Photo Recap: Our 20th Anniversary Tour

 

Emily Markel Luebcke, Giulio Picchi, and Graham Markel. Ristorante Cibreo, Florence. June 8th, 2012

Emily and Graham were 12 and 9 when I started. Their sweet natures allowed me to travel back and forth all these years. Emily lived with the Picchi/Vitali family for a semester when she was 15 and Giulio was 13. She now has two children, 4 and 6, and he manages Cibreo as heir apparent. Graham has been under the wing of many chefs since then and happens to be a fine cook with a passion for wine making and traveling the world like his mother.

I founded La Cucina al Focolare in 1992 in Reggello, on the grounds of The Fattoria Degli Usignoli. We focus on traditional Tuscan fare, prepared with three wood-fired ovens. Florentine antiques, Fratellini tables and stone floors give an authentic feel.

Becoming Mothers

"Well here's to you.. Mrs. Robin..son. Jesus love you more than you will know.. "

Where does the instinct to mother come from? A mother robin builds a fine nest in a bird feeder, quite smartly with windows on three sides and a safe opening. She will sit there most of the time waiting for her little blue eggs to hatch, unless she needs to fly away to feed herself occasionally or perhaps sip water from the stream. I'm curious about natural inclination.

As I watch my 6 year old granddaughter grow, I am struck by her female core of emotion. When her 4 year old younger brother is sad or crying, she sings sweet songs to him. She has just enough of a melancholic strain that she seems genuinely feels the suffering of the world.

Just the other day her mother and father both had the flu. I told her we needed to make them some chicken soup. She ran and got her apron. Makena is not a big eater and certainly not adventurous, but she is curious and likes to do things. I was surprised that she took to chopping vegetables with a cumbersome knife so quickly and willingly. I showed her how to hold the knife steadily, how to bend her non chopping hand a certain way to keep her fingertips back and hold her vegetable firm, so it wouldn't slip around when she was chopping. She first started with a small knife, which made sense, but was not really getting the job done. So, we graduated to a larger more serious one that at least sliced. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one of you don't know what you are doing. She impressed me with her attention and skill. I was not overprotective and enjoyed watching her. She chopped and talked as if she had done it all her sweet life.

As she chopped she said, "Grandma,  I like to focus when I'm making medicine. "

A New Year's Letter for Adventures to Come.

A splash of holiday color along the Lungarno.

As the year comes to a close, like many of you I am full of gratitude. For love, health, safety (after miles of traveling), family and friends and the kindness from all those who keep these programs afloat.

To quote poet David Whyte, "I am twice blessed to have a first love as a work, but also, ultimately, to see it as no work at all, but as a way of being in the world; a way of holding the conversation of life that is enlarging, generous, deeply satisfying and a full reward in and of itself."

What we look for when we travel is to find 'authenticity.' We want to rub up against something unfamiliar so it sparks us out of our daily slumbers. Waking up our senses to notice Piero's hands dancing through the air when he teaches a cooking class in Tuscany, Francesco the busdriver's spontaneous opera in Sicily, the perfection of Fabrizia's elegant Sicilian cassata, Antonio's tack and wind-shift with the sails while octopus slow cooks on the gimbled stove, Bahija's excitement to get her elegant hands in to fluff the hot couscous... these are the gestures that touch us unexpectedly and make our trips meaningful.

Our culinary adventures get you into the kitchen, all sorts of kitchens where few others have been welcomed. It's like crossing a border where connection, kindness and curiosity are the passport for getting in. We learn new recipes, become familiar with new tastes, but the most satisfying part of the journey has come from going a bit beyond the kitchen, beyond our comfort zones to stretch parts of ourselves that we are unacquainted with. Letting down our guard to change our view of others who live differently and learn about ourselves at the same time offers something for the soul as well. The trip therefore, has been not about getting away...but about coming home. The world is not such a foreign place after all, and we seem to fit in it better than we thought. We see ourselves as citizens of the world. More similar than different.

As the refrain of "Auld Lang Zyne" says, should "times gone by" be forgotten?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang zyne?

