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.
The artichoke is such a versatile and inspiring vegetable, I feel compelled to write an additional note on how further to prepare it. As a post scriptum to the recipe for globe artichokes with flat leaf parsley and garlic, consider bringing the artichokes to the table stuffed with an aromatic soffritto, made of a lightly sautéed mixture of shallots, celery, carrots and rosemary.
Homemade red chili pepper salt gives flavor to the rustic dishes so typical of southern Italy. Like the dried red chili pepper flakes to be found in open-air markets, this cupboard essential is meant to be tossed over pasta with garlic and olive oil, sprinkled over melted mozzarella with oregano and mixed through salads of freshly cooked beans with marinated onions.
Happiness 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.
Beautiful Food Stories 