Creating a market day menu for me is like being on one of those cooking shows every time I shop. In my own village, Certaldo, we have our large weekly market on Wednesday. They bring it all in, not just food. This is like the mall coming to you, you can get almost anything you…
Tuscan Fall Pleasures- Chickpea Pancakes
Old recipes are new again, Cecina, a gluten free crepe,is popping up all over again. I am always thrilled with I get return students. This past season, I hosted a student from 10 years ago, that has now found a new path. For her program, using food to heal people, gluten-free cooking is a large…
Panelle- Sicilian Street Food
I was a vegetarian for about 7 years, I guess now you would say Pescatarian as I ate sushi! Living in Tuscany now for 30 years, I eat meat, but the mediterranean diet is high in grains and vegetables as well as incredible cheeses. We get our fair share of protein. Legumes are a high…
Zuppa di Ceci e Farro con ‘Nduja
This year nature is taking revenge around the world. We had horrible storms and flooding again in Florence a few weeks back and this week a cyclone hit Sardegna. What makes it all worse is the over building of homes in the wrong places, as soon as a storm comes, the land no longer holds…
Farro Salad Revisited- Changing Seasons
Often it is hard to know when to change your wardrobe here in Italy. Spring has arrived and the days get longer, more sun and warmth. Next thing a storm blows in and temperatures drop and back to layering with sweaters to keep warm and soup and stews back on the stove. Sometimes there are…
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…
Gluten-Free Lunch
With guests at lunch, such as our own Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, to inspire us in cooking class, one of my old favorites, became a new favorite Chicchi a fabulous recipe from Umbria using chickpeas and farro becomes gluten-free using Riso Venere, or Forbidden Rice*. The texture and flavor of the rice was a…