Tag: King

Roscón de Reyes: sweet King of Spain – Italian Cuisine

Roscón de Reyes is a dessert typical of the Spanish Christmas holidays. Simple or filled with cream, this sweet bread that smells of butter and orange blossom is a must for the Epiphany breakfast. And in the dough it also hides a surprise!

Some dishes, especially traditional dishes, have an enormous evocative power. They don't just talk about ingredients, but about people, stories, traditions. The Roscón de Reyes it's a age-old dessert, which in Spain is now the protagonist of the entire holiday season.
Eggs, butter and orange blossom water are some of its ingredients. The result is one big donut, a dough similar to a brioche, covered with candied fruit, laminated almonds and granulated sugar.
Simple or cut in half and seasoned with cream, cream and sweet truffle, marzipan, cream yema quemada or whatever comes to mind from an inspired pastry chef, this cake never fails Spanish tables the morning of January 6. It is accompanied with a cup of hot chocolate, surrounded by friends and family. The joy for newly discarded gifts (in Spain it is traditional to exchange gifts on Epiphany day) does the rest.

The magical powers of the Roscón de Reyes

The funniest feature of this dessert with a high sentimental content is that it hides one in the dough surprise it's a dried fava bean. The reason for this peculiarity must be sought in history. Or in stories.
According to some, the origin of the Roscón de Reyes dates back to Roman times, specifically to the Saturnalia, the celebrations that took place between 17 and 23 of December in honor of Saturn, god of agriculture. These are the days that coincide with the winter solstice and the end of work in the field and those that allow us to glimpse, shortly thereafter, even the end of the darkest and coldest days of the year. The light after the darkness.
During the celebrations, cakes were prepared in whose dough a dried bean was hidden. The slave who was lucky enough to find her stopped being a slave to become the "king of the party" for a day.
Juan. H. Sampelayo, in his book 'Gastronomía española', moved the origin of the Roscón de Reyes to the France of Henry III, between 1574 and 1589. He says that the king's pastry chefs used to cook a huge donut hiding, of new !, a fava bean in the dough. The diner who was lucky enough to find her turned into a king and could give "orders to ministers and advice to ambassadors". In this way, the Roscón would arrive directly on the table of the first Bourbon King, Philip V in the eighteenth century and from him to the other Spanish kings. In this sense, el Roscón de Reyes would be a close relative of the French Galette des Rois.
With the passage of time, however, the broad bean she has lost her "magical powers" and has been replaced by one little surprise: a figurine, a tiny toy, a key ring (of what we might find in the chocolate egg).
Those who, when cutting a slice of Roscón, find the surprise, become the "king of the party" and have the right to gird their heads with a cardboard crown that comes as a gift with this dessert. Not to mention that the donut covered with candied fruit is reminiscent of a crown studded with precious stones. Usually, adults give the crown to children, who are the big stars of the last of the Christmas holidays!
Be careful though, the bean continues to play a role, even if it is no longer so positive: whoever finds it now has to pay the Roscón. Or return the money to those who bought it!

All versions of the Roscón de Reyes

As often happens with traditional recipes, there are as many versions of Roscón in Spain as there are pastry chefs with their hands in the dough. The secret of the perfect Roscón is the leavening, preferably double: the dough, once cooked, must be spongy and light. A mission that is far from easy, which explains the endless queues of gourmet patients outside the most renowned pastry shops, such as Moulin Chocolat y el Horno de San Onofre in Madrid. Better to book then and avoid nasty surprises: receiving the Three Kings without a piece of this wonderful dessert would be a crime!

The eternal magic of Culatello, the king of cured meats – Italian Cuisine

The most noble part of the pig, for the most precious Italian salami. Researched all over the world, for the quality and limited production numbers. The supreme master remains Massimo Spigaroli, the secret is the fog that covers the Parma lowlands …

The fog. The fundamental, unexpected and unavoidable element of history: without that silent, enveloping embrace that comes from the Po, the Culatello it would not be myth. It would not take that soft and velvety consistency, it would not give that sweet and particular flavor that recalls dried fruit and candied fruit, it would not have that undergrowth aroma that makes it a jewel. It is produced in a limited area, between the Via Emilia and the Great River: eight municipalities in the province of Parma – Busseto, Polesine Parmense, Soragna, Roccabianca, San Secondo, Sissa, Colorno, Zibello which acts as a reference for the PDO – from where they come 80 thousand pieces per year, 15% destined for export. A niche (but twenty years did not go beyond 6 thousand) specialized in a sophisticated salami: part of the adult pig's leg, worked ad hoc, and passed with salt, whole pepper and garlic to be then stuffed into the bladder of the pig itself. There are also those who wet it with dry white wine, to give it a vinous scent. But it is the climate, influenced by the Po, that makes the difference, thanks to the alternation with the typical summers of the Bassa: sunny, torrid, where you cannot breathe, with humidity from Equatorial Guinea.

