Yvette's Twistedvines

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Walk on my Clouds

Published by Yvette

Silvano and myself had the opportunity to take a Sunday drive this morning. Heading for Susegana,Province Treviso, Region Veneto, Italy’s well-known region for its wine – Prosecco. Prosecco is a white grape and makes a sparkling wine. This picturesque drive takes us through a region of winding roads with a canopy of shady trees and hillsides overflowing with vineyards. Characteristic of the film,( which always leaves that romantic feeling at heart) A Walk in the Clouds.

Susegana

This drive is just breath-taking, stopping nearly every five minutes to take photo’s, we continue along a tourist trail, actually called ” Prosecco Road”. It’s also a well-known tourist attraction for cyclists, trail bikes and trekkers.

Susegana

Travelling along this road we arrive at the ruins of one of Susegana’s castles, The Castle of Collalto. Most of the castle was destroyed during the great war (1915 – 1918), and today there’s little left of its walls. What ruins there are remain covered by overgrown greenery and forest. Two guard towers remain today with the entrance arches.

entrance gateway -castle of Collalto

entrance gateway- castle of Collalto

The church of Saint George was reconstructed in the 1930’s after it’s destruction in the great war, later used as a Franciscan monastery. The church was then renovated again in 2000 and construction work was only finished last year 2009.

church - St. George Collalto

church St George Collalto

As you see we were in the ruins around twelve midday, to the sounds of the ringing of the bell tower.

bell tower

Obviously we stopped at the Two Towers * Due Torri bar and restaurant for a glass of Prosecco.

bar and restaurant

Silvano

And before heading home pass by a personal “special” place for us amongst these vineyards the restaurant where we first met.

meeting place Susegana

So yes, this is a magical place for us.

A region where with hard work, innovation and respect to tradition some of the finest Prosecco known throughout the world is produced in this area.

Can’t live without basil…

Published by Yvette

herbs

I have to admit I’ve grown to love and adore Basil. He’s great to work with flavouring my summer salads, ratatouille, and my pesto sauce for my pasta. He’s always on hand outside my kitchen door or in the veg patch, not much looking after needed, baking up the full sun and a little water. I remember basil growing in my grandmothers herb garden, and from a young age picking fresh basil leaves and watching my grandmother make pesto sauce and tomato sauce with basil.

Basil is associated with love rituals in some cultures. In Italy when a woman placed a pot of basil on her balcony, it meant she would be receptive to her lover. I placed mine outside my kitchen door, so that its only a dash away to add to any dish that I’m making at the time. I’m also not sure about the burning of basil, as noted by Bruce Burnett who is the author of the book – Herbwise:growing cooking wellbeing – a book about the creative use of herbs.

“When two lovers place two basil leaves into a fire and the leaves are immediately consumed, it signals that the relationship will be harmonious.If the leaves sizzle,there will be some quarrelling, and if the leaves crackle fiercely and fly apart, the relationship is doomed. ” Bruce Bennett

There are countless types of basil the most common used in pesto – genovese basil, and sweet basil preferred for cooking. The Italian cuisine is full of many recipes using basil, one of the royals, up there with oregano and rosemary.

I don’t always have the time to make my own pesto sauce, but good quality pesto can be found in most gourmet delicatessen’ s, although if you have the opportunity to make your own..try it..your kitchen is filled with a cloud of a divine sweet basil aroma.

I’ve said before that Italian style recipes are simple, mainly using 3 or 4 ingredients. These ingredients are the same used in Eggplant flowers. Eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella and the all important basil pesto.

Recipe: Eggplant Stacks

Ingredients: for 4 serves

eggplant stacks

1 Eggplant (round type)

6 cherry tomatoes

1 mozzarella

generous helping of basil pesto

Preparation:

Slice the eggplant into medium size circles, grill on barbeque hot grill, slice cherry tomatoes into circles and also the mozzarella. When the eggplant has been grilled on both sides, start stacking…eggplant, tomatoes and mozzarella, doing only two layers. Add the pesto sauce on top in abundance.

eggplant stacks

These are quick and a great eye pleaser, easy entertaining! Serve as a side dish with grills or as an entrée.

Enjoy!

