Pumpkins are so fall! Not only do you have left-overs from halloween,but the hills are also covered in various shades of gold, rust and green which are all pumpkin inspired. I adore pumpkin in soup, risotto and gnocchi. Try pumpkin gnocchi served with traditional balsamic vinegar and shaved parmesan cheese! The lovely elixir like qualities…
Simple Sicilian Pleasures
“I love you princess” If parmesan cheese is the “King of Cheeses” Fresh ricotta, candid and white is the Princess! Ricotta Re-cooked Nothing is more splendid than eating fresh ricotta on it’s own. Savory or sweet. Sheep are everywhere and sheeps milk ricotta will win you over right away. It is served at almost every…
Sicilian Splendors- Woman does not live by food alone.
mosaics from Villa Romana Sicily is full of incredible food,wine and art. It is a blend of cultures, each of the invading countries that passed through left their mark, filling Sicily with museums and churches,their art and architecure, Roman amphitheaters, ruins of Greek temples, Roman and Byzantine mosaics and Baroque palaces all in one small…
Eggplant Fetish
I must admit.. I have a thing for eggplants! I love the color, the look,the feel and the flavor of eggplants! Called Melanzana in Italian from the latin Mela insana, a “not healthy” vegetable and was considered to be poisonous, but so were tomatoes and potatoes! I love them grilled,roasted,fried… and even with chocolate! Yes there…
Granita di Caffe
Summer in Italy wouldn’t be summer without Granita! Besides fruit flavors,such as watermelon, as I mentioned before, or lemon, made with lemons from Sicily or the Amalfi coast, coffee granita is one of my favorites. I am very lucky as I can get it here in Florence at my Sicilian gelateria Carabe owned by Antonio…
Caponata
Attended a party last night in the hills above Chianti, about 70 people. We had a sweet and sour, preserved bell peppers, cut into wedges and served with tonné sauce, pureed tuna with hardboiled eggs, capers and olive oil. Two pasta’s one with porcini sauce and the other with tomato and eggplant with basil. The…
Watermelon Ice!
Today I got watermelon that was just out of the field, fabulous. I came home and made some granita which will help in this horrible heat wave we are having. This is a Sicilian recipe which I have simplified for my taste. There is nothing like the simplicity of Sicilian granita made with fresh…