When I was about eight, I begged my mom for a pottery wheel and clay. I suppose I saw some cartoon or maybe just loved the way clay felt as it squished out of my hands or stuck in between my toes when I walked along the nearby river bank on a hot summer day. While my attempts to be a sculptor were a disaster—my lopsided flower vase can attest to this—I found sculpting clay to be magical, fun, inspiring and relaxing. I got this same sensation when I made this pistachio and pomegranate pavlova. The texture of this giant meringue is both squishy and stiff. It begs to be formed into a sunken volcano with a crater for a classic pavlova or it can be shaped into a Christmas wreath for your upcoming holiday parties.
I try to avoid making desserts with white sugar, yet, sometimes I can’t resist the classic recipes that I grew up on and loved like chocolate chip cookies,browniesand apple pie. As a kid I was never a fan of meringues, but after trying one the other day at a restaurant, I was quite surprised that I liked them. When I was doing some research online, pavlova popped up on my screen. I couldn’t resist the temptation. Pavlova is a CONTINUE READING
I’ve never found fresh cranberries in Italy, only dried. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem; after all, I only ever eat fresh cranberries at holiday meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, it’s now approaching 2 years since my last cranberry fix; two years since I’ve been home to the US during the holidays.
What do I love about homemade cranberry sauce? Well, for starters, its bright vibrant red color that brightens the table, then there’s that sudden shock of surprise when a cranberry pops in my mouth releasing its tart juices that slowly are taken over by sweetness and later rounded off by a hint of CONTINUE READING
Living abroad in Italy is exciting and exhilarating. I met Mr. Italicano here. I have made extraordinary friends here. I started my business while living here. I love the challenges and adventure that each new day brings while living in il bel paese. I am grateful and I am thankful each day, yet…I miss Thanksgiving!
I miss the smells from the kitchen mingling with the sweet candles burning. I miss the chaotic sounds that fill the house: the clinking and clanking in the kitchen, kids laughter in the play room and lively shouts coming from the living room after a touchdown.
One of my favorite Thanksgiving Day foods of all time is thisCONTINUE READING
I absolutely adore hummus. It’s one of my favorite go-to recipes when I entertain guests as it’s the perfect appetizer for everyone: vegans, vegetarians, non vegetarians, lactose intolerant, gluten-free.
I also love having it in my fridge for a healthy snack or to garnish my dishes to instantly add a good source of vegetable protein :: proteina vegetale and fiber. In short, hummus rocks.
The word hummus is an Arabic word meaning “chickpea.”Do you know how to pronounce “chickpea” in Italian?Test your knowlege or learn a new word by watching this short video: CONTINUATE A LEGGERE
“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst”
William Penn
“The quality of life is more important than life itself”
Alexis Carrel
“Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession; it’s through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed”
Vida D. Scudder
Mr. Italicano and I recently returned from 2 weeks of my cooking demonstrations in New York City with SMEG USA to help celebrate their 10th anniversary in the states. I spent the week catching up on jet leg and reflecting about the comments I received from the people who stopped by to watch these cooking shows.
What I discovered is that that one of the overarching problems for local New Yorkers is that the meal time decision usually comes down to one thing: time. Of course, this is quite a universal problem, but it really struck home while talking with people who live in the city and rarely, if ever, cook. “I just don’t have time,” they would say.
Cooking for me is a sacred part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Not only am I creating, which stimulates sentiments of satisfaction, I also know exactly what I am putting into my body. Why would anyone who wants to lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle refute these two things?
Although many New Yorkers had blamed it on time, I want to help by giving my opinion about the time for cooking simple meals. If you try to compare a simple and nutritious meal that you would make at home to the same kind of meal you would find, let’s say, at an organic restaurant near your home, the factor of time is almost the same. Don’t believe me? Let’s do the calculation together: CONTINUE READING
I try to avoid making desserts with white sugar, yet, sometimes I can’t resist the classic recipes that I grew up on and loved like chocolate chip cookies, brownies and apple pie. As a kid I was never a fan of meringues, but after trying one the other day at a restaurant, I was quite surprised that I liked them. When I was doing some research online, pavlova popped up on my screen. I couldn’t resist the temptation. Pavlova is a CONTINUE READING
