Wow.

That’s really all I can think of to say.

My sweet co-hostess Lis and I are amazed at the number of entries we received but even moreso at the beauty of the dishes that you brought to the blog world’s biggest patio party.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

There were so many entries that Lis and I decided to split them. To see the other half of the round-up, please visit La Mia Cucina.\

Sauteed Pineapple and Prune-Plums with Sweetened Macarpone from Lis of La Mia Cucina.

I begin the round-up with my co-hostess, Lis. She is a true light in my life and I’m honoured every day that I know her. She knows how much I love pineapple and made this dessert just for me. Okay, okay! Fine. I’ll share it with you!

Grazie, Lis!

Coconut, Almond and Plum Tart from Rose of 64 Sq Ft Kitchen.

The lovely Rose was one of the first to arrive at the party with this delicious tart. I don’t know about you, but I would gladly move into Rose’s kitchen just to watch her produce her sweet creations.

Grazie, Rose!

Summer Borscht from Alanna of A Veggie Venture.

Secretly, I have harboured an intense love of borscht my whole life. I’m not sure from whence it came, but Alanna’s beautiful summer rendition of this classic has only made my love stronger. And of course it’s only made me admire Alanna even more for her vibrant, healthful dishes.

Grazie, Alanna!

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup from Marie of A Year at Oak Cottage.

Marie so kindly brought one of the prettiest soups that I’ve ever seen. The colours alone make me want to jump right in. Marie, now that you’ve come to our patio party, we simply must come to Oak Cottage!

Grazie, Marie!

Garden Peach Margarita Sorbet from Kevin of Acme Instant Food.

That Kevin! He’s such a riot! And let’s not forget how creative and original he is as in this incredible sorbet that he created himself. I had to fight Lis over it but it was totally worth it.

Grazie, Kevin!

Canned Peaches and Pairs and Homemade Ketchup from Quellia of All Things Edible.

I had the honour of meeting Quellia in person early in the summer. She surprised me with some truly delicious homemade preserves (strawberry and rhubarb!). We were thrilled when she arrived at the party with more preserves. Quellia, you’re a talent in the kitchen!

Grazie, Quellia!

Upside Down Polenta Cake from Mary of Alpineberry.

What can I say about Mary? Not only is she the tireless administrator for the Daring Bakers, Mary is truly a gifted cook and baker. I’m so happy that she came to the festa and that she brought this unusual and delicious cake.

Grazie, Mary!

Cantaloupe Strawberry Salad with Mint and Lime Syrup from Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes.

Have you visited Andrea’s blog? If you haven’t, you should. It’s beautiful and has some truly mouth-watering pictures. For me, this has been the summer of great fruit so I was so happy to see that Andrea brought this colourful salad to the party.

Grazie, Andrea!

Maggie Glezer’s Acme Herb Slats from Baking Soda of Bake My Day.

I love Baking Soda! A brilliant bread baker, a brilliant sense of humour and just a brilliant person all around. Thank you for coming to the festa and for bringing this delicious bread with you.

Grazie, Baking Soda!

Vietnamese Coffee Gelato with Toblerone Chunks and Sesame Seed Tuile Mini Cones from Bruno of Brunosdream.

Bruno is a busy guy and yet he still found time to prepare this unbelievable dessert for us. Bruno, you definitely get the award for most original and inventive dish at the party!

Grazie, Bruno!

Pasta with Green Beans and Fried Peppers from Lisa of Champaign Taste.

When I smelled the dish that Lisa brought, my mouth immediately began to water. Fried peppers are my very favourite and I could eat them with anything. The fact that they’re paired with fresh green beans and pasta only makes them that much better. Lisa, you are always welcome at our patio!

Grazie, Lisa!

Puttanesca Tomatoes from Nicisme of Cherrapeno.

The name is hot. The dish is hot. Nicisme, you’re hot! Thanks for bringing your hotness and the hotness of this dish to spice up la festa.

Grazie, Nicisme!

Zucchini Carpaccio; Portabella Stroganoff and Belgium Endive Salad with Roquefort Cheese from Denise et Laudalino of Chez Denise et Laudalino.

