Cibo e Famiglia (Food and Family)

Ridgway Bar & Grill Hosts Talley Vineyards

2017-03-24T13:23:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of heading to Ridgway Bar & Grill in Naples for a cooking demonstration, wine tasting and book signing from Brian Talley's new cookbook, Our California Table. The Talley Family Vineyard is located in Arroyo Grande, California in San Luis Obispo County. I easily talked five friends into joining me and we were all pleased we went.

First, a couple of the girls had never even been to Ridgway's which was a surprise in itself. Tony and Sukie of Ridgway have created an oasis with fabulous food, decadent desserts and a master wine list with a large list of wines by the glass. A great plus is their award winning Tony's Off Third bakery that you will find attached to the restaurant.

The wine tasting began at Tony's Off Third. Guacamole was paired with Bishop's Peak Sauvignon Blanc and Sarah's Napa Cabbage Salad paired with the Talley Estate Chardonnay. Brian actually shipped the avocado's in from Talley Farms. Both food and wines paired well together.

Inside Ridgway we found both Tony and Brian behind a table preparing our next two tastes. Swordfish with Pomegranate and Roasted Vegetables paired with the Talley Estate Pinot Noir and Filet Mignon with Red-Wine Sauce and Country-Style Fingerling Potatoes paired with Bishop's Peak Elevation. The swordfish might have been the best tasting swordfish I ever tasted and the filet was cooked to perfection. A couple of us bought Brian's cookbook and we will definitely be making the swordfish entree! This book is filled with beautiful photographs and recipes moving through the seasons. Very well done.

It was a wonderful evening with wonderful people along with great food and wine. If you haven't been recently or have never had the chance to go, do it now. Ridgway's is a great choice for a girl's night out or date night with that someone special.

Chef Linda
A good life deserves great food!

Abruzzo moving to Naples?

2017-03-18T10:27:00.001-04:00

Frito Misto Special

The Naples food scene is pulling together some fabulous restaurants from Abruzzo, Italy. About a year old, you have Mino's, located at the Dockside Boardwalk near Tin City. Mino (Massimo) is from Pescara and along with his family has created an authentic and delicious menu focused on using only the freshest ingredients. You won't find chicken parmesan or a steak at dinner, but you will find some of the best pasta and pizza dishes this side of Italy. For appetizers, their special grilled artichokes are beyond delicious.

Word of mouth is spreading and every time we visit, its busier and busier. Last week we had to sit in the bar as all tables were filled by 6PM. This place has become my favorite restaurant in Naples!

In North Naples, you will find Trattoria Abruzzo in the Pavilion Plaza. The owner Paola Laccetti is from Vasto and works with her mother Nonna Vanna helping in the kitchen. A large menu where you will find homemade pasta in addition to familiar dishes as well as a few authentic recipes from Vasto. Always had a good meal here.

Now I am hearing a new restaurant right around the corner from me on Santa Barbara is preparing to open. I went by and the sign says Trattoria Mangia. I believe the owner is Paola's brother who at one time was the chef for Trattoria Abruzzo.

Cannot wait! Let's go opening day. Who's with me?

Carunchio. Ever hear of it? Neither did I.

2016-10-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

Carunchio is a very small town on the top of a very large mountain with the most breathtaking views, located in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. In that town I found an Italian cooking and cultural vacation at the Palazzo Tour d'Eau almost by accident while researching cooking and wine tours in Abruzzo. I reached out to my new friend Massimo Crisco at Abruzzo Cibus, liked what I heard and decided to book the entire Palazzo which consisted of 13 rooms for a week in September. Now I only needed to find 24 other people who were looking for the same experience.

That was the easy part. I sent out an email to family, friends and posted on Facebook. The week was almost fully booked within days. We ended up with a great group of people for a wonderful trip to my favorite place in the world, Italia.

We all arrived in Roma different times, different days but met up for a food experience on a warm Saturday night. I set up a welcome dinner at a private venue on the Isola Tiberina which is a small island on the Tiber River. My Facebook friend Fabio Bongianni owns the successful restaurant and cooking school, That's Amore in Roma near the Trevi Fountain. I reached out to him and worked with his staff to coordinate our dinner. Chef Paulo and his staff provided an incredible show to go with a fabulous meal. Everyone was full, happy and ready to move on to Abruzzo.

Eggplant

Me and Paulo

Our Sunday pickup to Carunchio was uneventful and we enjoyed the long ride to the mountains. We met the welcoming staff at the Palazzo, found our rooms and had a delicious multi course first meal after sitting outside overlooking the beauty of the mountains in Abruzzo.

Pasta with garlic, oil and pepetrito sauce

Massimo and his staff showed us a week of cooking classes, food tours and visiting local towns. One day we had lunch on the Adriatic Sea which was actually on the sea in a Trabocco structure that is also used as a restaurant. It was magical as well as delicious. My favorite day was spent traveling to Bolognano to take my aunt so she could see where her father, my grandfather, lived as a child. It was very emotional even though I had been there before, walking up the small street to the green door with not only my aunt, but quite a few guests on the tour as well as our guide, Massimo. He also took us into the church where he was most likely Baptized and attended Mass every Sunday.

Trabocco Cungarelle

We also had an opportunity to visit Cantina Zaccagnini located in Bolognano. This is a winery I enjoyed for many years before finding out it was actually located in my grandfathers village. Coincidence? I think not. With Massimo in the lead, we had a tour of this beautiful winery as well as a tasting. They are a premier winery with wonderful art throughout. I was fortunate to meet the owner and he actually told me we are related through his mother! He presented both myself and Massimo with two magnums of their very popular wine. Of course, I purchased a few extras, because, why not?

While we had many other activities throughout the week, a cheese factory, bell foundry, the one that stands out for me was our last night. We made pizza. Not just pizza, but about 20 of them made in many different ways in a beautiful wood burning oven. Massimo even got out the nutella for Jim so he could have a dessert pizza! After we created and ate until we were more than full, we were entertained by the staff with both Italiano and American songs. We laughed, cried and some even danced the night away. My ending was perfect as my cousin arrived from Pescara with her husband Andrea and their adorable child Daphne. It made a fabulous vacation, as I said, perfect.

