Contact Lindy on 01989 562353 or email g2club@hotmail.com for details and bookings
Love Italy
Our Wednesday morning demonstrations are going well at Orles Barn and plans for the two day cookery courses are steaming ahead. Our June course is a must for new cooks looking to gain confidence and a deliciously simple repertoire to serve friends or family. Come in April and pick up new recipes and ideas for entertaining www.orles-barn.co.uk
Last week's demonstration "Love Italy" brought Italy and St Valentine together - a natural coupling if ever there was one. I had just come back from a weekend in Venice (having paddled undaunted in my newly acquired wellies through the high water around St Mark's square) where, for the first time in years, I had eaten consistently well. From the exquisite lemon tart, we dawdled over, while sheltering from a mid-afternoon downpour to the creamy, intensity of a seafood risotto ushered to our Saturday night table by a fleet of white coated waiters everything was as it should be and finally my faith in Venetian food has been restored.
I had chosen for my Valentine’s theme not the specialities of the Venetian kitchen – my visit was pure coincidence – but a mishmash of Italian contemporary dishes, inspired by the classic Valentine-aphrodisiac-love ingredients oysters – seafood – truffle – chocolate –strawberries. As an antipasto I chose a rich smoked salmon and mascarpone concoction served cichetti style on heart shaped bread. To follow the surreal (it’s very pink) yet wonderfully evocative and fragrant strawberry risotto – a certain talking point. To follow tagliatelle with oysters, prawns and rocket and then marinated sea bream with roast fennel. The latter was an absolute winner and so simple to prepare. To finish I made chocolate pancakes filled with chocolate and roast hazelnut crème. Details on the recipe page!
I brought a few traditional biscuits back from Venice for everyone to enjoy with their coffee. The Galani – the classic sweet Venetian carnival snack – known as sfrappe in Emiglia and chiacchiere in Le Marche went down best of all. They are thinly rolled, lighter than light (yes honestly) strips of pastry deep fried and then choked in icing sugar when cool. Delicious!
Many friends will know that for years now John and I have spent wonderful sailing holidays around the coasts of Turkey and Greece with Italian friends of long standing. The beautiful sailing yacht Felici is now available for charter with skipper so do take a look at the website www.velaturchia.com click on the Union Jack for the English version
