Ingredients:

100 grams orange rind
100 grams toasted and sliced almonds
100 grams honey

Peel the rind from the oranges taking care to obtain only the orange part (no white). Cut the rinds in thin stripes and put them in fresh water for two days, changing the water a couple of times a day. This procedure will make the rinds lose their bitter taste.

Drain and dry the rinds and add them to a small pot with the honey. Put the pot on low heat and keep stirring for approximately 25 minutes or until the preparation thickens. Take out of the heat and add the sliced almonds. Keep stirring untill all the almonds have been covered with the honey mixture. Pour over a marble slab previously slightly oiled or on rice paper over a flat surface. Press the mixture with the blade of a large knife previously oiled to flatten.

Let cool completely, brake into pieces and serve.

Before all the basil is gone, try this Summer salad. It is a traditional Tuscan dish that is simple and easy to prepare. Use the best oil and the freshest tomatoes and the results will be phenomenal…

Ingredients:

1Lb bread
1 Red onion
2 Lb. fresh peeled tomatoes
½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/3 Cup water
Basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the bread in 1’ cubes. Stale bread works better. You can choose any kind of bread you like, but bread without big bubbles is preferable.
Place the bread in the oven at 150F. for one hour or until dry. Let it cool down.
Place the bread in a large serving bowl sprinkle with the water. Prepare the olive oil and vinegar vinaigrette. Cut the onion very thinly. Peel and dice the tomatoes. Add all the ingredients in the bowl with the bread and shred some basil in it.  Mix and let rest for twenty minutes.
Serve with a little freshly ground black pepper and an additional sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients:
1 lb. fusilli pasta
½ cup fresh basil leaves
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 pinch fleur du sel or another delicate salt
Butter
1 pinch freshly grated black pepper

Using a mortar and pestle, work the basil leaves into the salt adding a few teaspoon of the olive oil at a time until uniformly smashed. Add the pine nuts, minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Work the ingredients together until thoroughly blended.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta.
Drain when the pasta is al dente. Pour the pesto onto the fusilli in a large serving bowl. Add butter and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.  

We checked the address on the city guide: Open for dinner from 5:30PM, with a long expected wait past opening time. We got to the restaurant a bit early, just to be sure we would be served without waiting. At 5:15 there was already a small well-dressed crowd sitting in the little garden in front of the door. At 5:30 on the dot, a friendly Indian wearing a long red vest and leather sandals (with a few toe rings here-and-there on his toes) opened the door. Vikram Vij, the owner. With a friendly smile he ceremoniously directed each party to their table. A table for two for my wife, Kate, and I. The room was comfortable, not too large, and intimate even while humming with activity. A large opening through the back wall showed some young Indian women busy making arrangements in the spotless kitchen.

Immediately upon our arrival a waitress poured us water from a copper pitcher, while another staff member offered us a warm appetizer. There was a faint smell of spices that delicately yet insistently reminded us we were in an asian restaurant. The décor of the dining room was simple yet sophisticated: dim light in spite of the sunny afternoon.

To start, I ordered Garam Masala Sauteed Portobello Mushrooms in Porcini Cream Curry and Kate ordered one spoon (yes, just a spoonful) of Dungeness Crab with Cilantro and Lemon. My Portobellos were rich in taste and delicately spiced. The Porcini mushroom curry was delicious. The plate was accompanied by warm naan bread. Kate’s spoonful was just as good–fresh crab just enhanced by a hint of cilantro and a dash of lemon.

While we were deciding about the entrees we were offered a few warm pomme frites dipped in spices to keep us interested. The waiter asked about our appetizers. “So far so good” was my answer, but the place had already won me over.

I ordered Beef Tenderloin with Chestnut Puree and Mushroom, with Creamy Garlic and Cumin Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans for me, and Kate had Lemon-Ghee Marinated and Grilled Specialty Chicken Breast with Roasted Garlic and Cashews.

The beef was cooked to perfection and the garnish was delicate and not overwhelming, maintaining hints of cumin and aromatic spices. The chicken was almost as good, although not great.

Vikram checked up on us with sincere interest in our well-being. It was nice to finally find a restaurant whose owner personally takes care of his guests, with a smile and simple dignity. It makes you feel good; to find this trait in a chef/owner today it is not easy. “I am not a chef, I am just a simple man. No titles, just a normal person,” Vikram modestly qualified himself.

It was an evening to remember (even if it started a bit too early for my taste!), and Vij’s is a restaurant like all restaurants should aspire to be.

Food: 9/10
Décor: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Price: 8/10

Vij’s
1480 W 11th Ave.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
T. 604.736.6664
http://www.vijs.ca
Dinner served from 5:30pm – no reservation

Four-Course Italian Meal
Demonstration at Hartwick’s
by Andrea Loreto
Friday, August 24th , 2007
6:00 PM

Risotto ai Funghi
Traditional risotto with Porcini mushrooms and Parmesan

Involtini
Thinly sliced beef baked with ham and Parmesan

Grilled Asparagus
Fresh asparagus broiled with extra virgin olive oil

Pere al Forno
Baked pears in red wine sauce

Three Fast Traditional Italian Dishes
and One Summer Dessert
Demonstration at Hartwick’s
by Andrea Loreto
Date to be Determined
6:00 PM

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino
Pasta with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and spicy red pepper

Penne Saporite
Savory bacon, yellow pepper, and tomato sauce served over penne pasta

Pollo al Limone
Sauteed chicken with caper and lemon sauce

Granita al Caffe’
Frozen coffee ice served with fresh cream

One 12 oz. can of peeled tomatoes
Garlic (4 cloves)
Dried red pepper
Ground black pepper
Oregano
Salt

Sautee olive oil with one dried red chile pepper (or 1/2 t. chili pepper flakes) and three-four whole garlic cloves. Heat gently until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and a little oregano. Adjust with salt and black pepper and cook gently for 15 minutes.

