tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86753747033817955332012-01-29T17:35:37.472+01:00Nuts about foodJuggling a family, a job and an obsession for food. In ItalyNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.comBlogger2011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-67638940359016214432012-01-24T16:47:00.002+01:002012-01-25T21:24:06.451+01:00Gluten free rice flour cake or Torta di riso
Before I start my customary monologue about unimportant things that may or may not entertain you, I just wanted to inform you of my new slight obsession, after Twitter, with Instagram these days. I also just created a Facebook page (after several attempts - I may not be that tech savvy but starting a page whilst trying to keep your personal profile... well, personal, is not so easy) that I am Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-86561750633512640942012-01-19T14:31:00.000+01:002012-01-19T14:31:33.256+01:00My Nana's chopped chicken liver
As a young child I remember my Nana B serving this appetizer when she had company, often together with pickled herrings with sour cream.
I know you can’t but help but picture us in the kitchen, preparing this together, my Nana letting me peel the hard boiled eggs and chop them up while she deglazed the pan. My grandma passing down the fabulous recipes of her Jewish heritage whilst telling theNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-91769122291670698542012-01-17T14:38:00.001+01:002012-01-18T07:29:44.905+01:00Eggplant burgers - polpette di melanzane
It is hard to think of little else here besides the cruise ship that ran aground off of the coast of Isola del Giglio in Tuscany last Friday night. It is all over the news, on every paper, every TV channel, day in and day out. Why is it that we feel this need to become voyeurs of other people’s tragedies? Nowadays media coverage is so extreme, with its real time updates of every minor happeningNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-15495792239913788622012-01-13T14:25:00.003+01:002012-01-13T16:09:05.604+01:00Red tape, white soup - Cream of celeriac, potatoes and roasted garlic
You know how they say a little sneeze can start an avalanche?
Well on Monday I sneezed…
My first mistake was waiting till pretty much the last minute to get some important paperwork done. This knowing very well for something like, uhm, ten years that this day was approaching. This even if I had started working on the process well over a month ago.
In my defense I would like to point out a Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-23021350669679588742012-01-10T15:16:00.002+01:002012-01-10T15:17:41.898+01:00Chocolate and chestnut truffle cake
Who would've thought, when I walked into that office more than 15 years ago for an interview, that those rooms would become such a meaningful place in all our lives?
So much happened there, good and bad: that desk is where I got the call from my husband about the first plane crashing into the World Trade Center; I remember calling family and friends before the lines were disconnected, to makeNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-4909170232646179052012-01-06T10:03:00.000+01:002012-01-06T10:03:16.878+01:00Madesimo: Dogana Vegia and Osteria Vegia
I haven’t settled back into my cooking routine yet, mostly because my fridge hasn’t seen a real shopping since before the holidays. Since we got back I have used up pretty much every boring leftover I could in the freezer (so why is it still so full?), I have started opening jars of expired Laksa paste and used my last bag of dried beans. I can’t wait to fill the kitchen with fresh fruit, Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-72638755240486212262012-01-03T15:42:00.000+01:002012-01-03T15:42:51.743+01:00Porcini mushroom barley soup (zuppa d'orzo ai porcini)
Here is a list of things I will not do at the beginning of this new year:
1) I will spare you my 2011 review post with photos and links to favorite recipes. YAWN. Was that me or you? My point being, I will not bore myself or you (at least not intentionally), so let’s just make a pact: you are more than welcome to browse around this blog whenever you feel like it and put key words into the Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-451886759832626022011-12-22T11:01:00.004+01:002012-01-03T10:12:29.077+01:00Zum Franziskaner and Munich
When you read this I hope to be walking on a mountain road, white powder snow sparkling in the sun, the smell of pine trees and burning wood in the air.
I hope you will be sitting cozily with your family and loved ones, enjoying the holiday season and basking in their affection.
While you relax (unless you are hosting and in that case you will probably be stressing just about now) I thoughtNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-24770952651619920972011-12-21T11:26:00.002+01:002011-12-21T14:03:31.983+01:00Peanut-studded peanut butter brownies
Dear daughter,
six years ago, on a Wednesday morning exactly like today, you came into this world, the best Christmas present a girl could ever dream of. A lot of things have changed since then: all that black peach fuzz on your head has turned into little blond wisps of elf-like hair, your eyes have turned from grey into the most beautiful shade of aqua green and from a quiet little baby you Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-7231057228625742602011-12-19T12:32:00.000+01:002011-12-19T12:32:47.234+01:00Foodies in Milan - Drinks at Panino Giusto
I may have not had a lot of time to cook lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been eating. Too much apparently, as my scale reminded me yesterday morning.
During the Christmas season there are endless opportunities to eat and drink and we have had quite a few nights out recently.
Jasmine and Manuel, the masterminds behind the blog Labna, organized their yearly Christmas Foodies in Milan Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-30284324472658165262011-12-15T14:36:00.000+01:002011-12-15T14:36:02.404+01:00Christmas markets, German treats and washing machines
I'm back.Have been back for a few days actually. Have opened a new post a few times to then close it immediately because something else needed my immediate attention.
I am frazzled to say the least. I feel like I am stuck in a washing machine on the long cycle. I just keep turning and turning, faster and faster.
Swish. Swish.
Does that happen to you? Every year before the holidays I make aNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-12109104271147512912011-12-07T08:01:00.004+01:002011-12-16T07:38:37.214+01:00Asian pork tenderloin
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...As this song plays in my head, I think of all the last minute minutiae before crossing the Alps with my husband and kids. The car looks like we will be away a month but it really will only be a few days.
Presents for the family.
CheckDaughter's homework (have we really reached that stage?)CheckPassports and other papers.CheckGoodies from Italy.CheckSon'sNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-33389816264636973782011-12-02T17:06:00.000+01:002011-12-02T17:06:36.385+01:00Soft whole wheat pretzels and saudade
There is one thing that unites us all, wherever we are from. I am not going to get all philosophical or peace-and-lovey on you (not that I don’t appreciate and share all those thoughts and feelings, I do, really). It is just that I am writing of something a tad more…well, mundane. Food. I mean, after all this blog is called Nuts about food, not Nuts about Seneca.
So, back to food, the thing Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-40468837158044125402011-11-29T16:28:00.000+01:002011-11-29T16:28:12.847+01:00Chewy, ginger cookie bars
Dear Santa,
This letter will probably get lost among the hundreds of thousands that have started filling your Inbox in recent days. With my luck, it will probably end up in your Spam folder.
It is probably safer to do things the old-fashioned way: address it to Saint Nicholas (I know, I know, only your mom and few million German children call you that these days but I think it suits you) andNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-60017624130500264702011-11-25T12:48:00.003+01:002011-11-25T14:24:45.746+01:00Of pigs and olives (or cold meats and EVO)
Close your eyes and think fabulous olive oil, cured meats, regional wines and good food. The essence of Italy. This, in a nutshell, is how I spent Tuesday evening.Frantoio Gentileschi invited a bunch of food lovers and bloggers to present their new brand Salumi del Frantoio, a line of delicatessen meats in which a part of animal fat is substituted with extra virgin olive oil. Less bad fats (Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-6817238743765375122011-11-23T12:16:00.002+01:002011-11-28T14:42:20.687+01:00Roasted balsamic brussels sprouts & (roasted) chestnuts and butter the old-fashioned way
Thanksgiving is not a holiday here in Italy. It is a day like any other so by the time I get home from the office it is pretty impossible for me to roast a turkey, even the smaller kind they sell here, and organize a meal for a group of friends.
When my American friends and I were not parents yet, we organized a dinner every year and ordered a pre-stuffed turkey in a fancy schmancy food Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-5045458439326922542011-11-20T18:30:00.000+01:002011-11-20T18:30:31.381+01:00Shortcut Monte Bianco
I walked into the store and towards the counter. I had pretty much already made up my mind and knew where to look. I made my way through the crowds, nearing the display I was headed for. I could have almost reached what I had come for if it hadn't been for two people blocking my view. The sales person was showing his customer a product. I looked on a little impatiently, hoping I would make it toNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-17443753315469853172011-11-15T22:35:00.002+01:002011-11-15T22:49:10.714+01:00Moussaka-inspired lasagna
I am sure at least some of you are wondering why the heck I didn’t just make moussaka. I'll get back to that in a minute. First I wanted to share with you one of those unique moments of motherhood.
Those of you who have (or have had) young children know that many earnest conversations take place in the bathroom. Little ones rarely answer important questions if posed directly, but they somehow Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-88312442267450735942011-11-11T19:26:00.001+01:002011-11-11T19:31:13.876+01:00Fall sweet potato cake
Italy is facing a debt crisis.
Our scandal-plagued Prime Minister, as the New York Times defines him, has promised to finally step down.
Local news + a job in finance + Q3 reporting season= pretty crazy days in the office.
Not much time to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather and autumn sunshine (that followed the copious amounts of destructive rain).
Yet I love the fall with its orange Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-58077805398987365182011-11-06T20:53:00.001+01:002011-11-06T21:13:13.813+01:00Oriental wisdom: one chicken, two meals for the body and soul
It is a real grey, wet Sunday. Rain, rain, rain.
As I am sitting in front of my computer sorting through the recipes I have lined up for you, I am listening to my kids playing in the other room. There is squealing and laughter. I hear some loud sounds, then a thud. More laughter. And then come the tears and shouting, one of the many fights between siblings that take place every hour at our Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-76519376907421799562011-11-01T20:58:00.000+01:002011-11-01T20:58:28.657+01:00Oatmeal blondies
One of the worst things about working in finance, even more than the ungodly hours we have to be in the office, is working on national holidays. It just sucks when you have to get up on a dark, grey November morning and leave your husband and kids cozily snuggled up under their blankets and bike to work in the pitch dark at 6.30am. It feels like you are in one of those post-nuclear movies, Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-40024062235328593642011-10-30T19:05:00.000+01:002011-10-30T19:05:33.321+01:00Moroccan lamb stew with lemon and pomegranate couscous
Today my father in law came over to our house for lunch. He originally wanted to go out to eat couscous and lamb in a restaurant he had heard of, but when he tried to make a reservation it was closed.
My father in law grew up in Libya, a country we have heard of so much lately in the news, back in the day when it was an Italian colony. I love hearing stories of his years there, before the new Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-80369758994094834552011-10-26T22:51:00.000+02:002011-10-26T22:51:54.377+02:00Crock pot pulled pork and a secret ingredient
Here is the post I promised on Sunday, the one that called for BBQ sauce.
Before I go into lengthy descriptions I just wanted to say this recipe is for my friend Y.
Why you ask?
First of all she just got her first Le Creuset for her birthday so I am psyched that my next few posts involve my beloved, appropriately pumpkin-colored crock pot.
Second of all, the girl grew up in Houston so I thoughtNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-43892092767637303842011-10-23T21:17:00.001+02:002011-10-26T23:02:58.347+02:00Homemade BBQ sauce
After the first week at the new office was over (much quicker than I expected if truth must be told, despite the long hours) I dove head first into the week end with lots of cooking and entertaining for friends and family. It felt great to have meals to plan and things bubbling on the stove. I am always so worried about summer and the long days of light ending, that I tend to forget how much I Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-79849552028115083032011-10-19T22:36:00.000+02:002011-10-19T22:36:23.066+02:00Pumpkin muffins with streusel topping and maple cream cheese filling
You know from my last post that the past week has been kinda rough. On Friday my colleagues and I filled box after box, took our children's drawings off of the walls, erased the pictures of them on our desktops. Co-workers from other floors filed in one at a time or in small groups to shake hands, hug us and wish us luck. We had a farewell coffee with pastries and foccaccia. A tear or two was Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-82765087933731169412011-10-13T13:14:00.000+02:002011-10-13T13:14:39.890+02:00Pizza and changes
Ok, so I haven't been totally honest with you.