Some people just know how to be the perfect party guests. Take Denise et Laudalino, they brought three dishes to the party! And the dishes were one more delicious than the other.

Grazie, Denise et Laudalino!

White Chocolate and Passion Fruit Mousse from Kelly-Jane of Cooking the Books.

Thanks to Kelly-Jane, I tried passion fruit in a dessert for the very first time and adored it. Of course the white chocolate helped. What a gorgeous summer dessert!

Grazie, Kelly-Jane!

Gulliver’s Salad and Roasted Eggplant Stuffed with Free Range Beef and Seasonal Veggies from Lindsay of Country.Girl.City.Living.

I’ll eat eggplant until the cows come home so I couldn’t resist second helpings of this lovely dish. It was great to be introduced to a new salad as well. Thanks so much for these great dishes!

Grazie, Lindsay

Dried Cherry Challah Bread Pudding from Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Peabody could concoct just about anything and I would eat it. Seriously. I’m so glad you made it to the festa, Peabody. Not only did I get to eat this incredible pudding but I got to moan about the Leafs. Thanks for listening!

Grazie, Peabody!

Lemon Verbena Ice Cream and Vanilla Bean and Verbena Lemon Parfait with Summer Raspberries from Anita of Dessert First.

When I want to be calmed by the sweetness of dessert, I visit Anita. And when she arrived at the party bearing these gifts, I felt the calmness wash over me. Anita is a constant reminder of the true sweetness of life.

Grazie, Anita!

Swiss Chard Frittata from Laura of Eat Drink Live.

Swiss chard … my favourite! Very smart to pair it with a frittata, Laura. I see I’m going to have to help myself to your dish quickly otherwise it will be all gone!

Grazie, Laura!

Lemon Basil Courgettes from Abby of Eat the Right Stuff.

I love your blog, Abby! I. Love. Your. Blog. And I love you for bringing this gorgeous dish to the party. Oh yes … and I love the word courgettes!

Grazie, Abby!

‘Mater and Cuke Salad from Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms.

Such a refreshing salad! What can I say Elle other than thank you for coming? Thank you for bringing a salad that features two of my very favourite summer vegetables. Thank you for being so sweet!

Grazie, Elle!

Sauteed Vegetable and Scallop Pasta from Morven of Food Art and Random Thoughts.

Morven knows how much I love scallops. And she brought this pasta just for me! Oh, wait … was I supposed to share with the others? Oops!

Grazie, Morven!

Zesty Spinach and Feta Pull-Apart Bread from Anh of Food Lover’s Journey.

I never imagined that food could drive a wedge between Lis and myself but this bread most certainly did. We apologize to everyone for that little tussle that Lis and I had as we both tried to grab the bread for ourselves. Good thing you brought along more than one, Anh!

Grazie, Anh!

Panfried Catfish al Fresco from Joel and Amy of Foodmonkeys.

First of all, Joel and Amy get the award for cutest couple at the festa! Secondly, I recently discovered catfish so I was so happy that someone came along with a dish featuring this ingredient.

Grazie, Joel and Amy!

Spaghetti with Mixed Shell Fish from Fresh Adriatic Fish of Fresh Adriatic Fish.

There were so many great pasta dishes at this party and this one is no exception. Fresh Adriatic Fish (cool name) wowed everyone with this contribution.

Grazie, Fresh Adriatic Fish!

Fig, Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Stuffing and Stir-fried Pork with Pattypan Squash and Garlic Scapes from Danielle of Habeas Brulee.

The generous Danielle brought two stunning dishes to the party. The first is a stuffing that I just about cried over! And the second was a stir-fried pork dish that also made me want to weep. Mainly because I had to share it. Next time, Danielle, bring a portion just for me!!!

Grazie, Danielle!

Roasted Eggplant Spread from Half Baked of Half-Baked.

Half Baked brought one of my most favourite appetizers ever: The Barefoot Contessa’s Eggplant spread. Half Baked, your take on this spread was incredible!

Grazie, Half Baked!

Home-made Lemonade from Arfi of Homemades.

