Category: Food – Eating In and Out!

Zucca Rocks Borgo Cerquelle

by midgeguerrera, posted in Food - Eating In and Out!, Local Businesses
Photo Courtesy of Borgo Cerquelle

Borgo Cerquelle is celebrating fall harvests in a joyfully orangey way – pumpkins have crept into every aspect of the bioagriturismo’s autumn offerings. We were lucky to have taste tested their light as a cloud pumpkin gnocchi. Sorry, we scarfed them down too fast to take a picture.

Before I start slurping the pot of pumpkin soup I just made from one of Borgo Cerquelle’s organic pumpkins, I need to explain how visiting this hilltop bioagriturismo is a leap back into the history of Pontelandolfo. Borgo Cerquelle is an ancient – well borgo – hamlet – that in the end of the 1600s housed contadini – peasant farmers. Built entirely of stone, the borgo has been repurposed into an incredible spot for locals and tourists. It is just a few minutes up the mountain from Pontelandolfo’s historic center. Those of you who know me, know that gulp, twisty mountain roads are not my favorite route to anywhere. Jack loves them! That said, Borgo Cerquelle, located about 600 m – 1970 feet – above sea level and surrounded by streams, woods, meadows and olive groves is worth the driving angst. The view of Pontelandolfo from there makes me want to sing Finian’s Rainbow “How are things in Glocca Morra.” Some days I do!

Some members of the original families have returned to visit and marvel at how Borgo Cerquelle was rehabbed, preserved intact and is alive again. Guests stay in the rustically furnished, heated rooms with an independent entrance and bathroom. I must admit, the original inhabitants did not have indoor plumbing. Thank goodness for that upgrade.

Our Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo participants stay here and have nothing but joyful comments about the place, the family who runs it and of course – the food.

 

Celebrating fall and the fabulous harvest found on this organic farm also means fall foliage. Borgo Cerquelle is in an area abundant with oak trees. I learned that “Cerquelle” is based on the ancient dialect name for oaks -“cerque.”

The family that has created this unusual place to eat and stay is headed by Alverio and Marianna. Alverio insists Marianna is the boss. They are more than ably assisted by their son Antonino and daughter Serena. Antonino wears the administrative hat now and his sister Serena takes care of the kitchen following the traditional recipes of his mother and grandmother. Serena is a talented potter and her creativity can be seen on every table. Antonino’s photos grace their website.

Sniff, sniff, my zuppa di zucca is percolating on the stove. Yummy. After a day at Borgo Cerquelle eating farm to table fare that featured pumpkins, I knew I had to bring a pumpkin home. You need to know that lunch at this bioagriturismo takes a minimum of three hours. There is no menu choice. What is fresh today is what is cooked. We have never had anything but an exceptional locally sourced feast.

Yeah, I have a pazillion pounds of pumpkin! Jack, borrowing a samurai sword, hacked it into manageable pieces. I had been gifted an old rooster that had outlived his cock-a-doodle and made a rich chicken – or is it rooster -stock. Now, how to put both these quite local food groups together? Simple. 1. Roast the pumpkin which makes it easier to cut up. 2. Take a scant head of garlic, dice it, toss it in the broth and let it simmer. (Garlic wards off fall flu.) 3. Toss in some old cheese rinds, tyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. 4. Let the roasted pumpkin cool. Ok, Jack made me let it cool. I am famous for burning my hands in the kitchen. 5. Cut up the pumpkin, toss it in the pot and let everything simmer to meld. 6. Take out the immersion blender, zzzzzzzzzzz, errrrrrrrrrr, it to a creamy texture. 7. EAT with hearty bread from Diglio Forno drizzled with Borgo Cerquelle savory pumpkin marmalade.

This fall, Borgo Cerquelle has offered a plethora of activities from harvesting, trips to the river, classes in cooking, ceramics, art therapy and my favorite APERITIVO! With a reservation, as the sun sets, we can zip up the mountain and enjoy a cocktail and incredible snacks. As the laughter of guests fills the fall air, an outdoor bar decorated for fall is the anchor.

When I asked Alverio why they do what they do. He explained that they want to revive the activities and traditions of the ancient inhabitants of the village. That means cultivating the land and raising animals organically, providing an oasis away from the stress of the city and offering an experience that is perfect for individuals and families. I have to say that every time I bring children there for lunch they race off to see the animals, climb the rope course and just plain old play.