CHORUS:

For "times gone by," my dear, for "times gone by," we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for "old times gone by"...

Please join me in whatever way you can to make this upcoming 20th anniversary year of 2012 a celebration of "times gone by." Send us your stories, a memory, a photo, a word if it affected your life in some way. Join us on a new trip, or the anniversary trip to re-visit a few of our old haunts and pals.

Happy Holidays and Buon anno nuovo!! Happy New Year!

Love,
Peggy, et al.

Holiday Recipe: "Pick Me Up!" Tiramisu

A few years ago, our friend Moya told us a story about her Tuscan mother-in-law, who used this phrase in a sentence when her husband told a bit of gossip. She said, “Tiramisu le calze!! Well, pick up my stockings!” It’s our favorite elegant dessert and always pleases.

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 (8-oz) container mascarpone cheese (1 scant cup)
• 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
• 2 cups very strong brewed coffee or brewed espresso, cooled to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sweet Vin Santo (more traditionally Tuscan) or Marsala wine
• 18 savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers, 6 oz)
• 1/4 cup fine-quality bittersweet chocolate shavings or 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 8 “balloon” red wine glasses

Beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Beat in mascarpone until just combined.

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, then continue to beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat cream in another bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks. Fold cream into mascarpone mixture gently but thoroughly, then fold in whites.

Stir together coffee and Vin Santo in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 ladyfinger in coffee mixture, soaking it about 2 seconds on each side, break it into with your fingers and transfer to the wine glass. Pipe the marscapone mixture into the glass with an icing pipe bag and layer with another soaked ladyfinger. Top it off with another swirl of marscapone mixture. Fill the glass only half full. Fill your other wine glasses.

Chill tiramisu, covered, at least a couple of hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with cocoa or shave with chocolate.

Recipe: Francisco Lillo's Sweet Potato Fritters

Croquetas de Boniato


(A great alternative to Thanksgiving sweet potato pie!)

> 3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
> 2 tablespoons butter
> 1 teaspoon salt
> 2 eggs
> 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
> 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
> 1/4 cup sugar
> 3 eggs (beaten for egg wash)
> 1 1/2 cups crushed almonds
> oil for frying

Heat safflower oil in a deep frying pan.
In a large bowl thoroughly mix together the sweet potatoes, butter, salt, 2 eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar.
Shape the mixture into croquettes (small rolls).
Roll the croquettes in the egg wash, and then in the crushed almonds.
Fry the croquettes in oil until golden (a couple minutes per side). Be careful not to burn.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
Serve warm.

Happy New Year to All!

Peggy Markel's Culinary Adventures is going into its 19^th year! 

In that time, at least 300 litres of extra virgin olive oil have been produced from the one tree that a circle of us stood around to commemorate our first trip in 1992. That's a huge harvest from one tree over the years... It gives perspective on what we have experienced in the realm of delicious and spirited culinary adventures in Tuscany, Amalfi, Spain, Sicily, and Morocco since then!

Curiosity is what drives our sailboat to a small bay off the coast of Capri, what draws us down alleyways in the Medina of Marrakech, and into the hills of the Allpujarras. We want to know what goes on off the beaten path. We are not looking for the ordinary. We are searching for essence, that intrinsic quality that moves us; something extraordinary that we want to see, get to know or taste! It can be in a person, a place or a particular flavor.   

It's called 'Ordinary magic.'

 Our long-standing relationships in the countries we visit give you confidence that you will find what you are looking for. We'll take care of you each step of the way. We also leave room for discovery, paying attention to what presents itself.

We want to make your trip unforgettable, for all the right reasons.  On these long winter nights, imagine the discoveries that await you in Morocco, Italy, Spain, and India. Let them dance like the sugarplum fairy in your dreams (or at least, panettone or ginger coffeecake!)

With tender gratitude I reflect on each and every one of you that have joined us over the years and I look forward to the new year, your return and meeting new friends with great anticipation.

We wish all of you the happiest new year and we'll keep our eyes open for you in 2011!

Love,

Peggy

p.s. Image at top is the cieling of the Alhambra Palace in Grenada, which we visited during our Fall program to Spain.

