Category Archives: My culinary tradition

Mushrooms marinated with truffle

January 27, 2014 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

In the dark days of January the earthy appeal of mushrooms is undeniable. Mushrooms provide form, color and texture in the kitchen, supplying much-needed inspiration in the months of scant sunlight. When combined with aromatic herbs, mushrooms yield the most interesting compositions of the season.

The following recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare. However, the ingredients simply must marinate a day to achieve the perfect match between sautéed mushroom juices, truffle olive oil, fresh parsley and pine-like rosemary.

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Persimmon crostata

December 14, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The persimmon is to winter what the peach is to summer. The bright orange “kaki” keeps company to the faithful apple in fruit bowl arrangements throughout the northern regions of Italy. Peeled and cut into wedges after many a lunch and dinner, they are symbolic of the Christmas season and the misty months that follow.

In this comfort inspired recipe, persimmons are stewed in freshly squeezed orange juice and subsequently wrapped in a crumbly pastry for a crostata tart. As the tart bakes the aroma of nutmeg, vanilla and star anise fill the kitchen like a warm pudding.

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Figs caramelized with orange

September 28, 2013 By in Authentic Italian, My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Caramelized Figs

The plump, dark purple figs of late, late September prove that dessert has neither to be complicated nor particularly sweet. As inevitable autumn settles in with its daily morning mist — the last ripe figs lay neatly arranged in fruit crates at vegetable stalls for the taking.  Take them home by the armful if you stumble upon them at your local market.

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Summer vegetable salad with bulgur

August 16, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Bulgur is made of whole wheat. It is first cooked, subsequently dried and then ground into grains of various shapes and sizes. Of all the types of bulgur available, I prefer coarse bulgur when making a summer salad. Bulgur is to be found in Turkish and Moroccan shops and market places. Bulgur is also a part of the regional kitchens of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. Make the following salad with bulgur a few hours in advance so that all of the juices in the vegetables and their dressing can soak into the grains.

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Melon and marinated shallots

July 19, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

In the refined region of Reggio Emilia, the appearance of the orange-fleshed cantaloupe is a sure sign of summer. Slices of sweet  fragrant melon combined with salty prosciutto crudo are served in the local trattorie surrounding the hills of Parma.

The perfume of ripe cantaloupe goes hand in hand with crisp white table cloths draped over long tables situated in the shade of ancient buildings. The gentle clatter of silverware against plates intermingle with the echo of conversations forming the background to open air summer lunch.

The classic antipasto ‘prosciutto e melone’ was the impulse for the creation of a salad composed of bright melon, crunchy marinated shallots, crushed pink peppers, threads of fresh chives and ruby-red juicy raspberries. My recipe juxtaposes sweet and sour with aromatic herb and spice.

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Simple strawberries

May 30, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

Strawberries

The sight of strawberries reminds me of picnics shared on warm summer days on the hills between Bologna and Florence. Though strawberries are an uncommon ingredient in cookbooks, I consider a big bowl of fresh strawberries to be the centerpiece of many dinner party desserts.

Strawberries inspire to simple, last-minute preparation. In the following entry to my kitchen journal, rather than writing a single recipe, I will describe three methods of combining this perfumed fruit with just a few aromatic ingredients.

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Yoghurt with olive oil and fresh dill

April 3, 2013 By in Cupboard essentials, My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Yoghurt with lemon and olive oil blend interestingly into a simple dip. True to the Italian kitchen tradition, a delicious dish depends upon the quality and choice of ingredients. Use yoghurt that is so thick, it stays on your spoon. Squeeze an organically grown lemon. Pick bright green dill. Look for a fruity yet mild extra virgin olive oil. Use a clove of fresh spring garlic. Select an especially good salt. The resulting combination of creamy citrus is a match for grilled or marinated vegetables – is made to be poured over lettuces as a salad dressing – and is meant to be served in a big bowl as a dip for breads.

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Salad of green asparagus with roasted red onions

March 29, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , Leave a comment


There is something about green asparagus and red onion that reminds me of a springtime supper. The following recipe makes for an interesting combination of al dente asparagus stalks with sweet roasted red onion wedges. Prepare the vegetables in advance and serve them with a dip of Turkish yoghurt and fresh dill.

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Sweet crumbly pastry crust

March 14, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Pastry ballHappiness is to be found in baking from scratch. A crumbly pastry crust is made by mixing four simple ingredients. The following recipe uses minimal amounts of butter, sugar flour and  one egg. Thus there is no need for worries about enjoying the fruits of one’s labor.

Reading this recipe will take more time than making the crust itself. Shaping the dough into nice pleats is more fun than cutting the baking parchment to fit into the tart pan. Making more than one crust at a time is definitely worthwhile, as it requires little extra effort

I like to prepare pastry crust for sweet tarts first thing in the morning, with a clean kitchen table top and a fresh outlook on the progress of a new day.

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Red beet ribbons with balsamic vinegar syrup

February 21, 2013 By in My culinary tradition Tags: , , , , Leave a comment


The many and various tints of red are among my favorite colors, followed immediately by the intense shades of purple. Next to the tomato, I adore the eggplant. Hardly a day goes by without a tomato in some shape or form at my table. But during the cold and windy months of fall and winter, I replace the eggplant with the beet in the kitchen. Both purple vegetables share a similar quality, namely their versatility. Though it is difficult to start with just one recipe, with the promise of many more to come, I have chosen to post this particularly simple combination of beets cut into ribbons marinated with the syrup of balsamic vinegar and thick yoghurt.

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