Under the Tuscan Gun

We Hail Kale!

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Nutrition news headlines sing the same tune when it comes to filling up on leafy greens. Regrettably, people tend to turn towards the ever-popular Iceberg and Romaine lettuces when they do decide to munch on greens. Continue Reading…

The History of the Food War

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Most of us are familiar with a world full of supermarkets, hot dog stands, pizza parlors and coffee shops. Chemicals can improve the flavors of our favorite fruits; vegetables appear to grow in Styrofoam trays and materialize on crammed shelves. Mushrooms are made of marshmallow, meat is flat and round and comes wrapped in a sauce-filled bun, stamped with a yellow ‘M’. We have entered an age of mass production and commercial farming, of obesity and anorexia. Food is tied up with everything from our impressions of our own bodies to our economy, but how and why did we get to where we are today in the US? Well, there are several reasons.  Continue Reading…

Taste, the Most Important Item That’s Not on the Kids’ Menu

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There is something obscene about ordering the eight-course chef’s tasting menu at Blue Hill for a six-year-old. The expense of that one meal is enough to give me pause for myself, let alone the one at the table who thinks carryon essentials include crayons. As the waiter patiently offered to improvise a meal for our daughter, I weighed all the arguments for and against in my head. It’s once in a lifetime! You can feed a small village for that price. But you hate children’s menus, kids should eat the same food as parents, you believe that. What if she won’t eat it? What if she will? Continue Reading…

Taking On the Tuscan Gun Challenge

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One brave Under the Tuscan Gun contributor, Blake Stilwell, decided to overhaul his eating habits and change his ways for the better by introducing some of the healthy, easy Under the Tuscan Gun recipes into his diet and he will be documenting it for us in a series we are calling: Taking On the Tuscan Gun Challenge. Let the challenge begin:  Continue Reading…

Why Regions Matter When Choosing Wine

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“Wine, not water in moderation with meals.”  This was my ninety year old friend Anzolo’s answer when I asked him for the secret to longevity. We were perched on a crumbling  Miami sea wall ripping big hunks of warm bread from a freshly bagged loaf and drinking  Chianti Classico out of tiny beveled jars. Anzolo was a painter who let me hang around sometimes to watch him work and borrow his books. He was a traveler and a truly joyful person who had been everywhere. Continue Reading…

Ginger: More than a Spice

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Ginger certainly pairs quite well with an oversized Tempura Roll smothered in Unagi Sauce and thick slices of sashimi but when using this spice, there is no need to be close-minded. This versatile and pungent ingredient also compliments a refreshing Orange, Red Onion and Fennel Salad rather nicely.

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Restaurant Review: Napoletana Pizzeria

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Step inside the cozy, minimally decorated dining room of Napoletana Pizzeria and you will instantly know that what to order here is not up for debate. Upon entry, diners are hit with a radiating wave of warmth from the wood-fired brick oven, beckoning from the back of the restaurant. The smell of lightly charred crust lingers in the air and the open oven door becomes a glowing orange window that tantalizes while advertising the restaurant’s namesake signature dish. This is all to say that, when dining at Napoletana Pizzeria, one should really get the pizza. Continue Reading…

You Say Crepe, I say Crespelle

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My Tuscan Grandma Carla wields her two-handed mezzaluna knife over minced, borderline mushed, onions as she exclaims that it was not the French who created the Crepe, but the Italians who created crespelle, claimed and made sweet by the French in the name of crepe. Continue Reading…