The Art of Picnics

April 25, 2015 By Silvia Baldini

Location:

The park, the beach, a shady spot, your favorite secret corner. Like in real estate, location is everything when scouting for a picnic site. Keep it simple, easy to reach and close to a storm shelter.

Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Sunday on the Banks of the Marne, 1938

Semantic:

Picnic, or pique-nique, is of French origin, formed from piquer, the French for “to pick at food”, and nique meaning something small of no value.

The word picnic has existed in English for a long time, with different meanings including a kind of hat and a morally suspect club started by lord Chesterfied in 1748 that was associated with card-playing and drinking. No matter.   Picnicking is what you make of it. I call mine alfresco dining and I pack it as tasty and as fun as I can.

Thomas Cole’s A Pic-Nic Party, 1846

Style:

The art of the picnic should require resolute rejection of plastic when it comes to food packing. Plastic makes everything smell funky and it’s, in my opinion, unbecoming.  Paper, glass, cloth, cardboard, wax paper, are all beautiful alternatives.

Alcohol:

Don’t forget the bottle opener for the booze. Or better forget it and stick to champagne.

Packing:

At the beginning of times a picnic was a way to take a whole meal outside. Originally servants and coaches used to come at 4am to pick up a picnic hamper. Well I have news for you. Times have changed. Keep you packing light and organized. Select fresh ingredients and recipes that are easily sharable with your tribe. On the other hand, if you have kids in the group, by all mean, load them up.

Food:

In the end, packing good food is what a picnic it’s all about. It doesn’t have to be fine dining or complicated but it has to be memorable and refreshing. Jars salads are a great idea. Dressing goes on the bottom, veggies and other goodies get piled on top. Everything stays separate and dressing-free until you toss the salad together, you’ll never eat another soggy salad.

A pressed sandwich is another fabulous idea. You can prepare it in advance, by cutting a good loaf of crusty bread, loading it with layers of greens, creamy cheese, salty cured meats, a good drizzle of strong olive oil and wrap it in lots of cellophane. Put it at the bottom of the picnic basket and weight it down with all the other goodies. Once you a get to your spot, ask the kids to sit on it. It will help you flatten the sandwich, and making sure all the flavors are properly combined while giving you the time you need to unpack in peace. Don’t forget scotched eggs and an aioli for dipping, I’m partial to my tarragon infused recipe, some pickled veggies for tanginess, and of course strawberries because it’s not a proper picnic with out sweet strawberries to stain your clothes.

All the recipes from my lecture at Olivette are now online.

The Art Of Picnics at Olivette

Avocado, Lentils, Pistachio and Arugola salad

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Servings	Prep Time
4	20

Cook Time

Servings	Prep Time
4	20

Cook Time

Avocado, Lentils, Pistachio and Arugola salad

Yum

Servings	Prep Time
4	20

Cook Time

Servings	Prep Time
4	20

Cook Time

Ingredients

For the salad

2 bunches arugola salad washed
2 cups puy lentils cooked
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 whole avocado rubbed with half a lemon and diced
1/2 cup pistachio nuts unsalted
1/4 cup mint leaves chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped

For the dressing

1/2 cup lemon infused olive oil substitute with olive oil and half a juice of a lemon
1/4 cup aged dark balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pistachio oil
salt an pepper

Servings:

Instructions

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well.
Add all the salad components and with a rubber spatula, mix all the ingredients making sure to coat well. Serve room temperature.

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Pressed, layered Sandwich

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Pressed, layered Sandwich

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Ingredients

Vinaigrette

1 small shallot
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar pinot
3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
salt and pepper

Sandwich

1 loaf round bread focaccia or muffaletta
4/8 tablespoons olive oil
6/10 leaves lettuce
8 onces Brie cheese cut in slices
3/4 cup black olives pitted and roughly chopped
1 large tomato sliced
2 ounces anchovies in olive oil, drained. Optional.

Servings:

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette, mix the shallot and vinegar in a small bowl, and gradually whisk in the oil with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the bread horizontally into even top and bottom layers. Turn the top over, then drizzle olive oil all over the cut sides of both layers, using 2 or 3 Tbs of oil on each.
Make layers of all the filling ingredients. First, completely cover the sandwich bottom with 5 or 6 lettuce leaves, then arrange the slices of Brie on top. Scatter the chopped olives and cover with the tomato slices in a single layer.
Spoon about half the vinaigrette over the tomatoes, then separate the anchovy fillets and distribute evenly. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette and the oil from the anchovy can all over the filling. Finally, replace the top layer of the bread to close the sandwich.
Wrap the sandwich well with several layers of plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan or tray. Lay another tray on top of the sandwich and center some heavy items to press and flatten the loaf (a heavy pan and a 5-lb bag of sugar, for example).
Place the weighted sandwich in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Before serving, remove the weight, unwrap the compressed sandwich, and let it come to room temperature. Cut into serving-size wedges or, as an hors d'oeuvre cut in thin parallel slices, and again into short, bite-size lengths. 1 large sandwich makes 8 large wedges or 24-hors-d'oeuvre-size pieces.

