31 Comments
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Linda Naylor's avatar

Always in search of the perfect risotto. Many attempts, all good, but I only really hit it once. Mushroom risotto with ground porcini powder.

A memory for the ages.

Oh, and arancini. Don’t get me started. I could eat it every day.

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Porcini powder. Hmm. Now that sounds interesting. Thank you Linda! And Good morning from Australia.

We managed to have two lunches of arancini! Such a simple treat!

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Linda Naylor's avatar

Hello from Portland, Oregon!

I like to push flavor as far as I can. I kind of stalk the mushroom guy at the Portland farmers market throughout the season. When it looks like porcini pricing is as good as it will get, I buy. Then I dehydrate them and grind portions in my spice grinder for dishes that can really benefit. Risotto is #1.

I learned to love arancini when I was pastry chef at a local trattoria. Heavenly. Porcini powder would certainly benefit arancini!

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

This is a wonderful tip! I am going to share it! Thank you Linda!!

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Linda Blatnik's avatar

Ooooh. I am not a cook, but I love to eat. My husband used to make risotto with almost the exact same ingredients and it was so good! Thanks for the memories. Yum

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

I bet you are a cook! I am just an ordinary person in the kitchen who cooks. I think - in my humble opinion - that people who love to eat good food are the best!! Good morning Linda!

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Lilian Santini's avatar

What a delicious read! Looking forward to more of you on my feed ✨

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Lilian - what an inspiring comment! Have a gorgeous day. Welcome. I will pop over to visit you this afternoon!

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Hans Jorgensen's avatar

I love hearing about the mixture of risotto, chicken stock, baby piglets and the slowly focusing eyesight of the new baby. And my favorite lines - "Life is way too short to be bothered reading about the shit some stranger thinks I get wrong." Happy Thursday from MN

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Well it is too short!! Happy Friday evening from Aus!

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beth Kennedy's avatar

I sooooo agree with you about things in the fridge, they are so much better once they have overnighted. especially sauces, stews, and soups, and really most anything in my experience, I'm a leftover/recycle food lover. ooh, that precious baby hand! baby fingers and toes are so incredibly sweet!

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Stews! Yes! Stew is always best the next day - on buttery toast in my opinion!

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Judith Baxter's avatar

Charlotte remembers a great risotto she had last year in a little village in Umbria. My memory goes back much later to a time. I was living for a couple of months in Florence in 2013. One day I stumbled into a little restaurant in a side street and had the most amazing risotto ever– asparagus and shrimp. You know you are in the right place when you enter a restaurant and see no tourists only locals. This was obviously a meeting place for the workers in the area as they all seem to know each other and the air was filled with busy Italian talk and laughter.

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Lori's avatar

I’ve never made risotto or arancini. I did make your date scones today. They were great. I already have plans for the next batch, no dates but maybe some chives. I plan on using them for sandwiches. A few slices of crispy fried pancetta, tomato, lettuce and a little smear of pesto. It’s such a good recipe you can add in any mix into the scone mix!

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

You can! You are right! Chives will be awesome - your sandwich sounds delish. My absolute fav is bacon, frozen grated cheese and onion! So good. I love that you are having fun with that scone recipe and adding your own flair. Making it your own. Love that

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Nadine's avatar

I've never made arancini, but I will now!

And Boo with her piglets 🥹

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Boo loves babies.

Arancini is divine!! I would love to see you put a Mexican twist on it! (We had them for lunch two days in a row!).

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Nadine's avatar

I will add some coriander and lemon to them!

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Joe Seals's avatar

Risotto and arancini -- two of my favorite food. They are THE comfort food.

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Yes!! What’s your favorite combo?

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Joe Seals's avatar

I like my risotto plain or with seafood. I like my arancini almost anyway but with ragu or with crab are extra special.

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Oh - crab! That’s not something I cook with often! Yum.

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

Thought you might.

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Mad Dog's avatar

I love Arancini.

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Charlotte Rains Dixon, MFA's avatar

Last September in a tiny hilltop town in Umbria, I had the most amazing Risotta of my life. I dare not attempt it myself because nothing could ever match it. But I love your open-to-interpretation recipes. That's how I cook, too. I can't follow a recipe to the letter to save my life!

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Neela 🌶️'s avatar

I don’t know what I love more, your risotto method or your “fuck off with the numbered lists” energy.

Food is such a personal love language for me, Cecilia.

Glad baby is seeing more clearly now....

Happy weekend to you :)

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

right? It is such an obvious ploy to get clicks. People love lists..it is the You’re doing it wrong!! Header that annoys me most. 10 ways to brush your teeth better!! Um. No thanks.

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Neela 🌶️'s avatar

I dislike content that talks at us versus with us. It's fine to share what works for you but it also doesn't mean that it will work for everyone. As you rightfully pointed out, most of it is rage bait anyway 🤣

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Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden's avatar

The lists are so easily generated now.

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Judith Baxter's avatar

PS. It won’t be nearly as good but I’m going to have risotto for lunch today. I’ve been dragged down with the deadly lurgy for the last couple of days and haven’t eaten much but today having read your post I feel like risotto. Thanks, Celi.

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Sylvia's avatar

It looks delicious🥳

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