Bella Fortuna

This week I am in Lake Leelanau, in Northern Michigan, for the opening season of a new Florentine-style restaurant called Bella Fortuna. It is project of my friends Dr. Jane Fortune & Dr. Bob Hesse, who spend part of each year at a home in Florence. If you are in the area, please join us for one of my afternoon events or for a lunch or dinner. 

- Benedetta

Spring Menu at the Zibibbo

Now that Spring has come in Florence we have lots of fresh produce to serve at the restaurant. I go to the Sant'Ambrogio Market every morning except Sunday.

I thought you might like to see what's on my menu this season.

SPINACH SOUFFLÉE WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND PARMESAN CHEESE
CHICKEN LIVER PAT É WITH PORT WINE AND ORANGE SAUCE ON BRIOCHE
PUNTARELLE WITH ANCHOVIES AND OLIVES
TARTARE OF WILD SALMON WITH DILL BUTTER AND CHIVES
CHICKEN SALAD WITH GREEN PEPPER, ONION, AND MAYONNAISE
CREAMED BACCALA
OCTOPUS AND POTATOES
FRIED SMOKED SCAMORZA CHEESE WITH TOMATOES AND FRESH HERBS
CRISPY PANZANELLA
VENUS BLACK RICE WITH STEAMED SHRIMP AND CALAMARI WITH ARTICHOKE
MARINATED SALMON

PASTA AND CHICK PEAS
ROCKFISH SOUP
SPAGHETTI “ALLA CHITARRA” WITH WILD HERBS AND AGED RICOTTA CHEESE BUNDLES OF FRESH PASTA STUFFED WITH RADICCHIO IN SAGE BUTTER SAUCE
GNUDI WITH BUTTER AND TOMATO SAUCE
SPAGHETTONI DRESSED WITH MONTE 27 CHEESE
LIGURIAN STYLE TRENETTE PASTA WITH SHRIMP AND GARDEN ZUCCHINI DRESSED WITH PESTO SAUCE
TAGLIOLINI PASTA WITH CRAB SAUCE
TORTELLI STUFFED WITH MUSSELS DRESSED WITH BUTTER, LEMON ZEST AND BLACK PEPPER
SPAGHETTI WITH OCTOPUS SAUCE
SPAGHETTI DRESSED WITH GRATED DRIED FISH ROE
TAGLIATELLE PASTA WITH SAUCE OF GILTHEAD BREAM AND CHARD
TESTAROLI : LUNIGIANA -STYLE CRÊPES WITH PESTO
SPAGHETTI WITH SARDINIAN GREY MULLET ROE
SPAGHETTI WITH SARDINES

DUCK BREAST WITH PEARS IN PORT WINE SAUCE
ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLES AND CALVADOS APPLE BRANDY
ROASTED ENTRECÔTE OF LAMB WITH CRISPY POTATOES
ROAST SQUAB STUFFED WITH PEARS AND ORANGE ZEST
TRIPE PARMESAN STYLE
FLORENTINE BEEFSTEAK
GRILLED BEEF ENTRECÔTE STEAK AND VEGETABLES
BEEFSTEAK TARTARE WITH HOUSEMADE PICKLED VEGETABLES

FISH CATCH OF THE DAY WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
TURBOT
INZIMINO : CALAMARI WITH GREENS BRAISED IN RED WINE
SOUP OF BABY OCTOPUS OR CALAMARI
FRIED SALT COD WITH VEGETABLES
CRISPY FRIED SEAFOOD
CRISPY POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY
BRAISED SWEET PEPPERS
FRIED PEPPERS
BRAISED ARTICHOKES
AGRETTI GREENS DRESSED WITH LEMON
GREEN RADICCHIO FIELD GREENS

DESSERTS

BONET : PIEDMONTESE BAKED PUDDING
CRÊME CARAMEL
CHEESE CAKE WITH BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE
HOT APPLE AND PEAR STRUDEL
GIANDUIA CAKE WITH ROASTED HAZELNUTS AND ORANGE PEEL

I am happy to announce that I will be traveling to the beautiful seaside town of Camden, Maine, to present a five-day intensive course in Tuscan cooking June 4 through 8 at the Hartstone Inn. The details of the course are on the Hartstone Web site, where you may also reserve your place if you would like to join us. I look forward to working with the Inn owners, Mary Jo Brink and her husband Chef Michael Salmon, and to seeing as many of you as are able to participate.

Thanks to Nancy Harmon Jenkins for putting me in touch with Mary Jo and Michael.

I am in the San Francisco Bay Area now, giving cooking demonstrations and teaching about Tuscan cooking. Here I am with a class in the kitchen at Michael Tusk’s restaurant Quince. Michael and his excellent crew helped me to make a very good dinner Sunday Evening. My friend Filippo Bartolotta offered a tasting of Italian wines.



Tonight I will be at Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, and tomorrow Leigh and I are going with Kim Schiffer to Santa Barbara. I have never been there before and I’m really looking forward to it.

I have been seeing lots of old friends and meeting new people. I’m a little nervous because I have never done a tour quite like this before, but everyone has been very welcoming to me and I feel it’s going well.

Ciao,

-Benedetta