Tag: choose

all the suggestions to choose the best ones – Italian Cuisine

strawberries, icons of pleasure and well-being. Yes, because the delicious strawberries, rosy cheeks of spring that is reborn, are a real one 'superfruit ', which keeps young and beautiful. Of course they must be real, healthy and genuine strawberries. And it's not so trivial, since strawberries have long been part of the ugly list of the 12 most contaminated foods in the world from pesticides.

To enjoy their beneficial properties and theirs amazing taste – did you know, by the way, that there is now a 'scientific proportion' between strawberries and cream? – it is essential to choose the right strawberries. There are many, homegrown and foreign, and sometimes "many", in the sense of large. How to orient yourself?

Strawberries in the Bel Paese
The Italians are not fools, and they noticed it. If the consumption trend until a few years ago (2016) was growing – who doesn't like strawberries?!? And then now they are available all year … – now there has been a collapse. A recent research by Agroter Fruit and Vegetable Monitor has shown that it is well known 72% of consumers were not satisfied of his last purchase. The 63 & would be willing to pay more while having the guarantee of not finding themselves with damaged fruit two days after the purchase … And more than half of the respondents (54%) declares that the taste of strawberries has deteriorated. It can only be this way: in industrial agriculture, which uses 'any' thing to pump the fruit in any season, in addition to losing health, the palate is also lost. Result: the Italian production has fallen for 20 years, heavily. The only sector on the rise in recent years is that of organic strawberries (and biodynamic): less poisons, more health and more taste (and not just sugar …). The first choice, therefore, upstream of the variety, it is about quality: for strawberries, now, the 'bio' is almost a must.

The Spanish conquest
Speaking of production, in Italy it is like this: 100 thousand strawberries under glass; 35 thousand in the open field. The Bel Paese is however split in two: while the North if he is very ill (and the choice of hyper-productive strawberries did not help), the South – headed by Basilicata – sees a positive trend. However, there is an average drop. And there is the hand, or rather the zampone, of the Spain. About the 60% of strawberries what we eat are imported from Spain. And then there are those that come from the Maghreb. And from Poland. So much so that on April 1 a great campaign of Italian producers started to invite consumers to consume our local ones.

By virtue of the enormous quantities produced, Iberian strawberries have competitive prices (the average price of strawberries has fallen in the last few years), and they are the first to appear on large-scale retailers. They come from the Atlantic coast of the southern region of Andalusia, where they are grown intensively, mostly under plastic macrotunnel, to avoid the risks of the weather. Surely, mini-price and maxi-size often are tempting.

The varieties: Sabrina, Sabrosa and Sibilla

The southern and in particular Lucan landscape is dominated by Sabrina and Sabrona. The first is a Spaniard emigrated to southern Italy, of build medium coarse, decidedly attractive, with its compact complexion, sweet though with a small acidulous note, dressed in bright red. An early strawberry, which can be found on the market already at the end of February, and lasts until June. It is also durable, and withstands transportation well. Of course, its price can be double compared to other varieties originating from the same lands.

The Sabrosa cultivar is the most widespread in Italy, a variety of Iberian origin, genetically processed in our country, subject to copyright and marketed under the commercial brands Candonga @ and Candonga Fragola Top Quality @. Let us remember that Italy is a strategic center of the genetic improvement of strawberries (in Ferrara and Forlì, very popular strawberries were born, especially in other countries, such as Clery and Joly), a varietal improvement that can also contribute to the diversification of production.

That said, in Italy there are many varieties to be enjoyed, some 'freely', others by paying the copyright to the company that patented them: we remember Eva and Garda in the north, and then Romina, Cristina, Asia and the sweet Sibilla, of good size , with a conical-elongated shape.

Are the maxi strawberries good?
As for the size, instead, there is from dispel a myth: it is not true that large strawberry equals bad strawberry. In the last 25 years, in fact, there is no doubt that strawberries are leavened more and more: from an average size of 12, 13 grams, they have doubled, reaching 24-25, until they easily reach the 30.

It is the fruit of one selection among the largest, and therefore most profitable, varieties that allowed us to save the strawberry industry. And, increasingly, even the maxi strawberries they can be deliciously sugary. What matters, of course, is the use of toxic substances, pesticides and chemical fertilizers in intensive production. Which is avoided by choosing organic strawberries.

Tricks for choosing the best strawberries
Don't be attracted only by the aroma, which in recent years the research has tried to strengthen to induce the consumer to purchase. First of all, an eye for color: strawberries red Ferrari they are not necessarily better, in fact. Those darker have a higher content than antociane, powerful antioxidants that also help keep memory alive, fight inflammation and can help in the prevention of diseases such as tumors. It is therefore necessary to use some precautions for their delicacy in terms of durability, favoring uniformly colored fruits, and with a well attached stem.

