Archive for the ‘food’ Category
(almost) everything you always wanted to know about me (part the first)
Oh dear, this has been a long time coming. I was going through some old files on my computer and realized that there were some reader questions that I had promised to answer *a long time ago* but haven’t yet.
Well that’s all going to change today. And tomorrow. There are enough to cover two posts, so stay tuned for more answers on the morrow as well.
And in the meantime? It’s time to open up the floor to more questions, so feel free to ask what you like in the comments, and I’ll promise to try to answer them within the next year or so. Kidding! Sort of.
Now, I hope you’re not hungry because these happen to all involve food—one of my very favorite topics!
But before I get to the answers, have you happened to catch my recent submissions on some of the “food p*rn” sites like TasteSpotting (Caprese salad and zucchini flowers), Photograzing (Pesto on tomato) and FoodGawker (Uova alla Pablo)? Woohoo! Have you been using these sites? Similar ones that you enjoy?
Ahem, the questions and answers:
(1) Sara of Moving Right Along asked about my favorite biscotti recipe.
Come in close.
Closer.
Ever so closer.
I’ve never made biscotti.
I know it seems insane coming from an Italian-American background, living in Italy, having a mean sweet tooth and being fond of the kitchen (and eating), but honestly? Biscotti just isn’t one of my favorites, and I tend to stick to my favorites when I’m making things.
That said, this recipe for Mosaic Biscotti featured on Sara’s Ms Adventures in Italy and adapted from Gina DePalma’s Dolce Italiano will definitely be the one I try first.
(2) Karina of Candid Karina asked, “What are your top 3 recipes that you KNOW you have mastered, and love how they come out?”
My no fail dishes are Calabrian stuffed lasagna (my mom, not a big lasagna fan *loves* this), pasta with tuna (with lemon (at right) or with tomatoes), and, since I am still an American, cheeseburgers, which I have yet to write about on the blog. Seriously, P loves them even though he won’t even try a hamburger made by anyone else.
(3) Tina of Tina’s World asked: “How do you like your gnocchi, if you eat them?”
Oh do I eat them Tina; they are absolutely one of my favorites! I’ve had them in all kinds of creamy sauces from gorgonzola to vodka-based, but you know what I like best with them? A basic tomato sauce, heavy on the basil. YUM.
(4) Michelle of Scribbit wants to know my favorite food. “Living in Italy where I dream of the cuisine you must get I could live vicariously,” she wrote.
Well, I love different foods for various reasons—some like my favorite chocolate cake is just so delicious that I can’t imagine a world without it. That one also has sentimental value because my mom made this every year for my birthday growing up.
Other than that, as cliché as it is, I really love a great pizza. I love it plain (Margherita baby!) and with all different kinds of toppings from tuna and onions (pictured above at left) to prosciutto and porcini. Just. So. Good.
OK, that’s all for today. Be sure to come back tomorrow for more answers to questions asked a very long time ago, and be sure to leave your new questions in the comments!
love thursday:
a pair of cherries
I love whenever I come across food shaped like hearts.
Especially when they come in pairs.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Fried Eggs with Red Onion and Cheese
Finally, finally the ridiculously hot temps have given way to a bit of fresh air and cool breezes! I wore pants yesterday people! And I didn’t sweat!
So does that mean that I marked the occasion with a triumphant return to the kitchen after weeks of cold salads?
Eh. Not really, no.
This week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday is a staple around here because it’s fast, delicious and filling–and although yes, I do have to turn the stove on, it’s only for a few minutes, so it’s not so bad.
Now let me say that I’ve had plenty of fried eggs in my life, but I have never had them as tasty as when P makes these for me. In our house, these are Uova alla Pablo (and yes, these are *our* eggs from our chickens) but you can call them:
Fried Eggs with Red Onion & Cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 eggs
- One small red onion, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- One slice of cheese (Kraft is good), torn in pieces
1. Heat olive oil in small nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add sliced onions and sauté for about a minute, until just starting to turn translucent.
3. Crack eggs open over the onions and season with salt and pepper.
4. Let cook for a few minutes. When white is half-cooked, put torn slices of cheese over the yolks and elsewhere and let melt.
5. Once all the whites of the eggs are no longer slimy, remove from heat and serve hot with crusty Italian bread.
Buon appetito!
what’s cooking wednesday:
caprese salad
Well, Mom is safely back at home. We’ve only spoken on the phone a handful of times (OK, closer to two handfuls) since she left on Monday morning, so I’d say we’re dealing with the withdrawal symptoms well, wouldn’t you?
So as I try to beat the heat (it is HOT!) and rejoin real life, including full-time work again (I cut back to part-time while Mom was here), I’m feeling a bit lazy around the kitchen.
But lazy doesn’t have to mean “bad for the tastebuds” when tomatoes and basil are in season!
I’ll tell you, if we’re not having Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil or homemade Pesto alla Genovese, we’re having a Caprese Salad or Insalata Caprese if you want to be fancy. Or, you know, Italian.
Many of you know this one, but since it is absolutely one of my favorite summer treats, here it is for this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday:
You’ll need:
- Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil in the *best* qualities you can find
- Salt to taste
You can arrange this salad any way you like, but I usually do slices of tomatoes alternating with slices of mozzarella on a serving plate. Then I tear up the basil leaves and drizzle olive oil on top and finish with a sprinkling of salt.
The quantities of everything are up to you and your tastes, as is the decision on whether to “dress up” this simple salad with other treats like black olives or balsamic vinegar.
So who’s up for a refreshing, easy-to-prepare, delicious summer salad with the colors of the Italian flag?
And more importantly, who’s bringing the crusty Italian bread to sop up all those juices left on the plate?
Buon appetito!
happy fourth of july!
The Fourth of July isn’t a holiday in Italy, but that doesn’t stop this American from celebrating with hamburgers, hot dogs and mmm, maybe even some apple pie (Mom’s here, remember?!).
To my fellow Americans, I wish you a happy, safe and fun holiday
and buon weekend a tutti!
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
