Ringing in the New Year with a Drum

One of my favorite foodie movies is “Big Night” - a tale of two Italian immigrant brothers who make New Jersey not only their home, but also the home of their family owned and operated Italian restaurant. Unfortunately, their eatery isn’t fairing well. So, in hopes of revitalizing their business, the siblings plan a dining extravaganza for Jazz great Louie Prima.

Knowing this is their last chance to turn things around the boys are totally consumed with preparing a “Big Night” feast that Mr. Prima and company will never forget. While many satisfying courses were carefully orchestrated the night of this music legend’s supposed visit, the crescendo of the evening centered around the serving of a dish called “Timpano” – a complicated, but delicious baked pasta creation.

After viewing this movie back in the late 1990’s, one of my closest friends, Karen Calabrese, was inspired to host a dinner party where “Timpano” would be the main attraction. Only a true food fanatic can appreciate the effort that goes into preparing such a meal – a labor of love one would only take on for those dear to heart.

Timpano is Italian for “drum”, which is the shape this magnificent meal takes on when it is done baking. The steps to create this lavish dish are numerous: roll and bake 40+ meatballs, boil and slice eggs, chop chunks of salami, produce a savory tomato sauce, cook the pasta, cube a generous portion of mozzarella and bread and fry the drum itself – which in this instance is thinly sliced eggplant cut horizontally (other’s use pasta sheets to create the drum like shell that houses all these wonderful ingredients). Assembling this dish is almost as time consuming as cooking all of the various elements that go into the dish.

As funny as this may sound, we’ll be ringing in the New Year with a drum as Karen rolls up her sleeves and camps out in her kitchen this Friday to prepare this memorable meal that has mystical effects on the taste buds. Once the elaborate Timpano is carried into the dining room on a special oversized cake pedestal, mouths drop open knowing the most outrageous flavors will be unleash upon consumption. The only thing better than the aroma and spectacular taste this meal holds is the friends that will surround the table with me as we celebrate the coming of 2011. Wishing each of you a very Happy New Year!

Caesar Salad Classic

When hosting company, one of my favorite crowd pleasers leading into dinner is a Caesar Salad that leaves those dining around my kitchen table wanting more. “This is the best Caesar Salad I have ever tasted!” is a common reply after guests have mouthed down a forkful of romaine that has been caressed by this luxurious liquid dressing.

Dazzle your company next time you entertain or make the regulars around your dinner table feel extra special by preparing this simple yet delicious prequel to dinner.

Recipe was found on-line at Williams-Sonoma – which adapted the original recipe from Celebrating the Pleasures of Cooking, by Chuck Williams (Time-Life Books, 1997).

Ingredients:
• 1 large head of romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 7 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbs. plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Chop garlic cloves and combine with the 1/2 cup olive oil in a food processor. Puree until smooth. In a small bowl, using a fork, mash the anchovies until they form a paste. Add to the oil and garlic in the blender along with the mustard, lemon juice and yogurt. Blend at high speed until a smooth emulsion forms. Add 2 Tbs. of the Parmesan cheese and blend again. Season with a little salt, remembering that anchovies and cheese are salty, and a little pepper. Shave some fresh parmesan over top for an extra special effect.

Add three-fourths of the dressing to the lettuce and toss to coat well. Add about half of the remaining cheese and toss again. Add more dressing or more seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with the croutons and the remaining cheese. Shave some fresh parmesan over top for an extra special effect.
Serve immediately.

The Brownie versus "The Broundie"

What if brownies had to be cut into circles? Seriously, no one likes to be square – not even a brownie. We’d overhaul their name and call these gooey chocolate disks “Broundies”. It would take a little getting used to, but the thought of an edgeless brownie makes the corners of my mouth head north!

Whether you are a fan of crispy edges or more into soft centers the following brownie recipe will satisfy any sweet tooth!! Years ago a fellow foodie friend of mine gave me this recipe and I wanted to pass it along to you! Warning: When ready for consumption, make sure you have a cold glass of milk handy to accompany this outrageous treat!

Lovey’s Brownies (From Food & Wine Magazine March 1990)
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 generous cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (about 3 oz.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch metal or ceramic baking pan.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over moderately low heat until half melted. Add the chocolate and stir until the butter and chocolate are completely melted and combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar with a wooden spoon until incorporated.

3. Using the wooden spoon, beat in the eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition until the eggs are fully incorporated and the chocolate mixture is shiny. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and salt all at once and mix until blended. Stir in the chopped nuts.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the brownies are slightly firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the center indicates the brownies are moist. Let cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares (or circles!!)

