Summer, time of preserves. Once again the protagonists are the tomatoes, in a simple version, pure: the preserve, a universal name that does not need specification, because in my house the preserve is exclusively the preserve of tomatoes. In the collective imagination the tomato is one of the elements that more represent Italy, along with mozzarella, [...]

Posted in Family recipes, Preserves, Summer, Tuscan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes 29 Comments »

Last week I made a guest post for Flipkey, a travel website whose blog features local secrets that travelers might not know about. I wrote about one of the most typical Tuscan fresh pasta, pici… do you want to have a look, or better, a taste? Go to Flipkey blog to discover other interesting and [...]

Posted in First course, Fresh Pasta, Tuscan Recipes 7 Comments »

It’s Monday, and I’m at home. I woke up slowly, very slowly, I had leftover dessert for breakfast, and I read once again with pleasure my birthday greeting cards. It’s Monday, but I’m on holidays for 4 weeks and yesterday I celebrated my birthday with a ’50s style garden party with a dear friend. I’m happy for [...]

Posted in Appetizers, Summer, Vegetarian Recipes 6 Comments »

If you see me now, I have John Wayne’s femininity and charm. I walk with that cow-boy-like walk, staggering, holding my back with one hand and leaning on whatever support I find with the other one. The reason for this behaviour is a horse. And no, I wasn’t trampled by the horse, and I wasn’t neither unseated … [...]

Posted in Summer, Travel 34 Comments »

On Friday, coming back home from work, I stopped at the local farmer’s market, the one just opened a few minutes from my house, and I filled my recycled cotton bag with honey scented melons, the freshest garlic, crisp zucchini and small ruby red plums, sweet and juicy. The vegetables were still warm, freshly picked, lightly dusted with dark soil. [...]

Posted in Side Dishes, Summer, Vegetarian Recipes 13 Comments »