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Mangia Mangia is published by Penguin books. Teresa and Angela are not professional cooks: they simply wanted to record the rich and humble cooking of their grandmothers, fathers and grandparents as it is still prepared (mercifully) in most Italian kitchens and garages principally in those northern suburbs of Melbourne 20 km from the CDB. The book is a labour of love. It is beautifully presented and photographed and the recipes are doable at home and quite simple, provided the ingredients are excellent and great care is taken in the execution. They are recipes driven – you can guess it – by huge Calabrian flavours. There’s humour in the book and great authenticity as you’d expect from people who cook and grow food to feed their families and to celebrate the important occasions like birthdays, wedding, baptisms, Holy Communion and even funerals. The opening line in the introduction is in fact a frank admission that the book was dictated by the imperative of death - the fear of the death of those family members who have devoted a life time to the preparation of the food to nourish the family and the metaphorical fear of the death of real food under the massive pressure of convenience food, the cult of televisions food shows and celebrity chefs. I said that luckily for me I am not in the category of celebrity chef as I have always called myself a cook! That got a half-baked laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. I also congratulated Penguin Books for having the guts to pick up two non professionals and give them the benefit of publication without the usual support of television appearances and a high media profile. Well done and to prove Penguin’s right decision, do buy the book: you will read it and savour it. Guaranteed!
At Federation Square’s Micro Brewery Show held two weeks ago Mildura’s Choc Hops was voted best stout by the punters who simply could not get enough of it. Sadly for me Choc Hops was so popular that people did not even bother with some of our other beer.(Last year the Honey Wheat was voted most popular honey beer) Big Phil, for example, used all his coupons on the choc hops and could not give a fig about anything else! He stood by the keg and would not be moved! On his next visit to Mildura with his mates he is going to drink a keg of it, he said. I guess one cannot have everything, so I am pleased for all involved with Mildura Brewery for this outstanding success. Some ciders were also very good and I was therefore stimulated and prompted to visit the Adelaide Hills to find an apple orchard with enough apples to supply me for cider. So, look out……
On the 8 of May (Sunday) Collins Quarter in Collins Street Melbourne will present a lunch with me and Mildura Brewery beers. Five or six courses matched by each of the brews. Be quick to book. This will sell out soon as there’s room for only 60 people. Smoked trout, Baccala and Mozzarella in Carrozza with the Desert Lager, Piglet on the spit with The Storm, Chianina beef stew with The Mallee Bull, Tiramisu made with Choc Hops instead of coffee (yes!!!!!!!) and served with Choc Hops and much more…. http://www.collinsquarter.com/ Phone 03 9650 8500
Stefano’s Pilsener is now pouring there on tap. So, Mildura friends in Melbourne, there’s a place for you to hang out!!
