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…
Tag: Italy
Italia’s 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…
Northern Italian Peasant Fare: Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Chicken
This is a quintessential example of vintage Northern Italian Peasant fare. Since we have fountains of fresh rosemary flourishing in our Arizona garden and are always searching for ways to put this pungent, woody, citrusy herb to good use, I decided to showcase a Mama Carmela classic. This luscious, lemony, herb-packed delight was my mama’s “go to” Sunday chicken dish…
Balsamic: The Real Deal or Knock Off?
Did you know that real aged balsamic vinegar actually costs anywhere from $75 to $400 or more? Here are a few reasons why: Balsamic vinegar is NOT like other vinegars. What defines vinegar is the fermentation of alcohol — typically wine but also beer or cider — into acetic acid. Red wine vinegar, white wine…
“Mama Carmela”
This is a vintage, 1945, wedding photograph of my lovely Mama Carmela–the inspiration behind “Once Upon a Spice.” Today would have been her 93rd birthday. My blog is dedicated to her and her passionate love of family and cooking. This strong, sweet, intelligent, loving, Italian woman ignited my culinary enthusiasm at the tender age of…
7 Prosperous Good Luck Foods for the New Year
“Out with the old in with the new.” This age old wish rings true in most every home on New Year’s Eve and Day. Why not welcome in the year proper with the addition of your favorite foods to ensure good fortune? Here are the wondrous 7 to help lead the way. Fish Fish are…
Culinary Reflections “Travels Through Christmas” by Jackson Stones
“Travels Through Christmas” by Jackson Stones Through my work and holidays I have been lucky to have traveled to many countries. Some of these were during the Christmas period, so I thought of recalling some of those memories here. I remember some of the Christmas dinners, yet as I was writing this I noticed how…
Guest Chef Cookie Exchange! Anna’s Italian Orange Ricotta Cookies Scented with Cardamom
Anna’s Italian Orange Scented Ricotta Cookies These luscious Ricotta cookies are typically flavored with lemon. However, Anna prefers a more distinctive orange flavor kissed with cardamom. She uses whole milk ricotta only; giving them a soft, cake-like texture and the fresh orange zest imparts a burst of bright citrus essence. The icing also has orange…
Hungry Yet? If So Try Tantalizing Tuscan Turkey Tetrazzini
Here’s one more luscious recipe for your Thanksgiving leftover turkey. We smoked a 17 pounder (there’s only 2 of us) and had abundance so I could not omit one of my favorite turkey recipes. This formula is versatile and tuna can be substituted for other times of the year. It’s creamy, slightly cheesy and true…
Pasta alla Carbonara Una Pentola “One Pot” Version & a little history
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…
Once Upon a Spice 