After posting the above photo of Pasta with Cauliflower, Garlic, & Anchovy Sauce  my Calabrian born mother prepared on our Facebook fan page, we were overwhelmed with requests for the recipe.  So, without further qualification here’s a simple recipe for one of the easiest pasta dishes on the planet made with a staple vegetable in southern Italy: linguine (and/or capelli […]

The following is a guest post from our friend and loyal fan, Dr. K.  Click here for all of Dr. K.’s guest posts. You don’t have to be an Italian or of Italian descent to recognize the heralded position that the tomato holds in the pantheon of Italian cuisine.  But without some careful planning, it is not possible for most […]

  Iced Coffee or Homemade Frappuccino I’m not a big fan of Starbucks, but I do respect the chain for promoting the concept of a “cafe” or, as Europeans say, “bar” experience in the United States (the “bar” experience in Italy isn’t, of course, about sofas, extra large portions, and wanna be Existentialists, but, like most things American, we can’t leave well […]

(photo: at the heart of making great small plates for an Italian themed dinner party is good bread) Piattini: 12 Small Plate Italian Menu Ideas Preparing multi course meals can be a fulfilling endeavor, especially when you’re cooking for family and friends who appreciate food.  However, spending hours in the kitchen to prepare L’antipasto, Il primo, Il secondo,  Il contorno, […]

In Italy Cranberry beans are known as borlotti and they are at the heart of the traditional pasta and bean soup or Pasta e Fagioli soup.  An uncooked cranberry bean has red marks but when cooked turn a brown / white color.  Cranberry beans are excellent when fresh and particularly suited for hearty soups given their chestnut like flavor and texture.  As […]

(photo: the photos found in the Glorious Pasta of Italy are truly impressive; on the left is a photo of our pasta pesto)  There’s no way around the obvious fact that Italians are slaves to pasta.  The typical Italian (northern or southern in origin) consumes pasta multiple times per week, in various shapes and sizes, and in varying dishes from […]

  (photo: Femminello lemons grown in Calabria) The summer months always call attention to the misunderstood lemon.  Most folks use lemon in the summer months to squeeze on fish, make lemonade, and in their favorite cocktail.  And the Eureka and Lisbon varieties grown in the US (mostly in California and Arizona) are great for the aforementioned tasks.  Prior to the beginning of […]

One of the biggest fallacies in the Italian culinary world is centered on the idea that Italians do not eat dessert.  Italians do, in fact, enjoy dessert and the items consumed range from creamy gelato to luxurious cakes and icy granita to mind blowing cookies.  Here are some irresistible photos, including gelato, pastries, cookies, and granita – all scrumptious Italian desserts!

To say that bread is an important part of day-to-day life in Italy would be an understatement.  In fact, it’s more likely that the Italian political and economic system will be reformed over the next couple of years than it is that Italians will change their longstanding relationship with pane or bread.   Most modern Italians still buy artisanal bread […]

(photo: lovely friends are rare in life, lovely friends who give you heirloom tomatoes are the equivalent of Saints; thank you Dr. K.)  One of the loveliest times of the year for individuals enamored with food here in the northeastern section of the United States is late August because, amongst other fruits and vegetables, the tomato crop is in full swing.  Here in New […]