Trattoria Mario’s is a home away from home for almost all the students that come to the study abroad programs in Florence. This tiny family trattoria began as a fiaschetteria 4 generations ago. These small family trattorias, passed from one generation to another, are national treasures.In 2013, they celebrated 60 years of their opening. I…
Tuscan Beans- A Bean for all Seasons
My friend Samin has declared January #beanmonth. In Tuscany, every month is bean month. Tuscans are called mangiafagioli, bean eaters for their large consumption of beans. In Florence, dining out, you mostly find the cannellini beans or if you are lucky the rare zolfini bean. Heading out to Lucca, you really start to see a…
CINGHIALE AGRO DOLCE- WILD BOAR
Living in the countryside in Tuscany means being woken up by gunfire during hunting season. The good side, is often I receive a nice big piece of wild boar meat, cinghiale, like this Christmas. I made a simple version of the boar, leaving out the final ingredients which give it it’s tang. The stewed pork…
Big White Cows- Nose to Tail
I was asked to participate in the Vetrina Toscana sharing my recipe for a favorite dish using the Vitellone Bianco dell’Appenino Centrale. What is that? The huge white cattle raised for meat, In Tuscany it is the Chianina, in Emilia Romagna the Romagnola and in Le Marche the Marchigiana. The Big White Cows, standing higher…
Tuscan Comfort Food- Risotto al Pomodoro
Winter weather is finally kicking in slowly. The temperature is dropping but the sun is still shining. We are expecting snow this week, so from spring to winter now. In my garden the violets were just starting to bloom and the roses had also been blooming like crazy. I noticed that the irises were also…
Zuppa di Ceci e Farro con ‘Nduja
This year nature is taking revenge around the world. We had horrible storms and flooding again in Florence a few weeks back and this week a cyclone hit Sardegna. What makes it all worse is the over building of homes in the wrong places, as soon as a storm comes, the land no longer holds…
Sicilian Spaghetti-O’s
I am not Italian-American and have no Italian blood in me. I was never a big fan of the Italian-American food I had in America, for me the portions were HUGE and too many courses. NOW I get it! After living here for 30 years, I get it. I can see where a lot of…
MELT- book review and contest
I recently received a copy of MELT: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese from my IACP friend Stephanie Stiavetti in California, she and her friend Garret McCord wrote a really lovely book focusing on Artisan cheeses and recipes from around the world. Grown up Mac and Cheese. After reading through the book I chose what…