OK, What's For Lunch or Tea Today?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Marco
Cheers, mate. She's not a bad wee cook:)
Yup, I agree with your thoughts about fennel, or for that matter any other herbs - you don't want them to overpower your food, which is so easily done, especially with dried stuff which tends to be have a more intense flavour. Therefore, subtle and well-balanced is the way.
You like your Italian food, don't you - if you had to pick one, what would be your favourite dish, or what would be your favourite Italian 3-course meal?:cool:
Marco.
I just couldn’t pick a favourite Marco, but I would say that if I were going to go on a ‘food safari’ and pick a country to eat my way through, it would be Italy, no competition.
My main exposure to Italian food is from the Salento region or Southern Puglia, so very simple, but exceptional quality vegetables, seafood, pasta and breads.
I particularly love the pasta (made with 1 or even no eggs) and the tomato sauces where the tomato is the star of the show - nothing will ever equal the revelation of tasting a simple, homemade Pugliese tomato sauce for me.
If the ingredients are that good, they’re the star. Every village and every community believes it has it’s own champion, and in some ways they’re all correct, who am I to argue [emoji4]
I don’t believe you can replicate the conditions or the ingredients outside of those places but it does influence how and what you eat, no question.
For me, it means recognising that you can’t substitute technique for produce. Make the meal about the star of the show in terms of quality and freshness.
I’m still guilty of putting too many things together, when I know I should be emphasising the star of the show with two or three sympathetic ‘supports’ but I think I’m getting better with age and experience. [emoji13]
I would say that I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth so if I had to leave out a course, it would be dessert.
If I’m eating out, I’d rather order something I know I couldn’t do myself at home, either because of the economies of scale, access to the ingredients or just the cooking skills.
Although I wouldn’t say no to a three Michelin Star experience if it was offered to me, my personal preferences are much simpler, great ‘peasant’ food with a local or unique twist of some kind. That’ll do me. [emoji4]