Looking forward to fall? One of the nice things about early fall is that the weather is still warm but not too hot and there are plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from at the markets. This dinner menu I planned for you takes advantage of the season’s delicious offerings, like mushrooms, squash, spinach. pears and pork. This dinner serves four but can easily be doubled for a company dinner.
Pork Tenderloin in Mushroom Wine Sauce
Pork
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup porcini dried mushrooms
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Wine Sauce
- 1 cup dry red wine
- Porcini broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
Combine the porcini and boiling water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet. Add the chopped onion and saute until the onion is soft.
Add the garlic and fresh mushrooms and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
Strain the porcini in a fine mesh colander and reserve the drained mushroom water. Add the porcini to the skillet with the fresh mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oregano and thyme. Set aside.
Butterfly the pork, by cutting the pork down the center, without completely cutting through, so when the two halves are opened they resemble a butterfly.
Use a meat mallet to flatten the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread the mushroom filling down the center of the pork and bring the 2 sides up. Use butcher string to tie around the roll at 1 inch intervals.
Season the stuffed pork with salt and pepper and in the same ovenproof skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Sear the pork on all sides and place the skillet in the preheated oven.
Roast uncovered for about 20 minutes or until done to your preference.
Remove the skillet from the oven and place the pork on a platter.
Place the skillet back on the stovetop. Add the red wine and the strained porcini water and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce until it is reduced by half.
Remove the pan from the from the heat and stir in the butter.
Cut the strings off the pork and slice into thin rounds. Arrange the pork on a serving platter and pour the wine sauce over the slices.
Italian Style Spaghetti Squash
Cook the squash a few hours earlier, so it will be cool enough to handle.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce the squash in several places with a sharp knife. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place the squash on top.
Bake for one hour or until the squash is soft and easy to cut with a knife. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle it.
Cut in half lengthwise and allow to cool some more. Remove the seeds and discard. Scoop out the flesh from the squash and place in a bowl.
Run a fork through the flesh to separate the spaghetti like strands.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and breadcrumbs.
When the breadcrumbs begin to sizzle and turn crisp, stir in the squash strands and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss all together over medium heat until the squash is infused with the breadcrumbs, garlic and oil and heated through, about 5 minutes.
Remove to a warm serving dish, top with freshly grated Parmesan and serve.
Sautéed Spinach and Garlic
Ingredients
- Two 10 oz packages of fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet. Add the spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Pear Turnovers
4 turnovers
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of frozen prepared puff pastry, thawed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups chopped peeled pears (about 3 medium pears)
- 1 egg beaten
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine the honey, cornstarch, ginger and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped pears.
Roll the pastry into a 12 inch square on a floured board. Cut the pastry sheet into four equal squares.
Spoon 1/3 cup of the pear mixture into the center of each square and brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold diagonally in half and press the edges with a fork to seal.
With a wide spatula, place the turnovers on a parchment covered baking pan. Brush the turnovers with beaten egg.
Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the turnovers are puffy and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
As immigrants from the different regions of Italy settled throughout the United States, many brought with them a distinct regional Italian culinary tradition. Many of these foods and recipes developed into new favorites for the local communities and later for Americans nationwide.
California
Italians were some of the first European explorers and settlers of California. Italians first came to the state in large numbers with the Gold Rush. While most found little gold, they did find success in farming, fishing, commerce and making wine. Though we often associate Italians in California with San Francisco, the initial Italian settlers established themselves in such diverse communities as Monterey, Stockton and San Diego. Italian fishermen established themselves in fishing villages along the coast.
Across the state, the Italians also settled the farmlands and played a prominent role in developing today’s fruit, vegetable and dairy industries. By the 1880’s, Italians dominated the industry in the great Central Valley of California. Italian immigrants also left their mark on the California food processing industry. Marco Fontana arrived in the United States in 1859 and along with another Ligurian, Antonio Cerruti, established a chain of canneries under the “Del Monte” label. Most of their workers were Italian and their cannery soon became the largest in the world.
Another enterprising Italian was Domenico Ghirardelli, who traveled through the gold mines in the 1850’s, selling chocolates and hard candies. He settled in San Francisco after the Goldrush and founded the Ghirardelli chocolate empire.
