Flavors in Love

Everything about Capri is sensuality magnified….from its clear, turquoise waters to its winding streets filled with bougainvillea…to the warmth of the Caprese people…to the fresh, simple tastes of the Italian cuisine..What an enchanting island and the perfect ending to a sublime trip.

We have been to the Amalfi coast before, but staying overnight in Capri is an entirely new experience. I can now understand the magic of this little island.

We stayed at the charming Scalinatella Hotel, which has the same owners as the larger
Quisisana, but a much more boutique-y feel. We immediately ran into someone from New York as soon as we checked in and he advised us to have lunch by the pool…a flawless meal and probably the best lunch on the Island. We had a spaghetti alle vongole, and even though we’ve had this dish a million times in the U.S., it just doesn’t compare to having it in its native land. I will re-create the dish soon and share it with you. They were kind enough to give me the recipe.

Our room was delightful, with a great view of the sea. How do I even find the words to explain the radiance of the sun setting over the island while the birds are singing and the moon is rising in the background. It is a lovers paradise. There’s nothing about it that’s not perfection.

Lo Scoglio was our favorite restaurant on the coast. The best way to go is by boat and you can even jump in for a quick swim on the way…

We got to meet the family that owns this charming restaurant. Antonia is the daughter and she is so proud of their new and improved kitchen..she and her father showed us around and she translated for him. There is a family farm that provides them with all of their produce and meat…and of course their fish comes from local waters and absolutely everything is homemade. It is such a traditional family-run restaurant…after lunch we saw “nonna” (grandma) in the back scrutinizing the bills..

They served us a simple arugula salad…with tomatoes that were sugary sweet…and it was drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil from their own olive trees.

Then M. had the larger tomatoes, sliced and served with the freshest mozzarella and basil.

After the tomatoes we had a cooked vegetable dish comprised of six different vegetables from their farm…which was an entire meal in itself…but of course we had to leave room for pasta.  I had the special house pasta with zucchini and M. had spaghetti with seafood….while we listened to the sweet sounds of children splashing in the crystal waters below us.

For dinner we went to the celeb hangout Villa Verde and had brick oven pizza…

Three days in Capri was just too short….and we loved it so much that we already booked our vacation for next year.

Here’s a question…when you have a euphoric travel experience and dream about it for many years, then return to experience it again, does it ever exceed your expectations? I have only been to Barcelona once and ever since I have been dreaming about going back to this dynamic city by the sea. It’s been nine years and the Spanish food culture has gone through a revolution. It is the go-to place for every Chef and foodie looking for new adventures. My good friend, Gerry Dawes, is an expert on Spanish food, wine, and culture, and he helped me design my trip. I had so many new places to check out, and some of the old favorites to visit again.

My partner M. drove like a crazy-mad-hungry-foodie from Provence to Barcelona to make our 3 o’clock lunch reservation at Can Majo...although we did make a stop along the way and I must say the rest stops in Europe, and especially in France, are a revelation compared to our side-of-the-road fast food joints! Our mouths were watering for paella during the whole drive. It was exactly as we remembered. The food is simple but the fresh ingredients turn it into magic, and certainly the atmosphere helps, sitting right on Barcelona’s busiest beach watching the bathing suits go by.

We had grilled langoustines and fried calamari and a very chilled bottle of Spanish white. Happiness. Then we followed this with a seafood paella that was sublime.

We were so full that we decided not to eat dinner that night... .We went to see a movie instead, and then stopped by the Hotel Arts for a drink and a stroll around the Casino.

The next day, we hit the streets and stopped by the Boqueria market.

Monday was not the best day to be at the Boqueria because about half of it was closed…so, we looked around a bit and returned the next day when everything was in full swing. Just take a look at these photos and you can see why I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Dinner that night was at Restaurant Moo in the Hotel Omm, with Chef Felip Llufriu at the helm.

The first course was Chef Llufriu’s signature dish, which he learned directly from Spanish Chef extraordinaire, Ferran Adria. It was called The Golden Egg… the buttery soft egg yolk encased by a crackling sweet lacquered shell, which is really caramel, dusted in gold leaf…surrounded by crispy salty corn. The mouth-feel was astonishing.