How to preserve strawberries
Strawberries fade quickly, and the more time passes, the more they lose their precious substances. Such as keep them at their best, once at home? "Rule number 1 is that strawberries they don't have to be crowded together – explains Cinzia Cucaro, owner of the historic and famous fruit and vegetable shops ‘o’ Bezagnin di Genova – They must be enlarged in a plate, or in a Tapperware, made of glass or ceramic ”.

The plastic basket in which they are often sold must therefore be eliminated, it is not suitable for storage. Cinzia explains how the strawberry is a fruit composed of over 90% water and, in terms of conservation, very similar to apricot. "When you buy them in theory they should all be healthy, but if by chance there is some dented or strawberry, you have to take it off immediately, because within a very short time the mold will extend to all the other fruits".

Strawberries go must be kept in the fridge, for a maximum of 2 or 3 days. And importantly: "They must be preserved dry, they are washed only at the time of consumption, being very careful wash them with the stalk, otherwise if you remove the water it is absorbed inside the strawberry ".

Carola Traverso Saibante
May 2016
updated in April 2019

DISCOVER THE COOKING COURSES OF SALT & PEPE

How to choose the Easter dove at the supermarket – Italian Cuisine

The vademecum arrives to choose a quality dove near the Easter holidays. To propose it is the observatory of the consumption of QualiScegliere.it, site that reviews products and services

The symbol of the Easter holidays par excellence, the Colomba, from north to south, together with the Easter egg, is the protagonist of the Easter tables and lunches. The question every year is the same: which dove to choose?
And then the price. The common opinion is that choosing low-cost products must necessarily give up quality, but this is not always the case.
The Consumption Observatory arrives to help us with a study carried out by making a comparison between different products of the large-scale retail trade, including sweets from well-known companies, supermarket brands and discount stores and on the basis of the ministerial decree dated 22/07/2005 which regulates the ingredients to be used for the preparation of the dessert. The price of analyzed industrial doves went from 3.29 euros per kg up to about 12 euros.

What does the quality of a dove depend on?

As far as the denomination is concerned, there is a ministerial decree aimed at protecting the characteristics of this traditional dessert: according to the decree, the dove must be a soft pastry made with natural leavening. When tasted it must be soft, with the shape of the bubbles elongated, while in the upper part there must be a glaze based on egg white and sugar with almonds, at least 2%, and grains of sugar.

The ingredients, the first indicator

The ingredients are the first quality indicator. The dough of the dove must contain: wheat flour, sugar, whole class A chicken eggs or egg yolk (with an amount of yolk not less than 4% of the total), butterfat (minimum 16%), peel of candied citrus fruits (in a quantity not less than 15%), natural yeast and salt. To have the denomination of dove they are however allowed of the additional ingredients milk and derivatives, honey, cocoa butter, malt, sugars, other types of yeast, natural flavors, emulsifiers and two types of preservatives (sorbic acid and potassium sorbate).
For the icing instead the optional ingredients besides almonds are: armelline, hazelnuts or cashews, flour (of rice, corn or wheat), cocoa, sugars, starches, vegetable oils, natural flavors, emulsifiers and the two preservatives already mentioned above.
Here are the characteristics that a good dove must have

The list of ingredients, their quality and the percentages in which they are present in the dough;

The consistency of the dove, which must be soft and have a well elongated honeycomb

The leavening process: for the classic dove a long leavening (at least 8 hours) is required in a natural way

The quality of the crust, which instead must be crunchy, homogeneous, and adherent to the dough.

The price is not a parameter indicative of quality, because this depends on other logics (the reputation of the brand, the offers of the store, etc.).

Soft octopus: the expert tells how to choose and cook it – Italian Cuisine

How to do the soft octopus? It is the king of shellfish, one of the most appreciated and sought after fish products. As long as it is of quality. If indeed a good one octopus it turns out to be tasty, savory and soft, the poor one has little flavor and, above all, tough and rubbery meat.
The first defect is to be attributed to provenance, the second to the way it is treaty before the sale and, at home, before cooking.

The number one pitfall represents hardness and rubberiness: it is a moment indeed to transform a delicious mollusk into a "shoe sole". There are many tricks, starting with freezer, often paradoxically recommended (and for various purposes) with fresh fish.

Do not spend time instead in cooking with suighero caps, since it is an example of absolutely wrong folk wisdom. This tradition is born among fishermen, but with all other purposes.

