Food

Valle d’Aosta: “heaven for men, purgatory for women, hell for mules,” but certainly delicious for our palates! Among mountains and castles, up there, in the western-most corner of Italy, the smallest of regions, Valle d’Aosta, winks at us. Stern and …

In our market in Montalcino last week, the Winter array of radicchios were on full display. Tucked in alongside the Winter squashes and bright piles of oranges, were piles of radicchio with long tender leaves that curl upon themselves, and …

Christmas desserts in Italy are usually always associated with panettone and pandoro, and people usually have a firm favorite of the two.  I love panettone for example and I am quite capable of eating a whole one by myself….. in …

It’s coming up to Carnival time and bakeries in Italy have trays of ‘chiacchiere’ in their windows. Think a pastry that is thin, crispy, fried and covered in icing sugar….  I knew that would get your attention! We would have these …

The term quinto quarto, “the fifth quarter,” refers to a type of cuisine born from poor, peasant kitchens, and the term itself originates from Rome.The fifth quarter refers to everything that is not included in the four quarters in which …

The beginning of Spring leaves me craving bright, beautiful sun-filled color in every corner of my world. And my kitchen is no exception. I return home from our local market with armloads of pomegranates and a very special treat when …

Spelt, known to the ancient Romans as far, used to be their most common and best loved cereal up to the first republican period (509-264 BC). After, wheat took its place because of its better yield and lower labor costs.   …

You want clear lights on the tree, I think multi-colored are prettier; you prefer ham on the holiday table, I say turkey is tastier; you rock out to modern Christmas carols, I sway to the oldies; you insist on a …

Close your eyes and image Sicily in all its glory, some two thousand years ago.  A precious stone set in the crystal blue Mediterranean, she was the envy of every nation: the Greeks conquered it, longing to settle in such …

These biscuits made during the Lent time are sweets of ancient tradition, produced by mixing sugar, water and almond paste. They are packaged in the form of small donuts and decorated with icing and sarsaparilla or devils (tiny beads of …