There are dishes that I like and then there are apricot dumplings. When you are lucky enough to have a generous fruit bearing apricot tree in your backyard, these sweet, colorful and delicious dumplings perfectly mark the end of summer. That is back home in Italy. Here in Northern California, an apricot bounty is not within my gardening reach. So instead, we turn to blueberry dumplings to add a fruity touch to a special weekday dinner. Sounds delicious? Wait until you try them. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Blueberry Dumplings”
Tag: Summer
Mighty Melanzane
Whenever Doug, my husband, returns from a trip, I like to welcome him back with a dish I know he likes. He usually wants “something with lots of vegetables”, probably to make up for the steaks and burgers he has on the road. One of his absolute favorites is melanzane alla parmigiana, a typical Italian dish featuring eggplant. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Mighty Melanzane”
Crêpe, Omeletten, Omelet, Pancakes: It’s Confusing…
Sometimes things get lost in translations. Take what we call Omelett, for example. It is different from your pancake or “omelet” and goes by the French name of “crêpe” which if pronounced incorrectly, doesn’t sounds like anything you would want on a plate. Whatever you call it though, these light, soft and delicious flimsy delivery devices provide the starting point for one of my kids favorite dinners. This love for crepes dates back generations, as I fondly remember my Omi making paper-thin and aptly-named “OMEletten” for me. Family history puts me at a record 14! Not sure if that says more about my insatiable appetite, or my Omi’s love for cooking and feeding us all delicious food! Come and make some crepes with us! Continue reading “Crêpe, Omeletten, Omelet, Pancakes: It’s Confusing…”
It’s Time for an Aperol Spritz
You know you’re in Italy when you walk into a bar or restaurant and everyone is sipping from an orange glass. In case you haven’t had Aperol Spritz before, trust me, it is almost a ritual in Italy and probably the most widespread and common aperitif in Italy. So if you feel a little Italian this summer, grab a bottle of Aperol and have yourself an Aperol spritz. Continue reading “It’s Time for an Aperol Spritz”
Cool as a Cucumber
One of my closest friends in college was a girl called Sonia. She grew up in Cagliari, a place so different from my own that I couldn’t wait to join her for two weeks at her parents’ summer house in Solanas, a tiny seaside village on the Southern coast of Sardinia. Being young and without worries, we spent the days hanging out with her friends, tanning ourselves and cooling off in the water. There was one little shop in town – and it sold fresh produce including watermelon and what turned out to be the biggest delight when you’re in need of a pick-me-up on the beach: fresh cucumbers. Who knew that they can taste so refreshing in hot weather. With the summer well underway here in Northern California, twenty years on I still remember sitting with my toes in the sand and fresh cukes in my hand enjoying the hot summer breeze coming from the Mediterranean sea. What a summer. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Cool as a Cucumber”
Come and Cook with Us 