MONZU SAL
Why the name: My family is from Naples, Italy. When Naples was the capital of the Reign of the Two Sicilies under Spanish rule (less than 150 years ago) the major noble dynasties of Europe had their ambasssadors ( princes, dukes, barons, counts) in town. Naturally they had private chefs; in Naples they were called Monzu, a loose neapolitan pronunciation for the french monsieur, or mister in french. Hence for you in cyberspace my authentic neapolitan name: monzusal.
Being in the kitchen cooking and presenting the finds of the early morning markets is my passion. Every day I come to work dedicated to share this passion and my experiences first with the staff in the kitchen, then with our guests here at Il Grano. I’ve decided to reach out with a blog to chronicle these events, to tell and show what goes on in the kitchen and present to you what is going on at Il Grano.
This won’t be just a blog about preparing dishes and Il Grano. This will be a journal for me. I would like to establish a closer, a more intimate overview of what goes on in Sal’s days. I’ll write about wines, an intricate and important part of a meal for me. I’ll take pictures of my garden, PapiSole Farm. I’ll share articles about food & wine, books I like, provide links to our suppliers, a look into the Italy I know. Thru this all you will know more about me: my backround, my family, where I grew up, my personal journey, where I am now and what tomorrow will bring.
Happy readings,
Monzu Sal
My first blog: What a better way to start than choosing spring.
It is fitting that my first blog start from where you notice spring most: the garden. This particular one, a tiny place, is very special to me and I call it PapiSole Farm. Yes, it’s my garden; I’m Papi and Sole is short for Mariasole, my daughter who loves to play with me in the garden. Below a picture taken in the garden last month. Look for these ingredients in dishes at Il Grano, and the blog.
Snap Peas Feb 2010