One of the most inspiring of California’s Italians was Amadeo Pietro Giannini who was born in 1870 to immigrant Italian parents from Genoa. He started the first statewide system of branch banks in the nation by opening branches of his Bank of Italy, in the Italian neighborhoods, across the state. He later changed the name of his bank to Bank of America.
Many Italian families have made their living from cattle ranching in the Mother Lode foothills at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. One can still find many Italian family ranches in the region.
The Italians also played an important role in developing the olive oil industry in the foothills. The rolling hills of the Gold Country, which resemble the Mediterranean hills of Liguria, are dotted with the remnants of early Italian olive tree orchards and with newly planted trees similar to those found in Italy.
The California wine industry also owes much to its Italian founders. Italians have been planting vineyards and making wine in America since the early colonial days when Filippo Mazzei planted vineyards with Thomas Jefferson.
Drive down the California vineyard roads and you may think you are in Italy. The Italian winery names that are seen throughout the area stand as a reminder of the contribution of Italian-Americans in the growth of the California wine industry. Some of the most famous names in American wine got their start during the four decades leading up to Prohibition in 1919. Seghesio, Simi, Sebastiani and Foppiano all started in the late 1800s and are still operating today. Giuseppe Magliavacca’s Napa winery was by then a thriving business, Secondo Guasti had established the Italian Vineyard Company and Andrea Sbarbaro had founded Italian Swiss Colony.
Italian-Americans in California kept their vines in the ground and healthy throughout the Prohibition era. When Prohibition ended, they were rewarded but, more importantly, the families that had struggled to maintain their vineyards gave America a jump start in resuming the wine industry. Without the vineyards and the fully equipped wineries, America would have had to rebuild the industry from scratch, an industry that is synonymous with longevity and tradition.
Today, the California wine industry is dotted with Italian names. The Trinchero family name is hidden behind its non-Italian winery name: Sutter Home. Robert Mondavi, Ferrari-Carano, Geyser Peak (owned by the Trione family), Viansa, Cosentino, Atlas Peak (owned by Antinori), Dalla Valle, Delicato, Valley of the Moon, Parducci, Signorello, Sattui, Rochioli, Rafanelli and Mazzocco are all thriving wineries in America.
Recipes From California’s Wineries
Chilled California Garden Gazpacho
Recipe by Vicki Sebastiani from Viansa Winery.
Serve this course with Barbera, a wine flavored with plum, black cherry, wild berry and oak spice.
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 large red onion, peeled and diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 6 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (about 6 cups)
- 1/4 cup Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Dash Tabasco sauce
Garnish:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup minced fresh chives
- 1/2 cup croutons, preferably homemade
Directions
Set aside 1/2 cup each of the chopped cucumber, red onion, red pepper and zucchini. In a blender or food processor combine the rest of the vegetables with the remaining ingredients. Puree slightly, so the vegetables are left a little chunky.
Combine soup with the reserved vegetables, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 2 to 3 hours. To serve, top with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of minced chives and several croutons.
Makes 8 cups.
Risotto Milanese
From the kitchen of Ed Seghesio.
Serve this course with Arneis, which is both the name of the wine and the grape from which it is made. The name means “little rascal” in the Piedmontese dialect, so named because it can be difficult to grow. Arneis has a delicate aroma and flavor of pears, with a hint of almonds. The grape seems to have more acidity in California than in Italy, yielding a crisper wine.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup Seghesio Arneis
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3-1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ounce dried Porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Simmer chicken stock in a separate pan.
Sauté onions in olive oil and butter until onions are clear in a large saucepan. Add the rice to the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the wine and garlic to the mixture and allow the liquid to cook down. Then add 1/2 cup of warm stock and the rehydrated porcini mushrooms with their liquid. Allow the liquid to cook down, stirring constantly.
As the liquid simmers, continue adding 1/2 cup of the warm stock. Repeat this process until the rice is tender, approximately 30 minutes.
With the last 1/2 cup of stock, add the saffron. When the rice is tender, stir in the Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish.
Grilled Chicken with Tapenade
Recipe courtesy of Louis M. Martini Winery.
Serve with Sangiovese, a Chianti-style wine.
Chicken
- 1 chicken, about 3-1/2 pounds
- 1/4 cup tapenade, store-bought or homemade (recipe below)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Remove the chicken’s backbone (or have the butcher do it). Lay the chicken out flat. With your fingers, gently separate the chicken skin from the breast and thighs but do not detach it completely.
