This is a spring salad that I would eat every year at Cibreo, my favorite restaurant in Florence. Fabio Picchi, chef/owner, would practically shell the fave into the bowl in front of you. It’s a simple salad but one that I eat with reverence now that Fabio has passed. February …
I love to play with my food. In this case, this doesn’t mean fondling, squishing it between my fingers or throwing it up in the air. It’s like painting. I like to have a a few raw ingredients in front of me and let my imagination go to town.What flavors …
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.
I bake cakes in winter. Pies in summer. Every fruit has its season and Chiara’s Torta di Pere is this winter’s best-loved.
Cappelletti in Brodo Toscano The word cappelletto means “little hat,” which is what this pasta should resemble. They are traditionally served in broth, as are the more infamous “tortellini”. This is the traditional filling we use at La Cucina al Focolare. Nothing is more satisfying than a bowl of “tortellini …
Fennel is a winter vegetable commonly used in Italy, but not so common in America. During our Culinary Adventures in Tuscany, Amalfi, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands we sample this vegetable in a variety of uses. Its delicate and somewhat licorice aftertaste makes the celery-like texture delicious — either eaten …
One of my favorite dishes to make in winter is polenta. It’s hearty and warm and heats the inner fires. I found a great local source from Aspen Moon Farms in Hygiene, Colorado called, Organic Biodynamic Red “Floriani” Cornmeal. It has a rich yellow color with red flecks inside. It’s open-pollinated, non-GMO, and heirloom..out of Italy, which is why it is also great for making polenta, not just cornbread. For those who may or may not know, the Italians use “flint”corn for their polenta, which I recently learned is the same as native American calico corn, which surprised me. Each kernel has a hard outer layer to protect the soft endosperm, it is likened to being hard as flint; hence the name.
Sweet potato gnocchi are easy to make and wonderful to serve to vegetarian or vegan guests (or any other guest for that matter!) 2 sweet potatoes or yams 1/4 cup of pine nuts, roasted, chopped and set aside 3-4 leaves of fresh sage 3 T extra virgin olive oil Salt …
“Waylon talks with Peggy Markel, Slow Food Chef and Bestie, and takes a virtual tour through Peggy’s various culinary adventures in Italy, Spain, Morocco and India.” Elephant Journal January 2014 Read more/watch video here.
Not all risotti (plural of risotto) are created equal. There are schools and rules of how you stir, when to put the broth in, what broth to use, what rice to use, etc. Yet, in the end once you know the rules, it’s ok to improvise. Everyone loves the creaminess of a well-prepared …