Momenti with the Maestro - Pastry Chef Alfonso Pepe and his Panettone, Sant' Egidio Del Monte Albino (Sa)

Maesto Alfonso Pepe

So there I was, one Saturday morning in St Egidio Del Monte Albino having a coffee while googling the pastries at Pepe Pasticceria. Several months have passed since I met Maestro Pastry Chef Alfonso Pepe for the first time during a charity  dinner  at pizzeria,. That evening I had the chance to speak with the chef as he awaited his turn to present his delicious highly sought after desserts.  It was back then, over a slice of pizza, that I asked Pepe if I could swing by his place if I was ever in his neck of the words.  Certo! Of course, was his reply.

So to assume I was patiently awaiting to be escorted to Pepe who was in his laboratory preparing panettone wouldn't be exactly true.  Goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach would pretty much describe the scene.  Plus, the Maestro was preparing panettone!!   The traditional Christmas cake that has put his on the podium as being the best in Italy back in 2014.

Quite a bit going on as I reached the downstairs laboratory.  A quick smile from Pepe and a joke or two as he asked me if I wanted a bite to eat.  the maestro never stopped moving.  He and his assistants had a lot to do to prepare the countless orders that flow into the pastry shops on a daily basis.  I had the privilege of watching Pepe prepare a couple of versions of panettone - one with limoncello cream, and a traditional one with candied fruits.  I had the privilege of tasting one of his newest creations - one prepared with whole wheat flower and wild berries.

Preparing a panettone is tough work which requires experience, concentration, quality products, and time.  Something that many do not try to attempt at home.  (Details can be found here.)


I'm not a baker by any means, but that didn't keep me from getting caught up in the rhythm in the pastry shop that morning.  Panettone dough from the mixer to the stainless steel table.  From the table to the scale.  From the scale to the experienced and caring hands of Maestro Pepe as he formed them into perfectly shaped circles, then carefully placed them into paper molds where they would rest and rise.

A few more bites of that panettone that was offered earlier, a wave and a smile, I left Maestro Pepe just as I had found him.  Hard at work, whipping out those panettone, with the occasional joke or two.

Come back in a couple of weeks.  I'll be working on my chocolate panettone, he said as I headed up the stairs.

Did someone say chocolate?
A presto, Maestro!  :-) 

Snapshot of the Day - Summer Reading - All'Origine Dei Sensi - Piero Mastroberardino

When Piero Mastroberardino handed me his latest book back in June during a wine tasting, I was honored and honestly a little intimidated.  I don't have a lot of time to read for pleasure, and this being a book of poems, in Italian,  well... But with school being out, I found the time to concentrate on what Mastroberardino, the poet, and not the wine producer, had to say.  After a month or so, my copy of the book is bent, with folded pages, full of notes in pencil taken when I came a cross a word or three that I didn't understand.  I have my favorites: page 20 - Come Nebbile Sottile, Like Thin Fog...or page 36 - Notte, Night.  One simple line:  Come tu solo sai donare luce.  

I like to think at the book  as an invitation, to see a side of an anima nad soul not only of the poet..but maybe a little of  ourselves as well.

 Come tu solo sai donare luce...

Mario Carrabs - Butcher and Then Some - Gesualdo (Av)

Mario Carrabs

A typical Saturday morning.  Time to fare la spesa, go grocery shopping.  I was in Irpinia for a few days and I decided to take a quick drive to the small town of Gesualdo nestled between the valleys of the rivers Fredane and Ufita. Gesualdo, home to a   must see medeival castle and, in the corner of a quiet piazza, a small butcher shop run by Mario Carrabs and his wife Virginia.  

When I arrived, the shop was bustling with activity.  No problem,  I made myself comfortable and sat on a wicker chair in the corner...the one with the soft red pillow...and soaked in a bit of la vita quotidiano, everyday life. A housewife picking up a few cuts of meat and a few recipe tips.  Another customer interested in making meatballs that evening  waited patiently for freshly ground beef right on the spot.  The door continuously opened and closed by Carrabs' s clients; regulars, and first timers like me who didn't mind spending a little time Saturday morning shopping.

But why here?Why not?  Mario smiled as he showed me photos on the wall dating back to 1913.  Photos of animals including a special breed known as mucca podolica.  Mario shared with me that Gesualdo was (and still is) famous for their animal fairs that lasted from may all the way through September. Merchants, customers and onlookers would come from nearby regions to purchase the best livestock around.  He took me outside and pointed to an apartment house down the street.  It used to be one of the many taverns set up for travellers who needed a place to stay and something to eat.  Each had its own Irpinian specialty on the menu; lambs brain, mugliatelli which is a cooked little 'package' of lamb intestines, and soffritto

Mario and I continued to chat between customers and while he was working on two enormous orders; one  for salami and cheese at the wine fair in Taurasi and some serious steaks for a wedding that evening at Villa Assunta.  Salamis and cheese.  My eyes couldn't help but go to the side of the shop where Mario had his specialty hanging.  Guanciale di maiale all'Aglianico, pigs cheek cured with Aglianico wine.