Rub oil all over chicken skin. Spread the tapenade evenly over the breast and thighs and underneath the skin. Season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Arrange coals in a ring around the perimeter of the grill and set an aluminum foil drip pan in the center. Grill the chicken over the drip pan for about 20 minutes skin side down, with the grill covered; then turn, cover again and cook until done, about another 10 minutes. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Serves 4.
Tapenade
- 1/2 pound Greek or Italian black olives, pitted
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons brandy
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until nearly but not completely smooth. Tapenade should have a slightly coarse texture.
Hazelnut Biscotti
Recipe courtesy of the Mosby Winery.
Serve with Tocai Friulano, a slightly sweet wine with aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom along with the flavors of citrus and tropical fruit.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts, toasted, and coarsely chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of hazelnut flour (finely ground hazelnuts, measured after grinding)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 2 teaspoons anise seed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease 2 baking sheets.
Combine flour, baking powder, hazelnut flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend the ingredients.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar and beat well.
Stir in the flour mixture, the coarsely chopped hazelnuts, espresso powder, vanilla and anise seed. Cover the dough and chill for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into four pieces and shape each into a 9-inch log. Place the logs on the baking sheets and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove the loaves to a cutting board, cool and cut the pieces crosswise into 3/4” thick slices.
Return the slices, cut side down, to the baking sheets and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until dry and firm. Let the biscotti cool before serving. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.
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As immigrants from the different regions of Italy settled throughout the United States, many brought with them a distinct regional Italian culinary tradition. Many of these foods and recipes developed into new favorites for the local communities and later for Americans nationwide.
Nevada
For almost 150 years Reno, Nevada, has had an Italian American presence. After arriving in American ports on the West and East Coasts, the immigrants sought out areas of the United States where the climate would be similar to the one they had left behind in Europe. They also desired to move to locations where either a plentiful number of jobs were available or where the land was cheap enough so that they could earn a living from farming or ranching. Northwestern Nevada satisfied all these demands. The dry, mountainous terrain is similar to that of many of the provinces in northern Italy where most of the local Italian families emigrated from and the area featured cheap and fertile land.
Initially, Italians streamed into the area to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. After the completion of the railroad in 1869, Italian immigrants continued to move to the area in significant numbers to work at the local ranches and lumber companies. This trend lasted through the first few decades of the twentieth century.
After arriving in Nevada, Reno’s Italian Americans gradually created distinctive ethnic neighborhoods throughout the valley. Three major Italian areas developed in the region: one in central Sparks along Prater Way, one in north Reno along Washington Street and one along the Truckee River just west of downtown. These districts were conveniently located within easy walking to some of the major employers of local Italian Americans—the Union Pacific freight depot in Sparks and the many Italian-owned shops, restaurants and other small businesses located along Lake Street in downtown Reno.
Each of these neighborhoods featured a particular style of architecture. From the 1910s until the 1940s, Italian immigrants constructed Craftsman-style homes in their Reno neighborhood. These houses distinctively feature shallow sloping roofs, upstairs dormer windows and tapered columns. The immigrants built these wide, low-rising dwellings to take full advantage of the small sizes of their neighborhood lots. While this style of home design is not exclusive to the Italian American community, this particular local immigrant group did make almost exclusive use of this style because of its efficient use of lot space, its simple design and construction and the inexpensive nature of the required building materials.
Today, many Craftsman-style homes remain in all three of the major Italian American neighborhoods and, while not carrying the weight of a full historic district, the city provides guidance and information for homeowners interested in restoring their historic properties. The valuable historic character of this collection of homes and streets, so important to the area’s Italian American community, is now being painstakingly preserved by volunteer residents with the official backing of the City of Reno.
