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ITALY IN A GLASS – MAKE YOUR OWN PESCHE AL VINO ROSSO

August 19, 2014 · Edible DC

Italy in a glass: Make-your-own Pesche al Vino Rosso After a Pick-Your-Own Trip to Homestead Farm

by Giacomo Abrusci

I just rolled back from Homestead Farm in Poolesville, MD, a mere 45 minutes from downtown DC, where every variety of peach is now at its peak. Even if you didn’t make it to Puglia, Italy this summer, you can still drink like you are there when you have a freshly-picked peck of peaches. While it’s true that southern Italy is not famous for wine-based sangria, the fruit is literally dripping off the trees there during the summer months, perfect for soaking in your favorite red wine.

My uncle Giovanni will exclusively use nectarines, while my sister Angela will usually choose the juiciest peach in the house. So grab some delicious fresh summer tree fruit and follow my lead tonight: before you start to prepare dinner, roughly chop two to three ripe pitted peaches or nectarines, drown them in a pitcher of red wine, and throw it into the fridge. Thirty minutes to an hour later — or whenever you’re ready to eat, because this fruity concoction only gets better with time — pull out your chilled wine and pour yourself a heavy glass.

Settle in and enjoy your dinner while nursing your peach-infused wine and finish off the evening with a few pieces of drunken fruit for dessert. Give it a try now while the trees are still loaded with ripe fruit, bursting with flavor!

You can visit Homestead Farm several months out of the year to pick your own produce, from spring berries to pumpkins.

quinoa cookies

Y'all know I love my quinoa and holy frijoles, these cookies are fantastic.  A coworker just brought me this gluten free and vegan delight. See her ingredients above then she said: 1.) 350 degrees 2.) milk + flax to sit then add oil + sugar + vanilla 3.) flours + spices (powders) 4.) flakes + apricots + almonds (chunks) 5.) bake for 10-12 minutes

The best treat ever

Late night waffles.  Save this for a cold and rainy Saturday night where you just want to have some fun in the kitchen and vege-out.  I'm not going to bother with a waffle recipe because that's not my department. I just fry the bacon.  Dig out or toss together your favorite mix, throw it in the waffle iron, pour a nice bottle of wine, get your bacon and maple syrup out and HEAVEN.  

REPOST: Chocolate Tamales

I had a work conference in Denver a week ago and surprisingly the Marriott had some fantastic food.  I generally don't have much of a sweet tooth unless it comes to fresh fruit but OMG, they had chocolate coconut tamales. They were so good I couldn't stop eating them!!!!  I've since been on the search for a suitable recipe so I can recreate them at home.  I THINK this is the closest: http://cookinginmexico.com/tag/chocolate-tamales/ CHECK IT OUT!!!

watermelon kebabs

What a fun, easy and brainless idea!  I saw this at the White House on the 4th of July but this is the perfect dessert or snack any time of year.   There's bound to be lots of scraps that don't make it on the skewer but just toss them in the blender and add a little vodka and serve over ice for a watermelon cooler cocktail! 

REPOST: rainbow cupcake... i like these better

I like these better than the last post.  This girl is ridiculous though. 

REPOST: rainbow cake

Interesting idea and fun for a ton of occasions.  Flip through it to get a better idea cause it's kinda annoying to listen to this guy talk. I can smell the milwaukee's best on his breath. 

snow and syrup

This is quite possibly one of the funnest desserts you can make ESPECIALLY when you're snowed in.  Literally just [clean & fresh] snow and syrup.  Traditionally we would use vino cotto, which is a syrup we make from boiling grape juice just as it starts to ferment but before you get wine, but feel free to use regular maple syrup, chocolate syrup, or anything you would normally put on ice cream OR if you got throw on a vanilla or camel flavor shot like you're at Starbucks.

DRINK: blackberry rum

So a month or 2 ago I went with Lita, Vic and a couple friends to Homestead Farms in Virginia to go peach and berry picking.  Tons of fun.  Great relaxing day, you get to picnic, get a hotdog if that's how you roll and just chill in the sun.  Well, we got so many blackberries I wasn't sure what to do with them since pie isn't really my thing.  I ate a bunch, smoothied even more, froze a huge tupperware, and with the rest I divided them into mason jars pack with a washed lemon rind and half a cup of sugar.  Once they're all packed in fill the remaining space with white rum.  Close tightly and refrigerate for at least 2-3 weeks occasionally  turning the jar upside down and right sight up again to help dissolve the sugar. This soon becomes an amazing treat as the blackberries swell with alcohol and the rum turns dark purple.  Try couple spoons of this over vanilla ice cream.  mmmmMMMM

you need a dessert but dont want to be fat

So you need a dessert but dont want to be fat.  Stop by the store and get one of everything.  A plum, a peach a, bunch of grapes, a mango and a pack of berries.  Bring it home, wash dry and chop everything appropriately then toss with a couple leaves of mint, a teaspoon or 2 of raw sugar (only if you really want it), and either lemon juice or try a shot of Sambuca or Anisette.  Serve in a chilled wine glass and your good to go.  No worries about spending an hour baking or serving something completely unhealthy.  Don't underestimate fruit.

berries and cream

A decadent way to enjoy your summer berries- choose the ripest ones in season, divide them among 4 or 5 wine glasses then in a separate mixing bowl add a small carton of whipping cream and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk the cream and sugar by hand for maybe 2-3 minutes until it JUST thickens and comes to a peak. If the texture starts to change and it get a bit gritty stop cause you went a little too far but its still fine. Pour over the berries, garnish with mint and refrigerate for an hour or two till you're ready to serve.

granita di caffe

This is one of my mother's favorite summer treats. She makes a pot of espresso, let it cool a bit then pour it in a large glass or bowl and sticks it in the freezer. You can add a little sugar if you like but the bitter coffee is just so refreshing in the heat. My mother says that basically every time she remembers (every 15, 20, minutes or so) she takes out the espresso and stirs it with a fork. Continue to do this over the course of preparing brunch or dinner, and by the time youre ready for dessert you have a perfect granita di caffe (which sounds mush better than a coffee slushy). My cousin Toscia varies her method of preparation by pouring her espresso in a bottle and in the freezer and vigorously shakes that every 25 minutes or so. It's fun to garnish your granita with some vanilla or hazelnut gelato, or maybe even a chocolate covered coffee bean but any way you do it, this becomes a perfect dessert after a great meal.