By Kathi Dameron

"Arrivederci Roma. Goodbye, goodbye to Rome."

The lyrics sang across my heartstrings as I climbed aboard the train and settled in for the three-hour journey.

As the clanging and puffing high-speed Eurail train rolled out of the station, I reached into my travel bag and pulled out the rustic country bread sandwich – the panino I had purchased earlier that morning from an irresistible display of authentic edible hearth-baked masterpieces.

It was a great adventure to be traveling across Italy by backpack and rail with dad’s blessing and dad’s financial backing. Even though many years have come and gone since that passage of time when the world stretched wide open with its panorama of possibilities, my memories are as fresh as if they had just been baked.

At the time, my dad’s third wife suggested to me that I should journal my experiences.
“Write some travel articles, dear, that you can later put into a book,” my high-achieving stepmother with her freshly inked PhD advised. But instead I gave her prophetic suggestion “the boot” and simply stepped into each day of my Italian adventure with gusto and verve, allowing the experiences to become forever pressed into the pages of my memory bank.

Like any traveler enthralled with a new destination, I reveled in the delight of discovery.
I learned that new culinary discoveries are often as memorable as the magnificent art and architecture of the places visited.

On that day my panino lunch, enjoyed during the stunning and scenic train trip to the great renaissance city of Florence, left a lasting impression on my idea of a great tasting picnic sandwich.

True Italian panini’s are expressions of simplicity, anchored in absolute freshness with perhaps occasional bursts of pungent, aromatic, fruity or creamy richness.

Having once savored a true panino, it is difficult to say arrivederci to this great tasting edible masterpiece of pure simplicity.

More Ideas from Kathi

If the splendid days of springtime beckon you outdoors why not create your own Tutto Italiano or “all things Italian” spring picnic? Whether you are into styling your own backyard trattoria or are more in the mood for an adventurous jaunt to some hideaway off-the-beaten-track with a picnic basket in one hand and the hand of a companion in the other, you are bound for an adventure that will satisfy more than your taste buds. My picnic menu begins with panini sandwiches, to which you might add:

A pesto-laced and garlic-infused antipasto pasta salad of rich jeweled morsels of sun-drenched tomatoes, ripe olives, creamy imported cheeses, al dente pasta and artichoke hearts bathed in fruity olive oil.
A basket of luscious strawberries, red grapes and figs.
A rapturous homemade tiramisu torte with just the right high-octane notes of java for a sweet edible finale.
Perhaps a few select Italian-flavored musical CD’s, a good bottle of Italian vino and perhaps someone wonderful with whom to create a new memory.

(c) Kathi Dameron, Kathi Dameron and Associates


My recipe for how to create a classic panino picnic sandwich is posted at http://www.letsentertain.blogspot.com

Kathi Dameron is a food writer and former caterer. She writes a regular newspaper column called: Entertaining with Kathi.

If you would like to read the Entertaining with Kathi column in your local newspaper or favorite magazine, you can perform a wonderful random act of kindness by sharing my writing with interested parties!

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By Anna Fiori

If you are an Italian and you plan on hosting a great get together, you obviously already know what you must not leave out in regards to serving the guests and that is the fine Italian cheeses. This is something that basically goes hand in hand with socializing, and without cheese on the table you can bet there will be some confused and upset guests. Cheese is a very popular item when it comes to not only nibbling, but with larger scale meals as well. Whether it is pre-sliced, or it was left as a whole and you break it off yourself cheese is a big-ticket item that few partygoers forget.

No Cheese Equals No Lasagna

If you are going to make a great Italian dish such as lasagna and you forgot the cheese, then you can basically wipe that dish right off the menu for the night. The fact is that you cannot make this recipe without cheese, and this defiantly broadens the actual importance of the cheese as a whole. There are hundreds of various Italian cheeses that you can choose from when it comes to picking something out for a recipe like this, finding the right cheese however, is key and will be noticed by the diner that tries the lasagna. Lasagna is not the only great Italian dish that defiantly needs a form of cheese to complete it; in fact there are several dishes that depend on the use of cheese to make them a success.

