photos: m. charles


Issue No. 5 -- Portable Eats


FOODIE.CH™ was born out of love for all things food. As Switzerland’s premiere online food magazine, we will bring you a fresh perspective on what’s going on in the culinary world with contributors from Paris, Toronto & Zurich.


Issue No.5 focuses on Food on the go.

Where one fridge door closes another opens. We are sad to announce that Iris Salva (contributing editor for france) has fried her last latke for us. No, she hasn't gone off to the big farmers market in the sky but her time here at FOODIE.CH™ has come to a close. She was a great asset to the team and her contribution will be missed.

On a happier note, we are pleased to announce that the very talented Merrill Stubbs (profile in the contributors section) has joined our team. This month she writes about the up and coming Salumeria Rosi in NYC. En Guete!

Don't forget to check out FOODIE.CH™ Zurich Guide on Design* Sponge where you'll find some of our favorite restaurants, shops and cafes.


Click on text links below to navigate through the site.

HEAD TABLE: PORTABLE EATS FEATURE
HEAD TABLE: CHIRASHI SUSHI
GASTRO REVIEW-- SALUMERIA ROSI
DecorATE
WHAT CAN YOU MAKE WITH... CHAMOMILE?
WARE TO BUY


PORTABLE EATS FEATURE

photos & recipes: m. charles

Food on the Go


If prefer to skip breakfast and sleep in that extra 15 mins or need a light recharge snack while shopping the sales, we've come up with some easy & quick portable eats for that person on the go.

You can use the bread of your choice but we've put together a list of breads when using these recipes:



Sativa Bread (Reformhaus Mueller 6.90chf)
sesame seeds, nutty (walnuts, strong grain smell, salty flavour, carrot shreads, like a rye bread, bitter, soft

Dinkel Bread (Globus 4.80chf)
sesame and kummel seeds. oats on top, similar to pumpernickel, heavy flavour

Para Bread (Globus 5.20 chf)
lighter bread, soft, balanced flavour, full grain

Pretzel Bread (Globus 4chf)
like a pretzel, very salty, doesn't stay fresh for long

Chappati
whole grain wrap

Soft Tortilla Wrap

NOTE: These recipes are for those without sandwich presses. If you're lucky enough to have one, than place all ingredients together between bread/ wrap and press.

______________________________________________________________________



Jambon Buerre
2 tbsp of Knorr Curry Sauce (can use curried butter or mayo)
2 slices of Herbed Ham
1 pretzel bread

Cut bread in half and spread sauce on both sides or butter only one side. Add ham. Close sandwich and eat

_____________________________________________________________________



Ham & Cheese
1 Chappati wrap
Honey dijon mustard
2 slices of Herbed Ham
Bree or camenbert or Emmental (Swiss) cheese

On low-med heat, heat chappati in pan on both sides until warm but not toasted. Quickly spread dijon on chappati. Next place cheese on chappati for one min. Remove from pan to flat surface. Add ham, roll wrap and EAT

______________________________________________________________________



Pear, Star fruit & Blue Cheese
2 slices of Sativa or Dinkel brot
1/2 Pear or canned pears
Blue cheese, strong
Star fruit (sliced thin)
1 tsp Butter

Heat pear & star fruit in a pan with butter for about 1 min. Place blue cheese on slightly toasted bread
Add pear & star fruit to bread and close sandwich.

______________________________________________________________________



Piadine Romana (proscuitto, pecorino & rucola)
Soft Tortilla Wrap
20gr Proscuitto or Coppa Parma
Pecorino , thinly sliced not grated
Rucola

Heat wrap in pan until warm. Then add pecorino heat for 30secs. Remove from heat. Add ham and rucola then fold.

______________________________________________________________________



Peppercorn Bacon & Egg
Parabrot or Wrap
2 omega-3 eggs
1 tbsp honey
Red pepper corn, crushed
3 strips of Bauernspeck or Cooking bacon
Chives, chopped

Heat honey and pepper in pan. Then add bacon and cook until brown on both sides. Remove
In another pan scramble eggs. Once done, place eggs on toasted bread or wrap. Add bacon on top of egg and garnish with chives. Close and EAT.

______________________________________________________________________



CLEBT (cheese, lettuce, egg, bacon & tomato)
Chappati
Bacon
Rucola or Nuss salad
Cherry Tomatos (thinly sliced)
Emmental or Parmegan
Omega-3 Egg
Paprika mayo

Cook bacon and scramble egg seperately. Then heat chappati in a flat, dry pan. Place cheese on chappati for 1 min (until slightly melted) and remove from heat. Layer: egg, rucola/nuss salad, tomato slices and bacon onto chappati and cheese. Lastly, wrap and EAT

______________________________________________________________________



Antipasti
Parabrot or Whole wheat pita
Grilled red or yellow peppers soaked in olive oil
Sundried tomatoes
Grilled eggplants
Pesto
Truffle salami (Migros Selection series)

Spread pesto on one side of bread and layer : peppers, truffle salami, eggplants and sundried tomatoes.
Close and ENJOY.


For ALL the portable eats...

