I opened my cooking school in front of Florence’s Mercato Centrale in 1988. I had moved here in 1984 and took 4 years to really learn the language and study the local cuisine. When I arrived here I was pretty much an Italian food virgin. Like many people, Italian food of the 80’s was more…
RIP Tony Bourdain- Stay Hungry- Stay Curious
Tony Bourdain was just in Florence, filming at one of our favorite trattoria’s in town. He was with one of Florence’s rock stars Pelu, who held a small impromptu concert in the trattoria. He was just visiting at Dario’s in Chianti with his girlfriend Asia Argento and I was jealous that I had not been…
Amici Miei- Gabriele Ferron [Risotto]
Non-stir risotto I first met Gabriele Ferron of the Antica Pila Vecia while shopping at the Mercato Centrale in Florence where he was visiting market vendors who sell his rice. He returned with me to my kitchen to cook the rice, showing me his risotto tricks. He said, “Don’t stir my rice. It is too delicate.”…
Leo’s Artichokes
I adore shopping at Leo Piazzesi’s stand in the Mercato Centrale. He carries only a few products, all displayed as if at Tiffany’s, each tomato shining, melons cut open for tasting, their profume calling out “Assaggiami…taste me” and the season’s best. Right now, I go to Leo for carciofi, artichokes, layed out like rare flowers on…
Cucina Povera- Pamela Sheldon Johns
I was lucky to receive a review copy of Pamela’s new book, Cucina Povera, Tuscan Peasant Cooking. Pamela has a true passion for Italy and this book, her 16th I believe, is a tribute to the people that have taught us so much. The book is a pleasure to read. I kept it near my…
Edible Florence – BarbaGarga( now La Cucina del Garga)
Since I have moved away from downtown Florence, when I return I tend to go back to my same favorites over and over when I come down to run errands or do my market tours. I have been wanting to try BarbaGarga since it opened and finally got a chance to go to lunch with…
Meat Museum- The Masters of Meat
As you all know, I adore my butchers. The men and women that turn meat into meals. I was inspired, as I often am, but my soul-sister Kate in Camont, France. Her article on the red and white butcher shops reminded me of the foto shoot I just did for Dario, my master butcher, in…
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…