Travel & Cook: Morning with the Chef at Villa San Michele

  I spent a month in Italy this summer and now it's time to share.  I will be posting my favorite  cooking experiences that will rock your world (and recipes, too).

Today, I have another jewel to share with you from the hills of Fiesole.

Imagine...

You are finally in Italy and you've got yourself a jam packed schedule.  You have already tried to squeeze too many museums and sights into your day or two in Florence, but you realize how cooking in Italy might be an even more moving experience than seeing the David.  So you get yourself into an easy to find shuttle off of the busy Piazza della Repubblica and you are whisked into Fiesole, a 15 minute drive into the hills above Florence.  You wind your way up and suddenly you get dropped off here...

I suggest arriving a little early because it is going to take you awhile to adjust to being in this magical place.

While you are having a coffee on the terrace, the executive chef of 30 years greets you and takes you down to your kitchen for the day.  Along with an assistant chef, you get settled into your personal work station.

You find out you are making a traditional Italian meal with a few secrets, and you are soon busy pulling out silver trays from your personal kitchen with all of your ingredients perfectly portioned.

There's a traditional panzanella salad...

where you even learn a fancy way of plating.

There's gnocchi...

with a fresh tomato sauce.

And then, are you sitting down for this?  You will learn the secrets behind the restaurant's tiramisu.  Traditional, with a twist.


At this point, I had enjoyed myself immensely and thought it was a wonderful experience.   There was only one odd thing... after we made the panzanella, we took a couple of bites of our own creation and then the chef discarded the rest.  Same with the gnocchi.  We made quite a few and we only cooked a couple to taste.  Then, the chef gathered up the rest of our gnocchi and whisked it away to the kitchen.  I briefly thought... surely we are not making gnocchi for them to serve their dinner guests tonight.  Surely we are not a part of their assembly line (not that I would be too sad about that).  But then, when we finished the tiramisu and they whisked it away, I realized we would actually be eating a sit down version of this meal together on the patio.

  And let me tell you, I could live on this patio.

So now, it's time to walk around and soak up this amazing property.  Villa San Michele was a monastery that dates back to the 15th century.  The villa's facade is attributed to Michaelangelo and is still intact.  The rest of the property has kept its amazing Tuscan charm while being transformed into a dreamy getaway overlooking Florence.  While you are waiting on lunch to be served, you've got a couple of options.

You could relax in the gardens overlooking Florence.

You could go smell the lemon trees. Is that weird? I couldn't stop myself. And you don't see lemons like this everyday.

Or you could head up to the pool area for the absolute best views.

Now let's not forget about lunch. Time to head back through the flower adorned paths to the dining room.

Time to sit down on the patio with our new best friends from our morning of cooking and enjoy our lunch... mostly prepared by us, but fancied up by the great chefs at the restaurant.

First, is the fancily plated panzanella salad.

Next, gnocchi with a fresh tomato and basil sauce.

And then, you eat your own creation of this special tiramisu recipe.

And in case you have any room left at all, help yourself to a few cookies and an espresso. 

So there it is.  A Morning with the Chef cooking class that has left you full and happy from all the wonderful sights and sounds you have taken in.  A huge perk to this class is that it will fit into any schedule.  You arrive around 9:45 am and arrive back in Florence by 2:00 pm.

The cooking school is worth the splurge.  Eating dinner on this terrace is also worth the splurge.  But if you are looking for luxury, you can stay at the hotel with very easy access to Florence during the day.  I was lucky enough to peak into a few rooms just to give you an idea of what it would be like to stay here.  Each suite is like a little bungalow tucked into these gardens bursting with lemon trees and hydrangeas.

 It might just be the most quiet and relaxing place I've ever found myself.  What a perfect little retreat after a long day of touring.  The only problem I could find with staying here is you might miss seeing Florence altogether.  Trust me, it's hard to leave.

