Mascarpone-filled turkish figs in crispy pancetta

Figgin' Scandalous, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Well it didn't take very long for me to bounce back into form, especially when I realized that today was still a date in September instead of the 1st of October. I've held off on posting this impulsive creation due to its highly suggestive nature - hardcore foodies, think what you will - but I can't see a better time than now to celebrate all things that the next month will bring.

Get scandalous

I've used turkish figs here but any other type will do as long as they're large enough to stuff. Wash and thoroughly dry the figs. Make a vertical slit on one side, halfway through, and using a small teaspoon, fill with a scoop of mascarpone. Press lightly to close (doesn't matter if mascarpone is out to the edge, just smooth it off with a knife). Take several strips of very thinly sliced pancetta and wrap them around each fig, pressing to adhere. Alternatively you can also use a single strip of thin-sliced bacon and secure the ends with a toothpick.

Heat a saute pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add a sage leaf for each serving and quickly saute until crisp; remove and set aside. Add pancetta-wrapped figs and cook until crisp all over. Remove and set atop a thin slice of baguette. Garnish with crumbled sage leaf and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

Ooooooh....my favorite manapua...

Would surely have to be the steamed, chinese red pork filling variety that I make for myself. According to the brains at wikipedia, manapua is really pidgin english for the hawaiian word mea'ono-pua'a, or pork cake [mea'ono meaning cake and pua'a for pork]. This is news to me as all I've ever known them to be called are manapua or charsiu bao, while elsewhere they are cha siu baau.

Etymology lessons aside, I realized that I haven't made these for the blog and since MotH is crazy for chinese red pork/chicken, I made up a batch of char siu pork using Noh seasoning mix and looked up my favorite dough recipe on the Honolulu Star Bulletin website. If prepared charsiu is readily available at your market, then that's even better because the online recipe for the filling mixture looks quite easy. This post is aimed at getting all my Hawaii braddahs, sistahs and lovers of Hawaii food to roll up their sleeves and start rolling in the dough. Making the filling a day in advance will work to your advantage when putting these together but I warn you — manapuas are so tasty, they'll disappear in no time at all.

Manapua dough recipe
Note: While the recipe calls for water, I use warmed milk (partially skim) for my dough. I find that it gives a richer flavor. Following through with a double-proofing is essential.

Initial shaping: as it's explained in the recipe, getting the dough thinner around the edges.

Adding the filling: I like small, diced pieces of pork fat and meat in my manapua, and cut the charsiu accordingly. I also add chopped green onions for color. To enclose, bring up opposite edges and pinch to seal. Place seam side down on a small 3-inch square of waxed paper or baking parchment. Allow buns to rest for 15-20 minutes, depending on how hot your kitchen is. You want the dough to relax enough so that they will expand to a nice, soft texture. Too little time and the dough is restricted and firm. Too much and the whole thing will balloon, fall, and shrink into a wrinkled bun. If your steaming pot/bamboo steamer can only hold so much, the manapua can be placed in the refrigerator to avoid overproofing (cover with a clean kitchen cloth or paper towel to keep surface from drying out). Meanwhile, bring at least 1½ inches of water to a boil in a steampot; reduce heat to an even simmer.

Place the buns inside with some room to expand. Cover with a folded layer of kitchen gauze to catch the condensation. I steamed them for 15 minutes max. The surface of the buns will be smooth, shiny and spring back when touched. The manapua in the top photo is stuffed with a little more than what the recipe calls for. Most of the time when I buy these, there is hardly any filling and a whole lot of bun. I prefer the ratio at 50-50. Great with beer!

Dad, forget the phone...just watch for cobras and drink Oishi!

'Crazy Eyes' Thai Charmer, originally uploaded by hunterweatherly / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

No, that is not my dad, but someone 'up there' must have taken notice of my concern and set the information wheel in motion. I got word via email that my father is fine (so far), but a series of forwarded emails attached along with the message had me wondering if urging him to go to Thailand was such a great idea after all. Imagine, if you will, reading phrases like this:

“The two cobras . . . next day a 5 - 6 foot cobra did come over and [___] killed it . . . wanted to make sure no snakes were hiding in the tall grass . . . saw a snake about 18 inches long so I cut it with the grass trimmer”
Note: It wasn't Pops who acted as Snake Slayer.

