Tweet Once upon a time, Santa Clara County was the largest fruit district in California. In 1919, 98,152 acres were planted in fruit trees. The majority were prune trees (7,652,000), ...
Spotlight Recipes
Marsala-Poached Pears
Tweet The Sicilian city of Marsala, (from the Arabic “Mars-el-Allah,” meaning the ...
Ricotta Gnocchi
Tweet Gnocchi (pronounced neeyo-kee) are small dumplings. They should be light and ...
Mangia Bene!
Pasta alla Norma
The combination of pasta and eggplant is exclusively associated with southern Italy and principally Sicily. This is a combination I have been using for years in recipes such as, melanzane e spaghetti torta, orzo stuffed peppers and marinated melanzane. As my recent trip to Sicily confirms, there are numerous versions of pasta alla norma, from Trapani in […]
Orzo with Roasted Shallots
This dish has three main ingredients and hardly needs a recipe, the ingredients, however, may need a bit of explanation. Orzo, is shaped like a grain of rice, is the Italian word for barley and is neither rice nor barley, orzo is pasta. A Shallot, although thought of as an elongated onion, is not an […]
Ricotta Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Sometimes I’ll make scones and occasionally I’ll whip up a batch of muffins or biscuits but, as a rule, if I want to serve something sweet in the morning, especially if I’m feeding a crowd, I’ll prepare breakfast cake. These are quite often made with fruit of the season, such as, Italian apple cake and almond […]
Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) is a Roman pasta dish that one can find all over this Italian city. There are only three main ingredients; Pecorino Romano, black pepper and pasta. The key to this seemingly simple dish is in how you treat them. When fat-soluble spices, such as, black peppercorns, are heated in […]
Lemon Wafers
As I pick the remaining lemons, within arms reach through the French doors in the kitchen, I’m careful not to disturb the countless, fragrant new buds and blossoms carrying the promise of the new crop. I have shared this citrus fruit with many friends as well as used them in a myriad of meals, such […]
Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Whenever my son, Joe, and I try a new Italian restaurant, the “one dish” that is a make-or-break decision to return, is eggplant Parmesan. The ingredients should compliment one another. The sauce must not overpower the dish nor the flavor of the eggplant be lost under a mound of cheese. An arugula salad with warm […]
Lemon Pistachio Crostata
Crostate is an Italian term for pies and tarts. They can be rustic (free-form), in recipes such as, crostata di pesca, blackberry balsamic crostata and caramelized onion and fig or they may require a pie or tart pan for dolce such as, crostata di ricotta (Easter pie) and bittersweet chocolate truffle tart. With an abundance of lemons […]
Hazelnut Biscotti
Frangelico is an Italian liqueur (sweetened spirits) made with hazelnuts. The pronounced but, delicate hazelnut flavor, has hints of vanilla and dark chocolate, adding a depth of flavor to this biscotti recipe. It may also be enjoyed in coffee or espresso, with a splash of soda water or on ice with lime. According to legend, […]
Petite Pistachio Cakes
Pistachios have been growing in Sicily for centuries and my grandmother always had them in her pantry. Removing the shells was a tedious task and required a bit of patience. Today, one can find them shelled, roasted and salted. These healthy, emerald green gems take center stage in these delightful little cakes. Because, my husband’s […]
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