Life In Da Burbs

I recently got back from a 10 day trip to Italy with the wife. There is much to write about for sure... but as a public service announcement to all citizens of the modern and competent world... PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING. If you are in Italy, need to travel, and on a timeline, DO NOT take the Italian Railways... They have no concept of keeping to a schedule... and I would not be surprised if they still use a sundial. Taking the train (Generalization but true...) The Italians are notorious for not being punctual. And the public transportation system in Italy is no exception. In their defense, they do post a time table at the stations... but to borrow a line from Captain Jack Sparrow, "it's more of a guideline." Taking the train in Italy is for some, a stressful endeavor. I for one am not a fan. Being raised in Japan, my standards are high. It's a country based on extreme meticulousness, where 3 minute train delays during the early morning commute make headline news. E...

I don't think I'm cracking any code here... but it seems to me, dynamic Italian food is heavily reliant on the 6th taste sense called Umami. "Umami" was isolated and scientifically discovered around a hundred years ago by a Japanese Scientist, but has been a huge element in Japanese cooking for centuries. I recently stumbled upon these culinary similarities when playing around with Parmesan Reggiano, and Prosciutto di Parma. These two Italian ingredients impart strong Umami into dishes they compliment. Used primarily as an agent of salt, there was something more to the obvious. Parmesan Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma not only lent seasoning but also a resonating flavor-component echoing on the roof of my mouth. A full flavored effect that magnifies excitement to the palate. This, no doubt was Umami. I am going to Italy this Friday for the first time, and will report accordingly on my hypothesis.

Ever since our friend D'Artagnan served this at one of our potlucks, I've become a huge fan. Roasted veggies (Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes) arranged in beautiful layers with carmelized onions anchoring the bottom holding things in place. And then there was the Pixar movie "Ratatouille," where Remy insists on serving Anton Ego the classic ratatouille dish with a Bayaldi twist. This just reignited my desire to make a batch this holiday season. Bayaldi is beautiful, easy to make and amazingly delicious. Here are some pics I took while preparing this dish for J.