Pizza toppings

Me and Massimo

Cheese factory in Agnone

My famiglia

My love of this week and all things Abruzzo has made me decide to work with Massimo to bring the world to Abruzzo and Carunchio. The world should want to head to the mountains in Carunchio at the Palazzo Tour d'Edu. It's a week to get away, disconnect from day to day living, sit back and enjoy the beauty of Abruzzo and be a foodie for a full week of cooking, eating wonderful meals and drinking montepulciano wines. Stay tuned for their second location which is a spa and let me know when you want to live "La Dolce Vita" (the good life) for your next getaway at a great price!

Ciao,

Linda

Family and Pasta - What a great combination

2015-05-25T17:46:00.003-04:00

There are many variations of the word family in the dictionary. My definition would be my entire family which goes beyond the traditional family unit. I might not have the opportunity to be with them often, but my love never waivers. It is understood that even without being there to give that hug, kiss or wipe a tear, I miss them always and they are always on my mind.

This season I was able to see my famiglia on numerous occasions. We returned to Boston the first week in December for our Christmas visit and it was pure joy. We spent time with all our grandchildren and had the annual 3Sista's Christmas Cookie Day. Our son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren visited the day after Christmas to surprise me yet another time. I wasn't prepared with food but managed to pull it together to feed the crew for a short week of fun in the sun. They spent New Years Eve with us on the beach and headed back to the cold the next day.

My next fix wasn't until my Momma came to visit for three weeks. While I missed Auntie being with her and an illness that took a toll on Momma, it was a wonderful time. I also had the pleasure of my daughter and her boyfriend along with my sister and her entire family for Easter as well! Yes, it was a busy and fabulous season for me.

So here we are heading towards the end of May. We just returned from a short Beantown visit for Daniel's first communion and preparing to head back again for Brady's graduation. Friends have come and gone and many of our local friends are heading north. Golf has been great and all the parties and dinners have been beyond fun.

And once again, I will try to get back to blogging. Yes, I miss it.

Here is a quick pasta dish that turned out delicious and was easy to make. A friend saw the picture on Twitter and requested the recipe, so here it is Therese!

Zucchini Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 pound chicken sausage (approximately 6 links)
2 zucchinis - chopped
Salt and pepper - to taste
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 cup (or more) parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and cook for five minutes. Add the garlic for an additional minute. Remove the casings from the sausage and add to pan breaking it up into smaller pieces. Once browned, add the zucchini. I actually use a turning slicer that I found years ago while at a cooking class in NYC. It works great!

Continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stir in the salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes. Add pasta and cheese and combine. Add the reserved pasta water as needed.

Like I said, easy and delicious! Now I'm off to make dinner…

Mangia!

And remember, a good life deserves great food

Linda

New Beginnings = Simple Beginnings (and Olivia's Organics)

2015-03-15T18:51:00.003-04:00

Almost one year ago, I received a text message from a friend asking for my whereabouts as she had a potential opportunity to discuss. I met with Aleta and The VP of marketing from State Garden in Chelsea, MA. They had a new brand, a new focus and a new website. I was asked to create and photograph recipes using their wonderful, delicious tasting products. I didn't even need to think about it. It's what I love to do every day. (unless i'm golfing)

Every month, I create five recipes for two of their product lines. Olivia's Organics and Simple Beginnings. It's been a creative process but most of all fun to create recipes using fresh, healthy ingredients.

Today, I wanted to take a few minutes to get myself back to blogging and show you a few photos of my recipes. If you would like the recipe, please click on the links above and you will be able to find it.

Chicken with Kale and Peppers

Kale and Arugula Pesto

Linguine with Spinach

Rise and Shine Smoothie

Cornish Hens stuffed with Greens and Brown Rice

Spinach Tortellini Soup

Spinach and Turkey Bacon Quiche

Sautéed Shrimp and Greens over Brown Rice

Check them out and let me know what you think. And for those of you who made a face at the smoothy, give it a try. It's delicious! More coming your way.

I will also work to get back to blogging on my family, food and great meals along the way. Ciao

Have a great week. I know I will. And remember, A good life deserves GREAT food...

Linda

In New Orleans, it's all about the FOOD!

2014-07-16T10:37:00.000-04:00

For quite some time I have longed to go to Nawlins and eat. It's not that they don't have other great things to do, but for me, it's all about the food. I believe it was after Judy's first trip when she returned saying it was the best food she ever tasted. Yes, that was the first time and it's been on my list ever since. We recently saw the movie Chef which showed New Orleans and part of it's food culture. It brought me right back to my wanting a trip to the Big Easy.

The big guy surprised me with this visit for my birthday this past week and people who follow me on Facebook definitely saw it was a foodie vacation. My goal was to find the best, authentic creole and cajun food I could find, and find I did. Even though we could have ventured into the tried and true fancy, well known establishments with white tablecloths and great service, I chose to find down home restaurants with some of the best food in the city. I think I was successful. At least my tastebuds thought so...

Our first stop was to Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street. Of course it was. We sat outside drinking coffee with chicory, eating their famous beignets and listening to traditional jazz music played out on the street. I know it's silly, but it brought tears to my eyes I was so happy.

To get a feel for this wonderful city of food, I scheduled a food tour with Tastebud of New Orleans on our first full day. The mistake I made was heading to Cafe Du Monde before the tour! We ventured into five establishments and tasted and learned about the traditional food of the city. The best part was our guide and his expertise on the history of food culture in New Orleans. I was surprised to learn Italians played a part in its food culture as they have the traditional muffuletta with its olive salad. The food went on and on and actually included another beignet and coffee on Bourbon Street! We walked the city streets and I asked plenty of questions along the way. I think New Orleans is the only city to have a three hour talk show every day on the radio just to talk food! They do take their food serious in Nawlins. I highly recommend a Tastebud tour if you make the trip. Our guide Dave Thomas was an expert on all things New Orleans and he definitely knows his food.