HEY JACK WHEN YOU READ THIS BLOG POST – AND YOU BETTER BE READING MY BLOG POSTS – WE HAVE TO GO TO THIS AT BORGO CERQUELLE – werwolves and witches – huzzah!

The people, the place and the friendly wolf/dogs Vilcas e Tempesta make Borgo Cerquelle a great place to eat, relax, play and breath. I hope to run into you there.

A group of Cooking in the kitchens of Pontelandolfo cooks pose with Marianna, Antonino and Alverio.

Ci vediamo prossima volta,

Midge

Cinghiale – Ugly but Yummy

by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo, Food - Eating In and Out!
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

Wild Boar – Cinghiale. They dig up crops, scare the bejeeezus out of tourists, and imagine this – one year ago the Italian army was sent in and told to shoot to kill. The ugly critters, found even in the streets of Rome, were or may have been carrying African Swine Fever which threatened the pazzilion dollar prosciutto industry. Some of the wild bad boys may have been getting a little too close to the gentile domestic sow. Sigh – isn’t that always the way.

Here in Pontelandolfo, we may not like their big ugly tusks charging at us but we do love the rich sauce you can make with the meat. The amazing steak and well, the general incredible taste that only free ranging, wild things can give us. 🎶 “Wild thing, you make my taste buds sing!” 🎶

Growing up in rural agrarian Somerset County, New Jersey, venison, wild turkey, peasant and other wild critters often graced the table. My dad told me that in the dark days of the depression, ground hog – which tastes remarkably like pig when made in tomato sauce – was often part of Sunday pasta day. My nonna told me the horror stories of picking buckshot out of teeny tiny sparrows or maybe they were black birds. When a flock flew over my nonno would hauled out the shotgun and BAM. Wee birds for dinner. I remember cleaning buckshot out of peasants and that wasn’t fun. But a family has to do what a family has to do.

Here in Pontelandolfo, we still have subsistence farmers who grow and process vegetables, raise animals for milk and meat and, gulp, remind me of my grandmother. They are kind, hardworking and loving people. We’ve integrated into the village’s rural lifestyle. Nope, I haven’t planted a thing except words on a page and a good will smile. Since, everyone thinks that because I spend my time at a desk, poor Jack will die of starvation, we are often recipients of parts of harvests and hunting. NOW YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING…

Thanks to a wonderful hunter, a giant chunk of cinghiale found its way to my freezer. Jack and our summer guests would not starve. Unless I was hosting a party for our contrada (neighborhood), there was too much to use for one meal. I put on my 4-H Cooking Club farm girl brain and thought – I know me thinking seems like an anomaly – but Shazam an idea. Yes! I would divide the meat and create three freezable dishes. Stew, pasta sauce and meatballs – all freeze well and will make Jack a happy cena.

First step, get out a big knife and divide the hunk. Based on no knowledge of boar anatomy, I think it was a thigh or butt. I grabbed one of my nonna’s giant stainless steel bowls – yes, I brought a few to Italy – tossed in leftover red wine, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and herbs. Why, you are wondering did I use a mix of vinegar. Simple, there was a little bit left in a few bottles. I also added diced garlic, fresh rosemary on the stem, thyme, pepper and salt. Plopped in the meat, covered it and left it in the refrigerator for two days. I think twice I remembered to flip it around.

Truth be told, I then had to succumb to google. Did I wash the meat after the marinade? I did. Did I mention, I throughly washed the meat before I dropped in the melange of acids. I’m glad I washed it. An important lesson was learned. Leaving boar in vinegar for 48 hours means it is tender and tastes like a hint of vinegar. Next time it will just be red wine.

I looked at the three big pieces of meat which were now no longer red. WHAT DID I DO? I was planning on taking one third to our friendly butcher and asking him to grind it. When I got there the first words were – in very marginal Italian – did my marinade wreck the meat?! He laughed. The meat absorbs the acids and changes color. I promised him some meatballs. He smiled at that too.

Cinghiale Balls!

There is something meditative about squishing a mixture of meat, grated cheeses, breadcrumbs, raisins, oregano, salt, pepper, basil and eggs through your sanitized hands. Because the meat wasn’t very fatty, I used more cheese and eggs than one might usually. Actually, I scooped in extra bread crumbs too. I ended up rolling about 30 balls this size.

