Sant’Agata: Staying A Breast on Celebration
February 5th is the feast day of Sant’Agata (Agatha) one of the most highly venerated virgin martyrs of Christian antiquity. I learned of Sant’Agata just last year when I attended an event organized in her honour (shoutout to Tre Mari Bakery and That Nonna Life). That education was further enhanced when I visited the city […]
Pasta e Fagioli: Comfort the Italian Way
“When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool, That’s amore”. When it comes to the love of food, Dean Martin had it right with the staple of Italian cuisine. Nothing says love on a frigid day, quite like a heart bowl of pasta e fagioli. It is a classic of the cucina […]
Torta Bertolina: A Seasonal Sweet That’s Just Grape!
In late summer, dark burgundy bunches of Concord grapes are prevalent in the bounty of many Italian gardens and the produce shelves of markets. This slightly tangy cultivar is most often used to make jams and jellies as well as juice. One of my favourite uses for them, however, is in a seasonal sweet known […]
Tomato Day: Sauce to Signal Summer’s End
The month of September is nearly upon us, and aside from the flip of the calendar page, there are also other indicators signaling summer’s end. The CNE wrapping up another season; the final fireworks displays at Wonderland; the days getting shorter; the evenings getting a little crisper; back-to-school sales; and finally, the bushels of tomatoes […]
The Great (E)scape
You may have noticed curly green stalks at your local famer’s market in recent weeks. These seasonal stalks that resemble green beans or oversized chives, are garlic scapes; the tender stem and flower bud of hard neck garlic. They are typically among the first produce of spring and are a flavourful and versatile ingredient. Scapes […]
A (Rose)mary by any Other Name
For many, spring signifies seeding the garden for growth. In the garden of an Italian Canadian, what you will most often see sprouting from the earth are herbs and vegetables. Of the many aromatics you will find rooted in the soil, one stands out for not only its fragrance and flavoring, but also for its […]
Carciofi e Cavolfiori: Seasonal Sensations
Picture it, Campania, early spring, 2025. Citrus fruits are prevalent as are many late winter and early spring vegetables, such as artichokes and cauliflower, two of the crops which I not only love, but had the opportunity to gain a greater knowledge of, while in Italy for the I Love Fruit and Veg from Europe […]
Anginetti: You’ll Be in Knots over these Cookies
Apart from the obvious lemonade, when life hands me lemons, I make cookies. To be specific, I make anginetti, tart little twists that tend to be synonymous with spring. These lemon twist cookies are delectably dense but not overly sweet and glisten with a tangy lemon glaze. They are often compared to taralli but are […]
Cin Cin: The Art of the Brindisi
“In Italy, they add food and wine to life”. There is much truth to these words, as anyone who has visited the peninsula can attest. Food and wine are integral to the Italian culture and great importance is placed on the social aspects of eating and drinking; food and wine are more than just sustenance; […]
Siclian Blood Oranges: The Jewel of the Citrus Family
I suppose one could say that I really got to the squeeze the day when visiting a Sicilian blood orange grove, in partnership with I Love Fruit and Veg from Europe. The production under the hand of Rosario Meri also forms part of the collective OP La Deliziosa. Blood oranges are distinguished by their crimson-colored […]