Or rather, recently I have been omitting a part of my life in this blog for various reasons. First of all, because I was waiting for a certain outcome before mentioning it. Secondly, because my blog is my happy place and I do not want the stress of my daily life to permeate it.
There has been a lot of stuff going on at work. Let's just say Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-51964646853356350552011-10-10T11:59:00.001+02:002011-10-10T14:17:01.057+02:00Whole wheat, oat and banana muffins (and an award)
They say you really notice the passing of time through your children. This morning, reading the paper, I felt the same way about Paul McCartney. So, it seems he got married again yesterday. Again? But wait, didn't he just get divorced? And then I read he has been in a relationship with his now bride for four years. Where was I when you were all keeping up on Sir Paul's love life? Probably Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-73553827474385414202011-10-07T15:26:00.000+02:002011-10-07T15:26:23.651+02:00Chocolate almond torte. For Laura
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned being upset because of sad news from close friends who live on the other side of the world and of the equator. They used to live right next door, our children grew up together, we learned to be parents together. Today the news was confirmed and it is was much worse than I ever imagined. I can't believe they are so far, that I cannot be with them, embrace them,Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-43812021685205780922011-10-05T15:33:00.000+02:002011-10-05T15:33:10.223+02:00Minestrone with paprika and lemon juice
Sorry, but I just can't post a real recipe today. Forgive me. On Monday I was hit by a bout of the stomach flu and am luckily on my way to recovery. Still, I don't really want to eat food, see food, smell food, cook food, write about food or even read about it. Hence, I cannot bring myself to post the recipe I had planned. All I can think about eating these days is warm and comforting soups andNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-85975000343908915722011-09-30T12:47:00.000+02:002011-09-30T12:47:32.782+02:00My Seven linksIf you are a foodblogger you probably know about the 7 links and you probably also have already participated (or decided not to). Right before I was leaving for vacation to go to a place with no Internet connection I was tagged by Paolo and Pola, two Italian expats and food bloggers. I told them both that I was honored to be tagged and told them that I would participate as soon as I got back. So Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-75596844808358310162011-09-27T13:48:00.000+02:002011-09-27T13:48:36.476+02:00Ultimate chocolate birthday cake
You have turned *beep* if:your first lunch box was the original Star Wars lunch boxyou watched Donny and Marie sing "I'm a little bit country/rock'n'roll"you remember Michael Jackson's noseyou remember when an apple was just a fruit Orwell's 1984 was still a book about the futureseat belts were optional growing upshoulder pads were a big part of becoming a teenager
More reasons to feel old:1Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-50185511966994676422011-09-23T15:29:00.000+02:002011-09-23T15:29:21.704+02:0010-minute or faux tarte tatin
I am aware that a tarte tatin is a complex affair, a thing to be taken very seriously, whose preparation involves great love and skill. Then again, as a working mother of two, I am always short on time and so once again I am proposing a short cut. I do however feel the need to point out that this recipe is in no way trying to rival the original, because we all know that is impossible.
Along Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-1869758573373152242011-09-21T15:24:00.000+02:002011-09-21T15:24:55.079+02:00Kitchens of the world and smoked salmon with horseradish & dill dip
Today is all about your food.
I just started a new page (see above) called 'Nuts about Food in kitchens around the world'. Unfotunately I have not been travelling across the globe tasting home cooked meals these past few days (unless my imagination counts in the least). This page is dedicated to all those bloggers (and non bloggers, by the way) who have somehow been inspired by recipes they Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-74771601616220000682011-09-19T13:54:00.001+02:002011-09-19T13:56:23.900+02:00Roasted vegetable lasagna with saffron bechamel sauce
My mother is in the process of moving and while we were visiting this summer, I went through some of her old books and picked a few to take home. I chose one in particular that I had seen in her bookshelves for years but had never given a second glance, not realizing what it was about. Its English title - I have the Italian translation - is Great Cooks and Their Recipes: From Taillevent to Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-72736152229543624562011-09-16T12:34:00.001+02:002011-09-16T13:43:02.815+02:00Fresh charred corn salad with radish greens, tomatoes and mint
This post was supposed to be about the last days of summer, the last ears of corn. About discovering new ways to feel good about yourself - yes, after reading about it for months on line, I finally bought some radishes and ate the greens in a salad instead of discarding them. It indeed felt great to use all the parts of the root. And yes, it was good, peppery and fresh.
This post was Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-74663918292659938762011-09-13T14:49:00.000+02:002011-09-13T14:49:04.968+02:00Summer tunaloaf
Yesterday I really felt the passing of time, like sand slipping through my fingers, unstoppable. You probably think it is because I am turning *beep* in a couple of weeks. Or because every muscle in my body is killing me after running that extra mile yesterday morning. But that is not it, although come to think of it I feel even older now. That darn sand is slipping way too quickly!
The Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-56146872908575505962011-09-09T12:52:00.000+02:002011-09-09T12:52:41.303+02:00Markets and more
This is my last post of this summer's Mallorca series. Next week I will be back posting about my little adventures in the kitchen, but if you are anything like me, I know you will enjoy strolling through these crowded markets, looking at the stalls minus the masses of people and the sweltering heat of those days (don't thank me, thank my faithful little point-and-shoot camera).
Our first stopNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-40669152448275615962011-09-07T13:49:00.001+02:002011-09-09T15:24:22.961+02:00Eating in Mallorca and Ca'n Pedro
Let a girl dream a while longer, before reality fully hits. Also, if truth must be told, a still pretty empty fridge and my daughter starting first grade (first grade!!!) in a few days in addition to the rest do not make it easier to cook this week.