#1 Zucchini Cake

Published by Yvette

#1 Handwritten Recipes

The vegetable patch is thriving in these warm sunny days, and our first crops are ready for harvesting , with the first of these in abundance zucchini. Now after reading that, those that know me are thinking oh! She’s gone country! But it’s wonderful – “Living Country”, I’m able to go to the veg patch and gather fresh produce, and make every thing fresh for the day. There is however a keeper, and it’s my husbands 87-year-old father…he says it keeps him active and he loves gardening and keeping the veg patch “existing” for the whole family. He potters every day, and I can’t go into the veg patch without him as I might cut the lettuce wrong, or break the leaves off something, however I will be doing the moonlight sneak to pick some green tomatoes…things to come….

vege patch

vege patch - zucchini

This recipe was hand written by my mum Olive. She’s a real whiz when it comes to sweets and dessert time. She’s known for her sponge cakes, date sponge, cream puffs and canoli. It’ s like a bake-off every time the family get’s together and every time I visit homeland Australia, she finds a spare day to make me a sponge cake topped with cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Recipe: Zucchini Cake

Olive's handwritten recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups zucchini, grated

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup chopped nuts

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

pinch of salt

ingredients

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Place into greased tin and bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes.

Easy, Simple and Quick.I took this along to a BBQ dinner last night….it was a great , soft, moist and a talking point!

zucchini cake

Thanks Mum for sharing this with me, Love You x x

Linking to This Weeks Cravings @ Moms Crazy Cooking

Treviso…villa’s and gardens

Published by Yvette

As I wander along the walkway outside the walls of Treviso, the beauty and serenity can hardly be captured in a click of a camera. To take in this beauty I wish you could share an hour with me, walking along the shady pathway with its huge horse-chestnut trees, its calming meandering river, and its beautiful scenery.

shaded walkways

treviso

Just outside the wall, through the gateway of Porta Calvi, but within the circular boundary of the centre of Treviso there are many beautiful villa’s and gardens.

villa - Treviso

All with their unique architecture and facades…and gardens that are at the water’s edge.

villa - Treviso

A private but public hide away. I love the entrances to these villa’s with grand iron gateways, entangled with ivy and emblems. Statues , columns and frescoed art , symbols of grandeur.

entrance to a villa

Their pristine gardens and blooming spring flowers, an open” welcome” invitation.

open gardens

entrance garden to villa

villa - Treviso

Treviso is truly a beautiful place and is harmonious in saying “la bella vita” – the beautiful life. I truly am lucky to live in a beautiful and safe place.

Two peas in a pod

Published by Yvette

In the region Veneto, we have a large number of recipes with the base ingredient of rice. One of these favourite well-known recipes is Rice with Peas * i risi e bisi . Taking the opportunity at the fresh growers market I purchased two kilo’s of fresh peas. Having a few recipes in mind, my choice is this one.

fresh peas

I know what you’re thinking, it’s just easier to buy a can of peas, or go to the freezer, but believe me there’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh peas. Let the senses glee with the sound of the crunch of the pea pod, the wonderful rich green colour, the perfume of fresh pearl peas, the taste and the silky glossy feel. I know I always think of my grandmothers shelling peas in the kitchen, but believe me they had it right, the fresh taste makes all the difference.

This traditional plate is known to have been served to the Duke of Venice on the patron saints day of Saint Marks. The difference with this recipe apart from other risotto recipes is that the broth is added all at once. I use superfine carnaroli rice so cooking time maybe a little longer.

Recipe: Rice with Peas * i risi e bisi

fresh peas

Ingredients: for 4 persons

Buying 2 kilo’s of fresh peas after shelling I had just over a cup of peas

1 cup of fresh peas

50 grams pancetta

1 white onion

50 grams butter

1 tablespoon parsley

1 cup of white rice

700 ml of vegetable broth

ingredients

Chop very finely the white onion and parsley with the mezzaluna. Place 30 grams of butter and a dash of olive oil in a heavy base pan, by adding the olive oil the butter won’t burn.

chopped onion & parsley

Cook until the onion is transparent, add the pancetta, cook until crunchy, add the peas, heat the vegetable stock and add a little to the pan, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Never add cold water or stock to rice it stops the cooking process.

rice with peas

Add the rice, continuously stirring, add 600 ml of vegetable broth, and continue stirring. Risotto isn’t one of those dishes you can leave to do something else, stirring is important. Here cooking time may vary, the rice I used took about 20 minutes. For this recipe the risotto shouldn’t be presented too dry, but remember we’re not making soup.