Irpinian tradition, Mario shared.  Many farmers would place their meats and cheeses in must, hay, straw, or  caverns to hide them from their lords or the taxman.  And by doing so, they not only were able to hang on to what they produced, they discovered interesting ways to preserve their products. Old traditions like these have been becoming quite popular again, and after a taste, I could sure understand why.  Nothing new to Mario, though.  His family has been in the business for three generations...

guanciale

The tannins in the wine do not overpower or invade the flavor of the pork. Instead, it embraces giving a comforting contrast tto the flavorful fattiness.  At this point, it seemed only natural to try some other specialties that Mario makes, like his soppressata, capricollo, and pancetta.

pancetta

soppressata

Mario left me for a moment to cut some more steak, but not before a mini lesson on Irpinia's amazing cheese.  Virginia prepared three for me to try...

caciocavallo

The first two by caciocavallo producer Vittorio Sorrentino whose factory is in Montella.  He makes his cheeses from the milk produced by the mucca Bruna, a particular species of cow.I tasted a young caciocavallo which had been aged for six months, ahile the other 2 years.  Just as I was about to try the third cheese, Mario was back with an explanation of what I was about to taste.  Another caciocavallo cheese, but this one was made with the milk from the mucca podolica.  A cow which loaves to roam the hills in Irpinia, travelling from pasture to pasture.  So the flavor of this cheese, aged for 2 1/2 years should be much more complex.  Was it? Yes, it was.

With all this tasting going on, Mario suggested I open up a bottle of wine.  Carrabs, a sommelier for a little over 10 years, has a small but fierce selection of wines from Irpinia and nearby Basilicata.  He handed me a glass, a corkscrew, a bottle of Antelio Aglianico del Vulture 2008 by Azienda Agricola Camerlegno, and went back to work.

No problem.   I enjoyed that glass with my soppressata and chunks of caciocavallo podolico,cheese as I sat in the corner, on a small wicker chair...the one with the red pillow...and soaked in a bit of la vita quotidiano...

Grazie Mario...

Macelleria Mario Carrabs di Mario Carrabs
Via Campo S.Leonardo, 1- 83040 - Gesualdo (AV) 
0039-0825-401624

Portici and...with Ciro Salvo

Ciro Salvo

We could meet one afternoon at Piazza San Ciro, he suggested.  I was making plans with Ciro Salvo, one of Napoli’s top pizza makers/instructors , who makes a mean margherita and marinara.  I tried them both last month in Melizzano.  His pizza with a soft airy crust cooked to perfection with the finest quality toppings is still imprinted in my mind.  I had over a dozen questions that I wanted to ask Ciro.  But it’s not easy to get to exchange more than a ciao, how are you, etc etc while one is busy.  And it seems like Ciro is always busy.  But luckily for me, we were able to pick a time, a date…and eventually a place.

Sure, I agreed. Piazza San Ciro in Salvo’s hometown of Portici (Na) it is then.  It would definitely be easy to remember!

But who’d imagine that it would be so hot even though Portici is right on the port. 

So, first stop on the agenda? Ciro suggested we go for an ice cream and Antica Gelateria Gallo was just down the street.  Portici’s oldest ice cream shop, around since 1926.

 This small shop was a cool refuge from the heat. I chose a small cup of limone and fragola, Ciro a cone of nocciala and pistachio. Just a few of the 20 to 25 flavors that the shop produces daily.  Sticking with the basics as they have been doing for three generations, in the same location. 

Ice cream over, Salvo suggested we take a quick drive to Portici’s historical port, Granatello.  There were a few boats, a few fishermen docked at the port as we walked by.  Salvo spoke of how he used to come down to the port when he was a kid, early in the morning where this port was a practical open air fish market.  Fresh fish still flopping around on the fishermen’s boats.  Crowds full of housewives and restaurateurs looking for the catch of the day.

And although Ciro is from this historical port city, his roots are planted in pizza…and pizza dough.   His family has been making pizza for three generations.  And Ciro is constantly working on the perfect dough.  The right flour, combination of yeast, rising time, etc.  Almost an obsession, he mentioned jokingly…and his wife would agree.  So as we were walking around the port and the nearby beach, Salvo continued to talk about pizza, his home, Masse' in Torre Annuziata (Na), and his work with Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana where he instructs aspiring pizza makers from all over the world. One of the best places that he has had pizza outside of Napoli?  Paris, he shared…made by a Neapolitan, he added with a smile.