The Cheese Is Everywhere

The great thing about Italian cheese is that it is virtually everywhere. You will not have a difficult time finding a cheese that you can use for a recipe or for a cheese and cracker plate for snacks. Cheese is something that the Italians have been making for thousands of years, and they have actually become authorities on what a wonderful cheese is meant to taste like. Italian cheese is appreciated from the standard snack tray, all the way up to some of the most delicate Italian recipes that are considered world class. Some of these fine recipes are only found in the most prestigious of restaurants today, and the chef will grade the quality of the cheese long before it reaches the recipe. Many of the fine cheeses that are used for the great recipes, are actually made in house at the restaurant for the specific use by the chef for the recipe.

A Simple Choice

Along with fine Italian recipes that use great cheese, you will also find those occasions where someone would just prefer to use a great Italian cheese on a great sandwich. The cheese in combination with some divine Italian lunch meat of fantastic hard crust bread, will definitely tickle your taste buds. You will fine many cheeses that will actually bring the most out a strong Italian lunch meat, and actually change the taste of it. This is what is so wonderful about the cheeses of this delightful tiny country of Italy.

Anna Fiori writes food related articles for the Italian Traditional Food website at http://www.italiantraditionalfood.com

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By Ana Maria Da Costa

Italian salami is not often named as a typical Italian product, even if it is really present in Italians daily diet.

This simple cold cut is commonly used in Italy in an antipasto or, more commonly, inside a sandwich that a young Italian student eat at school pause.

Generally salami is made with 1/3 beef, 1/3 pork and 1/3 fat. This proportion varies depending on the kind of salami. For example, the felino one is usually made with precious meat and less fat, being considered a gourmet one.

Outside Italy, cold cuts are not always fresh and often are considered as something conserved, not appropriate for a daily diet.

This false impression is due to the fact that often these cold cuts are not consumed often in these countries, associated with fat and conserved food.

They are indeed conserved, and one should not base the own diet on cold cuts. But it is not a drastic choice, as they have high nutritional values.

Italian salami has a protein percentage range that goes from 24 to 30%, and contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B1, B2 and PP vitamins.

Besides salami, there are a wide variety of Italian cold cuts that can be easily found in any Italian market, for daily use. The cold cuts counter has always a queue of people buying salami, prosciutto, mortadella, between other varieties.

Many times the word-of-mouth fails. The famous Italian raw prosciutto
Between the Italian raw hams, one of the most famous one is called Prosciutto di Parma. This product has the European Quality Brand PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), so as 7 other Italian raw hams. But often people just say "Parma" thinking they are saying "Italian raw ham".

Prosciutto di Parma is a wonderful product, so is the Tuscan one, but they are different. The Parma one is sweeter, and the Tuscan one is salted (it is salted because originally used by the shepherd s with the Tuscan bread, that has quite no salt).

Italian raw ham is a gourmet product and is used in all diets, including the children ones, as it is a healthy choice, being rich in proteins an easy to digest.

The "poorest" cold cut is mortadella. It is considered poor because who could not afford buying raw ham, bought mortadella. But it is not poor in taste, rather it pleases all. A fresh and crispy piece of bread with a tiny slices of mortadella is one of the taste major delights.

Mortadella is made only of pork. During the '600 a cardinal settled a prohibition of including beef into the mortadella recipe, prohibiting also the production of this specialty outside the city of Bologna, as it was difficult to control these productions. These rules have changed, as it is produced in many other cities now, but a good mortadella must always contain only pork.

In an average Italian family, cold cuts are used for children sandwiches at school - it is surely a better choice comparing to extra sweet snacks, as antipasto and as an alternative dinner.

Specially when one is hungry, the vision of a table set with cold cuts as Italian salami, prosciutto and mortadella together with a couple of baskets containing fresh bread, some good Italian cheeses and a bottle of Italian red wine is surely an excellent choice.

Ana Maria da Costa. Economist, living in Italy since 1983 and proceeding the studies in Food and Wine culture. The website http://www.all-about-italian-food.com gives useful information about Italian food

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ana_Maria_Da_Costa

By Harwood E Woodpecker

Italian sausage and salami is amazing. Every bite of fresh Italian salami is a flavour sensation, it takes a cheese sandwich to a new dimension; if made with Italian cheese it really blows the roof off!

