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Living a Life in Colour

a guide to Italian food, wine and culture

Baccalà mantecato – a taste of Venice

December 16, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Venice flooding in 1966 by By Unknown

Anyone who saw the recent footage of the Veneto seemingly sinking into the sea would have wanted to weep but fortunately the tides seem to have recessed this month. Venice is no stranger to flooding having been constructed over 118 islands with the water managed with engineering since the 12th century but this year’s flooding… 

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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: baccala, dried cod, flood, salt cod, stoccofisso, veneto, venezia, venice

Hazelnut cake- 3 ingredients combined to make an irresistible cake

November 6, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Hazelnuts are one of our favourite ingredients. Their intense nutty flavour combined with chocolate, honey, pears or cream make a perfect autumn dessert. Hazelnut cake is a traditional cake from Piedmont which is renowned for their hazelnuts many of which make their way into Ferrero Roche. This cake has only 3 ingredients but feel free… 

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Filed Under: Any Season, Autumn Recipes, Child friendly desserts, Child friendly recipes, Courses, Dairy free desserts, Dairy-Free recipes, Dolci (Dessert) Recipes from Piemonte (Piedmont), Dolci (Desserts), Egg Recipes, Gluten free desserts, Gluten-Free Recipes, Hazelnut Recipes, Recipes from Piemonte (Piedmont), Vegetarian Desserts, Vegetarian recipes, Winter Recipes

Quest for the foolproof cacio e pepe recipe

September 18, 2018 By wooweiduan 4 Comments

Cacio e pepe appears at first glance to be a simple Italian dish. There are only 3 ingredients, although this could also be said of bread (which everyone knows to be more complicated to make well than it may seem). Cacio e pepe appears to be just pasta stirred together with some pecorino cheese and… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: cacio pepe, rome, roscioli, trilussa

Panzarotti – a guilty pleasure you don’t want to miss

September 10, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Panzarotto (a deep-fried pizza pocket filled with molten mozzarella and tomato sauce)

Having grown up in California, I’ve always been bemused by the idea of deep-fried food having anything in particular to do with the seaside. In Britain, fish and chips is almost synonymous of the seaside and in Italy a nice fritto misto (battered and deep-fried mixed seafood) is often a highlight of coastal restaurants’ menus…. 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: fried pizza, panzarotto, pizza, pizza fritta

Hidden Italy: Abruzzo

August 30, 2018 By wooweiduan 4 Comments

Abruzzo is the most unexpected region we have visited to date. The dramatic landscape, the forlorn hilltop towns with their maze-like centres, the warmth of the people and the rustic comfort food make it a region we will be back to visit again soon. Despite being about a ninety minute drive from Rome, Abruzzo does… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer, Holiday Tagged With: abruzzo, agriquartuccio, aversa degli abruzzi, biscotteria artigianale, calascio, campo imperatore, canestrato di castel del monte, carsoli, castel del monte, de pauline, dolci aveja, giulio petronio, gran sasso, l'angolo d'abruzzo, l'aquila, la cabina, la fenice, la fiaccola, maiella, majella, masciarelli, mucciante, navel, oricola, paganica, pan dell'orso, pignatelli tartufi, porta dei parchi, rocca di calascio, saffron, santo stefano di sessiano, scanno, sulmona

GDPR

May 25, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Hi,   Thanks for being a loyal email subscriber. I appreciate hearing from you. Your trust is important to me. In preparation for the new European Data Protection laws that take effect this month, I have updated my policies here.    I will always treat your data with the utmost care and always take steps… 

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Filed Under: Food

Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano gratin

April 17, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

The tender tips of asparagus are emerging with much trepidation after a gruelling winter followed by a false start to spring. I not only adore their unique flavour but the joy that asparagus are one of the only foods which even the Queen can delight in eating with her hands. Since we are currently straddling… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: asparagus, asparagus gratin, spring

Polpettone Genovese – potato and vegetable casserole

April 10, 2018 By wooweiduan 2 Comments

The translation of the name of this dish is Genovese meatloaf. Except that there is no meat. Now before my meat-loving friends begin to turn their noses skyward, this dish is utterly delicious and completely traditional. It just happens to be named meatloaf due to its form. As the second part of its name suggests,… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

Buckwheat and jam cake

April 3, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Torta di grano saraceno (buckwheat cake layered with lingonberry jam)

