Florence is so lucky, master pizzaiolo, Giovanni Santarpia just opened tonight in Florence, located behind the Sant’Ambrogio market. I am not a huge pizza fan, as I find most places rush the process and make a heavy dough but Giovanni has made me a pizza lover! Giovanni’s dough is made with love. He carefully selects…
Easy Risotto: Non-stir with Pumpkin
Probably one of my most requested recipes is the non-stir risotto I learned from the owner of Pila Vecia, Gabriele Ferron. We visited him in his place just outside Verona and saw the old mill for milling the rice and learned all about rice. Like all regional recipes, there are different rules, depending where…
Food Rules: Cafe Life
In a recent article, it was announced that Starbucks is opening in Milano in January,in the land of cappuccino,espresso and caffe’ macchiato. WHAT? Isnt’t that really bringing coals to Newcastle? I am on FB a lot, and it was brought to my attention that Italy inspired the creation of Starbucks. On a visit to Italy,…
Make Soup not War
It is hard to think about fun things when the world has been attacked. First Beirut and now Paris. Daily I read about shootings in USA which kill more people than these “terrorist” attacks. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD. I try not to bring politics into my blog, but I am feeling sick to…
Tuscan Fall Pleasures- Chickpea Pancakes
Old recipes are new again, Cecina, a gluten free crepe,is popping up all over again. I am always thrilled with I get return students. This past season, I hosted a student from 10 years ago, that has now found a new path. For her program, using food to heal people, gluten-free cooking is a large…
New Beginnings
There is nothing more that I love more than new beginnings. This year I decided to close my teaching space in Colle Val D’Elsa, after 5 years. I had a 5 year plan, which was to have a space like my via Taddea space in Florence, but in Chianti. Been there, done that. In the…
Change of Seasons- Fall
Returning from Sicily where the temperatures were still hot, Tuscany was a little cooler and fall is starting to show it’s colors. The wine harvest has started and the roads are full of trucks bringing grapes to be crushed. The roads are stained with grape juice and the fragrance fills the air. …
Sicily is DIVINA
I have never been to Sicily in September. Usually, I come “off-season” in March for the St Joseph’s day celebrations , in May, just before the tourist season starts or in Fall when the new oil is being pressed. This trip has been so incredible. We saw the salt being harvested at the salt flats. The…