Italian Challenge

Italian Challenge - The making of Risotto

星期日去左小妮家, 作了我這一生在廚藝上的一大嘗試:　意大利飯 (Risotto).

意大利菜乃本人最喜愛的菜色之一，與日本菜，印度菜和粵菜共列榜首．其豐富的食材和煮法的多樣性，絕不下於我國博大精深的飲食文化．

意大利菜主要分南北兩派．北部主要為Piedmonte (Barolo和Barberesco之所在地, Toscana (即Tuscany, you should know it: Chianti Classico, Borgheri, Saccacaia!), Venezia (one of my favourite wine brand Masi ) 和 Lombardia (Milan之所在地及阿爾卑斯山地區). 而南部則主要為Naples和Bari 地區 (皮靴的底部)，西西里島和撒丁島.

今次我煮的是來自Piedmonte的 Barolo Risotto, 顧名思義，即是用”Kings of the Wine” Barolo作為整個飯的主調．

材料：Arborio Rice一包, Barolo one half-bottle 半杯 (我今次用左 Fontanafredda 2005, DOCG), 雞湯1.5L (煮熱備用), 荷蘭啡菇6大隻 (切片), 洋蔥大半個 (切粒粒), grated Parmegiano-Reggiano芝士100克, Italian herbs (oregano, thyme…) 少量, Extra virgin olive oil半杯, unsalted butter 4 tablespoon.

做法如下：

1) 先把olive oil倒在pan上用中火煮熱(不要煮到出煙啊),然後把切好的洋蔥倒落pan慢煮至軟身及透明 (大約五六分鐘).

2)把生米直接倒落pan (對於之前只懂用電飯煲的我, 十分奇妙), 炒至米色和有微微飯焦味

3) 將Barolo 倒落飯裏, 隨即最需要耐性的工序開始: 餵risotto喝雞湯! 把那1.5L雞湯分4次倒落飯裏, 然後用木匙慢慢將飯攪拌, 待飯喝完一次雞湯後才落第二次，時間大概25至30分鐘左右...直至risotto變得柔軟及creamy;與此同時用第二隻鑊把菇菇炒至半熟, 待risotto變身後把菇菇加入, 攪拌數分鐘.

4) 熄火! 然後將butter和 Parmegiano-Reggiano倒落飯裏攪拌至evenly distributed.

5) 上碟!!!!!!

VIRUS?! Oh my god!

好擔心vintage 2008...will it be a tragic year for Bordeaux?

From decanter.com

Virus threatens vines across southwest France
September 4, 2008
Jane Anson in Bordeaux

A fatal virus that attacks vines is becoming increasingly prevalent across the wine regions of Bordeaux, Gascony and the Charente, it has emerged.

The disease, a fungus called Esca (known more commonly as vine measles, or vine cancer), attacks the woody parts of the vine, eventually killing the entire plant. 

Very little is known about its origin, how it spreads, or its likely progression. Although it affects vines all over the world, this year there has been a sharp rise in reported cases of Esca in southwest France. 

There are calls for an agricultural emergency to be declared in the area, and demands for state aid to replant the affected vines. 

'You can literally see the vines withering before your eyes,' a winemaker in Gascony told a local newspaper. 'We are going to need to pull up and replant vines that are scarcely 15 years old.' 

Auch, a large town in the area, is due to hold a demonstration on September 15, demanding government assistance. 

Winegrowers in Bordeaux, Cognac and Champagne have also reported widespread problems, with some estimating the disease is affecting up to 20% of all vines in France. 

Chris Foss, senior wine lecturer at Plumpton agricultural College in the UK, told decanter.com the disease was almost unstoppable. 

'The disease can be treated with sodium arsenite, but the product has been banned since 2001 because of public health concerns,' he said. 'All wood diseases are an absolute nightmare because they are so difficult to treat, and they seem to be getting more prevalent.'