The Seventies!

My college years were 1978-1980; a decade before I became vegetarian. Although I wasn't making a conscious food decision at that stage, society was doing it for me. 

Freezers had revolutionised the way we ate. Frozen food shops popped up everywhere and, by the end of the seventies, half the population had a freezer in their home. It gave women more freedom as they could buy convenience foods or cook in batches and people no longer had to live by seasonal food. Ironic now, given that we have done a u-turn and want to eat food which is in season.

In 1979 I would rush home from college to eat a quick tea fresh from the freezer. My favourite was a mini pizza which had a cheap bready base, tasty tomato sauce and a scattering of grated cheese on top. It could be cooked in the oven or, I think, under the grill. I can't remember who made them but they came in a bag of 6, individually wrapped in plastic in a bread loaf type of bag. I loved them and, funnily enough, believed myself to be very American rather than Italian!

After tea I would fire up my yellow Honda Express and zoom down to Safeways supermarket where I packed shelves on the toiletry aisle from 5 - 9pm. At 6pm the shop closed and myself and 3 boys would be locked in to do our work until the night shift came on at 9pm. What a laugh we had. The boys would take turns to ride the forklift scooter-style whilst donning brown paper bags with cut out eye slits. Another evening someone might switch on the loudspeaker and read rude passages from the book section.

At 9pm Nigel (one of my co-workers) and I would mount our mopeds and ride home Chips-style.

Ah, the seventies ... 

Hallelujah for Halloumi!

Sooo sorry! Got back late last night and failed to write a post. I was visiting friends in the country; enjoying a drink in the village pub, taking the dogs for a walk, meeting, greeting and walking with alpacas and eating a delicious al fresco tea.

The meat kebabs were cooked on the barbecue but the veggie ones were done very separately in the Aga! They consisted of assorted vegetables and halloumi cheese.

This is one of my favourites and a good standby for vegetarians. It comes from Cyprus and is made from a mix of goat's and sheep's milk. It comes packaged in brine and is best fried, grilled or baked so that it caramelises slightly without actually melting. It is often flavoured with mint or other herbs and has a long fridge-life. A friend of mine calls it "squeaky cheese" which is a fairly accurate description. It is certainly semi-soft and slightly springy, a bit like hard mozzarella.

I like it in my roast veg pasta (see post I DO(n't) like Mondays! dated 31/1/16) or simply grilled to golden-brown and served with a sweet chilli sauce or capers as an appetiser. In restaurants I have had it battered and served with chips and mushy peas ... a fabulous vegetarian alternative to fish and chips. Just don't add salt and vinegar; it's salty enough! A large slice in a bap topped with onion and tomato makes a satisfying "burger". You can even make a Halloumi pie using filo pastry for an authentic Middle-Eastern take on our goats cheese parcel!

If you've never tried it before try saying "Hallooo to halloumi" and if you have eaten it, try some of the above ideas for new ways of using it. It really is a versatile ingredient.

Delizioso!

Back from Italy and recalling all the meals I have enjoyed and would like to replicate.

La parmigiana di melanzano - baked aubergine, tomato, mozzarella and Parmesan dish.

This is vegetarian comfort food at its best. Sometimes it can be a little too oily so look for recipes which use less oil. Make sure the cheese you use is a vegetarian substitute.

Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino - spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli.

This is a popular native Italian dish and is very simple yet delicious. Just be sure to share it with those you love - it has a lingering aroma!

Ravioli alla zucca e amaretti - pumpkin and amaretti biscuit ravioli served with sage butter.

The menu for the ravioli translated as ravioli containing pumpkin, candied fruit and biscuit. It did not, however, prepare me for the taste sensation I was about to encounter. So soft, subtle and sweet. There was just a coating of the sage butter which I prefer to full on sauce. Delicious!

I haven't included recipes here as there are plenty to be found on the Internet.

Finally, and only if you have room, finish your meal with a Tiramisu.

Oh yes, to continue my theme, a glass of limoncello or amaretto completes the meal nicely!

Hard Cheese!

I am writing this post from Desenzano on the shores of Lake Garda. The sun has just enjoyed its last twinkle on the water and the air is heavy and warm. This area is awash with olive groves and the vineyards produce wines such as the wonderful Bardolino rose. (I could wax lyrical about Aperol Spritzs too but with my recent posts on Pimms and Bellinis I feel this site is turning into a drinking blog!)

In Venice and Lake Garda I have eaten a variety of pasta dishes. Other highlights have been Pizza Pugliese and Parmigiana di Melanzane (a baked aubergine dish). The downside has been that many dishes contain Parmagiano Reggiano/Parmesan, produced just a few towns away and Grana Padano, with its headquarters here in Desenzano. These cheeses are NOT vegetarian! These products are made using calf rennet! Who knew? Most restaurants, home and away, state that dishes are vegetarian but do, in fact, contain these non-vegetarian cheeses.

The Vegetarian Society has launched a campaign asking businesses, chefs, journalists and restaurant owners to:-

- leave out these cheeses

- not call dishes containing them vegetarian

- use a vegetarian alternative*

- label clearly and be proud to say the cheese is vegetarian

*Three alternatives to Parmesan approved by the Vegetarian Society are:-

- Bookhams Vegetarian Pasta Cheese

- Vegusto No Moo Piquant

- Brazzale's Gran Moravia

So next time you're offered an extra by the waiter ... Only agree to the black pepper!

Bellissimo Bellini!

Apologies for the one day delay in posting this blog. I have surrendered myself to beautiful Venice and lost all sense of time. In Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Love, Pray Italy was, of course, the Eat section. How there are not more obese Italians is a mystery with all that delicious pasta and pizza. They must feed it to the tourists and live on a Mediterranean diet of fresh fruit, veg, salad and seafood themselves. I researched the most popular Venetian meals and found them to be sadly wanting on the vegetarian front. However, I have found a way to feel totally at home in Venice and it's not in the food, but the drink!

The answer is to drink copious amounts of Bellinis. This is a cocktail originating in Venice made with Venetian Prosecco and peach puree and is truly delicious. It was invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of the legendary Harry's Bar. The pink colour of a bellini reminded him of a toga worn by a saint in a 15th century painting by Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini.

So, whilst in Venice you can enjoy viewing the plethora of artworks by Bellini before heading off to enjoy drinking a Bellini. Saluti!