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A family feud.

The Easter Feast.

April 20, 2015 By Silvia Baldini

Forget Chopped, Bologna, Italy is were the real war is. Every year, my mother in law Betta and her Sister Giorgia have a food competition. Betta takes on Easter lunch and Giorgia rebuttals with the Christmas meal. I don’t know how far back this tradition dates, but I can assure you , the competition is brutal.
Months before the meals, family recipes are sourced out from books, secret phone calls are made, and long consultations with other close family members and sometimes Guido, the local butcher and known gourmand, take place behind closed doors. Food creativity, presentation, and table settings are taken in consideration. No detail is overlooked.

Me, I stay out of it. If consulted I just make up an excuse and change the subject. I have learn not to come between the sisters. But I reap the benefits. I, in fact, have had the pleasure to attend Betta’s Easter feast for 2 years now, and enjoy the creations while sinfully indulge in the verbal banter between the sisters.

And let me tell you, Betta didn’t disappoint this year. The spread was spectacular, each dish was designed with a nod to local ingredients and family recipes. Some of my favorite dishes were: buttery and flaky parmigianini, handmade sting nettle tortelloni, inspired by a recipe from signora Patrizia’s arsenal, stuffed guinea hen, veal mosaic, and a stunning fruit aspic.

Betta also scored extra points not only with the menu design, that with the help of my brother in law, his girlfriends and pinerest, was designed to resemble a cootie catcher, but also with the place settings, which were hand carved by my father in law Gigi, from local walnut trees and esquisitely hand painted with everybody’s first names.

Menu by Francesco and Irene

Place Setting by Gigi

Augusto and Valentina settings

Parmigianini are a tradition at Betta’s table. They are small, buttery, flaky, loaded with parmigian, crunchy biscuits. They are served as an aperitif. Once I locate them, I cannot stop eating them. They are evil and addictive. This time, they were accompanied by Crodino’s and Aperol. These are bitter orange drinks meant to stimulate the appetite at the beginning of the meal.

Parmigianini

Crodini and Aperol

I was told the sting nettles for the tortelloni were picked in the fall and frozen especially for this meal. They are mixed in, while making the dough, lending not only a beautiful green hue to the tortelloni, but also a very distinctive aromatic flavor, reminiscing of mint and spinach. The tortelloni were a work of art. The dough was thin, slippery and encasing fresh, just made, salty ricotta and chopped sting nettles. Dressed in a creamy sauce reduced with parmigiano, these tortelloni are possibly one of the more remarkable pasta dish I have ever had. I could taste the love, the passion and the patience of the experienced hands of Betta and Patrizia in each one of them.

Sting Nettles

Dough

Betta’s tortelloni

I loved the stuffed guinea hen. It’s a beautiful and decadent dish, perfect for company. The veal mosaic was silky and tender, I would say it is the elegant cousin of the meatloaf. It came at the table all dressed up and studded with emerald green pistachios and specks of delicate pink prosciutto.

Veal Mosaico

There were many other side dishes, salads and desserts served. This was not a meal for the faint of heart. Once it was time for the grand finale, the fruit aspic, took the cake. Aspic is an old fashion and sentimental dish in Italy. Every family has a recipe and it appears at times, at the end of the meal in all it’s trembling glory. Some people might over look the aspic and go for the creamy and more chocolaty contenders, but, I just love the refreshing qualities of it. Betta aspic is loaded with berries, fruit and encased by a delicate sweet but tangy gelatin. Of course to be fair, I also tried the famous chocolate sandwich cookies and all the other dessert. and enjoyed all of them, but the aspic is were my heart and taste buds were at.

Aspic

Filling the chocolate cookies

I cannot wait to go back next year. I can not even imagine how Betta will top her self. Truth is, I cannot imagine what her sister Giorgia will do at Christmas. She sure has a tough act to fall. Although I have heard through the grapevine, she has already started looking trough the books, and I can hear her wheels turning from here.

The sting nettel tortelloni, courtesy of Patrizia is posted below.

