Friday, June 17, 2011

Favorite Things Friday

Cherries

I'm not talking about the mass-produced, highly artificial maraschino cherries. I'm talking about fresh cherries right off the tree (which we have in the yard of the hotel). The fruit is tart and sweet, but oh so fresh. No need to make a Shirley Temple or cherry pie. I eat these plain for breakfast or a snack!

Hazelnuts

Once again, my only experience with this ingredient in the past has been artificial. I love Coffee-mate's hazelnut creamer in my coffee, there certainly is nothing like it. But in Italy I am overwhelmed by how much they use hazelnut. Primarily with sweets like brioche, cookies, and cake but also paired with fish. How original!

Parsley

It's good to finally know this herb has a more important purpose than garnish on a plate. Parsley is used in almost every pasta dish we make. We freshly chop it every day, then ring out all the liquid so it is dried. The amazing thing is that adding this to a dish really brings out the flavor. It's not overwhelming, but adds a subtle freshness and bit of color.

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