Efisio Farris : Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Here is a book that beckons travel in a beguiling way – Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey: The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia (Rizzoli 2007) by Efisio Farris sets out to be the kind of cookbook that will establish a regional cuisine in America. It explores the culture, the history, and the unusual traditions that form the backdrop of Sardinian rural life. The photographs by Laurie Smith and Rohan Van Twest compliment the text – showing the countryside, coasts and stunning stone towns of the island. What sets Sardinian cuisine apart are exactly those ingredients that are largely not yet available in America. Look hard for them – for these are interesting recipes. Even when substitutes are available, the recipes, photos and descriptions of Sardinian cuisine demand the real thing. The author has his own online shop selling some of the most difficult to find like Fregula, the Sardinian version of couscous, a legacy of the Moors is served in Soup of Fregula with Baby Clams (p. 67) flavored with garlic, saffron and tomatoes. For many of the interesting appetizers, you'll have to find Sardinian Bottarga, a dried grey mullet fish roe. It appears in Fennel and Crabmeat Salad with Bottarga (p. 31) and Calamari Stuffed with Ricotta and Bottarga (p. 35). The book is filled with excellent seafood dishes as well as pork and beef – some made with the unusual heritage Red Cow of Sardinia, il bue rosso (p. 172). The bitter honey of the title is another important and unusual ingredient in Roasted Cheese with Pane Carasu and Bitter Honey (p. 76) The pane (bread) has a lyrical name: Pane Carasau or Sardinian Music Bread. It is a thin, puffed bread (p. 22) almost like a pita. Bitter honey is another Sardinian specialty: Bitter honey is made from the flowers of the codbezzolo, or strawberry tree, which grow wild along Sardinia's coast and mountain valleys. As children, we used to grab the white bell-shaped flowers from the trees and suck out the uniquely flavored pollen. Of course, we had to dodge the bees to do it. (p. 229) The honey appears again in Sweet Ravioli with Bitter Honey (p. 236) in which the pasta is filled with sheep's milk ricotta. This is a stunning book to read and cook from. Efsio Farris owns two restaurants – Arcodoro in Houston and Arcodoro & Pomodoro in Dallas – but his cookbook is a call to explore Sardinia at home and on the island. Previous articles: [Cookbook reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef