I Dolci

Fichi Canditi (Candied Figs) an ancient recipe, Grosseto

Caffé in Forchetta (Coffee on a Fork) Lucca

Cookbooks by

Lorenza de'Medici:

TUSCANY The Beautiful Cookbook

(image 1 and 2, photographer Peter Johnson)

ITALY The Beautiful Cookbook

(image 3, photographer Mike Hallson)

ALSO BY Lorenza de'Medici:

MEDITERRANEAN The Beautiful Cookbook

ITALY TODAY The Beautiful Cookbook

The Heritage of Italian Cooking

A Passion for Vegetables

I love the inspiring images in these cookbooks!  

I've owned the first two for years and just recently ordered  

A PASSION FOR FRUIT 

featuring the amazing still life images of  photographer Mike Newton:

Inspired by the exquisite paintings of the 17th century Florentine artist Giovanna Garzoni, Mike Newton's color-drenched photographs bring to life the beauty of luscious, sun-ripened fruit.  To complement these images, celebrated Italian cook Lorenza de'Medici offers an elegant narrative and 100 Tuscan-inspired recipes.  Among the delicious main dishes are Pork Loin with Apricots, Duck Breasts with Cherry Sauce and Fig and Tuna Skewers, and to end the meal, there are plenty of enticing desserts, including Chocolate Peach Tart and Strawberry Tiramisu.  It is a book to inspire cooks, art lovers, and gardeners alike. –excerpt from the publisher.

view more from A Passion for Fruit:  {HERE}

Purchase:  A Passion for Fruit:  {HERE}

See all Lorenza de'Medici titles mentioned here in 

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Recipe:  Fichi Canditi (Candied Figs)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

18 fresh figs, peeled

grated zest of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons honey

few drops of almond oil

Preheat an oven to 350° (180°C)

Sprinkle half of the sugar in the bottom of a baking pan and arrange the figs in the pan side by side.  

Sprinkle the figs with the remaining sugar and the lemon zest.  

Drizzle with the honey.

Bake the figs until the sugar caramelizes and is pales gold, about 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven.

Brush a serving dish with the almond oil.  With a spatula, remove the figs to the dish.

Serve cold.

Recipe:  Caffé in Forchetta (Coffee on a Fork)

1 Tablespoon almond oil

4 eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee

Preheat an oven to 350° (180° C)

Brush a 9 inch square cake pan with the almond oil.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well blended and thick.

Gradually whisk in the milk and coffee.

Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan.  

Place the pan in a baking dish.  

Pour the water into the dish to a depth of 1 inch.  

Bake the pudding for 20 minutes.  

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking until the custard is set, about 40 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack.

Run a thin, sharp knife blade around the pan edges and invert the custard onto a platter.

Serve warm. 

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Is this what we might call...

 .

...the skull-inary arts? (!)

Artist's Statement: 

{Currently, I use ceramics as my material in my method of expression, incorporating various decorative styles, patterns, and symbolic forms as my principal axis in creating my works.  The decorative styles and forms I allude to and incorporate in my works each contain a story based on historical backgrounds and ideas, myths, and allegories.　Their existence in the present age makes us feel many things,; adoration, some sort of romantic emotions, a sense of unfruitfulness and languor from their excessiveness and vulgarity.And on the other hand, they make us feel tranquility and awe that can almost be described as religious, as well as an image as an object of worship.By citing such images, I feel I am able to express an - atmosphere- that is a part of the complex world in this age.In fact, the several decorative styles and forms I cite simultaneously hold divine and vulgar meaning in the present age, having an irrational quality that contradict each other, which I feel express an important aspect in the contemporary age in which we live.Also, the technique of ceramics has a tradition that has been a part of the history of decoration over a long time, and I feel the delicateness and fragile tension of the substantial material well express my concept.  -Katsuyo Aoki}

Visit:

Katsuyo Aoki

to view other extraordinary works by the artist.

Amazing!

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Kiss Me Again

I got my wish.  Just when I was missing my beloved Italy, I had the opportunity to travel there last night...Well, amend that to --I was taken there courtesy of the silver screen. 

"Cinema Italian Style 2010" produced by Cinecittà Luce and The American Cinematheque* is currently running at the Egyptian (Hollywood) and Aero (Santa Monica) Theatres. 

Fortunately for me, Alex had the foresight and initiative and had purchased our tickets in advance. Both of us, however, had completely forgotten it was the night we were to go.  We were out and about running errands when she suddenly remembered and we rushed home to get ready.

Traffic was light and we actually ended up arriving early which was a good thing as it turned out.  The theatre was filled to capacity shortly after we were seated.  Conversations in Italian were happening all around us and I sat blissfully amidst it all feeling like I had been transported abroad even before the film began.  The fact that it started some 15 minutes later than scheduled only added to the illusion that I was indeed ensconced in a theatre somewhere in Italia. 

It was the Los Angeles premiere of Baciami Ancora (Kiss Me Again), written and directed by Gabriele Muccino and for the next 139 minutes, I was whisked away to Rome for an intimate look into the lives of five friends and their wives, children, girlfriends and lovers. 

Gabriele Muccino is well-known for directing The Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Pounds here in the States.  He also wrote and directed the prequel to Baciami Ancora/Kiss Me Again called L'Ultimo Bacio (The Last Kiss.)  (Not to be confused with the American version of the same title.)

Though they assured us you can enjoy Kiss Me Again without having seen The Last Kiss, I liked having the perspective of first meeting these characters earlier in their lives.  It was interesting to see how each character had evolved and was dealing with another stage of life and relationships some 10 years later.

We stayed for a discussion following the film with Gabriele Muccino and actor Pierfrancesco Favino.  Gabriele sometimes struggled to find the words he was seeking in English, but his wit and artistic sensibility came through clearly nonetheless.  It was especially interesting to me to have him verify and expand on the symbolism we had seen woven throughout the film.

I found Pierfrancesco funny and charming.  His English is almost perfect and both he and Gabriele appeared gracious, humble and untainted by fame or ego.  Very nice to see.

Kiss Me Again is not yet available in the format compatible for most DVD players in the U.S. and Canada.  --so if you haven't seen The Last Kiss, you have time to get all primed and up-to-speed while you wait for its release.    Baci!~

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Design Daily - Chandelier by Deborah Thomas

 Deborah Thomas, A triangular chandelier, c 1983,

Frame is built up of glass segments arranged around
eight Halogen bulbs 137cm wide x 69cm high (54" wide x 27" high)

Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000

Deborah Thomas has designed for various theatre and dance companies including Hesitate and Demonstrate. She has exhibited widely including a commission for the V&A's 'The Cutting Edge' in 1997 and Christie's 'The Light' in 2000.   -excerpt from Bonhams' website:  Bonhams

See another creation by the artist: Deborah Thomas

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Wade Hoefer

Another favorite of mine. 

This one is titled "Finestra" -(Italian for "window") 
and is actually arch shaped. 

(I cropped it a bit in order to fit within my blog's format.)
Available via:

Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco

To view other pieces or to find a gallery in your area:

Wade Hoefer

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Art Feature - Wade Hoefer

Alturus

"For Hoefer each work is a mandala, a meditative device that allows the viewer to enter, through the work, into a deeper world. His choice of subject matter stems from our common understanding of the landscape: it becomes a visual vocabulary, a lexicon that can be endlessly repeated. For like the Sung painters of ancient China, the landscape becomes a vehicle for an inner voyage that can take the viewer into a spiritual world." -excerpt from Wade Hoefer website.

 Eden East West

Allicio II

 Westering Virgil

 Wade Hoefer

I have long admired Wade Hoefer's work.  -I am drawn in by the coloration of his paintings  —particularly those with dark moody tones and the play of light on water such as I've selected here.  Be sure to click on the link above to see other beautiful pieces or to contact a gallery in your area.  

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A Night at the Museum: Luis Meléndez and Audrey Hepburn

I promised to report back after visiting LACMA to see the current exhibition entitled: "Luis Meléndez:  Master of the Spanish Still Life."   —It's wonderful!   Especially of interest to me were the works from the private collections that have never been seen by the public.   

The realism he achieved is amazing to me and I love that he most often chose to paint everyday objects such as ceramic pitchers and plates with loaves of crusty bread in simple compositions against a plain, dark background.  The most austere of his paintings really speak to me the most.

The exhibition only lasts through January 3, 2010 so make plans to get there soon!  If you have already been to this exhibition or have seen these works elsewhere, I'd really enjoy hearing from you.

I've been twice already but the second trip I just stopped by for a brief visit when we arrived early one night to LACMA's film series "Then, Now and Forever" - a tribute to Audrey Hepburn.  One of her best films, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was the movie we were fortunate enough to attend that evening.  Although I've seen it a number of times, it's always fun to see an old movie on a big screen surrounded by other fans reacting to their favorite parts.  (The biggest laugh of the night was at ourselves...following our collective "Ahhh" at the heart-wrenching moment when the cat was dropped off in the rain.)  

A bonus that evening was that the producer of the film, Richard Shepherd (now 82) was in attendance and stood up to share several tid-bits of interesting trivia about the film including the fact that some of his associates said Audrey singing "Moon River" should be cut from the film.  —Luckily, Mr. Shepherd thought otherwise or this very charming rendition of the song may never have been heard.

If you haven't done so already, I suggest signing up for your local musems' newsletters.  We are lucky to have several wonderful museums here in Los Angeles and all have year-round special events and programs such as this film series, theatre group performances and various concert series you may not learn of otherwise.   It's a great way to support your local museum while enjoying something a little "off the beaten path."  —And that's always a good thing in my opinion! 

