michele becci

It was in a little restaurant in the hills of Tuscany where I tasted my first sformato, a light and savory Italian custard or flan.  The word literally translates to ‘unmolded’ and is great fun to pronounce, especially after a …

Baby, it’s hot outside! Summer is in full swing and when the heat rises, you need some refreshing treats to cool you down.   What better way to do so but with a few Italian-inspired creations.   The first treat, Roasted …

Spring is synonymous with artichokes for me.  And with the days finally turning a bit warmer here, spring cannot arrive fast enough.  I grow ridiculously restless this time of year – restless to be outside turning the garden soil or …

Growing up, I remember sitting at the kitchen table on a weekend morning watching as my mother chopped mounds of onion, celery and carrots to begin her Sunday meat sauce. Soon the aroma of the onion gently sautéing in olive …

Cookie exchanges. Four course meals. Seven (ok, make that nine) fishes. Prosecco parties.  The list goes on.  The glorious excesses of the holidays.  And now as the new year unfolds and finally the air begins to chill, I am most …

People tend to go a bit crazy over the elusive garlicky ramps that appear for the briefest of periods during Spring. Ramps are basically a wild onion that is foraged for a few weeks in spring. Their taste falls somewhere …

Before you hit the back button, this recipe is NOT made with tripe! Yes, I know this unpretentious offal strikes fear in the hearts of many. (It actually can be extremely tasty if prepared correctly but that is a topic …

Fall is in full swing here on the east coast. The long shadows of light and the crisp cool air accompany the earthy delights of the new season. The farmer’s markets are chock full of fresh autumn fruits and vegetables. …

If you are like me, the frenzy over kale has left me ignoring other delicious greens that I used to cook with on a more frequent basis.   Beautiful, slightly bitter escarole falls into this category.  My mother put escarole …

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you are like me, your preference is a quiet candlelit dinner at home, preferably near a toasty little fire with a nice bottle of bubbly prosecco to kick things off.  Treat …