The Joy of Feeding

As much as I’ve always been tempted to create a blog on food and wine, I kept putting the idea on hold until today – partly because I’ve never been much of a blogger but mostly because I dedicate more time cooking, eating, serving wine and drinking it than talking about the whole thing.
But the world of food and wine offers such significant experiences that it would be a great pity if left unshared. My most memorable moments are with food.
Wine is a different story. I find drinking pleasurable in that it complements what you’re doing – whether it’s eating, socialising, relaxing or just getting drunk. Food however, is always the subject. Socialising, celebrating, experimenting, talking about it and even making a living out of cooking are all complementary factors to its very own experience.
Nothing beats the pleasure of feeding – not even eating. The beauty of cooking, and this is probably why I am so passionate about it, lies in the fact that it is the simplest form of art, the easiest to undertake. Albeit a very simple melody, not all untrained musicians can play the tune to the famous 1980s Barilla advert on the piano. But any untrained cook can prepare spaghetti all’aglio ed olio.
Even though I had no formal training, my decision to take up food and wine as a career was taken before I could drink or drive. The thirteen years that followed saw me undertake many different catering opportunities, living as a nomad between one kitchen and cellar to another.
By sheer coincidence, in 2006 I opened the first Ciao Fra (back then spelt Caw Fra, in Maltese), a small seaside establishment in Xemxija. In the first months, I was not sure what I wanted of the place, or more precisely, I had no idea what the place wanted from me. Until the beginnings of 2008, Ciao Fra passed through many waves of it becoming known as a wine bar, a piano bar, a pasta place, a restaurant, or a club even. Its last reincarnation as a seafood tapas bar was perhaps the most successful. Regardless, the first Ciao Fra proved to be a veritable roller-coaster ride, which I was completely drawn to – heart and soul, like a difficult girlfriend. It was a huge learning curve, a baptism of fire.
2009 came and I decided to move. At the start of the summer, a friend and I re-opened a tiny catering establishment in the heart of Sliema – and we decided to retain the name Ciao Fra partly because of the magical moments many people attribute to the Xemxija place, but also because Ciao Fra’s secret is utter simplicity.
As simple, if not simpler, are the local recipes we use for tapas at the new Ciao Fra. Ultimately, an unassuming approach to food is what made Italian cuisine world known. Ciao Fra is far from being world known, seeing that only a minority of the Maltese population even know we exist. Perhaps this blog will give us an opportunity to become more known to you, and also to share some simple recipes for you to try at home.
Here’s my first installment:
This recipe brings back memories of childhood. Every time my mother cooked fish, she always boiled marrows on the side. My father would take a jar of capers from the fridge, mash them with marrows and dip fresh bread into the concoction to complement the taste of fish.

What you need:
2 marrows
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Maltese capers
Parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Chillie flakes

What to do with it:
Boil the marrows until they are al dente. Drain well. With a processor, blend with the rest of the ingredients to a chunky consistency. Enjoy chilled.