I adore shopping at Leo Piazzesi’s stand in the Mercato Centrale. He carries only a few products, all displayed as if at Tiffany’s, each tomato shining, melons cut open for tasting, their profume calling out “Assaggiami…taste me” and the season’s best. Right now, I go to Leo for carciofi, artichokes, layed out like rare flowers on…
Arrosto Fiorentino
This is one of my personal favorites for teaching in classes and for parties. It is so simple to prepare and HUGE effect! When I worked with Dario, we once did this for a party for 200 people that we catered. Dario did get tired slicing, but it was perfect for a large crowds….
Casa del Vino Enoteca
One of my favorite stops while down around the Central Market is Gianni Migliorini’s Casa del Vino an enoteca. It is one of the best wine shops and wine bars in Florence, old style. A simple counter, very few places to sit, a tiny table and great wine by the glass and wonderful sandwiches. As…
New Year- Old Recipe Tuscan Apple Cake
Sometimes the classic recipes are the best. On my old website I had a list of recipes from some of my favorite chefs and restaurant owners. I had gathered them before the era of blogging. With the redo of the site as also a new platform for recipes, travel tips and restaurant suggestions, I will…
Agro-Dolce [Sweet and Sour]
I adore this time of year, work slows down to nothing and I have time to cook for pleasure. In Italy, the holiday season really starts on December 8th when the trees and creche scenes are set up and everyone gets in the mood! The chilly weather is also an incentive to spend time in…
Lost Recipes – Sedano Rifatto
I am blessed to have married into a Florentine family. My husband’s mother was a fabulous, tough woman who outlived two husbands and raised two lovely men. Tina Barchielli, lost her first husband during WWll, he was taken prisoner and died. Her second husband, Arturo, was the father of her children, Cesare and my husband…
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…
Liquid Gold- video
Liquid gold? Perhaps because of the price, but the color should always be a deep green, never gold. I have a dream. I want to share my cooking classes online with video. I don’t want to do “live classes” so thought that the best way was to do a fun light recipe video and…