At this point if you think the risotto is too dry add the remaining 100 ml of liquid. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, add the remaining 20 grams of butter, stir and let the risotto rest for a few minutes, if desired you can also add a spoonful of parmesan cheese.

rice with peas

There you have it…Risotto..Venice style …i risi e bisi…the difference is the taste of fresh peas, so next time you see them at the market have a go at making this recipe…it’s fit for a Duke.

Enjoy!

Turn on the Sun

Published by Yvette

A great day today, the first of many sunny days…I’m waiting!

fruit salad days

A great time to break for lunch with a fresh fruit salad and yogurt cream.The fruit salad was made with seasonal fruits and then presented in a baby watermelon. That’s easy! …and so is the yogurt cream.

ingredients for yogurt cream

Recipe: Yogurt Cream

125 grams natural yogurt

2 teaspoons honey

8 almonds

mint leaves

Combine yogurt and honey, mix well…cut into small pieces the almonds, add a couple of mint leaves, and wow a great substitute for ice-cream of whipped cream…

summer days

Roll on Summer!!

Affirmation after the act, This is a great photo and I love it…but it was done in pain…setting up this shot I dropped the fold up garden chair on my toe…ouch! yes the pain and the pleasure of it all.

Eggplant Flowers

Published by Yvette

In a mad lunchtime rush I was able to visit the fresh fruit and vegetable market yesterday. With the start of Summer upon us the range of seasonal produce at the moment is at a high, from green leafy salads, green beans, broad beans, peas, zucchini, the plump reds of tomatoes , peppers and cherries and the “Black Beauty” of the bunch the dark shiny, glossy purple of Eggplant (melanzane).

eggplant * melanzane

Eggplant is one of those vegetables used a lot in Italian cuisine. The best known recipe I think you would know is ratatouille. But there are many recipes I’ve learnt since experimenting with many Italian dishes.

Italian food is simple, each recipe using two or three main seasonal products. That ‘s the key, quality produce and what’s in season. Italian food is also regional, what you may find as the main dish of Veneto – Treviso isn’t the same as you would find in Rome, Sicily or Naples.

Recipe:Eggplant Flowers * i “fiori” di melanzane, is one of my favourite eggplant dishes.

ingredients:eggplant flowers

Ingredients for 4 persons

2 eggplants ( long type)

8/10 cherry tomatoes

1 mozzarella

1 tablespoon olive oil

fresh basil

dried oregano

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 200°c.

Cut the eggplant long ways, leaving the top uncut.

cut eggplant

Cut cherry tomatoes into small slices.

cherry tomatoes

Cut mozzarella into slices, placing both tomatoes and mozzarella between each slice of eggplant, add fresh basil, I coat mine with olive oil. Sprinkle with dried oregano, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top. Place on oven proof paper on oven tray.

eggplant flowers

Place in oven,cook for 30 minutes. The mozzerella melts like a fondue cheese effect a great side dish or even a meal on it’s own.

eggplant flowers

Enjoy!

Green with Ivy

Published by Yvette

I’m surrounded by lush green vineyards in the heat of our first Spring days an unusual but pleasant image, unusual for me after many dry, sunburnt amber Summers in Australia. It’s truly a welcomed image after the long Winter we’ve had. My life is surrounded by green.

our vineyard

This photo was taken this Winter, a beautiful image also of our vineyard…

our vineyard - Winter

Along the lush corridors around our home. The trees are tangled with climbing evergreen ivy, even in my garden the grand old oaks trunk is covered with meandering ivy.

old oak tree

This image of our old oak tree was taken this Winter…

old oak tree - Winter

….no fences here…a hedge of green

ivy hedge

While walking around Treviso, I found this villa covered in ivy…

Treviso

An interesting article I read from Better Homes and Gardens, May 2010,(Yes , I got my hands on an english version) was Easy Outdoor Containers. Anyone, even the least green thumb gardener can achieve beautiful containers of plants grown to their potential with the basic anatomy of the pot correct, good quality of top soil and potting mix, the right position for light source and of course drainage.

Loving the easy format of the basic design….remember these three words – THRILLER, SPILLER, FILLER.

