Tasty Bellybuttons

February 25, 2011 • Product, Recipes • by
2 Comments

all me crazy but doesn’t this crappy weather make you want to curl up in a bowl of Venus’ sacred navel? Wo, wait, let me explain…

One day an innkeeper was keeping his inn on the Bolognan hillside. In walked this tall guy with a lightning bolt and his smoking hot wifey. As the couple began to complain about ruling the earth and trying to convince Cupid to put on some pants, the innkeep realized the couple was none other than Zeus and his dime-brizzle Venus. I guess Mount Olympus was all booked this particular night (Priceline.com wasn’t around yet) so they decided to stay the night.

As the gods crashed for the evening the inkeeper, so entranced with Venus’ gold-laced romper, snuck a peak into the couples room thru the key hole. Thru the naughty little slot our humble hero saw Venus sprawled across the bed, sheets tossed aside rocking her birthday suite. For some reason the inkeep found her navel the most interesting part of her heavenly form and decided to pay tribute to it’s beauty.

But what to make? He was a lonely, illeterate innkeep. In a moment of sheer inspiration the keeper ran to the kitchen and transformed pasta, the humblest of foods, into a miniature trophy of the goddesses gorgeous love button. After that I guess he ate it..weird.

Well, that’s how the story goes (give or take a few details…) but my point is that Tortellini or “little turnovers” are as comforting, if not more so, than curling up in Venus’ nooks and crannies. You may have had them smothered in heavy, thick sauces yielding a messy lump of dough and sauce but fear not my friends. Follow my riff on the original recipe below and you’ll never go back to Chicken Noodle when you’re feeling down and out:

Tortellini in Brodo

NOTE: Traditionally this dish is all about hand-crafted ingredients, ie. hand rolled pasta, slow cooked filling, and rich homemade stock. Ideal, yes, but this will get you close.

1 lb Tortellini (meat or cheese, frozen are best unless you can find day-fresh)

1 Qt. Chicken Stock (Super-Quality is key, don’t skimp here – it’s like $1 for the good stuff)

1 Cup Water

1 Cheese Rind (Parmiggiano is best, but any hard salty cheese will do)

Salt, Pepper, Grating Cheese

Start by combining your stock, water, and cheese rind in a large pot. No matter how good your stock is, if it’s store-bought it will be pretty salty (even low sodium). The cup of water helps dilute the mix and keeps you in control of the salt level.

Bring to a soft boil and add your tortellini. The frozen variety will take about 10 minutes to cook thru and float to the top, but fresh will take almost no time at all. Once your pasta is tender ( you’re not looking for al dente here but also not mushy), taste for seasoning, and ladle into a deep bowl, sprinkle with grated parmiggiano or grana padano, a crack or two of black pepper and you’re done.

The broth is hot, the pasta soft and oozy, the cheese coats each tortellino and the black pepper keeps the dish bright and awake. There’s really nothing better when you’re feeling a little less than 100% and you need something to make you feel warm and fuzzy all over (in leu of a naked goddess).

All I can say is thank Zeus for stopping into that inn so long ago and our sketchy little inkeep for sneaking a peak. Bravo good sir, bravo!

Paulie’s Spark Notes: 1. Boil some stock 2. Add some tortellini 3. Shower in cheese and mangia

Bow Ties & Olive Oil

February 23, 2011 • Locations • by
3 Comments

hat a paradox, my least and most favorite things all in one town. I’m exaggerating about the bow ties, I don’t like them at all but they’re not my least favorite thing on earth – that’s gypsies, or maybe ranch dressing. I digress.

North Cackalack was sun-drenched this weekend with temperatures hitting the high 70′s, saving me dozens of evil glares due to my typical cold-weather flip flop stylee…haters. Megs and I decided on a change of scenery for the afternoon and wandered around Chapel Hill on a culinary walk-about.

Megs, as well as the larger majority of our friends, attended UNC so I was fortunate to enjoy all things Chapel Thrill without having to take the advance curriculum, wear collared shirts, or run down J-Walkers. Durham is the obvious food capital of the Triangle, but Chapel Hill has got to be second. No harm to Raleigh, but Franklin Street alone boasts more bars and restaurants than the majority of downtown.

