La Buona Tavola

Sardinian cuisine may be simple in its ingredients, but it’s packed with flavor and boldness: it all comes down to the island’s Mediterranean climate and how it positively affects agriculture, but also to its history. Over the centuries, Sardinian cuisine managed to maintain …

Taralli are a recent culinary obsession of mine. It all began one evening when I received an impromptu invitation for dinner from a friend, who set up a quick aperitivo, too: a glass of white, some parmesan cubes, and cold …

The torta Pasqualina is a traditional savory pie from Liguria and its famous capital, Genova. As you may guess from its name, it is particularly common at Easter time, when it appears on the tables of many families, especially in Northern Italy. This amazing dish …

For those who relish serious dining, especially during the holidays, there are three basic steps to bring an enjoyable meal to a fulfilling finish: make room for a tempting dessert; sip a soothing post-meal wine like Sherry or Port; match …

Baccalà and stoccafisso: who hasn’t had them at least once in their lifetime? Maybe, if you come from a pretty traditional Italian family, you may have had them not so long ago, on Christmas Eve, as part of the traditional …

A cynic of Italian cuisine — a non-Italian — once observed that a  typical Italian diet consists mostly of pasta, pasta, and more pasta. While it’s true that most Italians and many Italian-Americans consume pasta by the bowlfuls on a regular …

No sooner than Santa Claus leaves, another mythical character arrives. The glow of the holidays fades into the gloom of January, with at least a three-month visit from Old Man Winter. But if sticking around and dealing with snow, ice, …

Standing in a grove of fig trees has been compared to being surrounded by wizards. The branches droop like long beards, making the trees appear ancient and wise. And as far as palates are concerned, the trees are like magic. Twice a …

To be truthful, artichokes are almost a mystery outside of the Mediterranean: yes, we find jars of them on the shelves of our local grocery stores, but the fresh variety remains a bit of a rarity. Mind, carciofi are a …

Ricotta is so versatile and so good. A simple dash of lemon juice and a spoonful of sugar, and we have a light, refreshing dessert. Some honey and cinnamon and we already feel closer to the Middle East, while chocolate chips …