With my exhausting online searching and feedback from everyone we met, I chose the places we would try and would go back to every one of them in a heart beat. First night was Mother's Restaurant which the big guy was surprised I found as you stood in a line to order your food and sat at small tables with paper napkins. But yes, it was all about the food. Oh, I also had one of their famous bloody Mary's.

I also wanted to try one of Chef John Besh's restaurants and had multiple people tell us Luke was their favorite place to eat and they just so happened to have a great happy hour with all drinks half price and oysters .50 each/ $1.00 for fried. Hello? In we went, but at the end it was our most expensive meal of the trip, well worth it.

Our breakfast places were so wonderful all on their own, I need to write a separate blog entry. Btw, I also attended a cooking class that I loved so get ready, a fall cooking class on all things New Orleans is in the works!

Have a great day everyone. I am headed out into the sunshine to exercise (as I need it after all that food)

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Linda

Healthy Stuffed Peppers

2014-06-16T21:36:00.000-04:00

Feeling like I needed a great tasting, healthy meal, I decided on stuffed peppers one night last week. We were preparing to renovate our kitchen so I want to cook as much as I could and empty out the freezer, fridge and pantry. What makes me smile is when the big guy likes it and asks for more like he did that night!

Ingredients:

4 red peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion - chopped

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 lb. ground turkey breast

Salt and pepper

1 cup cooked brown rice

A few shakes of hot sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Wash, cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the inside. If they don't sit flat, slice off a little on the bottom so they will stand. Place in microwave for 5 minutes. I kept the tops of the pepper and chopped small. In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil and cook onion and chopped pepper for approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste and the ground turkey. Sauté until browned.

I also had leftover Brussels sprouts, chopped them small and added them to the mixture, add the cooked rice and stir. I like to add a few shakes of hot sauce to enhance the flavor. That was a good move! The final step

I also had leftover Brussels sprouts, chopped them small and added them to the mixture, add the cooked rice and stir. I like to add a few shakes of hot sauce to enhance to the flavor. That was a good move! The final step was the shredded mozzarella.

Stuff peppers and place in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30-45 minutes depending on your oven.

It's quiet in Naples these days, but the sun is still shining and we are enjoying life. I hope you are smiling and enjoying yours as well.

Linda

A good life deserves great food...

Still Finding Great Restaurants in Naples!

2014-05-22T12:22:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was told I stopped blogging. I began to protest but quickly realized my last blog post was at the end of January! Oops. A fun, busy life and a little work sometimes gets in the way. You did notice that the word "fun" was definitely before the word "work".

We went with friends to a new restaurant for us, Alexander's on 41 in Naples. Not easy to find as it sits back from the road but we were told many times that it was wonderful and now we know it's true. Our friend actually told me not to tell anyone as it was busy enough. Well I am here to say it doesn't make a difference since it is quite obvious they are as busy as they can be without me telling the world.

Alexander's Fine American and European Cuisine offers lovely indoor and outdoor dining, a wine bar and a delicious menu. We happened to visit the last week prior to their summer vacation so our menu choice was down to a single page. Definitely not a problem as our choices were fabulous! By the way, this vacation is for the summer. They close until September 25th and are so popular, they already had 50 reservations scheduled for that night. Make that 54.

Friendly and warm was our greeting but the best part was the food (beside the company).

Seafood Risotto

Crab Encrusted Grouper

Creme Brûlée

Last, but not least was dessert. Perfect ending to a perfect night with good friends. Take the time to get with family and friends this weekend. We are lucky to have both in Naples this weekend. Family in town and friends who make you smile.

See you in September Alexander's!

Fino a quel momento,

Linda

Eva's 85th Birthday Celebration and Her Polenta Recipe

2014-01-26T10:31:00.001-05:00

Our Famiglia Tree of Life

How can that be? My mother, Eva has always been eternally young. Growing up, she was almost like our 4th sister. Of course she loved hearing that and we were all equally horrified with some of her choices over the years. She did some crazy things while raising three daughters, but she also did many more good things. She taught us to be strong when faced with adversity. She taught us to be kind and the importance of girlfriends in your life and she taught us an incredible work ethic. How true is that statement? At 85, she continues to work and while slower than before, she still loves to be busy.

Most important, she loves her famiglia and girlfriends. Which is why after just leaving Boston a couple of weeks ago, I got back on a plane to be there for her birthday celebration. Just as she would have liked it, we opened up my sisters Susan's restaurant, Angelina's on a Sunday afternoon and invited her friends into the family restaurant named after her own mother. Susan was the perfect hostess working her magic to ensure everything went well. Cookie, the party girl, made sure the party was just that - a party. She was in charge of the appetizers and instead of a couple of platters, she, of course, has a two table tiered setup full of nice pickies (as Eva would say). She also created the theme and the cake actually had a naked Ken doll (is that even right?) jumping out of the top along side Eva's photographs of when she was young. On another table Cookie had a tree of life created and stamp pads and we all placed our thumb prints on her tree and left a note in a special memory book.

Eva's Favorite Phrase

For food, we all jumped in. I wanted it to be Eva's favorite foods. Susan made the polenta with beans, chicken Marsala and pizza. Auntie Helen made her famous eggplant and I, coming in just the night before, made the orchiette, sausage and broccoli rabe. Of course there was bread and a couple of different salads, wine on the table and an open bar. Nicki also brought two different type of party drinks. Who would have thought those ladies could drink that much on a Sunday afternoon! I also made favors of her favorite biscotti for her guests to take home.

Eva arrived with Auntie and while I thought she knew something was up, she did not. It was obvious since she was not dressed, no make-up and NO JEWELRY! Eva does not usually go anywhere without at least her big earrings and an even bigger ring. Yes, folks, we pulled it off.

