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: nomnom
Braided Easter Ham Pepperoni & Cheese Bread with Tutorial
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 and painstakingly cube every bit. Then she would mix fresh beaten eggs and finely grated Parmesan and fill and roll, what seemed like dozens, of loaves….
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…
“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,…
Italian Bacon & Egg Pasta with Tomatoes & Kale
Una Pentola (One-Pot) Bacon & Egg Pasta with Tomatoes & Kale Another perfect, simple, quick, easy and flavorful example of “Northern Italian Peasant” food at it’s finest! This recipe was inspired by my Mama Carmela’s love of fresh field greens. At the first sight of mustard greens, she would gather her tools and the hunt…
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…
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…
Bailey’s Donegal Oatmeal Creme
I wish to thank all of my dear friends for seeing me through a recent, nasty bout of flu. I’m slowly emerging from the quagmire and I have much catch up to play. As the air continues to clear I will thank each and everyone of you for your support and lovely comments. You were…
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…
Stroopwafels: Buttery Caramely Dutch Cookie Heaven
These are technically not pancakes, but are in the waffle family. So I found them to be a fitting addition to National Pancake Week. Not to mention that I adore them and needed some to fill up my cookie jar. Stroopwafels (Translation: syrup waffles) are thin Dutch waffles with a buttery syrup filling. They were…
Once Upon a Spice 