The Shattered Fantasy of a Rice Breakfast

Slow fish

Dried fish

Salted fish

Fish soup

Fried olives stuffed with fish

Misto fritto (variety of fried fish)

Breaded clams

Pasta with frutti di mare

A day in slow fish.

1 day in slow fish and 3 days in Piemonte was on this week’s schedule. Plenty to look forward to: fish, good wine (Barolo and the likes), good cheese (the only thing separating us from France are the Alps) and a visit to a rice farm. In keeping with tradition, it rained most of the time. It was even cold. Mostly nourished on good wine and cheese, fruit, vegetable and greens were kept to a minimum; we can’t have those in the way of real food now, can we?

The latest additions to my ever-growing list of favorite food stuffs is beer and malt. A visit to Baladin brewery was an eye opener regarding both. I finally managed to separate the association I make between the aromas of beer and the stale vapors rising of a pub floor. This makes drinking beer a more enjoyable experience.

Tasting malt was also a revelation; I am unsure as to why these toasted sweet caramelized grains are not a household item; in yogurt, on salads, in bread and pastry. Dare I say it, maybe even in ice cream!  They should be eaten, chewed and enjoyed in their original form as grains, not only as flour or a beer ingredient. This calls for a REVOLUTION.