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"Master of the Spanish Still Life"

(further reading)

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Luis Meléndez at LACMA

Master of the Spanish Still Life

PRESS RELEASE Los Angeles—The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life, the first U.S. exhibition in twenty-five years of eighteenth-century Spanish painter Luis Meléndez (1715-1780). Meléndez is now recognized not only as one of the greatest Spanish painters of the eighteenth century, but also as one of the most accomplished still life painters of the time. Drawing works from major American and European museums as well as private collections, the exhibition will showcase nearly thirty paintings by Meléndez—many of which have never been exhibited before. In addition, a selection of eighteenth century Spanish kitchenware, similar to those used by the artist as studio props, will be featured. LACMA’s presentation will be the only West Coast showing of Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life and will be on view on the third floor of the Ahmanson Building through January 3, 2010.

Although recognition of Meléndez has been eclipsed over the centuries by that of fellow Spaniard Francisco Goya (1746-1828), Meléndez’s work has received increasing attention from scholars and collectors in recent years. Modern scholarship of his work, including extensive technical examination, has taken on new momentum in the last few decades, providing insight into the artist’s meticulous approach to rendering still lifes.

Meléndez’s acute realism and the austerity of his compositions anticipate aspects of modern art, demonstrating a sensibility that resonates even today.

About the Artist

Luis Meléndez was born in Naples, Italy into a family of artists. He was initially trained in the art of miniature painting by his father, Francisco Antonio. The artist began his career with great promise, studying at the provisional Royal Academy in Madrid, an institution that his father helped to found. Yet in 1748, after Francisco Antonio publicized his disagreements with the Academy, both he and Luis were expelled from the Academy—an event that significantly damaged the son’s prospects for a successful academic career. Indeed, Meléndez’s aspirations for public recognition, particularly for the prestigious position of painter to the King, were never met with success.

However, in 1771 Meléndez received a commission from Charles, Prince of Asturias (later King Charles IV), and his wife, Princess Maria Luisa, to paint an extensive series of still lifes for the New Cabinet of Natural History in the Royal Palace. The royal commission, a central event in the painter’s life, led to modest success with other patrons, though it was cancelled abruptly in 1776. Meléndez died shortly after declaring himself a pauper in 1780, and his reputation sank into relative obscurity.

Exhibition Highlights

Nine of the still lifes from the royal commission, which come from the Prado Museum, will be on view in the exhibition. Meléndez however, had not always viewed himself as a painter of still lifes. His extraordinary Self-Portrait (1746), which will be on loan from the Louvre Museum, exhibits his ambition to succeed in the more elevated genre of portrait and history painting. In his portrait, Meléndez represents himself as a painter of figures, not still lifes. His haughty expression and the simple elegance of his figure set against a plain background give the portrait a commanding immediacy. The work has been recognized as one of the most engaging self-portraits of the eighteenth century.

Common kitchenware, a selection of which will also be on view, often served as props in Meléndez’s paintings, reappearing in individual paintings, and rearranged or juxtaposed with different edibles, including fruits, vegetables, or cheese. In Still Life with Bread, Bottle, and Jug(c. 1770) and Still Life with Bread, Grapes, Jug, and Receptacles (c.1770), the bread, a ceramic jug with a broken plate as a lid, and woodenhandled utensils are arranged identically, except the viewpoint has shifted. Although the paintings share motifs, each one is strikingly inventive.

The exhibition also includes several still lifes from the Prado Museum which are set against rocky landscapes (Still Life with Watermelons and Apples in a Landscape, 1771; Still Life with Pomegranates, Apples, Azaroles, and Grapes in a Landscape, 1771). These original, even eccentric works mark a stark departure from Meléndez’s more usual set-ups on wooden tabletops in dark, undefined interiors.

LACMA Hours & Directions

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I found myself very drawn to the amazing still life works by Meléndez when I visited the Prado Museum a couple of years ago.  I am really looking forward to seeing this exhibition, particularly the paintings that have not been exhibited previously.  I plan to go soon and I'll report back when I do, but wanted to pass on this news right away.  If you live in the Los Angeles area or will be traveling here during this time period I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity!   

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You might also enjoy:  
A Night at the Museum:  Luis Melendez and Audrey Hepburn 

update:  this exhibition is now over, but follow l&l and I'll be sure to keep you informed of any upcoming exhibits. :)  ~LeAnn

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l&l recommends:

Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life (Hardcover) 

Luis Meléndez

Luis Meléndez

Short biography of Meléndez:

Luis Meléndez was born in Naples, Italy. His family moved to Madrid, Spain immediately after his birth. When he grew up, he would work mostly close by, in the town of Aranjuez.

His influences were Velazquez, mixed with Flemish, inspired by models of the XVII century.  His works at "El Prado " are mostly still lifes of exquisite taste. He died in Madrid in the year 1780.

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l&l recommends:

Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life (Hardcover) 

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