International Food – Come and Cook with Us

Summer (Camping) Fun with Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas

School is out, kids are running wild and we are going camping! As always, sprinkled in between the easy-to-make, nutritious and yummy food we write about on a regular basis, I love to share what we cook when we go camping. Culinarily speaking, this time our outdoors adventure was lead by my 16-year-old nephew who is visiting from Germany. It’s great to see youngsters taking an active role in their food preparation and I’m sure the enthusiasm was partly fueled by the appeal of an open fire pit. Either way, we festively dined on very non-German chicken and mushroom quesadillas on the grill along with fresh corn, a delicious salad and, to pass on an American tradition to the next generation, a healthy serving of s’mores for everyone. Come and cook with us!

I have to admit, packing in a camping trip on the same day as school ends was a little ambitious. My best practices for prepping food ahead went out the window and we improvised at the store on the way to the site. My nephew led the charge and a few shopping bags later we were on our way. It was a windy, albeit sunny affair and once the fire was well established, the boys got busy. My cast-iron pan was heavily featured – no pun intended – in the preparation of the meal along with my grilling basket and a sheet pan that always comes in handy.

For the quesadillas themselves, we sautéed sliced mushrooms with a little olive oil and grilled and shred sliced chicken breasts. Assembly was left to each diner so that each quesadilla was personalized reflecting the tastes and prepping attitudes of each guest. We grilled the corn in the husks, after removing the silk, and they turned out golden, tender and juicy. The salad lent a lighter crisp distraction to the hot food.

The best part of this trip wasn’t what we ate, it was seeing my sons and their cousin connect, have fun, build memories. This summer, reach out to your family and spend time together to connect and share in the joy of a relatively peaceful and predictable political landscape, at least until the fall elections. Just kidding! We’ll be spending time with my family and many friends, so my blog posts will be a little more sporadic than usual until we return again to a more manageable routine in August. Until then, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to stay in touch. I’d love to hear from you and learn what you are up to this summer. Share your photos, your food and your fun! Come and cook with us!

Chicken Mushroom Quesadilla

Learn from the French How to Make Onion Soup

Our society has redefined the way we procure our food. Even if we cook from scratch, few of us have the time, space and skill-set necessary to grow our own produce. I see it as an unfortunate side effect of globalization with my friends and family back home in South Tyrol all still have a garden to rely on. For now, at least. Even my 101-year-old grandmother grows some lettuce, peas, onions and chamomile flowers in a tiny but very productive little patch of garden right in the middle of town. Same for my parents who don’t set foot in a fruit and vegetable store all summer or at least until their supply lasts. Luckily for those of us less active in the gardening department, there is plenty of inspiration to be found to help people find their way back into old-fashioned and proven gardening methods. One such effort stems from our friends across the pond resulting in a beautifully written and illustrated book by renowned chef Raymond Blanc who partnered with London’s spectacular Kew Gardens to publish Kew on a Plate. Let’s see what this book is all about! Come and cook with us!

If it wasn’t for David, my friend, neighbor and fellow European (at least until Brexit is decided), I wouldn’t have discovered this book which is currently out of stock in the US. For those not familiar with Raymond Blanc, he is a renowned French chef whose restaurant holds 2 Michelin Stars. He is also a successful author and has presented several BBC series. To give you a hint on why both David and I appreciate Raymond’s approach to cooking, the best dish on his menu, according to himself, is the ‘one that’s in season’. You can see why having access to Kew Gardens turned him into a kid in a candy store. Furthermore, he worked with the garden staff to grow exactly those varieties of produce that yield the highest flavor. And he knows a thing or two about that topic!

In his book, the restaurateur selects a variety of specific fruits and vegetables from carrots to potatoes, rhubarb and gooseberries, apples and peas, and offers tips and expertise in growing the produce, adding flavor notes as well as sharing about 40 mouth-watering recipes including a tasty chicory gratin and a gorgeous spring pea risotto that makes my mouth water.