Her friends new and old travelled to be there and joined in with the family. Oh, I forgot to mention that it was a ladies luncheon so that we could have an extra surprise. You see, my mother while she has always loved her family and friends, has also loved men. Even at 85 years young, she is still looking for men to dance with and enjoy and by the way, she is married. So, with Cookie being Cookie, she decided to hire a male dancer and while some of us were crazy with the idea, Eva loved it. Of course she did. Also so it seems, did her 80 year old girlfriends! I believe one of them booked him for her next birthday.

Here is her favorite food of all time.

Polenta with Kidney Beans.

Ingredients:

6 Cups water
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Cups polenta
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
2 cups red sauce (gravy to some)

Directions:

In a large deep pan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Gradually stir in the polenta with a whisk. Lower heat and stir with a wooden spoon frequently to prevent sticking. This should take about 30 minutes. Add butter and cheese. In addition, drain and rinse kidney beans well and add to the polenta.

Spread polenta in a lightly greased sheet pan, top with sauce and additional cheese. Tradition is to serve on a board, but these days, plates will do. Mangia!

Eva, thank you for being you. I love you more.

Linda

Slow Roasted Grape Tomatoes

2014-01-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

With our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) from The Collier Family Farms, I am researching and experimenting more and more with good results. We recently had an abundance of grape tomatoes and I wanted to preserve some of them. I found many pages with variations and this is what I pulled together.

Slow Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 or 4 cups grape tomatoes. You can also use cherry or roma
3 garlic cloves - peeled
Olive Oil
Rosemary and thyme - chopped
Salt and Pepper - to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half and place on a sheet pan with liner or parchment paper to make clean up easy. Add whole garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil. Top with herbs and a little salt and pepper.

Bake for 2 and 1/2 hours until they are somewhat dried out. These are so sweet tasting you might be eating them right out of the pan! If you are not using them right away, add to a jar with additional olive oil and place in the fridge. I made mine last week and used them today in on top of a veggie burger.

The flavor is wonderful and you can use them many ways. Add to salads, fish and chicken dishes and as I did today with my burger. You will make these over and over when they are in abundance and at a good price.

Have a great weekend. I know I will...

Linda

Chilean Wine Maker Dinner

2014-01-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

Let me begin by thanking my date Margy along with her husband John for having me jump in on this fabulous night. (Your loss John). Eighteen guests had the opportunity to dine at our club house for a private wine dinner. They do this a few times throughout the year with Chef Mark creating a delicious menu paired with wine.

The winery was Casillero del Diablo (Cellar of the devil) and our wine expert Danielle not only provided good information on each of the wines, she gave detail about the growing region. I had always wanted to attend this dinner but with Jim not a wine drinker, he doesn't particularly enjoy this type of event. I'm not sure if it's the wine or because of the large amounts consumed in one room! Either way, I am happy I found my future date for all things wine and food.

Are there enough wine glasses on this table?

We began our Wine Maker Dinner with a light Casillero del Diablo Coastal Valley White Blend. Then we jumped right into the food. Our first course was Apple smoked sea scallops on artisan greens drizzled with a warm tomato basil and olive vinaigrette. This was paired with Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay.

Our next course was seared Hudson Valley duck breast, toasted brioche, caramelized orchard apples, calvados reduction and balsamic glazed. This was paired with the Casillero del Diablo Malbec. I am not a big Malbec fan, but found this quite appealing.

The third course was a prime fillet of beef, stacked with wild mushroom and foie gras, potato rosti and baby root vegetables. This was paired with two wines. The Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Carmenere and the Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were very good with this outstanding dish.

Looking around the room, I saw happy faces. The food and wine worked well and the company wasn't too bad either. And we weren't done. Chef Mark came out of his kitchen to see what we thought and received hand claps of appreciation. He thanked us and let us know dessert was on its way.

Our final course was creme brûlée with poached pear. It was paired with the Casillero del Diablo Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. This was a sweet ending wine tasting a little like a Sauternes but without the price.

Our night was ended and complete when we found out Skip and Sue are engaged and preparing to marry in March. Congratulations you crazy kids! Still not sure why he didn't take the bill for all 18 of us...

I sit here today still thinking about our fabulous dinner with good friends along with a few new ones with a smile on my face. As I've said before and you just might hear it again, how lucky am I?

Have a great weekend everyone. I'll see you soon.

LID

Chicken Marsala

2014-01-05T16:28:00.001-05:00

I love to make this dish and just don't make it enough. I found this recipe years ago from Tyler Florence and I have made just a few alterations. It's another entree that doesn't take too long to make but not easy to make ahead. I love finding a sale and making full use of it and this week, I purchased chicken breasts, two packages for the price of one. My dinner party menu last night was created by looking through my pantry and fridge, seeing what I already had and worked my way forward using the chicken as the main ingredient. With that, I decided to make the chicken marsala along with roasted butternut squash and a mushroom risotto. For dessert, I added a trifle made with brownies, strawberries and whipped cream.

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
All purpose flour for dredging
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound prosciutto, chopped
1 pound mini portabello mushrooms sliced
1 & 1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
6 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley-chopped

Directions:

Slice each chicken breast in half making two slices. Place saran wrap over the chicken and with a mallet, pound until thin. If they are too large, simply cut in half. Place flour in a platter and add salt and pepper using a fork to mix.

Heat oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off excess and fry for a couple of minutes on each side. I sometimes add butter to the oil for additional flavor. Turn once and remove to a platter covered with foil to keep warm. When all the pieces are done, lower the heat and add the prosciutto to the pan for about a minute. The prosciutto gives it a great layer of flavor. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and the moisture has evaporated about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Marsala to the pan and boil own for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer until heated. Season with salt and pepper and grnish with parsley.

While it seemed like a lot of chicken, I had seven eating and there was one lonely piece of left. I'm thinking no one wanted to take the last one... Served with the mushroom risotto and the healthy roasted butternut squash to offset the heavy meal, it was a winner. Oh, after all that, they still had room for dessert!

