Have you ever tried new oil? Just as it comes out of the press? Here in Tuscany, it takes your breath away and burns you throat with it’s pepperiness. New oil is always a reason to celebrate in Italy. In 1985, it snowed heavily and we lost thousands of olive trees. Olive oil is…
Edible Tuscany- Certaldo
I am truly blessed. I live on a tiny hill in the middle of an olive orchard ( ok next to a creepy neighbor building the largest pizza oven of life which is becoming my new “view) in the heart of Tuscany. I don’t live in a huge house, but rather 1/3 of a old…
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…
Tasting the Past- Cotognata ( Quince Paste)
There are some fruits and vegetables that remind me of the past. Odd shapes and incredible flavor and fragrances. Quince are one of those fruits. Impossible to eat as is. Often when at the market something catches my eye that I HAVE TO COOK. I don’t think I ever cooked or saw quince in California…
PIgging Out Tuscan Style- Porchetta
For my 500th post I decided to dedicate it to pigging out. Pork is so popular in Tuscany and most of my clients adore visiting and tasting at the markets and butcher shops. I thought I would let the rest of you come on my virtual tour. I am very lucky to be able to…
The Florentine- a city- a steak
When I tell the story of how I came to Florence and fell in love, first with Florence and then with a Florentine-( my now husband, Andrea), I probably should also mention the other Florentine in my life. The Steak, called Bistecca alla Fiorentina- the larger than life T-bone steak Florence is famous for. Did…
Home on the Range- Maremma
I had a couple of days off and my husband worked so hard moving me while I was in America, I wanted us to have a little get-away. The weather had finally cleared up and spring was in full bloom, so we decided to head for the beach. How to choose which beach? We could…
The Italian Way – Crostata con Pecorino e Pere
Italians have a way with recipes. I was trained as a pastry chef, but since I learned to make the Pasta Frolla pie crust, it is the only crust I use. Now that I have moved my teaching space to Colle Val D’Elsa, I have new inspirations. While shopping for bread at the local forno,…