WHAT??? Apparently the volunteer group is doing some rebuilding work for an orphanage, and snakes, or at least the ever-present danger of them, is a problem that needs to be addressed for the safety of everyone. Keeping the grass short in order to see 'em better is the solution, but for whatever reason, the vibrations produced when using the riding mowers to cut the grass seems to attract the cobras??? I have to add that it didn't sound like the person in charge was all gungho on killing snakes, and that they would rather the things slither away. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do - yikes - and here I worry about stepping on dog poo.

Deep breath...deeeeeep breaaaaathe.

On the lighter (yes there is) and tastier side of things, I learned that one of the restaurants the group has gone to is Oishi Express. Camille Lemmens posted a few photos of this restaurant on his blog and I must say that it looks like total buffet heaven! All you can eat japanese food, for a mere 386 baht?! Amen to that. It was only after studying the blog entry did I realize that Oishi must be the same company that makes those flavored tea drinks, and this is where the laughs come in. The photo below was taken at a bus stop in Prague and it is quite clear who those two spokespersons are, even if I highly doubt they've endorsed Oishi in any way. What they're saying is even funnier, because while I think Obama has a relaxed enough sense of humor, there is no way Papa Ratzinger could be saying anything of the sort. This webpage explains it all in english. Dad, drink Oishi!

Originally uploaded by adrigu / CC BY 2.0

Dad, call home!

floating market, originally uploaded by kalandrakas.

Since it is said to be rainy season in Thailand, I can't help feeling a bit concerned for the person who is largely responsible for putting me on this earth. My father ran off with a church volunteer group that makes regular visits to the country, but as I do not know exactly where in Thailand, it leaves me with a big question mark. I suppose you could call it a form of payback for my teen years spent out til the wee hours of the morning? Now we be even.

Lonely Planet Thailand lists some “Top Picks” on their website, one of which surprises me that it spearheads the very top of the heap. Now I don't mean for the the term ‘spearhead’ to be taken lightly, so Pops, if you're reading this, take care if your volunteer mates want to visit the Vegetarian Festival next month. It won't be anything like you could possibly imagine.

Pane Carasau: Sardinia's flatbread

I don't know what it is about this particular Bourdain video but there is something to be said on the pace, the music, and the cinematography that begs me to click replay all over again. This is another side to Italy that does exist, but I have yet to experience it for myself. And that part where Bourdain casually says "somebody whippin' out a knife" - is he from the inner city or something? I'll laugh the next time anyone brandishes the cutlery at an italian table!

We spoiled ourselves this past weekend with deluxe fixings for some italian panini. Potato chips and an icy glass of Ricard always gets the appetite rolling, and soon thereafter we were stuffing arab-style flatbread rolls with fat pieces of oil-preserved mushrooms, roasted pork, smoked ham, melted bra and heirloom Black Krim tomatoes from the garden. The melted bra explains itself at the very end. Happy almost autumn equinox.

I've always liked the anise flavor from the first day I tried this.

Fatty, herb-n-spice porchetta (roast pork), arugula, tomatoes and plump mushrooms.

Wood-smoked ham from Alto Adige. Lightly smoked flavor that didn't overpower tastebuds.

Smoked ham, peppery hot arugula, tomatoes and melted bra.

Black Krim tomatoes from the garden. I ♥ this tomato!

Melted bra, and a young bra at that (still very mild in flavor). Typically made with cow's milk. It's great on anything where you want soft, creamy, oozing cheese cloaked over everything.

To catch a thief...who steals the peach

I am no expert on dogs but there must be, give or take, at least a five second "all paws off" rule that applies to any food that drops to the ground. Mister B probably continued counting to 10 when he noticed that I wasn't there at 5. MotH might not be too pleased to see this as they are his peaches from his tree and I am supposed to check every so often to see if one has fallen -- instead of putting the culprit on video (the Mister is a very methodical eater). Job security, I tell you, it affects each and every one of us.

It's a long way to China...

