Holy Cannoli! Tempus Fugit!
The year 2009 was incredible....one of growth and eye-opening experiences. So many wonderful things have happened to me this year and I hope to you as well. I was lucky enough to visit my beautiful daughter in Thailand, to finally become a novice beekeeper (a long time dream) and to travel with some of you to one of my favorite places in the world....Sicily. We're grateful to have been very busy this year, so busy that time has flown by since I last sent you a newsblog. But now it's time to catch up and share with you the exciting plans we have for 2010. We, at The Farmhouse Table, wish you good health, good cheer, and really good food in the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Across Sicily with knife, fork and wine glass

Our food and wine road trips this past September and October were in a word....delicious. Some of our favorite stops included an open-air wine tasting with Frank Cornellissen (picture above), the International Cous Cous Festival in exotic San Vito lo Capo, and visiting the Di Bartoli family vineyard near Marsala. We (blissfully) ate and drank (wine, of course) our way through Sicily and made lots of new friends around the island. Our cooking classes ranged from Sicilian-style stuffed fresh grapes leaves on the west coast to Nerello Mascalese glazed sausages near Mt. Etna. We tasted freshly pressed olive oil, picked-that-morning mushrooms, fresh ricotta sheep's milk cheese, and some nectar-like 70 year old Marsala wine. We made pasta, and cannoli, and pistachio cake. We stayed in agriturismos, ......working farms that surprised a good number of our guests at how elegantly appointed and comfortable they were. Because the food was grown right there and the wine was produced there or very nearby, our meals at these family style dinners were memorable and amazing.

Spring 2010: Divine Sicily Culinary & Wine Tour

April 17 - 26, 2010

The Farmhouse Table is pleased to announce our first Spring Tour. Elizabetta and I have been wanting to put together a spring itinerary for our wine lovers and foodie friends for some time. Sicily's countryside is filled with wild flowers at this time of year. It gives you a completely different perspective than the tourist summer season or our fall harvest trips. Temperatures are on the cool to mild side, and because it's "off season", it's less crowded so we'll be able to enjoy some of our favorite spots. Flying into Palermo, our adventure begins on the western side of the island. We'll stay on a working vineyard where we'll taste the wines of that region, explore some archeological sites, and learn to cook some of the Arab-influenced specialties of the area. As we work our way across the island, we'll be staying on an olive estate, explore a town famous for its ceramics, and taste Modican chocolate made as it was in the 16th century. The road-trip ends in the Mt. Etna region with its world-class wines and food culture harking back to the ancient Greeks. You'll be able to depart from the Catania airport for your connecting flight.

You can register for this trip on The Farmhouse Table website when the full itinerary is posted February 1, 2010.

Charleston is not only a gorgeous, historic city, but blessed with an array of eateries ranging from seafood joints to 4-star lace-curtain restaurants. We were lucky enough to have a recommendation from a local foodie (Thanks Juanita!) to try The Fat Hen on John's Island. Chef Fred Neuville, a C.I.A. graduate offers Low Country-French cuisine in a warm, relaxed atmosphere. This, along with the friendly staff, makes eating the inspired food all the more enjoyable. What a pleasure to share food with my family that is made with such thought, such imagination and such love. I especially appreciate Chef Neuville's support of the local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients on his menu as well. If you're anywhere near Charleston, dining at The Fat Hen is a must.

Recipe of the Month

Back in June I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with Beth Ribblet and Kerry Tully, the owners of Swirl Wine in New Orleans, Louisiana and our oeno-guides on the upcoming Wine Tour in Sicily. I brought back some remarkable wines from Azienda Agricola Frank Cornelissen in the Mt. Etna region for Beth and Kerry. The Sicilian-style pesto that Beth made for our special wine dinner that night was unforgettable. This tried and true recipe is from the queen of Italian food, Lidia Bastianich. I thought I'd share it with you as it's finally tomato season here in the Northeast. You can use the same amount of regular chopped tomatoes instead of the cherry tomatoes called for in the recipe. I'll add a few fresh mint leaves in with the basil if I happen to have some in my herb garden. Buon Appetito!

Pesto Trapanese
From Lidia's Italy
(Photo by Beth Ribblett)
Serves 4 to 6

¾ pound (about 2-1/2 cups) cherry tomatoes, very ripe and sweet
12 large fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup of whole almonds, lightly toasted
1 plump garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1/4 teaspoon pepperoncino (dried red pepper flakes) or to taste
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste, plus more for the pasta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Recommended equipment:
A blender (my preference) or a food processor
A pot for cooking the spaghetti

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry. Rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.

Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl followed by the garlic clove, the almonds, basil leaves, pepperoncino and ½ tsp salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine purée; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.

With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the purée into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If you're going dress the pasta within a couple of hours, leave the pesto at room temperature. Refrigerate if for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before cooking the pasta.

To cook the spaghetti, heat 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt, to the boil in the large pot. Scrape all the pesto into a big warm bowl.

It's been a while since you've heard from us at THE FARMHOUSE TABLE......we've been very busy. It's been a year of change, new directions and beginnings and we've moved to our new home here in Westerlo, NY. As we're still in the process of settling in, cooking classes are on hold for the time being, but we're hard at work finalizing plans for a new location. We'll keep you posted! I will be in touch more frequently with food and wine related news, recipes, and travel. I have two exciting trips planned for the fall, which you can read about below. Thanks for taking the time to read the newsletter and hope you're having a great summer enjoying lots of fresh, locally grown food. Let us hear from you soon!
Grazie,

Cynthia

Sicilian Foodie Road Trip!
September 26th through October 5th, 2009

We LOVE to travel. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE food. We LOVE Sicily. If you're ready for a fun food adventure, then start packing your bags. Elizabetta and I (at right) have put together an itinerary that is the perfect blend of cuisine and culture which will allow you to view Sicily from an insider's perspective. This year, we begin with the International Couscous Festival in San Vito lo Capo and work our way across the island to the pistachio groves on the slopes of Mt. Etna. Interested? We have a limited number of spaces left, so don't mess around and lose your spot.....you don't want to miss this culinary adventure.

OK, It's not just about food...
Wine and Culinary Tour October 11 through October 22, 2009

Wine is an essential as well! So for the first time ever, we're launching a tour especially for wine lovers. I'm so thrilled to be working with Beth Ribblett and Kerry Tully of Swirl Wines (at right) in New Orleans, LA. I met these two dynamic women last year at a food conference where they were part of a panel discussion about women in wine careers. My friend and colleague, Cathy Huyghe (check out her blog 365daysofwine.com) led the panel discussion and introduced us afterwards.

It didn't take long for us to decide to work together to create this exciting wine-focused itinerary. Swirl Wines, owned and operated by Beth and Kerry offers educational tastings, wine classes, food and wine pairing events and now international wine tours. They are both passionate about food, wine, and the cultural importance of both.