DigiBites: After A Week Demanding Comfort Food – Here’s One From Mum
My mom passed away nearly 23 years ago, just as I was starting my culinary career. She saw me graduate from culinary school and observed the beginnings of my fledgling business. I know she would be happy with what I have created. I often kid publicly that my mom wasn’t the greatest cook – she…
DigiBites: A Little Daube’ll Do Ya!
Bonjour 24/680 followers! We have been busy here at Epicurean Exchange! Last week we hosted cookbook author and friend of Epicurean Exchange, Georgeanne Brennan. We had 16 – 24/680 guests and a few others from the surrounding areas helping to prepare an incredible fall menu, including a classic Daube with fresh capes (porcini mushrooms). When we asked Georgeanne…
DigiBites: The Pride Of Turin – You Won’t Find This One At Starbucks
Buongiorno news24/680 followers: Epicurean Exchange Culinary Travel visited the Northern Italian region of Piemonte, Italy in the fall of 2016 and it was one of our most amazing tours! Staying in a villa in the hills of Alba we included visits to Asti, Loazzolo, Canelli, Turin, Genoa; sampling the wines of Barbolo and Barberesco; truffle…
DigiBites: Summer Galettes – With The Fruit Of Your Choice!
We appear to be in full Summer Mode here in the 24/680, with folks piling into their travel wagons or aboard their air carrier of choice for sojourns to all sorts of places relatively close to home or perhaps even abroad. It’s pretty easy to spot the Summer Venturers among our readership, they tend to…
DigiBites: You Say Broo-Shetta, We Say Broo-sketta – However You Say It, It’s Delicious!
Lesson 1: Bruschetta (pronounced “broo-sketta”, NOT “broo-shetta”). From the Italian ‘bruscare’ meaning “to roast over coals” this traditional garlic bread is made by rubbing the bread with whole garlic cloves, brushing with olive oil. Traditional bruschetta is never more than bread, tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt. Lesson 2: Burrata – a stretched mozzarella ball filled with more mozzarella and cream…
DigiBites: Time For Pizza – A Real Pizza!
Buorgiorno, NEWS24/680 Neighbors! During our recent Italian tours of Tuscany, Sicily and Puglia, we enjoyed making and eating great Italian-style pizza! Noted for its thin crust and limited toppings, my favorite is the Margherita – sauce, mozzarella, basil, parmesan, olive oil – period! This recipe offers a quick version using prepared pizza dough and a…
DigiBites: Time To Cool Down With A Cool Summer Salad
With the weather warming (today over 100), it’s time to simplify and cool things down with “dinner” salads. Protein-rich, vegetable-filled and dressed as you like. From experience, I know for many, it’s always what’s for dinner, and repertoire and ideas are all folks need! My wife always says: “I’ll make dinner if you tell me what we should…
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes At Lafayette Ch-Ch-Chow? Not Really, But It’s Tutu’s Now
People around these parts take their food and restaurants seriously, as we know, and they are quick to sniff out the slightest change. It has been noted that there are a few changes going on down at Lafayette Chow, that much-favored Bistro With an Eye On Lafayette where the locals go to snuggle, guzzle and…
County Health Rolls Out Placarding Program For Rolling Food Trucks/Carts
Food trucks and other mobile food businesses operating in Contra Costa will now post the same color-coded signs as the county’s stationary restaurants to inform the public of any recent, major health code violations. Contra Costa Environmental Health (CCEH) rolled out its placarding program today for some mobile food facilities, including those that cook or…
DigiBites: Chef Charlie’s Cure For The Common Cold (Day) – Tomato Soup And A Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Happy New Year to our News24/680 readers! My family, friends and I enjoyed a long, happy, food-filled holiday season, and I’m ready to get back to work! I hope you have enjoyed sharing our journey over the last year. I took a look at our posts, and they really followed a clear seasonal path. I…