A busy few months

The last few months have been very busy and I have had little chance to update the blog. This season has been a particularly busy one for Amore Sapore. The daily grind started early at about 5AM, when we got up to start prepping for the meal that evening. I would make up the set ups for the antipasti and check the menu for the day's shopping needs. I might also make a loaf of beer bread or some oatmeal cookies. At 8:30 I would head for the store to get all the things we would need for that evening. Usually this was the fresh things, like fruit, salad materials, meats, gelato or anything else we needed.

The morning was spent getting the preliminary cooking done. If it was a class that evening, we did a relatively minimal prep since the students were going to be doing most of the actual work. We did ensure that all of the materials and foods were there and ready to pack into the car.  I had several carry bags that had cooking implements and a set of pans that I always took. The kitchens in some of these houses were often deficient in some pans and I found it easier just to take everything we would need. Bags were packed and checked and then we took a short nap. It was going to be a long day.

At about 5PM we packed the car and left for the dinner location. We had two spots this summer where we had to make a drive of over an hour. One to Perugia and another to near Montepulcino in Tuscany. The rest of the cooking venues were within 15 to 20 minutes drive.

It was a very busy summer  and we cooked a wide variety of menu items. The following is an annotated list of dishes from the Amore Sapore menus in  August and September:

Bruschetta with artichokes and Pecorino romano
Bruschetta with mushrooms
Ricotta with peperone and flatbread
Salami plate
Chicken Piccata
Insalata Caprese, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil
Panna cotta
Local Pecorino cheese with honey, marmalatta and chutney
Figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and prosciutto
Bruschetta with artichoke pate
Veal scaloppini with Marsala sauce
Grilled porterhouse steaks
Poached pears and sweetened mascarpone
Crostini with caramelized pears and Gorgonzola
Figs with prosciutto
Stuffed peppers with sausage and cheese
Potato and cheese ravioli  with tomato sauce
Roasted sausages and grilled grapes
Flourless chocolate walnut cake with chocolate ganache
Crostini with salmon
Spinach and garlic saute
Tiramisu
Pumpkin ravioli with walnut sauce
Chicken breast with saffron and ginger
Pumpkin gratin
Pears in Chianti with mascarpone
Salmon crostini, cream cheese and lemon marmalatta
Gnocchi with fresh basil pesto
Veal scaloppini with mushrooms
Fettuccine with walnut sauce
Crostini with cannellini beans, onions and marmalatta
Cucumbers and goat cheese and roasted tomatoes
Spinach and cheese ravioli
Roast Quail stuffed with sausage and wrapped in pancetta
Chard sauteed with olive oil and anchovies
Bruschetta with goat cheese and tomatoes
Slow roasted tomatoes with marinated mozzarella
Bruschetta with ricotta and peppers
Marinated cucumbers
Roast Salmon
Wild Rice pilaf
Zucotta
Prosciutto rolls with goat cheese, lemon and rucola
Eggplant Bolognese
Bruschetta with broccoli rabe
Farro and lentil soup
Pear cake with a caramelized pear and ricotta gelato
Bruschetta with spiced sausage
Bruschetta with ricotta, honey and peperoncino
Cucumbers with goat cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes
Gnudi (inside out ravioli)
Braised rabbit with peppers, onions and olives
Frittata with mushrooms, peppers and artichokes

Its been a yummy summer and my weight has stayed constant at 165 pounds. Eating and living Eight Bites at a time can be fun and satisfying and you can still enjoy the wide variety of dishes and items we prepared without gaining weight. Eat well and enjoy your life.