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 | Zucchini season has begun, and in Italy this is cause for celebration on several fronts: First of all we have sun-ripened (as opposed to hothouse) zucchini, which are wonderful prepared in all manner of ways. And secondly because with zucchini come zucchini blossoms, beautiful yellow flowers that are simply fantastic fried. Indeed, many people prefer the blossoms to the zucchini themselves. | |
Zucchini!
Zucchini were, in the past, the quintessential Italian summer vegetable: Tiny, flavorful baby zucchini and their flowers would appear in the markets in mid-spring, to be joined by larger zucchini by early summer, and all three remained a fixture of the Italian table throughout the rest of the summer months.
In many ways the situation is unvaried today; though hothouses have made zucchini available year-round, those that ripen during the summer are much more flavorful than the force-grown varieties. Some ideas:
| Fiori di zucca, or zucchini (and squash) blossoms!
My favorite way of enjoying zucchini blossoms is dipped in batter and fried, because the crunchy saltiness of the crisp golden batter beautifully complements the sweetness of the flower itself, without overshadowing the flower's delicate flavor. This link leads to background and a simple recipe that supposedly will serve about 6, though in my experience it's being optimistic.
| While we're on the subject of vegetables...
Many summer vegetables take very well to being stuffed. The heading link leads to a page of suggestions, and here are a few personal favorites:
| Summer Fruit
My favorite summer dessert is a ripe peach, sliced into a glass of red wine and then eaten by spearing the slices with the tip of the knife. A bit rustic, perhaps, but very good. There are other options too that will look nicer if you have guests over. For example:
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