Lemon Polenta Torta with Fruit Compote

'Lemon Polenta Torta' with powdered sugar sprinkled on top just as it is served in Italy!

Winter and lemons?  This combination just doesn't seem very logical to many of us.  Lemons are more commonly associated with the hot days of summer when we quench our thirst with icy, cold lemonade or lemon sherbet.  But in the warmer regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean areas, and the U.S. states of Florida, California, Arizona and Texas, lemons are at their peak.  Lemons and all citrus fruits are a delicious and healthy part of winter, especially for cooking lighter in the kitchen.  The vitamin C in citrus proves their worth by helping us in the cold and flu season also, another timely advantage to citrus in winter!

In Italy, vibrant yellow lemons are harvested three times a year along the Amalfi coast!   The flavor of lemons is a family favorite in desserts, from torte' to pies to icey granite'.   We also love adding lemon juice with butter and garlic for an added sophistication to fish or chicken sizzling on the grill.  Vinaigrettes and vegetables jazz up with the help of lemons as well.

Baking and cooking with fresh, fragrant lemons infuse the air of any kitchen and home with their hypnotic perfume.  So during these grey days of winter, it's a perfect time to prepare something lemony!   The theme for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is perfectly timed for the winter season and the 'holiday of amore' . . . "Pucker up with Lemons (for Valentine's Day!)" hosted by Val on her blog, "More Than Burnt Toast".  Following the recipe for the Lemon Polenta Torta, you'll see what the rest of the group prepared with links to their recipes.

My husband seriously raved about this cake!  "Superb . . . very, very wonderful!" were his exact words!  Both of us thought that this cake was even better served warm, plain and simple without the compote.  We favored it with just a little sprinkling of powdered sugar on top as is the customary way to serve it in Italy.  Below is a photo of my sweet cousin, Silvia in Italy, who prepared an incredibly delicious classic Italian torta for us during our visit in October.

Silvia cuts fresh slices of Italian torta for us just minutes after entering the home!

perfectly moist and flavored, with a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top!

Lemon Polenta Torta with Fruit Compote
(adapted from "Cooking Light")

For the cake:

Cooking spray and parchment paper
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup sugar (I added the extra 1/4 cup due to my addition of lemon juice, below)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil (I did not use extra-virgin because the taste is so much stronger)
2 large eggs (I use jumbo eggs)
juice from 1/2 of a lemon, fresh-squeezed (preferably from Meyer lemons) (my addition that I highly recommend)
2 tsps. grated lemon rind

For the winter fruit compote:

1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries
1 3/4 cups chopped red-skinned pear (about 2)
1/2 cup golden raisins (I eliminated since my husband doesn't like raisins)
2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Coat paper with cooking spray.
Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Combine flour and all dry ingredients (except the lemon zest) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Make a well in center of mixture.
Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind, stirring well with a whisk.
Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare the compote:

Combine apple juice and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 4 minutes).
Add cranberries to pan; cook 5 minutes.
Add pear to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender.
Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Top slices of the lemon torta with the fruit compote.

If 'lighter' lemon dessert recipes are something that you enjoy, than you might want to check out the following luscious lemon treats that I've prepared before.  Both of these cakes are loaded with lemon flavor and you'd never, ever know that they are lightened up!

Lemon with Limoncello Layer Cake

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

All of the recipes contributed to this month's "Lemon" theme can be found at:

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) made a delicious main dish of Lemon Ginger Fried Chicken
Sandi (Cooking at The Whistlestop Cafe) concocted a strong batch of Limoncello 
Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants) prepared a Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon
Susan (The Spice Garden) made a hearty winter Chicken Rice Avgolemono Soup with Dill 
Sarah (All Our Fingers In The Pie) put together a healthy salad of Tomatoes with Avocado and Preserved Lemons 

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Blood Orange Sgroppino Cocktails

Blood oranges are simply one of the most beautiful fruits to grace this planet with their captivating ruby red color and their sweet, yet sharp and incredibly delicious taste.   With oranges in their prime season right now, we love to guzzle down the orange elixir not only in the morning, but in the evening with a touch of booze!

Here's a wonderful and refreshing version of the traditional Venetian after-dinner drink, "Sgroppino"—a smooth blend of Prosecco, lemon sorbet and vodka; in other words, a boozy Italian smoothie!  For this Sgroppino, I substituted blood orange sorbet in place of lemon, but both are simple, clean and delicious as a base to showcase the natural flavors of citrus.  I also amped up these delightful bursts of sunshine with a generous amount of blood-orange vodka for an extra kick of citrus flavor, but not to the point where it overpowers the sorbet.  If desired, cream or a little bit of egg whites can be whisked in for a more frothy and creamy texture.

A Sgroppino is an incredible Italian cocktail prepared with lemon sorbet that creates a light, slushy, chilly and frosty libation.  It is dessert, beverage and palate cleanser all in one glass.  Traditionally, it is sipped after dinner as a perfect palate cleanser as the tart sorbet refreshes your tastebuds and leaves your stomach feeling lighter after a rich dinner.  The name of this cold citrus cocktail comes from the word 'sgroppare' which literally means 'to untie'.  Some versions of this drink use gelato, but most use sorbet which has no dairy.  When in Venice, you may enjoy watching your waiter prepare your Sgroppino at your table by whipping the sorbet and prosecco into a chiiled mixture that will appear like whipped snow.

Although blood oranges and lemons are in season right now, this is commonly served throughout the year.  But in the heat of the summer this cocktail is most welcome to quench your thirst!

There are as many recipes for Sgroppino as there are people who enjoy this cocktail, however you can really use your instincts when whipping these up.  Always use a whisk and mix the ingredients by hand because a blender or immersion blender melt the ingredients.  Whisk until the mixture is neither too thick nor too thin.  You just want to make sure that the mixture isn't too thick and yet not too thin that it melts quickly.  The amount of Prosecco and vodka that you add is just to the point of getting a good buzz, if you know what I mean!  Be careful with the Prosecco too, because this is the bubbly stuff that will determine the thickness and consistency of the drink.  Always pour in less at the beginning; you can always add more if the mixture is too thick for your preferences.

So cheers to you and enjoy a frosty glass of this lovely, pale pinkish-orange liquid with tiny bubbles on the surface . . . calling and inviting you to discover the incredible flavors of citrus within.

Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbet -- oh so tart, sweet and yummy!

an incredibly rich, deep red-orange color of sorbet!

the ruby red hue of freshly-squeezed, blush-colored blood oranges!

the juice of blood oranges possesses an irresistable flavor
and rich, dark color in the midst of winter!

the producers of SKYY Vodka are certainly aware of the popularity of 

blood oranges . . . 

I bought the last bottle on the shelf today!

Blood Orange Sgroppino Cocktails

1 pint Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbet
1/2 bottle of chilled Prosecco -  Italian sparkling white wine
1 cup vodka (SKYY Blood Orange is wonderful)
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed blood orange juice
adjust every ingredient above to your taste and strength preferences

Place champagne flutes or martini glasses in the freezer to chill - you'll want a nice frosted effect on the glass, which will also help keep the drinks especially cold.

Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

With a hand whisk, mix everything together until light and frothy. 

Remove your glasses from the freezer and divide the mixture equally among all glasses.

Top with extra Prosecca if desired, stir gently to combine.

Serve immediately in pretty cocktail glasses

Garnish with fresh mint leaves -- optional.

an inside peek at the deep, dark beauty of what seems like an ordinary orange!

Enjoy the bounty of the season with wonderful blood oranges!  You may also like to try the following recipes using fresh blood oranges that I created and prepared a few years ago.  They are quite authentically Mediterranean in flavor and very, very delicious!
 