Meanwhile on the stove, my giant stainless steel pot was hosting slow cooking freshly diced tomatoes, onions, garlic and green/red pepper. I wanted the fresh stuff to break down before I added jars of passata ( homemade tomato puree graciously left on my veranda.) In went the passata plus a couple of store bought cans of diced tomatoes. I was trying to fill the giant pot and freeze enough sauce for decades.

To make the sauce really rich, I have learned to add a mirepoix. Carrots, celery and onion were diced to almost a paste in my blender. That went into the pot then I stirred and waited. When it started to bubble, I very carefully placed each of those boar balls in the pot. Lid went on and I let the ragù slow cook for a few hours. The meat balls gave it not a gamey taste but a savory taste that one wanted to go on forever.

I could eat this sauce everyday!

I made enough sauce and meat balls for three of us to have a substantial meal. Nestled in my freezer are now three containers of sauce and balls for the future. Yummy. I thank the hunter who share with poor starving Jack.

We will talk about the stew another day. I am hungry and need to forage for local cheese,wine and bread.

Ci Vediamo

Midge

You too can cook, write, paint and enjoy village life in Pontelandolfo! Visit – www.cookinginthekitchensofpontelandolfo.com

Jack’s Birthday Almost Staycation

by midgeguerrera, posted in Food - Eating In and Out!, Local Businesses, Stops Along the Journey - Sites Off the Tourist Track

Dear easygoing Jack has one giant quirk. He hates birthday parties, birthday hats, birthday presents – just about anything that has to do with birthdays. Now, me, I adore all the bellowing, trimming, gifts, chaos and energy of everything birthday. Since Jack’s birthday is mid-August, we have developed a compromise. Simply called, “Jack’s Birthday Staycation.” There are no gifts, no whistles no party favors. However, the staycation is not at home but fifteen minutes away at Hotel Ristorante Il Grottino.

Jack may hate birthdays but he loves cake from Pontelandolfo’s Diglio Forno!

Why drive a scant few kilometers up another mountain for the staycation? The place is fabulous. There is a beautifully landscaped pool surrounded by mountain vistas, an outdoor seating restaurant area with linen tablecloths – OMG I sound like a snob – comfortable rooms with balconies, and the food is terrific. For the past few years, to celebrate another trip around the sun, we have booked a room for a few nights at Il Grottino. Michele and Giovanna, our hosts are friendly, accommodating and love what they have built. In other words, it is perfect for Jack. (Is it too self serving to say it is also perfect for Jack’s adorable wife?)

Each morning we got up promptly – ha ha – slowly, tossed on a bathing suit and wandered downstairs. The hotel has an elevator so folks in their second and third acts can easily get to the upstairs rooms. There waiting for us was a set table with croissants and the smiling Giovanna. Soon cappucini ( no spell checkers it is not misspelled – that is plural for cappucino) arrived with whatever else we wanted. The blue sky over the mountain, cool mountain breeze and lovely piped in music made the morning bright. We wandered to the pool and did what we do best on vacation.

Read! For me, read and wrote. This book is fabulous and written by my pal Adele.

I am working on a couple of plays. ‘I’m Ann” is about a Sicilian woman’s experiences in the USA. “Born to the Sea” is an exciting new musical about the Swedish VASA ship. And – this is super exciting – my 9/11 themed play “Email: 9/12” is being produced in 2026 by a company in the Netherlands. I am creating a monologue or two that takes place in Den Haag. All projects needed a breath of fresh air and Il Grottino provides just that. Jack read, snoozed pool side and smiled a lot.

Each day between snoozing, reading and writing we ate seafood lunches outdoors under the pergola. I love impepata di cozze, mussels steamed and served with a dash of pepper and their own juices. Giovanna served me an enormous bowl and I grinned bigger than Jack grins. Our New Jersey friend Maryann C. was visiting so she got to come to Il Grottino too. She had what I thought was a riff on my favorite dish, La Zuppa di Cozze. The mussels were steamed with tomatoes and served with points of focaccia. It too was exceptional.

Il Grottino is known locally for its metre long pizza. The place was packed one night with whole families there for pizza. What else could we do but order a three foot plus long pizza. Cleverly, the super charged pizza is divided by toppings. Jack loves pizza Margherita, Maryann wanted vegetables and I only eat pizza con tonno. The thin crusted mammoth pizza arrived with sections of each topping. All three of us dug right in and enjoyed each bite.

