Under the Tuscan Gun

Roasted Beet Salad

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I love beets. Can’t say the same for when I was younger though. When I was kid, I had no interest in beets and the same goes for my kids on most days, but over the years, after developing recipes around this unique vegetable and my taste buds, I have come to respect the beet as an adult flavor and acquired taste that is definitely worth the wait. Cooked or uncooked, this root vegetable has a long shelf life, are versatile and rich in folic acid, calcium and iron. Continue Reading…

Fried Olives

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I really like finger foods; so much flavor packed and delivered in just one bite or two! Filled with spicy pork sausage, good parmesan cheese, breaded and deep fried, these Fried Olives certainly pack a punch and are the perfect way to tickle your guests taste buds and get them ready for the main course.

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Wines By Nature

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Though I love to throw dinner parties, it is rare that someone does me the same honor. However, two months ago my friends Liz and Joel did just that—using the visit of my boyfriend and me as an excuse to host an eight-person dinner party around their lovely black wood table. It was the best kind of night in, good company, raucous laughter, and simple, satisfying food prepared with fresh, flavorful ingredients. Continue Reading…

Becoming a Forager: How to Join In on the Latest Foodie Trend

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Once the pastime of eccentric Nonna’s and naturalist types, foraging is trending as the latest pursuit of the food obsessed;  foraging is the act of looking or searching for food, in this case wild edibles. And all over the country enthusiasts are on the hunt:  porcini, nettles, huckleberries, the legendary paw paw. Continue Reading…

Digestivi

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I always wonder how Italians can eat very large twelve course meals and still manage to return to work the next day, or even, in many cases, an hour later. The answer, I found, lies in one potent pleasure: the digestivo. Italians certainly enjoy the ever-famous aperitivi before dinner. Campari, the bittersweet red beverage, goes well with soda. Prosecco (an Italian dry sparkling wine) also can begin a meal. But less recognized are the array of digestivi, which are enjoyed at the end of a meal. Continue Reading…

Host a Pop-Up Show in your community: The Lexicon of Sustainability.

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The Lexicon of Sustainability. What is it? In its simplest form it is just as it sounds. Lexicon, a web. Sustainability, loosely defined as the practice of using renewable resources in a way that does not harm or deplete them for future generations. So essentially, a movement aimed at connecting, spreading the word and truly understanding sustainability practices.

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Skip the Mint Julep! Great Beer Alternatives for the Kentucky Derby

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Like Horse Racing? Yeah, me too. And this Saturday is the Kentucky Derby (I know it’s also Cinco de Mayo, but that’s just a stupid, made-up, get-drunk, American-media-marketing holiday in the US). Now, as much as I enjoy the actual racing event, I’m not all about the hoity-toity mint julep drinking atmosphere. Instead, since I know you guys are wicked cool, I’m going to offer a few beer alternatives. Continue Reading…

Polenta Pasticciata

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Sorry, I have been thinking for a couple of days on how to translate “Pasticciata”. The word in Italian means “Messed Up”, with no particular dedicated shape…
Then the proverbial light bulb went off in my head, and I finally found the immigrant in me! The word Parmesan appeared in my head along with a WTF, but I finally (probably) found the reason for this too commonly used adjective in Italian-American cooking lingo and restaurant menus. From now on, I promise, I won’t bitch about it anymore… Whoever used the word Parmesan first, when indicating the preparation of a dish that requires Red Sauce, Mozzarella and Parmesan, did the only possible thing…linguistically. Hopefully he or she, was also a good cook!
Clean up your kitchen counter and wash your hands, let’s get going. Continue Reading…