    VINI VERGANI recommends: Chianti classico DOCG Riserva Ducale 2005, 37.5 cl
    Producer: Tenimenti Ruffino, Pontassieve, 85% Sangiovese, 15% Colorino / Cab. Sauvignon / Merlot
    Degustation notes: Brilliant ruby red color, evolved and ripe nose. The flavor is rich, complex and elegant. Full body with a balanced finish and beautiful integrated tannins.





CHIRASHI SUSHI


photo: masak-masak ; recipe: a. hagan

Chirashi literally means scattered. This is a great lunch box/ picnic food. It is sushi for people who don’t want to spend the time meticulously rolling delicate fillings into perfect tubes. You will found chirashi sushi in train stations platforms all over Japan either in lunch boxes for workers or packaged for picnics.
 
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked sushi rice
3 to 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/2 medium carrot
6 green beans
1 green onion
1 sheet nori (seaweed)
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry
1/2 cup dashi (Japanese stock), or substitute for chicken broth
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
  
1. Slice the mushrooms, carrot, and green beans into matchstick julienne or thin shreds. (Be sure to remove and discard the tough shiitake stems.)
2. Slice the green onions (white and green parts) on the diagonal, about 1/4-inch wide; set aside.
3. Cut the nori into thin shreds, about 3/4-inch long. (Scissors work best for this.)
4. In a small saucepan, heat together the soy sauce, sugar, sake, and dashi until just simmering. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and green beans. Cook on high until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
5. Beat the eggs with the salt and sugar. Lightly grease a nonstick pan and heat on medium. Pour in just enough egg mixture to coat the pan, swirling to cover the surface. Cook until set. Slide the cooked egg onto a cutting board. Roll into a cigar-shaped cylinder and cut across into thin shreds. Repeat with remaining egg mixture.
6. Mix the rice with half of the soy mixture and shredded vegetables, half the nori, and half the shredded egg. (A chopstick mixes the ingredients well without mashing them.) Lightly press the rice into bowls or spread on a serving platter. Top with the remaining ingredients, finishing with a sprinkling of nori and the sliced green onions. Serve at room temperature.

Variations are endless: try crab, tuna (fresh or canned), cooked shrimp, water chestnuts, spinach, peas, asparagus, snow peas, or even teriyaki chicken shreds.


  • VINI VERGANI recommends: Prosecco Brut Alexander, 37.5 cl
    Producer: Sandro Bottega, Bibano di Godega Sant'Urbano, 100% Prosecco
    Degustation notes: An exquisite sparkling wine with a straw yellow color and a pleasant, vigorous body of tannin. It obtains it's sophistication by being consumed within the first year





    GASTRO REVIEW-- SALUMERIA ROSI


    written by: merrill stubbs ; photos: nancy jo iacoi


    SALUMERIA ROSI
    283 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023
    212-877-4800

    www.salumeriarosi.com

    It seems that nearly every day witnesses the demise of yet another New York dining establishment. So when a restaurant not only dares to open its doors during a financial crisis and manages to attract a loyal following within weeks, it’s clear that someone must be doing something right. Occupying a modest storefront on the Upper West Side, new local hotspot Salumeria Rosi has managed to spin the current economic slump to its advantage, joining the ranks of unpretentious neighborhood eateries offering simple & sophisticated fare.

    Salumeria Rosi is the shared brainchild of chef Cesare Casella and the Rosi family, owners of Parmacotto, a well-respected salumi producer based in Parma, Italy. Inspired by the famed Cantarelli near Busseto, Casella (whose previous restaurants have been large scale operations) dreamt for years of opening a neighborhood salumeria. When a friend introduced him to Alessandro Rosi at dinner one evening, all of a sudden that dream seemed within reach. Casella describes this first interaction as an unforeseen meeting of the minds: “For two hours, we were talking about pigs, salumi. I knew about Parmacotto, but I didn’t realize who I was talking to.”

    Casella recognized quickly that his knowledge of the New York market and the Rosi family’s expertise in the pork department made for a winning combination. Shortly after a visit to Parma, the new business partners signed a contract and got to work. About six months later, Casella closed up shop at his other New York restaurant, Maremma, to devote all of his time to Salumeria Rosi. “I started to see that there was a conflict,” he explains. “The idea of the salumeria was bigger.”

    Casella wanted to reinvent a traditional salumeria, the ubiquitous grocery-cum-café where Italians go for their regular supply of cured meats, often sticking around for an informal bite and a chiacchierata, or chat. To this end, two glass cases at the front display a gorgeous selection of Parmacotto meats – along with cheeses, dried beans, prepared food and other grocery items. A cluster of small tables at the back (there are 35 seats total) offers diners a place to sit and nibble, choosing from a range of small plates averaging about $7.

    “We wanted to keep the Italian spirit,” says Casella about Dante Ferretti’s interior design scheme, which is both whimsical and modern: lots of mirrors, dim lighting, and an extraordinary Dali-esque scultpture sprawling across the ceiling. And, lest you become distracted by all of this style and momentarily forget why you are here, whole legs of Parmacotto prosciutto flank the entire left wall of the restaurant.