Blood Orange Polenta & Olive Oil Cake with Orange Mascarpone Filling

Blood Orange Vinaigrette on Grilled Salmon, Grapefruit & Manchego Cheese Salad

Here are some other great Sgroppino recipes that I'm certain will be whipped up someday soon! 

This popular Italian cocktail has endless versions to choose from!

Sgroppino

2 cups lemon gelato

1 tbsp vodka

1 tbsp chilled limoncello lemon liqueur

1/3 cup chilled Prosecco sparkling wine

zest of one lemons

Chill 4 champagne flutes. 

Shake gelato, limoncello and vodka in a shaker. 

Add Prosecco and whisk through. 

Serve immediately in chilled champagne flutes. 

Sprinkle lemon zest on top. 

Makes 4.

(photo credit: Helen Rosner)

Sgroppino

⅓ cup lemon sorbet
3 oz. chilled Prosecco
1 oz. vodka

In a stainless steel bowl or cocktail shaker, whisk together the sorbet and a splash of the prosecco until fully incorporated. 
While whisking, slowly pour in the vodka and then the remainder of the prosecco.
Serve in a martini glass.

(photo credit:  Giada de Laurentiis)

Sgroppino

1 cup chilled Prosecco

2 tablespoons chilled vodka
1/3 cup frozen lemon sorbet
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pour the Prosecco and vodka into two Champagne flutes, dividing equally.
Spoon a scoop of sorbet into each flute.
Garnish with mint (optional).
Serve immediately.

(photo credit:  Paula Jones)

Sgroppino

3 tablespoons chilled limoncello
1/2 cup lemon sorbet or gelato
1 cup chilled Prosecco
fresh mint to garnish (optional)

With a whisk, mix the limoncello, lemon sorbet and prosecco.
Blend until frothy.
Divide mixture between glasses.
Garnish with mint (optional).
Serve immediately.

(photo credit:  Pamela from 'my man's belly')

Sgroppino

2 cups lemon sorbet
2 tablespoons vodka
1/3 cup chilled Italian Prosecco
Zest of one lemon

Chill 4 champagne flutes.
In a bowl, whisk lemon ice cream until smooth.
Gradually and briefly whisk by hand in the vodka and Prosecco.
Whisk until mixtures is not to thick nor too thin.
Serve immediately in chilled champagne flutes, tall glasses, goblets or martini glasses.
Sprinkle lemon zest on top.
Serve with small spoons.

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Traditional Italian Black~Edged "Mourning Envelopes"

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"From dust we come, from dust we shall return" (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

Even though life is beautiful (la vita che bella) it is also brief and precious.  I have been away from my blog and all of my friends in the blogging community for almost one month due to a different and more important life focus:  the joy and the sorrow of celebrating a life in my family . . . the life of my father, who passed away one week ago today.

My father lived a full life of 92 years and influenced me in many things, including living life with gusto and with an appreciation for God, family, friends, work and food.

Nearly one month before my father's last weeks on earth, my mother asked me:  "Have you ever seen an 'envelope with black edges' that announces the death of someone in Italy?".  Upon our return from our trip to Italy in mid-October, my father's health began to severely decline and my mother began to speak to me about the rituals of death.

As an Italian-American, born and raised in the States, my answer was an obvious "No".  This was not and is not an American custom for funerals and the announcement of one's passing.  My mother proceeded to go to her bedroom and quietly returned with a box of funeral mourning cards that are delivered through the mail and/or presented to family and friends upon the visitation and funerals of their deceased loved ones.  Inside the box, my mother tenderly presented an envelope sent to her from Italy years ago . . . an envelope with black edges . . . within it was enclosed a 'mourning announcement' of the passing of one of our relatives in Italy.

As a crazed, searching-for-answers academic, as always I was curious about this now non-practiced European (not just Italian) tradition.  I felt compelled to research these mysterious, dark, black-edged envelopes considering the state of my father's diminishing health.

