Photo: orsorama/Flickr

Do you live or die for Italian food?

Many of us do, and our insatiable appetite for Mediterranean cuisine the way the Italians prepare it is a love story that spans generations. That love, understandably, has spawned myriad dishes — some iconic and lasting, others a flash in the proverbial pan — as each generation experiments with and interprets, replicates and enjoys, Italian food. 

On Monday, June 13th, food and travel correspondent John Mariani will be in Boston to celebrate the publication of his new book, How Italian Food Conquered the World.

In anticipation of John’s presence at BiNA 0steria (details below), PRK caught up with him about dining Italian, both here in Boston and beyond. We wanted to hear his thoughts on what’s really new in Italian cuisine, and how Italian dining in the Boston area compares with other major US cities. Our interview appears in full after the jump.

But, wait! You can try your own hand at Italian cuisine with a recipe, below, for “Fresh Ricotta with English Peas, Mint & Lemon” from the chefs at BiNA osteria in downtown Boston. They’re hosting a special menu fisso this Monday evening, June 13th, in honor of Mariani’s presence at the restaurant and his new book. Call for reservations and more details (617-956-0888), but we’ll give you a taste here: Monday’s four-course meal includes taglierini and sheep’s milk sformato with native strawberries and grappa. Now, jump… Continue reading →

Photo: whitneyinchicago/Flickr

I’m an adventurous eater. I’ve tried snails, raw milk, fermented tea. But I’ve never tried rhubarb.

I don’t really know what’s stopping me: its appearance, more reminiscent of a swiss chard stalk than a sweet fruit? Questions about whether it’s really a fruit at all? A certain skepticism that any pairing could improve upon a plain strawberry with sugar?

Elissa of 17 and Baking (now actually 19 and baking – a college sophomore!) shares my hesitation. “I can count the number of times I’ve eaten rhubarb on one hand,” she wrote. “I know it’s not an uncommon ingredient, but we don’t grow it, and my family generally passes it as overpriced in the grocery store.”

In a recent visit to Maine, however, Elissa made a strawberry and rhubarb crumble that demands immediate attention. The crumble is one of those old, beloved family recipes that call for insane amounts of butter and sugar – the kind of dessert people beg you to bring to family reunions.

That would have been enough to pique my interest, but there are two small details that, I think, made this crumble especially good. First, the rhubarb was as fresh as can be – straight from the garden, in fact. Second, the recipe doesn’t skimp on the “crumble” part of the dish – too often, this element is overlooked in favor of the showier fruit filling, but with oatmeal and the ingenious addition of toasted almonds, the caramel-y crust more than holds its own.

It’s not a surprise, then, that this crumble managed to get Elissa craving rhubarb – in a weird way, I’m craving it, too.

Photo: Luke Lahnstein (http://luke.lahnstein.id.au)

When I lived in the world’s 125th richest country, my most fervent desire on returning to the United States would be to go to the grocery store. Aisle upon aisle of products in eye-catching boxes, bottles and bags; a vast selection of jewel-toned meats; piles of produce in a cacophony of colors. The abundance—there are almost 39,000 items in the average supermarket—awed me. Tomatoland, the new book by James Beard Award-winning author Barry Estabrook, unravels the cost—environmental, culinary and human—of producing just one of the foods sold in our “cathedrals to consumerism.”

The story starts with a business decision, made for the usual reasons (cost, location, stupidity) with far-reaching consequences. Continue reading →

Chickpeas (Photo: Mink/Flickr)

Now that the heat of summer is again upon us, it’s tempting to simply give up and get out of the kitchen. But don’t give in too easily. A little something you can make ahead, when the sun isn’t blazing, will help you keep your cool, while eating well.

The Small Boston Kitchen has a recipe for a Roasted and Chilled Chickpea and Herb Salad that fits the bill oh-so nicely. Yes, there’s a little bit of oven time involved, but it’s minimal. And roasted chickpeas are one of life’s simple, and oft-overlooked, pleasures. Honestly, I could eat them on their own, but served cold with fresh herbs, a little feta, olive citrus, and citrus, they are an extra-special — yet  healthy and virtuous — hot weather treat.

Photo: cliff1066/Flickr

Today on “On Point” fish is on the menu.