The fishermen instead are usual beat them on the rocks and it is said that if freshly caught, the octopus actually softens.

There are many recipes, from octopus with potatoes to gallega, and the traditions associated with its cooking, which in some cases involve the removal of skin and suckers, among the most varied.

To clarify all these aspects we went to the fish market with Sandra Ciciriello (*), partner of Viviana Varese in their Alice Restaurant (click here), in Milan.

The first clarification of Sandra is known: "Octopus is only what it has two rows of suction cups along the tentacles ". The molluscs that have only one are of other species, such as the dormice.
Then, he settles once and for all the diatribe between octopus and octopus: "They are the same shellfish and today, by law, the name of sale in the fish market can only be octopus".

Having established what we are buying, let's see how to understand if it is a good buy.

Nostrano and fresh
To begin with, you need to check the fishing area that – we remember – must always be indicated on the label. The octopus national it is very precious, fished on the coasts of the Tirreno as on those ofAdriatic, from Liguria to Puglia, from Tuscany to Sicily.
It can arrive on the benches still alive, as Sandra shows us touching a tentacle making us notice how the suction cups retract suddenly.
Moreover, the octopus of the day has a color very clear, even creamy white (especially under the head), which gradually becomes pink, darker and gray as the mollusk "ages".

Defrosted from Morocco
Returning to the origin, the octopus habitat, which is caught all year round, extends to the whole Mediterranean. Outside Italy, the best comes from Morocco, both from the coasts overlooking the Mare Nostrum and from the Atlantic ones: "In the North African country, octopus fishing has for some years quota", says Ciciriello." The fishermen have shares that they must respect, and this affects the conservation of the species and the quality, which is excellent: from Morocco comes the absolute best octopus frozen, that is defrosted at the point of sale ".

Frozen? But isn't it always better to buy fresh fish? The octopus is the exception that confirms the rule: "Cold is the best way to enervate the meat of the octopus. This is why putting the fresh one day in the freezer, then thawing and cooking it, is a great way to have a tender octopus after cooking. "

Traditional curling
The other system is "Curl it": "At home I used to put the octopus in a basket (perfect for the salad spinner) with salt and ice, then I placed it in the sink. back and forth, 'ninnandolo', for about a quarter of an hour: the octopus made foam and emitted dark water, almost black. At the end of the treatment, he was ready for cooking ".

Even today this technique is adopted, as Sandra reminds us, at port of Bari where the fishermen gather the octopuses in big baskets that shake on the pier.

The best cooking
Back home with the best octopus on the market (remembering that the defrost is consumed within 24 hours), it's time to cook it. A delicate phase that, however, with the right tricks, it is impossible to go wrong.

There is a Neapolitan saying which reads: "The octopus is cooked in his water"." Boiling it in so much water, the flavor is lost ", explains Sandra." The best thing is to put it with just a finger of water in the casserole or even in pressure cooker, as Viviana does for her recipe ". Covered and brought to the fire, during cooking the octopus itself will emit a abundant liquid, red and savory that the chef uses, in small quantities, making it thicken to create a accompanying sauce.

THE times they are quite long, about 40-50 minutes for a one kilo octopus, which are reduced to about twenty in a pressure cooker. In all cases the octopus is cooked to perfection when a toothpick, inserted between the tentacles and the head, easily enters.

Remember then don't salt it: in general, it is already sufficiently tasty and in case you can adjust the flavor later.

Once boiled, the octopus is the perfect base for many recipes, from thesalad with potatoes to a pasta sauce.To enhance and intensify the marine taste, cooking is ideal to the plate. It is sufficient to scald it, for 3-4 minutes, over high heat in a non-stick pan with a lid, or on a cast iron plate. Or try the even more delicious alternative, toasting it on the embers of the barbecue.
In all cases, you will bring to the table a large dish that, following the advice of the expert, will be impeccable.

Roberta Fontana

(*) Sandra Ciciriello is an authority on the subject, that's why.
"I have been dealing with fish for thirty years. I started in the markets, I became a buyer turning all the suppliers in Italy and participating in auctions to bring the best of fish from Chioggia to Manfredonia, from Viareggio to Anzio. in retail, I had my own retail business, I treated the fresh, the preserved, the frozen … ".

All this before entering, in 2003, the adventure in catering. Today he is maître, sommelier and tireless business woman: with Viviana they have recently inaugurated, within Eataly Emerald (click here), Alice's Gastronomy.
But he never stopped loving and buying the best fish. And walking with her through the fish market stalls is a fascinating journey.

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