Added to a tomato sauce and left to cook for a couple of hours either Italian salami or Italian sausage can add a real twist to a meal and transform a tomato sauce into something much more varied and deep.

Italy is famous for its varieties of sausages and salamis many of which are famously produced in the Lombardy region of Italy.

Around Pavia, south of the River Po, are a number of villages where sausages are still smoked in the traditional way.This is the area where salame di Varzi is made. Only the finest pork is used to make this Italian sausage, and only wine, pepper, salt, and saltpeter are added. The sausage is matured for three to four months. This comparatively long maturation brings out the flavour. A whole salame di Varzi as sold is a medium sized, coarse-grained sausage weighing about 2 pounds (1 kilogram).

Salame di Milano is a very fine textured Italian salami made from pork, pork fat, beef, and spices is matured for about 3 months and weighs up to about 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms). It has an essential place in any antipasto misto starter of mixed Italian sausage, and is popular well beyond its place of origin. It is probably one of Italy's best-known food products along with Parma ham. The imitations available elsewhere do not necessarily do justice to the original. Salame di Milano is a king of Italian sausage.

Sausages called salsiccia luganega are usually of fresh meat, and cooked or heated in water before serving. The meat is a finely ground mixture of fat and lean pork, flavoured with pepper and spices. Luganega is an example of this type. The meat is filled into long casings, divided into sections and sold by length rather than weight. Luganega is often served with polenta in northern Italy. It can be fried, broiled or braised as well as boiled. A delicious Italian sausage to cut up into bite size pieces to make meat balls and added to a basic tomato sauce.

Cacciatorino is a small well hung variety of Italian salami consisting of two thirds lean pork, tender veal, and various types of fat. It was originally devised as a convenient type of Italian sausage for those working out in the forests to take with them as supplies. That may be the source of the name, cacciatorino which translates as small hunter.

Salametto is a small, well-hung sausage, similar to cacciatorino. It is ideal as a lunch time Italian salami or to be taken on picnics as it is easily carried. This is a beautifully delicate Italian sausage which is perfect to be eaten on its own.

Italian sausage and salami do taste that much different to those of other countries and do lend themselves to being added to Italian meals, such as pizzas and pastas. If cooking an Italian meal and trying to make it as authentic as possible be sure to add Italian salami or Italian sausage.

I try to pass on my musings on life and experiences in a way that people may find interesting to read.

Italian Salami

Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site

You may not always agree with my writings but I hope to inform.

Harwood E Woodpecker

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By Harwood E Woodpecker

Italy is famous for many thing's, pasta, architecture, coffee, pizza and pasta just to name a few. But could you imagine a world without Italian cheese, No Parmesan on your pasta or mozzarella on your pizza.

One thing about Italian food is the regional variances. Pizza and pasta types vary from region to region as do such things as breads. Within these regional variances certain areas of Italy do things better than others, whether it be because of the terrain or the climate different products are associated with different areas, such as Parma ham from Parma, pizza from Napoli, meat dishes from Turin and fish dishes from Sardinia.

Lombardi, the region which includes Milan is renowned throughout Italy for its cheese and sausage. These Italian cheeses are deliciously tasty and make a great accompaniment to any meal.

Small and medium-sized producers of specialist Italian cheeses in the Alpine regions face a difficult struggle to maintain their existence in competition with the varied palette of factory-made dairy products. Unfortunately, European Union regulations often only serve to hasten their demise, by making often contradictory demands, imposing quotas and limits, or fining them for not fulfilling certain norms, despite the fact that theirs are high quality, often imaginative, products. Italian cheese making is going through a difficult time.

Stracchino is one of these threatened products. It is a rectangular Italian cheese made from whole milk. It is a rich cheese, pearly white in colour, with a soft, creamy texture and remarkable, delicate flavour.

