Limoncello or Applecello, so many decisions in life.

This has become our trademark drink and cake. We have a beautiful container of limoncello sitting on the kitchen counter and the applecello container in the fridge. I was first introduced to limoncello 12 years ago in Italy, at Casa Caponetti. Laura Caponetti gave me some to taste while I was there. She sent me home with the recipe, which is so easy . www.caponetti.com

Laura Caponetti will be arriving in Kansas in March. She will be conducting cooking classes, and preparing some special dinners. We are so happy she is coming. Watch for more information on these Special Events!!!

Limoncello recipe

1.75 liter of vodka

peels of 10 lemons , put in vodka for 10 days.

After 10 days add equal parts of sugar and water, same as the amount of vodka.

It is ready to go.

The Limoncello cake and sauce recipe is in our September 2008 blog. This recipe came from Jasper's nephew, Jasper the third. He is making the cello cake and drink famous. They have many drink recipes at Jasper's Restaurant.

Applecello recipe

1.75 liter of vodka

Gallon of Louisburg Cidermill cider.

Louisburg Cidermill milling spices. www.louisburgcidermill.com

Simmer cider and milling spices for 1/2 hour , take off stove, cool, and add vodka. Let this sit for 1 week, then enjoy.

Enjoy

Mike

Christine and Mike's Wedding ,Casa Somerset.

To have and to hold, from this day forward…



You are invited to witness the joining in marriage of

Christine Thomas
And
Michael Hursey

Saturday, November 1st at 3pm.
Casa Somerset
16315 W. 287th St.
Paola, KS. 66071


Immediately following the marriage ceremony will be
The Blessing of the Vines and The House
By Ursuline Academy of Paola

Afterwards, please join us across the street
For a light evening meal and refreshments.

We will have pasta and ask that you might bring
A dish that will go with pasta to share.

In lieu of gifts, we are asking our friends to bring wine for the party.

We hope that this celebration on November 1st, All Saints Day,
which is celebrated by a feast, will be an annual event with our good friends.
Life is all about Family and Friends.

This is Mike's Love of Christine, I love you Christine!!!!!


An RSVP (reply) to this invitation would be appreciated.


Our love will continue to grow
Like a well-tended vineyard,
Growing stronger and more bountiful with time.

This is the day of the Saint and the Day of the Feast!!!!

Civita di Bagnoregio

http://www.civitadibagnoregio.it/ This is it, I have never been to a place that took my breath away like this. You can see for 200 miles off of the top of the town, I really believe it. The Umbrian Hill towns. I have been here three times and it is always the same feeling. This is where God wants me to be. This is where I would come for peace on earth. Giorgio Caponetti brought me here the first time. When I looked at it, there was a ring of clouds around it. It was unforgettable!

I told Christine about this most perfect place on earth. I brought her here two years ago. I wanted to show her the church. A Saint on each side of the alter, in glass caskets. They have been there for years. I also wanted her to see the stone olive wheel for making the oil of the land. Producing the extra virgin olio.

There are still many living there after 1500 years. There is now a B&B, it is operated by Franco Sala. I was there with Christine the last time. I missed Franco, but his staff was so wonderful. They gave me a tour of the B&B and we shared some local vino.

I have thought since my first visit that I would like to come here when I retire, to get back to what is important in life. Come and stay with my friend Franco.

If you can believe this, my classmate from high school in Indiana, Lake Station or East Gary, when we attended just sent me an email saying he was there. Bruce Ranger just went to Italy and was so taken by all that he saw. We compared notes and found we had both been to some of the same places. The world is getting smaller.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/civitabd.htm

http://www.casacaponetti.com/

Lorenzo's Olive oil

A couple of years ago, Christine and I were in Italy for our Slowfood convention in Turin. We left the group after the convention, and headed to Tuscania, in the beautiful Etruscan Valley. I wanted her to meet the Caponetti family that I love so much and I wanted to show her all of the Etruscan caves on the property. We arrived at Caponetti's and we were greeted by the family, Laura and Georgio. This close-knit family is a delight! It brings good feelings to your heart when you arrive. This is my Italian family. Christine and I shared this wonderful experience. It was my first trip to visit the Caponetti's during harvest of the olives. As you can see from the pictures, we really got into the olive harvest! All of the olives are harvested by hand there. They are then taken to the processor in town. You can see the stones that are used to get the oil from the olives. It was a wonderful experience.

My first visit was in 1998 in March, I found this Italian cooking school on the internet, and it sounded so good. I had never been out of the country, except for Mexico. I got on the plane and flew to Rome, where I was supposed to meet an Italian man by the name of Georgio. Two other ladies arrived at the same time, one from Cleveland named April, and one from Atlanta named Jill. Georgio greeted us and off we went to "Casa Caponetti". We made some stops on the way, their home is about hour and half from Rome. There to greet us first were their two dogs, Bloody Mary and Figaro. Then I met Laura, Georgie's wife, and Lorenzo and Chiara their two children. Chiara was still in high school that visit. They took me on tours for a week, they were the perfect fit for my first trip to Italy. Their motto is "A guest may become a friend". I became a friend.

