Dancing Spoon

Bermuda Fish Chowder

Chowder Simple

by J. Michael Wheeler
This Fourth of July Grill brought together friends, food, drinks, and even an impromptu bagpipe serenade! Joe, the piper, is also Joe the sailor, and he just recently completed the 2010 Newport (Rhode Island) to Bermuda (Sailboat) Race. It’s a 635 mile ocean race, most of it out of sight of land, and can last anywhere from three to six days. (If you’re into sailing, Joe sailed on a Hinckley 70!)

Besides his pipes, Joe also brought a big pot filled with a taste of the race destination: Bermuda Fish Chowder. It’s a locals’ recipe using local ingredients, but as with many fish stews, use whatever local, fresh fish is available. There are two very unique ingredients to this fish stew however: the local Outerbridge’s Sherry Peppers Sauce for kick, and Goslings Black Seal rum as a topper. 

Here are two tasty and similar recipes (Joe says use either one). The first recipe is from Outerbridge’s of the Sherry Peppers Sauce, and the second is from Gosling’s Rum.

Farm to Table Fava Beans

Italy Delicious

by Ashley Bartner
Fava Beans
We've picked nearly a TON of fava (or "broad bean" as our British friends call them) out of our garden/farm – most likely if you have stopped by in the past 2 weeks you have either been given a bag of fresh picked fava to take home, shelled 'em, and/or eaten them!

So what to do with a crate of fava? Lots of choices, from crudo (raw) to crostini to pasta. Here we share a few of our favorite "Farm to the Table" fava dishes:

Simplicistic Antipasta
With the sweet spring flavor of shelled (double shelled) fava we simply pair it with a hunk of fresh pecorino cheese for the ultimate in simplicistic antipasta and country/peasant cooking.

Another great antipasta is fava crostini – the color and crisp flavor on crunchy bread – how can you only eat one?! Here's Jason's fava crostini recipe:

Fava Crostini
Ingredients
Serves 4

1 cup of double shelled (outer pod & inner shell removed) fresh fava or broad bean
couple glugs of olive oil
garlic clove, skinned, whole
squeeze of lemon
water
shaved parmesan
salt & pepper
baguette or crusty bread, sliced & toasted

Directions

1. Throw the fava in a pan and cover with water and a little salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer.
2. Cook a couple of minutes until the fava are tender. Drain.
3. Return the pan to the heat. Pour in a couple glugs of olive oil and the garlic clove. Fry the garlic until browned. Then discard garlic.
4. Toss the fava into the pan and sautee for a minute or two. Then begin mashing with the back of a wooden spoon until you form a paste. Add a bit of water if the paste is a bit too thick.
5. Remove fava paste from heat and season with salt and pepper add a squeeze of lemon.
6.Toast slices of good bread and rub warm fava mixture and top with shaved parmesan. You can drizzle a little really good quality extra virgin olive oil as well if you like.

Tutti a tavola — everyone to the table!

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Ashley Bartner is living the foodie dream in Italy. Together with her Chef-husband Jason, they own and run La Tavola Marche  an organic farm, inn and cooking school in Central Italy's region of Le Marche.

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About Ashley Bartner

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Meet Ashley Bartner
Ashley Bartner is living the foodie dream in Italy. Together with her Chef-husband, Jason, they own and run La Tavola Marche, an organic farm, inn, and cooking school in Central Italy's region of Le Marche. We're very excited that Ashley is now sharing her foodie dream with us, as a contributing writer, here on Dancing Spoon.

I live in Piobbico, Italy (population 2,000 - on a busy day), in the little known region of Le Marche, with my husband Jason, where we are the only “americani” for miles and miles! Jason and I live in a 300-year old stone farmhouse, run an inn, cooking school, and organic farm!

Two years ago we made a life changing decision and left the “daily grind” of New York City for the Italian countryside! After falling in love with Italy on our honeymoon in 2006, and with no kids or mortgage, we took the risk of our lives and opened an agriturismo with a small osteria and a cooking school run by Jason, who was previously an Executive Chef in Manhattan. Our little slice of paradise is an old restored stone farmhouse with five huge guest apartments surrounded by over 500 acres of farmland, rolling hills, and truffle rich woods.

We knew we wanted to run an agriturimo and cooking school as we had stayed at numerous other agriturismo's throughout Italy and enjoyed the atmosphere of vacationing on a working farm. La Tavola Marche is founded on our feelings that food is the most accessible, unique, and enjoyable way to get to know a new destination. Culinary experiences not only enhance traveler’s enjoyment through pleasing their taste buds, but also allow for an immediate immersion into the local culture. Plus, when we travel, that is our most favorite part — eating our way through every city, state, and country!

We love to share the simplicity of  Italian cooking, taking the freshest possible ingredients and preparing them simply. What a great vacation, to stay in a relaxing beautiful setting, learn to prepare this delicious food, and take home more than just memories: the ability to recreate a bit of Italy at home. And Italians do this best — celebrating life at every meal!

I am excited to share with you, Dancing Spoon readers, all the pleasures of the table: growing, cooking, eating and celebrating food! Tutti a tavola - everyone to the table!