Cullinary Quotes

"A pessimist is someone who looks at the land of milk and honey and sees only calories and cholesterol." Anonymous

Flipping for Pancakes

My mother was notorious for the way she served pancakes. After she whipped up a batch of batter, she would carefully ladle out her gooey concoction onto a warm griddle and then strategically place blueberries onto each pancake to ensure we’d get a taste of blueberry in every bite. Once the pancakes were ready for consumption she would have me and my siblings line up at the other end of the kitchen with our breakfast plate in hand and that’s when the fun began!

Mom would grab her oversized spatula and slip it underneath a golden brown flap-jack. She would then have us hold out our plate as we looked to catch our breakfast. We’d get the old countdown “One, two, three…” and then the toss. Like a baseball player up at bat waiting to strike the ball as it came over home plate, we knew not to take our eyes off of the flying flapjack - for if the flapjack hit the floor we still had to eat it (which in my mother’s house was no big deal as her floors were cleaner than an episode of Little House on the Prairie).

Once we managed to collect our breakfast the family would sit down at the table and with hands folded, heads bowed and eyes closed we would recite a simple morning prayer:

“God is great
God is good
Let us thank Him for our food
By His hands we'll all be fed
Give us Lord our daily bread”

While mom’s recipe for pancakes may have involved a yellow box of Bisquick (I’m sorry to report they were not made from scratch), she never cut corners when it came to maple syrup. Light amber, grade A Vermont maple syrup was always on the breakfast table when waffles or pancakes were served (Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth were two ladies that only visited the homes of the neighborhood kids). After we spread some Land O’Lakes butter over each layer of pancake we would pour this maple goodness over top and watch it run down the sides of our breakfast.

My college friends enjoyed coming home to Connecticut with me on holiday weekends as they knew breakfast was more like a sporting event at my home. I recently had an old college girlfriend ask me if my ”Mom’s toss was still boss?". I’m happy to report – most definitely! On the rare occasions that I find myself over Mom’s house for breakfast, if pancakes are being served, they are still being made with love and tossed with affection.

Culinary Quote

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat." Old New York Proverb

Sfogliatelle – hard to pronounce, but easy to eat!

Meaning “many layers” in Italian, Sfogliatelle is a decadent clam shaped pastry that, when baked to perfection, can make a grown man cry. How are these masterpieces assembled? Numerous layers of phyllo like dough are wrapped around a heavy, but sweet, citrus flavored ricotta cheese.

Only the brave culinary artist would even attempt to make these from scratch – they are simply way too involved to create. I remember reading a Gourmet Magazine article on the steps involved in preparing Sfogliatelle - page upon page of instruction. I thought to myself, in a heavy Italian accent, “Forget aboud it”. It’s a wonderful thing to have an authentic Italian bakery (Luigi’s) right up the street allowing you, on a whim, to purchase these tantalizing treats that tickle the taste buds.

Not only is Sfogliatelle my mother’s favorite Italian pastry, but my co-workers at Pitney Bowes love to pronounce the name of this Italian blessing over and over again. The office rat-pack seems to believe that Seinfeld missed a classic opportunity by not having one of his episodes centered around Jerry, George and Elaine fighting over a box of Sfogliatelle.

Never had one? What are you waiting for? Just make sure you have a hot cup of java handy as nothing complements a warm sfogliattelle better than a dusting of powder sugar and a piping hot cup of coffee.

As I reflect on my youth, I never realized how food played such an important role in my family's livelihood. A diner, restaurant, ice cream parlor and a couple of grocery stores were all owned and operated by family members. It's no wonder I decided to start blogging about something very near and dear to my heart (and stomach for that matter), food!

My Mom's Dad was proud owner of Ed's Highway Diner - a place where silver dollar flapjacks were served hot off the griddle - all you can eat for just thirty-five cents! My Mom, in partnership with her older brother and sister, helped manage the Kimberly Inn Restaurant. This Trumbull, Connecticut landmark was know for it's fine continental cuisine. I can still taste the rich sherry scented lobster bisque and the creamy cinnamon dusted rice pudding. In the next town over, my father was the sole proprietor of "The Sugar Cone", an old fashion style ice cream parlor. If you want to be popular with your elementary classmates have your Dad open an ice cream joint. Finally, let's not forget "Grandpa Nick" who owned the Crown Budget Market. I can still see him standing behind the meat counter in his white apron and hat as he sliced cold cuts.

I earned my "foodie" status very innocently as I was surrounded by culinary entrepreneurs all through my childhood. To this day I continue to encircle myself with those who have a love for those things delicious. It is with great pleasure I will be sharing heartwarming life stories and precious memories all centred around food as it relates to family and friends. Sandwiched between these weekly entries will be restaurant reviews, culinary quotes, favorite foodie web-sites, and various special recipes used by those dear to heart. So pull up a chair, grab your fork and knife and dig in!! I hope you enjoy your "Thyme with Nick"!