Cranberry Vinaigrette
Fresh cranberries are in season from late October until early winter. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a month or so but, do not wash until you…
Condiments (Condimenti)
Balsamic Vinaigrette
As a rule, I only dress salad greens and vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, a sprinkling of sea salt and a few…
Roasted Balsamic Onions
1 Comment
Not only is this a great condiment to have on hand in your own refrigerator, it’s also a wonderful, thoughtful gift any time of the year. Because it’s so…
Italian Prune Preserves
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),…
Raspberry Ricotta Tart
If you need another reason to make the fresh raspberry preserves, this is it. There are many times I need to come up with a last-minute dish for guests…
Raspberry Preserves
I haven’t done traditional canning in years. I much prefer recipes that do not require special equipment, take very little time to prepare and no hot-water-bath for the jars…
Gorgonzola Vinaigrette
As a rule, my salad dressing consists only of extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. There is an old Italian saying…
Evaporated vs Sweetened Condensed Milk
In the early 1900’s, canned milk was the milk of choice. At the time, fresh cow’s milk, contaminated with bacteria, was considered unsafe to drink (before FDA regulations). My…
Ricotta Salata Dressing
Ricotta salata is not the ricotta used in dishes, such as lasagna. This ricotta is pressed, dried and salted, (salata) with a firm but crumbly texture and mild, milky…
Creole Spices
The flavor of Creole cooking in a jar, this mixture of spices makes it easy and convenient to prepare your favorite New Orleans dishes (Pasta Milanese). Depending on where…
Saint Joseph’s “Sawdust”
San Giuseppe, (Saint Joseph) was the husband of Mary, the Mother of God and is the patron saint of the family. On March 19, in celebration of the Feast…
Fichi Marmellata
The first house I ever lived in on my own was in Willow Glen (San Jose area of California), and what Realtor’s would call “cozy and charming” meaning it…
Watermelon Gorgonzola & Balsamic Drizzle
In Italy, watermelon is the most prominent fruit of the summer. After spending a day in the hot summer sun, there is nothing quite so refreshing as a cold…
Kale-Lemon Pesto
I grew up thinking pesto was basil and basil only. But I have tried many a restaurant’s version of pesto, (some tasty, others not so much) and have come…
Lemon Curd
The first time I ever had lemon curd was also the first time I had a proper cup of tea. My mother and I were in Victoria, British Columbia,…
Cooking with Fresh Herbs
Cooking with fresh herbs is like icing a cake. Say you’ve made this delicious cake and it is really good. Now, you spread on the luscious cream cheese icing…