Christmas is around the corner and once again it's time to make panettone, the Italian classic sweet bread loaf that you find on every Italian table during the holidays. Panettone requires a full day including three risings, so if you decide to make your own panettone be sure to allot the necessary time to bake...
Holiday
Cranberry Hazelnut Biscotti
Cranberry Hazelnut Biscotti are something I make year round; a great dessert to have on hand...especially for dipping in sweet dessert wines! When I think of Christmas dishes in America I think of cranberries...they appear in sauces, breads, stuffings. And in Italy hazelnuts are a common Christmas dessert ingredient: nougat torrone, chocolate torrone and many...
Christmas Season in Rome 2015
Here are a few pictures of Rome during the Christmas 2015 season. Nothing lifts the spirit more than shimmering Christmas lights, beautifully decorated Christmas trees, lovely shops and gorgeously packaged panettoni and other holiday treats! Piazza Venezia... The iconic Hassler Hotel at the top of the Spanish steps... Via del Babuino... These boxed panettoni are...
Pumpkin & Pecan Ravioli in a Brown Butter Sauce
Pumpkin ravioli are one of the tastiest pasta dishes! They herald the arrival of fall and the holiday season. This year we didn't plant pumpkins so I wasn't expecting to prepare the abundance of pumpkin dishes we usually do: soups, risottos, pasta dishes, pies and breads. And yet it ended up to be quite a prolific...
Ginger Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is a universally loved cake by all. Carrot cake, zucchini bread or other desserts made from vegetables are not typically Italian, but once they taste these sweets they become instant converts.I'm in a ginger phase right now: I'm drinking ginger tisanas, making ginger scones, cookies and cakes. And I've always loved Thai and...
Easter Tradition: Chocolate Eggs and Colomba
The Viani Bar in Morlupo, just north of Rome, not only has wonderful breakfast pastries, great sandwiches and home-made ice cream. It also prides itself on always having fabulous decorations and edible gifts for every holiday. I had lunch there today and was mesmerized by the gorgeous Easter eggs and Colomba (traditional Italian Easter cake)...
