A Taste Of Kindness

 November is the month where there should be kindnesses big and little committed,It could be feeding  those who need it or providing a flavor of one's home to them. Food will always be the tie that binds us together.

I wanted to provide a taste of home for my schools women's volleyba;; team. One  star player is near where my great-grandfahter, my bisnonno came from outside of Torino. Two other players come from the beautiful Veneto area of Northenr Italy where rice is king. I wanted to give these girls a taste of home, sort of like our comforting Thanksgiving food. Mushroom risotto is dish that provides that being loved from the Italian Alps to the Dolomite Mountains. It's an easy cook.It's just sauteing sliced baby Bella's in a mix of plant based butter and Lidl olive oil. I add the tiniest pinch of garlic powder to liven up the mushrooms' flavor

They do have to be rinsed first before cooking.

Each batch  - and there were four!!!! batches has to be sauteed for ten minutes. This draws the water out for the gills (any kind of mushroom acts as a kind of sponge for water).

The rice was from Lidl, a mix of mushroom and truffle flavors. This took three boxes.

It takes a roiling boil and then the arborio  and flavorings  is added to seven cups of water

It takes about twenty minutes to get the rice to be a tender al dente texture.

The end result is a mushroom rich dish that I'm sure the volleyball team will love. It's a warming taste of home, much needed during this point in the semester/

It's November and a time for kindnesses. This pot of risotto al funghi will remind homesick girls of homes. It's the perfect comfort food for this season.

Preserving Prosecco's Elegance

Prosecco is one of those elegant Northern Italian wines. It is perfect at any soiree or wedding. It also holds its' own at a quiet Sunday brunch. Either way  it leaves a fruity , earthy taste that is not only delicious but also unique.It is also becoming an artesanal sparkling wine that has exclusive beginnings.

Prosecco was the subject of new writer Alan Tardi's article in today's New York Times Dining section.I had always thought the wine was from Piedmonte however most Prosecco vintages come from the lush Veneto region on the Adriatic.Here there are artesanal vineyards that produce the glera grape. This particular cultivar is known exclusively for producing both the  sparkling and nonsparkling types.There are also minor vineyards, smaller grape producing farms that provide ever so slight variations of this grape. Doing this give the wine the same kind of pedigree exclusive champagnes have.

Another factor in making Prosecco is the actual method of making it, Winemakers are trying the time honored refermentation  which is inducing the second fermentation with out any added sugar. This results in a dryer and yeastier version along with being more complexin flavor and texture.Also Prosecco is acquiring vintages too - usually unheard  of in the industry.  The winemakers are creating millesimato wines  which means they all come from the same year. In the past Proseccos have been a blend of two or three vintages

Prosecco has always been an elegant drink. However thanks to new ideas and time honored techniques it is becoming more exclusive and artesanal. Thanks to these it will be the wine of choice and much desired by connoisseurs.