Last year cotognata [quince paste] was difficult to find because the quince harvest was poor so I'm glad to be able to report that this year it is plentiful. It is always an extra pleasure to find it with patterns like this imprinted upon it:
I have tried and failed to find truffle oil in Sicily and it would probably be prohibitively expensive if I did, so I am looking forward to finding out if this "truffle taste" spray will turn out to be a suitable substitute:
Have you ever seen round zucchini? I hadn't, until the other day:
And what a good idea - a cinnamon mill!
Finally, not so much a find as a gift: What has my friend Lucia been up to lately? She has been making her own version of Modican chocolate, that's what, and she brought me some at the weekend:
13 comments:
Interesting items...not in my market! Someday could you post how you make a cup of hot Modica chocolate from the chocolate bars that I purchased when I was there. Will it automatically be thick or do I have to thicken it?
The round zucchini are so unusual. The chocolate gift looks so delicious..enjoy!
Truffle oil...ummmm, one of my favorite Miami restaurants..actually the owner-chef is Brazilian and owns three eating places, all superb, Tutto Pizza, Tutto Pasta and Zucchero - but they make a foccacio at Tutto Pizza that has goat cheese and truffle oil and it is truly divine. I will detour when I am sailing on a cruise out of Port Canaveral, some three hundred miles from Miami because I MUST see Juca and have lunch at Tutto Pasta and dinner at Zucchero. He's become a friend over the years.
When you find those special food stuffs, it's hard to do without!
The chocolate festival must be coming up?
Hi, Patricia. I should emphasise that none of these items was expensive here. Was the chocolate from Bonajuto? I don't drink hot chocolate but as far as I remember there is no need to thicken Modican chocolate. Hi, Pat. I will! Hi, Carmen. The focaccia sounds delicious. When are you sailing? We had it in December, WW! But there's a bread one coming up.
Round zucchini - well I never. How's it taste?
Interesting Pat especially the imprint on the quince paste!
Yum...chocolate...I'll never forget the chocolate you sent me!
I hope Lucia shares with you!
Hi,James. The same as long zucchini! Hi, LindyLouMac. Yes, a shame to eat it! Hi, Lucia. Yes, she did.
Truffle oil is indeed expensive. We have some very nice stuff which is Tuscan I think, not Sicilian; a little goes a long way in flavour terms!
Round zucchini? Nothing unusual about those further North, I think; I have seen them many times in quite ordinary shops in quite ordinary towns.
Quince paste, though - now there's a rarity.
One thing I miss when not in Italy is the wonderful produce, such displays even in tatty little supermarkets...
Enjoy your delicacies!
Hi, WY. Nice to hear from you. I'd never seen the round zucchini before. I know what you mean about Ital produce.
Update!
I checked our "Tuscan" truffle oil and it actually comes from Monreale, so not Tuscan at all.
The brand name is Disisa - I can't find a web site for them as such but several specialist suppliers carry it; we got ours from a UK importer here: http://www.thegiftofoil.co.uk/product.asp?ProductID=56&cat=5.
It must be possible to get it locally. Good luck finding some, it's worth the search!
Hi, WY. That is very interesting. Thank you so much for this information.
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