In ancient Greek and Roman mythology, la sirenetta (“the mermaid”) was the devious temptress wooing sailors off course, leading them to their deaths. La Gelateria Sirenetta of San Vito Lo Capo, one…
The aquamarine waters off Sferracavallo (frazione di Palermo i.e., a suburb) will tempt you for a swim. And if you have an appetite for local seafood after your Mediterranean Sea swim, head…
Nino’s uncle, Zio Toto’, put it this way: “if you come here, you’ll return….to eat,” adding, “Here, you can eat at all hours…everywhere.” He was talking about Palermo, for me, “Good-Eating Capital…
Like nearly every Italian religious holiday, la festa della Madonna (August 15th, the Assumption) brings Italian families together to feast over a pranzo – always far more than a “lunch” – that…
Agriturismo L’Aria Fina – at 700 m – still has that refreshing mountain “good air,” “l’aria fina.” Lina still turns out the goodness in the kitchen while husband Carmine greets the guests.…
Bare-chested, bearded Sergio, with brightly luminous blue eyes and a twinkling grin, was one of the shepherds showing his herd of sheep (450 in the herd, about 50 goats included) at the…
At dinnertime on a summer night, a small trattoria perched on a volcanic rock precipice outside Lubriano dishes out a sensory overload. It hits as soon as you sit at your table…
Summertime zucchini abundance in our garden means creative cooking challenges. Pastas for lunchtime now often include zucchini, in one way or another. I came up with this easy recipe today: so easy…
You won’t have the basil variety highlighting il vero pesto genovese (“the true Genovese pesto”), but this pesto recipe of a Genovese friend is closest you’ll ever get to the vero pesto…
When Umbria is cooking (today, July 18, 2015, over 40 C – or about 105 F – in nearby Perugia) – and what’s roasting is not grilled lamb but us – it’s…