If it's all right with you, I am not going to do the suspense thing. I numbered the comments - allowing for one comment per person per day - put check marks by those who could actually go - went to the Randon Integer Generator.... listened to the drum roll in my head.....
... and it's fate. Whether I went across or down, Pat from Mille Fiori Favoriti is going on an all-expense culinary tour in L.A. from Bertolli Foods! Congrats Pat! What a glorious few days we will have. Please e-mail me by noon on Friday, May 7th so arrangements can be made. (Otherwise - sob - I need to pick an alternate). Thank-you Bertolli for such an exciting time! Please visit Pat's glorious NYC blog and discover hidden treasures in the Big Apple.
We've made it to Day 4 - one day closer to picking a winner for the all-expense Trip to L.A. courtesy of Bertolli Foods. One day closer to packing your bags. One day closer to a Celebrity Chef Event with Rocco DiSpirito. What do they say in "Les Miz?" "One More Day." (When you're in theatre, everything's a song from a musical.) `
Life's funny. There are great sadnesses and greats days of mountainous happiness. Life has gotten full - in ways I never would have fathomed. But I'll tell all of you the other "stuff" later. Suffice to say, there's little time to cook. But somehow - lots of time to eat.
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I hope you try these small tasty savories - my "parvines." They'll put you in the mood for our culinary trip to L.A. and what's to come. We're nearing the end of the Giveaway - today is the last websiode for Into the Heart of Italy - Bertolli Foods. I've tried to crawl into my monitor to join Marisa Tomei, Dan Cortese and Rocco DiSpirito as they unlock the culinary secrets of Italy - but I do not fit. In the same way my summer clothes do not fit!
And this is why. I'm not cooking much - but eating too well. These are "Parvines." A cross between verrines - the tiny, clear-layered amusements the French so lovingly dish up and their heartier parfaits. I do not have many 1-2 oz glasses but I do have wine glasses and cordial glasses (hmmm, no comments on that).
Tomatoes, a one ounce medallion of goat cheese and I am all set to eat while I watch Into the Heart of Italy. This is the last webisode before we pick a winner to go on a culinary tour of L.A. May 10-12. I'm rooting for all of you because I have met so many people through blogging, it would be an absolute treat to visit with you face-to-face.
And eat I do. I cut 6 cherry tomatoes in half, lay them in the bottom of the glass, cover with1/4 ounce of goat cheese, cut another 6 tomatoes and put them on the goat cheese, layer another 1/4 ounce with goat cheese. Put a raspberry on top, drizzle all with a little balsamic vinegar.
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And eat. Savor.
Most happily.
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And settle down to watch Webisode 3. ( apparently linked you to Episode 4 yesterday - oy vey.)
If you cannot view the video, please click here to see it.
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Recap: To win, you must simply leave a comment telling me the "clue" in the webisode and your favorite part - just 'cause I like hearing it and seeing if it matches up with my favorite parts! (I know, I'm a story nerd.)
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You may go back and comment on the previous days webisodes if you are new to this. Upon my return home from work tomorrow, May 6th (somewhere between 9 and 10 p.m. CST), I will print out comments, number them and let random.org hand me that random number list they do so well. And go down the list and the first commenter that matches up with Random.org's numbers and can actually go to L.A. will be chosen and notified. (Be sure I have a way of reaching you.)
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Disclaimer: Winner receives an all expense trip (transportation, meals and hotel) to L.A. on May 10-12 which includes the aforementioned Celebrity Chef Event with Rocco DiSpirito and a culinary tour of the City of Angels. All courtesy of Bertolli Foods. Winner must be located in the continental US and be free to travel May 10-12.
Join me in a vegetable-frittata muffin as you watch Bertolli'sInto the Heart of Italy, Webisode 3. The week of simple cooking continues! These frittata muffins are light but heavy on the vegetables. Although I should be eating heavier as I am in danger of floating away.... to L.A.
A reminder: one of my readers will join me May 10-12 for culinary trip to L.A. This will include transportation, hotel and meals and a Celebrity Chef Meet and Greet Event with Rocco DiSpirito! All courtesy of Bertolli foods. I want to meet all of you - but for next week, it will be grand to get acquainted with at least one of you (and the other bloggers who are coming with their readers.)
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The rules are simple: Watch the webisode (I have been memorizing them because I need a jolt of Italy every day!) as Marisa Tomei, Dan Coretese and Rocco DiSpirito try to unlock the culinary secrets of Italy. Then leave a comment on the blog telling me what the "clue" was and what your favorite part was (I love hearing your favorite moments).
