tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post5563196731023739196..comments2024-02-08T00:07:02.437-06:00Comments on Food in Houston: Several surprises in Italyanonymouseaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14983816483601480054noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-58695875398021011322008-04-02T15:21:00.000-05:002008-04-02T15:21:00.000-05:00Great Blog... just one comment - your link to Jame...Great Blog... just one comment - your link to James Beard no longer functions.... it's been updated to the following:<BR/><BR/>http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/houston_news.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-82816996311873949252008-04-01T15:50:00.000-05:002008-04-01T15:50:00.000-05:00welcome back ae! i'm still reveling in my italy tr...welcome back ae! i'm still reveling in my italy trip from almost a year ago that it was hard not to plan another stop this year during our upcoming euro vacation. i'm looking forward to hearing your adventures!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18330724535484021347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-70535520341515015082008-03-31T16:24:00.000-05:002008-03-31T16:24:00.000-05:00no, now that I think of it it was probably Charola...no, now that I think of it it was probably CharolaisCipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13336561005521704842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-89642083883952218762008-03-31T16:22:00.000-05:002008-03-31T16:22:00.000-05:00I remember years ago seeing a Chianina breeder's s...I remember years ago seeing a Chianina breeder's sign when I was driving back country roads around Chapel Hill, looking for bluebonnets.<BR/><BR/>One of my favorite ways to have beef is the way I had it near Arezzo, a big slab of steak about 4 or 5 pounds, chargrilled on both sides, but rare in the middle. You let it rest 10 minutes and then slice it across the grain, and layer it over a bed of fresh arugula, drizzle it with olive oil and salt and pepper, and then shave big long pieces off a hunk of Parmesan on top. That'll serve about 8 hungry people.Cipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13336561005521704842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-5870525894705682562008-03-31T10:59:00.000-05:002008-03-31T10:59:00.000-05:00Misha -- What a coincidence. I just started readin...Misha -- What a coincidence. I just started reading Heat last week, but I have not made it very far. You have made me even more interested in finishing it. Thanks.anonymouseaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14983816483601480054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19953700.post-63081131591304516322008-03-30T12:32:00.000-05:002008-03-30T12:32:00.000-05:00If you are interested in Italian - and specificall...If you are interested in Italian - and specifically Tuscan - food culture, you should read <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Adventures-Pasta-Maker-Apprentice-Dante-Quoting/dp/1400041201" REL="nofollow">Heat</A> by Bill Buford. It's one of the best books on food culture I have read.<BR/><BR/>The book began as a profile on Mario Batali by an editor of the New Yorker who takes a job as a kitchen hand at Babbo for a week. Before all is said and done he quits his day job and makes a fascinating journey through stations at Babbo, eventually finding himself following Batali's footsteps in Italy to learn about the food by immersion into the culture. Completely consumed (Heart of Darkness type of consumed), he goes native and lives in the Tuscan countryside, learning from a legendary master butcher and discovering the importance of the relationship between the Tuscan farmer and the Chianina, which is a dying breed in Italy. <BR/><BR/>It's a fascinating read and you'll learn a great deal about Italian food culture that's a complete mystery to outsiders.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com