So this week will be all about Mallorca. Get comfortable and fly back to the sunny island with me because I have a few more secrets to share.Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-41833596400153470682011-09-05T12:13:00.002+02:002011-09-06T07:26:45.884+02:00Ca's Patro March
We are back! Yesterday we were still swimming in clear waters and today we went back to work... talk about culture shock (and thermal shock waking up to rainy, cool weather). But this way is best, no time to think about or to acknowledge the sadness you feel when leaving those you love.
Mallorca never ceases to surprise us with its beauty, variety, traditions and breathtaking scenery. Every Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-83661943049930904122011-08-31T16:02:00.000+02:002011-08-31T16:02:09.514+02:00Feliz cumpleanos!
It was F's birthday the other day.
Lucky to be a birthday boy on vacation, on a Mediterranean island.
Lucky to have local connections. Local connections who happen to be close friends and family, cooking up a feast for your birthday.
3kgs of the best gambas.
Just best quality olive oil, chili peppers and a dash of coarse sea salt
Marinated lamb.
An ensaimada makes a perfect birthdayNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-36056156514666519602011-08-22T16:39:00.001+02:002011-08-25T15:53:55.304+02:00No accessWho's complaining about having no access when you have this?
Food from the area in the coming posts. This is literally just what has been falling into our arms...
More soon!
Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-40702830096835704942011-08-12T11:56:00.003+02:002011-08-12T13:33:41.251+02:00Happiness
Photo by Patick Piatkowski
Life is good today. Real good.
Today is my last day of work for a few weeks.
Photo by Michael Zeis
My little girl is on her way back home to me right this minute. I just spoke to her for the first time in almost a week and she told me she loves me more than the sun and the moon. I can't wait to hug her little body.
Photo by Franny Dee
Tomorrow I am Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-21633571587578137052011-08-10T15:54:00.002+02:002011-08-10T16:01:39.505+02:00Brown rice with cream of cannellini beans, roasted garlic-infused olive oil and baby spinach
I was just reading a comment to a blogging friend's new post and unexpectedly got inspiration for my own post.
A few weeks ago I mentioned some of my pet peeves in the kitchen. Today I present you with a list of blogging pet peeves.
1. 'Please read my post before you leave a comment' or 'Commenting is not mandatory'I know there is much more important stuff going on in the world than my blog. Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-87829060010454951652011-08-08T15:44:00.003+02:002011-08-08T15:47:52.763+02:00Lait Gelateria Alpina at Eataly - Genova
On Saturday we drove to Genova. We went to the old port and visited Eataly before heading off to Piedmont to stay with friends. Even if the weather wasn't great, it is always a nice and interesting area to walk around.
The Acquarium
See the pool and sundeck?
As usual we got lost in the orderly and colorful rows and rows of pasta, cured meats, chocolate, beer, Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-81995534815841685652011-08-05T14:29:00.001+02:002011-08-08T12:44:03.186+02:00Salmon with pomegranate molasses glaze and roasted peaches
Remember how I mentioned a while back that these days my kids have a more active social life than their parents? Well, my children also live a more glamorous life than we do these days. While Mommy and Daddy sit in the office next week, little big girl will be on vacation again. Not bad, eh?
The first night she slept away from us a little over a half year ago I was nervous. The first time sheNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-70091399436540437692011-08-03T11:56:00.002+02:002011-08-04T08:04:34.783+02:00Fattoush with za'atar croutons
We are counting the days until we leave for vacation and I am simultaneously counting the calories in my food and the kilos on my scale. I am not too happy with the result, I'm telling you. Also, after that cheese and meat fest last weekend, my body is begging me to detox a little and eat healthier. If I happen to shed a couple of pounds whilst pampering my insides, no one is complaining right?Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-44497514436101067932011-08-01T16:39:00.001+02:002011-08-02T14:16:56.707+02:00Another weekend awayMountains are beautiful, this is a fact.
There is something to do for everyone. You can hike and discover beautiful hidden spots.
Turquoise waters. Sandy beaches.
Waterfalls.
You can pick wild strawberries, fragoline di bosco, the most delicate of fruits.
Blueberries.
Blackberries. No batteries needed.
You can study insects.
These huge things fly. I don't even want to know Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-36429050243299446302011-07-27T14:00:00.005+02:002011-07-27T15:58:04.797+02:00Perfect Summer Pantry Pasta with red peppers, tuna and olives
Summer can get tricky when there are two working parents in a family.
Many children here leave town for a good part of three months to spend time with grandparents at the sea, in the mountains or in the country, while parents or fathers stay in town to work. Grandparents here are a very popular form of free 24/7 year round babysitting and nobody seems to think much of packing off multiple Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-53595011743197826172011-07-25T13:54:00.002+02:002011-07-25T14:18:26.597+02:00Under the Tuscan sun...So much has been written about Tuscany, must I add more?
Chocolate and mojito
Antipasto toscano
Under the Tuscan setting sun...
Room with a view
La Fiorentina!
Making olive oil
Schiaccia: Tuscan focaccia made in a wood fired oven
View from the other pool
Filetto di carne chianina
http://www.usignoli.it/Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-45737674956350968572011-07-20T12:21:00.004+02:002011-07-21T16:00:04.523+02:00Homemade Kê-chiap (better known as ketchup or catsup)
The thing I love about blogging is that you discover all kinds of useless interesting facts.
Did you know that even ketchup was originally invented by the Chinese?
