Grilled-then-Marinated Eggplant
As September begins it is hot in Los Angeles–really hot–after a relatively mild earlier summer. Though the thermometer 🌡 is ticking up toward one hundred …
Saffron Panna Cotta with Peach Compote
Montalcino is famous for its spectacular wines but did you know that there is also a red heart to Montalcino? Saffron! This red gold has …
Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant
I hated eggplant as a kid. So did my sister, Michele. Any attempt on my Mom’s part to get us to eat it was met …
Shaved Zucchini and Herb Salad with Parmigiano
We know it is high summer when our kitchens are swimming in zucchini. We have stuffed and sautéed them, grated and grilled them, frittered and …
Peperonata – Stewed summer sweet peppers
I was thinking about the upcoming 4th of July holiday while I was shopping this week. I spotted wonderful summer bell peppers at many of …
Briny Chicken Cacciatore & My Recent Trip to Montalcino ❤️
I just returned from Montalcino where I spent a super relaxing week mostly just hanging in the village. One of my favorite rituals is buying …
Sgroppino: 🍋🥂Your new summer happy place!
How did I not know about this? On our recent trip to Italy for Mark’s 40th year architecture class reunion, the attendees all ate a …
A Strawberry Crostata to Celebrate the Season! ❤️
Strawberry season is here, and big plump local berries were piled high at our market this past week 🍓. A sight for weary eyes indeed. …
Springtime on a Plate: Pasta with Fava Beans and Ricotta Salata
As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in a 3rd floor apartment overlooking a canal in Venice, Italy. It’s owned by the Contessa da Schio, whose …
Mom’s Easter Sweet Bread
Our mother, Josie, was the champ of fresh pasta. She would turn out delicious homemade macaroni, gnocchi, passatelli with unrivaled speed. However baking was not …
Pancetta-wrapped Asparagus with Eggs
I just returned from a beautiful long weekend in Montalcino. 🙏 My cousin, Mia, and I were on the hunt for new artisan items for …
Ceci (Chickpeas) and Shrimp Salad with Anchovy Breadcrumbs
I LOVE ❤️ ceci [beans], aka garbanzos , aka chickpeas. Ceci in Italian, garbanzos in Spanish and chickpeas in English are all the same thing. …