One of the reasons we come back each year is that the food is great. We also come back because the staff and owners are willing to go the extra mile to make guests comfortable. The real reason – being there makes Jack smile.

Happy Birthday Staycation to Jack. Thank you to Il Grottino, Giovanna and Michele.

Ci vediamo prossima volta.

Midge Guerrera

Need an Italian fix? Two thoughts – one pick up a copy of my humorous travel memoir – Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos – sip wine and feel the moments. Second, think about Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo next year.

Shepherd’s Pie starts at Macelleria Mancini

by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo, Food - Eating In and Out!, Local Businesses

The following blog may contain content that vegans, vegetarians and lovers of small farm animals may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.

Did you ever lust for something so much that the thought of it made you salivate? Admit it, you have. This week all I could think about was eating lamb. I love roasted lamb, lamb chops, lamb-burgers and most of all real hearty Shepherd’s Pie made with – what else – lamb. The little baa baas had been tempting me for a month. Daily, I watched the little ones romp in Pontelandolfo’s verdant fields, stop traffic and then suddenly they disappeared . Disappearing lambs? My mind was wandering hither and yon, over hill and dale, wondering where Bo Peep was hiding the baby sheep.

Love the Lamb Jam. Driver beware.

My tummy wanted to find them. That is a big juicy lie. I did not want to find a lamb, I wanted to find mutton before it became mutton. Knowing that I would make Jack insane if I didn’t stop talking about Shepherd’s Pie, I dashed down the hill to Marcelleria Mancini.

One of the primary joys of living in Pontelandolfo is being able to shop at a real butcher, baker and cheese maker. Stefano Mancini of Marcelleria Mancini is an amazing butcher. All of his meats are locally sourced and he prides himself on working only with select farms. The meat found at Marcelleria Mancini tastes like meat that was on the hoof a few days ago. Free range, scrumptious and not spiced up with hormones. Of course, I would head there for lamb.

Stefano, our always smiling butcher.

What is wonderful about Stefano is that he doesn’t look at me like I’m crazy when I ask for something that most of my neighbors would ever ask for. Like agnello macinato – ground lamb. Not just ground but thickly ground. Here, ground meats are passed through the grinder a few times. For my rustic dish I wanted it rough.

Stefano looks at me and asked – what are you making? My Italian will get us fed, a room and a hospital but how do I explain Shepherd’s Pie – torta dei pastori? Sauté lamb with veggies and cap with butter-rich mashed potatoes. As I described it, I could see it and couldn’t wait to make it.

Dashing to the back room, Stefano returned holding aloft a leg of lamb. Literally, aloft. He was holding the leg by the tibia (shin bone), above the knee was the meaty thigh. La coscia sarebbe perfetto, he said. This is the first time that I realized that the leg of lamb we buy is really the thigh! That incredible meat would be perfect for my Shepherd’s Pie.

As the butcher deboned the meat, I asked if I could have the bones for bone broth. He was impressed that I would make a broth and promptly dashed the bones into manageable pieces. From leg to grinder to packaged, I soon had the lamb I needed for dinner and a package of bones.

Don’t tell Jack, please but another thing I love about Macelleria Mancini are their “pretend you spent the day making interesting meat based dishes.” Stefano’s fiancé, Ilaria, creates amazing to go dishes. As their website says: Avete voglia di qualcosa di sfizioso ma il tempo stringe !?! Passa a trovarci…tutti i giorni prepariamo diversi “pronti a cuocere”…con carni fresche e di qualità ! Craving something tasty but running out of time!?! Come visit us…every day we prepare different “ready-to-cook” dishes…with fresh, quality meats!

Pretty Isn’t It!

My Shepherd’s Pie was scrumptious- and I had made enough for a couple of days. After cooking the base, I made the mashed potatoes. No, I tried to make the mashed potatoes. Where are all my potatoes??? Merde, I only had four little potatoes. That would never be enough for my mashed topping. What do do???

Think about where you are and use what you have. What did I have corn meal for polenta? I made a batch of polenta, added Parmesan cheese, and mixed the polenta with with the potatoes. It was absolutely fabulous. My mashed potato – pontenta may become a carb mainstay.