In the 17th century, according to Wikipedia, the Chinese invented a concoction of pickled fish/sea food and spices pronounced kôe-chiap or kê-chiap (鮭汁, simply the word for brine), reminiscent of Asian fish sauces and the various Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-86042269203879238682011-07-18T13:56:00.002+02:002011-07-18T16:17:45.357+02:00Black and white chocolate berry tart
When it comes to grilling, every country in the world has its traditions. In the US a BBQ just isn't a BBQ without hamburgers and hot dogs. In Italy, grilling or la grigliata is all about our friend the pig. The preferred meat is undoubtedly pork. A hamburger is a very rare (no pun intended) find, but there will be no lack of sausage in all shapes and sizes on an Italian grill and even pork ribsNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-18392079921810847662011-07-15T14:15:00.002+02:002011-07-18T08:32:21.995+02:00Roasted eggplant salad with tzatziki herb dressing
My daughter will be back tomorrow and I can't wait to see her. This week, however, has given me time to spend with my youngest.
He never had the fortune of being the first, that little creature who totally capsizes your world in wonderful (and not always so wonderful) ways. The baby you spend hours staring at, playing with, nurturing. Your first baby is the one you take endless pictures of, Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-56178957242784530532011-07-13T12:44:00.004+02:002011-07-14T07:38:25.541+02:00Gazpacho - a soup or a drink?
The other day I mentioned a questionnaire I was answering to subscribe to a food community. One of the questions was a pet peeve of mine in the kitchen. I had a hard time coming up with one at that moment, but since then they have just been popping up in my mind. Turns out I am quite the kitchen nazi.
Here are a few:1. When someone grabs food from a platter or picks/eats the garnish before I Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-73014960370384798352011-07-11T13:50:00.000+02:002011-07-11T13:50:17.293+02:00Scratch, scratchSorry, no cooking this week end. Was here...
...enjoying some of this...
...and some of this...cream of burrata with tomato coulis and extra virgin olive oil anyone?
Or would you prefer some Parmigiamo Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma? Both?
Separating from your five year old for her first vacation away is sort of like severing a limb: it physically hurts, it feels wrong. You still feel Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-2480359932214290532011-07-08T11:23:00.000+02:002011-07-08T11:23:06.062+02:00Thai fried coconut & lime shrimp
Yesterday I became a member of yet another food community and had to answer a few questions for my profile. Among these, I was asked what my favorite cookbook was. That is a tough one, I thought to myself, I have many and love them all.
This got me thinking. How do you decide what your favorite cookbook is. Is it the one you cook from the most? Or the one that answers a lot of the questions Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-82091880892760490532011-07-06T14:45:00.005+02:002011-07-07T08:50:26.593+02:00Kafta-style meatball salad with yogurt tahini dressing
Yesterday I was able to leave the office a little earlier than usual so I decided to do something I hate almost as much as filing my papers: buying a bathing suit. A one-piece bathing suit.
Let me recreate the scenario, just so you can cringe a little. Because I know you've been there.When: beginning of sales.
Where: a department store, Ladies' lingerie & beachwear section.
Who: myself and Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-71389298805914158112011-07-04T14:15:00.000+02:002011-07-04T14:15:35.496+02:00Nigella's honey chocolate cake and blogversary
On the weekend this little blog of mine celebrated its first year.
I will not bore you with the usual blablabla about how much this amazing experience has helped me out of my comfort zone (in the kitchen, on my laptop and with my camera) and introduced me to a whole new community of friends and food lovers all over the world.
You've heard this, you've done this, you don't need to read about Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-25501099156740860612011-07-01T12:59:00.000+02:002011-07-01T12:59:44.479+02:00Fudgesicles
Most of us working in offices have a routine, something that makes the endless hours sitting at a desk in front of a computer, day in and day out, bearable. The kind of routine you actually grow fond of and almost come to look forward too, especially if you have little kids at home. Those habits that make your day orderly, that dictate the rhythm of your work.
Checking your emails and missedNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-64231763044101843222011-06-29T11:27:00.001+02:002011-06-29T16:27:08.101+02:00Octopus panzanella
The month of June was a pretty rainy, cool month here in Milan. It got a little frustrating after the tenth storm in a row at exactly 5.30pm, which is when I pick up the kids up from daycare and kindergarden. But hey, I'm not complaining because it was not hot and humid.
Until a couple of days ago that is.
You know the summer heat has hit in Milan when:- you can park exactly where you Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-30651299642290729122011-06-27T14:24:00.002+02:002011-06-28T14:55:13.938+02:00Sweet cherry pie for my sweet
My baby turned two yesterday so even I, despite being a somewhat delusional smitten mother, can no longer justify calling him a baby. He is now officially my big boy or my little guy.
Last summer, inspired by all the blogs I read, I bought a cherry pitter on sale.
I know this has no connection with what I just wrote, but bear with me.
It was already the end of cherry season so I put it Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-89679551803887243702011-06-24T14:51:00.000+02:002011-06-24T14:51:47.147+02:00Pasta with ricotta and sundried tomatoes
Remember we spent last week end in the Alps?
Well, after trekking through the forest and sitting among the flowers in the meadows to have a picnic we also stopped to admire cows (my son, who is currently obsessed with bovines as only a toddler can be, calls them cow, mucca - Italian for cow - moo or even all three in a row depending on his level of excitement) and then walked up to a littleNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-77219976306424836002011-06-23T10:14:00.002+02:002011-06-23T16:11:53.107+02:00For Monet
One of the things that surprised me the most when I started blogging was becoming part of a community. The blogosphere may be a virtual place, but everything about the support, the friendship and the comraderie that thrives in the foodie blogging community is real. I have seen virtual babyshowers held for expecting moms that live on the other side of the world. I have gotten teary over picturesNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-89396522642250129962011-06-20T12:48:00.001+02:002011-06-20T14:32:16.214+02:00Double chocolate chip cookies
I reached cookie nirvana on Friday.
These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. This is what I expect from the perfect cookie, what I have never been able to replicate in my kitchen. This cookie is chewy, chunky and fudgy. My other chocolate chip cookies were pretty good if I can say so myself but these are perfect. In taste, texture, size. And they didn't turn flat a few Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-66153165410765401102011-06-17T11:58:00.002+02:002011-06-17T15:20:18.756+02:00To post or not to post?
