Chiaccherie: What’s all the chatter about?
Carnevale, a time of celebration and indulgence, where masquerades and merriment take precedence and when the expression “fare due chiaccherie” takes on a whole new meaning. Many holidays in Italy are usually accompanied by culinary tradition, and Carnevale is no exception. During this mardi gras period in the peninsula, delightful sweet, crispy strips known as […]
Say it with a Kiss
“Ogni grande amore comincia con un Bacio ~ Every great love begins with a kiss” A kiss can be romantic and passionate; loving and warm or sinful, indulgent and made out of chocolate. The Bacio is one of Italy’s most beloved confections and although the dark chocolate and hazelnut kiss can be gifted at any […]
The Best Things in Life are Sweet
In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips. In my case, some of those friends happen to be the premium bits of indulgence that make every bite of life incredibly sweet. One such friend is an incredible woman who bakes the world a better place, Suzie Durigon. Suzie is an extremely talented food […]
Holiday Inspiration with the Pioneer Woman
We all know and love her as the Pioneer Woman. Her special brand of easy to create country cooking, best selling books, blog and Food Network series have inspired millions. I had the opportunity to speak with Ree Drummond recently who shared with me some inspiring tips and ideas for taking the stress out of the season and hosting the […]
Panettone Panini with Bauli Canada
Panettone, a classic confection of the Christmas season. For those who may be unfamiliar with the sweet loaf, it is an Italian festive staple. Hailing from the northern city of Milan, its name Panettone translates to “big bread”. It is made of dough similar to sourdough that traditionally gets sweetened with candied orange peel, and […]
CENTITALIA: A Taste of Piemonte with Chef Ugo Mura
Chef Ugo Mura was one of four chefs who came over from Italy to be a part of the CENTITALIA Gusto Cultura Program (a collaboration between the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario (ICCO) and Centennial College).Hailing from Piemonte, he has had a lucrative career, having worked in many prestigious hotels across the region and […]
CENTITALIA! Extraordinary Italian Taste
Luciano Pavarotti once said, “one of the nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever we are doing and devout our attention to eating.” Well over the course of a week dedicated to Extraordinary Italian Taste I was able to devout plenty of attention to not only eating authentic Italian food […]
The Making of Marrons Glacés
Chestnuts rank highly among my favorite fall foods. Their woodsy scent and earthy flavor immediately not only warm my taste buds, but my heart as well. I have many fond memories associated with chestnuts, from taking in the wonders of Piazza Duomo with a warm little bag in my hands; to enjoying sweet chestnut cream […]
Death by Gelato: Death in Venice Gelato Co.
In the book Death in Venice, Thomas Mann writes, “It is as well that the world knows only a fine piece of work and not also its origins, the conditions under which it came into being”. This line however is one I would have to disagree with when it comes to the gelato company that […]
Grape Conversations with Chef Aarón Sánchez
He’s best known as an award-winning chef, popular television personality, cookbook author, restaurateur, mentor and philanthropist. In addition to this, the tattoo covered, heat seeking co-star of Food Network’s Chopped is also a devoted father who is passionate about preserving and passing on his cultural legacy through food. Chef Aarón Sánchez firmly believes that by […]