On that first visit to Italy, Georgio took us to a restaurante, called Slowfood. That was my first experience with Slowfood and olive oil. Giorgio set it up so that we got to sample 6 different kinds of oil, Giorgio was the teacher. He explained that it is like tasting great wine. It was an experience I still remember.

I remember so plainly about 5 years back, I asked Lorenzo when he was coming to Paola to do a class on olive oil, and if he could talk for two hours on Olive oil. His response in his deep Italian voice "I can talk for two days on Olive oil". Laura and Lorenzo agreed to come to the US and give some classes for our Slowfood convivium. Their visit here was a great success. Everyone who met Lorenzo and Laura hope they will return some day. I care for Lorenzo like a brother.

We have now call Lorenzo "The King of Olive Oil". Lorenzo is so involved with his passion of the olives. I was so honored for Christine and me to help a little in the harvest of the olives. It was a real treat for us both.

Lorenzo's olive oil in my opinion, is one of the best in the world. I know the first time Leonard, Jasper's brother, saw it in a glass bottle with all of the little pieces of olives floating in the oil, he siad, "That is great olive oil". In the USA we filter out all of the good things from ours. In theirs you can taste the difference, it has to do with the land it is grown on. Lorenzo's olive oil can be brought into the United States, just go to their website, www.casacaponetti.com During harvest it is hard to get into a conversation with Lorenzo on anything but olives. He was up working before dawn and out after dark for many weeks. This is a man who loves his work.

A few months ago, Christine and I went to the Napa Valley and found that they are selling local olive oil there. There were many olive trees that surrounded the millions of grape vines. It was a beautiful scene. Olive oil is a big part of the "Mediterranean Diet" which is good for your health. Check it out!

www.casacaponetti.com

Limoncello, Applecello so many choices in life.

I was introduced to limoncello in Italy on my first visit. Laura Caponetti gave me the recipe after I tasted enough to know I was in Love. http://www.caponetti.com/ My family in Italy.

I bought the perfect china tray and 4 little shot like glasses with, of course, a matching decanter filled with limoncello. It was dark blue with lemons all over it. I have made many gallons since learning this about 10 years ago, and have enjoyed them with friends.

The recipe that was shared with me by Laura Caponetti consists of Everclear alcohol (the large bottle), add 10 lemon peels. Let this sit for 10 days. At the end of 10 days, add equal amounts of water and sugar. It is easy and then ready to sip.

Now I have met the Creator of Applecello and Limoncello in Kansas City. It isn't Jasper Mirabile the 2nd, but Jasper Mirabile the 3rd. He is every bit as creative as his Grandfather and his Uncle. He came up with the Applecello idea by using the cider from the Louisburg Cidermill. http://www.louisburgcidermill.com/ He has 2 separate menus for Cello drinks, both Apple and Lemon. If you have not tasted either it is a must try! We in Kansas City are so lucky to have a family like the Mirabile's, who pass on the old Italian recipes of generation after generation, and continue to create new ones as well!

Jasper the 3rd is so creative in the kitchen, he has really added his mark to the recipes and food you enjoy, using his Grandfather's original recipes. He will share some, but some are only passed from Jasper to Jasper. http://www.jasperskc.com/ I have been fortunate enough to watch him in the kitchen, he is constantly working on new and old recipes to please his customers. His Grandfather would be proud.

Jasper sent this recipe to me, that one of his favorite customers shared with him. I made it for a special dinner, and I would have eaten the whole thing, but I had to fight my daughter-in law Beatriz for an extra piece. She is my favorite Daughter -in -law at this time.

Limoncello cake, it is so easy and soooooo gooood!!!!!

Limoncello Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
1/2 Cup Corn Oil 1/4 Cup water
3/4 cup BERBIGLIA LIMONCELLO HERE
4 Eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup lemon zest

Mix all ingredients and bake in a well greased bundt pan at 325 F for 1 hour. Pour glaze over cake immediately out of oven.

Limoncello Glaze
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup of BERBIGLIA Limoncello HERE
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp lemon zest

Place all ingredients in pan, bring to a boil and stir constantly. Poke holes in bundt cake and pour over top.

Jasper's Notes: My friend and customer Bonnie Knocke loves limoncello and she developed this cake recipe for Jasper's. Bonnie brought me this cake one day before dinner service and I swear I must have eaten the whole cake, I DO NOT REMEMBER. Grazie mille Bonnie!

Our Second Stop the B.R. Cohn Winery

8/6/08

We headed up route 12, and we stopped at the Valley of the Moon Winery, but it closed at 4:30 and it was 4:35 pm. We then went on to B.R. Cohn Winery, and WOW, I loved it. Walking up to it there was a very well taken care of "Woodie" it is a car from the 50's (for the younger group)... my grandmother told me about it. :) We tasted many wines and bought a Cabernet. I also got a shirt, Christine let me buy it. :) I was standing outside looking at all of the vines and Olive trees. It is very Mediterranean feeling, and I thought I was back in Italy, with my friends the Caponetti's www.casacaponetti.com I was thinking of Lorenzo Caponetti, and his love of his olive trees in Tuscania, Italy.

It was then off to Santa Rosa ,to plan for tomorrow and our visit to the Napa Valley.

Mike