“What’s your definition of wisdom?” asks Vanessa with her long legs crossed over the arm of the wicker chair in front of the Aga. She is a picture of gorgeousness in her silk robe, straight blond hair and a cup of tea in her hand. It’s a serious early morning inquiry. Something obviously on her mind.
This recipe comes from The River Café in London. I rediscovered it during “La Quarantina” of Covid-19. It’s comforting and easy to make if you don’t mind making your own pasta, which is something I love to do. A Tuscan recipe with spinach and fresh ricotta; it has the flair …
Becoming a mother was my first cognizant desire. I could imagine my belly round and full. Playing house, I was always the mama, only occasionally interested in being the child. I cooked and kept my playhouse in order as if I knew exactly what to do. Mud pies from the …
The Dades Valley spreads out supernaturally from the Tizi ‘n Tichka Pass of the Majestic High Atlas mountains onto a dry desert that pools into a riverbed oasis of a thousand Kasbahs. A long day’s journey begins with exhaustion and a chance for me to take a look at the …
In a small square in Marrakech, where the crotchety veiled ladies sell crocheted hats, the sun beats down on caged chameleons, good luck garden turtles and henna sifters. It’s midday, 30 degrees celcius and the Marakchi (the people of Marrakech) are at home in their skin.
Bahija, our chef in Morocco, loves to surprise us with new things! She’s always pulling new recipes from her repertoire and sharing her secrets. This past November she made us delicious Harscha (semolina cookies) — perfect served with Moroccan mint tea.
Tea time is never passed up in Morocco. The tradition runs deep in the veins of its people. Vibrant mint leaves, crystals of sweet sugar, and rich green tea and joined together as the holy trinity of northern Africa. Tea time is not the time of day, but a ceremony …
Ingredients: 1/4 cup of olive oil 1/2 cup of parsley 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped 1 cup of lemon juice zest of one organic lemon generous pinch of salt 1 pkg of De Cecco Spaghetti small handful of course salt reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water (to …
“Now,” he says, “people hardly have time to stop. They are in a rush. No time to stop and talk, much less savor a taste.” Dreadful, I think. Surely it’s our (fast-paced American) fault. Do we all want such a place to go? Or just certain types of people?
Italian life, Florentine life, is what I dream of. This is the first spring in a very long time that I am not in Italy, but one of the recipes that transports me from whatever kitchen I’m in to my apartamentino in Florence is Pollo Spaccato e Speziato or spicy spatchcock chicken.