Arfi reminded us that there is nothing better than something homemade, especially when it’s lemonade. The lemonade was such a gift!

Grazie, Arfi!

Zucchini with Goat Cheese; Zucchini and Prosciutto and Corn Soup the Second from Sara of i like to cook.

Wonderful Sara, bless her heart, brought three dishes to this party and wowed everyone with them. Sara reminded all of us what a blessing a home garden truly is.

Grazie, Sara!

Fried Fennel from Ed of Is it Edible?

Ed, this fried fennel was most definitely edible!!! I loooooooooooove fennel and frying it was just the right touch!

Grazie, Ed!

So that’s it my friends! Another festa has come and gone. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it a truly memorable one. Don’t forget to visit Lis for the other part of the round-up. See you next year!

Ciao!

Technorati tag: la festa al fresco

Well, it’s finally here! The party that Lis and I like to call the biggest patio party in the world has finally arrived.

Bloggers from all over the world are streaming in bringing with them all sorts of captivating offerings. For those of you arriving a bit late, not to worry, there’s still plenty of room on the table.

Besides my mother’s peperonata, I’m bringing one of my very favourite dishes: Linguine with Cherry Tomato Sauce. It’s a dish of my own invention, not that there was really that much to invent as this couldn’t be an easier dish to make.

Take some ripe cherry tomatoes and slice them in half. Toss them in a pan with lots of olive oil and Maldon salt. Add a clove of garlic, some hot pepper and pletny of fresh basil. Cook for about 20 minutes until you have a creamy sauce. Toss with your favourite pasta.

Okay! It’s time to eat. Dai! Tutti a tavola!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: la festa al fresco

In deep summer, I go to bed at night dreaming of the dish that I know my mother will soon prepare. Once locally harvested eggplant, red peppers and tomatoes are available, it’s only a matter of time before my mother takes those simple ingredients and turns them into a creamy, colourful dish that to me is summer at its very best: Peperonata.

This brilliant dish is, for me, Italian soul food at its best. All you need is a fork, some crusty bread and a glass of cool wine.

And of course, in my humble opinion, no one makes a better Peperonata than Mama Cream Puff. As a reminder to everyone that the deadline for La Festa al Fresco is this Monday, September 3rd, I give you one of my mother’s best summer dishes.

It is the essence of summer.

Ciao!

La Peperonata
Treasured family recipe.

4 red peppers (we use a type of pepper called Shepperd pepper which is long and narrow - if you can’t find these, use bell peppers)
1 small eggplant
1-1/4 cups crushed tomatoes
4 basil leaves
3 to 4 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tbsp. salt

Cut peppers into 1-inch strips. (If using bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch strips). Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch strips.

Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add peppers. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. (Bell peppers will take a bit longer.) Be sure to stir occasionally.

Add eggplant to cooking peppers. The eggplant will absorb a lot of the oil so add more if you notice that the mixture is too dry.

Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add half the salt and stir.

Move the pepper and eggplant mixture to one side of the pan so that it is covering about three-quarters of the pan.

To the remaining quarter of the pan, add the crushed tomatoes, the basil and remaining salt. Heat for about 2 minutes and then blend the entire contents of the pan together.

Continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature with lots of bread!

Enjoy!

Technorati tags: peperonata, la festa al fresco

They say time flies and they are most certainly right! It’s hard to believe that it’s already been almost a year since my “blog sister” Lis and I hosted what turned out to be a hugely successful event: La Festa al Fresco 2006!

For those of you that flew in, walked in, ran in, sailed in, beamed in from elsewhere, you’ll recall that La Festa al Fresco was a resounding success with bloggers sending virtual dishes from all over the world.

For those of you that are new to the festa, La Festa al Fresco is the blog world’s biggest patio party.

The premise is very simple: prepare a dish using a fresh, seasonal ingredient, and then send it over. Oh and don’t forget to bring yourself as well.

You can prepare any dish you like. It can be an appetizer; a soup; a salad; a meat, fish or vegetarian dish; a dessert or even a beverage. The only rule is that it must feature a fresh, seasonal ingredient, preferably something that grows in your neck of the woods.