I started writing this post after commenting on a blogging friend's post this morning, but it had really started forming in my mind last night when I was sorting through some pictures for my blog. I was wondering what I would write about today, what I should post. I had no recipe I considered post-worthy, no eye candy and I was also feeling a tad uninspired. The truth is, I wanted to be passed Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-21318159275519645432011-06-15T11:36:00.002+02:002011-06-15T11:40:19.002+02:00Insalata di riso - Italian rice salad
I take my bike to work all year long, rain or shine, but now is my favorite time of the year. When I ride to work at 7am it is still cool, the city is quiet and the sky is already blue. Yesterday, while I was riding down the newly-built bike lanes in the center (an effort made for the recent mayoral elections), I had to come to a screeching halt because a pidgeon was crossing the street on a Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-91871732549461725102011-06-13T12:43:00.000+02:002011-06-13T12:43:12.380+02:00Jamie Oliver's curry
We spent most of Saturday backing up all of our digital photos on the new external hard drive we purchased and downloading tons of our old CDs onto my iPod. We have been meaning to do this for months, years actually, and somehow never got around to it. CDs and back-up DVDs fill entire drawers of our apartment. Isn't it weird that before all this technology we just had photographs and negatives,Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-37766746228160843492011-06-08T13:20:00.000+02:002011-06-08T13:20:21.568+02:00Beer can chicken, Elba, awards and 7 facts
Last night I went to my college roomate's 40th birthday bash (don't even think about counting how old that makes me. I am still in my thirties...for now). It turned out to be one of those perfect evenings, the kind you cannot plan ahead, those parties where the vibe is just right, you know? I'm sure re-embracing old friends that I hadn't seen in way too long, the copious amounts of wine that Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-20172385579662406262011-06-06T12:09:00.000+02:002011-06-06T12:09:50.371+02:00How to make your own, healthy tortilla chips and the holy trinity: guacamole, salsa & pico de gallo
It is cold and grey and somewhat rainy today, nothing like the beautiful hot summer weather we enjoyed on the island of Elba. We walked to sandy beaches in our flip flops, smothered ourselves in sunblock and ran squealing into cold water. My daughter spent so much time in it her lips were blue and her teeth were chattering. She struck up conversations in knee-deep water with anybody who would Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-73752364112853970872011-06-03T09:10:00.003+02:002011-06-06T09:42:41.928+02:00Hello summer! Popsicles (with a secret ingredient)
It is a long holiday week end here in Italy and as you read this, we should be on the island of Elba. My fingers are crossed while writing (figuratively speaking of course) that the weather will be decent, in the hope of seeing those sweet feet covered in sand again, of taking a swim in the probably-still-freezing Mediterranean, of having gelato while strolling down the Darsena looking at Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-48572639613803131072011-06-01T11:30:00.001+02:002011-06-01T14:11:49.642+02:00Nigella's moonblush tomatoes - the stuff of fairies
My daughter loves prancing around the house with wings on her back and a magic wand in hand, turning every corner of our appartment into a magic, enchanted world. She has made me endless potions to drink and my son has been turned into any mythical creature imaginable.
Perhaps those potions finally started wearing off on me, because I have a secret to tell. Did I ever mention I have magic Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-67043049166009296252011-05-30T12:11:00.001+02:002011-06-01T14:12:57.234+02:00Rustic polenta cookies
I love colorful macarons filled with tasty rich buttercream, chewy chocolate chip cookies studded with nuts and buttery shortbread just as much as the next person. Sometimes however, I want something more simple, more wholesome. A cookie that is not too rich or too sweet, something a little old fashioned, rustic, that I can enjoy with my morning coffee. The kind of hard cookie that softens Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-71641724630862763202011-05-27T11:35:00.001+02:002011-05-27T15:27:43.895+02:00Make your own vanilla extract
Shhhhhh...we have to keep our voices down, let's whisper.
My baby is sleeping, in a cool, dark place.
I bathed him with great tenderness, soaking him while humming quietly, a smile on my face. He smelled so sweet (don't they always?), I almost couldn't close the door and leave. All I have to do now is check on him every once in while to make sure everything is ok, perhaps give him a little Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-57357942733666568122011-05-25T12:29:00.000+02:002011-05-25T12:29:06.737+02:00Poached chicken "à la menthe"
I had a lovely bowl of freshly made mayonnaise sitting in my fridge.
But let me go back a few steps. On the week end temperatures rose to above 30°C. If you ask me, it was my daughter who brought the beautiful sunshine with her smile on Friday evening. The minute I saw her again after almost a week it was summer in my heart. Most people in Milan would however probably disagree, blaming winds Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-74545826173605397912011-05-23T12:31:00.002+02:002011-05-24T10:13:00.891+02:00My husband's homemade mayonnaise
You know how you fall into a routine at home, in which each person is in charge of certain chores? The good old adage of the trash being the man's job and the laundry being a woman's job?
At our house we are pretty interchangeable. We both work and have busy schedules so we take turns cleaning up the dinner dishes, preparing the children for bed and doing laundry. We even take turns with the Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-89837157501162975832011-05-19T11:02:00.000+02:002011-05-19T11:02:20.932+02:00Beer (spring) chicken
My spring cleaning started a little late this year. To be honest, these days I just don't have the time for a real, full-on spring cleaning. What is more likely to happen is I will walk into a room and open a drawer or a cabinet and realize it is a mess. I will tackle that one corner and suddenly be hit by a cleaning frenzy that will persist until I have pretty much gone through the whole room,Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-55308845027709703312011-05-17T13:05:00.002+02:002011-05-18T08:44:56.215+02:00Spaghetti with clams and roasted fennel* - for my munchkin
Dear Munchkin,yesterday you climbed onto a doubledecker bus with a big toothless smile and drove away.Five years ago you were barely a baby and now you are hundreds of kilometers away with your friends, laughing and playing and chatting a mile a minute.
