Italian/American, light, healthful, nutrition, photographs, recipes, traditional, techniques
Heart Throb… How many hearts did you break? How many songs did it take? VALENTINE IT’S YOU! How many times, no clue— How many promises to be true? “Don’t be a fool, eat pasta fazool.” In the mood to brood? Change your attitude… With John’s Hearty comfort food. JOHN’S “HEARTY” PASTA FAZOOL INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons butter, divided … Continue reading
Lazy days of summer hit Chicago like a brick Monday. Suddenly everything is green. Rooftop boxes are sown with plants and herbs kept inside for weeks because of the cold. Boat sails dot the lake, bikes fill the paths, lawn trimmers buzz, the air is humid and tweets say… get out and play. This is … Continue reading
My love affair with radishes began when I was six years old and pulled my first baby radish from our city prairie garden. The green leaves popped early, their tiny tips of red tinge bursting warm though the hard dirt. I tugged at the leafy stem. Once out, it looked like a tiny red carrot. … Continue reading
In ancient China oyster mushrooms were sent as a gift to friends and family. The jewelry maker in me couldn’t resist adding the pearls… The graceful appearance of the bloom of the oyster mushroom hooked me at the Green City Farmer’s Market. I wondered if I could roast them to keep the whole mushroom together? … Continue reading
Struffoli, strufoli, struffoli—Italian Honey Balls! A Neapolitan dessert my Grandma Micaletti brought to every Easter Sunday family celebration I can remember—since I was a little girl. Grandma Micaletti, my dad’s mom, didn’t cook. She was a bakery girl. There never was a Struffoli recipe handed down in our family. My mom’s family was from Abruzzi. … Continue reading
At the Green City Farmer’s Market last weekend they were selling Goose Eggs. Huge! The Winter Farmer’s Market is alongside the North Pond in Lincoln Park. Last year I remember seeing these big broken shells around the pond, a “goose control squad” was piercing the eggs to control the goose population. Maybe we should start … Continue reading
Call it my Italian Spring thing. It begins with forsythia’s bright yellow star-shaped flowers, then childhood’s marshmallow “peeps” everywhere and before I know it I’m heading to the bakery for a Lemon Slice aka Lemon Square, Lemon bar— the same bright yellow shimmying pastry —but I’ve been using the wrong name. And I just got … Continue reading
Fat Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Table, and Spring right behind,.. March is a merry month! Take a break and have a friend over for an Italian Frittata. First cousin of the Tortilla Espanola, and French Omelet. All things are one. Tchuang-Tzu The palate of ingredients used in a frittata is unlimited, use what’s … Continue reading
In sourdough culture, they have a “Mother dough.” Italian’s have what I call the other mother—Not-So-Virgin Olive Oil. A blend of extra-virgin olive oil and chopped garlic. The other-mother can be stored a covered jar in the refrigerator for weeks, ready to use. Olive oil enhanced with the flavor of fresh garlic. As you use it, … Continue reading
Broccoli is a super food, packed with nutrition and very few calories. Cauliflower it’s country cousin seems to “pale” by comparison. More subtle in flavor— but full of it’s own virtues. Healthy? Add a garlic mist to the cousins kiss and I’m talking Super foods. With or without cranberries this Wreath of Health is easy … Continue reading
Italian Handful 