Put this on your list for your next trip to Italy, but in case you won't be finding yourself in Fiesole any time soon, I will be bringing you the recipes.

Antipasto Platters

I make a mean antipasto platter.

I'm not sure that's really an accomplishment since there is little that you are actually cooking, but they are always a hit at cocktail parties.  It's kind of the perfect answer to what serve at a party in the summer.  You turn on your oven for .5 seconds and then you just assemble.

Granted this is another one of my non-recipe recipes, but sometimes the simpler the better. And what better for a cocktail party than savory food that you do not have to keep warm and can be assembled ahead of time? Perfection.

This is my personal version of an antipasto platter.  Traditionally, they are made with a variety of meats and cheeses, but I like to spice it up a bit.  I thought I'd share my favorites, but let's get real, the possibilities are endless.

So let's get started...

I always include marinated tomatoes.  Click here for recipe. They have such great flavor and very addicting.  You just need to think about these the night before so they can marinate, but that's about all the prep work there.  Moving on...

These prosciutto wrapped asparagus are what make this platter feel fancy.   Check below for recipe...

My favorite cheese to serve is this marinated mozzarella.  This big tub comes from Costco and is super cheap for the quantity.  I prefer this to just plain fresh mozzarella balls because these have a lot more flavor.

You need some crackers to balance all this.  My two favorites are Carr's table water crackers and these Italian breadsticks that can be found at most specialty grocery stores.  They also add nice height.
And then I like to pile on olives.  But I'm an olive person.  If you are not, let's talk about some other ideas.

Thin slices of prosciutto, cuts of salami, artichoke hearts, sliced hearts of palm, piles of nuts, dried apricots... again more of my favorites, but they all work pretty well.

Hopefully you have something to work with here.  Now go ahead and invite your friends over.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus

Recipe Notes

The key to this is having extremely thin proscuitto.  If it is thick, it will be hard to bite through.  Costco sells a great prepackaged very thinly sliced prosciutto at a great price.  Or ask your butcher to cut it paper thin. Be careful to not overcook the asparagus.  You want it slightly cooked, but still crunchy... not mushy.  Asparagus size can vary dramatically so if you have very thin spears, keep your eye on them.

Ingredients

Asparagus (2 to 4 per person)

Prosciutto, about 1/2 a slice per piece of asparagus, sliced paper thin.
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Step by Step
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Trim the white, woody ends of Spread the asparagus in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast asparagus for about 5 minutes (see recipe note for timing).  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Cut each piece of prosciutto in half, so you have two strips.  Wrap each piece of asparagus with a half piece of prosciutto.  Repeat until all asparagus have been wrapped.  Can be made up to 6 hours in advance and kept refrigerated.  Serve at room temperature. 

Tiramisu

 I spent a month in Italy this summer and now it's time to share.  I will be posting my favorite  cooking experiences that will rock your world (and recipes, too).

Hi, it's me again... but this time I actually have a recipe.  Gosh, it had been so long it took me awhile to crank this one out.
At least it took about twice the time as it did for me to down this tiramisu.

This is the recipe of the moment for so many reasons...
A. No turning on the oven required. Here in 102 degree Houston that is reason enough, but wait, there's more.
B.  It's so easy! Maybe it's just me, but I thought tiramisu was fancy and you had to be real fancy in the kitchen to make it.  False.  Easy as can be.
C.  You can make this in advance.  In fact it actually tastes better the next day.  I absolutely adore recipes made in advance.  I absolutely hate slaving away at the last minute before mealtime.

So just in case you needed convincing, I hope you're on board now because here we go!

Wait... a fun fact before we get going.  Did you know?  The translation of Tiramisu in Italian is "pick me up", due to the sugar and caffeine combo in the recipe.

Now we are ready...

All you need is to prep your different layers and begin building...

Layers of coffee & liqueur soaked lady fingers... 

with delicious creamy filling....

topped with cocoa. It's just dreamy. 

