Shrimp Buzara Style (Gamberoni alla Buzara)
With the waters of the Adriatic lapping its coastline, Friuli Venezia-Giulia’s sparkling sea affords a bounty of fresh seafood, including a species of very large shrimp, almost …
Risotto from the sea and mountains (Risotto mari e monti)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) is notable for stretching from lagoons to the south to snow caped mountains in the north and plains and forests in between. …
Wandering through. . .Friuli Venezia-Giulia
Why, when most Italian regions have lovely one-word names (Toscano, Piemonte, Puglia), is one of the smallest and most out-of-the-way regions burdened by a name …
Friuli Venezia-Giulia:The Land of the Polentoni – Polenta Crostini with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms
I am off to Uganda to do some volunteer work in the week ahead but didn’t want to leave without posting an antipasto very fitting …
Salmon Baked in Paper (Salmone in Cartoccio)
It’s winter in Los Angeles: getting dark early, cold (low 60s, even high 50s) and even raining every couple weeks for a whole day. Might …
Capodanno, Cappelletti and Red Underwear
Although my mother was Sicilian, she learned to cook many a dish from our paternal grandmother who hailed from Emilia-Romagna. One of these specialities is …
Snow Day Brunello
Holiday travel is worth even the trials and tribulations of delays and crowded conditions when it means time with family and friends. A great coping …
Zuppa di cipolla rossa di Tropea (Tropea red onion soup) – kind of
We were in Ojai, California last weekend and I went to a small yet very diverse farmers’ market on Sunday morning. I came across some …
Pasta con polpa di ricci (Pasta with sea urchin roe or “uni” if you like)
I would have never thought to incorporate sea urchin roe, the famous Japanese sushi bar ingredient — a.k.a. uni, into Italian food. But there we …
The Elusive Cavolo Nero (Black Kale): Black Kale, Sweet Potato and Cheddar Gratin
Ahhh, the elusive cavolo nero! This mysterious green is an essential ingredient for authentic ribollita – a Tuscan soup made with tomatoes, beans, kale and …
Paccheri ripieni di pesce spada, cavoli e funghi (Paccheri stuffed with swordfish, kale and mushroom)
Paccheri is a pasta shape that is all the rage in the USA at the moment. It’s been in several cooking magazines of late, mentioned …
When life gives you a hurricane, make Stracotto al Chianti (Pot Roast Italian Style)!
Fiesty hurricane Sandy is on it’s way for a direct hit near my house! A hurricane – in Pennsylvania of all places! My feisty friend …