According to a dictionary, anyone who has experienced an intense feeling of deep affection, or great pleasure in something, has experienced love. How it’s celebrated is as unique as the person expressing it.
The central holiday this month has some vague and loose history. Following some breadcrumbs starting in ancient Rome (think 5th century), some stories claim mid February was a time of wild pagan rituals celebrating spring and fertility. As time went on, February 14th was specifically selected to honor the Christian martyr St. Valentine.
Imaginative writers laid the foundation for much of what is seen today on Valentine’s Day. Shakespeare and others romanticized the holiday, and gave a softer notion to the celebration, beyond ritual and persecution, sprinkling it with deep, and sometimes passionate love. As popularity grew through literary works and throughout Europe, people began expressing their affection through handmade gifts and paper cards. Today, it is hard to miss the rich array of pink and red paper hearts all around us.
Beyond gifts and written words, a loving message can be sent through a smile, a kind tone, or perhaps a show of much needed support. Sitting with a friend or a loved one and actively listening, just letting that person be who they are and say anything, may be the purest expression of unconditional love.
And let’s not forget the food. What a clear and delicious way to show someone how loved they are (grandmothers have done this for generations). This month’s culinary adventure takes us beyond the sweet and irresistible mystery box of chocolates. The invitation is to travel back to where it all began. We’ll explore the enticing allure of a perfectly al dente pasta, dressed in a bright peppery and herby sauce, topped with perfectly salty aged local cheese, served alongside a creamy and crunchy baby greens salad, and paired with a punchy grape and strawberry wine. Fresh cherries for dessert make this meal a complete showstopper.
On a hill in Tuscany, surrounded by vineyards, in an ancient, thousand year old kitchen, there’s a beautiful, electric, and kind chef named Gian Luca. This cupid’s mission is to joyfully teach those who visit how to love, make, eat, and share amazing food together. In his tiny stucco kitchen, several people can tuck in together and engage in a delightful sequence of mixing perfectly milled semolina, with peppery olive oil, perfect sea salt and mineral rich water into the fluffiest dough and take turns kneading the dough together. Gian Luca, in what looks like a perfectly choreographed dance, guides the hands of the group into a perfect rhythm of rolling the rested dough into the thinnest spaghetti (called pici). He carries in fresh basil from his hillside garden, and when it’s blended with garlic and pungent cheese, the scent becomes more intoxicating than the Tuscan wine sipped along the way. Honestly, the whole thing feels like an opera. So, grab that bestie, loved one, or even treat yourself, to a lovely evening of taking the time and effort, to create an experience, from start to finish. Infuse the senses, the heart, and of course the soul, with what writer Leo Buscaglia calls ‘love’, the largest experience in life. (This pasta might be a close second). Enjoy this beautiful meal.
Pici with Pesto
Gian Luca's recipe using the finely ground semolina makes this pasta perfectly chewy and so satisfying.
Ingredients:
2 cups Semola Rimacinata (a fine milled semolina flour, can be purchased online)
¾ cup water
1 Tbs good Italian olive oil
1 tsp fine sea salt
Parmesan
Directions:
In a bowl, pour in flour. Make a well in the center. Add salt, water, and olive oil. Gently stir the ingredients together until they come together and empty onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Form into a nice ball, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes. On a clean surface, roll dough into a thin log and cut into 1 inch pieces. Roll each piece using both hands into long pasta strands (as thin as spaghetti). Keep long and mix with a little flour to keep from sticking together. Boil for 3 minutes in salted water. Toss with pesto and top with your favorite freshly grated parmesan.
Perfect Pesto
This recipe is kid approved. If your holiday meal includes kiddos, they will clean their plate. Gian Luca’s method for making this pesto is the easiest and comes out so creamy.
Ingredients:
¾ cup packed fresh basil leaves, no stems
1 cup good Italian extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 clove garlic
½ cup raw pine nuts
½ cup grated parmesan
Pinch good sea salt
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a tall glass container (a 4 cup mason jar works great for this). Blend with an immersion blender until well combined. Any extra will keep in the fridge for a few days, and in the freezer for several months. This is also great for dipping a fresh hot crusty bread. What’s not to love.