Stracchino is sometimes known outside of Lombardi as Crescenza. The name Stracchino cheese comes from the way the milk to make it was originally obtained: it was the milk of vacche stracche, cows exhausted by the journey back down the mountain from the summer meadows. Stracco is local dialect for exhausted - and stracchino is little exhausted one.

Taleggio is a square Italian cheese weighing about four pounds (2 kilograms), it is a typical Lombard country soft Italian cheese. The rind is brownish and tends to form a mold. Directly beneath this rind, the cheese is soft and soft textured, but in the centre, it is whitish and crumbly. The first mention of Taleggio Italian cheese dates from around 1200, and the method of production has changed little since then, apart from the use of selected enzymes to ensure the quality of the end product. The cheese is still only made from cow's milk. The curd takes 18 hours to form, and the cheese must mature for at least one month before being ready to eat. Taleggio is mild with a slight sourness, becoming quite piquant as it ages. It should not he kept for long periods because it spoils easily. A slice of Taleggio rounds off a meal. It also goes well with hot polenta, and tastes delicious eaten with ripe pears. Taleggio is a favourite Italian cheese.

Gorgonzola is a very old Italian cheese specialty, and originates from the town of Gorgonzola in Lombardy. First written records of it are from the 11th and 12th centuries. A blue-veined Italian cheese, it is produced today across a wide area of Piedmont and Lombardy, and is popular both in Italy and abroad. Almost every supermarket in the western world will stock and sell Gorgonzola.

The region produces around three million Gorgonzola cheeses per year, which are exported to the rest of Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, the USA, UK and Canada packed as portions in colourfully printed foil wrappers, which must bear the brand figure of the consortium to be genuine. It has a strong, piquant flavour - with a hint of bitterness, and is a true all-round Italian cheese. Gorgonzola makes a good partner to eat with polenta, tastes good - with egg and with nuts, and can be used for creams and sauces. It is delicious with a robust red wine. It also makes a great sauce to go with steak. Gorgonzola is an extremely versatile Italian cheese hence its popularity.

Provolone Valpadana is a hard Italian cheese with its characteristic shape - round, pear-shaped, or sometimes cylindrical - originally comes from Basilicata in the south, but is also made in northern Italy today, especially in Lombardy. Because of its shape it is also known as pear cheese. Provolone is sold in various sizes, and is made by a similar pasta filata process to mozzarella.The curd is scalded - it is heated until it begins to melt and become stringy (filata), and then wrapped around itself until it assumes its round shape. It is dipped in brine and hung up on a cord to ripen, which takes about a year. The rind is coated in wax to protect it from drying out. Provolone comes in various flavor categories from provolone dolce, which is mild and buttery, to piquant (provolone piccante). The mild version makes a good end to a meal, and the piquant one is often used grated. A smoked version is available in Lombardy. Provolone is a wonderful Italian cheese to accompany a sandwich, its delicate flavor adds to a sandwich without over powering it.

Probably the most universally famous Italian cheese is Parmesan, avariation on this is Grana Padano which is often compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, despite the differences between them in the method of production and region of origin. Parmigiano reggiano comes exclusively from Emilia-Romagna, and grana padano from the Veneto,Trentino, Piedmont, or Lombardy. Parmigiano Reggiano may by law only be made from the milk of cows that have been fed on grass or hay, whereas other types of fodder are permissible for grana padano.

This does not mean that it is in anyway inferior. Its manufacture is supervised by a consortium, and only cheeses bearing the official brand mark grana padano are the genuine article. The milk from which it is made comes from two consecutive milkings, and is allowed to stand and partially skimmed to produce an Italian cheese with just 30 percent fat in dry matter. The milk is then heated and micro-organisms added. The cheeses are matured for 1-2 years. Grana padano has a granular texture, and can become dry and crumbly. It forms a thick, smooth rind. The cheese has a harmonious flavour, not too salty and not too mild, with a slight piquancy and a nutty quality. It can be eaten as an appetizer, or used for grating over pasta dishes or green salads.

So next time you want to eat the real Italian way use real Italian cheese, it will make a difference.

If you've never tried fresh Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano give it a go, its one Italian cheese that pasta cannot do without.

I try to pass on my musings on life and experiences in a way that people may find interesting to read.