Sitting here in the sunshine of Naples feeling very fortunate for our life. It just doesn't get better than this. Enjoy your week everyone. Do something special to spread sunshine to someone who needs it. I know I will.

LID

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2014-01-05T15:38:00.002-05:00

Had extra blueberries that I could not finish and lord knows the big guy wasn't about to eat them! I love all things Ina Garten so I pulled this recipe together and it took less than a half hour to get it into the oven.

Ingredients:

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. I often use a toothpick! Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

Remember this recipe the next time you run into a blueberry sale and make it for someone who needs to smile.

LID

Split Pea Soup

2013-12-23T17:53:00.000-05:00

Here it is Christmas week and we are with our family in the Boston area. Cold, very, very cold but my heart is warm as I cuddle with my babies. It's always a whirlwind week as we go place to place seeing family and friends with plenty of cooking and baking in between.

This soup is not something I often make, but while we were eating a family dinner that included a ham, I was asked if I was making good use of the bone and making this soup. You know I immediately headed out to the store the first thing this morning along with the Christmas crowds and picked up the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion

4 stalks celery

4 large carrots

1 pound dry split pea beans

Ham bone

2 quarts water

Bay leaf

Fresh chopped thyme

Pepper

Directions:

Chop onion, celery and carrots and add to a heated pan with the olive oil. The French call this Mirepoix, Americans, the holy trinity and the Italians say soffritto. Any way you say it, these three vegetables bring the flavor to many dishes.

Once softened, add the water and peas. Make sure you go through the peas and remove any small stones. Add the bay leaf, thyme and the ham bone. I like to keep plenty of meat on the bone and when it's done, remove the bone and chop the ham into small pieces and put back in the pan after using the blender.

Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer for 1.5 hours. Once finished, remove the bay leaf and I use a immersion blender just a quick 10 seconds or so but it's really personal taste. Some like to keep it just the way it is, I like it somewhat smoother. Also, while I am a lover of salt, ham is quite salty itself so I just add fresh ground pepper to taste.

One last tip. I made extra just because, but when it was finished, it was a little soupy for me. I like split pea soup thicker. To remedy that, I peeled a potato, rinsed it off and using a grater put it right into the soup. Within a few minutes I had my thick delicious, warm your belly soup.

Tomorrow night I will be spending my Christmas Eve just where I want to be - with my family. While we will not have Uncle Richies family with us, they will be there in spirit. After all, growing up that night was always spent at their home. They will be in the sunshine state warm and cozy with their family.

Give your family a big hug. I am so happy to say I have been doing that all week!

Merry Christmas,

Linda

Spaghetti Squash Turkey Tetrazzini

2013-12-04T10:59:00.001-05:00

After almost a week past our Thanksgiving holiday, I can safely say we have finished eating turkey. That is until we unfreeze the turkey soup and that won't be for a quite a while. We not only had enough for plenty of leftovers, Dave made a turkey breast for our Sunday night dinner. Yes, I am moving on to fish.

While my wonderful godson said our Thanksgiving dinner was the best meal he has ever eaten, I think he was just really hungry after playing 18 holes. My best part of this holiday food fest was an experiment with a spaghetti squash just sitting on the kitchen counter and my need to eat just a bit healthier as my ever expanding waist was crying out. I normally try to get in a turkey tetrazzini after the holiday and when I saw the squash, I immediately went online and of course the recipe was there in many variations. I am here to say the one I choose turned a heavy meal with noodles to a fabulous one using squash. At the end of the day, I use the big guy as a guage to determine if the dish worked and this time it definitely did. Even though it was full of squash, he said it was also full of flavor and delicious!

You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to try this recipe. You can use a turkey breast or even chicken. Heck, you can head to Costco and purchase a rotisserie chicken! I also added the roasted green beans with cranberries I had leftover.

Ingredients:

1 3 1/2 pound spaghetti squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
1 ba leaf
3 cups diced cooked turkey
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 tablespoon dry sherry wine
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh lemon juce to taste
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

Directions:

Bake the spaghetti squash, pricked with a knife on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. Let it cool and halve the squash lengthwise, remove the seeds and center strings. With a fork, scrape the flesh from the skin into a buttered 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring for three minutes. Add the broth in a slow stream, whisking vigorously until the mixture is smooth.

Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Stir in the turkey, cream and sherry, bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the cheese, the lemon juice and mutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf.

Spoon the turkey mixture over the spaghetti squash and sprinkle it with the remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. I realized too late that I did not have Ready made bread crumbs and took my thin bread sticks and improvised! Bake the dish in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden.

While we all have so much to be thankful for in this wonderful world we live in, I urge you to always take a look around and find ways to help those in need. With our eyes wide open, we can find small ways to brighten the day of someone struggling. Yesterday was a bittersweet day for me. A good family friend welcomed their newest grandchild into this world and we lost a bright young woman to cancer. Please hug your loved ones extra tight today with a little extra squeeze from me.

See you soon,

Linda

My Favorite Italian Meatloaf

2013-11-10T17:46:00.000-05:00

Here's the deal. I've been talking about this delicious meatloaf for quite some time and many of you have been asking for the recipe over and over. I have made it quite a few times with rave reviews, so today is your lucky day!

It is definitely not your every day meatloaf as the ingredient list makes it a bit expensive for an average meal, but I'm here to tell you it's worth every penny. This is a recipe I found on the Food and Wine website from Mario Batali and became bookmarked immediately! This makes a lot of meatloaf and you can always cut the ingredient list in half, but you will definitely want more the next day and you can always freeze leftovers.

You can also put it together the day before and set in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature and bake. Because of the richness of this meal, I add a simple green vegetable like asparagus and roasted potatoes.

