A farmer, a chef and a winemaker.: Convivium to be togheter

A farmer, a chef and a winemaker.: Convivium to be togheter: L'idea e' semplice , cercare con accurata conoscenza il prodotto e la provenienza,dopo di che con oculata professionalita' tra...

A farmer, a chef and a winemaker.: Convivium to be togheter

A farmer, a chef and a winemaker.: Convivium to be togheter: L'idea e' semplice , cercare con accurata conoscenza il prodotto e la provenienza,dopo di che con auculata professionalita' tr...

Convivium to be togheter

L'idea e' semplice , cercare con accurata conoscenza il prodotto e la provenienza,dopo di che con oculata professionalita' trasmomare la materia prima in un piatto appariscente e gustosissimo al palato.Fatto questo tutta l'attenzione va' riversata su i conviviali.
Sembra faciele ma il piu' delle volte non lo e'.
Oggi si vive in un mondo competitivo all'eccesso,ed esasperato dalla informazione mediatica assillante ,restingono i tempi e conseguentemente i rapporti,dando cosi' aperture all'incomprensione e all' arroganze culturali.

 Il punto di incontro e' sempre piu' importante ,puo facilitare la comunicazione e puo dare i tempi necessari per evolversi in conversazioni e conoscenza piu' umana dei convitati.Il punto chiave e' nel cercare locali con poche distrazioni :televisioni da pertutto,musiche assordanti,menu che hanno  di fresco e stagionale molto poco,dove tutto e' fatto per incoraggiare il consumo sproporzionato di alcolici senza nessuna ragione specifica, tranne il profitto dell'operatore.

La  nostra e' una professione meravigliosa,ci da la possibilita' giornaliera di vivere momenti bellissimi ed intimi con i nostri fratelli umani,in rapporti non ottenibili in altri mestieri.Convivium essere insieme,una lezione di umanita' unica ,ascoltare, condividere,sentirsi parte di questo progetto che noi chiamiamo democrazia ,rappresentata tutti i giorni in tutti i momenti,con diverse espessioni,diverse necessita'.E' difficile immaginarsi una storia diversa.America, un paese ricco di storia umana,di gente, che qui trova una dimensione diversa e una liberta' che e' difficile immagginare altrove.La liberta' di vivere una vita secondo le proprie esegenze e modi di credere ,liberta' di non fare di piu' di quello che senti,di credere o non credere,la liberta' fondamentale che e' inscritta' nella costituzione .tutti gl'esseri umani sono stati creati  con la stessa eguaglianza senza nessuna eccezione.Un'idea che sfugge in molti paesi del mondo ancora oggi.Ecco perche' trovo che in questo momento della nostra storia e' importante ricordare che il nostro processo democratico anche se a volte disgustoso,non civico ma pur sempre nel contesto constituzionale del convivium.Questo e' il nostro paese,la nostra famiglia,i nostri problemi non democratici o republicani ,indipendenti e disinteressati,e' il nostro Paese la nostra gente .Domani tutti continueremo ha vivere la nostra vita con la stessa allegria, lo stesso ottimismo di sempre ,perche' vivere in America e' un convivium unico al mondo,un progetto umano riuscito ,un esempio da copiare e celebrare con tutte le sue imperfezioni,errar umanum est! non essere perfetti e' umano.We are not perfect but we are fee.Vote!!!

OC Register Praises Chef Massimo & His Delicious Broths!

 

      A great thank you to Cathy Thomas at the OC Register for the wonderful article. To enhance your culinary adventures at home, the Mediterranean and Aromatic broths featured in this article are now for sale at Onotria. Come pick up these delicious broths in two sizes; 32 oz. ($12) and 64 oz ($24).

To read the article in its entirety, click the link!  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fresh-679491-cook-oil.html

Orange County Farmers Market

Healthy, fun morning out at the Orange County Farmers Market. As is documented, I am a big supporter of farmers markets...for many reasons! They are fun for families, you can exercise all of your senses, and they are a great way to support your local economies. I was invited to celebrate the Orange County Farmers Markets 20th Anniversary, and participate in a chef cook-off.

Here is an example of fresh Branzino and red chili peppers from the farmers market, accompanied by spices from Onotria Boutique.

Simple preparations.

Behind the scenes..backstage pass!

Yes, I have that effect on people.

 My favorite crowd; young people that are enthusiastic about cooking fresh, amazing food.

Of course...a selfie! I couldn't resist.


Don't forget to pick up a copy of my new cookbook, "Ingredients For Life," when you come to dine at Onotria!

Recipes For Life: Part 1

Eating and drinking sometimes becomes much more complicated than it needs to be.

       We tap into so much bs and it is very difficult to distinguish between facts and fantasy. As a chef we always try to make foods that are interesting, exciting and somehow eloquent the visual and the palate. But sometimes that requires items that are not necessary good for you , but when we are talking about people's health and well being, the conversation should be more intelligent and more thoughtful.  when we make dishes for everyday eating, health,and quality become more than words; it's the selection of ingredients that are well suited for a better metabolism and more exciting for the palate because it is important for food to stay attractive and desirable. It's the reason why we generally come to the table, and the reason why we eat everyday is to bring some intelligent and amazing nutrition to our bodies.

        We eat, we drink: because the body needs the right nutrients and also the right hydration. We can achieve those goals with very simple steps. Nature provides a lot more than we give credit to. Unfortunately we have become a world where the supermarket and grocery store are giant compounds where you can buy industrial sized packages. They have taken away the beautiful relationship that we have had in the past with our food and our food suppliers.

     So, its become really a fight of the boxes. What is in the boxes? What kind of ingredients? How many different preservatives and harmful ingredients are in there? What is the nutritional value? Sometimes its very easy to blame the other person. Sometimes honestly, its very difficult to keep up with whats going on in the marketplace. There are a lot of camouflaging flavors and tastes and textures that we like and enjoy, things we have been accustomed to all our lives. However they do not have the same nutritional quality that they used to or even the same ingredients that they used to. In this context, our recipes for life are about making choices that are in line with exciting dining experience as well as choosing foods that are very appealing, nutritious, and delicious to the the palate.


      In reality the tables and the conversation turned to another level altogether. As a chef, I bring the experience and the expertise to the table because is very important to be able to educate in a way that is fun, practical, easy to achieve, and sustainable. People's success will determine the reasons why they stay on. Nobody likes to feel incompetent, nobody enjoys the feeling of not being able to make something. Yet, food is simple. You can make something very delicious. Sometimes all you need is a little guidance. Sometimes it is just a few tips- how to, where to-  how to make it, and where to buy it. More importantly, two or three steps that are required to achieve your super results.I'm always excited to see how much people really can do for themselves. With that in mind I created Recipes for Life, a cooking program that requires simple steps for people to achieve their desired results.