In Italy, you must pay attention to the seasons. Often you only have once chance at making a seasonal recipe. This year I missed the Elderberry blossoms, to make a syrup for cocktails. But I did get my green walnuts to make Nocino, although this year I am celebrating my French side of the family…
San Giovanni- St. Jean
June 24 is St. John the Baptist’s day. Patron Saint of Florence. We make a sweet green walnut liquor, Nocino or Nocilllo, to celebrate. Walnuts picked now have not yet started to form their shells and you can cut through them to flavor the alcohol. In Gascony, they make a version which also has red wine,…
Can’t stand the heat?
My Tuscan-Russian Salad It is sooooooo hot here right now that it is almost impossible to even think about cooking, but one must eat, so I was inspired to create a cold New Tuscan Style- Russian salad. Insalata Russa was a classic when I first moved here, a vegetable salad bound together with at least a…
Nocino- Nocillo
A local liquor, made both in Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and in Campagna with unripe walnuts, picked on June 24th,St John the Baptist’s day. He is the patron Saint of Florence and during the old pagan calender June 24th was the summer soltice! The walnuts are picked before they form the shell on the inside so…