Sometimes things just pile up in life and you need to take a break– so I did! How can you miss me if I don’t go away? This year is flying by and I am catching up with my trip planning. I started to offer more weeklong programs this year and the planning is harder…
Spring Escapes
This year, my culinary tours began early. I have always dreamed of attending the St Joseph Day celebrations in Sicily since I read about them in an article by Carol Field. They are held in the tiny villages or Salemi, Gibellina and Poggioreale as well as in many other towns. I organized a tour for…
5 of my Favorite Places in Certaldo
Thanks to Honest Cooking and #Fiji Water for asking me to participate in their search for great local food all over the world! When I moved out to the countryside between Florence and Siena in Tuscany, I knew I would be surrounded by incredible vistas and great cooking. The Tuscan cuisine is down to earth,…
Primavera?
It seems like Spring has arrived in Tuscany. The hills are green, in my garden the violets are already blooming and my roses never stopped blooming all winter. The foto is from the hillside near my home, a new farmer has started raising goats and soon will be producing goat cheese. I can’t wait. Last…
Macedonia- Italian Fruit Salad
This was one of the great dessert recipes I taught for the college students I taught while they were on their study abroad programs. We made a mixed fruit bowl, but it started as a simple way to finish a meal. Cut a piece of fruit into your wine glass and add a spoon or…
Tuscan Toast
A common “snack” at the coffee shop bars in and around Italy are “toasts”, not “panini”. Panino means sandwich and they are not put in a “panini press” unless you ask. Most panini are made with lettuce and mayonnaise and they would not think about heating them. But there is a hot ham and cheese…
Coffee Culture
In Italy, coffee is almost a religious experience. Each person has their favorite coffee, grind and how to make it at home and where to get it when they go out. At home, most people make simple coffee using a MOKA or stovetop style coffee pot. You get your espresso out at a bar, where…
Tuscan Comfort Food- Risotto al Pomodoro
Winter weather is finally kicking in slowly. The temperature is dropping but the sun is still shining. We are expecting snow this week, so from spring to winter now. In my garden the violets were just starting to bloom and the roses had also been blooming like crazy. I noticed that the irises were also…