Gorgonzolla Cheese

You may not always agree with my writings but I hope to inform. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harwood_E_Woodpecker

By Anna Fiori

There are several different foods from the Italian culture that are worth noting, but it is the Italian sausage that seems to come to mind so many times. This meat is absolutely delightful, and it is a meat that has a place in many great dishes not only back in the mother land but in North America too. This meat is available just about anywhere today, and there are various forms of the sausage that you can purchase in most grocery stores let alone the butcher shops. Finding the type of sausage that pleases you is really not difficult, you are just going to have to try as many as you can.

Excellent For Sauces

When it comes to Italian pasta sauce, you are obviously going to find some meat that will be added. One such meat that graces a wonderful sauce is the Italian sausage. This meat can be spicy and it is very easy to cut, making it a great meat to work with and an excellent choice. With mild, medium, and hot on the menu you are not going to struggle to find a decent meat for your sauce. These sausages can be cut into small disks or even chunks that are great to stew within a pasta or tomato sauce for hours at a time. Usually the meat is not cooked prior, as it is going to stew for a great number of hours within the broth. This will not only instill the sauce within the meat, it will bring out the great flavors of the meat into the sauce.

Finding The Right Sausage

It is not difficult today to find good Italian sausage, and depending on how much you are looking for and what variety you should have no troubles at all locating it. Most grocery and specialty stores carry this sausage today, and if you are fortunate enough to have an Italian butcher shop near your home you can find it there. This is not to say that you cannot find it elsewhere, it is simply to imply that there are great chances of finding this sausage at the fore mentioned locations first. Most deli's whether they are Italian or not, will usually carry this sausage as it very popular. Many sub shops and sandwich shops will carry it now as well, as they usually have a hot Italian sub on the menu.

Other Uses

Italian sausage is not solely reserved for Italian food today, as you will find many restaurants and sandwich shops all having this meat on their roster of fine foods. The sausage is relatively cheap, and you can bet that there are more than a few people that eat in these locations that consider it a favorite. This meat is easy to prepare, and you have almost endless options when it comes to its uses. Soups and stews are always popular with this meat in them, as too are great casseroles and bakes foods.

Anna Fiori writes food related articles for the Italian Traditional Food website at http://www.italiantraditionalfood.com

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Final SUBMARINA video, third of three.

See the Friar surf!

Cowabunga Dude!

 

By Nick Messe

The sandwich has become one of the food staples that keeps us going. In fact there are places to get great sandwiches and subs all over the world. Places like Bob's Pantry in Highland Park and Ravinia Illinois - a famous Ravinia Deli.

Sandwiches have been around for hundreds of years. Today a typical sandwich consists of two pieces of bread with filler in between, but early sandwiches were not always like this. The modern sandwich owes a lot to what we now usually call a "wrap". For example, for centuries there has been a Jewish food preparation consisting of Paschal lamb wrapped between two pieces of flat unleavened bread eaten during Passover.

But the open-faced sandwich has an interesting history too. Before the 1800's slices of stale bread were used by taverns instead of plates. They would place these slabs of bread - known as trenchers - on the tables and meat or other food would be placed on top of them, and the bread would sop up the juices from the meal. At the end of the meal the trencher would either be eaten or thrown to the ever-present dogs.

The word "sandwich" began to be used in the mid to late 1700s because the 4th Earl of Sandwich liked to eat his food in a manner that allowed him to carry on with other activities. More often than not this consisted of meat between two pieces of bread. This allowed him to continue working at his desk or playing cribbage with his friends without getting his hands greasy by having to handle meat directly.

The term "sandwich" eventually caught on in London because others who noticed this practice started asking for "the same as Sandwich". Eventually the name caught on to describe what we now call a "finger food" that could be eaten with the hands without causing a mess.

By the 1800's a sandwich usually meant a piece or several pieces of cold meat slapped in between two pieces of bread. Today there are many varieties of sandwiches, and many businesses that have profited from just selling sandwiches.