When I got back from the office, I came across the pink mug with your name on it, the one you use to drink your milk at breakfast. I picked itNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-52340504107746228262011-05-15T14:33:00.000+02:002011-05-15T14:33:52.424+02:00Roasted fingerling potato and leek soup with spinach
You know how some weeks are just much busier than others? Well, last week was one of those weeks.
On Monday my daughter's school held its spring fundraising party, on Tuesday she had her vaccinations, yesterday we had a class meeting to discuss an upcoming trip (more on that soon - this alone generated a whole new level of matters to tackle), the elementary school she is starting in the fall Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-35106245532144700592011-05-11T11:46:00.003+02:002011-05-11T11:55:57.107+02:00Mango & cucumber salad with Pimenton de la Vera
Robert De Niro is standing in the kitchen. He is suspiciously eyeing the door to the hallway. Everything is quiet. He stands and waits. He looks tense. Then he takes two steps back and opens my oven, pulls out some foccaccia and just as he is about to bite into, it my boss walks in a grabs it from him. That is when the crickets start.
Chirp chirp chirp
Why are crickets singing if it is the Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-9010519914121262782011-05-09T12:17:00.001+02:002011-05-09T15:16:54.821+02:00Heavenly pistachio butter cups (and pistachio paste)
Yesterday we participated in an event called Bimbimbici (children on bikes) organized by an association that is trying to make Italian cities more bike friendly. It was a beautiful day and since we recently bought our daughter a new bike it seemed like the perfect occasion to take her out for a ride. A friend kindly lent us a bike with child seat (mine broke and I haven't replaced it yet) and Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-42587818965266997202011-05-06T12:09:00.000+02:002011-05-06T12:09:01.095+02:00Nigella's oeufs en cocotte with truffle oil (R.E.R. part 4)
Quite a while back I started a section called R.E.R. (ridiculously easy recipes). My idea was to write about recipes that a) are so easy you don't really even need a recipe, but that we make all the time at home and may be a new idea for you despite their simplicity or b) we think everybody knows how to make except us so we prefer looking it up on the Internet rather than asking someone and Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-20817422897051677082011-05-04T14:55:00.003+02:002011-05-05T12:18:56.480+02:00Pasta with swordfish & toasted pistachio and breadcrumbs
I consider myself a positive and pretty optimistic person. My glass is mostly half full, not half empty. I usually wake up with a smile and like to look at what is good in my life rather than what isn't.
Today, however is an especially good day. A celebration of coming home.
This morning I got a phone call from my close friend Y. Some of you may remember my post mentioning her husband was Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-76177149519922796122011-05-02T13:44:00.000+02:002011-05-02T13:44:19.869+02:00Easter egg brownies for grown ups
If you are anything like me, this post may be a tad late because this is a recipe to use up some of that left over chocolate from Easter. If you have any left over, that is.
Now I am the perfect mom, only allowing my kids a few pieces of their chocolate Easter eggs here and there. To then sit in front of the TV while they are in bed chomping on their goodies. I know, I know... but what goes Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-9650458527732236582011-04-28T12:32:00.003+02:002011-04-28T12:53:52.664+02:00South Tyrol, life on a farm (maso)
Do you like the idea of roosters crowing, mountain bells chiming, thick slabs of rich yellow home-churned butter, foamy milk just brought in from the barn, a breakfast of home made cheese, the freshest soft boiled eggs, speck and jam and the most breathtaking mountain views from the window? Then follow me.
You feel rested and restored after a good night's sleep in soft and cozy down Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-66267474869318853182011-04-21T18:01:00.001+02:002011-04-21T18:02:15.940+02:00Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Did you know there is no Easter bunny in Italy (if you exclude South Tyrol, which still has strong ties with German traditions)? There are eggs, lots of them. They are baked whole into the savory torta pasqualina (Easter tart). Almost everybody, young or old, gets a chocolate egg with a hidden surprise on the inside. These eggs come in all chocolate varieties and in several sizes. There are Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-71644767449176641182011-04-19T12:30:00.002+02:002011-04-19T15:39:53.974+02:00Peanut & toasted sesame dressing, design and more awards
Sunday was the last day of the Salone del Mobile, the international design fair, which is a very interesting event indeed, but overcrowded and not a place to go with children and strollers. The atmosphere is totally different at the Fuori Salone, events and locations open to the public all over the town, many of which in the more artsy and emerging areas of the city.
(The pictures were all Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-32813458066321176292011-04-15T12:56:00.003+02:002011-04-15T15:59:09.969+02:00Paste di Mandorla for zio Filippo
I probably shouldn't call these paste di mandorle because technically they aren't.
But let me start from the beginning.
On Wednesday zio Filippo (F's uncle) passed away. It was in the air, I woke up feeling a little melanchonic. I just didn't have it in me to write anything funny or cutesy. But you know that already if you read my last post. Then, in the evening, we got the sad news from Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-17756455558654232502011-04-13T14:23:00.000+02:002011-04-13T14:23:28.293+02:00Mediterranean stuffed green peppers & amazing women
I have to admit I am a little uninspired these days when it comes to cooking and writing. I am sort of missing the umph, I am distracted. There are things on my mind.
It is hard to write about the superficial, the mundane when my very close friend was readmitted to the hospital on Monday for his second bone marrow transplant. His wife, also a dear friend, is a blogger. She has the gift of Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-79869477783120943662011-04-11T13:33:00.000+02:002011-04-11T13:33:16.778+02:00Lime tart and Milan's hidden corners
Summer arrived a few months early. During the week end temperatures reached 33°C, and I saw a thermometer in the sun that read 39°C! This is not natural, not even in the Mediterranean. So we spent most of our week end outdoors, picnicking in the park, taking walks and basking in the beautiful sunshine.