Chef Llufriu really is a genius….the way he mixes the different tastes and textures…salty, crunchy, sweet, smooth, all in one bite. He utilizes all of the indigenous ingredients of his country and it was such an innovative meal…

This was Michelin star dining. Expensive but worth every penny. The atmosphere was chic, the service was impeccable.

The proprietor of Can Majo recommended that we try Bar Mut the following night, a bustling tapas bar with an impressive wine list, and then head to Muttis, the exclusive private club upstairs. We were not disappointed! In my limited tapas bar experience this was truly the highlight. I could eat like this every day! The pictures will tell it all…

Adios Barcelona…on to Capri…..I hope you all join me on the final leg of my journey.

For help planning your Spanish vacation, please visit GerryDawesSpain.com!

Three countries. Twelve Days. 36 Meals. One delicious European adventure! My partner and I just returned from the most divine vacation! We visited St. Tropez, Provence, Barcelona, and ended in Capri. Over the next few posts I’ll share my trip with you..starting with our arrival in St. Tropez;

When author Peter Mayle speaks about Provence, people listen. Peter calls L’Auberge de la Mole one of his favorite restaurants. That’s pretty high praise!

I had been there before two years ago and loved it. I couldn’t wait to try it again. I remembered the vast amounts of food and the charming ambience….

 L’Auberge is located in a little town that has one stop light, about 20 minutes away from St. Tropez. It’s a family run restaurant..unpretentious and absolutely delicious.

Me in the kitchen

We ate in the garden…and sitting a few tables away I was delighted to find Joan Collins and her friends.

 

You must pace yourself here. They begin by bringing out several terrines, pates, rillettes & foie gras, with grilled bread and a large jar of cornichons…all homemade, of course.  

We then ordered frogs legs….steak with truffle butter and potato (phenomenal)…and duck breast (which was a little tough).

 But there’s more… a huge platter of cheeses and then dessert… chocolate mousse, prunes in syrup, pears cooked in red wine.

 What a way to start a vacation! And reasonably priced as well. It was a beautiful night.

 

The beach clubs in St. Tropez are where it’s happening during the day. You must make reservations. We normally go to Club 55 but I wanted to try something new so we went to La Voile Rouge instead. I loved it! Simple salads to start…grilled dorade, and a bottle of Domaines Ott. The DJ was terrific, as was the crowd and the fashion show.

Dorade at La Voile Rouge

Our foodie friends told us about Chez Camille for the best bouillabaisse. When you walk in, you see your pot of bouillabaisse bubbling away on the outdoor stoves. It’s a casual Restaurant, located right on Pampelonne Bay. They bring out the rouille, that spicy garlic aioli, and plenty of toast…then the soup, and the seafood on the side which you add to the soup yourself. It’s difficult to be in the south of France and not eat bouillabaise and this one was excellent. The experience of Chez Camille was authentic and I always love that.

 

To really experience St. Tropez night life, you must go to the clubs. We met friends and went to La Romana. This Bar/Restaurant is a scene. We definitely had a lot of fun, and the sexy fashion show was great, but the food was not good and overpriced. We then went dancing at Les Caves du Roy of course until wee hours in the morning….

Bellini at La Romana

 

After three days in St. Tropez, we headed to the heart of Provence.

We stopped in St. Remy on the way to Gordes where our hotel, La Bastide de Gordes, was located. Saint Remy was terribly hot so walking around this charming town was limited a bit. Everything closes down at one, and understandably so…the heat is very prohibitive. We lunched at Le Bistrot des Alpilles. This turned out to be one of my favorites.  

We cooled ourselves down with ice cold Belgian beers that hit the spot. We started the meal with a simple heirloom tomato salad…summer perfection..

 Then we split the langoustine cooked in pastis and the fennel and potato puree which was creamy and irresistible. I went into the kitchen and asked the chef for the recipe. He was happy to give it to me. I’ll be trying it soon and of course I’ll share it with you.

