The magic of fried capers and a farmhouse you must visit if you're in the Piemonte region.

Plus, a bit of This & That.

Rantan Farmhouse

It's a love story. Two young chefs, Francesco and Carol, meet while working at some of the best restaurants in the world, including Noma and Relae. They fall in love, move to Italy (where Francesco is from) to start their family, and settle in the small town of Trausella, nestled amid the picturesque landscape of the Piemonte region. They buy and meticulously renovate a beautiful old farmhouse, transforming it into a space where they can share their love and passion for slow food. And so Rantan Farmhouse is born.

From the moment you step onto the grounds of Rantan, you're transported to a realm of rustic elegance and timeless charm. Francesco greets guests with a warm smile and a delicious glass of "Chinato" (Chinati Vergano and Nebbiolo chinato), making one instantly feel at home. Sitting by the wood-burning fireplace and mingling with the other guests, you quickly get acquainted. Once all fourteen guests have arrived, you make your way to a long communal table next to a large open kitchen, where guests watch the culinary magic unfold throughout the meal. The dining experience is executed gracefully and attentively, and you can taste the passion Francesco and Carol put into their food in every delicious bite.

Each dish is a thoughtful blend of tradition and innovation, elevating the ingredients they have grown on their farmland or sourced from passionate local purveyors down the road. While inhaling the most delicious bread that Carol baked, I asked, " Where is this whipped butter from? It's incredible." "Oh, a friend down the road makes it for us." And that is how it goes for anything they aren't growing themselves. It's all from just down the road. Each bite was delicious, from the turnips that tasted like fresh pasta to the perfectly flakey phyllo dough filled with herbs to the hand-churned soft serve. The wine is also fantastic, full of a thoughtful selection of natural wines from Italy, France, and Spain. 

There were so many memorable moments, both in the food and hospitality of Francesco and Carol and with the guests who became fast friends. For anyone traveling to the Piemonte region, we highly recommend adding Rantan to your list of destinations. Be sure to book well in advance, as it fills up fast, with only two lunch and one dinner service per weekend. It's a very special place that is not to be missed.

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Fried capers and why you need them in your life

I was first introduced to the flavor bomb that is a fried caper, by our friend and chef extraordinaire, Jeremy Fox. About a year ago, Jeremy and his wife, Rachael, came over one Sunday for an afternoon of cooking, eating, and hanging out. As always, Jeremy brought a tray of perfectly prepared mise en place to assemble a tuna crudo dish, and the ingredients included fried capers and the leftover caper oil they were fried in. The final dish, consisting of tuna, thinly sliced shallots, Fresno chilis, fried capers, caper oil, and lemon zest, was spectacular. It showed me how capers, with their punchy, briney, bold flavor, can elevate a dish to another level.

This past weekend, I decided to make a new version of my Heirloom Tomatoes with Capers, Toasted Pistachios, and Oregano by frying the capers first and incorporating the caper oil, some fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley into the dish. It was out of this world. 

FRIED CAPERS

Here are step-by-step instructions: