This season has flown by, there has been no time for blogging. I am in the process of changing how I work and it is working well! I have been offering more week-long programs in Tuscany and in Sicily and this year I added Puglia to my list. I don’t write about it online much,…
Got Olives?
Hey look what I got! OLIVES Easy to when you live in the middle of an olive grove in Tuscany. But even I must buy olives to preserve. My neighbors did give me olives as a nice gesture when I gave them some of my freshly pressed oil from the Becchina Estates in Castelvetrano. But…
Big Red Tents and Dreams
This summer has flown by like a dream. We had very little heat so it was rather surreal most of the time. Then I attended MAD, a culinary think-tank in Copenhagen organized by Renee’ Redzepi of Noma restaurant and David Chang of Momofuku in NY..This years curator and guest host was Chef Alex Atala from…
Panelle- Sicilian Street Food
I was a vegetarian for about 7 years, I guess now you would say Pescatarian as I ate sushi! Living in Tuscany now for 30 years, I eat meat, but the mediterranean diet is high in grains and vegetables as well as incredible cheeses. We get our fair share of protein. Legumes are a high…
Simply Summer- Pomodori
This year, like last year, has been a wet summer. But when you work cooking in a hot kitchen, it is welcoming. Luckily, my tomato plants have survived. They did have a moment when they lost some of their blossoms, so we don’t have as many as we normally do. But it is always a…
Chianti:Food&Wine APP- Montefioralle
When I published my app on touring Chianti, my idea was EAT. DRINK.SHOP.STAY. A list of places I would go if I was coming on vacation. Places I go to as a person living here. Pick a town on the app and then see what I suggest doing while there. It is impossible to list…
Summer on a Plate- Peperonata
We snuck in a little mini-vacation at the beach as part of some research I am doing for a new tour, down in Maremma. Tuscany is so different in the various regions and not really over run with tourists. It is full of agriculture, not just wine. wheat ready for the harvest I am calling…
Signs of the Season
In Italy, you must pay attention to the seasons. Often you only have once chance at making a seasonal recipe. This year I missed the Elderberry blossoms, to make a syrup for cocktails. But I did get my green walnuts to make Nocino, although this year I am celebrating my French side of the family…