It seems like Spring has arrived in Tuscany. The hills are green, in my garden the violets are already blooming and my roses never stopped blooming all winter. The foto is from the hillside near my home, a new farmer has started raising goats and soon will be producing goat cheese. I can’t wait. Last…
Tuscan Toast
A common “snack” at the coffee shop bars in and around Italy are “toasts”, not “panini”. Panino means sandwich and they are not put in a “panini press” unless you ask. Most panini are made with lettuce and mayonnaise and they would not think about heating them. But there is a hot ham and cheese…
Pesce Finto- Fake Fish
Pesce Finto, fake fish is on my list of favorite recipes that I learned from my mother-in-law, Tina. It is one I love to teach kids of all ages. Fabulous for parties, inexpensive and flavorful. She served it in a bowl. Italy is surrounded by water, but in Florence we rarely eat fresh fish. They…
Gianni’s Deviled Eggs- Casa del Vino
As is tradition in Italy, one never drinks without eating something. Casa del Vino is my favorite stop near my house for a glass of wine and a nibble. Not only my favorite place as you’ll see if you come around lunch time when it is packed with locals. As you enter, you will see…
Market Recipes: Benita’s Sicilian Eggplant
I adore eggplant and am always looking for new recipes. One of my first friends in the San Lorenzo market in Florence was Benita, the mamma at Porks. Originally it was a tiny corner kitchen, with sandwiches. I started to notice young men bringing her fish or a slice of meat and she would disappear…
Lovin’ Left-overs
Sometimes food memories come back with a simple ingredient. I remember a wonderful summer salad I had ages ago, in Florence, at a tiny trattoria. Cold grilled marinated eggplant slices with chopped fresh tomatoes, lots of basil and tiny meatballs. While I was cleaning the fridge for lunch, that came into mind. So I used…
Pomodori Verdi- Green Tomatoes
I loved the movie Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. I know in America the fried green tomatoes are a Southern specialty. I have always found a great similarity between Southern cooking and Tuscan cooking. Lots of pork fat, overcooked greens, polenta instead of grits and fried green tomatoes. Last year I made some…
Simply Divina- Grilled Spring Onions
Market day always inspires me. There are ingredients that we see only for a brief window in Italy and one must seize the moment! Today was one of those days. Certaldo, where I live, is famous for its red onions. They are light and sweet and lovely both raw in salads or in cooking. We…