4. Warm borlotti bean & arugula salad - Italy
Italians know how to make simple, delicious
cooking seem effortless, and that's the philosophy that Rachel Roddy, who blogs
at Rachel Eats (racheleats.wordpress.com), follows. While it's not unusual to
find her computer covered in specks of semolina flour-Rachel rolls her own
pasta-she is more often inspired by the pristine seasonal ingredients at Rome's
local markets, such as zucchini blossoms and fresh ricotta..
Warm
borlotti bean & arugula salad
A fave ingredient: Borlotti Beans
Also called cranberry beans, these legumes
taste like a nuttier pinto bean. Try them to in soups, pasta dishes,
and salads, or braised as a side. Late summer to fall, you can find fresh beans
at farmers' markets in the U.S.
Price: $5.50 for 16 ounces of dried beans,
ranchogordo.com;
Price: $3.59 for a 15-ounce can,
goitalygourmet.com
5. Stuffed piquillo peppers - Spain
When California girl Erin Ridley visited
Madrid on vacation, she fell as hard for the country's less-is-more food
philosophy as she did for the Spanish man she eventually married. Now living in
that city, she chronicles her enthusiasm for real Spanish omelets, cured meats,
and the country's famous white wine, albariño-on her blog, La Tortuga Viajera,
or "The Traveling Turtle" (latortugaviajera.com).
Stuffed
piquillo peppers
A fave ingredient: Piquillo Peppers
Thin-skinned, sweet, and smoky, these
jarred peppers are a great pantry staple to have on hand for tapas, the
traditional Spanish “small plates.”
Price: $13.50 for a seven-ounce jar
Website: tienda.com
6. lavender-citrus polenta cake - Holland
Every neighborhood in Holland, says Claire
Twestern, has several bakeries, each known for its signature confection. As the
pastry chef at Talula's Table (talulastable.com) in Kennett Square,
Pennsylvania, she draws inspiration from her home country but offsets her love
of sweets with an active lifestyle, including biking, "a very Dutch mode
of transportation."
lavender-citrus
polenta cake
A fave ingredient: Almond Flour
High in protein and gluten-free, it's the
key ingredient in many of Holland's famous pastries, and it's also a nutritious
swap for any cooking or baking application.
Price: $10 per pound
Website: abesmarket.com
