andiamotrips - campania, italy with karen phillips

Well, if you've seen one mozzarella dairy you've seen them all.  Or so I thought.  Until I bumped into    Raffaele Barlotti at his dairy's bar one Monday evening.  Over a caffe' he invited me to come back the next day for a look around. I arrived at about 10:00 am the next morning.  After just  five minutes, my tour guide Sandro at Caseificio Barlotti ,  I forgot about the dozen or so times I have seen mozzarella at work as a chaperone on the obligatory school field trips.  This time seemed like the first time.  Sandro decided that we should begin in the  production area which was in full swing.  But first, he sais, I needed a little protection,. A pair of blue plastic baggies that I just slipped over my shoes and I was ready to go. Ready to observe all the action of mozzarella making Paestum style .  So much activity going on all around.  I listened attentively as Sandro explained the cheese making process...First of all...100 % buffalo milk...from buffalo

Falanghina vineyards : Grotta del Sole Next Sunday, Movimento Turismo Del Vino will hold its annual Cantine Aperte .  What does that mean?  It means that a wineries that are members of the association have planned all kinds of activities in their homes.  Activities to include vineyard visits, wine tastings, lunches, dinners, concets, etc.  For a complete list of which wineries are  participating in Campania, click here .  Then contact the winery or go to their site for more information.

I remember that day as if it were yesterday.  A visit with Roberto Di Meo at his winery, Cantine Di Meo last June.  I remember every detail; from the wines tasted to the music played during the tasting.  I learned a great deal about wine tasting that afternoon.  A great deal about taking my time and enjoying the aromas in a wine ...and in everything for that matter. I remember the little spray bottles that appeared out of nowhere.  Di Meo presented one of them as   campione #6321 .  And on a small white napkin, he lightly spayed a bit.  Fiano ...he told me.   profumo di fiano.  Un esperimento.   An experiment... stay tuned. Well, I stayed tuned. Di Meo and I crossed paths several times over the past several months. and    would ask from time to time.  He would answer with a smile, and a little chuckle. Non c'e' fretta...no hurry . So  the experiment stayed just that- an experiment .   Or so I thought.   Campione #6321 has grown up - grown up and evolved into Profum

My son David is a big fan of pasta and potatoes.  So when I saw how big his eyes got after just one spoonful of  Chef Gianluca D'Agostino 's version last week while in Paestum for  Le Strade Della Mozzarella  , I just had to have the recipe. Ingredients for four people : potatoes 500 g, 2 stalks of large white celery stalks, two large carrots, one onion, 150g of parmegiano reggiano cheese rinds (washed well), 200 g of pasta mista, 550 g smoked provola cheese, 500 ml of milk, 200 ml heavy cream, 50 ml extra virgin olive oil, black pepper  and salt to taste Prepare the provola fondue by  cutting the cheese into large chunks, and leaving it to with the milk and cream at 70 ° C for about an hour.   Filter through  reduce by half, then emulsify with an immersion blender. Prepare the mashed potatoes by cooking the cubed potatoes with one celery stalk,one carrot,  the parmegiano cheese rind.and the extra virgin olive oil. Once the potatoes have been cooked, remove the celery

Villa Raiano.  I've tasted their wines on numerous occasions.    But not this one.  I wondered why as I poured myself a glass of Orano Campania Rosato IGT 2012.   Here was th e   latest vintage of Villa Raiano's rose' wine made with 100 % Agllianico grapes.  One that was voted one of the best rose' wines in Italy back in 2009.  Where was I? I smiled.  The winery has been producing this  since the 2005 harvest. .A friendly fusion of grapes from 3 different vineyards; Venticano - Castelfranci- Bonito. Similar to their Aglianico IGT. but macerated for a very brief period with the grapes skins after being softly and sweetly pressed. Just enough time to give it that brilliant dark pinkish color that shined brightly in my glass. The berry fruit aromas on the nose  were light and fresh. Flavorful palate with a nice finish. I finished the glass as I prepared dinner.  A quick dish of grilled cervellata  sausages with grilled vegetables. Perfect, as thought as I wondered why

Codfish 'Porchettato',  Cream of Friarielli Broccoli and Clams I found him in the back.  Way in the back of Marenna's Michelin star kitchen.   Chef Gianluca D'Agostino of Veritas Restaurant (and formerly of Marenna) found a quiet corner of the pastry kitchen to create his dish during last month's jam session... A new dish...something he decided on the spot, something he created as he went along.   Tasting and testing until he was satisfied.  D'Agostino's C odfish 'Porchettato',  with Cream of Friarielli Broccoli and Clams.     The chef shared with me a few details about this dish which could be an amazing appetizer or a marvelous main course . Basically, he cooked the friarielli broccoli in the typical manner,in a pan  with garlic, extravirgin olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Then he blended the greens in a blender adding a little water from the clams that he previously steamed open.  He wrapped the cod in thinly sliced pancetta bacon

Chef Ernesto Iaccarino Flashback, summer 2011.  A small white van pulls up to the small narrow driveway that lies between Don Alfonso's Restaurant and their cooking school.  I remember   Chef Alfonso Iaccarino , dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and a pair of hiking boots, getting out of the van and opening up the back doors. Two dogs hop out as he reaches in and pulls out one of the dozen or so crates full of fresh figs.  Very fresh.  I was told by a friend that Chef Iaccarino had just returned from one of his daily trips to the family's farm 5/6 km away. You've never been? I was asked.. No.. .I answered.. .Not, yet.. . Back to the present ish.  Spring in Campania.  And for the third year in a row I was preparing to visit i miei amici  at Don Alfonso 1890.  I couldn't help but think back to that summer in 2011.  The white van.. The dogs.  The fresh figs. I had to visit the farm. Azienda Agricola Le Peracciole to be exact.  Six hectres of paradiso hugging the