Honey, an ingredient as old as time, is a staple in many of our kitchens. The foodies in this country have explored the many varieties and flavours that local fauna produces through bee cultivation. And bringing all this in a concise and expansive way, is honoured chef, Angelo Prosperi-Porta in his book, Honey. https://www.facebook.com/angelo.prosperiporta
The beginning of this book provides the back story of bees, varieties, medicinal uses and of course recipes. And if you think honey is for desserts, albeit delectable ingredient, it can be used for so many savoury applications as well. We tried the Chicken Satay in our Recipe section. Chef Angelo provides a recipe for an appetizer – we went one step further and made kebabs for a full meal with garlic rice and mixed vegetables. Delicious!
I asked Chef Angelo what his favourite dish to serve family and friends is:
“My favourite dishes to cook are traditional dishes from home. Rabbit, Venison and seasonal pasta dishes. I am inspired by many of the old classic dishes from my family’s part of Italy; Lazio, the home of Rome.” He is currently working on his third book showcasing the origins of many of these dishes and his family history in Italy and Canada. We’ll be featuring Angelo’s first cookbook, Flavours of Coopers Cove Guesthouse soon but until then keep up with him on his social media page: https://www.instagram.com/chefangelo.p/
If you want to enjoy a culinary escape with Chef Angelo, he has been teaching classes in a Tuscan villa since 2006. Intrigued and want to go along? Here’s his enticing description of this foodie’s dream get away:
“My latest project is as group leader of a culinary tour to Lucca Tuscany. It’s a 7-day trip from June 24 to July 2 2022 where the group stays at a 16th century villa in the hills surrounding Lucca, known for its intact wall surrounding the old city and its foods. The trip includes 4 days of cooking classes and excursions to markets, restaurants and wine makers. An opportunity to taste and experience great wines of the region, classic and modern dishes and absorb some local culture. We still have a few spots available through https://followtuscany.com/ Go to the courses page and look for my name.” https://followtuscany.com/courses/2021-04-19-discover-tuscany%E2%80%99s-best-one-week-cooking-workshop-with-chef-angelo-prosperi-%E2%80%93-porta/
But back to honey and Angelo’s book on the subject. Many people don’t think they want all their cooking to be on the sweet side but as Angelo explains, all dishes need balance and sometimes adding a little honey puts the astringent and bolder flavours into perspective. Substituting honey for sugar can be a challenge and Chef Angelo holds your hand in avoiding rookie mistakes here. Then we explore the varieties of honey from the very mild semi-sweet to the bolder and heavier buckwheat type…each one bringing a different taste profile to dishes.
Head out to your local farmer’s markets and start exploring your local honey producers. Not sure where to start? Look in our Canadians + Food segment to learn about Beary Berry Honey and all they have to offer. Then go to our Giveaway section and enter to win a copy of this resourceful guide to all things honey!
Contents and images used with permission by Angelo Prosperi-Porta and Touchwood Editions. https://www.facebook.com/angelo.prosperiporta