Meatloaf Stuffed with Prosciutto, Spinach and Carrots

Ingredients:

2 large carrots, each cut lengthwise into 6 slices
4 cups spinach (3 ounces), thick stems discarded
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 pounds ground pork
2 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino cheese (6 ounces)
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 thin slices of prosciutto (4 ounces)
1/2 pound provolone cheese, cut into twelve 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the carrots until tender, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook just until wilted; drain well and add to the carrots.
In a large bowl, combine the beef with the pork, 2 cups of the bread crumbs, the pecorino, eggs, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper; mix well with your hands.
Line a work surface with a 15-inch-long sheet of plastic wrap. In a bowl, mix the flour with the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture all over the plastic wrap. Transfer half of the meat loaf mixture to the plastic and press it into a 12-by-10-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Lay half of the spinach leaves over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border on the short sides. Arrange half of the carrots over the spinach, and top with half the prosciutto and sliced cheese. Starting from the long end of the plastic wrap closest to you, tightly roll up the meat loaf, tucking in the filling and using the plastic wrap to guide you; discard the plastic. Repeat with another 15-inch sheet of plastic and the remaining bread crumbs, meat mixture, spinach, carrots, prosciutto and cheese. Drizzle each meat loaf with 2 tablespoons of oil.
Put the rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a broiler pan and pour in the red wine. Cover with the broiler pan grate. Set the meat loaves about 2 inches apart on the grate. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. Turn the broiler pan around and pour the water through the grate. Continue baking for about 35 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of each meat loaf registers 165°.
Transfer the meat loaves to a carving board and cover loosely with foil. Discard any cheese from the bottom of the pan and strain the pan juices into a small saucepan. Boil the pan juices over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour into a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Using a serrated knife, slice the meat loaves 1 inch thick and serve, passing the pan juices at the table.

Sometimes I just go ahead and add the entire bottle of wine to the pan so we have more juice but if not, just pour it into a glass and toast the best meatloaf you will ever taste! Let me know if you decide to make this lovely dish. I can't wait to hear the wows...

I have designed a new website which will go live tonight. Please take the time to look it over and let me know what you think. I love feedback!

Have a fabulous week everyone, I know I will.

Linda

Birthday Celebration - with food of course!

2013-10-01T13:11:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe I am now the mother of a 40 year old. Yes, I recently returned to Boston as my Stacy turned the big 40. This was a surprise so I hid out in Peabody awaiting the big party. In the meantime, I spent time cooking for the rest of my family and even got to have a date with my grandson Daniel along with lunch the next day with my mother, daughter and older grandson, Brady.

I made a beef barley soup using oxtails for the first time. It provided great flavor and plenty of soup to feed the entire family. While it ended up costing more than normal soups, I really liked the recipe I found and would definitely make it again.

And while I thought I was heading back to Naples on Sunday morning, Stacy convinced me to stay another day and make her a birthday dinner. It's really one of the things I miss the most - being there to make them their favorite meal on their special day. The good news is I was there for Stacy and also get to do it again this week for my daughter in law, Janette for her birthday!

When I told Stacy what I was planning for dinner that night we changed it up her way and I also made her the Red Velvet cake I make for most birthday celebrations. The ice cream cake in the freezer would just not due for this special celebration. We had pasta with chicken sausage, broccoli rabe and roasted red peppers. I also made bread sticks that are easier than you think. The best part was that I found a rose from Cantina Zaccagnini, the winery from my grandfathers village in Abruzzi. If you would like recipes for any of these, please let me know.

The weather was perfect in New England and the company was even better. I got to see my family and have fun visiting and cooking. Now on to my menu planning for the kids visit to Naples!

Enjoy your week everyone, I know I will.

Linda

Tacos & Tequila Cantina - New Naples restaurant!

2013-09-16T10:40:00.002-04:00

One of the things that makes me smile (and there are many) is having a local, good food and fun restaurant to hang out in. We found one! Tacos & Tequila Cantina has all the necessary points to make it a success. Great food, good prices and a very nice ambiance. Recently opened, we jumped in one week night to check it out and were glad we did.

Currently, King's Plaza on Davis Blvd is undergoing a total renovation which does not help a new opening let alone the existing storefronts, but having their opening prior to season was a great way to go. They opened with a smaller menu, changed up a few things and now I believe, they have a great Tex-Mex menu that has something for everyone.

The new owner is Kelly Musico the wife of Aldo of the popular Aldo's Italian Restaurant a few doors down. I believe their partner is Kelly's brother Dave Resch who is also the executive chef. While we did not get the chance to meet Kelly, Aldo did come by our table and spent time talking with us. My only advice was to step up the flavor in the rice. As far as we were concerned, everything else was fabulous.

Walking in the door, you see a nice bar area and plenty of tables throughout the nice decor. This place is comfortable, our server was good and the food is a great take on the traditional Mexican cuisine. While my husband is not a fan of spicy food, he loved this place. We chose four of the T&T Tacos and added rice and beans. Of course, I had to add a margarita (or two) and it was very inexpensive!

They have a long list of taco's with a price range from $3.00 to $3.50.

Plenty of tequila and margarita's to choose from.

Both traditional and non-traditional starters and entrees.

Folks, this is a place you need to try. It's fun and the food is quite tasty. Get there now before the season begins because I predict it will be packed with a line outside sooner than later.

I'm thinking we will hit up their Happy Hour this week and check it out! Have a great week everyone, I know I will.

Linda

Carrot Oat Soup with fresh sage

2013-09-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a two week intensive culinary course in NYC. It was a fabulous learning experience and I picked up quite a few new skills. Frequently, I take out my course book and go through the recipes. Some, I would never want to make, but this one has always been in my rotation of soups.

This is a keeper partly because it's so healthy, but mostly for the taste! This is an easy soup, full of flavor and while the original recipe uses dill, I tend to go with sage just because I love it. The best part of this is the fact the oats make it creamy without the need to use cream!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion cut into a medium dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into small rounds
5 cups vegetable stock
1/4 to 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sage, chopped for garnish

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Cook until softened about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, cover pot and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent browning.

Add stock and oats to pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes, covered, until carrots are tender.