This was one of my favorite recipes I picked up at Cooking in Tuscany.  Simple, but so good.  

Can't beat that with a stick. 

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Traditional Tiramisu
From Cooking in Tuscany
Recipe Notes
This is one of those recipes that you cannot really mess up if you have your different parts made correctly.   I prefer to use small individual dishes, but you could also make this in a shallow dish to feed 4 together.  If you need to feed more, use a larger dish and double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients
3 large eggs, separated
3 Tbs sugar
8 oz.  mascarpone cheese
2 Tbs. coffee liqueur or amaretto (optional)
4 Tbs. ml espresso or strong coffee, cold or at room temperature
8 to 10 oz.  lady fingers
cocoa powder
Step by Step
With an electric mixer, beat the egg yokes and sugar until the mixture is thick and pale.  Add the mascarpone and keep whisking.  Mix in the liqueur or amaretto and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt until firm.  You want your egg whites to get stiff.  Using a spatula, gently fold them into the mascarpone mixture.  Place the cold coffee in a shallow bowl.  Dip the biscuits in the coffee then place them in the serving dish in a single layer.  Pour the mascarpone mixture on top of the layer of biscuits.  Place another layer of coffee-soaked biscuits on top and repeat the process until all biscuits have been used.  End with a layer of the mascarpone mixture on top.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight.  Before serving, dust the tiramisu with cocoa powder or freshly grated chocolate.

Travel & Cook: Cooking in Tuscany

 I spent a month in Italy this summer and now it's time to share.  I will be posting my favorite  cooking experiences that will rock your world (and recipes, too).

Close your eyes. Um, I mean finish reading this post and then close your eyes. I would like you to take a small break from your day... you deserve it... and let's talk about where you need to find yourself next summer.

Go ahead and pour yourself a nice glass of chianti and then let's chat. Feel free to have a couple of glasses because at the end of this post, we are booking a trip to Italy.

Are you ready?

Imagine yourself walking along the Arno river in Florence.  You walk yourself to an-easy-to-find corner and you find a charming older gentleman named Aldo who is waiting for you.

You hop in his van with possibly a few other delightful vacationers and you head to the hills of Tuscany.

You arrive at a beautiful villa and get dropped off right in front of your kitchen for the day.

You meet a wonderful Italian chef who gives you an apron, offers you espresso and a cookie and lets you get settled in.

You get introduced to the menu of the day, which is sure to be chock full of Italian favorites and seasonal delights.

Next, you jump in and start cooking, while listening to Andre Bocelli.

Along with the chef and other classmates, you spend several hours learning about different methods of Italian cooking and having a completely hands on experience.

There are nibbles along the way and and glass or two of vino to keep you going.

Just a few hours later, you sit down with your new best friends and eat a 5 course meal complete with lovely wines that came from just outside in the villa's vineyard.

You might be eating vegetable risotto with a homemade vegetable stock and shaved parmesan...

or a baked pork with grapes and rosemary...

perhaps fresh sheets of tagliatelle pasta with a porcini mushroom sauce...

and if you're lucky... real lucky... you might make individual servings of tiramisu that will knock your socks off.

So who's ready to book that trip?

Okay, so I know that 's a big commitment and maybe you need to think it over or at least find a few lucky friends, family members or strangers to join you.  But when you are ready, I want you to have all the information at your fingertips. 

This cooking school is called Cooking in Tuscany.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of what they can actually offer you.  They have week long cooking schools, market tours, wine tours, night classes, day classes and so much more.  They also rent villas near the school, and throughout the Tuscan hills outside of Florence.  If you need more info, email me... or you could cut me out altogether and check out the website... but I sure love a good email... and I have a lot more to say.

Don't worry... if you don't see Italy in your immediate future, I am bringing it to you.  I can't just leave you hanging with all the pics, can I?  I know it's hard to believe since it has been so darn long, but this is a cooking blog and I will be sharing these recipes starting now. Well, not now... maybe tomorrow?  Does that work for you?