Simple Almond cake from Andalucia: Tartes de Almendres de Andalucia

Looking for a simple cake for Thanksgiving or something to please a no-gluten glutton? Here is a recipe from the Spanish trio of Kim Schiffer, Ashley Mulligan in Mallora and myself from the last program in Spain that we did together. Be sure to check it out for next year! www.peggymarkel.com

This almond cake rocks my socks~ it's easy and delicious..that is if you have almonds on hand or happen to have a place to buy almond flour. Bob's Red Mill has a nice one~ but not cheap~ 13.99 for 1 lb bag. But almonds are not cheap either and take a while to blanch, skin and grind. Depends on the day, right? Cheaper than champagne.




Tartes de Almendres de Andalucia

Butter for the pan
Flour (use almond) for the pan
2 cups of ground blanched almonds
1 cup of sugar (or alternative~ honey, etc.)
9 eggs
1/2 t cinnamon
Zest of one orange or lemon
Use confectioner's sugar for dusting or use jam or orange marmalade.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and dust a 9 in. spring-form pan and shake off excess.
Grind the almonds to a powder (or use pre-ground), set aside.
Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the whites to a stiff peak and set aside.
Beat yolks and sugar together until thick and light in color. A standing mixer is best.
Add cinnamon and zest. Add the almond flour and mix well.
Fold in the beaten egg whites. 
Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on
a rack. Undo the sides and present the cake dusted or topped with marmalade.

Antoniazzi Tuscan Family Recipe: Turkey Stuffed with Sausage, Prunes and Chestnuts

 I just received a beautiful letter from my friend Raffaella Antoniazzi in Florence. It was written in Italian and I have translated it. Oh how I wish I could send it in Italian, as it is written so sweetly.

'La tacchina, deve essere una femmina perche la carne e piu morbida.....'
"il ripieno e di salsiccie di maiale, prugne secche senza nocciolo, e castagne che vengono cotte
sulle brace, pelate e ripassate in una padellina con il burro e l'alloro..'

Italians don't celebrate Thanksgiving of course, but they do eat turkey for Christmas. I would like to  pass this along to you to use if you are looking for something unusually good for your Thanksgiving table this year, or save it for Christmas...that is if you can wait.

Raffaella collects Primitive American quilts and has some of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen.
She has a passion for true American design from her days at Biedermeyer in New York. Looks like she has taken a bit after her grandmother Antoniazzi.


Hello Dear,

I'm sending you the turkey recipe from 'La Nony' Antoniazzi, the mother of my father and aunt Bebi.
She was born in San Pellegrino, near Bergamo in Lombardia and was the daughter of Tommaso Manfredi, the doctor of the village. A handsome man who attended to the sick by horseback from village to village.

La Nony (Erminia, said Mimmina), is also my middle name. she was the second of three children between Tommasina and Pino. She was a fantastic cook, but not only. She painted, wrote (the story of her life!) and had other brilliant ideas that were too forward for her time. She was an Aquarius. I adored her.

Here is the recipe. She must be a female turkey because the meat will be more tender e 'non troppo grande' for 8-10 people.

(Italian recipes are often written out in sentence or paragraph form as is this one.)

Clean the cavity of the turkey well, then sprinkle good 'sale marino' (sea salt) inside and out, but don't exaggerate.

The stuffing is pork sausage, pitted dried prunes, and chestnuts that have been cooked on an open fire, peeled and mashed in a pan with butter and bay leaf.

You stuff the turkey with this delicious mixture and set it in a pan with high sides. The base of the pan should have generous olive oil and butter, (don't exaggerate) as the pork has fat as well. We want it
to be tasty but not too heavy. Put in a few bay leaves and whole black peppercorns also.

The oven should be hot at the beginning to brown the meat for the first 20 minutes. (400F?) It's important to use a baster to marinate the meat from above. Then turn the oven down to let it cook more slowly until done. (350F?) During the cooking, bathe with a heated broth that you have prepared before.

Take out of the oven, let rest, then carve! Bon appetito~

Being Like Bob.