Blend the soup until creamy. Add additional stock to desired consistency.

Add lemon juice and season with salt to taste.

Garnish with sage and serve!

Have a great week everyone!

Linda

Butternut Squash Tart with Fried Sage

2013-09-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

It's getting to be that time of year. Well, not exactly in Naples since it's still hot, hazy and humid, but I still like to think in seasons. Last night we were going to a dinner party and I was charged with bringing an appetizer. I was very excited since I've been dying to try this tart and the butternut squash has been sitting on my counter just waiting to be used.

This recipe was found on the Epicurious website and it's from the October, 2012 issue of Bon Appetit. I actually have the issue on my Ipad with a bookmark for the recipe to try. I get so many magazines, it's hard to get through all the recipes...

This one was easy. The toughest part was peeling the squash and slicing it thin. I tried using my mandolin but it was easier with a sharp knife.

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 large egg
12 1/8 thick rounds peeled butternut squash (cut from the neck)
3 Teaspoons olive oil, divided
Salt
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or a jalapeno thinly sliced
12 fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or baking pad. Gently roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 10" square. Transfer to the prepared sheet.

Beat egg in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash. Arrange squash over pastry, overlapping as needed and leaving a 1/2 inch border.

Place another sheet of parchment paper over squash. Set another large rimmed baking sheet over the tart. (This will weigh down the pastry dough and steam the squash slices.) I was apprehensive about this step but it worked fabulous!

Bake until bottom of pastry begins to brown and the top begins to puff, about 10 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and discard top sheet of parchment paper. Brush squash slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt. Return tart, uncovered, to oven and bake until pastry is deep golden brown and cooked through, 25-30 minutes longer. In my oven, it took 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine honey, hot pepper and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until thickened slightly and syrupy, about 6 minutes.

Line a plate with paper towels. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet until just beginning to smoke. Add sage leaves; fry until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Slice tart. Arrange Parmesan on top; drizzle with the hot pepper infused honey. Garnish with fried sage leaves and season with pepper.

The small amount of heat infused with the honey made a big difference in the flavor. Over the top delicious. Everyone tasted and had more than one! Try this for the fall. Your taste buds will be glad you did.

Have a great week everyone and hug the one your with,

Linda

Peach Salsa - It's the season!

2013-08-25T19:15:00.001-04:00

We arrived back in Naples earlier this week and my number one goal was to focus on healthy eating. I am amazed that after three weeks in Italy and a month in Boston, I am only one pound over what I was when we left in June. With my list in hand, I headed to all my favorite stores in order to pack the fridge and pantry. Today, I decided to make a peach salsa since I ate one right after my return and it was delicious. I did attend a great class this morning at Sur la Table and think this might have given me the inspiration to get my creative juices flowing.

I gathered my ingredients and went to work.

Ingredients

3 peaches - pealed and chopped

1/2 red pepper - chopped

1/2 small red onion - chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

1 1/2 juiced limes

2 teaspoons honey

Combine all ingredients and stir. It is best to make this the night before to allow the flavors to blend but I made this only two hours before and it was very flavorful. It will also keep for close to a week.

Tonight, I made this with fish but it would be just as delicious with a boneless chicken thigh or pork. I had tilapia, lightly floured and and seasoned with salt and pepper. I placed in a sauté pan with a little olive oil and butter and cooked for only two minutes per side on a high heat. This gives it a nice crust which went well with the salsa.

With a side of grilled asparagus and tomatoes and a simple romaine salad, the big guy was quite satisfied and it took less than 20 minutes to pull it together. Try it and let me know what you think.

Have a great week!

Un caro abbraccio (a warm hug)

Linda

A Birthday Dinner with my Famiglia

2013-07-27T17:38:00.001-04:00

I like the idea of a summer long birthday celebration. It began in June with a weekend long celebration with my best girls, took a great turn and went to Italy where we spent my actual birthday with good friends. Once back home, our children surprised me with a night of strawberry cheesecake and gifts and the finale was this week. (I think it's the finale, but who really knows?) I got to spend a fabulous night with my famiglia. Not everyone, but it was a girl's night out. The best Sista's anyone could ask for, our mother, daughters, favorite aunt, cousins and nieces. Just how fortunate am I? No need to answer the question, I know.

Although this was suppose to be a surprise (you know how that goes), I found out. There were eleven of my favorite females together at the Tuscan Kitchen in Salem, NH. This establishment was gorgeous. They have been able to pull together not only this large, beautiful restaurant, but a separate market selling wonderful food and more. Everything they do has a nice touch. I don't think they missed anything.

The food on the other hand missed a step tonight from my perspective. While the presentation was perfect, not all of our entrees worked. We began with calamari (very good) and a very nice cheese and meat plate which I was so used to having in Italy.

A few of us were dying for a certain entree but we were told they did not have it. I ended up with the duck ravioli with cherries but did not care for the flavor. Our waitress did offer to get me another entree but i declined and yes, did eat it.

Those who got the gnocchi loved the pasta but not the sauce. The filet came out over done without seasoning and I am happy to say my aunts pasta dish, while good, did not compare to mine. (Her words, not mine, hehe). I was also surprised that the fig pizza, while good, did not use fresh figs.

I think the highlight was the salmon entree, which was delicious.

Our evening ended with a delicious birthday cake. I don't think there was any need for the 60th...

At the end of the day, we were in a beautiful setting with my beautiful famiglia. We laughed, took pictures and had fun. It was not about the food, but family. What a wonderful, happy night, spent with those I love. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Sisters do make this fabulous world a better place...

Fino a quel momento,

Linda

Ristorante alla Grotta - Our Memorable Meal(s)

2013-07-12T07:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Jim and I had the pleasant opportunity to spend the day with friends who live part of the year in Lazise, Italy at Garda Lake. While another blog entry will document the wonderful day, this is to share our experience at Ristorante alla Grotta. (At the grotto)

Barbara and Sal have always spoken of their favorite restaurant and if we were to visit, we would go to their special place. Yesterday was the day! We were told we were heading for a light lunch followed by dinner later and it turned out they were both at Ristorante alla Grotta. As we enter, it is clear they are known, we were taken to our table and there was no menu. Sal discussed a few things with our adorable waiter and the "light" lunch began.

