Artichokes - Roman Style

Roman Artichokes or Carfiofi alla Romana. I was going to post this one month ago - but then "life" happened as it often does.

Straight forward and easy (yes, cleaning the artichokes takes a little time. Put on music and go to your zen place) but once that is done, it's smooth sailing.

Traditionally, the recipe calls for about one tablespoon of fresh Italian parsley and three tablespoons of fresh mint. My early spring garden had Italian parsley, oregano and a touch of mint so that's what I used.

Ingredients - serves 3-6
3 artichokes - halved, trimmed
4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (Italian parsley, mint, oregano, basil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup boiling water

Preparation
Trim artichokes and remove choke. "How to instructions" can be found here and here. Plunge each one into lemon water as you continue trimming.
Combine minced herbs, garlic and olive oil. Put herb mixture into the cavity of the halved artichoke.
Fit them all snuggly into a deep pan so that they don't fall over. Pour the white wine and boiling water over them and simmer for about an hour until tender.

Hunger is a great motivator. I often wonder when someone pulled up their first artichoke and declared, "A thistle! Let's eat it!" I think that's what I love about the "cucina povera." The frugal, peasant recipes of Italy will always call to me. It's a bond with past generations.

And that's about the amount of cooking I have managed in the last two months because...

... in April I was at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah working on my play Almost, Mary (about Mary Anning, the first female paleontologist).

And then I was in Evanston, IL with the Purple Crayon Players for my play Bound by Stardust - my quirky Otto Schmidt/North Pole/physics play.

And then I was fortunate enough to be in Independence, Kansas at the William Inge Festival of New Plays with my one-act A Paper Forest (about climate change).That's William Inge's home above - I am a great fan of that playwright - he wrote so eloquently about small town America.

And because we needed more excitement - Matthew successfully defended his PhD in plant pathology in May. Ironically, his degree will confer on May 31 - the same day that Kirsten's AuD will confer. (They're a little competitive.) So ladies and gentleman - may I introduce Dr. Haas and Dr. Haas!

AND...thirty years ago today, I began an adventure ...

The adventure continues today. The "kids" took us out for a celebratory dinner (Italian) and tonight - we will do Chinese take-out. How's that for a journey of an Italian cook? And because we weren't busy enough this spring, we will be hosting a farewell barbecue for my eldest who moves to Germany on May 30th. (It's getting real.) Happy Spring, all.

Pride, Prejudice and Pace Picante Sauce

First, this really is a blog about Pace Picante sauce. Truly. As a member of the Tastemaker Program in Foodbuzz, I do occasionally get some delectables in the mail. I then devise a recipe.
And the sauce does look enticing, does it not?
`
But then there's some other news.

Pride and Prejudice has been published by Eldridge Plays and Musicals and is on their website! Why the excitement? It took me three years to adapt it. Six months to fix it and then three months to edit it. You'd think since Jane Austen already wrote the book, adapting it would be a cinch. Well, no. There's the matter of fifty locales which a film can do - but theatre does not look kindly on constant set changes. Producers much prefer a set of three walls, a table and two chairs. If they're feeling charitable, they may allow a couch. Info on the play is here.
`
But it's done! Adapted! Published! And my dream of making this wonderful accessible for high schools to do is a reality. Of course, now I need to wait and see if any high schools actually do it.... so back to Pace Picante Sauce - and how does one make it Italian?


There's my stand-by - good old Mascarpone cheese. Spray a 9-inch pie plate and shmear Mascarpone (or cream cheese) on the bottom.

Empty your jar of Pace Picante Sauce on top of it.
`

Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 1-1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese or a blend of shredded Italian cheeses.

Cover with sliced black olives...

or sliced scallions ....

... or both.
`

Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5-6 minutes.

Don't burn yourself as you unwrap the dip.

And dig in. Just a touch Italian and more than a touch hearty enough for the football fans in your home.

Mangiamo!

How Sweet It Is: Opening Night with Snickers

How sweet it is! And how sweet they are! I know this is a food blog and trust me, this is a food story. As is my custom, I do put food in all of my plays. (Do You Always Put Food in your Plays?) The Magic Fishbone did indeed have fish: cod and salmon. Also turnips and references to cheese, bread, crumpets, jam, butter and a proper English trifle. If my young thespians don't go into theatre, they might be swayed to go to culinary school!
`
I had two casts for the show and so two openings. They couldn't have been lovelier. But they are not without their terrors. That's where the wonder of chocolate enters the scene.

