Food

Wild chestnuts have been known to Man since the times of ancient Greece. Xenophon, Virgil, Apicius and Galen all exalted their nutritional properties and their flavor.   However, it was the chef of Carlo Emanuele I, Duke of Savoia, who invented …

There is finally a hint of spring in the air on the East Coast after a very chilly, snowy March.  The air is still unseasonably cool but you can feel a sense of restlessness outside; almost a vibration from things …

I wonder if, in 1948, Giuseppe Cipriani, barman of Venice’s Harry’s Bar, would have thought that 5 cl of rigorously crushed (never blended!) white peach flesh and just about twice as much chilled Prosecco were to become the Bellini, one …

Have you ever heard of “struffoli?” They are deep fried morsels of dough that expand as they cook. Have you ever tasted “struffoli?” After they are fried they get bathed in warm honey and adorned with sprinkles and some orange …

Bottarga is nothing more than the dried and naturally processed eggs of tuna fish and mullet. It is an exceptionally delicious product, rich in proteins, typical of Sardinia, Sicily and of the southern area of Maremma, near Orbetello. As it …

Modern pizza rhy-mes more with evolution than tradition. After its recent appointment to the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage List, the dish symbol of the Made in Italy and of Italian history and tradition all around the world, starts looking at …

It seems its name has very ancient origins, probably rooted in the Latin word mortarium, indicating the mortar used to ground pork meat.  Originally, its production area went from Lazio to modern Romagna, where acorn-rich woods provided a perfect living …

Lunigiana is a historical area nestled between Tuscany and Romagna that always survived on agriculture, a characteristic from which it inherits all of its traditional cuisine. Typical of this land is a sort of flat bread, testarolo, still cooked using …

Red wine has always been a staple in our house.  Growing up, there was the omnipresent Chianti bottle which held wine that was less than stellar but became awesome candle holders for my dorm room when the wine was finished.  …

So you may read this and, like my husband, wonder what would possess someone to roam ditches and pastures for asparagus when you can find locally grown spears in all the stores. Fair enough. But try it and you will …