Serge the Concierge

Golden Summer Moment, Box of Mirabelles at Marche Victor Hugo, Toulouse

Golden Moment

Box of mirabelles captured at Marche Victor Hugo in Toulouse (September 2012)

Chance of Cannubi Hill Walk and Invitation to Tour Fratelli Borgogno Cellar

Two weeks from today, the Grandi Langhe DOCG 2013 event near Alba will be in its second day.

I had planned to attend yet sponsor for my visit changed its mind so it's doubtful I will spend 3 to 4 days in Italy to start May 2013.

Registering for the event means that invitations to meet winemakers, visit cellars and do some barrel tasting have started to fall in my inbox.

Last one is from Emanuela Borgogno of Fratelli Borgogno who invited me to visit their cellar.

It would be great to take a walk on Cannubi hill.

(* Photo of Emanueala Borgogno above from Fratelli Borgogno site)

Take Your Fish by the Collar, Buri Kama, Charcoal-Grilled Yellowtail Collar from Japanese Farm Food

Since I have not yet finished editing my interview with Nancy Singleton Hachisu (shame on me), I have to make up for it in a small way with a third recipe from her book Japanese Farm Food (Andrews McMeel Publishing, Fall 2012).

Charcoal-Grilled Yellowtail Collar
Buri Kama

Serves 4

In Berkeley, for the 2010 Soba Dinner preparations, one morning Kanchan, Christopher (my eldest), and Sylvan Brackett from Chez Panisse (and Peko-Peko Catering) all trouped across the Bay Bridge to check out the freshly caught fish at Monterey Fish. It was an early mission (very early), so Andrew and I chose to stay in bed. When we finally hooked up back at Sylvan’s cooking studio in Oakland, Kanchan regaled us with his tale of grabbing out fish guts (liver and eggs, to be precise) and yellowtail collars from the refuse pile due to be jettisoned.
He cackled with glee at his “finds” and shook his head over the American waste. While he did not serve those orphan parts at the Chez Panisse dinner, the cooks were the lucky recipients later that night. Kanchan simmered the eggs and livers in soy sauce- and mirin-flavored dashi. The texture was slightly crunchy on the tongue and mildly sweet in the mouth—lovely. And the boldly fatty yellowtail collars, broiled, were meaty and succulent. Good in the oven, these are even better on the barbecue.

1 yellowtail collar (9 ounces/260 g)
Sea salt
Grated daikon
Soy sauce

Prepare a barbecue using hardwood charcoal (the fire needs to burn down, so do this a good 45 minutes before cooking). The collar sputters a bit from its natural fish oils, so cook over low heat.

Lay the yellowtail collar on a small clean grate and set directly over the fire. Sprinkle lightly with salt from a foot (30 cm) above the fish (tatejio) and cook slowly for about 10 minutes. Flip carefully and salt the other side. Flip every 10 minutes or so and cook for a total of 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness and the heat.

Alternatively, broil slowly on a rack set over a foil-lined broiler pan in the third position from the top of the oven. Check after 5 minutes to gauge the broiler heat. If the collar is browning too quickly, move the rack to a lower position. Turn several times for even cooking and browning.
Depending on the broiler, this will take from 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the collar from the grill to an attractive plate. Squeeze a few spoonfuls of grated daikon in your fist to remove excess liquid, mound on the plate next to the collar, and drizzle the center of the mound with soy sauce. Let people dig in with chopsticks as a convivial first course or snack with drinks before dinner.

Variation: Substitute the collar for a similar fatty fish such as salmon.

Taking fish by the collar for Tokyo Thursdays # 255

Previously: Butterfly, Kansuke Yamamoto's Surrealist Take, Hiroshi Hamaya's Documentary Style, Photo Exhibit, Getty Museum

(* Recipe from Japanese Farm Food-Fall 2012- by Nancy Singleton Hachisu reproduced with permission of publisher Andrews McMeel, photographs by Kenji Miura, all rights reserved)

Desir Noir Perfect and Harvard 90's, Armagnac Cocktails for Tax Day 2013

After hard work you put into getting all the paperwork together, spending time with your accountant and 'most painful', writing a check to the Treasury, you deserve better than a run of the mill cocktail as a coda to your day.

