Na Pascha Arriva – Final Menu

Easter 2009 is just around the corner, and with vendors lined up, we move forward with the menu as follows (not much has changed):

>Pani Pasquali
Easter Breads and Pies

This year, our guest of honor is making *Casatiello,* a traditional Neapolitan savory bread. I am making a *Triccia ai Racine Secche*, a braided egg bread that straddles sweet and salty, like so much Sicilian food. And a *Pizza Chena*, or “Ham Pie” in the cilentano style, with fresh basket cheese and smoked ham. Plus, time permitting, I will make Mrs La Puma’s pepper and anise seed rolls… mmmmmmmmmmm.

>Ravioli di Fave
Fava Ravioli with Sheep’s Milk Ricotta

A little departure from the Sicilian method here to something a little more mainstream, but sheep’s milk ricotta is really something else.

>Gamba D’agnello Cacio e Uova
Leg of Lamb with Eggs and Cheese

Just like we had [last year](http://omnivorousfish.com/node/311). Good, but no goat.

>Pastiera Napoletana
Neapolitan Easter Grain Pie

Again, from Anna, who will show me what-for in the grain pie department.

>Granita di Limone
Eureka Lemon Granita

But what lemons… thank you Robin!

>Agnellini Pasquali
Marzipan Easter Lambs

On the fence about this, but I’m going to take a stab at a couple of simple ones. Work my way up to making my own plaster molds…

It takes a village to make ravioli

Today I was up in Sicily-like Simi Valley, visiting Robin and Terry and Stella and Lola and Frodo. Relax, Frodo is a chao-corgi mix. Lola is a very stately older retriever mix and Stella is my doll: a bright, peppy young Blue Heeler. (Robin and Terry are Homo Sapiens.)

We dug around in the garden for a while looking for dinner. Since we decided on making Swiss chard ravioli, we had to dig up the makings of [caponata](http://omnivorousfish.com/node/66), so we had something to snack on.

But the boogie prize goes to the six and a half pounds of gorgeous favas that we thinned out of Robin’s winter cover crop. A close second are the bowls full of softball-sized lemons and red, succulent *morri*, Sicilian blood oranges.

Robin’s garden is a little bit mad scientist, with rows this way and that, but also patches of this here and a thatch of that there, making it nearly impossible to step anywhere without killing a seedling, but coming up with a beautiful, biodiverse garden that is the envy of… well, of me, at least.

One step closer to fava ravioli…

Si Se Puede!

OMFG, we did it! There is going to be a [kitchen garden on the white house lawn](http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2009/03/white_house_kitchen_garden.html)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m not a naturally positive person, but I try, and try hard to look for the good in things. And as much as I have never been a follower, it fills me with great joy and pride that America finally, again, has a leader.

Listening: Somewhat coincidentally: “Every Breath You Take” The Police Synchronicity

Trader Joe’s Goes [More] Protectionist

Trader Joe’s- the Wal Mart of health food stores- after a long relationship with the best widely available flour in North America- is stripping king arthur from the shelves in favor of a new TJ-branded flour.

Nevermind the fact that King Arthur has been the go-to flour for serious home and commercial bakers for umpteen years, nevermind that it was products like King Arthur Flour that put TJ on the map to begin with. Trader Joe’s has closed the supply chain and limited the availability of an American-made quality product, just like its big brother, Wal Mart.

In a very sweet and non-offensive way, PJ Hamel gently flipped TJ’s the bird by besting some of their processed baked goods with [a little number of her own](http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/03/02/say-it-aint-so-joes/).

I would **much** rather eat PJ’s cookies.

Listening: “Lola” Chris Smither Train Home