Once you’ve prepared your dish, please post about it on your blog and then let Lis (lamiacucina67@gmail.com) and myself (creampuffsinvenice@gmail.com) know. The deadline for the event is midnight on September 3, 2007. As we did last year, Lis and I will be splitting the round up, which we will post a few days after the deadline has passed.

So to recap, here are the particulars:

Prepare a dish of your choosing featuring a fresh, seasonal ingredient.

Post about it by midnight on September 3, 2007.

Send an e-mail to Lis and myself and include your name, blog name and blog address. Also include a link to your post and 100 x 100 pixel photo of your dish.

In Italian we say, “tutti a tavola” which means “everyone to the table”.

Lis and I are polishing the patio and tables as we speak. Tutti a tavola for La Festa al Fresco 2007!

Ciao!

P.S. My dear friend of Ari of the beautiful Baking and Books is overseeing an incredible event. Ari is hosting a fundraiser to benefit the 2007 Jewish Environmental Bike Ride. Buying a raffle ticket will allow you to be eligible for a number of wonderful prizes. To read all the details, please visit Ari’s blog here. Good luck to Ari with this worthy cause!

Technorati tags: la festa al fresco

In the aftermath of the La Festa al Fresco, Lis and I sat at the huge table, cleared of food, and smiled. With our tummies filled to bursting and our hearts happy, we reminisced about the good time had by all.

That is until we realized we forgot someone.

THE HORROR!

With all the eating and the drinking and the dancing and the singing we forgot to thank our dearest Ximena of Lobstersquad for her dish. How could we forget our sweet friend Ximena?!

Lis and I are ever so sorry. We blame the excesses of the festa for clouding our minds.

And now, we present to you:

Bonito en Escabeche from Ximena of Lobstersquad.

As soon as Ximena’s blog burst onto the scene she became an instant favourite with her charming, quirky and imaginative drawings. The fact that she is a brilliant cook also helped. Ximena blogs from Madrid, Spain (are we ever jealous!) and can always be counted on for inspired cuisine and a very humorous outlook. For the festa, she brought Bonito en Escabeche. Doesn’t that sound wonderful … say it with me … Bonito en Escabeche! Bonito is a type of fish and en escabeche is the way that the fish has been preserved. There weren’t any leftovers so I can tell you that it was beyond fantastic. Ximena, thank you so much for coming to the festa. Lis and I will gladly fly to Spain and do your dishes for a week to make up for not including you in the original round up!

Grazie, Ximena!

Ginger Crunch n’ Cream Ice Cream from Bron of Bron Marshall.

Last but not least, our sweet friend Bron flew in from New Zealand to close out the festivities with the most delicious offering of ice cream made with ginger cream. Some of you had already left the festa by the time Bron arrived and that’s unfortunate because you missed a most tantalizing ice cream based on the popular cookies n’ cream ice cream. Bron’s version was gingery and oh so good! Of course I expected nothing less of Bron whose blog is just one gorgeous creation after another.

Grazie, Bron!

Thank you to everyone for all the wonderful comments about the festa. It was a joy to host it with Lis. We’ll do it again next year!

Ciao!

Technorati tag:  la festa al fresco

When my lovely partner in crime, Lis of La Mia Cucina and I first dreamt up La Festa al Fresco, we wanted it to be a way to hold a bit of summer in our hands … a last hurrah for the season that gives us so much.

So we planned a big party and promptly forgot the food. Oh, dear! We sent out the call for help and so many of you responded with some of the most amazing dishes that feature summer’s best.

I know I can speak for Lis when I say that it is positively heart-warming to know that there are so many friends out there willing to share food and good times.

Thank you. Grazie.

And now, I’m pleased to present the second half of the La Festa al Fresco round up. I owe a special thanks to Lis who did much of the leg work in terms of preparing photos. I’m a bit of a technically-challenged Cream Puff so I really appreciate that. Lis is an absolute darling and a great friend! I feel fortunate to know her and hope that she’ll host this party with me every year.

For the first half of the round up, check out La Mia Cucina:

Fruit Delight from Stephany of Blue Ridge Reflections.

