Artnotes: A Joyful Kitchen

 

Dishing up Dessert Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 13 x 8"  33 x 20cm  490.00  The cart rolled across the dining room, pushed by a white-jacketed waiter.  “Bollito Misto”, I exclaimed to Blair.  Bollito Misto is a long-cooked assortment of meat in boiling broth. One of the men at a nearby table was having it for lunch.  The waiter raised the lid and placed on the shelf below.  Then he swung the lever which brought the selection of meats up from beneath the broth bath.   Beef tongue, an entire capon, cotechino (a ground pork sausage), a beef roast,  and testa di vitelli  appeared.  Two slices were cut from each item, with broth, and presented on a large platter before the diner.  Mashed potato, mostarde (a sweet/spicy red sauce) and salsa verde were placed on the table. We three decided to share the same, with an order of tortelli in brodo with bufala cheese; abalazione di mortadella (green pasta stuffed with mortadella in a truffle/parmigiana sauce).   We were at the quintessential Bolognese restaurant:   Diana.  It was heavenly. Still Life with Candles Laurie Pessemier  Acrylic/paper 17 x 12"  43 x 30cm  190.00 We had a guest this week, perhaps our best guest ever.  She is from North Carolina, which is the region of best guests, if I do say so myself.  Our North Carolinan friends love to eat, make no judgements, are keen to do almost anything.   We, unfortunately, were probably not the best hosts, because our car broke down and we rented one, while I drove a neighbors standard-transmission elderly compact to the rental agency in Bologna.  Of course, my knee gave out and I hobbled around for two days, seriously delaying the tour-cart. A Fencepost on the Montecorone Tour Our guest was on her way to an art event in central/eastern Italy.  We didn’t get to paint together in her short 48 hours, but she had appreciation for the same sorts of sights that we did.   I made food, which of course didn’t hold a candle to chez Diana.   I made porkchops in a mustard/cream sauce with sweet roasted peppers and carmelized onions on the side – potatoes “ecrasse” (lightly mashed) on the side.   Blair made Marcella Hazen’s eggplant parmesan, always a hit. Did I mention the dessert?  (that's Blair's painting at the top)The waiter brought out an aluminum tub of homemade vanilla gelato.  It was perfectly frozen, not too hard, not too soft, simply unctuous – it could hold up a cookie.   He took out an elegant little ladle, dipped it into the beautiful container of preserved cherries and drizzled them over the top.   Everything here was local. Wild Rose  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/paper 17 x 12.5"  43 x 33 cm  190.00 We live in  “la grassa” region of Italy, “the fat one” on account of our rich, delicious, culinary history.   Blair and I rarely go out to eat, but when we do, we enjoy ourselves.  Our guests often want to go out, and we try to bring them to an exceptional place.   Diana was the best one, ever. The Ice Cream Man taking our Photo The surroundings and the staff are equally important as the food.  If the staff is happy, accommodating, it’s likely the kitchen staff is, too.  I can taste if the people who make the food are glad to be working there.   That ice cream man at Diana’s must be a jolly sort.   When I lived in Paris, I could always tell the attititude of the baker by the quality of the croissant.  Unhappy cooks make lousy food.   This was a joyous kitchen.  Ours, too.

HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our paintings at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and framed. Write to me at lfpessemier@gmail.com