I steered our conversation back to Ciro and his pizza. Specifically his marinara that I had tried back in Melizzano.  The simplest of pizzas on the surface; tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil and oregano. Ciro strongly believes that if he is going to work hard to prepare the finest pizza dough he can and cook it to perfection, then it is only obvious that he would want, no, insist on the finest products to go on top.  And some of the products he gets from an old time family friend. Salvo suggested that we go take a look.

Ciro and Pasquale

Fifteen minutes later, I met Ciro’s friend Pasquale in his organic garden behind his house in nearby Monte Somma.  After a long day of work, I met a man passionate about his little piece of paradise where he cultivates just about everything for his family and friends.  We walked around rows and rows of several varieties of tomatoes including large ones from Sorrento, longer oblong San Marzano and small Piennolo tomatoes from Vesuvius.  

Basil, parsley, wild rucola, eggplant.  Zucchini, pumpkin, peppers.  Grapevines with catalanesca, potatoes, and lemon trees, all growing in this dark grey volcanic soil.  And as we walked through the garden, Pasquale shared suggestions, advice, a recipe or two.

And one more thing…his dried oregano. Aromas arose from the tightly bound bouquets on a wooden crate sitting on the table.  Destination? Casa di Ciro to be grounded up and lightly sprinkled on top of his marvelous marinara. 

Hmmm… I could almost imagine how it would taste! 

Then you’ve got to swing by and try, Ciro suggested with a smile...

And that is another of Ciro's suggestions that I will definitely not pass up…

. 

Ci Vediamo a Melizzano...Where the Livin' is Easy...

Maurizio....Maurizio Cortese.  Husband, father, friend, and lover of all things easy and excellent.  I've known him for about a year, and I must say that he has been a key player in my crescità, my growth in the good life in Campania.  Besides working full time, Maurizio is a a writer for Gazzetta Gastronomica and an organizer of the not to miss events in Campania.   I've been to a couple...A' Pizza...Don Alfonso...so I didn't hesitate to accept his latest invitation...Ci Vediamo a Melizzano... a get together in Melizzano, a small paese, town,  in Benevento.  An idea that began, I believe, on Facebook one Saturday.  Cortese mentioned that he had a HUGE jar of wild oregano from his friend  butcher Luciano De Meo.  Wouldn't it be cool to try some of this aromatic oregano on a couple of pizzas?

And so the idea took off...Ci Vediamo a Melizzano held last Saturday ...we first met in Telese.  
At Kresios, Chef Giuseppe Iannotti's new restaurant/hotel/enogastronomic wonder.  A caffè, fruit juice, cornetto, macaroon.  We hungout, spoke with the chef in this bene vento...nice wind,  that the day had provided.  A beautiful location surrounded by mountains in the distance, Barbera and Falanghina vineyards nearby. A few friends... a Saturday morning....

chef giuseppe iannotti

 Then we hopped in our cars,, and headed off to nearby Mellizzano... A quiet, undisturbed centro storico....well, quiet until we invaded.  Head straight to La Pampa Natural Food Selection.  A little shop that sold just about every type of pasta, marinated vegetable, and fresh products you could imagine.  It was hot that day...very hot, so why not head down 11 meters for a little degustazione?  Wine, cheeses, guanciale, and salami as our little group evolved....

conciato romano aged 10 months

Third and final stop...Maurizio felt we should take it easy. So we folowed him to a little piece of paradise which belonged to La Pampa...a pool, a garden, chef Iannotti, pizzamaker Ciro Salvo, and more friends...
Iannotti?  Iannotti prepared a few specialties for us to enjoy by the garden, the pool or wherever we wanted...

arancini, tartare of marchigiana , bignè with tomato sauce, potato crocchè , baccalà tiramisu

pasta with squid ink sauce, lemon and mussels

Ciro, instead, kept it easy.   A top pizza maker, he proved his weight in gold by preparing two pizzas...a marinara, using De Meo's oregano, garlic, and San Marzano tomatoes, ..

ciro salvo

 A margherita with fresh mozzarella was also on the menu...soft airy crust included...

In this piece of paradise, the livin' was easy...a drink or two, including Enzo D'Alessandro's summer hit made with his nucillo and chinotto...another not to miss...

maurizio cortese and enzo d'alessandro

Eventually, I needed to head back to reality.  Time to leave the easy life.  I found Maurizio and thanked him for another amazing day.  Allora, ci vediamo sabato prossimo?  See you next Saturday?  We'll talk about pasta...


Sure! I smiled...I'd reserved for a' pasta a couple of weeks ago...

Ci vediamo a Gragnano...