My dear friend Stephany arrived at the festa with a bowl of this colourful and vibrant Fruit Delight. This dish is the perfect mix of so many of the fruits that are best at this time of year. I’ve known Stephany for many years and I just couldn’t imagine the festa without her. I’m so thrilled that she could come.

Grazie, Stephany!

Prosciutto con Fichi Freschi e Formaggio from Angelika of The Flying Apple.

How thrilled we were that Angelika flew in all the way from Vienna, Austria! I know that at heart, Angelika is Italian and the dish she brought proves it. The fresh figs with cheese and prosciutto is the perfect way to enjoy the beauty of summer. A fresh fig is an unbelievable thing and if you haven’t had the chance to try one yet, you should. Angelika is one of the first people that I met after starting this blog and she continues to be a source of joy and inspiration. Thank you so much for coming.

Grazie, Angelika!

Mini-Corn Cakes with Lime and Avocado Salsa from Joanna of The Passionate Cook.

Whenever I want to be inspired, I always take a little trip over to Joanne’s blog. A wonderful cook, Joanna can be counted on for some beautiful and creative dishes. And the dish that she presented at the festa is no exception! Perfect corn cakes with a lime and avocado salsa that sounds so refreshing. I can’t decide what I like better:  the mini-corn cakes or the lime and avocado salsa. This dish also reminds me that I just don’t use avocado enough. Joanna, you’re welcome at the festa any time!

Grazie, Joanna!

Creamy Stuffed Figs from Jennifer (my long-lost sister) of Weekly Dish.

You’ll never imagine how shocked I was to discover that I had a long-lost sister! But it’s true … Jennifer and I just know that we are related. We have the same interests and like pretty much all the same foods. The reason I really know that we’re sisters is that Jennifer writes her menu out every week on a board and posts it on her blog. And that’s just the sort of thing I love to do. As all good sisters do, Jennifer showed up at the festa with the most gorgeous dish:  Creamy Stuffed Figs. I have been tempted many times with the idea of throwing all to the wind and moving to a Mediterranean hillside for the simple joy of eating fresh figs. This dish will save me the trouble of moving.

Grazie, Jennifer!

Curry Chicken Skewers with Eggplant Relish and Tomato Chutney Vinaigrette from Sher of What Did You Eat?

Even before I visited Sher’s blog to see the picture of this dish, the name alone had me drooling. This is eggplant season and I was so happy to see Sher make use of this beautiful vegetable with a lovely relish. Chicken and curry are the perfect combination and the vinaigrette is so intriguing. Thankfully Sher put a few skewers aside just for me so I was able to try some before they were all gone!

Grazie, Sher!

Panna Cotta from Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey?

Ah, Meeta! I knew you’d come through for us! Not only did Meeta bring one of my favourite desserts of all time, she topped the panna cotta with the most beautiful fresh blackberries. And to help those of us that haven’t tried panna cotta before, Meeta posted a very useful cooking lesson on the subject.  Oh yes and she flew in all the way from Germany!

Grazie, Meeta!

Beetroot Tabouli from Barbara of Winosandfoodies.com.

As I mentioned to Barbara when she presented this dish, she must have been reading my mind. I have  been seriously preoccupied with beetroot lately and with tabouli. I don’t use beetroot often so I was looking for ideas and, if you can believe it, I’ve never made tabouli. Barbara solved both of those problems with her gorgeous dish. And she didn’t even show any jet lag from the flight in from New Zealand. What a gal!

Grazie, Barbara!

Wasabi-Dusted Prawns with Asian Slaw and Jasmine Rice and Lychee Sorbet with Crystallized Ginger from Bruno of Zinfully Delicious.

Based on all the gasps I heard when Bruno put his dishes on the table that he had created some truly impressive dishes. First of all he gets an award for bringing two dishes to the table and what dishes! The prawns dusted with wasabi is such a nice touch and the Asian slaw is so intriguing. Sorbet is the perfect summer dessert and using lychee is a wonderful idea. Bruno, we’re all so glad you came to the festa.

Grazie, Bruno!

Roasted Tomato Sauce from Lisa of Champaign Taste.