 

Equipment:
Saccharometer, two-quart glass jar with lid, double boiler, chocolate dipping fork, toothpicks, parchment paper, paring knife. (Additional: champagne glass or other similarly shaped container, baster).

Personally, I love candied orange peels dipped in very dark chocolate. The sweet and slightly tangy taste of the peels matches wonderfully with the bittersweet taste of the chocolate. The textures of the two main ingredients complement each other perfectly: the supple yet firm texture of the orange peels embraced by a thin crisp shell of chocolate.
I admit that preparing these luscious candies takes times, but it is really worth the effort. Additionally, if you managed not to devour all the peels yourself and assuming you can save them from your relatives and cohabitants, these treats are sure to make a great gift for any person who knows about good food.

The whole concept of candied fruit consists in letting the sugar penetrate the skin of the fruits slowly and evenly. That is why the process to create the candied orange peel is so long. There are no shortcuts. Trust me–I tried them and none worked.  In order to make the sugar penetrate the skins we shall begin by pouring hot sugar syrup, at growing degrees of concentration, over the prepared peels.

Any well-organized and supplied kitchen should already have the necessary equipment, the only exception being the saccharometer.

This simple instrument is a glass vial with a little weight inside that allows it to float in an upright position while in fluids. There is also a graduated scale that indicates the density of the fluid in which the instrument is immersed. The denser the fluid, the more the saccharometer will float over it and the higher the reading of the graduated scale. It is essential to have these measurements as we make the candied orange peels.

Since the density of a fluid is higher when it is cold one would ideally measure the syrup at one consistent temperature. Often this is not possible, since the temperature of the syrup needed to dissolve the sugar can be different according to the quantity of the sugar. I suggest that you don’t worry about it too much. Just measure the syrup density as soon as the additional sugar has melted. To do this I suggest that you transfer a bit of the syrup to a champagne glass or any other container that is thin and tall. A champagne glass is easier to handle and deep enough to read the density indicated by the saccharometer. In order to transfer the syrup from the pot to the glass I used a turkey baster, thus avoiding the complications of pouring directly from the saucepan into the glass and avoiding spills (the syrup is sticky—you do not want it anywhere else than in the saucepan or the glass).
It is interesting to notice how the peels float 

when first immersed in the syrup. Gradually, as they absorb sugar they became heavier than the syrup and sink to the bottom 

This is a sign that the syrup has transferred its sugar to the peels. You could get to the same conclusion if you measure the density of the sugar after the peels have rested in it overnight. You will realize that the degrees of the density have diminished.

Enough talking… let’s start cooking!
 
Step 1:
Peel oranges, obtaining four regular pieces of peel per orange (total 24 peels). Cut the pieces into halves lengthwise to obtain 48 regular pieces.

Using a sharp paring knife cut off excess internal white from peels, so as to obtain very clean and regular pieces (to do this with ease, flatten the peel on a chopping board and cut parallel to the chopping board). This cleaning process is very important because too much “white” in the skin would be tasteless and since it is sort of fluffy it would retain more sugar than the outer part of the peel, making the chocolate distribute unevenly and generally ruining the harmony of the candid fruit.

Step 2:
Put a large pot of water on to boil and dip the peels in the pot when water is boiling. Boil for approximately 15 minutes or until the peels are easily pierced with a tooth pick. Drain the water.

Step 3:
Put the peels in a large bowl filled with fresh water and let them rest there for two days, changing the water as often as possible. This process will wash away the bitter taste from the peels (you will be able to smell the strong, bitter aroma of the orange peels every time you change the water).

Step 4:
Prepare a sugar syrup heating one liter of water and dissolving in it one pound of sugar. As soon as the sugar dissolves measure the density of the syrup using a saccharometer. (See above for more precise directions). The density should be approximately 18-20 degrees. Bring the syrup to light boil and pour it onto the orange peels in an approximately two-quart container. The container should have a cover to protect the contents from dust and to prevent the peels from drying. Leave the peels to rest overnight.

Step 5:
Drain the syrup and pull the peels apart. Heat the syrup adding one pound of sugar. A soon as the sugar is completely melted, measure its density. You should obtain a syrup density of approximately 22-23 degrees. If the density is lower, add a bit more sugar to reach such density. (If it is higher, do not bother with the numbers and just use the denser syrup). Bring to a light boil and pour it onto the orange peels in their container. Cover and let rest overnight.

Step 6:
Repeat step 5 daily for four days bringing the syrup to 25 degrees, then 28, 31, 34.

Step 7:
Drain the syrup and heat it. Add sugar to bring it to a 36 degree density. Add the peels to the boiling syrup and let them boil for approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain and put the peels on parchment paper.

Let them rest overnight.

Step 8:
In a double boiler melt three bars of fine bittersweet chocolate with a very high cocoa content. Using the dipping fork, dip each peel into the chocolate and then put it on the parchment paper to rest until they are completely dry (when ready, the chocolate will have lost its shine and will not stick to your fingers when you touch it).

Transfer to a covered jar and store in a dry place at room temperature.

Five Classic Italian Appetizers
Demonstration at Hartwick’s 
by Andrea Loreto
Thursday, July 26 2007 
6:00 PM

Crostini al Salmone
Light smoked salmon canapés
 
Crostini Toscani
Authentic chicken liver and caper spread on toast–straight from the heart of Tuscany

Bruschetta
You’ll love the smell and taste of garlic and fresh tomato on warm toasted ciabatta

Bruschetta col Cavolo Nero
Ciabatta topped with black kale sautéed in olive oil for an unexpected savory experience

Polenta coi Funghi Trifolati
Baked  polenta topped with delicate sautéed mushrooms