As we wrap up our 3-month stay here in the region of Marche, Italy, I’ve become sad. Sad because I will miss Christmas here, which will be a wonderful family-oriented affair; sad at no more afternoon walks along the olive groves; sad that taking a walk along a beach, so easy here, would be an…
The year was 1921, the place Ellis Island. My maternal grandmother, single, arrives into port from Napoli on the ship Patria to be with her sister Concetta, living in Brooklyn. My grandfather, who had come to America in 1911 from Marche, had recently lost his young wife to the 1918 flu epidemic and needed a…
Late October in central Italy means that summer vine crops are finally giving way to autumn’s earthy vegetables. Chard, cauliflower and potatoes are replacing the big summer harvests. The air is crisp and daylight savings time will soon end. Autumn in Italy is such a different experience from this season in Los Angeles, where summer…
If you have been following us for a while, you know how much we love eggplant – stuffed, fried, baked…you name it. And you might also remember that our maternal grandparents are from Sicily AND that I had a boyfriend who lived in Sicily. (Cliff notes: I got divorced, went to my mothers’ village in…
As Mark and I settle into life in Italy this Autumn, the rhythm of food and changing seasons is unmistakeable. Ingredients from the waning summer, like sweet cherry tomatoes, near their end just as beautiful Borlotti beans and young chards are getting started. To me, this mirrors the announcement of springtime by fava beans. These…
All things have a season. In this case, we’re talking about basil! If you are lucky enough to have a giant basil plant at the end of the summer, it won’t last long as the weather starts to turn colder. During a recent visit by Joey to Michele’s riverside Pennsylvania home, a large behemoth of…
I received an e-mail this week from a reader looking for a Steak alla Pizzaiola recipe. It turns out that Michele wrote a post 9 years ago accurately capturing my Aunt Mary’s version of this dish. It’s a dish I remember so well from my childhood! And it’s a dish anyone with a heritage involving…
Summer is in full swing here in the Eastern US with heat wave after heat wave rolling on through, punctuated by gusty thunderstorms – a summer made in heaven by my standards! I adore the heat (truth be told, living on a river helps when it gets crazy hot) and adore a good ‘ole thunderstorm….
It’s summer and it’s time to grill!! In Italy, grilling in the summer is just as popular as here in the U.S.A. While grilling chops and sausages are standard fare, you can create something really interesting by grilling rolled beef with different stuffings. But first, let’s get our “lingua” straight!! “Braciol” is not an Italian…
I was re-arranging my pantry recently and found a package of Sardinian fregola that I had purchased at Altomonte’s Italian market (https://altomontes.com/) a few years back. I had visited Sardinia back in 2008 and returned home with a few treasured recipes that have become family favorites. My mouth instantly watered (ho l’acquolina in bocca! –…