michele becci

Summer, sweet summer is finally upon us. My garden has begun to take its shape as the temperatures soar and nature begins to work her magic.  My basil plants have exploded seemingly overnight.  If I sit quietly and watch, I …

As the heat of summer gives way to the cooler chill of fall, my garden harvest begins to slow.  The last of the tomatoes remain on the vine waiting for a last gasp of heat. The little eggplants struggle for …

Autumn is typically one of my favorite seasons of the year, especially in Italy. A recent trip to Montalcino was glorious – the colors of the vines changing from green to gorgeous hues of orange and brown in just a …

Growing up, my brother and I often helped our mother make a holiday staple – ‘passatelli in brodo’ – a recipe she learned from my father’s Marchigiano family.     A few times a year, the big, white passatelli pot …

As summer’s heat bears down on folks from Italy to America, time is best spent under a striped beach umbrella at la spiaggia or under a shaded pergola with a chilled, frosty spritz in hand. One needs some fresh, simple …

The heat of mid-summer calls for ease and simplicity in the kitchen.  My summer repertoire evolves into one that allows the flavors of the simple ingredients to shine through while leaving plenty of time for me to enjoy the fruits …

Although I am always sad to see summer turn to fall, there is something about the crispness in the air that I can’t help but love. As the fires in our outdoor grills transition to the cozy fires warming our …

As summer takes its final bow, I find that I am left with armloads of parsley and basil still overtaking the garden beds.  Not wanting these beautiful herbs to go out with the cold, it is time to head into …

Bring on summer in all its beautiful glory! Life always feels so much more colorful during the summer months – sort of like the iconic scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy emerges from her sepia-hued Kansas landscape to …

One look at my mom’s old meat grinder and my eyes instantly well with tears. Never fail. How can that old beast resign me to a puddle of tears with a simple glance?  Maybe I can blame it on the …