Dad’s Chunky Sauce
I am frequently asked how I developed my love and passion for food and cookery. I always respond, immediately and adoringly, that it came from my father; the man, who for as long as I can remember, has always expressed creativity in the kitchen. While my mother has always been the primary cook and put […]
Cartellate: The Pugliese Way to Wrap Christmas
Last year I spent part of the holiday season in Puglia where I enjoyed many seasonal specialties, including the nests of fried dough known as cartellate. They are perhaps the most recognized and widespread holiday desserts of the region; you will find them from Gargano (north) to Salento (south) also going by the names “carteddate” […]
World Pasta Day: Endless Pastabilities
There is a well-known quote by Italian filmmaker Federico Felling that says, “Life is a combination of magic and pasta”. Truth be told, for me, pasta is magic; from the transformation of three simple ingredients into hundreds of different shapes to be enjoyed in a countless number of ways, to the joy it invokes for […]
Picnic Italian Style
Summer is officially the season of the scampagnata (picnic) and Italians have an incredible array of fare that gets enjoyed al fresco. Dining in the great outdoors, whether on a picnic blanket or gathered around the backyard grill is an opportunity to enjoy la dolce vita in the company of friends and family. Here are […]
When it comes to Italian Food, I Love Being Schooled
“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice” – Brian Herbert I was recently given the gift of learning by the ICCO, Alma La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina and True Italian Taste. In a series of Masterclasses conducted by Chef Carlo-Maria Ricci, […]
Tiramisù Tales
I remember taking a trip to Italy in the early 90’s and learning a new dessert recipe from my young aunt; a creamy and decadent cake that required no baking. That confection was tiramisù (whose name means “pick me up” or “cheer me up”), a trifle of sorts made by layering Savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers biscuits […]
Kitchen Positivity
This morning I was on the phone with one of my dearest friends, catching up and checking in on each other. In that conversation we both talked about the same thing but had two completely different perspectives. She said she couldn’t believe that it had only been one week of social distancing while my response […]
Certified True Italian Taste
It is often said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. When it comes to the authenticity and quality of Italian products however, it is anything but flattering. Each year, trade in fake Italian goods costs the economy billions of euros. The number of “fake” products in the food market is staggering with imitations […]
Kicking Up My Heels Over Puglia
In the south of Italy, in what is considered the heel of the boot, you will find Puglia. Despite my many travels to the Bel Paese, this was a region, a treasure, that I had yet to discover. The gleam of this southern gem however was recently revealed to me in the most extraordinary week […]
Calabria: Savouring Italy’s South
In Italy’s south lies a peninsula within a peninsula, the region of Calabria. The toe of the boot as it is often referred to, has an incredible geographic makeup. A mountainous landscape of hill-top towns, juxtaposed against dense forests, overlooking a dramatic Mediterranean coastline. Calabria, much like Sicily, has been shaped by its contact […]