Buckwheat tends to be associated with soba noodles, Brittany crepes and kasha (Russian buckwheat grains). While buckwheat is tends to be associated with wheat, it is in fact not a wheat at all or even a grass. The seeds of the buckwheat are a cereal which are related to rhubarb and sorrel and are enjoying… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: alto adige, buckwheat cake, gluten free, lingonberry

S is for Spring – Esse biscuits from Veneto

March 27, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

These delicate, lemony biscuits are a hint that winter is over and Easter is on its way. They are deceptively robust so they actually are the perfect dipping biscuit to accompany tea, coffee or even hot chocolate. Dipped in chocolate, Esse biscuits transform into a decadent standalone treat.  Esse biscuits are traditionally made at home… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: biscuit, cookie, easter, esse, spring, veneto

A taste of Spring: peas with pasta

March 20, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

This is a very simple pasta dish which can be whipped up quickly. In the Spring, sweet peas in their plump pods beckon after a long winter. Out of pea season, frozen peas make a good substitute. I always have a bag of peas and a package of pancetta in the freezer. In a pinch,… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: pasta, peas, quick and easy, spring

Cannelloni- baked pasta tubes filled with ricotta and spinach

March 13, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Easter is on the horizon and while lasagne features in many Italian holidays, for Easter there are cannelloni. Sadly anyone who has had the frozen or ready-made versions of cannelloni may shudder at its mention but the real deal is exactly that. Fresh ricotta mixed with spinach and stuffed into pasta tubes can only be… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

Tuscan hot cross buns

February 20, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

For some families, Easter is all about chocolate bunnies and eggs. While that definitely is part of the joy of Easter, my family loves all the various Easter baked treats. Whether it is the ubiquitous colomba from Lombardia; the pink hued and confetti and meringue-topped ciaramicola from Umbria; the agnello di sfoglia, a millefeuille cake shaped like a… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: easter bread, pan di ramerino, rosemary bread

The perfect excuse to eat Nutella pizza

February 5, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, striking fear or longing into the hearts of millions. This divisive Hallmark holiday, intentioned to better the lives of those of us who may take their loves for granted the rest of the year. On the 14th of February we are meant to take stock of our good fortune… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: nutella, Nutella pizza, pizza, valentine's day

Pumpkin gnocchi in sage and butter sauce

January 30, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

It feels like many people are lamenting the weather and pining for an early spring. While I definitely sympathise with the sentiment, there is something lovely and relaxing about grim weather. There is less expectation to leave the house and the cozy, “hygge” atmosphere would be ruined by glorious, vitamin D giving sunshine. We would… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: gnocchi, pumpkin, squash

Warm creamy, custardy rice tart

January 24, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

This rice custard tart is a delicious combination of a creamy, vanilla-flecked rice pudding with a caramelised top all baked in a crisp shortbread crust. It’s the perfect cure for the winter blues. Rosy-cheeked children returning home from the cold will be overjoyed at the sight of this belly-warming tart. I first spotted this tart… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: custard tart, egg tart, rice custard tart, rice pudding

What to cook when your freezer breaks down

January 16, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

We have four questions we ask our children (and answer ourselves) every night. They are, “what was the best thing that happened today?, what was the worst thing that happened today?, what did you find challenging? and what are you most grateful for?” The most surprising thing about this little dialogue is that every day… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: broken fridge, frittata, rice omelette

Naked ravioli – skip the pasta and go all filling

January 9, 2018 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Everyone loves ravioli and tortelloni but most don’t enjoy the time it takes to roll the fresh pasta to stuff it. While I do enjoy making pasta, time rarely permits this small luxury. Fortunately there are ravioli gnudi which means “naked ravioli” in English as it is all filling and no pasta. These feather-light balls of… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

A sweet beginning to the new year

December 31, 2017 By wooweiduan 2 Comments

Pistachio cake

Firstly, I apologise for disappearing for two whole weeks. I was buried by an avalanche of domestic and holiday admin but now I am back and rejuvenated. These next 6 weeks most people will be going through a metamorphosis from holiday overindulgence to teetotal, green-juice-loving, gym bunnies to guilt-laden cheaters transitioning back to their normal… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

Necci: simply delicious Tuscan chestnut crepes (that are vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free)

December 13, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Chestnuts and hazelnuts abound this season. While chestnuts are often most associated with street side vendors roasting large pans of them and are often used in roast stuffings, the Tuscans grind them into a flour and make them into thin pancakes using only water and salt. Necci are a traditional sweet from the mountain communities… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