Lagostino crostini with fig jam and shaved carrots

Scampi with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil oil

Octopus involtini with ricotta, coriander and peaches

Zucchini with scampi, filled with a tomato purée

Turbot (high end fish caught in the Black Sea) sautéed with tomatoes, spinach, capers and olives in a most delicious sauce. The crusty, tasty bread placed on top was used to soak up the goodness.

Scallops stewed and placed with caramelized onions and pear.

One would think that was enough but they brought out a snack which they knew to be Barbara's favorite along with caffe to end our light lunch!

Are you full? We were over the top full and headed out for an afternoon in Lazie. Last night we headed back to what is now my favorite ristorante in the world and were met by Pino and Luciana as they were invited guests of Sal and Barbara. The staff remembered everything we ate on our earlier seating and said they would not duplicate.

We began with a lively discussion of what vino bianco to order from the same waiter from lunch. All I knew was I would be enjoying whichever was chosen. Guess what? We ended up with both the Custoza and Lugana, both local wines.

And then it began...

Calamari stewed in oil and stuffed with pesto, eggplant, crushed almonds with a beet cream

my personal favorite

Anchovies with escarole, hazelnuts and raisins

Octopus with potatoes, olives and a red pepper sauce

Scampi with a cucumber sauce and fried onion rings

Tuna with an orange sauce and shaved fennel

Lobster salad with Parmesan and celery

Shrimp with black ink, Buratta cheese and tomato ice cream.

Another look. This dish took the award of most creative combined taste!

Scallops - one with a white sauce and another in cognac.

And finally, our last plate...

Scampi with thinly sliced calamari and leeks with a sweet and sour sauce.

Oh, I forgot, we were not finished as dessert was mandatory, according to Sal. We had many variations but the winner was the mango mousse made that afternoon.

In season, booking a table is almost always required and could take weeks to get one. They have approximately 70 seats inside with another 30 overlooking the water. The food was exceptional and unparalleled. The friendship and kindness of our friends goes beyond words.

The ristorante website states, "with us you feel better". For me, there are no truer words...

Buonanotte,

Linda

It's Over? non può essere

2013-07-11T15:23:00.001-04:00

All good things must come to an end, said not me. We have been traveling through Italy for almost three weeks and tomorrow we head to Milano and return to the states. We have had the most glorious time eating our way through this beautiful, magical country, making new friends and visiting with good friends. I am however, ready to get back to see my famiglia as we were only in Boston for a short visit prior to leaving for Italy.

It also happens to be a special birthday for me. Yes Judy, I have almost caught up! On our last full day we headed by train to a charming village, Peschiera del Garda to meet Barbara and Sal so they could take us to their favorite restaurant in Valeggio sul Mincio, Ristorante La Borsa. The area is famous for tortellini made by the Nonna's who live in the area.

We parked, walked up the street and found a sign on the door that they were closed for a month! While the owner did not budge when Sal tried to get them to cook for us, he did provide a recommendation for another local ristorante in the area, ristorante Gatto Moro in Borghetto. Back in the car, we headed to find our lunch and found ourselves in another beautiful quaint village.

While they were unhappy we were not going to their favorite ristorante, "there is a reason for everything" as Eva always says. We never would have found this beautiful place. The Ristorante Gatto Moro was wonderful. We began with vino, why yes of course. Then the tortellini.

Tortellini di Villagio - with meat

It was light and delicious! Of course, a little Parmesan Reggiano cheese was sprinkled on top. You knew these were homemade as they were all just a little different. I wonder if Eva can make these?

Tortellini di Mantova Pumpkin

These were much larger and filled with sweetness. You could only eat a few but since Sal did not like these, he just ordered another plate of the meat tortellini. Why not? Lets just say they all disappeared.

Ok, I guess we needed to have something healthy other than the grapes from the vino! I am liking the potatoes added to many of our dishes. I think Jim may eat more veggies if I add a little extra starch to the plate!

This was a cold local fish, Luccio with warm, grilled polenta. It was seasoned wonderfully, but I could not finish as I was very full. Jim and Sal somehow managed... By the time we were finished, most everyone had left the restaurant. I was able to check out the kitchen and the others ate dessert of local peaches with ice cream.

Clean!

Look at Sal. I got caught...

Once again, a perfect meal with very good friends. It made for a most wonderful birthday celebration into my sixties. Jim has already asked me what I wanted for the next big one! I don't think this can be topped. Thank you Jim for making this such a special time and for being you. To Barbara and Sal, arrivederci a Settembre!

Ciao Italia,

Linda

Verona, our beautiful home away from home.

2013-07-08T11:04:00.001-04:00

We have now been in Verona for a week and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Our home is three miles out of the city centre with an easy bus trip. As I sit here writing, I am in a beautiful garden filled with bright green herbs, under an olive tree. Behind our home are grapes (they are everywhere) and mountains.

We have ventured into the centre on most days to walk the cobbled or marble (yes marble) streets. On the 4th of July, we were invited to a party to celebrate a 14th birthday and as well Independence Day. You see, a family living here has roots in the USA as their father was an American. The 14 year old and family were visiting from Orlando and her dad Mark was excited to know there were English speaking guests! So were we. This celebration was like turning back the clock to our Sunday celebrations in Watertown, MA with my relatives. It was in a beautiful park with a public pool and the party didn't begin until 7PM. The water and wine were brought in cases and the food kept coming and coming for four hours.

Course after course, with people who made you feel like famiglia. I was so busy enjoying myself, I didn't get pictures of every dish. At 11PM, they made us leave. I will remember this day with gratitude, forever.

Have fun today and if not with your famiglia, find one! Out we go to another adventure...

Ciao,

Linda