Wherever you are enjoy what you make. Buy local and serve every meal with a smile.

And remember, you too can always come and Cook in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo.

Ci vediamo prossima volta.

Midgeguerrera

Tawā Sushi Comes to Pontelandolfo

by midgeguerrera, posted in Food - Eating In and Out!, Local Businesses

When Jack and I started this Italian life-style journey 10 years ago there were three things we missed about living in New Jersey – our family and friends, Jersey sweet corn and SUSHI. By our second year in Pontelandolfo, we were – ok I was – so jonesing for sushi that I insisted we search near and far for a restaurant. That year the only sushi joint we found was in Avallino and the sushi was not anything we would eat again. Thing sugar rice -yuck. I sighed. I cried and I wished on every star.

The stars came through! Giuseppe Sforza, an exceptional restaurateur, opened a world class sushi restaurant in – wait for it – hear me exploding with joy – in my home town!

Joy!!!!

Tawā, which means tower, sits under Pontelandolfo’s iconic tower and offers a world class experience. We knew it would. Giuseppe had been the proprietor of Landulphi a Latin themed pub. Latin like the language of our Italian ancestors. The menu was in Latin (with pictures), the waitstaff wore appropriate costumes, I mean uniforms, only beer was served and the food was fantastic. It was incredibly successful. A new version is being built in our historic center. But back to sushi. Tawā has been about a year in the making. Giuseppe is a stickler for detain and, even though I begged and pleaded and texted and shouted, he wouldn’t open until every detail was perfect.

Signage to guide you!
LA Style
Opening night a grand piano appears in the piazza.

Giuseppe, bless his heart, invited us to the prova. The night the chef and staff practice and get all the kinks out. It was a night to remember. What a gift of goodness. We learned that night that Tawā has a fixed price menu. No, not that plebeian all you can eat kind of fixed price but an opportunity to explore the delectable treats the chef is making daily based on the market and his muse.

We have been gastronomically entranced by the Percorso Tradizionale. Our first tasting was at the prova. We loved it so much we went back one day after Tawā opened to feast again. There were more courses than I could count and I was to busy groaning with happiness to take pictures of everything.

Follow for Sushi!

The wee bowl of white soup was magical. Fish broth with a hint of salsa di soia melded with a whipped egg and steamed, looked like the smoothest of flans. When the spoon pierced the cream, broth oozed up giving my tastebuds a smooth yet soupy feel. It was delightfully decadent. The salad, in the adjacent photo was celery, carrots and seaweed. Whoever sliced the celery into long thin lettuce like strips is a king with a knife. The sesame dressing rocked it.I loved every morsel.

Yes, of course there was sashimi and sushi nigiri. I particularly was impressed with the raw scallops served in the shell and topped with a frothy essence of the sea.

I better stop talking about the food, I am getting hungry and I am not close enough to Pontelandolfo to zip in, sit at the sushi bar, order a glass of wine and the apertivo. But domani!

Tawā is an asset to Piazza Roma. Giuseppe is great at marketing and people will visit our village from afar. I am so thankful to him for providing me with one of the things I miss most about New Jersey.

Ci vediamo prossima volta.

Midge

Literally Italy LLC
Stay tuned for our latest venture. Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo is more than just cooking. Playwrights Retreat is happening now and a Writer’s Retreat is on the schedule for June 2025! Visual artists may be next!

Riohana – Morcone’s Cocktail House

by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo, Food - Eating In and Out!

It was hard to imagine we were in the medieval village next door to Pontelandolfo. Riohana Cocktail House, is a hip bar with a Manhatten vibe. What exactly makes this a cool place? Could it be the drink menu designed by an ace mixologist; the laid back jungle atmosphere replete with couches, cozy tables both indoors and out; an outrageous bar menu; and gastropub fare that goes way beyond the mundane? With two out of town guests, Jack and I put on our party clothes and drove to Morcone to find out.

Ever curious, we wondered what the two story building balancing on a mountain ledge had been. A blacksmith’s shop was the answer. Hmm, I thought, a walled in outdoor terrace with a metal gate to the street – corral? Did horses head to a watering trough neighing about their new shoes? We never did find the answer. We did find an adult watering trough that made us whinny with delight.

