Probably one of the first signs of fall arriving are the huge squash in the market. I call them pumpkins, but that confuses people. In Italian they are zucca. Zucchini are small squash. There are so many types of these pumpkin like squashes, which in Italy are not the base for pumpkin pie, but rather…
Wordless Wednesday— From the garden and market
Rianata- Trapani style “pizza” – Calvino
When I was in Trapani last month, I took my friends to a favorite pizza spot I discovered a couple of trips ago, Calvino. Their pizza’s are different. Instead of sauce, they use tomatoes. My favorite is their classic Rianata pizza which is made with the cherry tomatoes, anchovy, pecorino cheese and oregano (rianata- oreganata)….
Time Flies When You Are Having Fun
In September of 1984, I bought a one-way ticket to Europe. The plan was to spend a month in France and a month in Italy. I had been to France many times already, was trained in French pastries and working at a 5 star hotel as a pastry chef and waitressing to save up cash! I…
Counting My Blessings
I really adore having my photography to remind me of where I have been, with whom and how lucky I am. I feel already blessed to be living in Tuscany and be able to travel around Italy for work with my fellow Italophiles. Fall is always busy in Italy, I think it is one of…
Porcini
Every class feels like iron chef, the market changes and we jump at the chance to use the seasonal best. I don’t repeat lessons week after week or I would be bored to tears. This week I was asked to make fresh pasta and show how to make ravioli, the porcini inspired a simple mushroom…
Wordless Wednesdays- Radda in Chianti
Tasting Sicily
I could have stayed here all day long. One of the only regrets I have is I don’t live near the beach, to smell the sea! I hope to fix that soon, to spend a month or so at a time at least, but my Culinary programs to Sicily at least get me here often….