Food and Fate

Ancient Calabrese Secret....Melazane Sott'Olio

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:41:00 +0000

Brava! My first jar of Melanzane Sott'Olio (Pickled Eggplant). It is not an easy task when unwritten family recipes end up in a game of charades+pictionary and a series of made up words. Here's an example of a made up word: frip e frappi - it gets scary when you know exactly what they are referring to. I started writing down all of these ancient Calabrese secrets before they become extinct...

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Maria's Catering !

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Hi Everybody - I catered a party and served some of my dishes from Breaking Bread in L'Aquila. I made some modifications and shared with my guests that the book is very easy to use and the basis of creating much more! I served outstanding cheeses from Abruzzo with the help from Bob Marcelli. Bob imports world class cheeses from his cheese making family in Anversa degli Abruzzi. Check out...

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Chicken Soup Minestra

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:17:00 +0000

This is a meal with a mix of a little of this and that! I always have chicken soup in the freezer (broth, veggies and chicken). I wanted to spice it up: I added one cup of dry lentils (simmer on medium for thirty minutes) Then added a bag of fresh spinach (simmer for three minutes) I added leftover smoked gouda and fresh mozzarella from a dinner party (I had cubed before packing in...

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Stuffed Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Great time of year to make stuffed peppers or anything you can get your hands on at the market! My interns (now close friends: Allie and James) made stuffed peppers from my book "Breaking Bread in L'Aquila". They loved them and very easy to prepare! Have you made them yet? a presto, Maria !

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Maria's Segment on CHCH TV 11

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Hi Everybody, I will be sharing some simple summer recipes on my TV segment on CHCH TV 11 - tomorrow Thursday, August 17th @ 8:10am. It's a beautiful way to show how simple vegetables make the perfect garnish, meal and table decor - gorgeous colors from yellow, green, red and blue. I look forward to blogging some of the tips tomorrow. If you are in Toronto area., catch me on CHCH TV 11...

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Maria's Tip on the day !

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Here is Maria's tip for the day: The natural way to keep your skin glowing. It's Maria WOW daily treatment (water, olive oil and wine) = drink lots of water, use great Italian olive oil in your food and drink a glass (or two) of wine everyday. My book "Breaking Bread in L'Aquila" has great recipes that are easy to prepare! A portion of the next profits are donated to L'Aquila. Great...

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Gazpacho alla Maria

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:25:00 +0000

In this heat, who wants to heat things up in the kitchen! Today, I prepared a Gazpacho with my Maria twists ..... Ingredients: 3-4 Tomatoes, finely diced or 2 cups of grape tomatoes (cut in halves) 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped 1 Large Red Onion, finely diced (use your favorite) 1 english cucumber, finely diced 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and finely diced (adds nice color) 1 lemon, juiced...

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Playground in Rocca di Mezzo

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Thanks to everybody!! We did it!! On June 9th Maria Filice, author and food stylist of Breaking Bread in L’Aquila, publisher, Food and Fate Publishing (imprint of Telos Press Publishing) made a donation towards the construction of a playground for primary and secondary school students in Rocca di Mezzo. Using the net profits from her cookbook, Filice donated $5,000. The playground is dedicated...

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Perfect Gift for Foodie Fathers!

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Still racking your brains trying to decide what to give dad this Sunday? No worries, we’ve got you covered: Breaking Bread in L’Aquila Aprons are back in black this Father’s Day. These classic black aprons feature a double pocket and an adjustable neck strap. Let’s get cooking with dad! Machine washable, 22” X 30” poly cotton. The perfect gift for all cooking lovers. It's never too late for a...

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Classic Spring Appetizer: Fava Beans + Pecorino Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:56:00 +0000

I must confess, unless I'm in Italy, I rarely go out for Italian food. BUT, there is one exception to my rule ...... I love dining at Hearth (www.restauranthearth.com) just down the street from me. Chef and owner, Marco Canora runs a great Tuscan kitchen with the very best. Not to mention, an outstanding wine list from around the globe! It's my favorite Italian kitchen away from my kitchen. ...

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Fresh Fruit Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Sun, 22 May 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Here's a quick and easy dessert! Fresh fruit salad: a medly of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango and pineapple. fruit dressing: squeeze one of each fresh lemon and lime and 4 mint leaves chopped. In a bowl, add a small tub of mascarpone cheese (Italian triple-cream cheese), lemon rind of one lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon and add 3 tablespoons of honey. Mix and add a dallup...

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Strawberries and Amaretti

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:38:00 +0000

A quick and easy dessert. I dipped fresh strawberries in white and dark chocolate and served with my amaretti cookies. The perfect combination with some espresso after dinner with friends and family! When I brought the platter to the dinner table, it reminded me of an episode of the famous cartoon "The Flintstones". An episoide when Wilma was the chef on "The Happy Housewife" TV Show. She...

