Sicilian Girl

Tweet “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi voui” Christmas with your family, Easter with whomever you please. This old Italian saying sings the truth. Colorful, flavorful and full of fun, Easter is my favorite holiday. Unlike Christmas, where there can be an overwhelming list of things to do (shopping, cooking, entertaining, overnight guests, etc.) [...]

Tweet Fun for all, especially the little ones, these cake pops are the solution to “How can we eat our cake and go on our walk at the same time?” This Christmas Eve we are breaking away from our tradition and participating in an event that has been a tradition for hundreds of families in [...]

Tweet Italian-Americans were instrumental  in the creation of Columbus Day. It was on October 12, 1866, that the Italian community of New York City organized a festa (celebration) in honor of the explorer’s discovery of America on that same date in 1492.  Other cities followed suit, San Francisco in 1869, then the states, Colorado being [...]

Tweet When my son, Joe, was seven years old we went on our very first Mother’s Day trip, (just the two of us) a tradition we have continued for the past eighteen years. I believe travel is education outside the classroom. Unfortunately, the principal of his Catholic school didn’t feel the same way and I’m [...]

Tweet     Cari Amici, Buona Pasqua (Happy Easter)  

Tweet   Many years ago when my son Joe was just a little boy, we spent Easter in the California Sierra’s. We have a cabin surrounded by sugar and ponderosa pine trees, white firs, cypress and a couple of magnificent oaks with a redwood forest down the road. It’s our own little piece of heaven [...]

Tweet Carnevale is celebrated in many places around the world and in cities throughout Italy, with Venice being the most well known. The coming of the wisemen bearing gifts to the Christ Child is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. This Feast of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night as it is referred to, heralds the start [...]

Tweet I discovered this recipe the last time I ordered Fiori di Sicilia for my biscotti recipe. King Arthur Flour is the oldest flour company in America and has served my baking needs well. I have never paid much attention to their recipes but this one caught my eye. Now I must tell you, I [...]

Tweet Depending on which part of Italy you’re from, Braciole (bra CHO lay) means different things. In the north it’s generally a cutlet of some kind that is cooked flat. In the south, Braciole refers to individual portions of meat rolled up with a filling or stuffing inside. Braciolone is a big roll, which is [...]

Tweet Cuccidati are Sicilian Christmas cookies. Every year for as long as I can remember, my grandmother made these delicious biscotti. On Christmas Eve, my two brothers and sister and I would get to open one present. It was a pair of new pajamas. (It was always a pair of new pajamas). Then my grandmother would [...]