MY ITALY post No. 2 " Breakfast Italian Style"

This is a post about ricotta cheese, somewhat of a staple here in the south of Italy. Our quest for the freshest ricotta possible begins at 8 am with a drive throught the Calabrian countryside.

Cheesecake as we know it in North America has no similarity to what would be called cheesecake here...Crostata di Ricotta (cheesecake Italian style) is a wonderful desert light and simple and only one of the many things that ricotta is used for. We also know ricotta when it is added to lasagna, manicotti, or less well known is frittata di ricotta, similar to an omelet. My personal favorite "Cannoli Siciliani" Sicily's famous cannoli that are of course filled with ricotta! 

I know we have arrived when I notice the sheep  grazing on the hillsides, the cows on the other hand were happily munching on fresh hay in the stall.

In a small room, attached to the stall is a large copper pot on the boil over a gas fire. A larger basin holds the curds and whey. The curds are being made into forms of cheese that will cure over the next year. The whey is slowly added to the copper pot where the ricotta will form.

Tapping the copper pot with a wooden pole assists the ricotta to rise to the top- once the ideal temperature is reached the ricotta is skimmed off the top and put into cheese containers.

 

The most obscure and traditional way to eat ricotta, I assume would be foreign to most because it entails close proximity to the farm. "Ricotta con siero" is what we came for  this morning. A peasant food fondly remembered by those who grew up here. It doesn't get any fresher than this!!

Hard bread is broken into a bowl and moistened with a generous amount of ricotta and a good amount of "siero" the liquid that remains with the production of the ricotta. I apologize for the gruel like appearance, I can assure you it tastes much better than it looks! 

Another herd of sheep arrive as we eat our breakfast on the farm. Golden hillsides dotted with blooming oleander, olive trees and yellow wildflowers abound. A sight to behold, a day to remember! I took many pictures which are sure to become frescoes soon! All will be unveiled at the 20th anniversary exhibit at the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale Arizona.  

Visit again soon as my next post will be about my trip to Sicily! A presto e Buon Apetito!!

The Fresco Challenge: Edition No. 1

As I glance around my studio I realize that the more space I make for myself, the more space I take...it never seems to be enough. 20 kg buckets of lime imported from Italy, sacks of sand, powder pigments in a multitude of glass jars ready to be mixed with distilled water. Trowels, cheesecloth, rags, plastic, wet towels and spray bottles to keep the work moist as long as possible. "Why go through all of the trouble?" is a question I am often asked. My reply is always the same. As an artist I don't think you pick the medium, I think the medium picks you, and I am ecstatic to be part of a renaissance for the fresco technique...such an important part of art history and one of the oldest forms of painting!

As I prepare to begin my next large fresco I will take you through some of these challenges as they don't stop with just the materials required. Above, below and in the sidebar you will see 3 fresco studies I have completed in preparation for a much larger fresco of the same subject that I will be commencing soon. The reason I do these small studies is the time factor I mentioned in an earlier blog post. In large works I benefit greatly if I have had a chance to paint a smaller version first, always remembering that I must acheive my desired result before the plaster I am working on has a chance to dry, I guess this would be challenge #1.

( sold)

Above you can see an example of challenge #2. Upon completion of any fresco I have to consider that the painting will dry anywhere from 10-25% lighter depending on the amount of lime paste (bianco san giovanni) I have added to my palette. Take a look and notice how the whites have popped, and the shadows have lightened somewhat in this newest fresco titled "Via Giacomo Under a Pale Blue Sky."