There is nothing silly about Christmas roast goose

December 5, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Everyone has their ideal Christmas dinner in mind, usually featuring a statement dish. The choice between turkey, ham, roast beef or goose as the pièce de résistance often is less of a question than if to cook them differently this year or spice up the side dishes. While I adore roast turkey, if I get… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: christmas, goose, goose with apples, roast goose

Rolled pasta to the rescue

November 28, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

  Let’s face it, cooking for a crowd can be complicated. As an adult, the holidays can be a stressful time of year, with increased responsibilities and relationships under pressure. Sharing a meal over the holidays is meant to bring families closer together but sometimes the pressure to fit into the “Hallmark card” feeling makes… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: rotolo, rotolo ripieno

Bergamot: the citrus you may not realise you already know

November 21, 2017 By wooweiduan 2 Comments

Bergamot. Sounds exotic, doesn’t it. Most of you would say you have never tried one although you likely already have. It’s the flavour that makes Earl Grey tea distinct. Many of you may not have even realised that flavour was a citrus fruit but there it is. The bergamot is a type of fragrant but… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

Indisputably the most beautiful vegetable: radicchio

November 14, 2017 By wooweiduan 3 Comments

Radicchio rosso di Treviso (left), radicchio di Castelfranco (middle) and radicchio di Treviso (right)

A display of different coloured radicchio is inevitably the star of any food market. The radicchio from Castelfranco is almost too beautiful to consider eating with its yellowy leaves mottled with red. Wispy, elongated, crimson and white leaves of the red radicchio from Treviso appear otherworldly. But my favourite may be the delicate pink flowers… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: radicchio, risotto

Roman delights – gnocchi alla romana

November 7, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

We had an amazing family trip to Rome and Abruzzo a couple of weeks ago. I wandered the streets of Rome at dawn drawn to the Campo dei Fiori market. If ever there was a doubt that autumn had arrived, the market would negate any lingering skepticism as it was in full bloom with every… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: campo died fiori, gnocchi alla romana, rome

Sounds wrong but tastes so good – potato pizza

October 31, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Potato pizza

My husband finds my ability to point out other people’s inconsistencies irritating. One of my favourites is how it is generally accepted in Italy to find it repulsive to order a cappuccino in the afternoon. The claim is that the milk and coffee combination hinders digestion. However I am yet to be given a good… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer

Rolled pork belly roast stuffed with pecorino, garlic and pancetta from Basilicata

October 24, 2017 By wooweiduan 4 Comments

You may not have noticed but it’s lamb season. We are in Abruzzo on a farm this week on holiday. The baby lambs are being born every day. Infact even between breakfast and lunch, several new little faces joined the flock. Spindly-legged baby lambs are stumbling around their pen learning to walk literally within minutes… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: basilicata, cavatelli, pork roast, potentina, ragu

The Jack O’Lantern the day after – pumpkin soup

October 17, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

The trees have turned golden as sunlight becomes sparse. The children are waiting with nervous anticipation for Halloween and the accompanying sugar rush. The checklist for Halloween is short – costume, bags of sweets and a pumpkin. Halloween night will be full of excitement but all that goes up must come down. Children will crash… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer, Holiday Tagged With: halloween, jack o lantern, pumpkin, pumpkin soup

What to cook when time is short and the to-do list is long

October 10, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Do you feel like there are not enough hours in the day? That the to-do list is unfathomably long? That problems are mounting while solutions are dwindling? It’s that time of year again when the outlook seems glum, the weather gloomy, sniffles are settling in and holiday euphoria is replaced by post-holiday doldrums. I’ve been… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: courgette, frittata, Frittata di zucchine, zucchini omelette

Warm apple and Nutella cake anyone?

October 3, 2017 By wooweiduan Leave a Comment

Alto Adige apples

I promised this recipe to a friend. There is nothing more comforting than a slice of warm apple cake on a brisk day. What I like about this recipe is the very high ratio of apples to cake, with nearly a kilo of apples glued together to vanilla-scented, soft-crumb cake. While the moreish Nutella is… 

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Filed Under: Food, footer Tagged With: apple, apple nutella cake, cake, gianduia, nutella

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Venice flooding in 1966 by By Unknown
Panzarotto (a deep-fried pizza pocket filled with molten mozzarella and tomato sauce)
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