Our original intention was to try another round of Pho at Lime and Basil on Franklin St. but for some reason the owners thought a busy, sunny Saturday on a big home game day was the right time to stay closed. Bravo. No worries, Panang is across the street and fulfilled all of our Pho-anticipating needs without the Pho.

The restaurant specializes in Malaysian and Thai cuisine and delivers on both. We had been waiting for a bowl of noodly-soup so we decided on two variations:

A sweet, clean broth of rice noodles, shrimp, and vegetables for Megs.

And a fiery cauldron of lemon grass, thai basil, udon noodles, coconut milk and chili oil for I. The first was clean and light, like an asian-inspired chicken noodle. The second was an assault on the tastebuds, and I loved every minute of it. Whiping sweat off your brow and breathing heavily could ruin a dining experience for some, but it just tastes so damn good. Plus, the heat mellows thanks to the abundant fresh herbs and luscious coconut milk.

We polished the meal off with what is quickly becoming our favorite dessert of 2011: Thai Sticky Rice. Panang serves theirs up with ripe Mango, choice.  Full of heart-warming soups and the stickiest of rices we left for more adventuring.

Dodging more J-Walkers and crazed hobos we made our way to A Souther Season, a gourmet…everything store. I’ll post on this in detail another time, but in short it’s the IKEA of quality culinary products. The best products of this visit: New Harvest Olive Oil (green and glowing due to all the olive sediment), Finocchiona (a fennel-laden salumi from Tuscany), and Guanciale (the cured jowl of a piggy that tastes even better than bacon).

This store has a tendency of draining my bank account, so after trying all of the free samples and playing with the kitchen gadgets I want we moved on to our final destination:

Blue Sky Oil and Vinegar. Tucked away in the back of a strip mall, Blue Sky is more specific than I expected: Single Farm Olive Oils, Infused Oils, Balsamics, and Infused Balsamics. That’s it! The oils, from Italy, Spain, France, and California are all first, cold pressed extra virgins harvested and pressed within 24 hours of being picked by hand from single estates. That’s micro regional homey. The balsamics, traditional and white, along with oils are also infused with fruits and herbs like blood orange, figs, pineapple, basil, etc.

The price is reasonable with a 350ml bottle running between $10-15, which is nothing considering a bottle of shwaggy oil at the grocery store costs $10 at least. I made out with their two Italian varieties, Pendolino and Leccino, which are both small olives that create a bright, fruity olive oil.

It’s the tip of the iceberg, I know, but if you’re in Chapel Hill any time soon I recommend all three of these tasty sites, but make sure you eat first. Your wallet will be devastated if you venture into A Southern Season hungry. You’ve been warned, God Speed.

Tweet Tweet Dude

February 17, 2011 • Uncategorized • by
2 Comments

hat’s right folks. I’m following up on my resolutions like a samurai! (meaning I’m serious).  I’ve heard enough hype, lets see if Twitter has what it takes to turn GiustoGusto into a web sensation.

Tell your kids, tell your husbands, tell your wives cause we tweeting everybody up in here. You can now find all post updates via the brand-spankin twitter page:

twitter.com/@giustogusto

Seeya on the other side!

Bloody Good

February 15, 2011 • Product • by
2 Comments

t was a long weekend folks as one of Giusto’s greatest fans married one of my all time buddies in what was sure to have been 2011′s greatest wedding thus far. After days of gluttonous eating and drinking something shockingly refreshing was required, and reaching out into the garden of eden that is your local super mart I found a sultry old friend, Mr. Blood Orange. Here’s a few things I dig about ‘em:

1. They’re bloody good. For those who have never suckled at their supple flesh (heyo) the flavor is somewhere between a ripe navel orange and blackberries. In my mind it tastes like two things simultaneously: Blackberries covered in sugar and orange juice, and surprisingly wine. I love young, vibrant wines and blood oranges seem to embody the very essence of a youthful wine. That is sweet, ripe, fresh, and quite acidic.

