See those leaves up there? Well, technically they are in our backyard year-round. What is not there year-round are those plump, light green balls of figlish deliciousness you see buried among them. You know, figs are the summertime fruit here in bella Calabria … in fact, they are so popular, people have been known to...Read More
There is just something about summertime that makes you want to dig into fresh, fruit-flavored desserts that are taste light as air … or well, if you are like me-there is just something about ANY time that makes you want to do that. While it is true that even the finest chefs in Italy can’t...Read More
The best thing about living in a foreign country is the number of great people you meet. Expats abroad tend to form an alliance based on a mutual understanding, or in many cases misunderstanding of the new society and having that network is an invaluable source of comfort for many of us. The second best...Read More
And no. I don’t mean sticky, gluey, undercooked, overcooked or otherwise inedible pasta. I mean bad pasta. As in “lady of the night” bad. Whore bad. Hooker bad. Or as we they say in Italy … Puttana bad. Yep. That’s right. One of Italy’s most famous pasta sauces gets its name from the run-around wife...Read More
So what do you do if you are in one of Italy’s most picturesque cities and find yourself with a hankering for two, three, or even four scoops of homemade southern Italian gelato? You hit the beach. Just a few blocks down the lungomare from the tiny green kiosk of the Gelateria Cesare is the...Read More
Remember last week when I told you all about my day trip to Reggio Calabria? Oh you know … where I found those buns of bronze? Well I have a confession to make. And no, it has nothing to do with those big naked men … but it is just as sinful. Reggio Calabria is...Read More
Even before I moved to Italy I was a sucker for a good homemade pasta sauce with crisp, fresh vegetables. Now that I’m here? Well … it is darn near an obsession. So you can imagine I jumped at the opportunity to have shrimp and asparagus pasta when I visited Carn e Vino Ristorante last...Read More
One of the best things about Rome, as in many Italian cities, is the undeniably delicious food you get to eat when you’re there. Know what’s even more fun? Bringing that dish home with you. Of all of the typically Romano dishes, Cacio e Pepe, is one of the best-and likely the easiest-to make at...Read More
It is hump day here at My Bella Vita and we are smack in the middle of Rome Week, and with all of the sightseeing and wallet-watching we’ve had going on the last couple of days … I bet you are getting hungry. I know I am. Many people think a good vacation boils down...Read More
In honor of the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday, the First of the Month Recipe series and the fact that this month’s guest blogger just. may. be. the cutest I’ve ever had (sorry ex-guest bloggers!) I present to you … Cole Moore-my 8-year-old nephew. I’ve written extensively about Cole in the three years since I’ve...Read More
