In Italy Cranberry beans are known as borlotti and they are at the heart of the traditional pasta and bean soup or Pasta e Fagioli soup.  An uncooked cranberry bean has red marks but when cooked turn a brown / white color.  Cranberry beans are excellent when fresh and particularly suited for hearty soups given their chestnut like flavor and texture.  As […]

(photo: lovely friends are rare in life, lovely friends who give you heirloom tomatoes are the equivalent of Saints; thank you Dr. K.)  One of the loveliest times of the year for individuals enamored with food here in the northeastern section of the United States is late August because, amongst other fruits and vegetables, the tomato crop is in full swing.  Here in New […]

Walk down any street in the seacoast town of Bagnara Calabra during the summer months and you’ll encounter women dressed in black screaming their lungs out!  No, the ladies aren’t auditioning for a new Jean-Paul Sartre play about existential angst, rather they’re selling fish.  The ladies set up shop early in the morning, usually during outdoor “market day” on Tuesday and […]

One of the interesting culinary tidbits in Calabria is that most home cooks do not use their oven during the summer months given the intense weather.  The logic makes sense, however what does the dedicated cook do when s/he has a desire to make a baked dish?  Well, how about using your stovetop? Zia Giovanna used her stovetop to prepare a […]

(photo: fried potatoes with flat romano beans, garlic, and tomato paste) You may think that there’s not much of a connection between McDonald’s and rural Italian cuisine but the two modes of eating, however far apart, are connected by the fried potato.  While McDonald’s fried potatoes (or french fries) are comprised of: potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef […]

Summer Martinis: The St Germain Appeaser and Averna Sofisticato Now don’t take this to mean I’m a full fledged wino, but I get really excited about well prepared cocktails, good wine, and nicely crafted beer.  On the cocktail side, I’ve waxed philosophically about the benefits of aperitifs and amari such as Lillet, Antica Carpano, and Nonino and I’ve enjoyed them straight […]

Growing up as an Italian American boy on the periphery of New York City, iced espresso or Caffe Shakerato was a rite of passage, at least for the Italian natives on our New Jersey block.  My mother, specifically, would prepare a large carafe of sugary espresso and place it in the freezer to develop a slushy consistency.  Thereafter, the fancy glasses would […]

The simple tomato bruschetta is my go-to dinner party appetizer because it’s easy to prepare and universally accepted as looking and tasting great. Our simply recipe includes: Ingredients and Process: Finely diced ripe tomatoes (Roma, Plum, or San Marzano varieties are best) Finely diced red onion Very good extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper Dried oregano Shredded basil. […]

(photo: courtesy of Dr. K., notice the great exterior crust and color) Dr. K.’s Bread Baking and Some Detail Behind the Recipe It’s been a while since we featured a guest post from our good friend Dr. K who’s wowed us in the past with bread recipes such as Whole Wheat Pita and Coccodrillo Ciabatta.  In turn, we’re delighted to […]

One of the most widely successful ways to cook meat on the planet is via the braising method.  The Chinese, French, Moroccons, Italians, and Swiss, for example, all have “pot roasting” traditions (Italian Pot Roast Recipe).  Braising typically involves first searing a cut of meat (usually one containing lots of tough connective and fibrous tissue like collagen) and then using liquid and […]