Today's sandwiches have grown from being just meat in between bread. Now we have a much broader range of sandwiches of different kinds - from fast food hamburgers to submarines and Italian sandwiches. These different varieties usually substitute a special bun for the classic two slices of bread. We now also add many different kinds of condiments and toppings to them. The most common condiments include lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, pickles, mustard, relish, ketchup and many more. These are just a very few of what is out there to use to create your own masterpiece.

There are hundreds of different types of meats and sandwich fillers that one can build a sandwich around. When you walk into a carry out restaurant or deli store you order exactly what you want on that sandwich. Some restaurants have even created hot versions of sandwiches. These are much tastier than ones in the 1800's.

There are many different types of breads available too. The same sandwich can become a completely different creation depending on the bread that is used. That makes what used to be the common sandwich into a more exotic, more nutritious, and more tasty alternative to heavier fare. making lunches and dinners easier to do at a much more rapid pace. Sandwiches are a quick fix to supper and can accommodate even the busiest of schedules.

So as one can see, sandwiches have gone from the simple bread and meat variety into a nutritious food with a thousand variations. Each one is created to suit an individual's needs and tastes and they are perfect for the rushed pace that many people live their lives at. Since sandwiches are so readily available and can be made to order, they have become a staple in our busy lives.

These days having a sandwich doesn't mean sitting at a smokey tavern sopping up juices with bread. It means having one of a thousand different varieties of what has become the perfect food for busy people on the go.

For an outstanding sandwich or sub visit Bob's Pantry and Deli - the best Highland Park Deli you're going to find - deli sandwiches, Italian subs, garden and Caesar salads, gourmet coffee. For delivery call 847-432-DELI.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Messe

You do not have to have a specialty panini sandwich maker to make great and authentic tasting panini grill sandwiches; you can make them on your outdoor gas or charcoal grill or indoors with your George Foreman grill or even on a griddle or in a skillet. The secret to making a great panini is a bit of pressure while cooking and your panini grill sandwich recipes.

A panini sandwich is made with the filling placed between the two slices of bread that is grilled very quickly and the sandwich is pressed together tightly while it is being cooked. This pressure causes the ingredients to meld into a more delicious combination and because this is all done with high heat, it also results in a crispier outside, too. And that is why panini are so popular, the combination of super flavorful and a bit of crunch in the crust. When you look for panini grill sandwich recipes, you'll find endless variations, but the best ones will consist of thinly sliced meat or fish, grated or thinly sliced cheese and everything will be as fresh as possible.

The bread is another important choice in selecting a panini grill sandwich recipe. The bread you use should be hearty, not light and airy. Ciabatta bread or focaccia are the traditional Italian choices, but any dense bread, especially an herbed bread, is a good choice. Make sure it is flat so that it grills evenly.

Your choices for fillings are as varied and interesting as you'd like them to be. When choosing meats you will want them to be precooked or cured as the grilling process is meant to heat the sandwich, not cook the fillings. Favorite meat choices include prosciutto, salami, roast beef, chicken, turkey or pastrami. Thinly sliced salmon is a wonderful choice, smoked makes a delicious sandwich and using last night's leftover grilled fish is sublime. The smoky flavor from grilling is tailor made for the flavor melding that panini are known for. Look for panini grill sandwich recipes that use the flavor melding to its fullest.

Most panini grill sandwich recipes will tell you to use a specialty panini grill. While it is nice to use the proper equipment to make these sandwiches, if you don't have one and can't get one, don't despair. You can make a panini sandwich on your outdoor grill; this is a great choice for adding flavor through a cooking method as well as ingredient choice. You can also use a two surface grill such as a George Foreman grill or even a skillet or griddle. If you have a waffle maker, that will work, too. The key is to make sure you preheat the surface well and apply pressure to the sandwich while cooking. If you are using a grill or skillet you can use a foil wrapped brick or a pie pan filled with rocks or sand, or you can just press the sandwich firmly with your spatula.

There are many options for panini grill sandwich recipes, but the simplest and the tastiest panini grill sandwich recipes are the ones you come up with yourself. Your family will appreciate the personal touch and you'll want to make them again and again.

Yum, those lovely and delicious Panini Grill Sandwich recipes. For more tips and ideas on outdoor bbq grills.

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