Strawberry Crostata
To me, Spring just screams strawberries! I serve them fresh with a splash of balsamic vinegar, toss them into salads, add them to my fruit pizza, and strawberry bruschette. And…
Fruits
Almond & Pear Torta
This is one of those cakes that doesn’t require a special occasion. Quite the opposite, as it is a favorite everyday kind of cake. The slightly sweet batter isn’t…
Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Drizzle
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I have never tasted better figs than those hanging from the trees in my grandparent’s back yard. Picked at the perfect moment of ripeness, they were soft, sweet, succulent…
Roasted Peaches & Ice Cream
Pesche arrostite e gelati is a great solution when you have more peaches than you can eat and they are all ripening at the same time! Roast a few…
Scorzette di Arancia
If you can peel an orange and boil water you can make candied orange peel! I feel very fortunate to have several citrus trees in my yard and I…
Poached Figs with Ricotta
I have said many times that dishes do not have to be difficult to prepare nor costly to be delicious. A simple bowl of poached dried figs nestled on…
Cinnamon Spice Pomegranate Pears with Mascarpone Cream
Pomegranates, an ancient fruit, dating back to biblical times, flowers between Passover (April 22, 2016) and Pentecost (May 15, 2016) and are ready to pick towards the end of…
Blueberry Ice Cubes
Last summer, an unexpected trip out of town, found me with a refrigerator full of fruits and vegetables that I did not want to go to waste. So, I…
Blackberry Balsamic Crostata
Seasonal fresh fruits are nutritious and delicious any time of the year but, I find the berries of summer to be a special treat. They can be added to…
Watermelon Pizza
Watermelon seems to be the quintessential fruit of summer for many folks. In Italy, there is a proliferation of fruit stands selling this thirst-quenching fruit, by the slice and…
Fresh Fennel and Orange Salad
Italians characterize fennel (and eggplant) as being either male or female. The “female” fennel has a thick, round, short, stocky bulb that is used raw in salads and also…
Almond Paste vs Marzipan
In Italy, the terms almond paste, and marzipan are used interchangeably. In the United States, however, almond paste and marzipan are not the same thing. It is important to…
Fresh Cherries
Fresh, ripe seasonal fruit is the perfect snack or dessert. My place of choice to find the season’s best is at one of those country roadside stands or a…
Chilled Summer Spa Soup
After making a batch of my flavored ice cubes, I got the idea to make a cold soup. I didn’t really want a hearty gazpacho, rather a light, cool…
Gelo di Prosecco
Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, is made from grapes in the northern Veneto region of Italy and is the perfect celebratory wine. It is crisp, clean, light and refreshing,…
Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce
Baskets of bright, fresh sweet raspberries from “Bountiful Baskets,” (a grassroots, all volunteer, food Co-op that distributes produce baskets at a substantial savings) led to more than a few…
Peaches in Wine
Simple and to the point, this dessert exemplifies the type of dish that many Italians choose to end the evening meal. What could be better than a juicy fresh peach…
Zabaglione con Ciliegie Brinate
From tiny villages to large cities, Italy is a country of festivals! Religious, worshiping saints, (and there are many) civic, celebrating the city’s good fortune and sagre, (country festivals)…
Gelo di Melone
The Feast of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo, Sicily, takes place in mid-July. This annual festival is held to honor the “little saint” (La Santuzza) for saving the…