Sicilian Girl

Tweet You might not recognize this salad the way it’s presented. I certainly didn’t when it was served to me at a fine restaurant in Las Vegas. I ordered insalata caprese, the classic Italian salad. The tomatoes and cheese are usually sliced and arranged by overlapping alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella. Drizzled with extra […]

Tweet My mother was not a huge fan of fish, so our meals during Lent consisted of vegetables, beans and legumes and of course pasta. The meal that I associate most with this season is Bell Peppers and Eggs. It was never my favorite, in fact I don’t think I cared for it much at […]

Tweet I use Marsala in many of my dishes. This rich and velvety sauce is one of the easiest to prepare and is a delicious compliment to the delicate fillets. Did you know that Marsala in Arabic (Mars-el-Allah) means port of God? It is in this sleepy seaside village on the western coast of Sicily, […]

Tweet Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras,  marks the first day of Lent. For Christians around the world, it is a time of prayer and penance, fasting and abstinence, reflection and renewal. It is a time when many of us take stock of our spiritual lives. A spiritual fast involves abstaining from food while focusing […]

Tweet   Life is a theater! This is especially true during Carnivale in Venice, when “a Carnevale ogni scherzo vale” (anything goes at Carnevale). During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Italian cities had a long tradition of mask-wearing among the nobility. This allowed them to engage in, shall I say, questionable behavior, such as […]

Tweet Everything’s better with biscuits! These southern specialties have a soft tender crumb with a slight sweet taste and a kiss of cinnamon. These better than cornbread (in my opinion) biscuits will compliment many meals. They are a natural with breakfast, perfect with Jambalaya and a tasty snack stuffed with leftover brisket or baked ham. […]

Tweet Grits are made from corn grown across the south and for hundred’s of years have been the center of the Southern diet and culture. Historically,  the port cities that were settled by Europeans (Charleston, Wilmington, Savannah and New Orleans) preferred white corn. Moving inland, yellow corn was the choice. Grits for breakfast, grits for […]

Tweet Brunch is just about my favorite way to entertain. It’s both casual and elegant and when the weather is nice, it’s perfect for eating outdoors. Once, for a special birthday party I hosted, I even had a jazz trio entertain my guests. But, in my opinion, no one puts on a better jazz brunch […]

Tweet Creme Chantilly is a French term for sweetened whipped cream. You’ll find it in all those sinfully-delicious French pastries. It’s believed to have been created at the Chateau De Chantilly for a dinner party given for Louis XIV. The main ingredients are simply heavy cream, sugar and either vanilla or brandy. I also add […]

Tweet Once upon a time there was a young woman who made a very good bread pudding. So good was this bread pudding that those who tasted it suggested she share it with everyone in the land. Intrigued by the idea, the young woman prepared this special treat, packed it up, hopped on a plane, […]