Mattia Cioccia is the bartender/manager and creative force behind the Riohana Cocktail House. He is also the reason we went. I first met Mattia years ago when he was a bartender at Pontelandolfo’s Landulphi pub and restaurant. We bonded when I made him laugh by reminding him in barely there Italian that I was an American woman and could handle a double pour of vodka, gin, scotch etc. Mattia is a first rate mixologist and has a delightful personality. His bar menu at Riohana had enticing names like –

Since gin is one of my go to beverages, I felt compelled to try “Ant-Ree.” Floating on top was a toasted mini mandarin slice. I could picture the ants marching along carrying their citrus find. It was delicious. So delicious that – no I will not reveal how many adult beverages I can consume and still wend my way home on mountain goat paths. Each of us had a different drink. Each drink was unique and perfectly blended. Mattia knows his stuff.

The kitchen didn’t disappoint us either. We started with the €3 each “Tagliere/aperitivo.” Snacks to accompany our cocktails that were interesting. Don’t tell Jack that the open faced tramezzini he gulped down was made with pickled eggplant. After another drink or three we realized that ordering something heartier might be appropriate. They have essentially a hot sandwich, panini, menu.

The green beverage you see in the background is a gin and basil drink. I’ve had it before and think I also had one that night. Gulp. Back to the sandwiches. We each got a sandwich cut in four parts. Swapping and tasting was the idea, my Alpi e Appennini was so scrumptious that I cried when I shared. Great tasting, fresh ingredients made each one exceptional.

The best news? Jack and I after an enjoyable night out in Morcone spent only €36. Are you all starting to understand why we love spending time in the Sannio Hills? Great stuff and prices we can afford. We will return to Riohana Cocktail House.

Ci Vediamo!

Midge

FOODIES TAKE NOTICE

The time is now to organize your pals to come and Cook in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo! We are setting up 2025 spring and summer’s programs now.
Email me at info@nonnamulberrytree.com

thre is no better way to start cooking than with a bar crawl! Cook, Eat, Laugh!

Panettone Enough for All

by midgeguerrera, posted in Food - Eating In and Out!, Local Businesses

Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la, la la la la. Gorge we now on panettone – – -! What else is a girl to do but gorge! This holiday confection seems to chase her around the store? Well, I could wait and not buy one. Impossible. I could buy a few and not eat every slice. The springy tall cake, liberally speckled with raisons, dried citrus and what ever else someone had in the pantry is impossible to ignore. If you don’t eat it all it starts to get stale. Hmm, not so bad stale either. I imagine, a slightly hard piece of deliciousness, soaked in eggs that have been whisked with vanilla and cinnamon, grilled on my Nonna’s cast iron stove top grill and then bathed in real, honest to God maple syrup. Couple that with crispy bacon and it is orgasmic. OMG. Weight Watcher points be damned that is one fine seasonal breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.

Antonio Diglio makes the best Panettone!
Cross section of the best panettone in the world – from Diglio Forno!

Made by Antonio Diglio in Pontelandolfo, panettone is light, flavorful and simply fabulous. There is usually none left over unless it gets hidden so I don’t eat it all in one day. Making French Toast, all of those lovely spongy holes fill with egg and a slice cooks up heavenly. Sigh….

Perhaps, I should start at the beginning. Did I enjoy panettone as a child? Not that I can remember. When did I first taste the stale crappy ones sold in supermarkets? That would have been in college. Surrounded by all those Italian American women in my dorm from Italian enclaves like Jersey City, Newark and Hoboken I was introduced to the Italian traditions that New Jersey farm girl Midge never experienced. That is also when I discovered, having imbibed in a bit of Maryjane, how stupendous panettone was doctored with jam, jelly, maple syrup, etc. Luckily, later in life when I had a couple of lira in my pocket, I unearthed panettone that was light, airy, sweet but not gooey and wonderful to eat all by itself. Now, spending holiday time in Pontelandolfo I am binging on the fresh panettone from Diglio Forno and other cakes brought to town from the capital of panettone – Milano.

Diglio Forno makes holiday treats that require self control – no one can eat just one.

Who started this tradition of culinary goodness? What follows is an obvious embellishment of the ancient legend. It was a dark and stormy night, the ides of – wait, wait, wrong legends.