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Lentil Minestra

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:10:00 +0000

Do you sometimes start cooking and end up with something totally different? As a rule breaking-ologist, here's a simple lentil soup that turned into a lentil minestra (peas, chicken, roasted red onions, sausage and arborio rice). I kept adding layers: When I started to the boil the lentils in a medium pot, I decided to add a container of chicken broth (from my freezer). I drained the lentils...

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Uno, dos, one, two, tres, quatro

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Not sure why the song "Wooly Bully" came to mind when I was preparing this salad but .... here's a quick lunch that is not hard to prepare. The lyrics to this song on the other hand are hard to understand but a classic rock tune from Sam the Sham and the Paraohs in 1965 (well before my classic rock listening days) ..... I prepared a fresh salad (use your favorite greens) and added fresh...

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The Perfect Hostess Gift~ Prosecco and Amaretti

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:33:00 +0000

I attended a lovely Ladies Lunch over the weekend. It was nice not to cook (for a change). My contribution to the lunch was a fresh batch of my amaretti cookies and a chilled bottle of Prosecco. They also loved my styling (another foodista passion of mine). I love Prosecco, an Italian sparkling white wine from Northern Italy — this bottle is from the Friuli region. (my sister in law Daniela...

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White Chocolate Biscotti Soldiers

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Sun, 01 May 2011 21:12:00 +0000

White Chocolate Biscotti Soldiers ready to be eaten! Just dipped my cranberry-pistachio biscotti with an armour coat of white chocolate! The cookie war begins! a presto, maria !

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Asparagus Salad/Asparagi Insalata

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:16:00 +0000

One of my favorite "Official" Spring Vegetable is the Asparagus/Asparagi. My mother made a tasty Asparagus Frittata at Easter (it's similar to an omelette or quiche) filled with a variety of cheeses, vegetables (she used Asparagus) and of course - pancetta, sausage and the kitchen sink! This salad is very easy to prepare Asparagi! Write to me if you have questions. a presto, Maria

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The Royal Kiss!

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:47:00 +0000

Agli sposi più belli del mondo un augurio speciale. Camera at hand to take The Royal Kiss ! It's now time for some Confetti di Sulmona and Un brindisi. a presto, Maria

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Conchiglioni/Shells with Sausage!

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:14:00 +0000

I made a hearty tomatoe sauce with small chunks of pork sausage and meat. Conchiglioni are great for stuffing and baking but I decided to serve with my hearty sauce. It was delicous - ask my interns! We had a brain storm session over lunch (of course)! Use your favorite pasta but beware of the capellini with this sauce. Capellini (similar to angel hair pasta) and a very thin pasta requires a...

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CHCH TV 11 Segment on Friday, April 22nd

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:52:00 +0000

Wanted to share my table at my CHCH TV Segment in Hamilton. Co-Anchor with Lesley Stewart sharing some Holiday tips. a presto, Maria

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Pasta, Asparagus and Pesto = Hat Trick !

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:57:00 +0000

Add asparagus tips to a pesto bowl of pasta! Asparagus are in season and one of my favorite vegetables. Here's a quick tip: When you are cooking the pasta, add the asparagus to the pasta water (six minutes after adding the pasta). This way, when the pasta is cooked, so are the asparagus. OR, if the cooking time for the pasta is ie. 10 minutes (mfr. instructions), add the asparagus to the...

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Easter Amaretti, Biscotti and Pizzelle !

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Strike a biscotti pose....Here's a festive version of my amaretti, biscotti and pizzele. What do you think? The recipes are in my book Breaking Bread in L'Aquila. Step aside, amaretti showing off with pastel almond confetti (sugar coated almonds). Sulmona (in the province of L'Aquila) is the city that these famous hard candies are produced. I added the confetti when I removed the amaretti...

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Poached Salmon

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:26:00 +0000

When I prepare oven roasted salmon, I like to add my favorite mustard paste (brown and dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, fresh black pepper). Try it, you will like it! For my poached salmon, I added a tsp. of each brown and dijon mustard, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper to my boiling (medium pot) for flavoring. I added the salmon and lowered the heat to medium. I topped the pot...

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Ebony and Ivory Side Dishes: Perfect Harmony!

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:35:00 +0000

Step aside for some tasty side dishes of steamed spinich and butternut squash! Two of my favorites served with roasted leg of lamb. Steamed spinich takes approximately 3-5 minutes to steam and in boiling salted water. I add a drizzle of olive oil to the salt water when steaming the spinich. A quick side for any meat or fish dish. I like to add red chili flakes and fresh garlic (to taste). ...

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Maria's Bean Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Food and Fate) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:24:00 +0000

I made a bean salad a few days ago and had enough to serve at my dinner party last night. I served it in my edible Radicchio cups. I also serve my seafood salad in radicchio cups in my book "Breaking Bread in L'Aquila". Perfect plating in martini glasses or your favorite antipasto plate! I served the bean salad with prosciutto wrapped in sesame bread sticks. Maria's Bean Salad: 1 can (14...

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