Pesto!

One of my absolute favorite flavors in the world is pesto. I'd gladly put it on most anything if you gave me the chance. Although pesto is loved all over Italy, the truest and best forms of it come from the region of Liguria located on the northwest coast. Despite the fact that Liguria is a coastal region, fish is surprising not the centerpiece of the cuisine - herbs are. Basil grows everywhere. Here's a picture of the beautiful area and my first meal there as well. (Minestrone con Pesto, with a crisp local white wine)


I highly suggest you click on the pictures and look at them in a larger view. They are stunning.

Thoughts of Liguria lingering in my head, I meandered on over to my favorite Italian food shop Di Palo's and picked up some imported pesto from Italy. Now, I would have easily made it myself, but seeing how I hardly have enough silverware to eat a meal with I most definitely did not have a blender/food processor at my disposal. The pesto, of course, was fantastic and easily frozen.


Contents:
Pasta Primavera (with pesto and chicken)

• Pasta
• Red peppers
• Zucchini
  
• Yellow Squash
• Sundried tomatoes
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Pesto

Saute all of the vegetables in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, boil the pasta until al dente. Once cooked, add the pasta to the vegetables and spoon on the pesto. Mix until everything is coated. Transfer to a plate and top with the cheese.

Seeing how now I had only made a small dent in my pesto container, I cooked this dish several other times. No matter how good it was, after three nights in a row, I needed a change. I froze the pesto for a couple of days to take a break. However, it didn't stay long in there. After a lovely morning of shopping in SoHo, I had a craving for a super fresh, sandwich. Behold: Panino con Pesto!

Contents:

• Ciabattini (small roll of ciabatta bread)
  
• Smoked deli-style turkey
• Plum tomato
• Mixed salad greens
• Goat cheese
• Pesto

You know how to make a sandwich, so there's no need to explain this one. Just be sure to get BOTH sides of the bread covered with pesto. That's key. And yes, that would be the MTA New York City Subway Map hanging on my wall there. I feel that it is quite symbolic. NYC looming over me as I rest peacefully (and not so peacefully) at night in all of its chaotic, poorly functioning, non-air conditioned glory buried below the earth. (Can you tell that I'm ready to go back to Texas?)

New News! I'm officially going back to Italy in the spring. I'm so excited. There is one course that I'm hoping to get into called "Celebrating Italian Style". I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to take that?!