La Diva Cucina: December 2008

Holidaze Breakfast!

La Diva has hungry holiday house guests in her Miami Beach digs and was wondering what to serve for a special Christmas breakfast for them?

Panettone. You know, darling, that wonderful brioche-style sweet Italian Christmas bread with the raisins, chocolate pieces and candied orange zest? In Italy, panettone is served traditionally at Christmas dinner with sweet drinks such as Asti Spumante, Moscato D'asti or sometimes Amaretto.

But one year many Christmases ago, La Diva ended up with too many panettones in the pantry! So, what to do with all the lovely treats? Make french toast of course! Yep, for a decadent, once-a-year breakfast, get yourself a panettone from the grocery store. The bread is quite dense and rich so you only need one large slice per person for a filling portion.

Take the bread out of the packaging and remove the casing paper. Slice thin and cut into manageable pieces, about two or three per slice. Beat together eggs, whole milk, a dash of vanilla and cinnamon and stir. Then, carefully dip bread into egg and get to lightly frying in a skillet with melted butter. Cook patiently over a medium heat, all the sugar and fruit, etc. in the bread means it will burn easily, so pay attention. Keep cooked bread warm in a 220 degree oven wrapped in foil until you have enough to serve each guest. Serve with warmed maple syrup and powdered sugar along with sides of sausage and freshly sliced juicy oranges. Mmmmmmm.....

La Diva's panettone french toast is a special DIVALICIOUS treat for special guests on a special day, so enoy!!

NOTE: Panettone french toast also makes a lovely New Year's Day breakfast or nice addition to the brunch table.

Possibilities

La Diva is compiling recipes and ideas for a new class for the New Year and would love some feedback! Anything my darlings would like to learn in the New Year? Here are some ideas I'm considering:

Thai One On? I've got some fabulous recipes for easy Thai cooking with everything purchased from the local grocery!

Valentines Day for singles! Why should couples get all the fun?

Moroccan Dinner party....no genie required for a bit of Moroccan magic! Don't worry, all classes will be paired with the proper libations! (of course!)

Send suggestions and feedback to: LaDivaCucina@gmail.com

Grazie!

As always, you can keep up on my videos, blog, photos and more at www.LaDivaCucina.com or www.myspace.com/ladivacucina

small bites, BIG DRINKS December 13 class

La Diva's class this past Saturday at La Cuisine Gourmet was fun! This time the class was girls only and we sure did enjoy those champagne mojitos, an upscale spin on the traditional mojito cocktail! My "small bites, BIG DRINKS" class will teach you everything you need to throw a fabulous cocktail party. The class will carry into season next year and will be conducted once a month. Hey, just because Christmas is over in December doesn't mean the parties stop in Miami during high season! So, please check my website for dates and location in the New Year! (Can't wait til then? La Diva will host a private class for you and your friends...Just in time for New Year's! Drop me a line at LaDivaCucina@gmail.com)

On the Air: Holiday Tips from La Diva Cucina

La Diva was thrilled to do her first radio spot after her class on Saturday! Lorna Owens, entrepreneur, champion of women's causes, motivational speaker and businesswoman extraordinaire has a wonderful show on blog radio for her program "And the Women Gather" It's a girlfriend kind of show!

Listen as La Diva divulges her party secrets and gives tips on how to entertain FABULOUSLY for the holiday season and get the low down on what YOU can do to be a FABULOUS HOST! To forward to my segment, fast forward to about 17+. The show goes for a half hour, so click here and enjoy!

Art Basel

Did you enjoy the Art Basel parties (oh, and the art!) as much as La Diva did? I'm dizzy (and still exhausted!) just thinking about it! Here are a few fun pieces that I enjoyed from the Scope/ Art Asia tent! Of course, La Diva LOVES anything to do with food....!!

La Diva Demo @ Design Within Reach

Good times!

LA DIVA SUPPORTS HER LOCAL FARMERS

I'm excited! Last July I signed up for something interesting: a farm co-op! I pay a few hundred dollars in advance to the organic farmers in South Florida and they use the money to buy seeds to plant crops. When the crop is ready to harvest, I get the goods each week during growing season. The down side: If the crop fails, we all take the loss. The up side: I get to support local farms and eat locally produced organic fruits and vegetables each week grown at farms close by. I am helping subsidize the local farming community while eating farm fresh and organic produce! And, it teaches me to eat and cook only what's in season.

I pick up at a location on Miami Beach and this Saturday will be my fourth pick up. I get a "half-share" box which equates to a large bag of veggies and averages about $17 per half-share each week, much cheaper and fresher than what I'd get from the local organic grocer. And once a month I get a pound of organic, local honey. Divine!

The variety of vegetables is unusual and I'm trying food I've never had before! I have a black sapote, callaloo (a Caribbean green similar to kale) and some kind of Asian cabbage called pei tsai (that looks like a light green leaf lettuce) along with cucumbers, butternut squash, and avocado. The box comes with a helpful newsletter that describes the vegetables with photos and recipes. This is a great idea as it forces me to eat what's in season while I learn to enjoy new vegetables and fruit indigenous to Southern Florida. I'm going to read up on how to use these new veggies and fruits and keep you posted!

The sign up is over for this growing season but you can get more information for next season here.

You can also look at newsletters from years past, so you can get an idea of what you'll get in your box next year. In the meantime, La Diva would love any recipes or suggestions for black sapote and callaloo! Send it to LaDivaCucina@gmail.com.