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I was thrilled to see a recipe using two of my favorite ingredients-chocolate and hazelnuts. When I order gelato in Italy this is my go-to combination. I saw this recipe on Elizabeth Minchilli’s blog and had the ingredients on hand, so I didn’t hesitate to try them even though the weather really has been too […]
When I started thinking about the time we would spend in southern Italy I decided I should get in touch with my blogging friend Paula at La Bella Sorella. Besides being an amazing cook and incredibly knowledgable about the cuisine of Italy, Paula (along with her husband) is an importer of Italian wine. I knew […]
Eight years ago when I began my Panini Girl trips to Lucca I met a very talented local woman whose passion is cooking. By day she works for the archdiocese located a few blocks away from our apartment and in her spare time she teaches cooking classes. We are lucky to stay in an amazing […]
The pasta sauce of my youth was my grandmother’s “gravy”- the tomato sauce cooked on Sunday mornings filled with meatballs, sausage and braciole. I still dream about those afternoons around the table with relatives and no matter how many times I try to recreate her sauce, mine is not quite the same. At any […]
If you’ve been looking for a new cookie recipe, this is definitely the one to try. These cookies are so good that I’m already thinking of whipping up another batch. I’ve made various thumbprints in the past that were filled with either jam or chocolate, but this frangipane filling nestled under a pecan half adds […]
Living in southern California we’re lucky to have access to a variety of gorgeous citrus, often without having to purchase it. At work there’s frequently a basket filled with oranges, lemons or grapefruit, available for the taking. At home we have a dwarf lemon tree in a pot out back which produces an amazing amount […]
I have a bread thing going on. About a month ago I was gifted some thirty year old “starter” and since then I’ve baked more bread than I have in years. I’m still in the experimental stage as I’ve only ever baked with dry packaged yeast. My first few attempts were sourdough loaves which turned […]
Looking for a homemade Christmas gift? I always bake a variety of cookies at this time of the year, but then again so does everyone else. I decided that instead it might be nice to make something savory to give to friends. I know it looks like there’s a lot of steps involved with this […]
I’ve been trying to recreate a cookie that I am suddenly addicted to from our favorite local bakery- Prager Brothers. Started by two brothers the bakery originally sold only bread, but has expanded into pastries, cookies and sandwiches as well. These guys are true artisans and even mill their wheat right there in the shop. I […]
I had intended to post this recipe before Thanksgiving, but somehow the time got away from me. At any rate there’s still plenty of time to prepare and serve this tasty tart during the holiday season. This crust is buttery and flaky and if you omit the sugar is perfect for a savory tart such […]
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