I have always enjoyed learning to make Tuscan traditional pasta shapes. Locally, the cucina povera, poor cuisine, found a way to make eggless pasta. Flour and water pasta is one of the first pastas created we can trace it back in history to Roman times and also think about Ramen noodles. Around Siena and heading…
Panna Cotta – My Favorite Dessert
Panna Cotta or as I refer to it, Jello for grownups, is one of my favorite desserts. Since I was a pastry chef, that is saying a lot. When I go to a old school trattoria , if Latte alla Portughese or Creme Caramel is on the menu, I will order it. These are both…
Big White Cows- Nose to Tail
I was asked to participate in the Vetrina Toscana sharing my recipe for a favorite dish using the Vitellone Bianco dell’Appenino Centrale. What is that? The huge white cattle raised for meat, In Tuscany it is the Chianina, in Emilia Romagna the Romagnola and in Le Marche the Marchigiana. The Big White Cows, standing higher…
La Vendemmia- Schiacciata con L’uva
In Italy, each region has seasonal dishes which one can make once a year. September is the wine harvest, vendemmia, and in Tuscany we make the Schiacciata con l’uva. A simple bread dough, often enriched with a rosemary-infused olive oil, is rolled out into a top and bottom layer and filled with Concord…