The Legend of Panettone: Tis the season to rock around the great hall. A blowout of a Christmas party was happening at the 15th century Milanese court of Ludovico Il Moro. Servers carried out tray after tray of beautifully prepared food. The dessert, which was to be a surprise and an incredible joy, was slowly cooking in the oven. One young kitchen helper was left to guard the oven and make sure the dessert came out pefectly. For whatever reason, maybe he ran out side to see the snow, maybe Gabriella the serving girl stopped and flirted with him, the reason doesn’t matter – he let the dessert burn to a blackened crisp. Caspita! Desperate, the lad looked around the kitchen and remembered he had made a bread with left over dough. He had tossed in dried fruits, lemon peels and whatever edibles were around. He gulped, put it on a fancy tray, powdered it with sugar, and suggested that the cook serve it. The cook walked incredibly slowly into the great hall. Toni was cowering in the doorway. Slices were served. Compliments were tossed and the party was a success. In summary: Toni, a lowly kitchen helper, made a terrible mistake and fearing he’d be served up roasted, was saved by his quick wit and culinary creation made of leftover stuff. He saved the party and introduced the world to “L’è ‘l pan del Toni,” meaning “It’s Toni’s bread, hence the name panettone. The end.

May your holiday season be bright and filled with scrumptious panettone. If you buy one in an Italian market DO NOT SAVE IT. Why let it get stale – EAT IT TODAY. I googled what one can do with panettone and here are some ideas. Panettone bread pudding – obvious but yummy. Panettone tiramisu – hmm not so obvious. What follows is an easy way to use the bread up. On a griddle heat up slices of panettone. Toast it well on both sides. DO NOT PUT IT IN A TOASTER. I have and it warranted a call to the fire house. Put the slices on a plate and pour some Grand Marnier over it. Imagine all the liquors you could experiment with. Heating up a slice opens the door to the refrigerator and pantry because you can spread it with whatever sweet stuff you like. Or, eat it my way – make French toast and douse it in real maple syrup. Do not leave out the crispy bacon.

Enjoy the season!

Ci Vediamo

Midge Guerrera

BOOKS AND PLAYS MAKE GREAT GIFTS! 

CONSIDER GIFTING A WORK OF MINE. THANKS!

Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo!

A few slots are left for the week of June 29th. Message me for information. A week in Pontelandolfo is a great gift for a culinary adventurer.

Magical Night at Sognadoro Ristorante

by midgeguerrera, posted in Food - Eating In and Out!, Travel Comments

The summer season is almost over and the shore towns on the Adriatic Sea are slowing down. Jack and I thought that this would be a great time to explore, Termoli, a small city that we have flashed through once or twice before. I booked a hotel that was right on the sea and adjacent to the sea wall of Termoli’s historic center. In the province of Molise, this shore point is less than an hour and a half from our home in Pontelandolfo.

After checking in, sipping aperitivi by the sea, we climbed what felt like a million steps up to centro storico. The ancient city reminded us architecturally of one of our favorite places in Italy, Alghero Sardegna. (Shout out to the best language school ever – Alghero’s Pintadera.) We wandered the cobblestone streets, stared at the sea, and then I froze – there was a wee alley festooned with white lights, tables classically set and with an artsy vibe that took us back to Venice. (Read the blog Searching for Goldoni and you’ll understand.)

I decided that we absolutely had to eat there. Since it was only 7:30 PM, and way too early to eat, I needed to make a reservation for the yet unnamed space. Around the corner from the alley, we saw a handsome, curly haired man sitting by the restaurant’s front door. He smiled. I smiled and asked if there was a table for two available tonight in the alley.

“Si, signora – quale il sua nome?”

“Midge.”

“Midge?” He looked at me quizzically and probably thought, “Her mother named her after a small annoying fly?”

I shrugged and speaking the barely uttered truth said, “Margherita.”

He scrawlled “Margherita” on a scrap of paper, handed it to me and told me to choose a table, put my name under the water glass and come back whenever we wanted dinner. Then –

“Tu sei inglese?”

“No, sono americana.”

“Da dove?”

“New Jersey – ma vicino Philadelphia.”

“La mia moglie parle “Americano. Lei da Rochester – vicino New Jersey?”

Then and there it was decided that I should meet his wife! I mean, maybe somewhere between Rochester and New York/Jersey we might have run into each other during our decadent youths in some bar or another.

