This is one of my favorite Italian comfort foods and probably the most misinterpreted. There is no cream in Carbonara sauce. The creaminess is a magical effect, created by stirring the grated cheese into the egg yolks ( I like just yolks instead of whole eggs) and a good dose of black pepper and then…
Tito’s Oven-Roasted Tuscan Beans
It is that time of year- fresh beans are appearing in my markets and what I really love is when I find them already shelled. Florentines are called Mangia-fagioli, bean-eaters. Not sure if it is supposed to be offensive, but I adore beans and eaten with rice or grains become a perfect protein and one…
Fall Foods – When Tuscany Shines
Everyday I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am. Tuscany is really at its best in fall. Not only is the scenery fabulous, incredible light, but the food and wine is really my favorite in fall. Panzano in Chianti half-way between Florence and Siena on the 222 This past week on our Chianti Experience…
My Market Days- Sharing My Friends
I have always adored traveling in September. In Tuscany it is when all my favorite food festivals begin, which is why I love week-long programs starting now all through November. This week we started with our first dinner at the Porcini Mushroom dinner run by the city swim team as a fund-raiser, not bad, why…
Summer is Here
To me, the first sign that summer has arrived is a craving for a big dish of Tuscan Panzanella. A celebration of summer made with fresh sweet red onions, ripe tomatoes and cucumbers with crumbled bread and basil. An edible Italian flag, red, white and green. It is seasoned with rich unfiltered Tuscan olive oil, tart…
Celebrating the Season- Summer Soltice
A sure sign summer has arrived is the appearance of sun-ripened tomatoes to make Pomarola, simple tomato sauce. To celebrate, yesterday I picked up my first kilo of Fiorentini, a local heirloom tomato for sauce. The best flavor and consistency for sauce comes from these kind of tomatoes. One does not make sauce from salad…
Great Memories- San Gimignano
I Latini’s new Piatto di Buon Ricordo ( note: no longer available) I have been a fan and collector of the Piatti di Buon Ricordo since I moved here in 1984. To me, it is the way to visit Italy. Like a secret society, knocking on a door and saying ” Buon Ricordo“, the restaurant…
How do I love thee- let me count the recipes!
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Nowhere is that more true than in Italy! When I want to show my husband how much I care, there are certain recipes I will make for him, some of them are the recipes his mother taught me that are family favorites. But…