With this Ring…. Ginetti
With this ring…..these words might conjure up images of a wedding ceremony and the exchanging of gold bands, however, in Calabria there is another type of matrimonial ring, a dessert by the name of Ginetti (not to be confused with the lemon knot cookies known as anginetti). These treats are traditionally enjoyed for Easter, prepared […]
Pasties for St. Paddy’s
Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said “there is no sincerer love, than the love of food”. His famous words could very well be my personal slogan for I am truly consumed with a passion for food that encompasses a global spectrum. While my truest fondness will always be Italian food, I do enjoy taking […]
Amaretti: The Sweet Socialites
Certain things are simply synonymous with celebrations; invitations, flowers, music and of course food. Every celebratory event will usually have a sweet finish which, in many a case for me, includes classic Italian cookies such as boccanotti, anginetti and amaretti. These chewy almond crinkles make their appearance at every bridal shower, baptism, communion, confirmation, milestone […]
Something Sweet For The Holidays
Being a Canadian of Italian heritage, there are many holidays we observe leading up to Christmas. With those holiday celebrations come wonderful food traditions, each of which usually has historical significance. December 13th is the Feast Day of Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy) and it is celebrated with a classic dessert known as cuccia. Santa Lucia, […]
Fabbri is Literally the Cherry on Top
If you are a fan of Italian pastries, you will likely be familiar with Fabbri Amarena cherries. These luscious stone fruits in syrup are merely one of thousands of products made by the century old, family owned and operated producer. If you’ve ever taken a close look at the company logo you will notice the […]
Celebrating Pasqua with Pastiera
There are certain sweets that seem synonymous with specific seasons, holidays and occasions. Cakes for birthdays; confetti (Jordan almonds) for weddings; churros for Cinco de Mayo, s’mores over a summer campfire; apple and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving; candy corn for Halloween; shortbread and panettone for Christmas; heart shaped bon bons and sugar cookies for Valentine’s; […]
Crowning a New Tradition
If you’re a fan of Christmas carols as am I, then you undoubtedly know that there are Twelve Days of Christmas to celebrate; beginning on December 25th and concluding on January 6th This date is celebrated globally as The Epiphany, also known as the Feast of the Three Kings, Little Christmas and La Befana, and […]
Ciambella San Martini: A New Twist on Holiday Tradition
Tradition [truh-dish-uhn]: the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice. The holidays are when traditions seem to be most prevalent and I have spent the last decade chronicling those traditions to be able to carry them on and share them with […]
A Little Pumpkin Goes a Long Way
One of my favourite times of the year is when orange can be seen for miles in farmer’s fields. While the prominence of pumpkin spice prompts sweet incarnations of this seasonal staple, I equally enjoy it in savory servings. While many are out buying pumpkins to carve for Halloween, I’m loading up on the fall […]
Feast of Flowers
“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul” – Luther Burbank Sunshine and happiness certainly radiate from our zucchini plot each summer when we begin to pick their golden yellow blooms. The first bouquet is always enjoyed as frittelle (or piteyi in our Calabrese dialect); […]