Good News, Bad News, Good News

I headed to Main Street yesterday in search of stocking stuffers, wondering what I would find in the way of fine chocolate. The good news: I got no further than Cavaniola's Gourmet, where I scooped up Vosges Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane and Gingerbread Toffee Bars. The bad news: I bought the last two. The good news: There are plenty of other delicious Vosges varieties, including Blood Orange Caramel and Amalfi (lemon peel, white peppercorn, and white chocolate--my favorite) to stuff many stockings around town.

Vintage Berkel Slicer Debuts at Cavaniola's

Yesterday when I stopped by Cavaniola's Gourmet to pick up some fresh mozzarella for my Quail Hill tomatoes, I got my first look at the shop's vintage, fully restored Berkel flywheel meat slicer, complete with a glistening Prosciutto di parma, ready to slice (Cavaniola's is also slicing Iberico and Mangalica hams). How exciting to think that we will now be able to enjoy prosciutto sliced to perfection as it is in the best salumerias in Italy. When I got home and unpacked my bag, I saw that Michael had included a beautiful slice of Prosciutto for me to sample. I learned more about his new machine from this charming video. Enjoy!

IGA Item of the Week

A while ago a friend e-mailed to tell me about the triple creme goat brie, well-wrapped and packed in a box to preserve its freshness, that she had discovered in the dairy aisle at the IGA. I told her that although the larger part of my food budget goes right to Schiavoni's, I save the cheese money for Cavaniola's (89 Division Street; 725-0095). What if someone saw me buying cheese at the IGA? It would be like getting caught with a Golden Pear cup (No disrespect to the nice people at the Golden Pear! I wouldn't go anywhere else for muffins!) outside of Java Nation. But I filed away the information, in case of a cheese emergency, guessing that if the day ever came, it would be a Tuesday, the cheese shop's day off. So today, confronted with the "closed" sign near the door at Cavaniola's and in need of a triple creme cheese for a story with a fast-approaching deadline, I didn't panic or drive Citarella's. I walked to Main Street and bought this pretty little brie.

Last Night's (Ham) Dinner

First of all, thank you to everyone who has written with concern and even alarm about my recent ham-based diet. Let me assure you that I have been alternating ham dinners with nitrite-free meals. Two nights ago we ate tofu and rice. I swear. But yesterday, it was back to the ham. One child had to eat early, to make a dance class at Studio 3 (43 Foster Avenue, Bridgehampton; 537-3008). So I assembled these ham and cheese panini, made with a baguette, Gruyere, and chopped cornichons from Cavaniola's (89 Division Street; 725-0095). I grilled one of them at 5pm in my trusty panini press (bought several years ago at Williams-Sonoma and worth every penny), and then grilled the others later when the rest of us were ready to eat. The recipe is adapted from Panini Express, a book I highly recommend since for every copy purchased I will earn about 20 cents. Here's the recipe:

Ham and Gruyere Panini
Serves 4

1 large baguette, sliced lengthwise in half
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
12 small cornichons, chopped
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked ham

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread the bottom half of the baguette with the mustard. Arrange the Gruyere on top of the mustard. Sprinkle the cornichons over the Gruyere. Arrange the ham on top of the cheese. Top with the top half of the baguette. Cut into four sandwiches.
2. Put the sandwiches on the press (depending on the size of your machine you may have to grill them in two batches) and cook until they are browned and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Carefully remove form the press and serve immediately.

Merry Christmas to All

After opening gifts, including chocolate bars from Cavaniola's (89 Division Street; 725-0095), a brain-teasing puzzle from the Wharf Shop (69A Main Street; 725-0420) and a tote bag from Satori (95 Main Street; 725-7248), we sat down to a breakfast of homemade cinnamon buns and lots of fruit, including an oh-so-fun-to-seed pomegranate.

Another Dream About to Come True

After my first visit to Cavaniola's Gourmet (89 Division Street; 725-0095) a few years ago, I turned to my husband and asked if I had been dreaming. A cheese shop of this caliber just a few doors from my house? I could hardly believe it. Now Michael and Tracy are expanding, with a prepared foods shop in the same building. The sign isn't up yet, but they will be open for business tomorrow morning. If the rumor is true that there will be fresh fish for sale as well as a variety of expertly prepared salads and entrees, I will surely experience a hallucinatory state of rapture surpassing even my cheese experience.

Tonight's dinner

I bought this massive pane di casa at Citarella's yesterday in East Hampton and we made a dent in it between last night and this morning, but there's still a lot left, enough to make panini for everyone. So I went down the street to Cavaniola's (89-B Division St., Sag Harbor, 631 725-0095) and bought some Italian fontina (I sleep well knowing that real fontina is just steps from my door) and a jar of Peppadew whole sweet peppers. Four portabello mushrooms from the IGA. A sprig of rosemary from a waterlogged pot on the patio. Garlic. Mayonaise. Yum.

Fontina and Mushroom Panini
Serves 4

You can make these with the Tom Cat baguettes from Cavaniola's instead of country bread if you'd like.

4 large portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise (light is okay)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices best-quality country hearth bread or four 6-inch lengths of store-bought baguette, split
6 ounces shredded Italian fontina cheese
1/2 cup drained Peppadew sweet peppers, thinly sliced

1. Heat a panini or sandwich press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush the mushrooms on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them on the press, pull the top down, and cook until softened and browned, 4 to 6 minutes (unless you have a giant-size panini press you'll have to do this in two batches). Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Cut each mushroom in half.
2. Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture onto four of the bread slices or the bottom halves of the baguette pieces.
Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and the peppers. Top some mushroom pieces and the remaining bread.
3. Put the sandwiches on the press (again, you'll have to do this in two batches), pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp and the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes depending on how hot your machine is. Carefully remove form the press and serve immediately.