Seen you soon... ciao.

hi there.

Well, I'm back.

Sort of.... kind of.  I mean, yes, I'm here, but my mind is somewhere in the past debating over the day's fare: pizza or 4 cheese gnocchi.

The last month was nothing short of incredible.  That's actually the problem. It was so incredible I don't even know where to begin.  When we took off for Italy I knew great food and fun cooking were in my future, but every moment was so unforgettable, it's hard to consolidate my thoughts on the whole trip.

Although far from exhaustive, the following is a glimpse of what my trip consisted of (and a little explanation of what I've been doing in case you are new here)....

Where have you been and why did you take off to Europe for a month?
Mr. Hungry is in law school.  He will graduate this December, so in honor of his last summer before the real world, he wisely chose to study in Florence for a month.  I mean, why not?  Classes about international sports law in the morning and la dolce vida by 1:30 pm?  Yes, please.

 Of course I wasn't about to be left behind for even one second so I tagged along.  While he went to class each day, I went to different cooking schools so that I could come back and share new recipes, but also hopefully find some gems that I could point you to in case you find yourself in Italy.  And let me assure you, I have found a few experiences that are a must if you ever find yourself there.  And here's the good news... even if you are with people who don't like to cook, you should assure them they will want to join because every experience promises a lovely meal with lots of wine at the end.

The cooking schools and recipes will be coming first, but I was also able to pick up a few new dishes from restaurants that we fell in love with. 

Here we go...

There was much fresh pasta and gnocchi making.   

Coming soon:  The secret ingredient I learned that will make your pasta sheets stick together without water.

There were markets with only the freshest ingredients everyday... I couldn't bring these back with me, but it did inspire me to always cook with what's in season.

Then two dear friends, Katie & Abby, arrived and we headed to the hills of San Gimignano for a day of cooking (and lots of eating).

The three of us took a little side trip to Capri and we somehow winked our way into a kitchen to learn the secrets behind the best lemon linguine on God's green earth.

Coming soon:  The recipe and exactly how to get yourself to this restaurant if you ever find yourself in Capri... it's worth it.

Gelato on the reg... 

There were pizzas that could not have been more simple, yet so good.  I get giddy just thinking about it. 

Coming soon: My attempts to recreate. 

There was a weekend in Barcelona, Spain.  

And let me tell you why this is very important.  We found the best tapas bar in town and I might have sweet talked my way into getting the recipe for the best Sangria...ever.  

Coming soon: Info on how to find this place, but most importantly, a sangria recipe that will knock your socks off. 

Parmesan zucchini toasts and fried zucchini blossoms that I am eager to share.
I am confident these recipes can reform any zucchini hater.  

And I feel like it's time I admit to a little habit/obssession/ love of mine.  Haribo gummies.  Most famous for the original Haribo gummy bears, this is a candy company that makes anything and everything you can possibly imagine in gummy form.  They have way more varieties in Europe so I picked up a new kind almost daily.
This here was the animal kingdom variety that I first spotted on our road trip to Germany.


And then there was Paris...

I took a break from cooking and just focused on eating.  I have been dying to come here as long as I can remember and I had a very short time to fit in all of the things I had dreamed about eating in Paris.

The French Onion soup was the best I have ever had.  So decadent with all that cheese, but somehow light and refreshing at the same time. 

I could barely contain myself every time I saw a crepe stand.
Most of the time I was full, but I had to get one anyway.

And then... in our final hours of this month long trip, I found the most charming macaron store straight out of a fairy tale with every flavor and color you could imagine.

We had just had a three course meal for lunch and I thought I had seen and eaten it all.

But what's a girl to do?  It's Paris.... It's a French macaron.

So naturally, we each picked a flavor...
me, cherry speckled vanilla bean... Mr. Hungry, chocolate,and ended our trip on the sweetest note imaginable.