Betta and Gigi, the hosts and winner of this year feast. For now.

Holy Canederli!

I actually won Chopped.

April 1, 2015 By Silvia Baldini

Last night I competed on Chopped, on Food Network, and guess what, I won.

I dreamed to be on Chopped since the time I decided to take a crazy leap, change my career, my life, and enroll at Cordon Bleu. I should leap more often, because I enjoyed every stressful second of it. The second I walked in to the Chopped Kitchen, the second I heard Mr. Ted Allen announced my name, the second I saw judges Maneet Chauhan, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos glare at me, the second I opened my first mystery basket. Then It’s all a blur. heart pumping, adrenaline going, knives action packed hour. And I won. Thank God! because the smile on my children face when I told them I actually won, was worth every heart pounding moment.

By the way if you had not noticed, it’s April 1st today, and wouldn’t you know it, the pantry in the Chopped kitchen was chock full of pranks and the ingredients in the mystery baskets were in disguise; but after enduring April Fools’ Day pranks, a mystery basket of duplicitous ingredients, and a grueling twelve hours of competition against younger, up-and-coming chefs from the hot culinary scene in Charleston, South Carolina, I think I impressed the judges with my dessert, sweet canederli.

I LOVE CANEDERLI! Canederli are bread dumplings, a regional specialty of northeast Italy where they are served as a first course or dessert. Considered part of ‘cucina povera’, they are made of simple and inexpensive ingredients including stale bread moistened with milk or cheese bound with eggs and a small amount of flour. They are not very known here in the US. But I grew up eating them. It’s a dish that comes from the north and the mountains of Italy, like me. They are a tasty treat, that exemplifies my love for “chic and simple comfort” cuisine. A style rooted in making beautiful food to share with loved ones.

The sweet Canederli I made on Chopped, are based on my very simple but elegant recipe: Balsamic Strawberry Soup and Sweet Canaderli. It’s a very easy recipe and it’s a great dessert to end a meal. I always shape the canederli in advance, but poach them at the last moment. The aroma of the cinnamon, cardamon, clove and lemon fills my kitchen, reminding me of my precious times spent back home, exploring my loved Alps and Dolomites, with my family.

Savory Canederli are even more popular than sweet one. Some of my favorite are the ricotta canederli and speck, and the semolina ones. Ricotta canederli are lush, soft and delicious, when drowsed in brown butter.

The speck and semolina’s are packed with flavor, saltiness and restoratives qualities, thanks to warm, rich broth they float in.

To make Canederli, you use what you have in your pantry, stale bread from the day before, a little semolina, flour or even old mashed potatoes. They are a great way to repurpose left overs. They are not hard to make, you just have to learn to shape them, it’s like making meatballs, fun for all.

I’m posting the recipes below. I hope you try to make them, perhaps you can then imagine you are in the Dolomites, rent the 1962 original “Pink Panther”, or Roger Moore’s “For your Eyes Only and make a movie night of it.

Me, I’m going to celebrate my victory tonight, with a big bowl of canederli and my grinning kids and husband.

Be My Honey

March 21, 2015 By Silvia Baldini

It’s sticky in my kitchen! I’m getting ready for the Ark of Taste Honey event next week at the Carriage Barn Arts Center in New Canaan.
I’ll be working with and tasting RedBee’s beautiful single-origin artisanal honey and getting some tips, on heirlooms and local foods from Analiese Paik of the Fairfield Green Food guide.

I truly love cooking with honey. The different floral bouquets create a vast range of aromas, enhancing and providing sweetness and deep complex flavors to many dishes.
For this event I’m making a carrot, honey ginger soup, and honey citrus soaked cakes. I chose these two recipes because I wanted to showcase the honey and show off the it’s versatility.
Both recipes are simple and heart warming. I also chose them because, they are not only easy to make, but also beautiful, and they would be perfect, for a simple but elegant evening supper with loved ones.

The carrot, honey, ginger soup is silky, lush, and pure goodness. The sweetness and complexity of the red currant honey combined with the heat of the ginger and the tanginess of the lemon, make each bite spicy, sour and bright.

The honey citrus soaked cake is dense, moist, sticky and honey and citrus-scented. It’s one of those cakes loved by both adults and kids, and it’s very pretty baked in a loaf pan or in individual servings tins.

If you are in the mood for some extra work, I would also make baked fruit, drizzled with honey, to accompany this gooey lemony cake. I have some rhubarb in my fridge and I’ll use it tonight; but crispy apples would be yummy too.

Ladle the soup in some pretty bowls, arrange the cake on a nice tray, throw some logs on the fireplace, and share your goodies with your honeys.

