last tomatoes of the year

10-07-2011 Fri. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- stir-fried green beans with fermented black bean sauce | lightly pickled eggplant | linguini with homemade tomato sauce | Spanish Serrano ham | wine

• local harvest of tomatoes is over for the year, the last basket was made into sofrito sauce.
  

Sofrito

9-22-2011 Thu. mild, damp.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bitter melon and eggplant relish
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pasta with sofrito sauce | sauteed cauliflowers | wine

• at end of the season, ripe and strong-flavored tomatoes from farmer's market make very good sofrito.
  

farm-fresh tomatoes

6-14-2011 Tue. mild, sunny.

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Zong-zi and sauteed garlic scape
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- cherries
DINNER --- pasta with fresh tomato sauce | steamed and pan-fried Brussels sprouts | sauteed bean sprouts, beech mushroom and fried tofu | fennel salad | beer

• it is time to have plenty fresh tomatoes from farmers market.
  

Baked pasta of Umbria

5-09-2011 Mon. warm, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Turkish clam rice
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( at Oreste and Francesca's ) Mexican vegetarian chicken chimichangas | fresh habanero and onion sauce | orange rice | German Mosel Valley white || Sformato di pasta agli asparagi alla Umbra ( baked pasta with tomatoes, asparagoes, Italian hot peppers, thyme, oreganon, mozzarella, pecorino ) | Argentinian Malbec || Shri Kand ( Indian yogurt dessert with saffron and almond ) | Mead

• this dinner actually is all over the map: Mexico, Italy, India, and wines from Germany, Argentina and Noway.
  
• the Mexican onion sauce is very hot and creamy from careful process of olive oil emulation.
• the tomato-based sauce in Umbra baked pasta has intense flavor and penetrates the bow pasta. the sauce and pasta were prepared separately, assembled in backing dish let sitting over 24 hours before baking with a layer of fresh mozzarella on top.
• The Indian yogurt dessert by Francesca is made from fresh yogurt with water slowly drained out (6 hours), then folded with sugar, saffron, and roasted almond chips.
  

Spaghetti with divine tomato sauce

4-14-2010 Wed. mild, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with spicy napa cabbage and canola leaves
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple | dried fruit
DINNER --- (at Oreste's) Indian chickpea chips | squash Bhajias with red chili chutney | white wine || Spaghetti with garlic tomato sauce, fresh basil, olives, and sheep cheese cubes | hot chili sauce | red wine || crepe with filling of ricotta cheese and rose syrup | meade wine |

• Oreste's pasta is divine, simple tomato sauce tasted so rich. The tomato sauce was cooked a day ahead, then reheated just before serving, added olives and basil at last (Oreste's quote: never ever cook basil !). The dessert crepe was creative, and paired well with the honey wine meade.