March 15, 2016

Pasta e Ceci – Rosemary scented chickpeas and pasta soup with black kale

You will have to forgive me for still being immersed in Italian food and culture. On second thought, I shouldn’t have to apologize, it’s fabulous food and I am sharing it with you. So, enjoy. One of the soups we had in Tuscany was pasta and chickpea soup that was simply delicious and just my kind of food. When we returned home I made a lot of soups in the beginning, because they are easy... View Article

March 13, 2016

Florence Markets #1: Mercato Central

It’s hard to capture the charm of Florence in simple verse and its beauty inspired poets and writers to immortalize it in their prose. Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett eloped to Florence to get married and lived there many happy years afterwards. Unlike Rome, that took a little getting used to, Florence was a love at first sight. Walking through the ancient streets among magnificent palaces and works of art and in the footsteps of... View Article

March 10, 2016

Radish salad rolls

These were inspired by an image I saw somewhere on the web a few days ago. Of course trying to find it the second time is impossible with so much going on the net. They were beautiful and colourful and stuck in my mind. The other day I was slicing a bunch of colourful radishes for a salad and remembered the image, so changed course and made a few salad rolls for lunch. If you... View Article

March 8, 2016

The markets of Rome: Campo de Fiori, market “rules” and foodie places near the market

Traditional open air food markets are a function of a life style that is sadly disappearing. They are meant for daily shopping for ingredients for dinner that night, along with a a crusty loaf of bread and local wine. This life style is on its way out even in places like Rome, where restaurants and conveniently located neighbourhood supermarkets are redefining the eating and shopping habits of todays’ households. That’s not to say however that markets... View Article

March 6, 2016

Pasta al forno (baked pasta) – pasta shells with rapini

There is something about pasta al forno that is very comforting and satisfying. Maybe it’s the slightly charred bits on top, or the creamy sauce around the pasta, or the melted cheese. Whatever it is, I sometimes crave the flavours and texture of a pasta that is cooked just below al dente, then mixed with a a sauce and baked in the oven until crispy on top and slightly charred here and there. I tend... View Article

March 2, 2016

Fennel and orange salad

If you haven’t been using fennel in your cooking I encourage you to try it. It has a crisp texture and anise-like flavour that may take getting used to but once you do, it’s very attractive. Fennel makes a beautiful base for a salad and pairs well with citrus, pomegranates, olives, celery, Belgian endive and a few cheeses, such as parmesan, pecorino and mild blue cheese. For a salad I like to slice it thinly... View Article

February 29, 2016

Pizza bianca

Pizza bianca is ubiquitous in Rome being the number one snack food that Romans buy and eat. It is also one of the foods that I missed the most when we returned home after 100 days in Italy recently. In Rome it became a daily ritual for us to stop by our local bakery and pick up a warm piece of just baked pizza bianca to enjoy standing at the counter or outside the store,... View Article

February 27, 2016

Baby potatoes and green beans salad

Small potatoes and tender green beans pair well in this easy salad for a lazy day in the kitchen. I made a big bowl of it and kept it out of the fridge for a help yourself lunch or snack for the day. A drizzle of olive oil, splash of white wine vinegar (optional) and liberal sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt is all this salad needs for a dressing. Of course you can embellish... View Article

February 24, 2016

Street food Roman style – what it is and where to get it

If Romans have to break the holly ritual of sitting down for lunch in early afternoon they do it in a very specific way. There is no grabbing a chocolate bar or a 16 oz caramel macchiato (both non-existent in Italy) as a substitute for food. They may not have time for a sit down lunch, but they still eat real food.   Pizza bianca The most common and authentic fast food in Rome is... View Article

February 22, 2016

Roasted asparagus with orange sauce and hard boiled eggs

One interesting thing I observed in Italy is that they do not mix foods on a plate. Vegetables, at least in restaurants, are served on separate plates and generally brought to you in sequence, not all together. I am told by my Italian “crew” here that in private homes they do serve more than one thing on a plate, but not in restaurants. So, trying to extend our Italian adventure right here in my kitchen,... View Article

February 21, 2016

Easy cheese and cranberry scones

Sometime I just crave these slightly savoury, slightly sweet scones so one of the first things I made when I was reacquainting with my kitchen after 100 days absence were these fluffy, pillowy creations. If you follow  the blog you know I don’t like too many ingredients or too many dishes to wash so I tend to keep things rather simple. This recipe can be made in one bowl and it bakes quickly so you... View Article

February 11, 2016

Florence: the art of the aperitivo

Feature B&W  image above used with special permission from the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive, American Girl in Italy, 1951, Copyright 1952, 1980 Ruth Orkin. Italian food culture is very seductive. It lures you with its rituals and once you are hooked, it’s hard to turn back. And why would you want to turn back anyway? One of the rituals that we engaged in while travelling in Italy was the aperitivo and Florence in particular raised this ceremony... View Article