Now, that should have attracted your attention.

Could Judy or anyone in Italy help with a recipe?

We had lunch at Il Vecchio Mulino at Saline di Voltera (near Voltera of course). This restaurant has to have the best array of deserts (put it on your list Pauline). The White Chocolate Bavarese wasn't on the menu, but was recommended by the waiter. I had Torrone Icecream (in a mould) topped with marmalade, which I thought would finally see me with a better desert than Ches. She opted for the Bavarese. She won...again.

The Bavarese was served with a "sauce" drizzled around the plate. I thought it was mint infused in white whine with a touch of honey to thicken it. Turned out to be mint infused olive oil. Who would have thought....olive oil with a desert.

I made a reasonable version for our family Christmas lunch on Sunday (one of our sons will be away in SriLanka for the three weeks of Christmas). The Bavarese was excellent and the mint oil was a stunner. However....the Bavares wasn't quite the same as in Italy. Could it be that instead of thick cream, they used marscapone? Judy, would you be prepared to give them a call??????? Would they part with a recipe?

Actually I am planning on going.
When you make your bavarese.. did you make custard ( pastry cream, stir in the white chocolate and then add whipped cream and gelatin??

The cream here is 35% butterfat..
I have never heard of using mascarpone... but I do a cream cheese mousse which is the same.. cream cheese, sugar, and whipped cream sounds fab...
My friend makes mint olive oil.. I adore it
is it also great on savory items..
I will see if I can go this week to eat!!!

Judy
Divina Cucina

Florence
Everyone should try being Italian at least once a day!!

I just saw this interesting recipe in the LA Times for a dish called Budino. It used mascarpone. It doesn't use gelatin so it isn't probably isnt the same consistency as a Barvarian cream. I haven't made it but I'm including it anyway.

Budino

(Recipe Adapted from "Cucina Rustica," by Viana la Place and Evan Kleiman)

Serves 6

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 pound mascarpone
1/4 cup Marsala
1/2 cup whipped cream
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

In a large metal bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Place bowl over a saucepan that is half filled with simmering water, and whisk mixture until "ribbons" form. Still whisking, add vanilla, cocoa and mascarpone. Beat until smooth. Slowly add Marsala, whisking constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and spoon into pudding bowls, about 1/2 cup each. Chill until set. Pipe the whipped cream on top and sprinkle with walnuts.

Yes, made an egg custard then whipped in the melted chocolate and gelatin and finally, folded in the thickened cream. It was sensational, but not quite what we remembered, that's why I wondered about the marscapone.

For the olive oil, I simply chopped up the mint in fine strips and covered in a bottle with olive oil for 24 hours. Seemed to work fine. Haven't thought what else to use it on. The only time I seem to use mint in Italian cooking is in making a walnut and wild mint pesto for pasta. I make the pesto with walnuts, wild mint and pecorino fresco in equal quantities, and drizzle in the oil as I blend. To be honest, it has never been as good as the night I made it in Firenze using pecoirino fresco from the Grillo's alimentari in Carregi. Their pecorino fresco is the best I have found anywhere in Italy, and in fact, everywhere else was a dissapointment after theirs.

quote:

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mint infused in white whine

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Please forgive me, Gavin, but I couldn't resist...... Personally, I prefer to whine in red........

David, usually in NYC

Perhaps there was ton's of white chocolate!!!

I always liked the joke, what's the Jewish American Princesses favorite w(h)ine?? Or it could be
White anglo saxon princess...

I Wanna go to Hawaiiiiiiii!!!

Judy
Divina Cucina

Florence
Everyone should try being Italian at least once a day!!

In the late 70s in Vancouver there was a punk band called DOA - and their big song was "I wanna go to ****in Hawaii". Any of the Canadians here remember them? This little princess is off to Hawaii in February!!

Pauline from Slow Travelers

Giuditta:

quote:

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I always liked the joke, what's the Jewish American Princesses favorite w(h)ine??

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I always heard the punch line to that one as "I wanna go to Myyyami!!"

Funny....... Well, here on the east coast, I suppose we're very Flahrida-oriented.

David, usually in NYC

True.... I am west coast!!! Wish I was going to the beach though...

Judy
Divina Cucina

Florence
Everyone should try being Italian at least once a day!!

I came across the following link for a recipe:

http://www.recipecottage.com/desserts-pudding/white-choc-bavarian.html

Doru