To share some love and get busy in the kitchen, check the recipes below.
If you want to read about the honey event at Carriage Barn Art Center click on the link below:

Feast on Art

To learn more about RedBee honey and Fairfield Green Food Guide click on :

RedBee Single Origin Artisanal Honey

FGFG

Carrot, Honey & Ginger Soup

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I love this soup. I used Red Bee currant honey. The smokey notes of cherry, and the undertones of anise, combined with the spiciness of ginger, and the sweetness of carrots, melt together creating a wonderful comforting soup. Good for the soul, and the belly.

CourseSoups

Servings	Prep Time
4 Servings	20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
4 Servings	20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Carrot, Honey & Ginger Soup

Yum

CourseSoups

Servings	Prep Time
4 Servings	20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
4 Servings	20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 Pounds Carrots Chopped
1 Whole Onion Chopped
1 Clove garlic Chopped
1 Piece Peeled Fresh Ginger, 4 inches long Chopped
3 Sticks celery Chopped
4 Cups stock Chicken or vegetable
3 Tablespoons Honey
1 Whole bay leaf
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or coriander Chopped

Servings: Servings

Instructions

Melt the butter in to a heavy pot, stir in the carrots, onion, garlic, celery and ginger. Sweat gently over low heat for about 15 to 10 mines. Add a sprinkle of salt.
Add the hot stock, stir in one tablespoon of honey, the bay leaf and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes. It's done when the carrots are very soft. Fish out the bay leaf and discard.
Blend in batches or with an immersion blender. Careful, hot liquids explode and burn! Push the soup through a sieve. Don't by pass this step. It's the difference between a mediocre soup and a silky, smooth velvety one. Plus nobody likes to be stuck with ginger fibers in between their teeth.
Put the soup back on the stove, in a clean pot. Add some stock or water to thin it as needed. Add the double cream and the remaining two tablespoons of honey, squeeze a little lemon and reheat gently. Season to taste.
Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro.

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Honey, Citrus Soaked Cake

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This cake is dense, moist sticky and citrus scented.

CourseDesserts

Servings	Prep Time
6/8 people	25 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6/8 people	25 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Honey, Citrus Soaked Cake

Yum

This cake is dense, moist sticky and citrus scented.

CourseDesserts

Servings	Prep Time
6/8 people	25 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6/8 people	25 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

For The Cake

2 sticks Butter softened
1 1/4 cup granulates sugar caster
1 zest lemon organic
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs organic
1/2 cup plain flour you can substitute one cup of grounded pistachio for a gluten free cake
2 cups ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Honey Lemon Syrup

1 zest and juice lemon grate zest , you can substitute an orange with the lemon
1/2 cup Honey

Servings: people

Instructions

Heat the oven at 350 F. Butter a 9 1/2 inch spring-form pan and line the bottom with parchment.
Beat the, butter, sugar lemon zest and vanilla in a mixing bowl until white and fluffy. You can use a kitchen aid or by hand.
Beat in the eggs one at the time. You can sprinkle in one tablespoon of the flour after each egg to tup the curdling.
Gently fold the remaining flour and almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt, until smooth.
Spread one the base of the spring-form cake pan and bake until firm to the touch, about 40 minutes.
Take the cake out from the oven and place on a wire rack. Leave in the cake pan to cool completely.
While the cake cools off, make the honey lemon syrup. Gently warm the honey, lemon juice and zest in a small pan over low heat for about 5 minutes. It will be liquid but not boiling.
Pour over the cake, then leave it to cool.
You can bake a day ahead.

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Honey-Baked Rhubarb

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Sweet and fragrant. Great for breakfast, dessert or directly spooned in your mouth.

CourseBreakfast, Desserts

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Honey-Baked Rhubarb

Yum

Sweet and fragrant. Great for breakfast, dessert or directly spooned in your mouth.

CourseBreakfast, Desserts

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

10 stalks rhubarb cut in to 4 inches pieces
1 large orange, juice and zest finely grate zest
4 tablespoons Honey you might want to warm it up to make runny

Servings: people

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 300 F.
Place the rhubarb in a single layer on an oven proof dish lined with baking paper. Sprinkle the grated orange zest and pour the juice over it. Drizzle the honey and gently mix.
Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until fork tender.
Leave to cool. It can bee kept with the syrupy juices in a sealed container in the fridge for a week.

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Silvia Baldini

Holy Canederli!

I actually won Chopped.

Be My Honey

Find A Recipe. Enjoy a Home Cooked Meal.