Lisa is the brilliant mind behind the recent tribute to Julia Child on the occasion of her birthday. Lisa has such a beautiful, thoughtful blog and I was so happy to see her come to the festa. She brought with her a dish that uses the quintessential summer ingredient:  the tomato. The colour of the sauce alone is enough to make your mouth water. And the end result … the beautiful fusilli enrobed in the sauce … well … it’s just too good!

Grazie, Lisa!

Mini-Meringue Baskets with Pomegranate and Peach Sorbets from (the great) Anita of Dessert First.

When I first happened upon Anita’s blog, I knew that I had found a kindred spirit. There a million brilliant bakers out there and none of them inspire me more than Anita. Not only is she an incredible baker, she’s following her dream by working in a bakery. Her passion for what she does is palpable and it’s a beautiful thing to see and read about. She certainly outdid herself for the festa with the most adorable meringue cups filled with pomegranate and peach sorbet.

Grazie, Anita!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto or Spread from Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen.

When I saw the Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen walk through the door with this dish, I was so honoured! Kalyn is the originator of Weekend Herb Blogging and I am a huge fan of hers. She knew exactly what she was doing by bringing along a dish that made use of the perfect tomatoes now in season. And judging by how quickly the pesto/spread disappeared, it was loved by all.

Grazie, Kalyn!

Samosas with Mint Raita from Monisha of Coconut Chutney.

For starters, any blog with a name that has Coconut in it is right up my alley as I am the world’s biggest coconut fan! Monisha proved once again that fried is good with her spectacular samosas and the photos on her blog are a huge bonus. The Mint Raita is also an intriguing addition which makes use of all that fresh mint threatening to take over the garden (or at least my garden). Monisha, don’t forget to take some mint home with you!

Grazie, Monisha!

Tomato and Saffron Tart by Zarah Maria from Food and Thoughts.

As soon as I saw Zarah Maria’s gorgeous tart, the first thing I thought was, "What a beautiful colour!" And right after I was amazed that I’d never thought of combining saffron and tomato. Saffron is one of those spices that I don’t think we use enough, or at least experiment enough with. I’m so glad that Zarah Maria tried this because it’s so inspiring. And of course it’s another opportunity to use up those fresh tomatoes. What better way to do it than in a tart with a perfect crust. If I’m not mistaken, I think I saw Zarah Maria picking a few tomatoes. You go, girl!

Grazie, Zarah Maria!

Cue Balls on the Grill from Mooncrazy at Peanut Butter Étouffee.

Mooncrazy gets the prize for best dish name with this one. And the blog name is a great one also! In this case, the "cue balls" in question are actually small, round zucchini that have been grilled to perfection. We’re used to longer zucchini that seem to take over the garden. And of course we’re always trying to find different ways to use them. But Mooncrazy has inspired us to try different varieties of zucchini and to grill them. Well done!

Grazie, Mooncrazy!

Farewell to Summer Tart from Mickey of Kitchen Inferno.

"Burn, baby burn, kitchen inferno!" Okay … I’ll stop singing now. Anyway, Mickey decided to sum up everyone’s feelings about the end of summer with a most aptly named tart. I’m new to Mickey’s blog but love it already. And the tart was just the perfect thing to bring to the festa.

Grazie, Mickey!

Pizza Margherita from Katie of Little Spatula.

I was thrilled that Katie and the rest of the Khoury family could make it to the festa. These people know how to eat as you can see from their blog! Katie went old-school Italian with an incredible pizza margherita. Nothing says summer like a slice of this beautiful creation. I’m glad I snagged a piece before it was all gone.

Grazie, Katie!

Cukes and Onions Thyme in a Bottle Dressing from Glenna of A Fridge Full of Food.

We’ve decided to also give Glenna an award for best dish name. And another one for making a dish based on one her grandmother used to make. Grandmothers are the best! Glenna makes good use of all those cucumbers and onions sprouting in the garden with a most refreshing salad. And the dressing is a Glenna original to boot. I had many helpings of this salad!

Grazie, Glenna!

Stracchino, Pomodorini e Olive Crostini from Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy.