Langoustine with fennel-potato puree

Me and Soussi Samir, Chef at Le Bistrot des Alpilles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way to Gordes, which is one of Provence’s most beautiful hilltop medieval towns, we passed The Lavender Museum. I made “M” turn the car around. Can you believe there’s a Lavender Museum?! Provence is known for its special lavender and the museum actually taught us the history of how it is harvested and then made into lavender oil. Of course there is a store to buy products. I have always wanted to be running through fields of lavender, so I asked “M” to photograph me.  I hope there’s lavender in heaven.

 Our hotel was overlooking a medieval village in Gordes. The view from our room and the restaurant was very special….miles of fields and it stays light until 10PM so it’s magical watching the sunset. We each got a massage at the Hotel Spa, with lavender oil, of course.

That night we ate at the modern Le Bistro d’Eygalieres…a 2 star Michelin restaurant. We had a fantastic meal in the garden. Although it was roasting during the day, there was a cool breeze at night.

The chef, Wout Bru, is quite young. He and his wife, Suzy, built a small hotel, Maisonbru, and this restaurant about a year ago.

We had cannelloni of lobster and pan fried langoustines with tomato tartar and wakame. Wow!

Then I ordered baby lamb chops and ”M” had the red mullet a la plancha. This was true fine dining in France and a meal to remember.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following day, we visited a market in Apt. I adore the outdoor markets in Provence…The variety of local, artisanal products is mind blowingly wonderful and I am happy just wandering from one booth to the next. My dream is to stay in Provence long enough to cook…maybe one day it will happen.

 

The next day we got up early and drove to Barcelona. Stay tuned to the next blog post to join us on the Spanish leg of our eating frenzy!

As I write this, I am sitting at my desk, slowly savoring a piece of the richest, most decadent dark chocolate bar: John Kelly’s Chocolate with French Grey Sea Salt Fudge….

I am so loving the combination of chocolate and sea salt.  I brought this  home from the Fancy Food Show, (June 27-29th), where I made my way through hundreds of gourmet products.

I look forward to this show every year. It’s my time to visit old friends, try new products and discover the trends. The creativity, the branding, the care that this industry takes to make their products irresistible always excites me.

This year, I noticed that the trend is toward adding healing elements into foods…from Yogi Chips to organic green tea with turmeric, and I’m happy to say there are more organic products than ever before and more companies dedicated to environmental causes.

Some of my favorites are:

Republic of Tea… always  a trendsetter.. has a new Raw Green Tea that is filled with antioxidants and because its made from Rooibos it has no caffeine. They have created the most divine flavors.. I loved the plantain coconut the best.  It’s coming out this month.  Can’t wait.

Rick Bayless  from Frontera Grill has a new line of products…..

I love this guacamole mix  in a pouch…you just add the avocados. I tried it.. absolutely authentic and delicious.

And so many companies are doing great things with charities.. donating proceeds and trying to help the environment.

Partners Tea has biodegradable silken tea sachets and works with women’s charities.

Equal Exchange chocolate supports farm co-ops in Latin America….

Sweetriot chocolate nibs is creating a sweet movement to fix the world…

And of course, I love this new company because they have my name but they spell it differently. Add this low sugar, low calorie liquid concentrate to your water. We all need to drink more water and this makes it easy, healthy and very flavorful.  You can see why I love this idea.

And there was so much more…..looking forward to next year already…..

Women in the food business have never been so glamorous. Tuesday night was a perfect example of the kind of glamour in my world.  The place to be was at Mia Dona on 58th Street. Donatella Arpaia was celebrating her new cookbook, Donatella Cooks (click on the link below to purchase). She looked stunning in her gold lame one-shoulder dress as she signed her book. I produced a beautiful article on her for Hamptons Cottages & Gardens in 2007. Since she was showing off her food and recipes, I happily  indulged in her sumptuous meatballs, so light and tender.  And I also sampled the delicious crunchy shrimp that were  being passed around. I can’t wait to try out the recipes in her book!  Click on the link to purchase!!