The many small business enterprises run by northern Nevada’s Italian Americans functioned as a major means of achieving financial stability and social mobility among its members. Many local Italians, lacking a formal American education, saw the formation of small shops, restaurants and other enterprises as an accessible path to financial and social success for both themselves and their families. Some of Reno’s most popular businesses, past and present, have been owned and operated by local Italian Americans. The Eldorado Hotel and Casino, the Mizpah Hotel, the Sportsman, First National Bank of Nevada and Pioneer Citizens Bank are a few examples of prominent establishments that were started by local Italians. On a smaller scale, Italian American–owned neighborhood shops such as the Dainty Cake Shop and Pinky’s Market were also staffed mostly by Italian Americans who were either related to or were close friends with the owners. In addition to their influence on Reno’s business community, Italian Americans had an impact on local leisure activities through games and gatherings they did for fun and relaxation. Some of these activities included gardening, wine making, and bocce ball tournaments. (Source: http://www.onlinenevada.org)
Ivano Centemeri, executive chef at Eldorado Hotel Casino’s La Strada restaurant in Reno, has been bringing Italian flavors to area eateries since 1995. Born and raised in Monza, Italy, near Milan, Centemeri came to Reno to share his culture through food. He’s happy that people enjoy learning about his background. Centemeri began his cooking endeavors at just 15 years old. After the required amount of schooling, he enrolled in culinary school to make cooking his career path. In addition to indulging in the cooking process at work and at home, Centemeri works with the owners of Arte Italia to further share his culture with others. The Italian arts and culinary center is devoted to the preservation of historical Italian traditions and heritage. A huge part of any culture is the cuisine, which is why, several times a year, the center hosts chefs from around Italy to demonstrate authentic cooking from their respective regions.
Porcini Risotto
(courtesy of Chef Ivano Centemeri)
Porcini mushrooms have a smooth, meaty texture and woodsy flavor. They are a natural enhancement to a smooth Risotto. Chef Centemeri serves this dish topped with pan seared scallops.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups Carnaroli or Arborio, an Italian rice
- 3 cups prepared chicken stock
- 2.5 oz dried Porcini mushrooms
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
Directions
In a saucepan, simmer the Porcini mushrooms in the chicken stock on low for 15 minutes.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion. Sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Add rice and while stirring, add 1/2 cup broth with the Porcini mushrooms.
When liquid in rice mixture has reduced, add an additional 1/2 cup stock with the Porcini mushrooms, always stirring.
As liquid reduces continue to add stock with Porcini mushrooms 1/2 cup at a time, continually stirring until stock and mushrooms are used, about 20 minutes.
Mixture will be creamy and rice slightly al dente. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fold in 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.
Arizona
The Roosevelt Dam, the US’s first project under the Federal Reclamation Act, is the tallest masonry dam in the world and is located on the Salt River in Arizona. “I want to recollect the men who built the dam, who made the road to the Roosevelt Dam from Phoenix.” President Theodore Roosevelt spoke these words during his March 18, 1911 dedication at the new dam named after him. It was indeed a diverse community of men, some with families, the President chose to acknowledge that day. One of the unique traits of the American West was just how quickly immigrants from around the world came together to create a new society. The people who hired on to build the dam reflect this trait.
The Roosevelt Dam was designed as a masonry dam that required each block of stone to be precisely cut and shaped. Stonemasons from around the world were sought out and hired for the demanding job. The dam was faced from boulders cut or blasted from the surrounding sandstone cliffs and then bonded with mortar and concrete. The first stone, weighing six tons, was set September 20, 1906 by stonemasons, many of whom were Italian immigrants.
Between the boulders, laborers placed large stones weighing up to ten tons each, carried by the cable ways at night to free the units for mortar hauling during the day. Each stone was lowered into waiting mortar and fitted into place. Workers filled the gaps with small rocks and the vertical spaces with mortar. Although construction was hampered by floods throughout the building process, the Roosevelt Dam was completed by February 1911. Four years later, the reservoir was full and water was released over the spillways.
The Roosevelt Dam was located in a very remote canyon 40 miles from the railroad at Globe and about 60 miles from Phoenix, inflating the cost of freighting supplies and adding to the difficulty of construction. Construction of a road from Mesa, called the Apache Trail, took three years to build. Houses for workers and a few stores were built on a hillside within walking distance of the dam site. The town and the campsite were provided with water, sewer lines, an ice plant, telephones and electricity. Roosevelt had utilities other towns in Arizona wished for but it also went without something every other boom town had. The government forbade the sale of alcohol.
. Here twenty-six Italian stonemasons pose for the Reclamation Service photographer Walter J. Lubken in 1906.
