Edible flowers are both beautiful and functional. So many flowers are edible, from nasturtiums, pansies, and violets, to perennial herbs like rosemary, sage and chive. The effort you make to plant and cultivate them will reward you both in the garden and on the plate.
The burst of color from edible flowers to garnish a dish is common, especially in the Italian alpine regions of Friuli and Alto Adige. The pop of color you get from violets or nasturtiums sprinkled in a salad or served on a cheese board is a joyful alpine expression! A little further south, acacia and elder flowers are a springtime treat in the regions of Veneto and Lombardia. The acacia (aka black locust) trees are in bloom now in Italy and the US and line the roadways with their full white boughs. And everyone who has been to Italy knows that fried zucchini flowers are a summer staple. Plant zucchini now for flowers all summer long.
We have really been enjoying the chive flowers this spring, sprinkled on soup or in salads. The slight oniony bite gives an unexpected lift to so many dishes. Plant chives now and you will have flowers next spring. Rosemary flowers are delicious sprinkled on sautéed mushrooms that top a grilled steak. Sage flowers are wonderful fried and served as aperitivo with a cold glass of prosecco or white wine.
sage flowers in springflowering rosemarythyme blossoms
The blossoms of herbs carry the perfume and flavor of the herb, but with more subtlety. Sprinkle the flowers on anything you would normally flavor the dish with, just before serving. Be sure to only eat flowers that have not been treated with chemicals though. Buon Appetito!
Super Tuscan wines are an unofficial category of high-quality, pricey wines that began to emerge in the 1970’s. A term invented to describe Tuscan wines that previously could only be classified as vino da tavola, or table wine, they were considered innovative and fresh. These wines first emerged around Bolgheri, on the western coast of Tuscany. Instead of indigenous Tuscan varietals, international grapes, such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, were used. In addition, they were aged in smaller French barrels, or barriques. This gave them aging potential, but also made them more expensive.
Today, almost every producer in Tuscany makes a wine that can be classified as a super Tuscan. Many producers still use the classic international varietals, but just as many are making excellent wines with traditional, indigenous grapes. America is the key market for these wines, both because of industry marketing efforts as well as flavor profile.
On February 25th and March 31st, At the Italian Table will host a dinner showcasing three Super Tuscan wines, two from the Chianti Classico region and one from Bolgheri. It’s an excellent opportunity to try a new wine classification or get to know this important wine better!
Tuscan pecorino flan w/ roasted pear & shallot served with
Il Fauno Super Tuscan 2015
Raviolo al uovo – porcini raviolo w/ egg yolk in truffle butter served with
Poggio al Tesoro Bogheri Il Seggio 2015
Peposo – beef braised in sangiovese & black pepper served with
Arcanum 2006
Torta della Nonna – Tuscan cream cake w/ pine nuts served with
Moscadello di Montalcino dessert wine
$95 per person
Go to Open Table to make a reservation or give us a call! 502-883-0211
The 2019 extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany is finally hitting the markets! Most Costco’s have it so check it out! Look for the 1 liter green glass bottle marked “Kirkland Toscano 2019” on the label.
The growing area is the southern coast of Tuscany. Always remember when buying extra virgin olive oil from Italy: the bottle should have an official DOP or IGP seal on it, which comes from the local consortium. The grower, presser and bottler are all subject to and follow strict guidelines before they receive the DOP or IGP labels to put on the bottles. The year of harvest should also be printed on the label, most recent being most desired. It’s your guarantee of quality and authenticity!
Gelato and ice cream are perfect on hot summer evenings! Summer fruits are in season and at their most delicious and adding cream enhances their flavor. I’ve been making a lot of gelato this summer using the freshest peaches and the ripest berries, or one of the rich nut pastes I’ve brought from Italy.
“What’s the difference between gelato and ice cream?” That question is common and I’ve read lots of answers both on food websites as well as in print media. The standard answer is that gelato uses less whole cream and more whole milk, and less milk fat gives gelato the silky smooth texture. But the fact is, it isn’t the lower milk fat that makes it creamy, it’s the higher sugar content. Increased sugars keep the water molecules from freezing solid, so gelato stays creamy and easy to serve, no matter how long it’s been in the freezer. Try freezing whole milk and see how solid a block of ice it becomes!
But simply adding more sucrose, or table sugar, makes the ice cream too sweet to eat. So another kind of sugar is needed – a dextrose or inverted sugar syrup, which is less sweet than fructose or sucrose. The sugar content becomes higher, making a mixture that won’t freeze solid, but also won’t be too sweet to enjoy. Corn syrup is the easiest to use, but you can make a simple syrup with equal parts water and sugar, boiled for 1 minute and cooled.
I’ve had the best luck with fruit gelato, since the high level of fructose in the fruit is added to the sucrose and dextrose to keep the final product scoop-able. Although I eye-ball my measurements, of course, I’ve included a recipe for you to try.
You can make gelato with almost anything seasonal. Peaches, apricots, plums and berries are abundant now and become extra luxuriant when mixed with cream. Try avocado, which is delicious on chilled gazpacho. Rich Italian nut pastes can be ordered on line. I recommend both hazelnut from Piedmont as well as pistachio from Sicily. Have fun and buon appetito!
When in Italy
Gelaterias are everywhere in Italy and extremely popular, but not all gelato is created equal. When you’re in Tuscany be sure to drop by and visit our friend Sergio Dondoli at his award winning gelateria in San Gimignano.
Peach Gelato
2 cups ripe peaches, pureed with 1 teas lemon juice
1 cup sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
Mix all together and stir to dissolve sugar. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar or corn syrup. Chill well, place in ice cream maker and let it run until thick and frosty. Put the gelato in a plastic tub or bread pan, place in freezer until well set.
Edible flowers are both beautiful and functional. So many flowers are edible, from nasturtiums, pansies, and violets, to perennial herbs like rosemary, sage and chive. The effort you make to plant and cultivate them will reward you both in the garden and on the plate.
