Mise En Place Kit stocked with recipes and other surprises, dinner, and drinks. For more information, go to the site www.lestanzedellacultura.it/miseenplace or call  081 19806236

Chef Marcello Valentino presented a Sicilian street food menu last week at Mise En Place that included this tasty sandwich.  Not your typical ingredients, but it was so good that after eating two, I wanted a third! Ingredients: Sandwich rolls Milza (spleen) Polmone (lung) Strutto (pork fat) Procedure Boil the spleen and lung until they are tender.  Let cool at room temperature.  Afterwards, cut into thin slices and sautè in hot strutto.  Add a little salt and pepper.  You may also add lemon juice or ricotta (made from sheep's milk).Serve on a toasted sandwich roll.

My third visit to Mise En Place brought me face to face with Sicilian chef Marcello Valentino . A chef who led us through the streets of Palermo…introduced us to a menu rich in history…a menu that proudly displayed Sicily’s street food and cous cous. I took a quick glance at the recipes included in my Mise en Place Kit…just to get an idea of what was up ahead. Chef Valentino, however, gave us much much more. Many in the class pulled out their pads and pens to write down…capture every tidbit of advice…suggestions…neat little pearls of wisdom. Cous cous was up first. Marcello explained the various ways to cook this ancient dish including a toasted cous cous version that he came up with about 5 years ago… Next, the classic crocchè ( cazzilli ), panelle (fried ground chick pea flour), and arancina/arancino (fried rice balls). Recipes presented, then a chance to try it ourselves… If you don’t cook, you don’t eat Romina Sodano (director of Mise En Place) said jokingly. Sicily ha

Maurizio Santin, Il Cuoco Nero Chef Maurizio Santin is coming back toNaples… Coming back to Mise En Place . Two evenings, two lessons all centered around chocolate desserts. I had the pleasure of participating in one of Il Cuoco Nero’s sweet lessons a few weeks ago so I am looking forward to this one. This time there will a new menu, new recipes, new wines to try, and a guaranteed great time. Classes are held at Le Arcate on Via Aniello Falcone 249 Napoli from 18800-2200 ish. For more information on costs and/or to sign up, go to the site http://www.lestanzedellacultura.it   or miseenplace@lestanzedellacultura.it or call 081 118 806236 or 340 782 1415.

Wine seminar at Città del Gusto Napoli A seminar is one of the best ways to learn about wines.  This Sunday's event at Città del Gusto is packed full of them  Here is the lowdown: 1930 hrs “Mineralità Low Cost” – Those recognized for quality/price in Campania and Basilicata Campi Flegrei Falanghina ’09 – Farro Taburno Falanghina ’09 – Fattoria La Rivolta Irpinia Ros’Aura ’09 – Feudi di San Gregorio Taburno Piedirosso ’09 – Fattoria La Rivolta (premio qualità prezzo regionale) La Sfida ’09 – Bonifacio Sannio Rosso ’08 – Antica Masseria Venditti 2015 hrs “Giù al Nord” – Those recognized for quality/price in Piemonte, Lombardia and Trentino Trentino Nosiola Bottega Vinai ’09 – Cavit Curtefranca Bianco ’09 – Ferghettina Ronco del Garda ’09 – Cascina la Pertica Trentino Marzemino ’09 – Cantina d’Isera Barbera d’Asti No Wood ’09 – Scrimaglio Barbera d’Asti Sup. RoccaNivo ’08 – Scrimaglio 2100 hrs “Adriatico Quotidiano” – Those recognized for quality/price in  P

One of the best things about cooking classes at Mise en Place is the kit full of recipes.   Here is one by Chef Nicola Di Fillipo (La Laterna). Ingredients 500 g paccheri (pasta) 2 tablespoons anchovy sauce  400 g of Provolone del Monaco Extra virgin olive oil 500 g cherry tomatoes 2 cloves of garlic 200 grams of nuts from Vesuvius Basil leaves 100 grams of grated parmigiano cheese Procedure Wash the tomatoes and crush them with your hands. Make a sauce with olive oil and crushed garlic. A part of the sauce will be saved and used to add to the al dente pasta. Dice some of the provolone to add to the al dente pasta. Thinly slice some that will be added to the dish before serving. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Drain and toss in the pan with the tomato sauce. Add the diced provolone, 2 teaspoons of anchovy sauce, parmigiano cheese and toasted grated nuts from Vesuvius. Assemble the dish with paccheri, sliced provolone and basil leaves.

One more stop…One more vineyard Antonio Dente tells me. Stop three on a vineyard hopping voyage that had me in Pompei in the morning, Montemarano in the early afternoon, and now…? Now we were off to Santo Stefano for the Fiano di Avellino harvest. Fiano grapes destined to become Mastroberardino’s Radici Fiano di Avellino DOCG . Sunset in Santo Stefano is spectacular. I hopped out of Antonio's SUV and walked through the rows of vines in silence. A cool breeze, low hum of the tractor, and rustling leaves were my company. Beautiful golden Fiano grapes…grapes that could stay out and play longer than their cousins in Lapio due to this vineyard’s location. 550 meters above sea level…south - west sun exposure...sandy soil, rich in minerals… I could envision this Fiano in a glass a year from now. Visualize its straw yellow color. Smell its fresh aromas such as peach and fresh flowers. I looked around for my guide Antonio. He was busy with the boss. Antonio Mastroberardino , the