I suppose that this was one of my ways of accepting the inevitable . . . death . . . of a parent.

Unlike in the States, death and funeral proceedings are a BIG DEAL in Italy.  Those who have passed are continually honored and remembered, not just buried in the ground to visit only once a year on a national holiday.

When we first stepped into my relatives' home in Modena, Italy this past October, after receiving food (freshly sliced Prosciutto di Parma, Parmiggiano-Regiano, wine, and balsamico vinegar), we were immediately presented with photo albums full of death announcements and memorial cards, including the photos of the funerals of deceased relatives . . . and at the same time as birth announcements and life-time photos of family.

As a woman raised in American culture, I thought this to be very odd indeed.

But death is a revered part of life in Italy.  Funerals are very important life events!  The dead are remembered and honored throughout the year, not just on Memorial Day.

In Mexico, the "Day of the Dead" is celebrated with feasts to honor loved ones who have passed away.  The Japanese honor their deceased in "Obon Week".  And in Italy, the Feast of "All Souls Day" is celebrated immediately at the beginning of November, just after Americans celebrate the very commercialized day of Halloween.

When my parents and I visited Italy, our relatives not only showed the funeral cards of 'mourning', but also took us to the village cemetery to visit the graves of my relatives.  I also visited the grave of Luciano Pavarotti in Modena; interestingly, a common thing for visitors to do when in Modena . . . just 10 minutes from my relatives' home.  In Italy space is limited, so one is buried vertically in a mausoleum.  It felt strange to me, but I understand why . . . Italy is a small country (about the size of Florida, USA or a bit larger).  We in the States take for granted the size of our country, until we visit a land of such smaller size, such as Italy or England!

On a very humble plastic table cloth in the dining area,
my cousins display the mourning cards of those who have passed away.
The deceased are never forgotten and discussed just as joyfully
 as are the newborn babies when they enter our lives.

Oh, the cycle of life!

The next day my cousin Enrico kindly gave me a break from the insane driving
 of Italy and drove my parents and me up into the northern mountains
of Emilia-Romagna where my relatives were born.

climbing through the wooded, hillside terrain, 

up, up, up into the tallest mountain of Italy, Mount Simone . . . 

with verdant pastures in the foothills on a cloudy, drizzly day

past estates and tall, spiraling cypress trees . . . 

higher and higher . . . 

becoming ever more mountainous . . . 

with nothing flat anymore, only slippery slopes . . . 

to the point of only rock . . . 

and we arrive to the village of Magrignana where the deceased are buried . . . 

shielded with stone walls and iron gates . . . 

and small alcoves dedicated to the Blessed Virgin . . . 

before entering the final resting place of many of my relatives . . .

with beautiful iron artwork to commemorate those that have left us.

A tiny, yet lovely stone chapel sits on the mountainside . . . 

inviting one to peak inside a white iron gate door . . . 

to view an altar with pristine, crisp white linens to offer homage and a prayer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

But a life worth living is a life deserving of celebration, 

with food that is lovingly prepared and shared . . . 

so we end our visit to the mountains 

in my father's family ristorante in the nearby town of Renno . . . 

where my paternal cousin greets us with delicious espressos, latte's and Italian pastries . . . 

before the lunch time opening . . . 

and embracing family that is rarely seen . . .

and we read about our food and restaurant business heritage that began in Italy . . . 

and as my father stands outside the old stone walls of this little family restaurant, he gives his final earthly good byes . . . 

to his family in Modena.

Dad, your parents climbed those unfriendly, 

yet beautiful mountains of Northern Italy

and you climbed the mountains of life within America.

You reached every one of your goals

and your legacy on this earth has left all of us inspired.

Thank you for an amazing trip to Italy, Dad . . . you made it again!  

Thank you for letting me be your 'taxi-driver' and to push your wheelchair along the ancient cobblestones.

I will remember it forever.

May you rest in peace in your ultimate home with our Lord!

Amore,

Roz 

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