This is a real slow-cooker. Pork belly is uncured, un-sliced and unsmoked bacon actually. By chefs, pork belly is generally considered superior to bacon. It has juicy layers of fat covering the meat part which is quite small in proportion to the fat. During cooking it becomes really tender, not so different from pork loin. I simply melts in your mouth, giving a pleasing contrast to the crispiness of the crust on top.
There’s something about fried food that is so comforting and satisfying for the tastebuds. The aroma of the fried ingredients, the crunchiness of the dough that surrounds it…. Heavenly indulgent.
I particularly love fried apple slices in batter, and they are the main reason why sometimes I go skiing. It’s really worth while (independently from the breathtaking view), to take the funivia up to a couple of thousands of meters altitude, and savor these Tyrol Apple Fritters in their perfect surroundings.
The dessert is originally from the Trentino Alto Adige region, which is by the way Italy’s most important apple cultivation area. Then the ski ride down the mountain serves to burn the calories and admire the spectacular view.
When I make them, the sweet, fresh and comforting smell brings out the the imagine of a sunny skiing day in the Alps.
Coleslaw is one of the most marvelous inventions. This crispy, creamy and fresh salad with cabbage as main ingredient, is quite a famous dish in The United States where it is often used as a BBQ accompaniment. This recipe is from my friend Karen, with my addition of the celery seeds. It’s very versatile. The coleslaw is a great side dish for burgers, hot dogs, cold meat as chicken or as addition to you falafel pitta. Here it is in the good company of cold Slow Cooked Pork Belly.
This comforting sandwich is more a “wintry” or autumn thing, while you can think of the coleslaw as accompaniment for a huge variety of BBQ dishes and cold cuts for your summer feasts.
Porridge is one of those dishes that for me are tightly connected with childhood memories. It’s one of those dishes I was obliged to eat because of it’s nutritional facts like potatoes and tomatoes, and therefore maybe I didn’t appreciate them so much, and the porridge was often followed by a spoon of cod oil. In the memory it remained as not such a great food combination. Fortunately I made peace with those lovely ingredients years ago.