Host Tom Ashbrook will talk with chef and conservationist Barton Seaver (former exec chef at Hook in D.C. and author of For Cod and Country) and Cambridge’s own food activist and personal chef JJ Gonson, featured numerous times here on PRK.

Together they will tackle the pressing issue of the health of our oceans’ bounty, as well as taste delicious and sustainably-prepared seafood, all live from WBUR’s Boston studios.

Tune in to the discussion at 11am EST. Comment online, or call in and be heard! The topic is complex, and not all agree about the strains we’re placing on our oceans. It’ll be a lively hour for sure.

Photos: Courtesy of Berkshire Food Journal

Our friends at Berkshire Food Journal recently brought to our attention “Farmed & Foraged,” a weekend’s worth of foraging-related events that included the seeking, identifying, eating and purchasing of wild edibles. All locally-growing in western Mass, of course.

The event, which incorporated eight wild food walks cleverly named “Where the Wild Things Are,” came and went in May. But forager leader Russ Cohen, a professional environmentalist and wild foods enthusiast, made a remark in the accompanying video that stuck with me. “….[O]rganic farms are great places to forage…so my advice is to talk to the managers of local organic farms and see if they would mind [your]…doing some of their weeding for them,” he said.

Hmmmm.  Continue reading →

Photo: Courtesy of Rooftop Gourmet

It’s hard to know what you’re salivating over more: the individual ingredients and how they’re described; the progressive layering of flavors and textures and how they get described, or the photos chronicling this recipe and attendant food prep.

But salivate, you will, as you read through “Pan-Roasted Halibut” from Mike O’Connell of Rooftop Gourmet with its white bean puree and chorizo crumble. There are many steps to preparing this dish, no question about it. But Mike has a knack for making them sound so, well, eeeeeasy and natural that you’ll quickly forget that what you’re building is a world-class entree right in your own home, just as he did in Southie.

Halibut has rarely looked so elegant and tasty. Enjoy!

Photo: miamism/Flickr

LOCAL BITES

Craft Beer Fest
Do you have a tough time choosing a beer at bars because you want them all? Here’s your chance to try 500 American craft beers for one price: June 3-4th, visit the fourth annual American Craft Beer Fest at Seaport World Trade Center – Boston. The event will offer 2-oz pours in compostable cups from brewers from coast to coast. Tickets purchased online are $45 for a 3.5 hour tasting session; tickets at the door will be $50 if still available. No word if the event offers food, so plan accordingly (and good luck, please send before/after photos)!

Food Truck Reminder
Just a reminder, The Fabulous Food Truck Festival is scheduled for this Saturday, June 4th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Pinehills in Plymouth. The vendors are set to include Bon Me, Grilled Cheese Nation, Kick Ass Cupcakes and more.

Blogging Class
Looking to start a blog or increase readership to an existing one? Learn these skills at “Promoting Your Blog,” a new class at the Boston Center for Adult Education, Monday June 20th, 6 – 8:30 p.m. Admission is $38 for members, $45 for non-members, purchase online here or by calling (617) 267-4430.

All Local
Want to find local food lovers like yourself? This may be your event. Monday June 13th, EVOO restaurant and Chef Peter McCarthy are hosting the Sustainable Business Network’s 10th annual ALLocal Dinner from 6:30 – 9 p.m. The event includes a networking cocktail reception at 6 p.m., with dinner of local food and beverages following immediately. Choose from a 4-course meat or vegan option for $55 HERE. Ticket proceeds to benefit the Boston Local Food Program. Continue reading →

Photo: muffet/Flickr

Oh, iceberg. You get such a bad rap.

They say you are all water, that you are lacking in vitamins. They whisper about your pale green complexion and reach for your richer-colored cousins.

Forget the combative wife who snaps at her husband: “You let them eat that?” You were just a salad, unjustly accused of the same nutritional crimes as candy and junk food.

Stand up, be proud. You are consistent. Snappy and refreshing, you add cool crunch to burgers and salads. And, oh, how you show your colors in this beautiful Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese from The Kitchn.

Always remember: you are a classic.

Photo: meknits/Flickr

June marks the inauguration of a new food-related exhibit at the National Archives in Washington D.C. On view will be a cascade of original documents that help chronicle the federal government’s efforts to ensure that We, the People, have access to an “ample, safe, nutritious diet.” Continue reading →