Huangshan / Yellow Mountain
Uploaded with permission from Carlo Colombo

...especially if you're wanting to focus from just the right position to be able to take a photo like this. It's an incredibly stunning shot, the sort of ethereal image to grace the cover of National Geographic, but the story behind it begins with a travelogue created by one very intrepid traveler named Carlo Colombo. I came across Viaggio in Cina while searching for Tiger Leaping Gorge, another natural wonder in that faraway land. The sheer scope of Carlo's 2007 trip, his work (the site is done in italian and english) and the amount of hi-resolution images all succeeded in capturing my virtual wanderlust. How I wish I could travel there!

Spending nearly 7 weeks in a foreign country all by yourself may not sound like a big deal to some, but factor in all of the hurdles (hassles?) when backpacking in an alien landscape and you'll realize how truly amazing of a feat it all is. My humble thanks to Carlo for allowing the use of this image, and if you haven't guessed, he lives right here in Italy. China Tour

Pass the peshawari naan, please

Time to fire up the oven! With the deluge of rain we've been experiencing, I've declared it officially baking season in our kitchen. There is a stack of recipes that I've been wanting to try and as carbs are my best pals - ya need a lot when hiking - there will be more of your basic flour and water goodies in the weeks to come. Baked, fried, griddled or steamed, now is the time to be rolling dough, even if rolling in dough $ounds more app€aling.

Peshawari naan has been on the top of the stack because a) I ♥ flatbreads and b) I've been wanting to make them ever since reading about it on Chef In You. By flatbreads I mean any bread that is less than ½ inch in thickness, but Italy's focaccia, piadina and crescia sfogliata (among other things) all fall into this category. This is a photo entry to augment the fine work executed by the team at Chef In You. What's a food post without pictures, right?

The little black spots are kalonji/onion seeds. Thank you Manju of Three Tastes for adding these to the care package!

The kneaded dough requires 2 risings, but in a warm spot this part goes by quickly.

Pistacchio, golden raisins, dried coconut and anise (about 1½ teaspoon) make up the filling. I imagine that walnuts, almonds, cashews or macadamia nuts would work as well.

The fun begins. I divided the dough into 8 portions (approximately 95g/3oz), and discovered that rolling out 2 or 3 at a time worked better - easier to manage them under the broiler.

I have an extra-wide oven, but the heating element for the broiler takes up only 80% of the space. Because of this, I could only work 2 or 3 at a time since those around the edges of the pan didn't brown at all. Watch the naans closely - at high heat they brown really fast.

Just out of the oven, they are the most fragrant things to fill your home. They're ok the next day but will truly impress guests when they're still warm. I impressed myself.

This...is a product of my own creativity. Lemon zest, almonds, coconut and raisins make a good filling, but not as great as the original that has anise seeds in them. In any case, now I need to get another container of mascarpone. Mega-calories — I'm so b-a-a-a-a-d!

Recovering from the weekend

As if that image above wasn't enough to put my thoughts into words, after dutifully giving the doggies their noontime snacks, the "kids" climbed back in their beds, and are napping the hours away. Earlier this morning Maddie was staring (zoning?) into the lavender bushes, oblivious to the whir of the camera lens while sitting motionless in her zen-like state. Is this how they cope after a grueling outing in the woods? We spent the better part of Sunday on a 4½ hour long ramble around the mountainside, ascending up to almost 2000 feet at the highest point, then carefully negotiating our way along a steep descent of rocky steps that served as a shortcut down the mountain. My calves got a killer workout...feel the B-U-R-N. At one point I lifted Maddie into my arms as she was favoring her operated leg. Please no injury to the 600 euro knee! Ah, perhaps that explains this morning's meditation session...

La Festa Alpina: Tasi e Tira!

“Well can I just have the shirt off your back?” Upon first sight of this tshirt, I had my heart set on getting one but alas! — unless you're a member of the club, Tasi e tira is not for sale. Tasi [dialect term meaning 'stay quiet'] and tira [pull] is an oft-used expression that roughly equates to "just quit talking and work". Uttering that phrase stirs deep emotions of pulling together as a team to get the job done - an invaluable mindset when the going gets tough.