When construction workers first came in 1903, the project was called Tonto Dam or Tonto Basin Dam, after the valley that holds the lake. The dam was built where the river was narrowed to 200 feet as it entered a rugged canyon just below a point called “The Crossing.” Exactly when the town came to be named Roosevelt is not clear. There is evidence that it was first called Newtown. But the Post Office was established January 22, 1904 as “Roosevelt,” and probably by then everyone knew it would be called Theodore Roosevelt Dam, after the president who supported its construction. (Source: Arizona State History)
Bass in Pesto Fish Broth
The Theodore Roosevelt Dam created Roosevelt Lake and it is the largest of four lakes created as part of the project. This lake has some of the best fishing waters in the country. The game fish include large mouth bass, small mouth bass, crappie, carp, channel catfish, flat head catfish, bluegill, buffalo fish and an occasional rainbow trout.
4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium leeks
- 1 cup fish stock or clam juice
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 bass fillets, 6 ounces each
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
For the leeks:
Cut off the root ends. Slice off the white part of the leeks just before the stem turns green. Split the leeks in half lengthwise. Cut into ½ inch-wide strips. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the leeks for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft. Drain well. Reserve.
For the pesto broth:
Bring the fish stock or clam juice to a boil, reduce to a slow simmer and add the pesto. Stir well, and keep warm while the fish is cooking.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the bass fillets with salt and pepper. Heat a large, ovenproof saute pan and add the olive oil. When hot, carefully add the fillets to the hot saute pan. Sear until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn over the fillets and place the pan in the oven. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
To serve:
Place 4 equal mounds of leeks in the center of 4 large bowls. Place the fish on top of the leeks. Place the tomatoes around the fish in the bowl. Finish by ladling the pesto broth around the fish. Serve immediately. (Source: The Arizona Republic)
New Mexico
KiMo Theater
Yesterday
Although the railroad represented the city’s major industry, other enterprises played an important role in the early development of Albuquerque. Italian immigrants built many of the city’s premier buildings. In 1886 Gaetano Palladino and Michael Berardinelli built the first county courthouse. They also built the ornate, brownstone Nicholas T. Armijo Building. Luigi Puccini, cousin of the famed composer, is responsible for the Puccini building, now home to both the El Rey Theater and Puccini’s Golden West Saloon. Oreste Bachechi built both the Savoy Hotel in 1905 and in 1927 the KiMo Theater.
Bachechi initiated the process of Italians settling in Albuquerque. Born in Bagni de Lucca, Italy in 1860, he came to Albuquerque in 1885. He opened a small tent saloon near the railroad to cater to the needs of travelers and railroad employees and later expanded this business into a prosperous wholesale liquor dealership. News of his economic success influenced other Italians to try their fortune in Albuquerque. Additionally, Bachechi lent some Italian immigrants money for their passage and helped them find work when they arrived.
In 1925, Oreste decided to achieve his true dream – building his own theater. Envisioning a unique southwestern style, he soon hired an architect to design it, winding up with the Pueblo Deco style. This architectural style fused the spirit of Native American culture with Art Deco. The KiMo Theater was opened on September 19, 1927 and the first movie shown in the KiMo was Painting the Town Red. The first talking movie was Melody of Broadway. Frances Farney played the Wurlitzer organ during each performance.
The KiMo was also an important employer for young people just getting started in the entertainment business. Vivian Vance, who gained fame as Lucille Ball’s sidekick in the I Love Lucy series, started working at the KiMo. The theater also hosted such Hollywood stars as Sally Rand, Gloria Swanson, Tom Mix and Ginger Rogers. A year after the realization of his dream, Oreste Bachechi died, leaving the management of the KiMo to his sons, who combined vaudeville and out-of town road shows with movies. Extra revenue came in from the luncheonette and curio shop on either side of the entrance. (Source: History of Albuquerque)
Today
The New Mexico Italian Film & Culture Festival (formerly the NM Italian Film Festival) has become an Albuquerque tradition and is held in February each year. Eleven films were screened this past February (three in Santa Fe and eight in Albuquerque., The festival also features music, art, Italian food and a silent auction. Extending over 11 days, the festival, a benefit for the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital, starts at the Jean Cocteau Cinema with a wine and food reception and a screening. All films are in Italian with English subtitles and include a great mix of genres, from comedy to drama to romance. The mission of the New Mexico Italian Film & Culture Festival is to promote and raise awareness of Italian culture in New Mexico while contributing to a valuable state institution that benefits all New Mexican children. (Source http://www.italianfilmfest.org/home.php)
La Lama Mountain Ovens is a high-altitude bakery located in New Mexico with an Italian emphasis. Old family recipes and old-world techniques are being recorded and tested and then preserved on their website along with modern translations.
