When the 60 Minute special on olive oil fraud was shown on TV, I was immediately inundated with emails from past clients. To me, it is not news. I think everyone here knows that companies blend oil to create fake EVOO. I consider EVOO made from olives to oil, not blending oils. I say fake,…
Italian Pantry- Dispensa- [capperi]
I adore foraging. Not a true forager, but I know what is edible growing around my house and that makes me really happy. Have been waiting and waiting and finally on the wall of the abandoned church in the piazza where we park, the capers are ready to be picked. Now that you know what…
Old School Italian- Octopus: Polpo
I was never a fan of octopus. My mom never prepared it and whenever I did try it, I found it like eating rubber bands, too tough and chewy. When I was in Greece, probably 35 years ago, I had a revelation. Sitting at the port on the island of Paros, I was served…
Summer Salads from Sicily
Each trip to Sicily makes my head spin. It was impossible to decide what to write about for a blog post, so I just let it sink in for awhile. At home, I am cooking octopus, but you probably don’t care about that, but my husband loves it so much he keeps asking for more….
Diva on the road
I am just ending a USA trip and ready to head back. I began with the IACP culinary conference in Washington, DC. Always great to catch up with my collegues. Then flew up to New York and met my assistant Erica for her first trip to the USA, fabulous to show someone around, you see…
Sicily- On the Road
We are in Sicily, my home away from home for a coast-to-coast tour. March 19th is the festival of San Giuseppe, St Joseph, so it is also Father’s day. But the San Giuseppe has a huge religious cult following and I adore any festival which has food involved. We are starting the tour in Catania,…
Fagioli Mangiatutto- Germana Conti
One of the ways I learned to cook true tuscan foodwas eaves-dropping at the market and asking questions.These mangiatutto beans are a perfect example of learning at the market. The Conti Family has been in the San Lorenzo Market for 4 generations. When I first started shopping there, Mario and his wife Germana ran the…
Being Irish in Tuscany
When I was home last trip, went to the the Savory Spice Shop in Bend, Oregon and found some treasures I could not live without. A couple of new kinds if chili’s I had not used before, dried dill which I cannot get and some pink salt, not preserve meats with. Not Pink Himalayan salt,…