When September comes to Chianti, I go to Chianti too! The wine harvest fills the air with drunken perfume, too strong to ignore. Grape must fermenting , sends me spinning every breath. Indian summer skies with a light that explains why so may great artists came and stayed. A new color palate is required. As…
Gluten-Free Lunch
With guests at lunch, such as our own Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, to inspire us in cooking class, one of my old favorites, became a new favorite Chicchi a fabulous recipe from Umbria using chickpeas and farro becomes gluten-free using Riso Venere, or Forbidden Rice*. The texture and flavor of the rice was a…
Comfort me with chocolate
When I was 10 years old, funerals became a huge part of my life. Our family was not large to begin with. My mom had one brother. He was the first to die prematurely, followed by my mom losing a baby at birth. My brother and sister and I were sent to live with other…
Market to Table – Certaldo- Francesca’s Figs
Spending more time out in Certaldo, most of my best new recipes come from Francesca at the Certaldo weekly market. She only sells from her own farm and that of an aunt, so what you see is what you get. Today I saw the first figs! We picked up a whole tray of them when she…
Brutto ma Buono
Brutto ma Buono….Ugly but good Heirloom tomatoes are not always pretty but they are pretty good! Rich and almost meaty! Today’s Cuore di Bue ended up in a riff on a traditional summer salad lightened up. Insalata Russa , russian salad, is a classic, made from tiny boiled veggies, usually peas, carrots, potatoes and string…
Not Just Pizza!
The Perfect Recipe for a Good Time 5 days in chianti 2 women chefs, one from France, one from Italy, both Americans Lots of great ingredients from Fabulous Artisans Location, Location, Location Crank up the Heat Oven owner Marcello pre-heated his 300 year old oven for our week Wine Women and Meat! Kate Hill…
Market Recipes- Polpo- Octopus Salad
Saturday’s market also includes the fish truck.Although Italy is surrounded by water, fish is still considered to be an expensive item. Dried fish such as Baccala, the salt cod, is often the fish of choice. Even on the Island of Ischia, the local specialty is rabbit.. not fish.Fishermen sell the fish to make money and…
Florence’s New Year’s Day!
March 25th… 9 months to the day to Christmas.. The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci which is in Japan at the moment!