PARMESAN GNOCCHI WITH ASPARAGUS AND ALFREDO SAUCE Now my time spent in Italy is nowhere near what I would like it to be, I love this country for its traditions, history and of course, its food. Italy is certainly one of those places where you will not find its true cuisine outside of the country but I hope to take you pretty close. Passing through Tuscany, known for centuries as la vita Toscana, has meant to me and I know to many others, a few things such as: perfectly manicured landscapes, great art, comfortable stone houses and of course deliciously simple foods which are suitably complemented by world renowned wines. An Italian dish that stands out and is closely linked to pasta, is gnocchi. These are traditionally made from potatoes, flour or farina. Varying the types of cheese and flour can vary the dough in many ways and incorporating an array of cooked vegetables like pumpkin, spinach, and beetroot enhances the colour. Gnocchi are generally shaped into little ball-like dumplings, which is how the name originated. Gnocchi means 'lumps' in Italian. In this recipe, I have decided to keep it simple and use ready-made gnocchi. However, if you are feeling adventurous and wish to experiment with your own, just remember that you should never prepare gnocchi too far in advance. Gnocchi should always be added to rapidly boiling water. This is important because, if allowed to stay in the water for too long, the gnocchi can absorb too much water and break apart. Once the gnocchi are cooked through, they will float to the top and need to be scooped out immediately. INGREDIENTS: 4 portions of Parmesan gnocchi 48 baby asparagus spears 24 ½ baby Rosa tomato confit 50 g tatsoi, washed and picked 75 g / 2 ½ oz grated Parmesan cheese 100 ml/ 3 ½ fl oz cream 2 limes, zested and juiced 4 egg yolks 12 long chives, chopped Serves 4 Blanche the gnocchi in boiling water until warmed through. Add to a saucepan with the cream and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and chives, season and add the lime juice and zest. Blanche the spears, season with a little olive oil and salt and keep warm. In a hot pan, add the olive oil and tatsoi. Cook for a few minutes until wilted. Spoon the gnocchi into ring moulds and garnish with the tatsoi, asparagus and the tomatoes. Place one egg yolk in the centre of the gnocchi and grind fresh pepper over it.

An Ideal Match Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2004 A very expressive wine that's bursting with tropical fruit flavours - guava and pineapple and also a good jab of citrus that will match the lime in the recipe. This chenin is also very well rounded, a smooth and satisfying drink to complement the mellow, rich texture of the gnocchi. An Interesting Match Lammershoek Roulette Blanc Barrique 2003 A wine with many facets (like this dish) is this unusual blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Harslevelu and a touch of Chardonnay. The potpourri of flavours is held together by a distinct richness in the wine that will suit the parmesan and alfredo components of the plate.

1. The common goldfish is the only animal that can see both infrared and ultra-violet light. 2. It takes a lobster approximately seven years to grow to reach the weight of 1 pound (450g). 3. If the water in a stream or lake is not clean enough to support salmon, it is not clean enough for us to drink. 4. When a coffee seed is planted, it takes five years before it can yield it's first consumable fruit. 5. All porcupines float in water.

Word of the month: flambé Definition:[flahm-BAY] Derived from the French word for flaming, this is a dramatic method of food presentation. Liquor is poured over certain foods and ignited just before serving. This process enhances flavour and culinary showmanship. The most commonly used spirits are brandy, rum or whisky and the process is usually carried out when making a sauce from the pan juices.

How to Fry Healthy Frying, although quick and easy, is not the healthiest of ways to prepare food in today's health conscious society. Although adding colour, taste and texture to every dish, frying is fattening. So if you want to fry, and everyone does from time-to-time, it is worth spending a few moments to learn how to do it in the healthiest way possible. Choosing the right oil is important. Pure vegetable oils such as sunflower, soya and corn are recommendable as they are all high in polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil which contains monounsaturated fats is also a healthy cooking oil, although more expensive. Blended vegetable oils should be avoided as they often contain oils that are high in saturated fats, for example coconut and palm oil. Highly saturated in fat are lards, hard margarines and butters and should definitely be avoided! When the food being fried comes into contact with the hot fat or oil its surface is immediately sealed and therefore so are the flavours and nutrients. The inside of the food cooks quickly in the heat of its juices. It is always best to use oils that have high smoking temperatures to avoid burning. Overheated oil can taint the flavours of your food. Sunflower and corn oil both have high smoking temperatures unlike olive oil, butter and margarine. Always make sure that the oil does not reach smoking temperatures before you start to cook. A slight blue haze rising from its surface is a failsafe way to spot this. If left unattended the oil will ignite. Oil can be re-used once, as long as it has not been overheated. When deep-frying, the food is completely immersed in hot oil to provide even cooking. To be healthy it is very important to make sure that the oil is at the correct temperature. If the oil is too hot the food will burn on the outside and may still be raw on the inside and if the oil isn't hot enough the food will not be sealed and it will therefore absorb the oil and become soggy. The temperature required will always vary depending on the food. The best method of checking the temperature is to use a cooking thermometer, but if this is not available it is always helpful to know that most food should be deep-fried at 200°C / 400°F. To achieve the best results, make sure that all food is evenly sized so that it all cooks the evenly. Cook the food in small batches because if added all at once the oil temperature lowers and the food soaks up the excess oil. Once cooked, remove the food from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel, turn over once and serve immediately.