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Ashley Bartner is living the foodie dream in Italy. Together with her Chef-husband Jason, they own and run La Tavola Marche an organic farm, inn and cooking school in Central Italy's region of Le Marche. In her  column Delicious Italy, Ashley shares the secrets of the Italian kitchen with local seasonal Italian recipes, organic gardening tips, food festivals and markets, day trips in Le Marche, Tuscany, Umbria and beyond! Celebrating life at every meal, from the farm to the table. What better way to know a culture but through its food! Ashley is a proud member of Slow Food both in The United States and Italy, and only cooks/serves what is in season and locally grown, supporting the local economy. La Tavola Marche

Jason is a professional Chef with years of experience as an Executive Chef in New York City and Italy. Ashley is a host-extraordinaire and writer for Italia! Magazine.
Follow their adventures on their lively blog: La Tavola Marche Blog

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The Healthy Irishman

Irishman The Healthy

Chef Gavan Murphy aka The Healthy Irishman
The who, you ask? Is there such a thing as a healthy Irishman? I know, I know, I’ve heard it all before but believe it or not, I do exist! I’m an Irishman who has a passion for health, especially healthy cooking that is not only nutritious but full of flavor and easy to do. (Yes, I also enjoy my pints but you’ll find the key word here is balance.) It’s not abnormal to find me at my local farmers’ markets eyeing up what’s fresh (bet you thought I was going to say pub didn’t you?) because at heart, I’m an organic enthusiast.

I’ve been asked to share my recipes and thoughts with the Dancing Spoon community and I couldn’t be more excited about doing so! The choice of buying organic is up to you so I won’t label my recipes with the “O” word. I’m just hoping to get you to explore new recipes and help me bring Healthy back!

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Fueling your body with healthy food.
Fueling your mind with the wealth of health. thehealthyirishman.com
Copyright © 2008 The Healthy Irishman. All rights reserved.

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Blue Nuns: A Foodie’s Profile 1

Foodie About a

by J. Michael Wheeler

Blue Nuns and Coors Beer
I began my creative life as a writer. I wrote fiction for five years and during that time I was a very successful bartender; my writing, not so. I had begun tending bar at the end of my second year in college in San Diego. Soon my college studies and restaurants found an inevitable synchronicity: I had just discovered the writers based in the Parisian café life of the 1920’s (think Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast) and I was introduced to the world of food at the restaurants where I worked. And suddenly my path became clear: with Hemingway as my guide I’d write short declarative sentences and eat at well-lit Parisian tables.

Jonathon Alsop

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Jonathon Alsop is a wine writer covering wine, food and travel since 1988. He is author of the wine column In Vino Veritas as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor's Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and others. In addition to writing about wine, Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School (BostonWineSchool.com) in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

Have a wine question? Ask

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Gloria Bakst

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Gloria Bakst has created hundreds of recipes and has taught cooking classes for the last 20 years. Her recipes are fast, easy, delicious, and perfectly geared for today's busy lifestyles.

Her recipes and Gloria's approach to a balanced lifestyle have been published by McGraw Hill in her book, ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy. Her recipes have appeared in the Weight Watchers' Grilling Cookbook, Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes Cookbooks, The Jewish Vegetarian Year Cookbook, and The Healing the Heart Cookbook.

Gloria’s menus are always healthy and nutritious with an emphasis on flavor, freshness, and sophisticated tastes.

Have questions or comments?  . To learn more about Gloria and her nutritional coaching go to her web site at Balanced Nutritional Lifestyles.

If you like Gloria's recipes, you can purchase her book here.
ZonePerfect Cooking Made Easy, by Gloria Bakst

 

 

David Haley

Contributors Our

Any fool can buy good wine: just open your wallet and dig deep. But how do you find those little gems that won’t break the bank?

As president of Haley Marketing Group, a New England based wine brokerage, David Haley travels to wine regions around the world to discover exceptional wine values. (He calls it work, but that’s debatable.) His background in wine spans sixteen years in the wholesale and wine import business with some of the most prestigious importers in America.

David is our guide in our continuing exploration of wine. He’ll help us find exceptional wine values at an all price levels. And he’ll offer insights into our relationship with wine as part of our culture.

David encourages you to share your wine finds and wine experiences with him. Contact David with questions, comments or suggestions at  .

Andy King

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Andy King is the co-owner, with his wife Jackie, of A&J King Artisan Bakers in Salem,  MA. He is a graduate of Colby College in Waterville, ME, and the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier,  VT. While working in establishments such as Arrows Restaurant (Ogunquit, ME) and the Standard Baking Co. (Portland, ME), Andy was the food writer for the Portland Phoenix, and contributed to Downeast Magazine, The Food Network, and Bon Appetit magazine. A&J King Artisan Bakers opened in June of 2006. The couple currently resides in Topsfield, MA with their daughter, Emaline, and their dog, Griffon.

Fiona Barrett

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Fiona Barrett is a certified Holistic Health Counselor trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City, accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She creates unique nutrition and life style programs to help you personally discover what nourishes and feeds you to live an energized and passionate life! Fiona was born in England and now lives and practices in the greater Boston area.

For more information go to www.fionabarrett.com or contact Fiona at