Cucina Povere or Frugal Coooking with style

A little of this ,a little of that..all thsi talk about beign frugal and eating on a budget.. I've been doing that for years but we donlt really call it eating on a budget..it is dishes form 'cucina povere'. The authentic Italian dishes from the peasant kitchens of Italy long ago. Now dishes taht are eaten in some of the finest resturants in the world. Not because their ingredients are so expensive but becasue they are a rarity in today's fast food world-dishes that use only real ingredients and are cooked from scratch..so it is Slow Food.
My dish today.. well when I stopped at the market today to fill up my water containers I couldn't help but notice the produce that had been marked down. Nothing wrong with it, but you have to use these veggies today, not tomorrow. Quick thinking and since I love a great vegetable stew and could make it at a bargain..I grabbed the zucchini, eggplant, an onion, some carrots, some fresh tomatoes..I already have the garlic and olive oil at home. For about $5 I will have vegetable stew for a few days that I can have with brown rice or pasta. Healthy and fresh...
Not only inexpensive but healthy and fresh and great for you too. Oh and donlt forget soem freshly grated parmigiana-reggiano..I'm kind of cheating I still have a large chunk I took home from Italy..1/2 the cost there.. but no need to buy a large quantity buy a small chunk and use it sparingly.. the extra taste is well worth it..

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene
Maria
*May 2nd- Book signing and wine sampling with Terra Nova wine at the Grand opening of Raya Coiffeur in Haverford, Pa. will include a fashion show by Sonia Rykiel. 8-12 pm

*May 6th- Join me at Country Creek winery in Telford,Pa for a wine smapler dinner. I will be preparing a 4 course authentic Italian dinner and pairing it with wines of COuntry Creek. 4 course sampler dinner, 4 wine samples, cooking demo, recipes incldued, per person $39.95. reservatioins required call 215-723-6516

Join me in Italy for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School.

Get your copy of the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

The Basic Art of the bubbly....

Now that the holiday seasons are upon us cocktail parties and feasts surround us. While food is one of the most important ingredients to these events and the cocktails and even those wine pairings with food are fun and festive- did you know that those imported mineral waters can also be paired with foods and courses.

Water tastings and pairings have become as important as the wine tastings in Itally. Many fine dining places have not only wine menus but also water menus.

So, if you would like to add an interesting touch to your holiday event- add in water tasting or pairing with imported mineral waters- certainly a healthy touch to any meal.
And while in the US we may think of water as all virtually the same- in Europe- waters come from many different mineral springs. The quality and quantity and types of minerals depend on the spring that the waters come from. They do have many different qualities and health benefits and are even prescribed for various ailments.
But also many of the waters- especially the ones that are naturally carbonated do really aid in digestion. So while you may want to drink a plain (uncorroborated water) to quench your thirst- if you are enjoying a heavy meal -you might want to consider adding a few glasses of mineral water between courses this holiday season.
To practice the fine art of water tasting this season, here are some tips for your holiday table;
*Place two water glasses at each place setting- one for non-carbonated and one for naturally carbonated water.
*To really appreciate the fine art of mineral water-serve naturally carbonated imported waters. These waters were carbonated naturally by the springs they come from. Serving plain soda water that has been carbonated by a factory is not the same thing.

*Serve the naturally carbonated mineral water chilled to a temperature of about 45 degrees. Serve non-carbonated water chilled to about 50 degrees.

* Do not add ice cubes to the water-this will diminish the true flavor of the mineral water. chill the water itself.
*Encourage your guests to drink the naturally carbonated mineral water between courses during your meal, this will naturally aid in digestion.
This is another healthy addition to any meal or party and no calories either!!