As a family project, their primary mission is to record, test and preserve the best of the Italian-American old family recipes and translate them to fit today’s families. They have also developed an appreciation for the differences that their 8,000 foot altitude makes to the cooking and baking, process – and intend to share tips and techniques useful to anyone trying to prepare food above 2,000 feet.
‘
Baked Ziti with Four Cheeses
by CeCe Dove, La Lama Mountain Ovens
Serves six
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ziti pasta
- 3/4 lb. whole milk ricotta
- 1/4 lb. Italian Fontina cheese, coarsely grated
- 1/4 lb. whole milk Mozzarella, coarsely grated
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 quart tomato sauce
- 2 cups Bechamel sauce
Bechamel Ingredients
- 2 cups cold whole milk
- 1/4 lb. butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions
For the Bechamel Sauce
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan – add flour and stir to blend; cook the butter/flour mixture 2 minutes. Add the cold milk all at once and whisk to blend. Add salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
Butter a glass casserole dish, approximately 13 x 9, and set aside.
For the Ziti
Cook the ziti to the al dente stage in a large quantity of boiling salted water.
While the pasta is cooking, warm the tomato sauce and put it into a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients.
When the pasta is cooked, drain well, add to the bowl with the tomato sauce. Add the Bechamel sauce and then add the ricotta, fontina and mozzarella cheeses. Mix vigorously until well combined.
Pour into the buttered casserole, top with the Parmesan cheese and bake 30-35 minutes until bubbly.
Let sit five minutes before serving. (Source:http://www.parshift.com/ovens/home.htm)
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Trentino-Alto Adige is situated in the very north of Italy bordering Austria and Switzerland and is best known for the beauty of its peaks. Trentino-Alto Adige is a relatively young region, having only been fully annexed by Italy in 1919, and because of its proximity to neighboring countries, a large portion of the population speak German as well as Italian. Slavic culture and cooking traditions are still very much a part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region.
The region is mainly mountainous, rich in rivers and lakes. To the west one finds the glaciers, Adamello-Presanella-Care Alto and Brenta and to the east are the Lagorai, Latemar, the Dolomites of Fassa and the Pale di S. Martino. Extensive coniferous forests cover the slopes and three natural parks, Adamello-Brenta, Paneveggio-Pale of S. Martino and Stelvio, are in the region. The city of Trento is the administrative headquarters of the province and of the region.
The most striking natural feature has to be the Dolomites and they are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers an unforgettable experience for ski and winter sports lovers. This year the region is host to the European Cup Alpine Skiing.
The traditional food of Trentino Alto Adige is based on local agriculture and farming. The region’s most celebrated specialty is the Tyrol smoked ham known as Speck. Local salami, kaminwur, is very tasty along with regional cheeses represented by trentingrana, toma di montagna and casolet cheeses.
Polenta, served as a first course, is prepared with a meat, cheese or mushroom sauce. Other first courses include barley soup, pasta and beans, mushroom soup and the popular, brò brusà, a simple local soup.
As for main courses, the specialties of the region are: rabbit with grappa, goulash, roe deer with polenta, trout and lucanica, a pork sausage.
A famous local food is the Val di Non apple, used to prepare strudel and fruit tarts.
Trentino-Alto Adige is also known for the production of wines, that include Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot, Chardonnay and Spumante. In an unusual divergence from southern Italian tastes, beer is a favorite drink with midday and evening meals. Beer making can be traced back for centuries in the area and is another testament to the strong Germanic influence the Trentino-Alto Adige region enjoys.
Take A Tour The Trentino-Alto Adige Region
Brò Brusà and Porcini Mushrooms
Ingredients for 4
For the soup:
- 3 ½ oz (100g) ’00’ ( Italian) flour
- 4 ¼ cups (1 litre) warm meat stock
- 3/8 cup (100ml) lukewarm water
For the porcini mushrooms:
- 10 ½ oz (300g) fresh porcini mushrooms
- 7/8 cup (200ml) white wine
- Salt
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Oil
For the garnishes
- 1 ¾ oz (50g) Butter/Botiro di malga (high quality homemade butter)
- Bread cut into croutons
- Grated trentingrana cheese, to taste
Directions
Sieve the flour into a warm pan and keep it on low heat. Keep mixing the flour until it starts to brown. Set aside, let it cool and then add the warm stock.