Ancient, noble, starry fans

Il Culatello: invoked by vate D'Annunzio («Immediately, immediately, immediately three slices of culat (t) ello!), Exalted by his son and cantor of the Bassa whom Gioan Brera was Carlo («A freshly cut culatello reddened invitingly as a precious Verona marble ") and madly loved by Giuseppe Verdi, to which Busseto pays due honor with a monument in the central square. And it is precisely to the great musician that the 'sliding door' is decisive for the fate of Culatello: he was the one who fired a pork butcher from the area, Carlo Spigaroli, who was the factor in his estate. He found a new job in Polesine Parmense, at theAncient Pallavicina Court. Carlo was the great grandfather of Massimo Spigaroli, 'The special one' by Culatello, on the cover or front row of events, despite not scientifically looking for the limelight. He is one of the few who always makes the divine Alain Ducasse smile – the most starred French chef in the world, certainly not a companion – who speaks of him publicly as "a maitre, a superb artisan". On his agenda there are many VIP customers starting with Charles of England.

The temple a stone's throw from the Po

With his brother Luciano – starting from Al Cavallino Bianco family restaurant – he built inside the Antica Corte Pallavicina – a 13th century settlement, purchased in 1990 and restored in twenty years – a Padan world made of large cured meats, a farm, pig breeding, relays with charming hospitality and a starred restaurant where have a gourmet experience in a frescoed room, almost 'inside' the river. "The Culatello must drink, the closer you are to the water, the better it will be" says Massimo in serving Fortana del Taro, which for the 'indigenous' represents the perfect wine to enjoy the salami. Here, in November, George Clooney stopped with Mrs. Amal: the 'straight' came from his colleague Bob De Niro who had fallen in love with the land and food while he was shooting Twentieth century, the 'big movie' by Bernardo Bertolucci, right in the Parma countryside.

He was reborn in the 80s

The genius of Spigaroli lies in having developed the 'culatello system', because by turning Europe far and wide, created the Nero di Parma cattery, an ancient "rediscovered" pig breed. And it has recovered two ancient cured meats that were disappearing: the raw shoulder, with the incredible power of aromas and flavor, and the Culatello, which in the 80s resumed producing according to old traditions, worked in the correct ways and times. Matured in a natural cellar and defending it from those who wanted it to become an industrial product to be made anywhere, even in air-conditioned warehouses. An important commitment that in 1996 has helped the PDO. "We created a sacred monster – proudly explains Spigaroli – by combining the quality of the raw material, the favorable microclimatic conditions and the genius loci, made of tradition and experience".

Few, very good and expensive

That the Antica Corte Pallavicina – with all due respect for the other 22 members of the Consortium – is the temple is out of the question: there is also the Culatello and Masalén museum with an open air extension called Po Forest, a 1.5 km outdoor course, divided into twelve stages to discover the forest, the Po floodplain vegetation and the breeding of 150 black pigs in the wild. And then there are the Cellars of the Court where in the thirteenth century the cured meats that the Marquises Pallavicino sent as gifts to their Sforza friends as to the most fearful captains of fortune to keep them good were refined: the fame of the product was already remarkable, the high value as now that you travel on 70 euros per kg . In the most beloved (and photographed) vault of the tricolor pork butchery there are about 5 thousand pieces maturing, which is carried out between October and February: the pear shape is about 4 kg in weight, the seasoning goes from 16 to 48 months. In front of the show, the gourmet neophyte is stunned, the patron tells of guests who have stayed there for hours as if they were in the Louvre. We have been there several times. We believe it.

Are porcini really the king of risottos? – Italian Cuisine

Our recipes to explore all the possibilities of mushroom risotto in addition to the classic porcini-based preparation. We will also taste it with chanterelles, nails, orecchiette and champignon

When it comes to mushroom risotto, the presence of porcini mushrooms is often taken for granted as a basic ingredient. Fresh, dried and preserved in oil, they are among the most appreciated thanks to the well-known aromatic potential and the intense aroma that they give to each preparation. But autumn is the right time for do some tests and understand something more about your preferences. The palate does not accept rules: why stop at common thought?
We have chosen a risotto for every type of mushroom and we invite you to try them all to find your favorite. It will be fun and … yummy!

Porcini

Let's start with certainties. If you want to prepare a good risotto, you'll be on the safe side with the mushrooms. But you risk getting a little bored. That's why we invite you to try a recipe that breaks with the usual patterns thanks to the freshness of the fennel and the crunchy note given by the bread.

Orecchiette

The pleuroto, commonly called orecchietta, is less prized than porcini and requires the right cooking to be fully understood. Good sautéed, sautéed and au gratin offers the best breaded and fried. For this reason, we thought of a very different recipe from the traditional mushroom risotto that counts on a pumpkin base and focuses entirely on the finish.

Chiodini

These small mushrooms are often available at a good price and can be used to enrich sauces, meat dishes and polenta-based dishes with their aromas. However, we have chosen them for a classic risotto which will allow you to compare them with the most popular porcini mushrooms. The trick to get the most out of these mushrooms is to boil them a couple of minutes before browning them in a pan.

Champignon

Often used for side dishes, carpaccio and mixed salads, the mushrooms are also a good idea for risottos. What we invite you to taste is one rustic version of the traditional recipe of mushroom risotto and it is all about pairing with celeriac and carrot.

Chanterelles

In this review dedicated to the perfect mushrooms for risotto you could not miss the gluttonous chanterelles. Our recipe is dedicated to those who love strong flavors and expect theaddition of ham and Swiss sbrinz cheese which replaces the traditional grana padano in the final creaming.