Many of the featured dishes are not just super delicious, they look particularly delectable. I’ve chosen this classic mid-week French Onion Soup to showcast how simple ingredients come together beautifully when prepared the right way. And who is better to offer advice on that than Raymond Blanc! Give it a try and let me know what you think. Come and cook with is!

Classic French Onion Soup

April is Perfect for Ratatouille

Back home we say: “Der April macht was er will” which means that “April does what it wants”. Given the agricultural background of my valley, this saying refers to the weather and the fact that it is highly unreliable during the month of April. I thought of this these past few weeks when my two boys spent more than one day at sailing regattas (or practices) rigging, de-rigging, sailing and bailing in miserable wet and cold conditions. Overall, they were troopers and I tried to have a hearty pot of comfort food waiting for them at home. In addition to goulash, chili con carne and pulled pork, I knew I would make them happy with a big pot of ratatouille. Have you made ratatouille before? This week you get a chance to try it, too. Come and cook with us!

Ratatouille is French and consists of a simple dish featuring zucchini, onions, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes either stewed on the stove-top or, my preference, first roasted in the oven and then combined and stirred with a nice dose of tomato paste to let the flavors meld. In fact, the word ratatouille is a blend of the French words ratouiller to disturb, shake and tatouiller to stir. It’s a hearty vegetarian dish that gets better over time and tastes just as good cold as it does warm. So make a lot, make it often and don’t be afraid of left-overs.

My kids favorite way to eat ratatouille is over soft polenta with either a poached egg or some tasty melted cheese layered in between, preferably gorgonzola dolce but any decent melting cheese will do.

In Italy, we have a similar dish called peperonata which comes from the word “peperone” which isn’t the “pepperoni” you put on your pizza but rather, bell peppers. It’s similar and often also features potatoes which are usually not in a ratatouille.

So next time you’re in the supermarket, stock up on zucchini (non-GMO), eggplants, bell peppers (organic as per EWG’s 2016 Dirty Dozen list which is hot off the press), onions and tomato paste and make a big pot of ratatouille. Hope you and yours like it as much as mine do! Come and cook with us!

Ratatouille

Celebrating with Ötzi, Brad Pitt and Knödel!

It’s celebration time! Like every year, January is my reader appreciation month. It’s when I want to thank you for your support. To change things up from years past, I have a special South Tyrolean cookbook as a give-away. And I’ll teach you how to make the king of South Tyrolean cooking: Knödel. The bread dumplings are the most iconic of our foods and say South Tyrol like no other dish. We eat them plain in broth, with salad, in stews, sliced as “carpaccio” and roasted as leftovers. Hope you enjoy our Knödel as much as we have for thousands (!) of years. Come and cook with us!

So what does Ötzi have to do with all of this? For those of you who don’t follow continental European anthropology on a regular basis, Ötzi is the mummy that was found in 1991 on a high pass in the mountain range that runs the border between Italy and Austria. Archeologists believe this Iceman belonged to the first independent Alpine cultural group, Tamins-Carasso-Isera 5 and lived between 3350 and 3100 BC. And believe it or not, scientist found traces of the Ur-Knödel in his stomach, i.e., a combination of grains and speck.

They key to a good Knödel is the right bread. Back home, we use left-over semmel, which is similar to the “Kaiser” rolls you can get in some US grocery stores. It’s virtually white bread buns. And it has to be old and dried out. Sounds delish, doesn’t it? Believe me, mixed with the right amount of milk, eggs, and parsley, Knödel make the perfect side dish to roasts, gulasch as well as other types of stews such as chanterelle or porcini mushroom ragouts. This basic recipe can be adjusted to a wide range of different varieties including speck, cheese, spinach, buckwheat, beat, ricotta and more. The options are endless!

But wait there is more. There isn’t just the “right” bread you have to find, there is also a “right” way to eat Knödel. Under no circumstances does one ever use a knife to cut a Knödel in pieces. Simply take your fork and spoon and carefully tear the Knödel apart. Got it?

All-in-all, this is clearly not your latest superfood but it is THE food symbol of South Tyrol. And, you might ask, what does Brad Pitt have to do with all of this? He has Ötzi tattooed on his arm. Seriously, I am not making this up! Might we say he is indirectly endorsing the Knödel?