Jack and I continued our pre-dinner passeggiata and tried to keep our tourist faces at bay. The stillness of the old town, the colors of the buildings, the scent of the sea and the warm breeze made it a beautiful evening. Eventually, we made our way back to –

“Jack, what was the name of the restaurant?”

“I don’t know. You were talking to the owner. Don’t you remember how to get back there?”

“Of course I do.”

(I mean we only meandered up and down a few narrow vicoli, posed for a selfie near the sea wall and entered three different piazza since we made the reservation. )

“I will swiftly guide us back,” I lied.

Yes, I lied. But since the centro storico is enclosed by a wall, I managed to guide us back to Sognadoro, Via Rocco Mugnano,3 in Termoli! (For purposes of the blog, Midge, the smart-ass, looked up the address.)

We got back, found our reserved table waiting, looked at each other and smiled. What a cool environment. A young gregarious waiter appeared, brought our local white wine and asked if we knew what we wanted. What happened next couldn’t have been played out better by Netflix. Just as Jack started to say “tonno,” the owner, Francesco Sciscillo, came over, took away the menus and told us to wait.

We waited, he returned with a fish that was so fresh it was still jumping. You are all wondering what kind of fish it was. I am too. We are calling it the former alive fish called X. X had been very recently caught, right here in the Adriatic Sea.

Rats – I took the video in the wrong direction but you’ll get the point.

The thinly sliced fresh X was drizzled in olive oil from Francesco’s trees and spritzed with a dash of fresh lemon. Who knew that something so simple and swiftly prepared would be absolutely incredible.

Next appeared calamari fritti. Jack tries calamari everywhere we go. When I saw it, my fork of its own volition dashed into the plate. Tender, tender, tender. I immediately noticed that the calamari had not been cut into rings but had been sliced into rectangles. In the future, I too will prepare them this way. Each bite was full of flavor. They had been be very lightly coated in flower and flash fried. Yummmm.

Enjoyed more than you can imagine.

I don’t remember what else we ate, I do remember an enjoyable night spent in conversation and laughter. A young woman approached the table, introduced herself as Anna and said that her mother would be getting out of work soon and was anxious to meet us. The effervescent mom, Patrizia, regaled us with tales of making the transition between life in Rochester, New York and Termoli. The building that housed the restaurant had been in her husband’s family for generations. There was such pride in her voice as she spoke of his family and her family. A photo of Francesco’s mother is prominently placed inside the restaurant. Obviously, the sea and what it provides plays a preeminent role in their lives. She is climbing onto the fishing pier.

We were so enamored with the food, setting and family that the next day we returned for lunch. The entire family was seated at the “family table” and greeted us warmly. As the only customers, I suggested we simply eat what Francesco was serving the others. What a smart move! Polpette, ground fish and spices formed into but not to be confused with packaged fish sticks, were served in a rich red sauce. Next was a simple but tasty dish of chicory, red pepper and sepia. Great conversation, perfect lunch and then I saw something I didn’t like. Obvious tourists stopped outside the restaurant, pulled out their phones and stood there reading. Then they smirked a little and left. Smack me in the head – they were looking at reviews. Why would they leave? I quickly scanned the obvious sites. WHAT??? The place only had a few reviews on each site but there was a theme – rude owner, bad food, lousy atmosphere. TOTAL BULLSHIT! All we could think of was that the scant reviews were posted by someone who was jealous or opening their own place. Lesson learned – DON’T TRUST REVIEWS. I never look at reviews. That is a lie – wow two lies in one blog. That same night I asked at the hotel what place they would recommend for dinner. Then I looked the restaurant up – 5 stars everywhere. We ate there. 0 stars from us – boring tourist fare. The learned lesson was reinforced. In our quest for meals, we will continue to wander back lanes of towns until we find a place that just calls to us.

As we walked out the door that day, we looked at each other and both knew that Sognadoro would be on the top of our “lets go for a ride and eat something wonderful” short list.

Ci vediamo –

Midge Guerrera

Pontelandolfese and lovers of Italy wherever you are – check out my tourist guide to Pontelandolfo’s historic center – written in English and Italian. Or simply enjoy the life we lead in Italy by reading my humorous travel memoir.

An Italian Treasure Hunt – The Quest for the Crests of Pontelandolfo!: Una Caccia al Tesoro Italiana – Alla Ricerca Degli Stemmi di Pontelandolfo!

Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos is available wherever books are sold.