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…
The Jack O’Lantern the day after – pumpkin soup
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…
Sicily’s Ionian coast
We were looking to extend the summer by heading south in the beginning of autumn. We choose to base ourselves around Etna so that we could explore the volcano and its many up-and-coming wine estates and taste the famous Bronte pistachios, visit the plains of Catania famous for their anti-oxidant rich blood oranges, spend some…
Casatiello: an iconic centuries-old recipe for Easter bread
I remember my first Easter in Italy. A group of friends had planned to go to Naples to see the museums and eat at the famous pizzerias. Afterwards we would explore the islands and the Amalfi coast. Upon arriving in Naples, we went into a bakery looking for picnic fodder and on the counter sat…
The perfect spring dish: lamb and artichoke stew
Spring is here and with it appear bouquets of tightly closed artichokes. While cleaning artichokes may seem a painstaking process for some, I love the feel of their rubbery petals and the squeaking sound they make as you snap them off. My children love it too and we make short work of what might otherwise…
Agnello di sfoglia: just when you thought mille-feuille could not get better
Easter is upon us and chocolate eggs and bunnies are popping up everywhere. Less represented in the Easter array is the spring lamb. The ubiquitous Colomba (a fluffy dove-shaped Easter cake flavoured with candied citron zest) may be the most popular Italian Easter cake. However, there is another Easter cake which shares the same origin…
Lasagne di carnevale: It’s carnival time
I love how many Italian holidays seems to feature a lasagne somewhere in Italy. This lasagne from Naples is made during carnival. It is a rich dish comprised of layered meatballs, Neapolitan meat sauce (prepared for the quintessential Sunday family meal), sausages, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, hard-boiled eggs (optional) and pasta sheets; the perfect dish for…
Susumelle- Italian gingerbread from Calabria
Many of us have holiday baking on the cards for this week. One to add to your repertoire are Susumelle, deliciously spiced gingerbread biscuits dipped in chocolate. Pop one in your mouth and the flavour is the epitome of Christmas. They are easy to make and last for ages in sealed tin. I let the children weigh…
Puglia’s Gargano: Italy’s spectacular Adriatic coast
Continuing from my post from last week about the Trulli in Puglia, now we head back up north along the coast. We stopped in Trani as our cousin had advised us to eat at the Le Lampare al Fortino where he proposed to his soon-to-be wife. The restaurant had a magnificent terrace overlooking the scenic harbour and…
Puglia: the land of the Trulli
We arrived a few days early for a cousin’s wedding in the Gargano to see the Terra dei Trulli (the land of the Trulli – iconic conical houses in Puglia). We arrived late into Bari, delayed by our flight. Our host generously ventured out in the dark to meet us by the motorway and lead us…
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