Calabrians are known throughout Italy as good ‘ole southern folks … a tad paesani, maybe but generous people who produce some of the best food in Italy. Mushrooms … eggplant … sausage … ahhh, Calabria. However, La Cucina Calabrese is actually pretty simple. According to many of the chefs here, the more simple the dish...Read More
My husband is convinced he is the Italianized version of Chef Gordon Ramsey and prides himself on identifying flavors and duplicating restaurant-style dishes. And he is pretty good. Sometimes he even yells in the kitchen … So today I present to you Peppe’s Triple P Pasta or rather, Pancetta and Porcini Pappardelle This Calabrese specialty...Read More
Remember that blazin’ hot sausage spread I told you about earlier this week? Well, injuries have healed and I’m ready for another go. Are you? This pasta dish is easily made in the amount of time it takes to boil your water. So charge ahead, my friends. And good luck. Ingredients: >> 15-20 cherry tomatoes...Read More
Had one sausage, had them all? I don’t think so. Nduja, pronounced “ndooyia,” is a fiery Calabrian sausage that will take the skin off of your tongue, raise your internal body temperature and likely send smoke signals bursting from your ears. Or as we say in Texas? It’s “slap ya mama hot.” But man, is...Read More
As my Calabrian husband says, pasta e ceci is tammarù … country, redneck, paesano, but this pasta and chickpea recipe changes all of that by introducing cherry tomatoes, a hint of vegetable stock and a ton-or three-of red pepper. Ingredients: (serves two) >> 300 grams fresh pasta >> One can of chickpeas (ceci) >> Six...Read More
Rome has coratella. Palermo has milza. And Catanzaro? Well, we have morzello. Originally created in the province of Catanzaro, morzello, or Morzeddhu alla Catanzarisi in Catanzaro’s dialect is a specialty dish made from cow innards. Yum. According to legend … (come on we are in southern Italy, folks you didn’t think this dish would come...Read More
It’s human nature to take things we love for granted, and although none of us like to admit we do that with people, it is safe to say, at least some of us, have taken our “hometowns” for granted. When Robin approached me with this idea as a potential Travel Tip Tuesday topic, I felt...Read More
I’m in love with a mushroom, and I don’t mean the smoking kind. Porcini mushrooms win the blue ribbon as the delicacy of all delicacies in my book, and I pretty sure I’m not alone. There are many types and qualities of porcini mushrooms. But, as for my love story, Porcino and I fell in love slowly, and over...Read More
Quick! What do homemade sausage and bakery-bought sweets have in common? – They both begin with the letter “S” – They are both, um…food – They are both found in Italy And, they both ‘show the love!’Heh? Well, it’s true. It’s common knowledge Pep spoils our construction crew. And, that wasn’t the only time. Every...Read More
And, you’ be dead, too if you’d have had my day yesterday. Allow me to digress… For YEARS Peppe’s friend’s mother has invited us to lunch at her home. Literally – for years…Naive as I am, I persuaded Peppe to accept the next invitation. “I feel guilty,” I told Peppe. “She keeps asking and asking…”...Read More
