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When a winter’s chill threatens to overtake you after a day skiing Cortina or Livigno, consider a Bombardino. It’s the Italian Alpine delight that warms the fingers and restores your energy. This rich, boozy winter drink, part cocktail, part dessert, was invented in 1972 by Aldo Del Bò. He was a ski-lift operator in Livigno who mixed the hot egg custard, zabaione, with whiskey to revive a frostbitten skier. “Accidenti, è una bomba!” the skier reportedly exclaimed. “Accident, it’s a bomb!” and a legend was born.What most visitors don’t realize is that every order of bombardino drops you squarely into one of Italy’s longest-running culinaryRead More →

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A delectable diamond-shaped almond cookie, ricciarelli symbolize the golden age of Siena. Their origin dates to the 14th century when legend has it that knight Ricciardetto della Gherardesca brough the cookies back from the crusades. Today, Tuscans enjoy them at festive occasions, especially Natale when ricciarelli are savored with a glass of Vin Santo. Like marzipan and other medieval Mediterranean sweets, ricciarelli are made from finely ground almonds and only require a few ingredients, the nuts, egg whites, and sugar. The bright flavor of orange zest is their only flavoring although a splash of almond extract may be added.Use finely ground almond flour when making these cookies. And be careful not toRead More →

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Tuscans know and understand the art of feasting. A relaxing meal with the extended family is a time honored ritual still alive in Tuscany. A family gathering always includes thoughtfully chosen wines for each course. We’re taking a clue from our wine making friends in Montefollonico as we select wines and beverages to serve this Thanksgiving.With turkey on the center of the plate in most homes, a fresh white wine is a natural. Trebbiano Toscano is the most common white wine grape in Italy. Wine made from the Trebbiano grape ranges from crisp and delicate to fruity and medium bodied. It is a versatile wineRead More →

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Pappardelle with wild mushroom sauce is a classic way to enjoy the rich earthy flavor of wild mushrooms. These meaty mushrooms perfume alight tomato sauce that coats the traditional wide pasta served in Tuscany. Porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis) are ideal for this recipe, and the first choice for making this dish. But because they are difficult to find, we prepared our Tuscan-inspired sauce using a combination of portobello, baby bella, and other mushrooms. To enrich their flavor, we added a small amount of dried porcini mushrooms, which can be found online and in most specialty stores.Wide pappardelle noodles are easy and rewarding to make atRead More →

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When it is eggplant season, we look to Sicily where pasta alla Norma is a classic. The name honors native son Vincenzo Bellini, born in Catania and composer of the bel canto opera Norma. (Humming or singing the Act 1 aria "Casta Diva" while making the recipe is optional.) The secret to this dish is perfectly fried eggplant. Frying transforms the spongy vegetable into something rich and almost meaty. Use quality olive oil for this dish and select fresh eggplant that are not too large and are heavy for their weight. While we like to pan fry the eggplant slices on top of the stove,Read More →