Here's tempting image of Desir Noir Perfect by Marc Jean of Normandy Barriere in Deauville.

...Followed by recipe for Harvard 90's.

HARVARD 90’S

Glass: Cocktail glass

Garnish : Orange zest

Ingredients:

30 ml Armagnac 1990

30 ml Sweet Vermouth

5 ml yellow Chartreuse

Orange twist

Instructions : Pour all the ingredients in mixing glass,filled with ice cubes, stir then strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Origin : Variation on Harvard cocktail recipe by Bar le Coq, Paris.

(* Recipe and image courtesy of B.N.I.A Armagnac)

Tuscany Walking Festival, 6 Natural Parks, Hundreds of Events, April 13 to November 3

Opening day for Tuscany Walking Festival is April 13, 2013.

The event's introduction turns walking into poetry.

"Amidst the nature protected by Parks, in sign of conviviality, the Walking Festival multiplies 6 Natural Parks in hundreds of events, obtaining as a result a feast ideally capable of eliminating the sea that divides the Coast from the Islands, a sequence of steps that follow one another leading to the discovery of extraordinary places, a meeting between the desire of knowledge and the necessity of sharing ones emotions and experiences."

One of the 6 parks is National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, considered largest marine park in Mediterranean. It includes 7 main islands of archipelago located between Corsica and Tuscany. They are "small Gorgona, the splendid Capraia, the vast Elba, the white Pianosa, the unreachable Montecristo, the aromatic Giglio with it's jewel Giannutri." 

Tuscany Walking Festival 2013 'runs' from April 13 to November 3.

(* Photo from Tuscany Walking Festival website)

Butterfly, Kansuke Yamamoto's Surrealist Take, Hiroshi Hamaya's Documentary Style, Photo Exhibit, Getty Museum

Two very different approaches to photography are on display at Getty Museum with Japan's Modern Divide (March 26- August 25, 2013).

Both surrealist influenced Kansuke Yamanoto and documentary style Hiroshi Hamaya "grew up during the brief Taishō era (1912–1926), a period of industrialization and experimentation that ushered in the modern Shōwa era (1926–1989)."

Kansuke Yamamoto was inspired by "Surrealist art from Europe and produced innovative, socially conscious photographs, poems, and other works that advanced the avant-garde movement in Japan."

In contrast, "during this time, between the international Depression and World War II, Hiroshi Hamaya began to document regional traditions and social issues, primarily on the country's rugged "back coast" along the Sea of Japan."

Japan in Black and White for Tokyo Thursdays # 254

Previously: Full Samurai Armor Suit, $5400 via Bureau of Trade 'Japan Rising' Collection

(Photo Credits: Top: Creator(s): Kansuke Yamamoto (Japanese, 1914 - 1987), Title/Date: Butterfly, 1970, Culture: Japanese, Medium: Gelatin silver print print, Dimensions: Image: 16.4 x 11.4 cm (6 7/16 x 4 1/2 in.), Mat: 25.4 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 in.), Framed: 28.6 x 23.5 cm (11 1/4 x 9 1/4 in.), Accession No. EX.2013.2.190, Copyright: © Toshio Yamamoto, Object Credit: Private collection, entrusted to Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography)

(Photo Credits: Bottom: Creator(s): Hiroshi Hamaya (Japanese, 1915 - 1999), Title/Date: Man in a Traditional Minobashi Raincoat, Niigata Prefecture, 1956...Culture: Japanese, Medium: Gelatin silver print print, Dimensions: Image: 30.6 x 19.8 cm (12 1/16 x 7 13/16 in.), Accession No. 2009.34.18, Copyright: © Keisuke Katano, Object Credit: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles)

Involtini di Spada, Messina Style Swordfish Rolls from 'Sicily' Cookbook

Third slice from Sicily '50 authentic and easy-to-follow recipes from the Silver Spoon Kitchen' (Phaidon Press, April 2013) after sweet Cassata Siciliana of Palermo region and Trapani Style Couscous is served.

We move to Messina.

Involtini di Spada alla Messinese

Messina-style Swordfish Rolls 

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Serves: 6 

Ingredients:

-       12 thin slices of swordfish, about 2 ¼ lb, skinned

-       ¾ cup grated caciocavallo cheese

-       2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

-       1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

-       1 sprigs basil, chopped

-       olive oil, for drizzling

-       salt and pepper

For the sauce

-       1 celery stalk

-       1 small onion

-       8-9 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

-       2 tablespoons olive oil

-       2 tablespoons capers preserved in salt, rinsed

-       1 cup pitted Gaeta olives, halved

-       salt 

Instructions: 

Trim the swordfish slices to make neat rectangles, reserving the trimmings.  Cover each rectangle with plastic wrap and beat lightly with the side of a rolling pin, being careful not to break the flesh. 

Chop the trimmings, and mix them with the grated cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley and basil in a bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix again. 

Lay the fish slices on the work counter and divide the filling among them, then roll up and secure with wooden cocktail sticks or toothpicks. 

Make the sauce.  Blanch the celery in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and slice.  Pour water into a pan to a depth of ¾ inch, add a pinch of salt and onion and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the onion is softened and translucent.  Add the tomatoes, oil, capers, olives and celery and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

Add the swordfish rolls to the pan of sauce, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.  Life off the lid, remove and discard the cocktail sticks or toothpicks and cook for a few minutes more.  Remove the pan from the heat and serve the rolls hot or cold with the sauce spooned over them. 

(* Recipe from Sicily -April 2013, $39.95- by Phaidon Press, reproduced with permission, all rights reserved)

Where to Kiss in Paris from Musee Jardin Albert Khan to Butte Bergeyre

If you have not been kissed before in Paris, here are a few places where it might happen according to Ou s'embrasser a Paris (Where to kiss in Paris, in French only) by Laurianne Barbier (Rédaction Voyages-sncf.com).

She starts with Fontaine Medicis in Jardin du Luxembourg.

She then offers a number of other sites including lesser known Musee et Jardin Albert Khan in Boulogne-Billancourt with its multiple gardens (English garden, Japanese garden, French garden) and mini forests (Blue forest, Golden forest, Foret Vosgiennes) and Butte Bergeyre (19eme arrondissement).

If your lover or better half does not like climbing steep hills, don't take them to Butte Bergeyre (pictured above).

Besides romantic advice, SNCF is also currently having 2 for 1 offer, Offre Duo (French page) for Spring travel on TGV and Intercites trains to and from Paris, Marseille, Brest, Clermont Ferrand, Toulouse, Bourges.

Book your trip by April 23 for travel between April 12 and May 13, 2013.

In France They Kiss on Main Street

(Photo of Butte Bergeyre from Butte Bergeyre piece on Peter's Paris- June 9, 2010)

Organic Grappa, Vino Santo and Olive Oil from Cavalierino near Montepulciano

Midway between Montelpulciano and Pienzo, one can find Cavalierino, a producer of organic grappa and Vino Santo and organic olive oil.

If you happen to visit the area, Cavalierino also offers to host you with a number of appartments available for rent.

Booking is available online.

Green olives and green wine for Green Day # 248

Previously: CCSW, in plain English, Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing, Another Label?

11 Hours Dance Music Marathon, Loveland Queensday 2013 Party, Amsterdam, April 30

The April 30, 2013 Queensday celebrations in Amsterdam take special meaning as Dutch queen Beatrix will pass the crown to her son.

Besides the pomp and circumstance, music abounds with parties from mainstream Royal Cafe in Zuiderkerk to hardcore with Reng Deng Deng at Haparanda Fields.

One of the 2 dance oriented options is Loveland Queensday, an 11 hour dance music marathon in Oosterpark with DJ line up including pioneer of Neapolitan techno scene, Marco Carola to French expat Sebastien Leger.

Hopefully weather will cooperate. I wish them a 'dry' Queensday 2013.

(* Royal Cafe image from their site)