Cuisine Carolaise

Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, once said that you can never be too rich or too thin. She may have had a point. But she neglected to point out something far more important, at least in my world: you can never serve too many side dishes. Especially in summer, when gardens and farmer’s markets are brimming with delicious fresh produce of every shape and color.

My mother never followed a recipe. She learned to cook from her mother and, while she was never passionate about cooking, she had a repertoire of tasty dishes that were easy to prepare and that kept everyone happy. But of all the dishes she made, my favorite was her roast chicken.

If you ask me what I want to eat for my last meal, you can be sure that cheese will figure prominently on the menu. But, of course, for such a lofty occasion, the cheese must be one of outstanding character. And, while there are many cheeses that I truly adore, there is only one that is worthy of this final repast: Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheeses.

Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, cow’s milk cheese that can only be made in a legally defined zone in Italy covering portions of five provinces, four in Emilia-Romagna and one in neighboring Lombardy.

Given a choice between an elaborate, multi-course dinner at a fancy restaurant or a home-cooked bowl of my favorite bean soup with a luscious bottle of red and a crusty baguette, there’s no contest. Sure it’s fun dining at great restaurants and sampling complex preparations you’re not likely to cook at home. But most nights I love eating simple, peasant fare at my own table, sometimes preceded with a plate of prosciutto and hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, sometimes followed with a salad of mixed greens.