I have been cooking for almost 54 years of married life. I come from a family that treasured good food, mostly Italian.
It is true, as my husband often jokes, that my mother and her sisters barely finished one meal before they began talking about what they were going to make for the next. To this day, I have never heard of a person other than my mother who purchased an entire bushel basket of cantaloupes, then asked in all sincerity, “Say, who’s going to eat all these?” And we still laugh at my mother’s earnest statement that, while she didn’t need anything at the grocery store, she wouldn’t mind going to browse.
So, I guess I am a legitimate “foodie.” Italian food has always been my favorite, but, every so often, I try my hand at making food from different cuisines. I still look at contemporary cooking magazines, as I always have, but honestly, I often don’t know what some of the ingredients are. I’m still trying to find a use for a bottle of gochujang I bought because Bobby Flay thought I should have it.
I love cooking and do so almost every day except once a week when we head downtown for “date night.” I’ve learned a lot and thought that this month I’d share a few things acquired along the way. But please know, these are just my thoughts, and you may not agree at all. Here we go.
Meatballs
Of all Italian foods, meatballs are nearest and dearest to my heart. When my mother made them, she bought a big chuck roast, had the butcher cut off all the fat and “grind it twice” (I don’t know). I have made peace with using the “meatloaf mix” I buy at my favorite butcher at the farmers market. It is a mixture of beef, pork and veal, has good flavor, and results in a moist meatball. Forget about using very lean ground round. I know it is likely a healthier choice, but you will end up with hockey pucks. And while we are discussing meatballs—I know the big box stores carry bags of pre-made meatballs. Don’t do it. Throw some bacon into your pasta instead. Or tuna.
Cooking Meatballs
Now it’s time to cook them. The latest “thing” is to bake meatballs in the oven. My best friend who lived in Italy is doing it and so is Ina Garten, the “Barefoot Contessa.” Some cooks believe cooking meatballs on sheet pans in the oven is less messy. I dislike cleaning sheet pans and absolutely love the smell of meatballs gently sautéing in olive oil in a skillet on the stove. It is a smell embedded in my childhood memories. My sons would stand on chairs next to their Grammy by the stove and taste the little samples she made and recommend more salt or cheese as needed before the whole batch was cooked. The olive oil splatters, and I clean it up.
Ricotta Cheese
I suppose we all love ricotta cheese for its very familiar role in classic tomato and cheese lasagna. But I learned over the years that there is the processed ricotta found in grocery stores in plastic containers and fresh ricotta found in specialty delis and Italian grocery stores. Fresh ricotta is often sold in large containers, piled high like big ice cream cones. The important thing for me is, “How wet is it?” If the ricotta seems very wet and, if you are going to use it for baking, like an Italian cheesecake, place it in a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl and refrigerate. Discard the liquid in the bowl. I have also learned that lasagna Bolognese has no ricotta at all and is so good. Remember ricotta is not the same as cottage cheese!
Parmesan Cheese
When buying cheese for grating, buy the real thing. No green containers in the grocery aisle. Real Parmesan Reggiano has little round pinholes in its rind, which are very distinctive. Professional chefs recommend buying a small wedge to keep in the fridge for grating. Some delis sell containers of pre-grated cheese, and I often cheat by buying that. Make sure you wrap the wedge of cheese well for storage in the refrigerator. I have been known to cut out little spots of mold and am still standing.
Romano Cheese
Pecorino Romano cheese is favored by many in Italian cooking. It differs from Parmesan in that it has a stronger flavor and is usually saltier. Every once in awhile, my mother would use it in her meatballs, and I could notice a distinctive flavor from those made with Parmesan. Some cooks prefer it over Parmesan, but the two cheeses, in my view, are not interchangeable. My 5-year-old grandson wouldn’t eat my Romano cheese meatballs one day, but then he doesn’t eat much of anything.
Entertaining
I love cooking for people. In my early days, I would spend days scouring cookbooks for special recipes and even more days preparing food for company. I since have learned a simple meal is best and appreciated just as much. In winter, a big pot of soup, a green salad, and good crusty bread is wonderful. In the summer, some nice steaks on the grill and a fresh corn salad are the best. The most important thing is sharing a meal with those you love. I made a tomato aspic for company once. It looked beautiful but nobody knew what it was. There was a lot left over.
I am running out of my allotted space and feel as if I’ve just begun. I could write and talk about food forever. Perhaps my editor will let me write a chapter two!
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