Bertolli Foods sent this Italian cook, four other food bloggers and five of our readers on an extraordinary, all-expense trip into the heart of L.A. to explore local eating and to learn how to adapt the local eating into our way of life. In February 2010, Bertolli launched a series of webisodes Into the Heart of Italy that showcased the Italian way of foraging, fishing, prepping and preparing their meals.
They asked me via my blog Journey of an Italian Cook to review their skillet meals. So, I had a Bertolli party at my home and did so. Who knew it would lead to a whirlwind tour of sampling Los Angeles's finest tastes.
Fourteen strangers from nine states broke bread together, explored L.A.'s oldest Farmer's Market, lunched on street trucks (all prepping local-sourced foods), dined on scrumptious gelato and ended our whirlwind delectable tour at the newly opened Culina at the Four Season Hotel.
A day of fine foods and tasting with the eyes ("anche l'occhio voule le sua parte." When eating, the eyes want their part) will be sweetly remembered always. Especially important is what I took away from that serendipitous trip.
in addition of feasting into the heart of L.A., we were treated to a wine-tasting/small bites meal with Rocco DiSpirito. Bertolli knew what they were doing. They saved the best for last.
As we settled into our first course of Involitini Di Manzo (Kobe A-5 beef, Delta Asparagus, Enoki mushrooms and Parmigiano Reggiano - oh my!), Rocco was asked why the food in Italy was so remarkable. The answer was not surprising.
"Most food is local. Nothing is trucked in for more than ten miles. If something is not in season, they don't look to South American for their ingredients."
But of course, that is Italy - with a growing season of 8-10 months. To be a locavore in Minnesota would mean months of root vegetables. And no fruit. Plus the cold winter that makes one yearn for comfort from food. Over the years, I have learned to make the most of Minnesota's bounty. I freeze berries all summer for use in smoothies. Canned tomatoes are superior to the lackluster hothouse ones found in the winter. My meats are local, my summer herbs are dried, sauces are frozen and with all that - I still have a long way to go.
I was presented with Rocco's Now Eat This cookbook. It's chock full of America's favorite comfort foods with most of the fat eliminated. The calorie count for the meals hover around 350. As a chef, Rocco found he was putting on unwanted pounds. When asked to be the chef for the American's Biggest Loser TV show, he worked on providing nutritious meals packed with flavor (his meals have always been applauded for containing festivals of flavors in every bite).
Since returning from L.A., I have made four of his dishes and found them as promised - filled with flavorful bites and easy to recommend. Over the course of the week, I shall give you the suggestion of ingredients through the slide shows (the recipes are of course copyrighted). It is possible to have your pasta and eat it, too.
My Bertolli adventure is over, but new adventures await in the Twin Cities. Not just discovering new eateries and new foods, but using them more creatively. And as I gaze on photos from L.A., the results of the last few winters are apparent. When I write my Examiner article on May 16, 2011, I need to be 35 pounds thinner. It's not all vanity, it's wellness.
The Beverly Hills Cheese Shop was an eye-opener. But here in the Twin Cities, we have Surdyk's Cheese Shop which is outstanding. We don't have the mass of food trucks found in L.A., but St. Paul is doing a respectable job of getting them out in the streets. Especially for a city which is under snow half of the year. Scoops gelato took cream and sugar to new heights (and offers vegan gelato). A walk down Grand Avenue in St. Paul will yield fine gelato with lines down the block attesting to it's goodness. We have our share of over-abundant breakfasts such as those the Griddle Cafe offered. And we all have our favorite fine dining destinations. What would be your favorite destination for a culinary of the Twin Cities?
I will be back tomorrow with a delicious Penne with Vodka Sauce ingredient list courtesy of Rocco. (Without vodka, without cream). Rocco DiSpirito is chock-filled with weight-loss tips which I shall pass on to you. The slideshow contains some glimpses of our breakfast (not for the faint of heart - each portion could feed White Bear Lake), L.A. Farmer's Market, street truck food, Scoops, Beverly Hills Cheese Shop and Culina.
My entire trip (hotel, transportation and meals) was provided by Bertolli Foods. My opninons remain my own.
Comments
Bravissima Claudia! Nice work and nice to know your hard work has gotten you noticed.
Awesome, Claudia! Good work, sounds like loads of fun! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Angie and Andrea for such kind words. You both live in warmer climes with fresher food available for more months of the year than I have in MN. So it was an extra-special treat.
Hi Claudia,
Not sure if you saw your two Bertolli links in my article while you were there? I can't find your email address, so I had no other way to tell you. Anyway... I loved your story too, and thought it would be good for my readers to experience your culinary trip to LA through your articles.
Ciao!
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