starch

tummy-warming piles of pasta, risotto, bread and potatoes.

how to make creamed corn (plus ramblings from an urban farmer)

11/10/2012 | 5 Comments | Topics: crops, farm., recipes, starch, vegetables

When I was a little girl I ate creamed corn from a can—and loved it. It was a special creamy treat. Today, the nostalgia kicks in and I still crave this ‘comfort-food’ side dish; I especially love taking old recipes and re-inventing them. As an urban farmer and chef, how to make creamed corn… [more] means I grow my own corn (and in this case dry my own thyme), then wield

beet gnocchi

03/19/2012 | 7 Comments | Topics: food., freezer magic, recipes, starch, vegetables

Yes there are hearts on the towel and yes: the beets are red and okay… I made this for Valentine’s day. But I make it other days too—and so can you. It is simple to make, easy to freeze and maybe a smidgen healthier than their potato-only cousin.
I recently hosted a cooking class based on 3 kinds of gnocchi and a trio of Italian desserts. We made sweet potato … [more]

gnocchi. and why it is your friend.

01/03/2012 | 6 Comments | Topics: food., Italian food & wine, starch

I have been teaching a lot of gnocchi-making classes lately.
I adore traditional gnocchi made with waxy, yellow potatoes (nope: don’t use russets/baking potatoes). Though sweet potato gnocchi… [more] is wildly popular and the other day a plate of beet gnocchi made me smile—I am still a sucker for classic potato. Gnocchi lend themselves to a myriad of dishes, and are a fantastic candidate for those nights when you need dinner

risotto. with winter vegetables.

12/10/2011 | Comments Off | Topics: Italian food & wine, starch, vegetables

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Living in Italy for a year meant I had a lot of time to focus on food, roam food markets and notice which foods ‘grew together’ at different times of the year. Right now any combination of winter vegetables would happily co-mingle on top of a plate of risotto. Kale and chard, carrots, brussel sprouts and onions… winter squash, yams, sweet potatoes. Toss in some raisins or nuts for crunchy

thanksgiving dish re-invented: sweet potato goes gnocchi

11/21/2011 | 10 Comments | Topics: holiday food, Italian food & wine, starch

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I actually teach gnocchi-making, and sweet potato gnocchi is one of my favorite variations. The recipe is inspired by fellow Chef Iole. You pronounce it /ee oh lay/ and yes: she is Italian. You may or may not know this about me, but I have a great affinity for Italian food. It is one of my specialties; I like to tell people that living in Italy for a year taught

roasted sweet potatoes with blue cheese

11/19/2011 | Comments Off | Topics: food focus, starch

Just the other night friends came to dinner and I roasted carrots and turnips; often I roast new potatoes with shallots and wedges of fennel. Or under a big roasted chicken… [more]: fennel, onions, kalamata. You will see me lube up squash with olive oil, cut beets into uniform chunks and find thyme and fancy salts to sprinkle all over tomatoes, cauliflower or long, thick wedges of rustic potatoes. In

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 6 [of 10] PRIMI

10/06/2011 | 1 Comment | Topics: davinci wine, food., Italian food & wine, recipes, starch

Primi.… [more] The ‘first course’ is generally a starch. Italians spread out their courses, so no two things go on a plate. Contorni are the sides, salad is separate and pasta stands alone. No piling multiple things—in Italy each course is deserving of its own plate. The Primi coarse includes everything from pasta (with ragu, seafood or just garlic and oil) to risottos, polenta, gnocchi and gnudi. Gnocchi are olive-size potato

Pesto Pasta Salad & Pesto Spinach Salad.

05/12/2011 | 5 Comments | