Travel journal entry October 8, 2011:
It’s nice to know that every day I drive down a road that has over 2,000 years of history on it’s surface. Via Roma connects Barbarino Val D’Elsa to the larger town of Tavernelle Val Di Pesa.
Yesterday we ate the second best meal we’ve eaten during this six-week journey. There is a little joint on the Via Roma that winds through the town square of Tavarnelle. It’s a coffee shop in the morning, a café in the afternoon, and a pool hall at night. Perfect. The Viola Club (named for the lavender color of the Florence “football” team) is the local hangout for a few dozen 50-80 year old men who might not be practicing Catholics, but are surely practicing card players.
They are there in the morning. They are there at noon, and they are there in the evening. They are a jolly bunch who drink coffee, joke, tease, argue, and play cards.
The first time I went in there, I watched from a corner table as they gave one of the men in their ranks a continual hard time. He endured a few hours of ribbing about his hair treatment. I got the feeling that he had used some type of over-the-counter hair dye recently (very obvious seeing that he was in his late 70s, and his hair was a solid blanket of jet black), and had probably stayed away from his friends at the Viola Club for a few days. I happened to be there on the day of his return and the ribbing was relentless.
His friends kept calling him “Berlusconi” because of the hair dye— a reference to the current Italian Prime Minister. I wanted to film the scene, to try and remember, and they— in a very jovial manner— brought me over and said I should film the Prime minister.
The Viola Club isn’t much to look at, but the food is very good and cheap. Paolo is the sole server. His mother, Giuliana, is the cook, and his father works the bar and the cash register— a true family operated business. The food is excellent and I have gotten several ideas for “An Italian Palate” there.
Ingredients
¼ cup Bacon fat
3 cup Onion, diced
3 cup Carrot, diced
3 cup Celery, diced
½ cup White wine
½ cup Ham, diced
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning (see recipe)
2 tsp House Herb Blend (see recipe)
2 tsp House Seasoning Blend (see recipe)
1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbl Kosher salt
2 tsp Hot sauce
1 tsp White pepper
1 each – 15 oz. can white navy beans, drained, rinsed and pureed with 4 cups pork stock
5 each – 15 oz. can white navy beans, drained, rinsed, kept whole
2 cup Pork stock (see recipe)
¼ cup Pesto
Reserved hock meat from Pork Stock recipe
Instructions
In a stockpot, sauté onion, carrot and celery in bacon fat for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add wine and cook 3-4 more minutes.
Add ham and seasonings and cook 7-8 minutes.
Add the pureed beans, whole beans and the 2 cups of pork stock and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat and add the chopped hock meat and pesto. Stir well and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Chef Linda Roderick has been by my side through these cookbooks for over two decades, and there’s no one I’d rather have guiding me through a cheesecake recipe. She’s a master of the craft—steady, exacting, and always aiming for perfection. This rich, decadent chocolate cheesecake is no exception.
It's all about balance. The deep, smooth chocolate filling meets a crisp, slightly salty crust for a perfect bite every time. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing—otherwise, you’ll end up with lumps. And when you melt the chocolate, give it time to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter, so you don’t end up with curdled filling. It’s worth the patience, every time.
A few techniques can elevate this recipe to another level: chilling the dough overnight for a richer flavor, using a water bath to ensure an ultra-smooth texture, and letting the cheesecake rest for at least 24 hours before serving for the best flavor.
Having a son who’s following in your footsteps is one thing. Watching him take what you’ve taught him and elevate it to something even better—that’s special. During his Christmas break from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, a few years ago, he nudged me out of the way and made these mashed potatoes. I was skeptical, of course as I’ve been making mashed potatoes for decades. But there was no question his version was better. There’s a lot of pride in seeing him excel in the kitchen, making something as simple as mashed potatoes taste extraordinary. This recipe has become a new tradition in our family.
Watching him cook now, with all that skill and precision, is a proud moment for me every time. This is his recipe, and I’ve adopted it as my own.
Growing up, elaborate mac & cheese wasn’t something that made its way to our dinner table. That’s not some sort of elitist statement. We grew up in a very modest way. It’s just that macaroni and cheese was something my mom never purchased at the store and therefore never served. This recipe is rich and indulgent with a blend of cheeses that create a creamy, savory masterpiece.
Adding crispy fried shallots or crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb topping gives it a savory, satisfying crunch. The blend of cheeses—Velveeta for creaminess, Gruyere for nuttiness, Cheddar for sharpness, and Colby Jack for that buttery melt—makes all the difference.
