colatura.
Come Along on A Shopping Day
I thought it might be fun for you to experience a day of shopping with me. Well, sort of with me, you’ll be where you are, I’ll be doing the actual running and driving here in Italy. Yesterday, I spent the day running about the Maremma, one of my favorite shopping jaunts. It’s the sea coast area of southern Tuscany. An ancient area of rough and tumble cowboys and Etruscans, about a two hour drive from Rome.
Ok, here we go. Let’s hit the road.
It was a rainy day, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. 
You really have to watch your speed. In addition to timing
your travel from one set of cameras to another a set distance so theyy can calculate how long it took you to reach the second set to see if you went over the speed limit, there are also a few other cameras set just in case they miss whe you speed up suddenly.
Our first stop was Orbetello. By then it was really raining. But Covitto was ready for us.
And, yes, I had to ask what Femminelle was – it is not just female but a type of fish.
They are a very special fish shop, having been there for a very long time, bringing the catch from the boat in the morning to the store to sell. Really gorgeous fish indigenous to this area only. I bought some of their bottarga, some fish broth mix, and of course, the colatura, available only here and the Amalfi Coast, where the tradition of this elixer still exists. This liquid gold is the culmination of salted anchovies laid in chestnut baskets and the liquid allowed to slowly seep through a small hole in the bottom. A long, process, but the smooth taste is worth the wait, and renowned world wide. Since they use only the best of the fished anchovies (caught between March and July) you can understand why few outside this area have had the honor of even tasting it. You need only a few drops to make a unique dish.
Here’s a recipe for Spaghetti alla Colatura — it serves 2 for a main dish
200g durum wheat spaghetti
2 tsp colatura di alici (try less the first time to be sure it’s not too ‘fishy’ for you
6 tblspn extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
Fresh parsley
2 small chili peppers
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Toss in the pasta. As pasta reaches around three-quarter’s of the way through its cooking time, in a large pan, mix the olive oil, colatura, finely sliced garlic, finely chopped parsley. Heat just very slightly over low fire. Using pasta tongs, pick the spaghetti straight from the pot, into the pan, and finish its cooking in the colatura mix, adding salted water you cooked the pasta in, if necessary. Toss well over low heat until pasta is cooked al dente. Serve immediately, garnishing with a chili pepper. That is it. Simple, fast and people will always want to know what it is that is in the special sauce.
After Orbetello, we headed to Albinia. Although flooded horribly last year, they are rebounding as Maremmans are known historically to do. Albinia is home to La Parrina, which I had not visited before this trip. It seems each trip brings new people and places into my life.
La Parrina is a real find. It is a wonderful Agriturismo, a farm, a vineyard, and a produce grower with an Antica Fattoria that has the most fabulous foods, available. I’m only bringing a small sampling. They make a bitter orange marmelade that will be fabulous on cheese, or bread or almost anything. I’m already addicted. A Kumquat jam, some fig mixtures, and they also have some really interesting mixtures of vegetable jams.
Also in Albinia, I visited a very special Alimentary, with Francesco and Maura and got some La Salva products (no time to go to La Salva) as well as some of their other local specialties like agrodolce I’ve had before.
Then it was back in the card off to Roma again. A long, but productive day. The real difficulties lie in trying to decide what I can manage to fit with all the limitations of weight and sizes I have. Terribly difficult decisions have to be made. The pre-orders are obviously first and they are going to be very, very happy. I hope that as time goes on there will be enough people trying all these really special regional products that are not available anywhere else. They are from small producers who will never be able to compete with the giants who aree able to put stabilizers and chemicals into their products so they stay fresh on shelves for years. These are products from real food for real people. And, boy,can you taste the difference. You may not be able to visit the Maremma this year, but hopefully you’ll let me show you a little of their flavors. If you are not signed up for my newsletter, please send me an email and I’ll sign you up. Write expresslyitalian@gmail.com
Back to Los Angeles Again
I know a month seems like a long time, but in Italy it goes by very quickly. It was a challenge to get everything I selected back with me, but I did it!
Well, mostly. Some will arrive in July.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, some of the most interesting things I found this trip were in the Maremma area of Tuscany.
If you haven’t visited this area of Tuscany, take the time to do it on your next trip. It’s very special. From it’s historical Etrurian roots and it’s fertile soil, to the still producing olives trees that are over 2,000 years old, it’s fishing ports and beaches, it is a non-touristy, beautiful area full of warm people and really unique ‘prodotti tipici’ (regional products).
I visited Orbetello, Montiano, Talemone, Capalbio and Albinia. I brought back some of that liquid gold, Colatura, which is the essence of anchovy, impossible to find even in other areas of Italy. I also brought Bottarga di muggine; some farro pasta; and some antique legume con ‘occhio. And another rare product: fennel pollen. Fennel pollen is a spice mostly used in Tuscan cooking, not widely known elsewhere. It is really that type of magical ingredient that can add a layer of flavor that takes a dish from good to great. Fennel pollen has notes of licorice, citrus and a feeling of soft subtlety. You can use the pollen to season meat with a dry rub of salt, or sprinkle on just before serving. Light summery soups, gain headiness and depth with a light sprinkle at the table. In colder months, roasted vegetables are enhanced by a sprinkling of fennel pollen while they are roasting. The real trick with fennel pollen is not to overuse it. A little really does go a long way, and even a pinch may be too much. Go slowly, adding just a dash with care, and use it mostly towards the very end of cooking so as to preserve its delicate flavor. The fennel pollen I brought back is fine and pure, and there is also hand packed one is even more rare with absolutely no grit, just powdery flavor.
There are also some condiments made especially for Tuscan style cooking, that rustic, simple but hearty real food they do so well. I have ‘conserva di buttero’ (Buttero is the Tuscan cowboy who herds the cattle in the area). It’s beautiful in color, rich in flavor and a perfect complement to meats or served along with cheese (especially Pecorino or Parmigiano). It’s got peaches, peppers, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, apple vinegar and a little sugar in it. Really tasty and a little piquant.
While I got some great preserved black truffles in Umbria, I found some thinly sliced summer black truffles preseved in oil in Capalbio that would be fabulous with eggs, or over meat or just on toast, or with almost anything.
One of the true secrets of Italian cooking is that you don’t need to use great quantities of the flavors. They are most effective when used in balance. A touch of an herb, or a dash of a condiment is all that is necessary. Subtle but dramatic taste additions make memorable dishes.
If you want any of these items or have any questions about these or any of the typical products of this area, please email me at expresslyitalian@aol.com and I’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list for our offerings or shop for you on my next trip for products you may already know.
While we still have months to wait for new harvest olive oils, I do have olive oil from Montiano and Tivoli now. Both are fresh, and fabulous tasting. These are really special and if you’re not familiar with pure, fresh extra virgin olive oil, these are really so noticeably different than grocery store olive oils, you’ll never go back. But be aware, these are not for everyday cooking, or making common salad dressings, they are to be prized. They are perfect for the splash of olive oil to brighten all the flavors in a dish just before serving. Or to dress a salad with just a little lemon juice and the olive oil. Treat yourself. You deserve the best and these truly are.
And, lastly, there is agrodolce available. Agrodolce is a sweet sour sauce used in many Italian dishes. While it usually is traced back to first being used in Sicilian cooking, each region has developed its own take on this gastrique type sauce. Agrodolce can be used as a finishing sauce for a variety of dishes. Often it is used as a glaze or dipping sauce with antipasti. It is also a great addition to the cheese board for both mild and strong cheeses. And, of course, it’s great as a sauce on all kinds of meats. I have raspberry agrodolce as well as blackberry. Both are fantastic.
Expressly Italian 