I just adore Sara’s blog! It makes me feel like I’m living in Italy as I read all about her adventures. Sara is a fantastic cook and she decided to come to the festa with stracchino, a glorious fresh Italian cheese. I tried to keep these crostini all to myself but Lis reminded me that as a co-hostess, I had to share. Hey Sara … could you send me over some more of that stracchino?

Grazie, Sara!

Roasted Yellow Peaches with Italian Meringue Topping from Rowena of Rubber Slippers in Italy.

One of the very first people to open their arms to me in this world of blogs was Rowena. A brilliant cook, an incredible writer, an amazing photographer, Rowena’s blog is warm and inviting and humorous. She lives in Italy with her Italian husband and she’s promised to snap a photo of me eating a cream puff in Venice. To top it all off, she showed up with the most unbelievable dessert:  beautifully fresh peaches roasted and topped with meringue. Too delicious!

Grazie, Rowena!

Italian Plum Torte from Sam of Sweet Pleasure:Plaisir Sucré.

A fellow Torontonian, Sam’s blog has been one of my favourites since he first arrived on the scene. Sam is a hugely talented baker with experience in the pastry industry. His blog is a must-read if only for all the ice cream he makes! But Sam showed up to the festa with a lovely torte featuring one of my favourite summer fruits:  Italian plums. We have an Italian plum tree so I will be making use of Sam’s recipe to use up all those plums.

Grazie, Sam!

Plum Crumble from Helene of Tartelette.

The charming Helene also brought a plum dessert to the table and I for one am thrilled. The more plums the merrier is what I say. Helene’s crumble is so juicy and inviting … I’m glad I had lots of vanilla ice cream in the freezer with which to enjoy it. Helene, we’re so glad you made it to the festa!

Grazie, Helene!

Le Melanzane d’Aldo from Diane.

I love hearing from people who read my blog! Diane is a regular reader who has passed along several fantastic recipes. I keep telling Diane that she should start her own blog and I’m hoping that one day soon she will. In the meantime, I decided to present her dish, Le Melanzane D’Aldo, as my entry for La Festa al Fresco. This dish combines eggplant and peppers to form a fantastic union. I enjoyed mine for dinner, and then had the leftovers the next day drizzled with a bit of red wine vinegar. Diane, what a wonderful dish!

Grazie, Diane!

Roasted and Stuffed Patty Pan Squash from MizD and Chopper Dave of Belly Timber.

Was I ever happy to see MizD and Chopper Dave at the festa! They have a gorgeous blog and are clearly talented cooks. Their roasted patty pan squash was a sight to behold and were quickly gobbled up. Once again this is an example of how versatile squash are. In addition, the patty pan squash are just so cute. But not too cute to eat of course!

Grazie MizD and Chopper Dave!

Rhubarb Meringue Tartlets from Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once.

I have a confession to make. When Haalo arrived with these beauties I wanted to run inside, lock myself in and eat them all without sharing even one. I’m a bad Cream Puff! But how could I help it?! Have you seen how adorable these little tartlets are? Haalo, we thank you for bringing these to the party.

Grazie, Haalo!

Tangelo Pudding from Jenjen of Milk and Cookies.

Trust Jenjen to bring a completely unique and brilliant dessert to the festa! Tangelos! While I love eating them, I’ve never thought of baking with them but Jenjen showed me how to do it. This pudding is gorgeous to look at and delicious to eat. Lis and I actually fought over it. Sorry Lis … but I won!

Grazie, Jenjen!

Blueberry Spread from Gilly of Humble Pie.

Last but certainly not least, Gilly showed all of us how to use those perfect blueberries that are now in season. This blueberry spread will grace many a slice of toast in my house. Gilly is such a talented baker (and house builder … did you know she’s building her own house?) and I’m thrilled that she could make it all the way from Nova Scotia!

Grazie, Gilly!

And so we have come to the end of the party. There’s a mountain of dishes to be done, but that’s ok. The important thing is that we all sat together at the great blog table and enjoyed a meal like no other. We gave Summer the best send off possible. And now we’re ready for Autumn.

