I was inspired to do a simple recipe by a fotograph taken of the panic in the local grocery stores around Italy with the Corona Virus scare. The circle is around the Penne Lisce pasta, obviously not a favorite with many people. Italians are fanatics about what sauce goes with what shape of pasta and…
Saffron Sausage Pasta- Simply Divina
I am the queen of quick. When it is time for lunch, my husband wants to eat. In the time it takes to boil water, you can have a fabulous sauce ready at the same time. One of my first jobs in Italy was waitressing, as kitchens were small, not a huge staff was needed…
The New JOY OF COOKING- Don Pasta
Recently food has moved from the kitchen to the stage, taking the message out to the public in a fun way to remind people of the joy of cooking and the pleasures found sharing a meal at the table. I really don’t like the new competitions on TV with food to me cooking is about…
MELT- book review and contest
I recently received a copy of MELT: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese from my IACP friend Stephanie Stiavetti in California, she and her friend Garret McCord wrote a really lovely book focusing on Artisan cheeses and recipes from around the world. Grown up Mac and Cheese. After reading through the book I chose what…
Wordless Wednesday- What is wrong with this picture?
Old pasta– new to me
I travel a lot in Italy, often doing research and development for new trips. Discovering the regional pasta dishes and other specialites is like a treasure hunt. I was invited on a PR trip to discover the area outside of Naples, which makes one of my favorite liquore, Strega. The town of Benevento and the…
Inspiration from My Garden
This morning as I looked out the bedroom window down onto the garden, I saw two large zucchini blossoms. When I went downstairs, saw one was a boy– blossom only and there were two zucchini’s. Andrea adores eating things fresh from the garden and zucchini has so much more flavor when you harvest it tiny….
Diva’s Dirty Little Secret- Gnocchi in 10 minutes
I am not a kitchen Nazi. I also use short-cuts when I can or teach people how to make life easier and simpler. One of my favorite tricks in the kitchen I learned living here is to use instant mashed potatoes for gnocchi. I had bought some incredibly tender potato gnocchi in the grocery store…