It’s our first Monday in paradise, aka. Chianti! Wonder what we’ll do today and especially, what’s for lunch?? Let’s just head towards Castellina in Chianti and check things out there, i.e. Enoteca Biologica on via c. Borgheri, where we bought some amazing Vin Santo a few years ago? The upshot being that the place seems […]
Tag: YVR
Why I Use Fresh Herbs
Using fresh herbs instead of dried ones adds a different dimension to your cooking. It is quite amazing the different nuances that fresh herbs lend to a dish. I like to grow rosemary, basil, flat-leaf parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram and sage. I find that if I place them in a location that is somewhat protected from […]
A Visit to a Tuscan Farm
Some months ago Judy Witts Francini posted on FB that she had gone to pick up some Cinta Senese pig products from a “farm” near Castellina in Chianti, I knew we had to go as we would be in Chianti in May! If you have never tried Cinta Senese prosciutto and get the chance, it’s […]
Kudos, Rome 2014
It’s especially true that when we are travelling we want to sample local foods and find restaurants that promote fantastic ingredients! Going on vacation gives allows us to explore new to us places to do so. Rome has been experiencing changes in their food scene and that definitely required some serious tasting on our part! […]
My First Arancini
One day I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with that left-over saffron risotto from dinner the night before. Having just returned from Italy guess what sprung to mind? Aww, you guessed! This risotto is not totally traditional…but it worked very well! Of course you could make the risotto and use […]
Near Montalcino – A Little Piece of Heaven
If we’d had a bucket list, a visit to the Mate` winery would have been on it! Our first introduction to Mr. Mate´ was through his utterly delightful, books about moving to and living in Tuscany; “The Hills of Tuscany” and “A Vineyard in Tuscany.” If you haven’t had the pleasure, treat yourself! I can’t […]
Hunting and Gathering
I am so fortunate to have married someone who shares my passion for food! It’s our way of nurturing each other. My husband likes the challenge of finding good, affordable wines to accompany our meals and on the weekends he always asks what’s on the menu so he can choose the appropriate wines. The two […]
To Meat Or Not To Meat?
Ever since Elizabeth Minchelli posted a photo on Facebook taken one night while having dinner at St. John restaurant in London, of what the table next to theirs had ordered; a whole roasted suckling pig and the comments the photo engendered, I wanted to respond. We are not vegetarians, although we eat a lot of […]
Passion for Pasta
I confess, pasta is the only food, upon seeing a photo that actually makes me salivate! A world without pasta is a world without love in my opinion. I have to admit that I have a cupboard full of different shapes, short, long, tubular, whole grain, made with or without eggs and that’s not to […]
Cooking Makes Me Happy
Does cooking make you happy too? An “epicurean” is defined as someone devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially the enjoyment of good food and comfort. I’m all for that! Talking about food, creating menus, sharing recipes…it just goes on and on. It’s exciting to try experimenting with something new. We have access to so […]