Sorry to miss you last week. It was my birthday and I decided to spend it doing as little as possible. Back in action this week. However, it’s almost too hot to eat which is rather disappointing given the bounty of the season. Fat, shiny aubergines, plump courgettes with pristine flowers attached, tart and juicy tomatoes,…
A favourite beach time snack in Italy and France
School is nearly out, the sun is shining and the produce has changed from spring to summer. Nectarines, peaches, cherries, tomatoes and berries of all sorts have popped up in the shops. We are off to the south of France shortly to soak up the sun, swim in the sea and enjoy the splendid food….
Kaiserschmarrn: the Kaiser’s delightful pancake mess
A few summers ago, staying in the mountains outside the spa town of Merano in the German-speaking region of Alto-Adige, we discovered Kaiserschmarrn. This fluffy concoction is similar to a sweet fried souffle made with raisins and dusted with icing sugar and served with lingonberry jam. It is of Austrian origin but is eaten throughout Alto…
Urbino’s treasured golden flatbread: crescia sfogliata
Crescia sfogliata is a flaky, slightly addictive flatbread from the town of Urbino in Le Marche. The recipe dates back to medieval times. Crescia sfogliata are related to neighbouring Romagna’s piadina (a flatbread) and are a variation on the paratha from India and the shou zhua bing from China. Eating one for the first time is…
Asparagus: the joy of springtime
Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is the perfect dish at this time of year. Fat, juicy spears of asparagus wrapped in salty prosciutto and cooked until crunchy. If the weather is lovely, pop these on the grill to crisp them up. The smell will make everyone go wild. These cloaked spears are a perfect finger food…
The stunning Calabrian coast
Driving off the ramp of the ferry after crossing the Straits of Messina, we entered the mysterious land of Calabria. Tales of the “miseria” (an era of hardship and famine) propelling the expulsion of entire families across the Atlantic made us think the landscape would be dry and infertile. What lay between Naples and Sicily…
‘Nduja- a uniquely Calabrian salami
‘Nduja is a spicy spreadable salami from the area around Monte Poro, the area just inland from the Capo Vaticano between Nicotera and Tropea. While its origin is unknown, some believe that ‘nduja is derived from andouille (the French sausage made from tripe) and was introduced by the Spanish when they ruled southern Italy. Before…
Peas and prosciutto – a match made in heaven
Pea season is upon us. The beginning of the season is the best with the taught pods bursting with plump peas. At the end of the season, the skins will turn leathery and the peas hard and floury. The surprising sweetness of the young peas is the perfect match for salty prosciutto. This is the…
Dreaming of Sicily: aubergine/eggplant pasta timbale
We were fondly reminiscing about our trips to Sicily after my post last week. As usual the discussions led to the food – the intensely flavoured vegetables, the remarkable cheeses and the freshness of the seafood. Our children had many favourites of the trip, some of which surprised me, such as pasta with sardines and…
Sicily’s Ionian coast
We were looking to extend the summer by heading south in the beginning of autumn. We choose to base ourselves around Etna so that we could explore the volcano and its many up-and-coming wine estates and taste the famous Bronte pistachios, visit the plains of Catania famous for their anti-oxidant rich blood oranges, spend some…
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