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If you're coming to the contest late, scroll down and watch the earlier episodes and leave a comment for all of them!
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I sort of forgot about this "work" thing I do - and I have rehearsal Thursday night, which means the contest will be open until 8 p.m. Thursday. When I return home, I will have random.org pick a list of numbers and the first commenter who is able to go on the trip and who matches up with the numbers will - go!
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*To win this extraordinary giveaway from Bertolli, winner must live in the continental USA and be free to travel to L.A. May 10-12, 2010.And without further adieu, the video (the frittata muffin recipe is below).
If you have trouble viewing the video, click here: http://intotheheartofitaly.yahoo.com/#19218328
And those lovely frittata muffins:
2-3 tablespoons Earth Balance Butter, 4 cups of vegetables (I used 1/2 white onion, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 12 grape tomatoes halved and 2 cups of broccoli crowns).. 8 eggs, 1/2 cup lowfat milk, 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one regular-sized muffin tin (12 muffins). Whisk milk and eggs. Salt and pepper to taste. In a medium skillet heat butter. Add peppers and onion. Saute 3 minutes. Add broccoli. Saute 2-3 minutes. Add tomato - saute very briefly. (You want your vegetables softened but not browned.) Add your Parmesan to the egg mixture. Add your vegetables. Distribute evenly into muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes - until these frittata muffins puff up and the tops just begin to brown. Remove from oven. Let sit five minutes, pop them out and serve. (Can be made ahead and reheated briefly in oven - I am not wild about them reheated in microwave - but maybe that's just me.)
I'm so looking forward to meeting one of you in L.A.? Are you ready for webisode 2 of Into the Heart of Italy?
I can barely cook. Sauteed some turkey sausage. Sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, broccoli rabe and threw it in with some penne and then threw in some goat cheese, stirred and serve. No reductions, no separating, no whisking. The simplicity of spring.
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Bertolli Foods is sending me and one of you on a culinary tour of L.A. where we will be a guest at a Chef Celebrity Even with Rocco DiSpirito. Clear your calendars. We leave Monday, May 10th and return either May 11th or 12th. Can't you get away for a few days? Clear your head? Let someone else do the cooking? I so want to meet you. Bread bread with you. Laugh and exchange recipes.
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I made entering as simple as can be. Don't need to go to Twitter or Facebook. Don't need to link me around the world- just watch the webisode, comment and tell me the "clue" and your favorite parts. The webisode is so easy on the eyes. I mean - it's Italy! Enter every through Wednesday for a chance to win. Winner announced Thursday by 10 p.m.
If the video does not work for you, click on this link: http://intotheheartofitaly.yahoo.com/#18773464
I am watching the weather in L.A., wondering what to pack, dreaming of markets that have exciting produce earlier than MN and looking forward to finding out who I will go with! An all expense-paid culinary trip to L.A. doesn't come around weekly (or yearly in my life) What are you waiting for? Enter now!
Disclaimer: Transportation to and from L.A., hotel, meals and culinary tour all included (for me and one of my readers) provided by Bertolli Foods. travel must between the continental USA and winner must be available May 10-12 for travel.
That's right. Bertolli Foods is sending me to Los Angeles for a "meet and greet" Celebrity Chef Event with Rocco DiSpirito (it's fate - we were both born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York City) and a culinary tour of the City of Angels. Better yet, they want one of you to come with me. Are you free May 10-12? (Yes this May 10, 2010). Feeling adventurous? Wanting new sights, new sounds, new aromas and new tastes? Bertolli foods is taking care of your transportation, hotel and meals.
What do you need to do? It's simple - for four days, I will be airing a webisode of Bertolli's Into the Heart of Italy. You simply watch the webisode and then leave a comment telling me:
a. your favorite part
b. the "clue"
And whether or not you are interested in participating in this Bertolli giveaway! If you are, please make sure your comment includes a way I can reach you. Four days of comments will be combined and then one will be picked at random.* The giveaway closes Thursday at 8 p.m. when a "comment number" is picked (at 10 p.m.). Then, get ready to pack your bags!
*I am sorry, my international friends, but the giveaway applies to the continental United States only. Winner must be available to travel May 10-12.
The webisodes are easy on the eyes - it's a few minutes a day under the Tuscan sun. I travel vicariously through cooking, why not through webisodes?
