What happens when you find the perfect ricotta recipe and there’s none to be found? Solution! Make your own! Yes, you can do it! I’ve done it several times and actually prefer the creamy texture and smooth, soft, rich taste to any store bought. I’d like to share a simple recipe courtesy of one of…
Tag: fun facts
Pasta Sauce: The Nectar of the gods? a little history
Spaghetti or pasta with tomato sauce, also known as marinara, is a staple of southern Italian cookery or almost anywhere that southern Italians live today. However, spaghetti with marinara hasn’t always been a pillar of southern Italian cuisine. It’s actually a relative newcomer. Let’s briefly touch on pasta. Once upon a time every school child…
Napolitana e Siciliano Easter Egg Lasagna: Italian Fare For New Beginnings
This is a quick and easy version of my Mama Carmela’s famous Easter Lasagna. The addition of hard-boiled eggs and sliced meatballs were influenced by her northern Italian background and make this dish extra delicious and one of a kind! I’ve adapted her recipe and made it “today” friendly for ease of preparation by using…
Italy’s Easter Eggs & 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 comes…
“Festa della Primavera” A Spring Festival & Italia in Full Bloom
Spring and summer offer the most stunning flower festivals in Italy. The displays of fiori colori are breathtaking! Simply find a street “camminare lungo una strada” and you are enveloped in Italian spring… Today, on March 20th the celebration “Festa della Primavera” offer guests, of most every town in Italy, streets covered with gorgeous, multicolored flowers,…
Ciabatta, Filone, Focaccia, Muffuletta, Vastedda, Ah Pane! & a Quick Ciabatta Recipe
Ciabatta, Filone, Focaccia, Muffuletta, Vastedda, Ah pane…“A bread by any other name would smell as sweet. I can sense Sir William Shakespeare rolling over in his grave as I write this… Today, I want to briefly delve into a little history of another Italian staple; Bread or as we Italians affectionately call it “pane.” Although…
Leap Castle of Ireland: The MOST Haunted in the World!
Perhaps the most haunted castle in Ireland is “Leap Castle” and according to legend was built on a Druidic site. The O’Carroll family once lived here, and they were vicious murderers, who would throw the bodies of their victims down a hole in the wall called an “oubilette.” There is a small windowless room below…
Irish Red Jacket Colcannon
Colcannon is a customary Irish potato dish that is not only rich in flavor, but folklore and history as well. It’s also a perfect recipe to make with the kids while sharing its interesting history! Contrary to popular belief that this is a St. Patrick’s Day dish, by tradition, it’s actually made on All Saints Day…
“A Tale of Ireland” by Jackson Stones: Sure to Warm the Cockles of Your Heart
This is a true personal account drawn from the memory of my dear British friend, Jackson Stones. We thank you, Jackson for your time, warmth and generous contribution. “It was a few years ago now, but I remember it well. Galway, is a tiny city in the far west of Ireland. A small university town…
Celebrate Leap Day with Toad in the Hole & British Onion Gravy
Serves 4-6 It’s believed that Toad in the Hole, a traditional English dish consisting of plump, juicy sausages nestled and baked in Yorkshire pudding batter, actually goes back to Roman times. However, the origin of the name “Toad-in-the-Hole” is often disputed. Some suggest that the dish’s name comes from its resemblance to a toad sticking…
Once Upon a Spice 