Palmabella's Passions

I slept in until 7:30, and after breakfast, Brad and I went to visit Mauro and Silvanna at Le Case Gialle. We got the last few bottles of this year's olive oil and had a nice visit. On the way home, we learned that it is not a good idea to walk in a sunflower field the morning after a brief thunder shower, as you can sink ankle deep in mud.

More sunflowers to come...

We returned to Genius Loci for a wine tasting. I will do a whole blog on that when we get home.

Judith arrived, and Brad and I were her kitchen helpers for the day. She brought a carload of equipment from her home, as well as all the supplies to cook us a fabulous dinner. Brad and I became duck pluckers! Judith butchered three ducks, I washed and plucked, but Brad really did the majority of plucking, while Judith started the sauce. It takes quite a while to pluck three ducks. Brad was hoping he was almost done, but we kept bringing him more!

I prepped red peppers to roast and cut luscious tomatoes and garlic for Judith's tomato salad. Judith prepared a cous cous filling for zucchini flowers, prepped a gorgeous dessert, and made pasta dough.

Brad kneaded most of the dough, and Les learned how to knead "until it feels like your earlobe".

Judith showed me how to roll and cut pappardelle while she seasoned the simmering duck sauce and stuffed the zucchini blossoms. I made a mountain of pasta strips by hand (think I'll stick with my kitchen aid quick version at home). I "massaged" the duck breasts with honey (rubbing it in to the scored skin), then coated it with Judith's special mixture of seasonings.

The table was set beautifully by Michael, Mary joined us and we were all drooling with the scents coming from the kitchen. The chef and helpers were extremely warm in the hot kitchen, but we managed to survive with wine and some of Judith's gorgonzola scones to much on.

At 7:30, Judith presented us with her fabulous dinner!

Dinner was amazing. We began with zucchini blossoms stuffed with a cous cous mixture.

Next we enjoyed the delicious pappardelle with anatra sauce.

After lots of pasta, we savored the crispy honey duck breasts with roasted red peppers, tomato salad and Pugliese bread.

Dessert was a fudgie chocolate torta with coffee gelato, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

While our expectations were high, we couldn't have been more pleased and delighted with our wonderful chef's dinner. Grazie Judith! Check out Judith's website.