Time is Only Ingredient in Short Supply,,,

Even though time is spent at such a slow pace here, it is in short supply. Before I know it it is 1 PM or a Holiday and all stores close down. So if you need any ingredients that you may have forgotten you can't get them until the re-opening of the store which can be in 3 hours or a day or two-depending on time of year and date of year.
Yesterday for instance -the 15th of August and a big Holiday here in Italy. I planned on making a chocolate ricotta cheesecake- so Friday ingredients were purchased-well all ingredients- but the dark chocolate pieces needed to mix into the ricotta. But someone must have chocolate bars-perhaps a coffee bar or small grocery store?
The difficult part was first to find something that was open on the 15th of August. Next did they have chocolate. Found 2 coffee bars that were (surprisingly) open. But they told us that even though they normally carry chocolate bars throughout the year, they don't have them this time of the year for fear that they may melt..

So the chocolate cheesecake would have to wait for one more day and it was a ciambellone classico for dessert. And yes, was able to find a small, local, candy store open today that did have the Dark chocolate bars. And the cheesecake will have to wait until tomorrow. Here is the recipe for the ciambellone and stay tuned for the cheesecake recipe in the next few days.
http://www.marilaiberati.com/blog2

Fourth of July and Happy Birthday USA

Written by :Eliza Chute


If you find yourself in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the USA this summer or for a fitting Fourth of July Holiday here is a 'delicious' place to visit:


You can find everything you need at Reading Terminal Market. It is quite the melting pot of delicious food. You can find everything from crepes to soul food, vegetarian restaurants to meat by the pound. This indoor market takes up an entire city block.
There is even the unique opportunity of getting freshly grown Pennsylvania Dutch made foods. There are eleven Pennsylvania Dutch owned shops. If you are craving chocolate, Chocolate by Mueller is the place to. All chocolates are hand-made on site. They even have a display kitchen, so you can watch them make their chocolates, as your mouth waters in front of the window. Looking for something a little more nutritious? Try the Dutch Eating Place. They serve breakfast and lunch, including their famous blueberry pancakes and apple dumplings. These delicious pancakes are fluffy and served by Pennsylvania Dutch in full garb, making it a tasty and fun experience. Or try Hatville Deli for some great deli food. However, don’t forget to bring cash, because the last two only accept cash and gift certificates.

For more Information on Reading Terminal Market
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/


List of Pennsylvania Dutch Shoppes
AJ Pickel Patch & Salads
Beiler's Bakery
Dienner's Bar-B-Q
Dutch Eating Place
Hatville Deli
Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce
L. Halteman Family
Lancaster Co. Dairy
Miller's Twist
Rib Stand
Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe

For more recipes for the 4th

Perugia,Italy..a Sweet City....

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm cooking school held in a beautiful resort near Orvieto Italy..recently took some of our participants on a tour of the medieval city of Perugia..the city well known for it's chocolate and many other treats. Follow our visit to Perugia here:

http://www.gomestic.com/Cooking/Perugia-Italy-and-Its-Sweet-Treats.126185

and here is a recipe of one of their traditional sweet treats:

Ciarimicola
Ingredients:

1 lb flour
3 egg yolk
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
Lemon peel of ½ lemon
2 egg whites
¼ cup alchermes liqueur
1 packet yeast
Multi colored sprinkles
Grate lemon peel. Place flour, sugar. ¼ cup softened butter, lemon peel. Blend well. Add in alchermes and blend in. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of warm water, add into dough. Blend into a smooth dough.

Form the dough into a ring. Place on a pan that has been buttered an dusted with flour. Bake for 40 minutes. Beat egg whites into stiff peaks. Remove ring from oven. Place whipped egg whites on top. Bake for another 2 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and sprinkle with colored sprinkles.

Don't forget to follow ouradventures in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy at httpp://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
and http://twitter.com/marialiberati


For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Join our cooking classes in Italy or in the US. To register or get more info email us at events@marialiberati.com
Here is more info
In the US-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm cooking school will be at various Whole Foods Markets in the US starting in February:
Feb 8-Jenkintown, Pa Whole Foods Markets
Feb 18-Whole Foods Market, Marlton, NJ
Feb 19=Whole Foods Markets, Philadelphia,Pa
Feb 26-Whole foods Markets, Princeton, NJ

Mangia Bene,Vivi Bene
Maria

Happy Carnevale!!!

copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

I could not let this colorful festive Holiday pass us by without a noble mention on my blog. Here is an excerpt from the book to be published in late 2008-

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions, copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

Did you know that Carnevale originated in Rome?
It began in ancient Rome, the term comes from the latin word “carnem levare”. This referred to the period of fasting from meat. The feast lasts for about 10 days But the ancient Romans celebrated it for about 180 days of the year. It was their way of celebrating their victories. After the fall of the Roman empire, Carnevale was still celebrated by the Roman people. It always included a period of fasting, and joy


Carnevale is made up of some any colors- from the beautiful fireworks displays to the costumes to the colored papers and streamers used during this Holiday. To stay in the Carnevale spirit, keep your foods, tableware colorful and festive.

In the spirit of the decadent Romans a masked ball with decadent desserts is the perfect way to celebrate.

Dolce Cioccolata

6 eggs
½ cup sugar
16 ounces of unsweetend baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
2 /12 cups whipped cream
¼ cup Cointreau
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie pan and coat with baking paper. Dip finger tips in olive oil and oil baking paper.

With electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar of 5 minutes – until creamy and well blended. Melt chocolate in glass dish in microwave (approx 2 minutes depending on settings).

With rubber spatula, fold melted chocolate into egg mixture. Im separate bowl whip cream, fold in Cointreau. Gently fold this into egg/chocolate mixture until well blended.

Place pie pan coated with baking paper in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Place water in baking dish to reach half height of pie plate.

Bake for 30 minutes this way in oven. Take out. Place sheet of baking paper on top and bake for another 30 minutes this way. Remove from oven, Uncover and let cool. When cool, refrigerate overnight. Serve garnished with fresh raspberries and dust with powdered cocoa.

Form ore recipes and info on Carnevale:
http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Carnevale-in-Italy-and-a-Recipe-to-Celebrate-This-Holiday.66860

http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Winter-in-Italy-with-Winter-Recipes.66858

For more recipes, go to the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, copyright 2005,2006,2007,2008, Maria Liberati . Purchase at http://www.marialiberati.com and receive free shipping and $5 off retail price.

Ciao for now!!
Maria Liberati

http://www.marilaiberati.com

http://www.marilaiberati.com/blog2

http://www.mliberati.diaryland.com

The' Art of Eating Gelato' part 1

Summer's half gone and I have not had my gelato for the summer of 2007 yet. I am counting down the days to that first gelato of summer 2007- (I will be back at my office in Italy at the end of July).

You know we divide the seasons by how many gelati we have had. We always celebrate our first gelato of the year and mark it as a special time. And it is a memorable time savoring every drip of that wonderful creamy confection.

But you know, to really enjoy the perfect gelato you must learn 'the art of selecting gelato'

First:
*Be sure to have gelato in places that make ' gelato artiginale'- this means they make it from scratch. There are many chains that are poping up all over Italy that buy the gelato pre-made and don't make their own in house production.
*Also take time to savor your gelati and learn to distinguish intense flavors and narrow down who makes the best gelato. All gelati are not created equal. And if you ara true gelato afficianado you will not eat gelato unless it is at its' best.
*So many gelato flavors to choose from
. Decide before you get to the gelateria what flavors you will get or at least think it out before you get there so that you will get the flavors that will make your own tastebuds dance! If you are a chocohalic-be sure you get at least one dip of a chooclate flavor in your cone. pair it with a complementary flavor-banana, torrone, (or for a really intense chocolate experience) another chocolate based flavor. The more thought that goes into what you put into your cone- the more chance you have of making this a tastefully intense experience.

My favorite flavors are : baci, gianduja, kinder, cioccolato, torrone

What are yours???

Stay tuned for my favorite pics for best gelato places in Italy..

Purchase the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com/ in the months of July and August 2007 and receive a sample ofthe new spice blend developed in Italy- Sapori D'Italia. Also receive $5 off retail price and free shipping and handling .This is a limited offer only. Poritons of sales go to Gilda's Club http://www.gildasclubnyc.org/

Technorati Tags : gelato, ice, cream, chocolate

Feel-good shopping

Recently I bought some cocoa that promised to do more than just satisfy my sweet tooth. My specialty store was out of my favorite brand, so instead I decided to come home with something new- a box of fair trade certified cocoa.





As my chocolate biscotti were baking, I began to read the label and began thinking and envisioning the farmers and people in less privileged parts of the world that my little purchase was helping. I may have helped a a cocoa bean farmer's family to have a better life.


What a nice thought,and a great way to shop..purchasing something that also helps someone in some way.


Organizations such as transfair monitor importers to make sure they follow fair trade standards. As the name implies they give farmers a fair and fixed price for their crops which are grown using environmentally friendly techniques and without child labor. When you buy a fair trade item more of the money goes to the people that produce it.





But beware, fair trade items are not regulated very stringently and many companies can claim they are fair trade without being so. Look for the transfair globe logo on the products.
Happy shopping!!
By the way the biscotti turned out to be delicious and myguests finished every last morsel. For the chocolate biscotti recipe email me at maria@marialiberati.com or visit my website at http://www.marialiberati.com

My bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking is available there and if you purchase in June and July you will receive also a free sample of my new spice blend Sapori D'Italia with your purchase and $1 of every purchase goes to Gilda's Club (gildasclubnyc.org)
Ciao for now
Maria
http://www.marialiberati.com