Il Pollo Dorato - Golden Chicken:

This is one of the best sellers at Al Vedel. This recipe for fried chicken has been in the Bergonzi family for the past five (now going on six) generations. It is a very simple recipe - dredge in flour, shake off the excess, dip in beaten eggs (seasoned with salt), and shallow fry to golden brown. You get a light crisp that does not overshadow the wonderful flavor of the chicken.

The secret to its goodness is really fresh chicken, which is then not overcooked. We get the chickens whole and break them down ourselves into portions that are really easy to eat, like boneless pieces, but still have the bones and thus all the flavor (unlike boneless pieces).

Just how fresh are the chickens? They might even have a few feather quills attached to the skin, they haven't leaked any of the juices out of the flesh, and they have no smell whatsoever.

Here is Matteo Bersellini, one of the nicest people with which you can work. And a pretty darn good chef, too. This picture pretty much sums him up - I was taking pics of this wedding celebration dessert arrangement, and he snuck into the frame.

Matteo grew up in this area near Parma, had his culinary training here, so he knows the roots and traditions of Parmigiano cuisine. When I started my internship at Al Vedel, it was at his station, the Secondi, which is the equivalent of what we call The Main Course. And even though chef Enrico has the last say of the menu choices, Matteo designs all the secondi plates, staying true to their respective traditions.

To say that Matteo is a pretty cool dude is a gross understatement. In fact, he is actually pretty goofy. He is also cool as a cucumber, even under fire. Even in the middle of a very busy dinner service, he will be singing (softly, of course) whatever is on his brain.

Which can be any number of tunes.

Now when you are The New Guy as I was, you are at least somewhat reserved, if not outright nervous, at the beginning. But on my first day, having my head down while focused on cleaning beef or fish or whatever I was doing at that time, I suddenly heard the theme to The Flintstones!!!?????!!!! I looked over, and there was Matteo whistling this as he worked. I knew right then and there that I could get along really well with this guy. Since then I've heard quite a number of other things out of him, ranging from rock of the 70's to the 90's, reggae, and even Boy George (oh, the horror!) but at heart he is bluesman and a headbanging rock star wannabe. So yeah, he is really cool....

And when I am finished here at Al Vedel, I will make a compilation: The Greatest Hits of Matteo Bersellini.....

This is chef Enrico Bergonzi, who rules supreme over his kitchen. Watch him make Tortelli :

(Kids, don't try this at home....)



He's not even breathing.....

....Intro....

Well, I have been in Italy for almost seven months now, and after going through two rounds of computer problems (and I'll spare you the details) ....

Yay!!!! A blog! This will serve as my journal to remember the experiences of my internship near Parma, and I'll also be recalling the highlights of my school term in Jesi, Le Marche, as well as other travels. Oh, do feel free to reply however you wish to my musings....

(Click me....)

Thus far, I've been through 10 weeks of school, and 5 months of internships. I've lived in three different places in Italy, and traveled to a bunch more. I've picked olives, been to a cheese festival, a balsamic vinegar exposition, and a dessert/gelato/chocolate/bread expo. I've learned tons about food in Italy, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Yet what seems like tons is but a tiny drop. There is so much more. And I'm not yet done.

There is too much to write about, but I hope to catch everything, a bit at a time.

Enjoy!!!
Ciao!

JF

Trattoria Al Vedel

It doesn't look much from the front, and the name is even more unassuming.

Fom very humble beginnings at the end of the 18th century, Trattoria Al Vedel ( http://www.alvedel.it/ ) has been the centerpiece of the Bergonzi family, and has evolved from a general store to one of the most traditional and yet progressive restaurants in the Parma region.

This is the site of my current internship. I have been working here since the end of January, and I am loving it. The hours are long, and so is the work, but it is good work - lots of learning and lots of practice - exactly what I have been expecting.

If you were a diner here, this is a little of what you would see:

The dining room... (Click me...)

The Cantina (Wine Room)...

One of the "Natural Resources" of this restaurant is their very own Culatello. In fact, nearly all the salumi (cured meats) that are served here are made here. Culatello is arguably the King of Salumis (and I have no doubt that fistfights will start over this argument). But one bite may have you converted.

I'll write about Culatello in another post, as it deserves its own time. But for now, enjoy this thought: a thin slice of Culatello, butter from the same milk that produces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on a slice of freshly baked bread, leaving you with an incredibly sweet saltiness and a delicately silken chew.

(Click me!!)

This is a collection of the salumis at Al Vedel: Culatello, prosciutto, salami.... Yummmm...

The Cheese Trolley - more on this later. For now, you cheese crazies will just have to wait ...

(Click me....)

And here are some of the main courses (Secondi in Italiano). I start with these because my internship started at this station.

Lamb... Hmmmmmmm........

Guancia (Veal Cheek) - braised until you can cut it with a spoon...

Strisce di Seppia (Strips of Cuttlefish) - this is a lot like squid...

I'll go more into these dishes later...

But now I gotta eat my lunch!!!!

Stay Tuned!!!!!