» Italian Farmer’s Market

Italian Farmers Market – Castagne

Joe — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:04:22 +0000

The weather is steadily getting colder here in New England and with Thanksgiving around the corner there are different foods showing up at the grocery store. The summer fruits and veggies are gone and have made room for autumn foods and for me that means castagne (chestnuts.) In Calabria they still have plenty of chestnut orchards and when we were there this past summer the chestnuts from last year still littered the ground as we foraged for wild mushrooms.

Chestnut trees here in the US used to be plentiful once but many were decimated by a chestnut blight over the last 100 years… I always wondered why there wasn’t a single chestnut tree on “Chestnut Street” here in town.

I have fond memories of the castagne vendors this time of year in Italy. They roast the chestnuts right on the street and the wonderful smell combined with the shop-lined cobblestone streets is a page out of a Charles Dickens book. For 3000 lire (which I’m sure has become 3 Euro) you could get a mini paper bag with 10 warm chestnuts and eat them as you walk.

Most of the chestnuts in our local grocery stores come from Italy and E and I usually make them a few times a week… did I mention they go GREAT with wine? Many of my non-Italian friends have never had chestnuts… which makes me wonder who’s eating all the “chestnuts roasting by an open fire” during the holidays??? Italians? (Bingo Crosbino?)

If your looking to impress your holiday guests this year… pick-up some chestnuts. They are easy to make and delicious! This is what you need to do:

pre-heat your oven at 350-375 degrees
put a slit in each chestnut with a knife (otherwise they will explode in the oven)
place the chestnuts on a baking sheet or pan and cook them for 40-50 minutes
Serve with wine by a fire

In Calabrese we also call roasted chestnuts – ruselle

Italyville Farmer’s Market: Fico d’India

Joe — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:07:00 +0000

This delicious fruit has many names: Prickly Pear, Cactus Pear, Tuna, Cactus Apple and in Italian: Fico d’India (ficundiana in calabrese)… here at italyville.com, I call it Y-U-M-M-Y!

The cactus that produces cactus pears is abundant in many areas of Italy (especially in the south) as well as here in the US. The fruit grows right off the cactus leaves and it’s not uncommon to see 5, 10 or more fruit growing on 1 leaf. The fruit isn’t difficult to find in the US but is usually on the expensive side. Our local grocery store has a small basket of about 10-15 of them and they sell for .99 cents each or 3 for $2. That’s a little pricey. We usually go to a local produce wholesaler or large produce retailer. This year we’re paying about $15-$20 per case. As you can see from the case below, it holds 30 pieces. Prickly pears can usually be found in store from September to about January (give or take.) In Calabria you can find them ripe on the cactus from approximately late summer to early November.

Eating Fico d’india
The fruit is great on it’s own but be careful peeling away the skin as there are lots of very small prickers on the plant as well as the fruit. If you buy them by the case or at a grocery store, the prickers are usually removed but there may be a stray or two so why chance it? If you are trying to get one straight off the cactus…. be extra careful!

An easy way to peel a prickly pear is to grab them with a napkin, cut off both ends, then make one slice the long way through the outer skin (not too deep.) Peel back the skin as seen above and then pull out the fruit. It’s ready to eat! The fruit is full of small edible seeds and is sweet and juicy. Most of the ones I’ve seen here are red but I’ve had yellow and orange ones as well.

In the US, “Andy Boy” from California is the brand that we buy and is most prevalent. Andy Boy was founded by the D’Arrigo brothers who came to the US from Messina, Sicily. Their main products include: Broccoli Rabe, Fennel, Romaine Hearts, Radicchio and Cactus Pears among others…. not surprising for 2 guys from Southern Italy!

I’ve never made or seen a recipe that uses them as an ingredient…. anyone? How about a cocktail?

PS- Make sure to throw the napkin out after using it to grab a prickly pear…. don’t use it to wipe your face!
PPS- The great picture with the ocean backdrop is from flickr – giogio68 and was taken in Capo Vaticano in Calabria (VV).

Italyville Farmer’s Market

Joe — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:01:00 +0000

What’s in the farmer’s Market this month? Cherries – Ciliegie or if you prefer the dialect Cerasa.
I know they are on the way out but there’s nothing better than fresh, sweet, plump cherries! My favorite!…… the only problem is they never last long enough to make it into a recipe. Oops:) My parents told me that I would eat the whole cherry when I was a kid, pit and all! Enjoy them while they last.

Italian Farmer’s Market – Lion’s Tooth

Joe — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:55:00 +0000

What’s in the Italian Farmer’s Market this month? Dandelions. Growing up we would call them “cicorie” as they are in the same family but the correct name is actually, “dente di leone”

Growing up in an Italian American family, we did plenty of things that made our neighbors think we were a little “off.” One of them was picking and eating dandelions in the spring. Grab a knife and a plastic bag and head to an open field for some picking…… dandelions are delicious!

I like mine boiled for a few minutes (takes away some of the bitterness) and then fried in some extra virgin olive oil (product of Italy of course) and garlic. Then season with salt, pepper and grated cheese. Enjoy and Buona appetito!