Maneula Piancastelli and Marianna Vitale Wednesday, November 10, 20.30, is the date for an exceptional evening at SUD ,  Marianne Vitale and Pino Esposito’s restaurant in Quarto (Na). The great creative cuisine of Marianna, the south’s shining star , meets the wines of Terre del Principe . Peppe Mancini and Manuela Piancastelli will present their "stars", Pallagrello and Casavecchia .  These wines which were awarded the 5 Grappoli 2011 'Italian Association of Sommeliers and Gambero Rosso's  Tre Bicchieri 2011 . Here is the menu: - Beef tartar and salt cod with fennel soup, anise and lupini. Paired with Fontanavigna 2009 Pallagrello Bianco - Cheese-cake of salt cod with tomato confit flavored with fennel and lemon peel. Paired with Fontanavigna 2009 Pallagrello Bianco - Risotto with caprino fiorito, dill and roasted onion, flavored with lemongrass. Paired with Le Serole Pallagrello Bianco - Pork fillet on a cream of purple potatoes, broccoli, and blac

Another stop on my journey with Mastroberardino during the Campania harvest season... It takes about 45 minutes to drive from Mastroberardino ’s Piedirosso vineyards in Pompei (Na) to their Aglianico vineyards in Montemarano (Av). So after a quick lunch, it was back on the road. On the road to Irpinia. To the hills of Irpinia. About 500 meters above sea level. Where the soil is chalky, clayey. Where the soil hosts aglianico vines.  My aglianico…dark blue aglianico grapes alongside fantastic fall colors of red, yellow, and green. Here, where the soil demonstrated Antonio Dente ’s concern for this year’s harvest. A harvest season that has seen more rain and has caused more work stoppage than he has ever experienced in his 10 years with Mastroberardino. 250 mm of rain fell in September and October. Rain that turned this soil into Montemarano mud , but did not deter me from my vineyard hopping. Contrada Pastanella. The road in which Mastroberardino’s aglianico vineyard calls home. A

Chef Nicola Di Fillipo (La Lanterna) took us on an amazing ride through Campania with his recipes last Tuesday night. A menu which not only presented Campania, but embraced it. For starers- Insalata di polipo su lettino di patate con salsa verde (octopus salad on a bed of potatoes with a fresh green sauce). Then an amazing first course of mezzi paccheri con provolone del Monaco and colatura di alici,nocceline del Vesuvio and pomodori del piennolo (‘paccheri’ with provolone del Monaco cheese, sardine oil, nuts, and piennolo tomatoes). Baccalà in cassuola e fritto (fried cod in a casserole dish with tomatoes, black olives, and capers). The dessert…yes dessert. Caprese, of course! Nicola expertly demonstrated each recipe, showed us how to compose the dish, and then we were on our own. Marina Alaimo , Mise en Place’s wine consultant presented two wines this week from the Azienda Donna Chiara in Avellino. For our appetizer and pasta, she chose Falanghina del Beneventano IGT. Our f

Chef Marcello Valentino Mark your calendars... November 10th... Mise en Place Cooking School is pleased to present Sicilian Street Food and Cous Cous A cooking  course for those who want to develop their passion and want to learn or improve their  techniques in preparing cous cous and Sicilian street food. This course is also perfect for those who have a smattering of the basics and want to have fun!. Chef Marcello Valentino will be our leader on this wild gastronomical ride... The course runs  from 18:00-22:00 ish. Participants will also be treated with a wine pairing mini lesson with Marina Alaimo in a parallel path that will lead them to discover the wonderful world of wine. Wine offered by Cantina Olivella. As with every Mise en Place course, each participant will receive a Mise en Place Kit, regional food samplings, gifts that will be presented during the evening,and a certificate of participation signed by the chef. Course fee: 75 euro The class will b

October 31st...Instead of trick or treating, I,  along with about 500 Campania wine lovers attended the Galà del Vino Campano .  The idea was Paolo De Cristofaro's , head of Gambero Rosso's Campania section.  His plan was to celebrate Campania wines.  So he called a few friends to discuss  Campania and its wines in general. Friends such as Daniele Cernilli, Luigi Salerno, Carlo Flamini, Nicola Venditti, Michele Farro, and Salvatore Avallone ... He invited a few wineries...34 to be exact.  They brought some wine...43 different labels. He invited AIS Campania to help during the wine tastings and seminars.  Four seminars, each with a different theme, different wines to taste and discuss. He called on Michele Leo and Gennaro Sarno to serve up some amazing pizza.  And they did. My plan for this event was simple.  To have fun.  To mingle with old friends, many whom I haven't seen since Vinitaly like Gaetano Bove from Tenuta San Francesco , Maria Felicia Brini from M

Here is an amazing appetizer by Chef Rosanna Marziale of Le Colonne in Caserta.  Ingredients 100 gr ricotta 18 g egg white Gr.10 of juice from a red pepper, yellow pepper and basil to color the ricotta Procedure Place the ricotta and 'colorings' in a mixer and mix depending on the softness of ricotta. Let chill for 20 minutes Using a pastry bag, line a cheese-mold leaving the center empty. Steam 26 minutes at 85 ° C Ciambotta (vegetable mixture) 5 gr onion 12 gr eggplant 16 g zucchini 5 gr red bell peppers 5 gr yellow peppers 10 gr potatoes 30 g ripe tomatoes 1 mint leaf 3 basil leaves 10 gr ricotta (To be added to the cooked ciambotta later) 20 ml extra virgin olive oil 50 gr mozzarella sauce to put on top Procedure: Cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Sauté the onion in the oil and start cooking the vegetables starting with the firmest ones. Once ready place the mixture, along with the fresh ricotta into the cheese mold. Place in the oven f

Chef Antonio Pisaniello and his wife Sommelier Jenny Auriemma have put together an incredible series entitled Rossidisera (Reds of the Evening). This Friday,November 5 Jenny has chosen the  Azienda Agricola Boccella  from Castelfranci (Av) to sit side by side a 5 course meal prepared by Chef Pisaniello. The cost is 40 Euro (wines included). For more information, contact La Locanda di Bu at 0827 64619 or 392 26 03 952