Massive Chocolate eggs, filled with treasures and sweet secrets… Source: washingtonian.com “Torta Pasqualina” Source: trendalert.it Torta Pasqualina was originally produced as an Easter pie around 1400 in Genova, Italy. The name itself comes from “Pasqua”, the Italian word for Easter. Traditionally, the pie was prepared using 33 thin layers of phyllo dough–in honor of Jesus’ age when he was…
Easter Ham, Pepperoni and Cheese Bread
My Mama always made this tasty bread for every religious holiday and if we begged, sometimes in between. Mom used to buy pounds of aged meats and cheeses, painstakingly cubing every bit. Then she would mix with beaten eggs, grated Parmesan and fill, what seemed like dozens, of loaves. I’ve converted her recipe into a…
Italy’s Easter Eggs and Italia’s Easter Friday
In Italy, there are no Easter egg hunts, no marshmallow Peeps and definitely no jelly beans. Instead, there are chocolate eggs — massive, elaborately decorated, beautifully wrapped chocolate Easter eggs that fill shop windows across the country. The sweet treats are considered Italians’ food gift of choice at this time of year; each one…
Easter Ricotta Rice Pie
This Ricotta Rice pie recipe of my Mama Carmela’s and Grandma Lena’s is dedicated to the Camarata family and to the memories of Easter Sundays spent at our cottage by the lake. This is one of our family’s traditional Easter desserts and like many Italian dolces, it is simple and lightly sweet with just a…
Vino: A Poet, a god and a Few Ancient Mixers
The great Roman poet Horace once wrote, “No poem was ever written by a drinker of water.” Possibly, Horace was a tremendous admirer of Bacchus, the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine. And possibly the most intriguing, the god of ritual madness and ecstasy. Bacchus was one of the primary gods worshipped in…
Vino! Some Ancient Medicinal Mysteries
Today, I’d like to cover some ancient beliefs in regard to wine’s therapeutic uses. This “nectar of the gods” hasn’t won the hearts of many and transcended the years for its mere taste alone. We’ll move on to the origin of its making one day soon, but “why” it was used seems more intriguing to…
Grandpa Louie’s Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes; Carciofo
Few things ignite the deep flames of the fondest memories of my childhood like spending moments with Grandpa Louie and Grandma Lena at my parent’s cottage by the lake. If my siblings and I were fortunate enough, we would experience one of these three, rare occurrences; a sample of a freshly plucked purple fig from…
Coffee o caffè? Making Sense of it All!
We all know what coffee is and how we normally prefer to drink it, but what about the other “caffe’” choices and items on the menu? With all the different types of coffee beans and beverages available at coffee shops today, it can be a bit perplexing when it comes to exploring other options. Rather…
Pasta alla Carbonara Una Pentola: “One Pot”
We all know what pasta embodies, but have you ever wondered what “carbonara” means? Carbonaro means charcoal in Italian, but to this day, the connection to this savory, flavorsome dish remains uncertain. Some food historians believe this pasta may have been popular among charcoal makers working in the Apennine Mountains; or perhaps it is called…
“Milo” By Artist Illustrator Pamela Jaffe-Cohen
“Milo” by Artist Illustrator Pamela Jaffe-Cohen Today, I would like to welcome Pamela to the Once Upon a Spice Family! She is currently creating our Logo and will become the official Illustrator for the “Once Upon a Spice” cookbook! The subject of this stunning work of art, created by my dear friend Pamela, is our little…
Once Upon a Spice 