I am so in love with Sicily- and the Sicilians. It is an island full of passion for life. I am constantly charged with energy. Volcanic soil? Sea Air? Perhaps the fabulous food? I have made some fabulous friends that are also passionate about food and share their “Secrets” with me, which I think share…
IACP Culinary Workshop- Bitters with Bitterman
At the IACP convention in San Francisco this year, I attended one of the pre-conference workshops on Build You Own Bitters, with Mark Bitterman of The Meadow, a shop in Portland, Oregon and also in New York City.I adore the alchemy of cooking and living in Europe have become passionate about making my own liquores…
Simply Divina- Salsa Verde
Often after I return back home to Italy from a teaching tour, I crave some of the simple flavors which are part of the pantry here in Tuscany. One of the sauces I adore is Salsa Verde. In Italy, it is a sauce served with boiled beef meals or on the lampredotto sandwiches served all…
Spring is Here
I just returned from two weeks in California where Spring is far ahead of Spring in Tuscany. But on arriving home, I did find that the winter chill has finally left and sunny days have arrived. At the weekly market in Certaldo, we found signs of spring. In the village I live in, Certaldo, we…
On The Road- California
It has been a wild and crazy trip. But now, I am stopping to smell the flowers, in my case,get my fill of favorite foods. I am enjoying a ripe Haas avocado for breakfast at my friends house this morning and will be taking a Mexican cooking class later today. I will post more later…
Celebrating Spring- Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Foraged Borage
Spring gifts from my garden. Wild borage. The leaves are prickly, handle with care! I often cut into thin slices and add to my salads, they have a bright cucumber flavor. Another traditional use is to cook the leaves like spinach. I was craving naked ravioli, called Gnudi. It is especially good with the spring…
Tuscan Trinity- Soffritto
When you work through my cookbook, Secrets of My Tuscan Kitchen,you find that the base of many of the sauces and stews consists in one of the Tuscan Trinity’s, the Soffritto. Carrot, red onion and celery, some people add parsley too. Each cook makes their own variations, personalizing the recipe. Today I made a ragu,…
Sweet Tuscany- Frittelle
Tuscany has been dark and grey, wet and windy this past week. The hills are saturated with water, mudslides blocking the roads near where I live, rivers overflowing near Pisa. We did receive a small window of sun and a reason to celebrate. March 17th is St Patrick’s day, but although it is said he…