    According to Casella, about fifty percent of the menu is devoted to signature dishes like his Insalata Pontormo (a salad of soft, herbed scrambled eggs, pancetta and greens), while the other half consists of newer items. During a recent impromptu lunch at the bar, we ate Risotto alla Milanese, tinted a deep goldenrod yellow from a healthy dose of saffron, fairly glistened with butter, while a breadcrumb-encrusted cauliflower gratin revealed the subtle tang of vinegar. A special salumi offering, cinghiale (wild boar) sausage was both garlicky and intensely meaty. The wine list is small but carefully chosen, and with the exception of a few Champagnes, exclusively Italian. There are ten wines offered by the glass, most of which are under $10.

    Casella calls the response so far “fantastic,” admitting that if things continue to go well, there are tentative plans to open additional locations. I for one would not be surprised if sometime in the near future, while wandering the streets of Soho or Greenwich Village, I were to stumble upon another wine-colored awning inscribed with the words “Salumeria Rosi Due.”



    Insalata di Uova e Carne Secca del Pontormo
    (Adapted from Salumeria Rosi)
    Serves 1

    1 Tablespoon olive oil
    2 1/2 ounces pancetta, diced
    1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
    1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped marjoram
    1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped thyme
    2 eggs
    1 ounce mesclun or other soft lettuces, cut into 3/4-inch strips
    1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
    1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    Salt
    Freshly ground black pepper

    1. 1. Combine the oil, pancetta, and herbs in a small skillet over low heat. Cook to render some of the fat from the pancetta but do not brown.
    2. 2. Crack the eggs into a bowl but do not whisk. Pour the eggs into the pan with the pancetta and cook, stirring over medium-low heat with a rubber spatula, until they are lightly scrambled and still very soft. Remove pan from the heat to keep the eggs from overcooking and season with salt and pepper.
    3. 3. In a bowl, toss the lettuce with the vinegars. Add the eggs and toss again. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

    4. VINI VERGANI recommends: Salice Salentino DOC Riserva 2004, 37.5 cl
      Producer: Leone de Castris, Salice, 90% Negroamaro, 10% Malvasia Nera
      Degustation notes: Intense violet and ruby red, expressive nose with a note of common herbs. With a whole substance in it's attempt. A bit sweetish with a great fruit and structure and a lasting finish





    DecorATE


    photos: m. charles


    who says a packed lunch has to look like... a packed lunch? it's all in the presentation.
    look stylish while eating on a park bench or impress a friend with lunch for two with a few simple touches.

    stylish white boxes- it's will look like you just came back from the patisserie. make sure to line the bottom with wax paper so that moisture won't seep through the box (zumstein.ch) accessorize the box with string or ribbon
    paper napkins - large billowy napkins that cover your full lap
    wax paper bags - can make even the most plain sandwich look deli bought.
    reusable plastic container with a clear lid- try to find a company that makes one with a malleable lid that can withstand 120F of heat.


    WHAT CAN YOU MAKE WITH... CHAMOMILE?

    image: m. charles



    • Poached Tilapia with Chamomile Tea Butter Sauce
      recipe: a. hagan
      Serves 4

      This dish is so simple yet satisfying. The sophisticated and flavorful sauce dress up even the most mild-flavored fish fillets. One of our favorites is tilapia. Serve with fresh green beans and rice.

    Ingredients:

    1/4 cup Orange juice
    10 Chamomile Herb Tea bags
    4 tablespoons unsalted Butter, softened
    Salt & White pepper to taste
    4 Tilapia fillets, or any white fish
    Minced flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

    Instructions:

    Bring the orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat, add 6 of the 10 tea bags, infuse for 4 minutes, then remove them to a small strainer and using the back of a spoon, press to extract as much tea as possible back into the saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn off the heat and whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat.

    Pour 1/2-cup of water over the remaining 4 tea bags and infuse for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags, squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible. Butter a large flat, glass dish. Add the fish fillets in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the infused tea, cover with a glass lid or plastic wrap, and cook in microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove and let stand for 1 minute before transferring to plates.

    Spoon sauce over fish, sprinkle on parsley and serve. 

    1. VINI VERGANI recommends: Roero Arneis DOCG 2007
      Producer: Mauro Sebaste, Fz. Galla, 100% Arneis
      Degustation notes: Light yellow color, a enticing note of apple, blooming acacia and honey. A great freshness and balance on the palate, with a vinous tannin.




    _____________________________________________________________________


    Tea
    recipe: m. charles


    ... sorry, couldn't think of anything for this one.




    WARE TO BUY

    photos: (L) the anti-theft lunchbag ; (R) built nyc


    If you were never good at sharing your food or you just want to deter a thieving room mate/ co-worker, then invest in The Anti- Theft Lunch Bag. When you purchase a package of 25, 5% of the proceeds will be donated to Freedom From Hunger


    the. products -- the anti-theft lunch bag



    Keeping the theme of portable eating in mind, try insulated chic lunch totes made by BUILT. Made from wetsuit material, so their are machine washable and they store flat.. and they look good too.


    www.builtny.com