I’d like to thank all of you for coming to La Festa al Fresco. We’ll see you next year!

Ciao!

Technorati tag:  la festa al fresco

It’s time for a quick reminder for La Festa al Fresco being hosted by yours truly and the lovely Lis of La Mia Cucina. As you may recall, Lis and I need your assistance to fill our table with as much incredible food as possible. The only stipulation is that you bring a dish that features a fresh summer ingredient. It doesn’t have to be an Italian dish. Just be sure to e-mail us the link to your post before September 5th, 2006. You can e-mail Lis at lamiacucina67@gmail.com or you can e-mail me at ivonne@creampuffsinvenice.ca.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a dish with you that was provided by a dear reader of mine, Diane. While Diane doesn’t have her own blog (I think she should), she’s been kind enough to share a treasured recipe that was taught to her by a Sardinian gentleman named Aldo, hence the name, Le Melanzane d’Aldo (in Italian eggplant is "melanzana" in the singular and "melanzane" in the plural).

Here in Ontario, eggplant season has arrived. We have four plants of our own that have been gracing us with a number of beautiful little purple eggplants which my mother has been using for pepperonata or for her stuffed eggplant. So this is definitely the time to make this dish. While it cooked, you could smell the aroma of roasting eggplant, bell peppers and garlic throughout the kitchen. It was delightful. We enjoyed the dish as a main course accompanied by crusty bread, hunks of parmigiano and lots of hearty red wine.

Diane, thank you so much for offering this dish to us for La Festa al Fresco!

Ciao!

Melanzane d’Aldo

Recipe courtesy of Diane.

• 1 large American eggplant (or 3 Italian eggplants)
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2-3 large cloves of garlic
• ½ cup fruity olive oil
• Sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the eggplant into ½-inch cubes. Cut the bell peppers into ½-inch squares. Mix them in a large ceramic bowl. 
3. Add 2 to 3 cloves of finely minced garlic and the finely chopped Italian parsley. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Then add the olive oil and mix together with a large spoon.
4. Bake uncovered in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The eggplant should be tender, but not mushy.
5. Once the eggplant is tender, remove the bowl from the oven and allow to cool, stirring twice during the cooling. Once the dish is cool, taste test to determine if more salt is required.
6. With a slotted spoon, place the eggplant in a ceramic serving dish or pie plate. Garnish with parsley. Serve at room temperature.
7. Enjoy!

Note:  Diane recommends that leftovers be mixed with cooked fusilli pasta and a bit of pesto sauce for a wonderful side dish. Diane also suggests adding chile flakes to the dish if you prefer a spicier taste.

Technorati tags:  eggplant, la festa al fresco

Aiuto! Aiuto!

My friends, Lis of La Mia Cucina and I are in desperate need of a little “aiuto”, otherwise known as help Italian style! You see Lis and I would like to celebrate the final days of another glorious summer with an outdoor feast.

There’s just one problem. We seem to have forgotten the food.

I know what you’re thinking. How could we forget the food?

Well what can I say?! Between blogging, work, gardening, summer parties, etc., we just plain forgot!

So here’s what we need: we need you to show up for the feast with a dish to contribute to the table. You can make anything you like as long as it features one fresh ingredient. Consider it a way to celebrate summer’s bounty! The party is scheduled for September 5 so post the dish you are featuring any time before that date. Be sure to e-mail Lis at lamiacucina67@gmail.com or myself at ivonne@creampuffsinvenice.ca with the link to your entry. We will post the round-up on September 5th.

Please join us in this end-of-summer celebration and help us fill our table with some incredible food!

Ciao!

Technorati tags:  la festa al fresco

Clarification:  I’ve received several questions about La Festa al Fresco so I just want to clarify a few things …

• You have to post your contribution any time before September 5th. The round-up will be posted on September 5th.
• By fresh ingredient, we mean an ingredient that is in season wherever you live. The idea is that whatever you contribute should feature a fresh, local ingredient. You can by all means cook that ingredient.
• By no means does the dish you contribute have to be Italian in nature. You can use whatever cuisine you wish as inspiration!
• Tag your post with the following Technorati tag:  la festa al fresco!