If you want more South Tyrolean recipes in a special South Tyrol cookbook, then be the first to like today’s post on www.comeandcookwithus.com! Happy 5th anniversary and please help us celebrate by liking us on Facebook, favoriting us on Twitter and following us on Instagram. And if that’s not enough, drop me a comment on my website as I’d love to hear from you. Come and Cook with Us!

Semmelknödel

Chai, Coconut and Critters

What better way to spend a rainy day than visiting the San Francisco Fancy Food Show. This past Tuesday, I fought my way through over 5000 stands showcasing a wide range of domestic and international food products including many of the newest trends that will hit the shelves of our neighborhood super markets soon. Read and see what I liked best, including chai teas, new and improved superfoods, all things coconut and yes, why not, critters. Come and cook with us!

Matcha teas, powders, blends that can be consumed by adding water or your choice of milk. Brands included DoMatcha, Teapigs, Aiya Matcha and many others. In general, the whole tea category was very inspiring with Marin’s very own Republic of Tea featuring one of the most complementary collections. When it comes to tea innovations, we like to highlight Leaner Creamer a coconut-oil-based all-natural blend that aims at “cleaning up the way we drink coffee”. I leave it up to you to decide if you’re ready for the creamer revolution. Certainly keep an eye out for Tea Drops. This new way to make and enjoy teas on the go is a sure winner. The drops come in little fun-shaped ground tea pellets that make away with tea bags and their packaging. I loved the rose earl grey heart-shaped drops but there are more flavors available in cute gift packages on the company’s website. I already ordered a stack!

Chai teas deserve their own section. There were so many different options and I loved David Rio’s and also Tipu Chai‘s 4th generation recipe that was absolutely delicious. Turmeric-based teas and other products were all the rage as well, standing out was Rishi’s Turmeric Ginger Chai, a “naturally caffeine-free botanical elixir”.

When it comes to snacks, sit back and enjoy what food gurus have come up to satisfy our – and our kids’ – insatiable desire to snack throughout the day. Whether Gourmet Superseedz, Nu Life Market‘s popped sorghum, super pretty Dardimans California Crisps fruit slices and Organic Gemini Tigernuts, the options are too many to be listed. Most are in line with the latest trends of gluten-free, vegetable-based, high-nutrient, low-sugar alternatives.

The other big hit is beef jerky, puffed pork skins and all the other juicy meat bits. Smokey, handsome and bold were the stands manned by equally strong and handsome studs enticing our inquiring palates to taste what they had on offer. How could we say no! Some of my favorites included KRAVE Jerky, Epic Bars, Perky Jerky, Lawless Jerky and Three Jerks Jerky. I mean, really, could you come up with better names? For sure is that jerky is clearly dominating the snack category.

Another trend was one-meals in cups, including breakfast cereal bowls from Straw Propeller Gourmet Foods and the deliciously nutritious line of Dr. McDougall’s soups and whole grain oatmeal cups. Of the gluten-free options, we liked Simple Mills almond baking mixes and RP’s Fresh Pasta the best. And we also loved the little ready-to-use spice mixes from Just Cook that help turn home-cooked meals into amazing dishes as well as new super foods like Pure Moringa that can be used in shakes, sauces, soups and more. Finally, our friends from New Zealand featured their dairy-based protein powder kura that makes for a great addition to morning breakfast shakes.

No line-up of fancy foods would be complete without chocolate: there were many stands and we loved tcho, dagoba and poco dolce’s tiles and dairy-free bittersweet chocolate bars to name just a few.

That leaves the best for last. On my way out, I spotted a small stand right at the entrance with a lonely girl sitting and waiting for customers. I couldn’t figure out what she was offering. Oh boy, was I in for a surprise. Not one to shy away from culinary experiments, I happily accepted her offer to try one of her spiced roasted superworms. It was delicious. And if you live in the vicinity of the ferry building, Don Bugito: Prehispanic Snackeria’s little critter pouches can be purchased at La Cocina. I dare you to try it! Come and cook with us!