FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DOES ITALICANA KITCHEN STAND FOR?
The name “italicana kitchen” represents a blending of two cultures. In Italy the word for an American woman is “americana,” an Italian woman is “italiana” and since I feel as though I am a mixture of the two, well, that makes me “italicana.” Combine that with “kitchen” for my obsessive passion with food and there you have it, “italicana kitchen.”
WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL YOUR FOOD?
Unless it’s an absolute cooking or baking experimental disaster, all the food that I make on italicana kitchen gets eaten. We either eat it the same day, have it for leftovers during the week, freeze it or give it away to family or friends, who are more than willing to help us with this task.
HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU MAKE EACH RECIPE?
It depends. I have more of a knack with cooking since its principally taste creation and therefore I often find that the first time is a charm, although often times I make a recipe twice to make sure that it turns out correctly following the instructions that I have written. Baking is a whole new area for me as it’s based on food science and precise measurements, so I’ve definitely been known to bake the same batch of muffins 2-3 times until I get it just right.
DO YOU WRITE YOUR OWN RECIPES?
My recipes are either created by me or adapted from/inspired by another blogger, cookbook author, family member or friend.
DO YOU TAKE YOUR OWN PHOTOGRAPHS?
Yes, all photographs are taken by me with a Nikon D3200 with a Micro 40mm lens. I just started using a DSLR camera. I’ve always been intimated by the manual mode, but am slowly teaching myself how to take a descent photo.
CAN I USE YOUR RECIPE OR PHOTO ON MY WEBSITE?
I would be honored! Please just follow the guidelines below:
1) Photos—If you want to use the recipe and the photo together, please email me for permission. Otherwise, feel free to use the photo with a link back to my recipe. Please use the words “italicana kitchen”, not “click here” in the link. Here’s an example: Do these Nutella and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches have your mouth watering? {Photo of ice cream sandwiches} Head to italicana kitchen for the full recipe.
2) Recipe Links—If you want to link to one of my recipes please include both a link to the blog post and a link to my homepage. For example: If you want something to warm you up during the winter months, try the Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup at italicana kitchen.
3) Adapting my recipe—If you want to feature my recipe on your blog or website, please rewrite the method of preparation in your own words, state that italicana kitchen is the original source and link to the original recipe post.
CAN YOU INCLUDE THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR EACH RECIPE?
I usually try to specify if my recipes are gluten free, vegetarian or vegan etc. but I do not intend to calculate the nutritional facts for each recipe. There are many free online calorie counters that you can take advantage of.
DO YOU LIKE LIVING IN ITALY?
I definitely miss my family and friends in the United States but I truly do love living an expat life in Europe. When you live in a foreign country even the most routine tasks like buying groceries become an adventure, especially when there is another language involved. I easily get bored and the constant language learning and discovery of new things truly makes everyday stimulating. On the flip side, at times Italy is a quite a dramatic place to live. The bureaucracy and political situation is a nightmare; however, no place in the world is perfect. It’s all what you make of the situation and who you’re with during the ride.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN ITALY?
Lake Garda, Madonna di Campiglio in the Alps, Cinque Terre, Portofino, Lake Como and any small town in Tuscany. I almost forgot about the amazing islands: Elba, Sardegna and Capri are among my favorites. I still have yet to go to Sicily but it’s on my list as it’s suppose to be incredible!
Still didn’t answer your question? Email me at cindyswain (at) italicanakitchen (dot) com. (cindyswain@italicanakitchen.com) I would love to hear from you!