This particular celebration was put together by a faction of veteran Alpini (alpine brigade of the Italian Army) to raise funds for L'Aquila's earthquake victims in April of this year. Typical abruzzo cooking was on the menu, and we had such a fantastic time dining communal-style (sharing a table for 6) with a couple from Campania/Napoli and another couple with roots in Abruzzo. I was really impressed with the organization of it all (table service man!), and the genuine hospitality of those in charge. While the aperitivo came free to all who attended (Campari, juice, chips, cheese, ventricina), the rest of the meal was worth way beyond the 20€ each that we paid. Refills on pitchers of wine, second helpings to anyone with room for more, and of course more rolls - you gotta have bread to mop up the juices - as soon as it's requested. A good thing that we chose to attend the lunch hour seating where at least 150 persons were present. We were told that for the evening crowd, nearly 500 reservations were expected to arrive! Okay crew...Tasi e tira!!

Crusty rolls that were nice and soft within. I started helping myself to these even before the main meal arrived. All that Campari and never-ending nibbles made me so hungry.

There were these tall, narrow, makeshift grills to cook the arrosticini (lamb kebabs). See how they're just the perfect width to lay the skewers right over? The aroma was simply AMAZING! The guy on the right was nice to pose with a few cooked ones.

And here I go again sticking my lens in the chef's domain.

Caciocavallo cheese and ventricina, a mild, spicy sausage from Abruzzo. This was SO good!

Spaghetti with a sauce made from sheep of Capracotta (a town in Abruzzo) and a risotto made with saffron from Navelli. Okay I had to unbutton my pants here...

Creamy polenta with wild boar sauce. Oh can I have more? Oh you mean there's something else coming? Well I better wait...in the meantime, mop up the sauce with some rolls.

Yes this was worth the wait (not a long wait too). The famous arrosticini of Abruzzo, with some grilled peppers. I love eating lamb even if they're cute, but seriously, now I am stuffed.

This large treat is a taralluccio filled with a mixture that tasted like very thick grape jam. It looked to be a sort of tubular cookie that was twisted onto itself, and yes, it was delicious. We also had a small serving of panna gelato with chocolate sauce then ended the meal with coffee (the only 'extra' that you had to pay for). What a meal!

Notarpanaro Taurino 2003: I'll take that wine for 9.99!

Well of course I had to write something for today's date but held off posting until it was the proper time to uncork the precious fluid. Not a bad price, really, for something that's selling at 10.80/bottle on ebay....

Wine notes
Tasting notes in english: By The Tun (blogspot blogger)
Company website: www.taurinovini.it

Hi-Yo, Silver, away!

Slowly, but surely, Miss Maddie the alpine westie is gaining back her strength and stamina on these brief walks that we take around the mountainside. The hot summer temps are fading away, maybe too fast for my liking, but in the coolness of digits less than 70°F, the dogs handle it much better outdoors. We came across an old hotel over the weekend, its exterior still in good shape even if the property was no longer in operation. Along the outside wall, iron rings were firmly attached for way back in the days when people traveled by horse. An iron boot remover/puller was firmly embedded right next to the entrance. I've never taken riding lessons, but now I'm thinking, wouldn't it be fun to go on a vacation through the italian countryside only on horseback? I believe there are already these types of eco-tourism here, and I've read about one where you travel by donkey instead. The dogs would probably prefer to walk it themselves, as long as the pace was kept to a trot.

Reine-Claude/Greengage plum tart

Happy Labor Day to everyone stateside! If I could have crashed someone's potluck picnic, this rustic-style tart and a tub of vanilla bean gelato would be my contribution. Reine-Claude (Regina Claudia in Italy), or Greengage plums, have never crossed my path at the grocer's, so it was pure fate that we should meet at a time when I felt like devouring a bunch of fruit. Plums have always been a favorite, and greengages possess a sweet flavor that are almost as good as the ones on my mirabelle plum tree (imho).

Tarts are the easiest baked dessert that a cook can put together in Italy. We are spoiled for variety in ready-to-use puff, sweet, short or flaky pastry dough. Couple that with halved and pitted fresh plums and a sprinkle of sugar and it's easy sailing all the way. I don't even bother to brush the edges with eggwash...the whole lot is going to be doused with a generous serving of gelato anyway! Rustic-style is my preferred presentation since it can be made on a large cookie sheet, turning the edges over as you like. Uhm...anyone planning a party?

Batailles de Reines

4th day, Champillon — What do you do when there are a number of separate herds of Bessies 'n' Flossies and only one of them can reign supreme in each group? Answer: You stage a face-off, that's what. Such is the Battle of the Queens.