Place the pan back on the stove and bring to a boil on low heat, adding the lukewarm water slowly.
In a separate skillet clean the mushrooms, chop them into small pieces and saute them in olive oil, then drizzle them with the wine. Add salt and fresh chopped parsley to taste.
Prepare the croutons by frying them in the butter.
Serve in individual soup bowls. Ladle the soup first and the croutons on top. Sprinkle with the grated trentingrana cheese and finally add the mushrooms.
Trentino Goulash
Serve over polenta or boiled potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb beef chuck, cut into small cubes
- 5 onions, sliced
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon sweet red paprika
- 1 oz all-purpose flour
- Lemon zest
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig marjoram
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 oz tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 cups water
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the thinly sliced onion and the diced meat. Cook until browned.
Dissolve the flour and the paprika in the ½ cup of water.
Pour over the meat. Add the red wine to the saucepan and let it evaporate.
Add the herbs, the grated lemon zest, salt, pepper and tomato paste; stir.
Add the remaining water, cover the pan with a lid and cook for at least 2 hours, adding extra water, if the goulash should thicken too much.
Spinach Canederli (Spinach Dumplings)
4 servings
Ingredients
- 6 day-old Italian bread rolls (about 2 ounces each)
- 3 ½ ounces fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 onion
- 2/3 cup flour
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Mince the onion.
Cut the bread rolls into 1/2-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and bread cubes and sauté until golden.
Wash spinach and boil in salted water for 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water in a towel.
Chop with a knife or food processor.
In a bowl, mix the chopped spinach with the eggs, flour, grated cheese, salt and pepper.
Add sautéed onion and bread and combine with a spoon.
Shape into egg-sized balls with floured hands and boil in salted water for about 8 minutes.
Drain and serve with grated Parmigiano and melted butter.
Apple Strudel
Ingredients
Pastry
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, defrosted and at room temperature.
Filling
- 1 1/3 lbs (600g) apples
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) breadcrumbs toasted in butter
- 2 oz (60g) golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons rum
- Confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 egg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into thin slices and mix them with the sugar, bread crumbs, golden raisins, rum, cinnamon and lemon peel.
Unroll the pastry and place on a floured surface. Usually ready-made puff pastry is too thick for the purpose of making strudel, so you need to enlarge the sheet and make it thinner (about 1/8th of an inch or 2 mm thick).
Roll out the dough and put it on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Spread the apple mixture evenly over the dough and roll the strudel from the long side.
Brush the strudel with egg and bake it for 45 minutes, until golden brown.Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Sprinkle the strudel with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
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In 1630 the Barbarigo family, a powerful noble family from the Republic of Venice, owned most of the land in Valsanzibio. They took refuge in this location to escape the black plague outbreak that was spreading throughout Venice and the rest of Europe and that had already killed the wife of Zuane Francesco Barbarigo. Soon after, Zuane Francesco made a solemn vow that, if the rest of his family would be spared from this terrible disease, he would create a spiritual masterwork.
This vow was completed by his son, Gregorio and his grandsons. The garden plans were drawn by Luigi Bernini, a distinguished Vatican architect, and the sculptures were completed by Enrico Merengo (1628 – 1723), who was a well-known sculptor in Venice. The garden contains seventy statues all of which have engraved inscriptions. Symbolism abounds around every corner and down every path, as the gardens were designed to serve as an allegory of man’s progress towards perfection.
Diane’s Pavilion or ‘Diane’s Doorway’ was the main entrance by water to the Barbarigo estate in the 17th and 18th century and was one of the first works in Bernini’s project. This impressive doorway represents one of the most important areas of the complex, in fact, it was not only the entrance to the Barbarigo estate, but it represented, as it does still today, the beginning of one’s salvation’s itinerary, desired by Gregorio Barbarigo in the plans. Just in front of the doorway, on its outside, on two solid pillars, are the Barbarigo shields held up by two statues representing angels with a peaceful attitude. Thirteen other statues adorn the area.
