Mandorlini del Ponte are meringue cookies loaded with almonds that I enjoyed at Bar Centro Storico in Ferrara and according to Ennio Occhiali, the bar's owner, these are heirloom cookies of the area that are no longer made at home. Mandorlini del Ponte takes its name from…
Today is March 19, the feast of St. Joseph and a good day to make sfinge. These cream filled pastries are made all over Italy in honor of the saint but particularly in Sicily where today is also the tradition known as le tavole di San Giuseppe or the tables of St Joseph …
Making meatballs is a very personal thing; there are so many options. Here are some tips for making them: size matters. I make them small, golf ball size instead of giant baseball size. They cook faster, making them more tender. They hold their shape better too. I use a r…
Trial and error in the kitchen is how I compile a list of tips that I loveto share with fellow cooks. So here goes:1) Best way to ripen a pineapple is to turn it upside down and leave it onyour counter for a few days.2) Need to know when fish is cooked? One way is to wait…
In season right now are wild, native Maine shrimp. When I see them, I buy them in volume because their availability is so short. Cooking them is a labor of love because they are so small that peeling them takes time but the end reward is their sweet taste. There are many …
As we march into spring, here are some suggestions for easy and tasty veggie side dishes. Oranges are in season so I use them in many ways. Use the juice from the oranges to flavor winter squash. Dress it up by serving it in orange halves.. Frozen or fresh peas should rea…
Sometimes a tasty dish is just too easy to achieve. Take baby bok choy for instance. I really like this vegetable for its versatility and mild flavor. And although we associate it for the most part with Oriental cooking, I like to give it an east meets west twist. My insp…
If you love blood oranges, now is the season to enjoy them. Originally coming from Sicily and called Tarocco, the California variety is known as Moro and is delicious by itself but other uses I have for it are adding the segments to a spinach and walnut salad, making a vi…
Still digging out from the recent blizzard? I know. It is such an interruption in our lives but it is February and the best way to cope is to stay cozy and cook! Even if it is that time of the year when it is really slim pickings at the grocery store and…
Come cook with me at the Toscana Saporita Cooking School in Tuscany! I will be there May 2 and 3, 2013 filming a Ciao Italia episode seen nationwide on PBS in 2014. Join me for hands on cooking and be part of the filming excitement! For more informatio…