2. They look cool as hell. From the outside the skin resembles the hues of a sun-soaked peach, waves of bright orange swirling thru deep reds and burnt sienna. When they’re under ripe the flesh inside is a mix of orange, red, and black. When the skin feels heavy and tender like a clementine the flesh will be molten maroon, almost stark black inside. It’s a wild contrast and a flipping joy to photograph.

3. They’re crazy easy to use. Because they are not as sweet as your standard variety orange, and are more acidic than said orange but less than a grapefruit, Arancia Sanguinella are perfect for savory and sweet applications. Some of my favorites involve mixing or marinating them with seafood (see the octopi dish here), adding the zest to biscotti, cutting up and eating soccer-game style as a late night snack. Actually, I think my favorite way is to simply juice them and shoot it back. In Firenze I would have un cafe’ followed by a jet-cold glass of Arancia Rosso during Illustration class. That will wake you up in a minute.

The name might be a little foreboding, but don’t let the gruesome title scare you away from one of the finest citrus fruits known to man.

I’d also like to give a final CONGRATS! to the happy couple, enjoy your Caribbean cruisin’ you two and eat some tasty grub for yours truly. We’ll seeya when you get back!

NOTE: When dismantling l’arancia, mind your pants. These babies can ruin a pair of slacks faster than an eighth grader in a strip club. Boom!

Pho Sho

February 8, 2011 • Locations, Review • by
3 Comments

hat, my friends, is a witty title!

As many of my Raleigh readers already know, there is a spoonful of Vietnamese heaven hiding off Capital Blvd just outside the beltline. I speak, of course, of Pho Cali.

After a long night of playing loud rock music for the masses, myself and a band of struggling late-nighters took a mini road trip down Capital to feast on the heartiest of the hearties. Amidst my ringing ears, the damp rain, lack of proper footwear and lingering flavor of PBR on my palate we tumbled thru the door. The space is lack luster, simple metal tables spread across an empty room stocked to the brim with chop sticks, fish sauces, and other questionable asian condiments.

Most may turn and run in a fit of uncertainty and intimidation, but I’ve been assured so many times on the quality of this hole-in’da-wall’s craft, retreat was not an option. We sat, dazing across a menu of never-ending soup options, with an unspoken consensus: we were here for the Pho.

Pho (pronounced “Fa” in Vietnamese) varies from home to home, province to province, but ultimately appears as a bed of noodles, herbs, and animal parts floating in an deep broth simmered for hours on end. Anthony Bourdain has claimed this to be his all-time favorite meal which, in my book, equals good eats. Without hesitation we ordered: “All the way, please.”

Moments later and our table was scantly visible due to the punch-bowl sized platters placed before us. With each heaping bowl of soup came a tray of fresh cut limes, bean sprouts, Thai Basil leaves, and sliced chiles. And what, pray tell, does “All the way” include you ask? Oh, nothing more than the finest thin cut strips of top round, tripe (stomach lining), tendon, meatballs, and other beefy bits. Beneath all is a submerged mountain of rice noodles begging to be drawn from their brothy depth and smothered in numerous toppings.

I kid you not when I exclaim this was the best bowl of soup I’ve had in years, years dude! Each bite, spoon and chop sticks dancing in perfect unison, was an explosion of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. Soft noodles swimming in an unctuous broth intermixed with strips of tender tendon and topped with lime juice and basil leaves.

Did you ever think tendon and tripe would have you drooling? If you’re still reeling, don’t worry, not only was the meal delicious but lacked any gamey-irony-offal taste so often associated with second-hand animal parts. More than anything the cuts acted as texture components, adding complexity and dare I say fun to the dining experience.

Best of all was the warm welcome by the restaurants staff who willingly tended to our every need and seemed so gracious of our enjoyment in their wares. With that I’ll end by thanking the band of brothers who introduced me to this hot spot of hot pots, the staff who fed us so well, and the many meals to come as this Vietnamese soup kitchen becomes an all time fave. Goodmorning, Vietnam!

The Verdict: Yuuuup!

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