Monday, September 19, 2011

Summer Zucchini Flowers

The summer is winding down but the garden is still pumping out zucchini flowers. My neighbor had a bumper crop after returning from vacation and she gave me a bunch this morning. As the Tuscans say “Even a slipper is good fried,” so I fried them up and managed to take a picture just before we devoured them for lunch! While the flowers themselves don’t have a lot of flavor, once batter dipped and fried in hot oil, they’re delicious!

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Friday, September 16, 2011

Anchovies and Colatura - Italian Umami

They eat a lot of anchovies in Italy, in fact, they love them. Abundant, delicious and versatile, the anchovy is high in omegas and essential fatty acids and is easy to cook or to preserve in salt or oil. The fresh anchovies, or alici, are eaten deep-fried and crunchy or soaked in vinegar and dressed with olive oil and parsley for antipasti.

Cured anchovies, or acciughe, are made by salting and curing the fish for several months and are widely used for pizza and pasta. Tuscans like the strong flavors of anchovy and capers together, and many dishes finish with both ingredients for a powerful and salty punch.

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