Milan, not always considered a gem among the many beautiful Italian towns, is called the cityNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-10002590714089933082011-04-08T14:24:00.001+02:002011-04-11T11:06:01.946+02:00Pickled green beans
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers green beans;A peck of pickled peppers green beans Peter Piper picked;If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers green beans,Where's the peck of pickled peppers green beans Peter Piper picked?
Who ever thought I would pickle anything, let alone green beans? The truth is, I have never had pickled green beans and I don't even know if I will like Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-41433129327754753112011-04-06T11:08:00.002+02:002011-04-08T08:59:54.699+02:00Oreo cheesecake cookies
Saturday night was Derby night in Milan. The city's two soccer teams, Milan and Inter, were playing against each other and the tension in the air was palpable. My husband was visibly nervous and I admit I was pretty happy to be getting out of the house to go to a university reunion.
I thought I had organized things reasonably well: the kids were changed and pretty much ready for bed, their Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-52854844379556687522011-04-04T13:34:00.003+02:002011-04-05T15:37:38.354+02:00Sicilian oven-roasted artichokes, thanks and awards
Spring has sprung, or rather, spring has exploded. Temperatures have shot up to 27°C and we all spent the week end outdoors in short sleeves and summer shoes. This is by no means normal for this time of the year, we were still wearing jackets and coats last week. I am pretty sure temperatures will drop soon again so I am enjoying every minute of it while it lasts. This is what has been Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-31165244250855630132011-03-31T10:48:00.000+02:002011-03-31T10:48:13.723+02:00Squid, pesto and asparagus pasta
The ingredients really make the dish here. They are the stars. The added value of your cooking will be practically nihl, but despite the less-than-10 minutes it will take you to make it, your guests will be glad you didn't spend more time slaving over the meal. This dish tastes and looks like spring, with green and pink tones and the freshness of basil and asparagus.
It all started with a Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-50930392898428509572011-03-30T10:39:00.001+02:002011-03-30T11:04:17.506+02:00Bake sale for earthquake victims
Today is the big day! The day of the bake sale to help earthquake victims in Japan. We are making food to give food. We are "raising dough"! Thanks to the amazing work done by The Tomato Tart, with the contribution of over 90 food bloggers from around the world, you can bid on your favorite dessert and if possible, the goods will be shipped to you. Andrew Sigal from The Uncarved Block will be Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-81456740420481057482011-03-28T12:09:00.004+02:002011-03-29T09:11:01.736+02:00Maple syrup and rolled oat scones
This past week end was an Ikea week end. Ikea is like a black hole, everything you do on an Ikea weekend, before or after, somehow revolves around your trip there, gets sucked into it. First comes the idea: should we take a quick trip to Ikea to look at xyz (replace xyz with any Swedish name)? Come on, even while you are saying it, you know no trip to Ikea is a quick one. Whether you think you Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-46178843712458215082011-03-25T13:02:00.000+01:002011-03-25T13:02:19.783+01:00Sweet polenta bread. Are you a purist or not?
Let me just clarify: I am not trying to be fancy. I am not calling this recipe polenta bread instead of plain old corn bread because I want to give myself airs. The truth is I used polenta flour in it and my impression is that it is ground a little coarser than corn meal. I am however not so sure about this anymore, after some research on the Internet. There seem to be very discordant opinions.Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-52837032533650468922011-03-23T13:45:00.000+01:002011-03-23T13:45:51.644+01:00Chocolate chip & walnut oatmeal cookies and mini foodies
Considering I am not one for baking cookies, I am on quite a roll these days. Truth being, the not-so-satisfactory outcome of the last oatmeal cookies I made kept nagging me and is probably why I bought a can of rolled oats at the supermarket the other day.
My daughter is home with a yet unidentified fever this week. On Monday, when she started pestering me non-stop to watch cartoons (her Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-87875131674783839072011-03-21T11:33:00.000+01:002011-03-21T11:33:54.247+01:00Involtini di prosciutto e platessa alla mugnaia - Prosciutto & fish rolls à la Meunière
We spent the day at the beach in Liguria on Saturday with friends. The weather was not great and the beach we went to was not the prettiest the region has to offer, but it was the perfect meeting point with our friends, who were travelling from the opposite direction. We brought blankets and sandwiches. We stuffed ourselves silly on foccaccia (for those who don't know, foccaccia comes from Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-35418427655576443772011-03-18T12:03:00.005+01:002011-03-18T14:23:50.280+01:00Ricotta pound cake with Nutella swirl - Help Japan
Yesterday was the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification. It was a holiday in Italy and the city was covered in green, red and white. Flowers, flags, even TicTacs and Nutella dressed up for the occasion. Museums were open and free and despite the rain, the center was crawling with people. Lucky me, I got to go to the office (international stock markets were open and we are in the middle of Nuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-57078992068649282412011-03-16T11:59:00.001+01:002011-03-16T11:59:40.586+01:00Shrimp coconut curry. Ooooohm...
It is cold. It is grey. It is wet. Very wet.
About ten days ago it felt like spring might be on its way, but a lot of rain has washed away any further hope. I know we need lots of rain but I also need my 6:00am runs to burn off some of the chocolate ganache and chocolate chip cookies that have been accumulating on my hips lately. So, on the 5th consecutive day of rain, I must concentrate on myNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8675374703381795533.post-29851767241392407162011-03-14T12:48:00.006+01:002011-03-18T14:24:15.129+01:00Chocolate ganache tart with hazelnut crust and chocolate glaze - Help Japan
Posting about a dessert when tragedy has hit my fellow humans in such enormous proportions seems terribly superficial. Talking about ganache and toasting hazelnuts seems inappropriate when what I am really thinking about are my close friends facing yet another difficult health-related challenge. Beating eggs while history is being rewritten right across the Mediterranean seems silly.
The truthNuts about foodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11081157237653314887noreply@blogger.com13