I was not surprised when Ms. Kinney told me she wanted to bring her husband of 30 years along on her trip to Morocco.

It was, however, a surprise that he was 93 and able to travel well. My father would have not wanted to go anywhere at 90; he was quite content to stay at home.

Bob Kinney, on the other hand, was ready to go. Each morning in Morocco Bob showed up for breakfast bright eyed. I would ask him, "How are you?" and he would say, "I'm fine! Just happy to be alive! You know, I never expected to live this long."

I asked him, do you have a motto? He replied with certainty, "Do it now." That's different than "Just Do It," I thought. "Do It Now" means that we have no time to waste on not doing, on complaining or sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves. He seemed to understand the "go with the flow" mentality that my guests must slip into, once they realize that I am absolutely in charge not only of our itinerary, but also of their relaxing.

Bob was born in Maine and still speaks of it fondly. He wasn't drafted into the war, as he was better suited to run a certain food company called "General Mills." He would have liked to go straight into officer's training, but stayed home instead to his company like a tight ship. "You must put the responsibility of the product into the hands of the workers. This way, you will always have them listening and working on your behalf, because they feel invested in the success of the company." Bob was in charge of 120,000 employees.

It was with that same spirit and dedication that he accompanied his wife Margee, equally adventurous and enthusiastic about everything, on this fall's program to Morocco. Bob's other motto was, "Say YES to everything." Even riding up to 6,000 ft, to the Kasbah du Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains, on the back of a mule. I was more reluctant at first, having had folks 10 years his junior not comfortable with such a thing. Bob is not a jock, but he has a lot of joie di vivre.

He stayed well the whole trip and delighted us all. On our final night, he was even up dancing alongside the belly dancers. I asked, "Okay Bob, which was more exciting: the mule ride up and down the steep slopes or belly dancing with those lovely women?" He looked at me shyly and said, "The belly dancers for sure!"

I'm printing tee shirts that say, "Be like Bob." Happy to be alive. We should all take that as our motto for living a long life.

Giving thanks for all that we encounter and for the incredibly inspiring people I get to meet on my trips.

Here's a toast: Crumbs on tongues! Sips on lips! Wild Adventures at home and on trips!

With love and wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving,

Peggy

Bahija Lafredi's sensibility for the extraordinary in food, never ceases to amaze me. It comes easy to her.  Unpretentious in her kitchen whites or traditional tunics, she is like a neutral book cover to a colorful, classic novel. Full of surprises, her imagination takes something as simple as a sponge cake and dresses it to the nines with a flip of the wrists.

This basic pineapple upside-down cake came out of the oven beautifully caramelized and mouthwatering. It would have pleased a Queen. Then Bahija said, 'but if you like, you can turn half of it over'. The underside was studded with dates and almonds. Quite a contrast to the yellow caramelized pineapple. She studied it for a minute, then got an idea to quarter it. What started out as a festive cake, now became more so~ A work of art and a feast for the eyes.

Cooking is not always about following a recipe. It's about learning to follow someones way of seeing.

BAHIJA’S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN AND TURNED-AROUND DATE CAKE

9 eggs

200 grams flour (1 cup)

200 grams of butter

100 grams of sugar (1/2 cup)

6-8 apples ( pears optional)

1 pineapple

1 cup of sliced, pitted and chopped dates

1 cup of slivered almonds

2 T orange or strawberry marmalade 

2 T baking powder

a pinch of salt

caramel sauce:

100 grams sugar

Melt the sugar on a low flame until it turns a clear light brown. Pour the sauce to coat the bottom of a ring mold, or springform pan. (Caution! Sauce is very hot!)

  

Slice the fruit and put around the pan. Pineapple first, then the apples.

Batter:

Beat the eggs with the butter, salt and sugar.

Mix baking powder with the flour, then add to wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour the batter over the fruit. Decorate the top with the chopped dates and almonds.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Invert the cake carefully!

      

If you want to make the presentation more interesting, cut the cake in quarters and turn only half of it over. You will have pineapple upside down cake on one side, and dates and almonds on the other.