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Walk into any forno (a bakery for bread) in Tuscany and you will find schiacciata. This fluffy flat bread makes the perfect snack eaten out of hand and is also ideal for panini. The dough is dimpled by the baker’s fingers before baking and then drizzled with olive oil which collects in the little pockets. Schiacciata means […]
I can truly say that summer has arrived with the first bruschetta of the season. This may look like a traditional bruschetta, but in reality this dish is more like a savory French toast. I found the idea for this in Faith Willinger’s book Adventures of an Italian Food Lover. Don’t hesitate to purchase any […]
Whenever I have a failure in the kitchen (which thankfully isn’t a frequent occurrence) I feel the need to get right back in there and prove to myself that I can do it. Usually I remake the dish after analyzing where I went wrong. This wasn’t the case last week when I had a baking […]
As you may have guessed, I am no longer in Lucca. I always come home trying to hold on to Italy in any way that I can. I went out for gelato this afternoon made by an Italian who went to some “gelato university” in Italy. I’ve made pasta, recreated the dishes from our cooking […]
I’ve had the pleasure of testing a few recipes for the upcoming cookbook of one of my favorite bloggers-Paola from Italy On My Mind. Paola, whose Italian parents are from the Veneto and Istria, lives in Melbourne, Australia. Besides cooking, photographing and writing for her blog, she gives cooking classes in Melbourne and this fall […]
I haven’t been doing a lot of baking as of late and I miss it. I realized that I’m the only person in this household that actually eats any of the baked goods. I have a cookie each and every morning with my cappuccino and the rest go into the freezer and my freezer […]
A few weeks ago I was saddened to hear about the passing of famed Babbo pastry chef Gina De Palma. I knew that she had been battling cancer, but it still came as a shock that she was really gone. When I first discovered her book Dolce Italiano some years back I […]
Still looking for a quick and easy homemade gift? Well look no further. This granola will wow your friends, that is if you can bear to part with it once you’ve given it a taste. I know you’re probably thinking that granola is granola, but this one is by far the tastiest that I’ve ever […]
Let me say right up front that I try not to share a recipe without a photo of the finished product. I’m doing it today because this recipe is just that good. I struggle with taking photos once it gets dark and now that the sun sets at around 5 pm it’s always dark when […]
Having a dinner party and looking for ideas? Get a copy of Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques and you’ll find a book full of menus that will wow your guests. From main courses to vegetables to desserts, I’ve yet to be disappointed. As you may have sensed I have a thing for hazelnuts and […]
Panini Girl 