Galletas Maria Torte (Maria Biscuits)

August 03, 2011 by Monica in Family, Family Cookbook, Sweets, Venezuela Food

The desert above is another of my childhood favorites.

I’m on a roll with these memories guys - I cannot seem to stop them.

This time, the recipe is not from my grandmother’s or my mother’s but, from another important person in my life while growing up – my nanny, Maria.

Just like any country, Venezuela has its share of local desserts that are very uncommonly found anywhere else but there. And this “cake” or “torte” is precisely that. Even after all of my travels I have yet to find something like this.

Insalata Russa [Russian Salad]

July 26, 2011 by Monica in Entertaining, Family, Family Cookbook, Main Courses, Salad, Vegetable

This is another recipe plucked right out my Nonna’s A cookbook. This salad was served in all of our family “special events”, so any birthday, baptism, party, Christmas, anything that involved a gathering of more than 20 people and this dish would make an appearance.

Since I been reminiscing my younger years in the last couple of weeks, I of course made this. This dish, as my grandmother use to tell me could be found in any “antipasto” offering in Italy. During my travels, I have found countless versions of this salad but I always go back to my grandmother’s italian version.

In Italy it’s mainly made with diced vegetables like potatoes, peas, carrots, green beans, and combined with homemade mayonnaise.

Slow Braised Pork Hocks in Beer

July 18, 2011 by Monica in Dinner, Entertaining, Family, Family Cookbook, Main Courses, Meat

On Saturday I received an email from my mom, telling me she had just bought 6 beautiful pork hocks and that she wanted to make them. Could she come over and we cooked them together?

Even thought my mom lives a mere 10 minutes away, we don’t spend that much time cooking together – not like we use to. So, I grabbed the phone and we made plans for a Sunday day cooking marathon. We had a busy day ahead of us, since we had quite a bit to cook up - pound cakes, as well as Polenta (to go with the pork hocks) and I was making my grandmothers “Insalata Russa” (Russian salad).

Now pork hocks are right up there with those cuts of meats that at one time or another the butcher use to give them away for FREE! Remember beef/pork shanks? Before they got rich and famous with chef and now this normally inexpensive cut of meat can cost you a pretty penny? Well pork hocks, are still can be bought without having to break the bank, and my mother was right, as soon as I say them, they looked especially pretty.