Sometimes ... when props are missing, costume pieces are in a sink and 50 students backstage sound like an earthquake - creating enough energy to send a man to the moon - I wonder, "Why do I do theatre with kids?" The wondering lasts a few minutes and then something happens to remind me why I love it.

`

A very shy, young girl was having her very first opening night. How special is that? She retreated and could barely talk after getting into costume. We spoke about getting in front of the audience for the first time, how they are rooting for you and how much easier things get once you've finally said your first line; once you can see that the show is going according to plan. The older students chimed in agreeing. She remained wide-eyed and quiet. She looked at the floor, looked at the clock and stood in a trance. Her older sister who is her security, was ushering. My co-director and I produced bowls of treats as is our custom. (It does produce high energy for an hour!) I had mini Milky Ways and mini Snickers bars. I do confess a love of frozen mini-Snickers bars. I had been known to delve into my children's Halloween bags and swipe them. (Bad mom.) I was kidding the cast and mentioned more than once that they needn't finish all the Snickers. I was not adverse to taking a few snickers home with me.

`

Ten minutes later the bowl was empty. Not one Snickers bar or Milky Way remained. The show went on and was indeed high energy and lovely. The shy young actress was grand - rising to the occasion. There were some proud directors in the back. After the show, when we were milling around, a small hand took mine and pressed it.

A Snickers bar was put into my hand.

`

"I saved it for you to take home." From my terrified thespian who had a successful opening night. Sweet actors, sweet opening, sweet Snickers. The rewards of theatre with kids: young actors and Snickers.

Do you always put food in your plays?

A director posed that question to me as he was trying to understand what a "zeppole" was. As if rehearsed, my cast of ten answered as one: "Yes! She does." I never realized that. It makes sense - characters eat and you write what you know, but I have lately realized that my students are well-versed in how to make food props because of all the dining I have included over the years.

In Ciao Cinderella, I have one long scene devoted to the history of Dove Bread. And another long scene devoted to the proper way to make ragu. The Academy of Cooking in Bologna decreed that there should be no nutmeg. Other cooks disagreed. Arguments still continue. And in Ciao, that ingredient is hotly debated. My recipe includes nutmeg.

My students looked up the various recipes on the web. One enterprising student made it.

Zeppoles ...

and cannolis ...

are discussed in By Candlelight - a tale of youth coming together after 9/11. Even in dramatizing the aftermaths of a terrorist attack, I was able to lighten some of the intense scenes with food.

The lack of food is discussed and is the catalyst for what happens in The Hanging of the Greens - a holiday play.
Meet Me at the Fair is a tale of holding on to your dreams - but the characters constantly move on and off stage with corn dogs and cotton candy.

Fourteen loaves of bread were "built" for Commedia Delight.

And my characters name were all food-related: Pane, Dolci and Teeny Tortellini
In Cockamamie Tales from Chelm, whole scenes are devoted to the discussion gefilte fish, challah and kugel.

And the play I am currently working on - The Magic Fishbone - ensures my students will be making fish and fishbones this coming summer. At least it's healthy! And speaking of healthy - last night we had our first thunderstorm. A sign of spring, but snow is expected. I am betwixt and between spring eating but wanted something a wee bit hearty, so devised this:

BROCCOLI WITH BREAD CRUMBS AND PARMESAN

(Play with amounts)

2-3 T olive oil

Broccoli crowns

bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

freshly shredded Parmesan

Heat olive oil in medium-large skillet (enough to hold in a single layer all the broccoli you are cooking). Add broccoli. (I added 1 lb.) Saute still just softening. Add bread crumbs (I added about 1/2 cup - a wee bit too much). Toss till bread crumbs are nicely browned. Season. Put on platter. Top with Parmesan and serve.

I served it with leftovers. It all went. Maybe I'll but broccoli in my play. As long as I am teaching my young actors to cook, I must as well make sure they appreciate their vegetables.

And in a return to sweets: I baked my second Tuesdays with Dorie's recipe of the week: Blueberry Crumb Cake. The results are at: Cover Girls Cooking. I never thought of ymself as a baker but I am slowly (with TWD help) changing that perception!