These basic three words have been the formula I’ve used in planting beautiful pots for many years. Yes, believe me it’s a no fail design principle. The combination of an upright plant, giving the container height, that’s the thriller, the spilling over effect of a trailer, I always use ivy, I love even the variegated leaf , and the filler, the touch of colour and fullness of the flowering annuals, this year I’ve splashed the garden with crimson pink.

potted bliss

With this basic format you can enjoy beautiful flowering containers, even a stunning effect of placing two or three containers together. Or a stunning entrance winner….trailing evergreen ivy.

ivy entrance

Handwritten Recipes

Published by Yvette

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t received a handwritten letter in ages. The computer world of clicking has taken over from the personal notes and letters I once received. The quick flash notes that I’ve written while connecting to friends have never had that same personal touch as receiving in the mail a handwritten letter. The emotion and enthusiasm of going out to check the postal box, reaching for that envelope, looking at the handwriting and instantly knowing who’s it from. Our memory never fails us, a quick glance at the hand written address and instantaneously we recognise the handwriting. In a heart beat we open that letter and enjoy the feeling of that connection with the person who hand wrote that letter.

The last thing I received through the post was an Easter card from my mum. Mum’s part of the old school ways, and never forgets to pop in the post that Birthday card, anniversary of Christmas wish.

Apart from the quick one page grocery and the things to do list, there is one thing that I write and put away, and that’s hand written recipes. I’ve collected a few, (under statement) in the past few years. The family favourites written down by my mother or grandmothers. My sister’s and her children’s favourites, friends whom I’ve visited, tasted something new and they’ve instantly written the recipe down for me. They’re all stored away in a tin for keeps sake.

handwritten recipes

Picking up one of these handwritten recipes I have that personal connection again with the person who wrote it, and maybe even remember the time and place it was written. The special occasion, the celebration of a birthday, the dinner party with friends, the phone call from a loved one..this one has occurred many a time for me talking to my sister…”Do you remember that recipe?”…”the one Mum makes…..”

I want to share with you some of these favourites, and some of the special occasions I’ve had and it’s all with the memory from a handwritten recipe.. this little keep sake is truly a tin of treasures.

Cottage Pie

Published by Yvette

I was brought up a Vegemite kid. What’s Vegemite? you ask. For all of you non Australians, it’s a black, creamy, salty, slightly bitter spread and it’s a required taste. From the lyrics of Men At Works 1981 hit song “Down Under”…I said “Do you speak -a my language?” He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich. It’s all Australian. Vegemite’s launching year was 1922, so it’s been around for a while. It’s main ingredient is yeast extract, high in Vitamin B. And as the slogan song once played…put’s a rose in every cheek.

It’s usually spread on your morning toast but I’ve discovered a few recipes for this tasty ingredient..I like it so much that I have it sent over to me by anyone who’s coming my way, friends and family know that they can send me some in the post anytime, and it’s always the first thing on my Christmas list.

Here’s a recipe I make by adding a bit of Vegemite…

cottage pie

Cottage Pie Recipe

Ingredients: Serves 4 for Dinner

800 grams lean minced (ground) beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated

4 potatoes peeled, boiled and drained

ingredients for cottage pie

Chop onion,carrot and celery finely. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic,onion,carrot and celery. Cook for 4 minutes or until soft, remove from pan.

Heat the rest of the olive oil, add mince and brown in small batches.

In the meantime prepare potatoes, peel, boil and drain.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup hot water

1 tablespoon Vegemite (If not available use 1 beef stock cube)

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup red wine ( the other half is for the cook)

1 tin diced cherry tomatoes

1 cup peas

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

ingredients cottage pie

Dissolve the flour in the hot water, then add to pan with cooked mince and vegetables, vegemite, wine, tomatoes, peas.

chopped herbs,cottage pie

Finally adding the chopped herbs. Bring to boil, then simmer for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 180° C.

cottage pie

In a bowl, mash potatoes preparing as usual a creamy mashed potatoes, use a bit of butter and a tablespoon of milk.

mashed potato, cottage pie

Spoon pie filling into a oven – proof casserole dish, or 4 individual dishes as I’ve used. Top with mash potato, then bake for 20 minutes.

cottage pie

And wow, a delicious cottage pie.Serve with a mixed leaf salad or a green vegetable such as steamed zucchini.

cottage pie

Enjoy!