Then I went to my friend Jill Zarin’s book party. Her book, Secrets of a Jewish Mother, written by herself, her sister, and her mom, is sure to be a best seller. All the papparazzi were there, and so were many of the other Housewives of New York. Jill looked sparkly, radiant, and proud. There was  Jewish food- little bagels with smoked salmon creamed cheese, borscht, tzimmes, pigs-in-a-blanket, chocolate chip cookies and milk… How appropriate.. the Jewish Mother theme..love theme parties and this one really worked! You have to buy Jill’s book- click on the link below to order it right now- its filled with great advice; A good man is hard to find, but so is a good woman. Don’t settle for less than you deserve, Don’t wait til you’re dead to give your money away, and my favorite, a lot of love and a little matzoh ball soup never hurt anyone. I honored Jill and her husband Bobby at a charity event I did last November for Maryhaven Center of Hope.  I am so proud of my girl friends!!!

Despite my intense love of food, I would never consider myself a “glutton,”.  However there are 3 days a year when I truly allow myself to behave like one.  Those are the daysof the annual  ”Fancy Food Show” at the Jacob Javitz Center in  New York City. This year it was…June 28, 29^th and 30^th.

Holy mackerel-snapper-chocolate-coffee-cheese…I love the Fancy Food show!

I love the Fancy Food show not only because I get to eat unlimited small tastes of the finest and most delicious variety of foods, all in one building, but also because I love to check out the new trends of the year in food.  What’s hot?  What’s new?  What’s creative? What’s bizarre?  What works, and what missed the mark?

Here is my take:

My Prize for the strangest new product this year….(drum roll please!)

BLACK GARLIC

No additives or preservatives.. it’s aged for a month in a special fermentation process under high heat where it develops its darker color, softer texture and sweeter taste.  It looks bizarre…kind of like tar (that doesn’t sound very appetizing) but I tried it tonight on my roast chicken.  I combined it with olive oil and a Mexican spice mix and rubbed the mixture under the skin of the breast meat.

It had a smoky taste and was aromatic, sweet and delicious.  Apparently black garlic is loaded with twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic; and it contains a compound: S Allycysteine, which is a natural compound proven to be a factor in cancer prevention.  No bad breath either!  Who would have thought?

My Prize for the most Ubiquitous Ingredient of the Year:

CHOCOLATE!!!! (my favorite!)

Chocolate is in everything these days…especially organic chocolate, mixed with sometimes unique, sometimes very bizarre ingredients. There was Red Chili Hot Chocolate, Chili Pepper Chocolate Wafers and Chocolate Strawberry Tea.  The food show hosted chocolates from all over the world and of every origin and for a chocolate lover, it was close to heaven.

One of my favorites was the new Double Dark Chocolate Mate by The Republic of Tea.  South American, organic, roasted Yerba Mate blended with organic dark chocolate.  The tea has distinct chocolate overtones and is very rich and satisfying.

Another chocolate highlight was Anna Shea Chocolates.  These chocolates are so beautiful…works of art even…like jewels to savor. She makes 38 different flavors and all are hand crafted bon bons.

Combining the finest ingredients with the highest quality Swiss Couverture.
www.annasheachocolates.com

My Prize for the New Fad of 2008-2009….

WATER!

Yep!  Water.  But not just any kind of water.  FLAVORED water.  Naturally flavored, sugar free water is a rapidly expanding business these days. Actually, it’s probably one of the more successful businesses in the world at the moment.. Who could have imagined years ago that we would be paying money to drink nature’s most natural and most abundant resource?

The new ones I loved are called Ganic Waters and are enhanced with natural extracts and aromas.  Cranberry, Pearl, Smooth Ginger, Citric Lemongrass and Merry Cherry.. Sugar free. Now that’s the way to stay quenched—all naturally.

My Prize for Biggest Food Word of the Year

BIODYNAMIC

I didn’t even know what this meant until the food show and it was used very often throughout the show.  Biodynamic means “Beyond Organic.”  Wow…who thinks of these things?

For example a Biodynamic Tea would be grown and processed according to the highest sustainable agricultural and environmental canons, exceeding the standards of the U.S. National Organic Program.  Organic on steriods is another way to put it.

Check out Zhena’s Biodynamic Gypsy Tea

www.GypsyTea.com

Other highlights and fads include antioxidants, acai berry, salt, pestos and olives.

Just like chocolate, antioxidants are in everything this year.  And so is Acai Berry.  The Republic of Tea has a whole new line of superberry antioxidant teas for Women’s Health. Flavors are: Wholeberry, pomberry, cocoaberry, acaiberry and cherryberry.

