Cannoli are Italian pastries originating from the island of Sicily. A staple of Sicilian cuisine, they are also popular in Italian-American cuisine. Cannoli get their name from the Italian word “cannolo” which means “little tube”. They consist of tube shaped shells of pastry dough which are fried in oil and then piped with a velvety [...]
Biancomangiare is a traditional Sicilian white pudding. Dating back to the Middle Ages, biancomangiare, literally means “white food” or “white dish”, and derives its name from the white color of its main ingredients: almond milk, sugar and cornstarch. I learned how to make this delicious and creamy Sicilian dessert during my travels in Palermo, Sicily [...]
Cantucci are Tuscan dipping cookies. They’re also known as biscotti in other regions of Italy as well as here in the U.S. I learned how to make these almond studded beauties from Chef Claudio Piantini last October during our travels in Tuscany, when my husband and I took a private cooking class with the Chef [...]
True story: I learned how to make this scrumptious pasta dish from a Duchess! Early one morning, last October, a group of about ten of us met Duchess Nicoletta Polo Lanzo Tomasi at the Vucciria Market in Palermo, Sicily to begin a day of shopping, cooking, dining and touring a 17th century palazzo. This extraordinary [...]
Last October, during our travels in Tuscany, Italy, my husband and I boarded a train in Florence and headed 29 miles southeast to the charming medieval town, Figline Valdarno, to take a private cooking class with one of the great chefs of Tuscany--Claudio Piantini. It was just the two of us with Chef Claudio in [...]
In the fall of 2015, my husband and I took a three-week trip of a lifetime to beautiful Italy. We started our adventure in Rome, then flew south to Sicily and north to the Piedmont region; we then journeyed east to Venice, west to the Tuscany region and concluded our extraordinary voyage in the Umbria [...]
Of all the desserts that have come out of my kitchen, Pear and Almond Tart always gets the most raves. Not only is it festive and gorgeous—it tastes even better than it looks. A golden brown, crisp pastry shell is filled with a rich and creamy almond custard, which serves as a cushion for delicately poached [...]
This is the time of year when the prevailing image is a cornucopia overflowing with the bounty of the harvest. In keeping with the concept of abundance and plenitude, stuffed meats, poultry, fruits, and vegetables are ubiquitous. A colorful medley of bell peppers, filled to the brim with brown and wild rice pilaf is the [...]
Fall back--Daylight Savings Time! Ugh! My least favorite time of year. One thing that helps me beat the late autumn doldrums is a bowl of steaming, hearty soup. Check out my article on Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a Bread Bowl, which appeared in the October 2015 edition of the Essex Fells Magazine.
As the dog days of August morph into brisk September mornings, I am on the lookout for kid-friendly meals for our back to school issue. Also, cognizant that mom or dad does not want to be making multiple meals to cater to varied tastes and finicky eaters, I seek recipes to please the entire family. [...]