This 'battle' does not in any way include blood and casualties, but unfolds as a setting of willful confrontation that is typical to this breed. Try putting a bunch of adamant females together - kidding ladies! - and there'll inevitably be one who leads the rest. This challenge between 'queens' is yet another aspect of valdostana tradition in which we felt privileged to witness. Held high up in the mountains (we had to stop twice for directions), there were people of all ages crowded around the ring's perimeter, a chorus of voices rising and falling with the subsequent victory or defeat of the ring's contenders. The cows are supervised so as not to hurt themselves or the spectators, but there were a few instances where an agitated cow charged towards the perimeter. [Note: this bataille was just one of many preliminaries throughout the year, eventually culminating in the final battle in October at Aosta.]

Three pairs in size/weight categories - Big Bessie, Bigger Bessie and Biggest Bessie - competed in the arena. The first to cede and turn away was led out of the ring. Again, no cows were hurt in nature's own way of determining pecking order. The ones out from competition or waiting their turn flanked both sides of the field, enabling visitors a closer look at these magnificent ladies. I shot over a hundred photos and put the best of them in a slideshow, even if it doesn't come anywhere near to the real thing. I hope you've enjoyed this little slice of alpine wonder and valdostana living. We'll definitely return. Viva Italia!

Hiking a little piece of the Via Francigena

Kid #1. Alpha female. The senior dog. You can't imagine how excited she gets whenever the word "hike" is mentioned. Maddie lives for outings such as these, and there is no place that she won't go without that fearless westie bravado. I think it turned out to be the highlight of her trip, being that for Maddie aka the alpine westie, a vacation isn't a vacation unless you muck about in a forest.

The Via Francigena of today is probably a lot more hospitable than it was centuries ago, and it is truly incredible to think that this route was once used by pilgrims on their way to Rome. The segment that we did is more of an easy [T - touristic] route, much of it gently winding through shady forest, hugging the course of a waterway. The trail is left of Hotel La Clusaz (midway between Etroubles and Gignod) and leads to the town of Gignod. It's a piece of cake for persons/dogs of all hiking levels, and popular with runners and mountain bikers. Just remember to take a left at the fork; signposts are well-signaled and hard to miss. We took 2.5 hours total, allowing Maddie and Mr B free run of the place when it was clear.

Monte Bianco and the Giant's Tooth

Panoramic view as seen from the charming town of Pre-St-Didier in Valle d'Aosta.
Monte Bianco on the left, the Giant's Tooth on the right, signaled by an arrow.

3rd day, Courmayeur — The big alpine blue. It just takes your breath away. The sun is very harsh at this altitude, and the mighty Monte Bianco has easily got to be one of the most impressive of natural wonders in Italy. We were nearing the region's northern border again, avoiding the mountain tunnel (Mont Blanc) leading into Chamonix, France, and getting up close enough to gaze in wonder at what is known as the 11th highest peak in the world. She is absolutely stunning (rising 15,781 feet above sea level), thus necessitating climbing skills way, way beyond our experience. Not born for the slopes, we'll probably never visit during winter's busy ski season but there is one unique feature that's a hit with nature photography buffs like myself - il Dente del Gigante - the Giant's Tooth. Second in popularity to Monte Bianco, this "tooth" is surrounded by myth for which I share an adaptation of the original. The giant in this case is Gargantua (of François Rabelais lore, not the japanese version). Upon his death, arrangements had been made for his tooth to be thrust into the icy white of Monte Bianco. Legend has it that within the tooth malicious spirits are desperately trying to escape. Let's hope they never do.

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Once upon a time evil spirits roamed free in the Valle d'Aosta. Desperate to be rid of such miserable trouble, the populace sought help from a magician in a faraway land. Moved by the people's distress, the magician went up into the valley uttering strange words, luring the attention of the unholy beings. They swarmed down the mountainside in large numbers: from the ravines, from the forests, from streams and rivers formed by the melting snow. Unable to resist the magician's pull, they followed as he led them all to Monte Bianco. Once there, the spirits were thrown into an icy abyss by an unseen force, to be imprisoned forever with the door of the Giant's Tooth. [That there tooth is one bad cavity.]

A section of the Grandes Jorasses, northeastern range of the Monte Bianco massif

Three waterfalls cascade from melting glacial snow