The sculptures depict a world of buildings, streams, waterfalls, fountains, small ponds, game and fish ponds and hundreds of different trees and plants all over an area of more than 10 hectares (over 24 acres).
The labyrinth paths were created with six thousand boxwood plants, many of which are almost 400 years old, since they were planted between 1664-1669. The pruning work takes fifteen hundred hours of work, with the help of manual and mechanical cutters, ladders, levels and plumbed lines. The maze of labyrinths represent the complex voyage toward achieving human perfectibility. The paths are designed to disorient the visitor by the high boxwood walls, The right path to arrive at the exit is never the shorter one. Every promising shortcut considerably lengthens the walk or ends up in a dead-end. Symbolically teaching: whoever mends his way and finds the right path, will have to avoid repeating errors.
This symbolic garden was awarded the first prize, as ‘the most beautiful garden in Italy’ in 2003 and as the third most beautiful garden in Europe in 2007.
The gardens are near Padua (Italian: Padova) Italy. The city is sometimes included with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, The city is the home of the University of Padua, almost 800 years old and famous, among other things, for having had Galileo Galilei among its lecturers. Padua is also the setting for most of the action in Shakespeare’s, The Taming of the Shrew.
Paduan Hens
The culinary tradition of Padua has its roots in the simple produce of the vegetable garden, the farmyard and the vineyard. Farmland products are represented by the well-known Paduan hen. Paduan hens are an ancient breed (a favorite subject of 16th-century European painters) of small crested and bearded chickens from the surrounding province of Padova, in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, The Paduan hen is distinguished by the splendor of its plumage and elegant form. The crest is replaced by a tuft of long feathers on the head, which gives the appearance of a chrysanthemum flower in the male or of a hydrangea in the female.
DOC wines are produced in five areas and Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes exclusively from the area of the Euganean Hills. All varieties of chicory (a bitter green) are cultivated in the countryside of Padua. Prosciutto crudo dolce di Montagnana, a specialty of the area, has a festival designated in its honor on the third Sunday of May.
Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
Ingredients
- One-ounce packet dried porcini (25 g, about a packed half cup)
- 1/2 of a small onion, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) short-grained rice, for example Arborio or Vialone Nano
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- The water the mushrooms were soaked in, strained and added to chicken broth to equal 4 cups
- One bunch parsley, minced
- 1 cup (50 g) grated Parmigiano
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Steep the porcini in one cup of boiling water for fifteen minutes. Drain and reserve the mushroom water. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.
Strain the mushroom water and add chicken broth to equal 4 cups. Place in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Slice the onion finely and sauté it in oil in another large saucepan. Stir in the rice and cook for several minutes, until it becomes translucent, stirring constantly.
Add the wine and continue stirring until it has evaporated completely. Then stir in the first ladle of the chicken broth.
Add the mushrooms, 3/4 teaspoon salt and continue adding broth, a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally.
About five minutes before the rice is done, check seasoning and add more salt if needed.
As soon as the rice is al dente, turn off the heat, stir in the butter, a little ground pepper, the parsley and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Cover the risotto for two minutes. Serve with the remaining grated cheese.
Hens with Garlic and Rosemary
Since Padua hens are not available everywhere, I offer an alternative.
Ingredients
- 4 Cornish game hens, about 1 lb each
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 24 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in the cavity of each hen. Place in a large, heavy roasting pan and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over the hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with the pan juices every 10 minutes.
Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.
Limoncello Tiramisu
Ingredients
SYRUP:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons limoncello
- 3 packages (3 ounces each) ladyfingers, split
LEMON CURD: or 1 (10-12 ounce) Jar Lemon Curd
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1-1/2 cups cold water
- 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, plus extra for garnish
FILLING:
- 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 carton (8 ounces) Mascarpone cheese
Directions
For the syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in limoncello; set aside.
For lemon curd: in another saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat.
Stir a small amount of hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Return to the heat and bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
Remove from the heat. Stir in butter. Gently stir in lemon juice and peel. Cool to room temperature without stirring.
For the filling: In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold cheese and whipped cream into lemon curd.
Arrange a third of the ladyfingers on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Drizzle with a third of the syrup; spread with a third of the filling. Repeat layers twice.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Carefully run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen. Remove the sides of the pan. Garnish the top with lemon zest and mint, if desired. Yield: 16 servings.
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