Salt is also huge this year.. a continuing trend of the last few years.

Check out this photo of.. HimalaSalt.. the purest salt on earth.

I loved this display.

www.HimalaSalt.com

The company LeGrand also was a highlight for me. Check them out here at www.maisonlegrand.com.  Their pestos are so fresh and they are a leader in the production of cold-processed sauces all packaged in a plastic pouch.  My favorites were the 4 nuts and cheese pesto, the lemon confit, the pumpkin seed aromatic sauce and the spicy olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade… many different tastes and textures and all so fresh tasting.. especially for a packaged food product.

I would love to have them in my fridge to serve with fish or simply to use for an easy spread for company.

And then of course, let’s not forget the olives.

I adore olives and I have never seen so many kinds in one place.  Although there are so many olive importers, I loved FoodMatch Inc.  They specialize in olives and antipasti from the Mediterranean. www.foodmatch.com

“Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit as great importance as the olive”

-Pliny (AD 12-79).  Still holds true today.  The olive is still considered one of natures most perfect creations and there is nothing quite as satisfying to the soul and senses as a welcoming bowl of olives.

To be honest, there was so much incredible food at this show that I could write forever on it.  However, after a hearty stomach ache…I would go back again tomorrow and do it all over again.. but alas, I have to wait for an entire year to pass before the Fancy Food Show comes back to NYC.

Hello fello food enthusiasts. 

So…, I love cooking on Sunday nights.  It’s kind of a ritual that I have actually. I’ve noticed that many people are eating in more frequently these days to save money, and even though the economic state of the world is WAY less than ideal to say the least…it’s at least nice to know that families are getting back to the basics of home cooking, togetherness and nourishing times together.  And then there’s the simple truth that cooking at home can be healthier than eating out.  You use less fats and oils and if you choose to, you can cook with organic ingredients as well. 

 Whether I am cooking for somebody else, or just for myself, Sunday evening is usually a regular recipe testing, food experimenting evening for me…AND, I try to make WAY too much food so that I have leftovers for the rest of the week as well.  This past Sunday I happened to be cooking for some special friends of mine, and thought I would take a risk and try to perfect my Cioppino recipe with a gorgeous and tasty winter salad.  For those who don’t know “Cioppino” is a seafood stew derived from Italian origins.

 

It was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. It was made with the catch of the day and any leftovers. On Sunday,  I used a variety of seafood… scallops, shrimp, calamari, red snapper and mussels.   This is a perfect Sunday meal… as you can make the base ahead and then add the seafood at the last moment. You can also make it as spicy as you’d like, and I add red chili flakes.  I like spicy food so my Ciopinno was on the hotter side…very delicious in my opinion.  This rich stew/soup tastes tangy and spicy and you could actually choose to serve it over pasta if you’d like. 

Since it’s a one dish meal.. I simply served it with a salad, and last night.. I used soft sweet butter lettuce and spicy arugula and added sliced red onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes, walnuts, steamed haricots verts and gorgonzola dolce.My guests were very happy with the meal.   

 

Here is the my Cioppino Recipe:  

 

Ciopppino 

Serve 6 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 small carrots, peeled and diced

5 stalks celery, diced

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices

2 tablespoons. tomato paste

1 cup white wine

2 8 oz bottles clam juice

1 t dried oregano, crushed

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

!/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley 

½ pound mussels, cleaned and de bearded

½ pound large sea scallops cut in half

½ pound rock shrimp

½ pound regular shrimp peeled

½ pound squid. body( cut into rings) and tentacles

¾ pound red snapper or other white fish..cut into large chunks 

Toasted bread for dunking 

In a large casserole ( I love Le Creuset), heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil until hot and then

add onions, carrots and celery and  sauté for 5-6 minutes.. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, white wine and clam juice, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes.. salt and pepper to taste.

Let simmer on top of the stove for about 20 minutes.

 

Add in all the seafood, cover and let seafood cook until just tender about 5-7 minutes. 

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with olive oil croutons to dip into the broth.  

Serve immediately.

 

 

For my list of last weeks happenings: please check out my “Happenings” page