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…
Provolone is an Italian cheese made from cow’s milk. The flavors can range from mild and sweet to sharp, based on the amount of time it ages. This sturdy cheese…
Prior to the beginning of the 20th century, most lemons consumed in America were of the Italian variety and imported from Messina, Sicily, Siracusa, Sicily, and Sorrento, Campania. The Mediterranean…
Parmigiano Reggiano, is one of Italy’s gifts to the world of food and is an essential staple in many kitchens around the globe, including mine. It’s unmistakable aroma, milky taste…
Vanilla has a recognizable, pleasant aroma and scent and is understandably the world’s most popular flavor. Last February I had the opportunity to visit a family-owned vanilla farm in Hilo,…
When it comes to making panini, (Italian for sandwiches), it begins and ends with the bread! I prefer using Ciabatta, an Italian rustic looking bread that is available in loaves…
Native to the western and central Mediterranean, the artichoke is a domesticated variety of the wild cardoon. Cardone, in Italian, is a thistle and looks like large stocks of…
Easter Monday, known as la Pasquetta in Italy, literally means little Easter. It is also known as ‘Lunedì dell’Angelo‘ (‘Monday of the Angel’) – the day to remember the…
Inexpensive and readily available, cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse. It is high in vitamins C and K, potassium, manganese, folate, fiber and cancer-preventing glucosinolates. If you are (currently) not…
The Crescent City is known for many “sweet” things, such as, King Cakes, a brioche-type pastry, which is a huge part of Mardi-Gras traditions, Sfinci, creamy ricotta-filled puffs of…
Papassini are traditional Sardinian spice cookies and without a doubt, the best spice cookie I have ever eaten! The combination of citrus, raisins and spices, produces a depth of…
In the Roman Catholic Church, All Soul’s Day, which was established by Pope Boniface IV, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and have reached…
Tonnato is a creamy sauce that is traditionally used with Vitello tonnato, a Northern Italian dish, that consists of chilled, sliced veal and a tuna sauce spooned on top.…
Burrata is a cream filled mozzarella sack. Invented in Puglia, Italy, as a way to use the scraps of curds left over after twisting balls of mozzarella. The scraps…
This savory summertime tart is a terrific choice to utilize the season’s bounty of fresh flavorful tomatoes. The flaky buttery crust compliments the luscious ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling.…
This pasta dish has a creamy richness with very little fat and serves four generous portions using only half a pound of ground beef. In less than an hour,…
Growing up, I remember my mother making a frittata of potatoes and onions. It was never served for breakfast or a fancy brunch, rather it was our evening meal.…
Asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable! When tossed with ravioli it becomes a lovely light lunch and combined with lemony chickpeas creates a perfect picnic salad. If I’m in…