Secrets of My Sicilian Kitchen Tour- November 5-12, 2010 I have fallen in love with Sicily and adore sharing it with my friends. Sicily is such a mix of cultures of those that have passed through and left a sign of their passing in recipes and flavors. Immagine cous cous in Sicily, fish marinated in…
BYOB in Italy
BYOB usually means bring your own bottle ( full) to a party- but in Italy it has taken on new meaning. Bringing your own empty bottle to Vino Sfuso shops where they fill your empy bottles with wine from large demijohns or even large stainless steel vats, saving you money. No labels, no advertising, no…
Edible Florence: Obica’ Mozzarella Bar
I had a student say to me that all they had been warned that all places downtown Florence are touristy and to stay away. It is not true, many trattoria’s, restaurants and wine bars are in the same place they have been for generations and happen to be visted by tourists as well as locals….
Why I Cook
This is not my kitchen- but have cooked here with my students-what a perfect space to enjoy cooking! I spend a lot of time now on Twitter as well as Facebook- for me it is like being at a party with a bunch of friends and eavesdropping on lots of conversations and jumping in with…
Butter as Food
Lelio Botteri and Mario Fiandino at Golosario Often, we think of butter as part of a pantry, to be used for cooking but not really standing on its own as a food. Living in Italy and France, I have had artisan butters which deserve such respect.I was recently asked to participate in a butter “tasting…
Domenica da Dario
Just another Sunday lunch with friends but at the Officina della Bistecca-you leave with more friends than you came with! I feel really blessed to have worked for several years with Dario, before he became such a media star, when only a few journalists like Faith Willinger were writing about artisans in Tuscany. Thanks to…
Amici Miei- Andrea Bezzecchi
Why is it that a traditional balsamic vinegar from Reggio Emilia or from Modena is $125 a bottle? If you ever have seen what it takes to make it, it seems like a real bargain! Start with grape juice and lose 70% in cooking it down. Invest in 5 to 7 different…
Tuscan Treasures- Macelleria Marianelli
Antica Macelleria- Norceria Marianelli- Montopoli I must have a gourmet guardian angel. We reserved tickets for a dinner and a show as part of a new “Utopia del Buongusto”, a series of theater pieces arranged by Andrea Kaemmerle and his Theatre Company. As we had never been to the village where the show was being…