recipes

Carnevale Recipe: Tortellini Dolci

by italicana kitchen | Jan 25, 2016 | Dessert

In Italy, the famous Carnevale season kicked off and will end February 9^th, known as Martedì Grasso or Fat Tuesday, which is the last day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. The word Carnevale comes from the latin word carnem levare, which means to “eliminate meat”. During Carnevale, food is often consumed in grand quantities, before starting Lent and a period of fasting that lasts until Easter.

The typical Italian desserts that are eaten during Carnevale are READ MORE

Cooking Show at Toma & Tomi

by italicana kitchen | May 18, 2015 | Slice of Life

This past weekend I lead a cooking show at Toma & Tomi, a beautiful gourmet cheese shop in Carpi, Italy. In a stunning setting with a lovely crowd, I showed how to make my rustic Swiss chard, gorgonzola and feta tart as well as sweet and savory pancakes. It was a splendid evening with wonderful company, good food and wine and lots of chit-chat about cooking. Here is a short video of the evening.

If you have the opportunity to visit Carpi, definitely stop by Toma & Tomi for a glass of wine and a cheese board and enjoy the artsy and inviting atmosphere. Or, grab some cheese and crackers to-go for a lovely picnic in a nearby park.

The owner, Loanna Giroldi, is an expert about all the in-season cheeses and her shop is also full of a wide range of other artisanal and organic products, as well as shelves of fabulous cookbooks. It is also a perfect space for moms’ because while you enjoy a happy hour, there is a dedicated space for the kids to play with books, games and an extra large chalkboard to draw on.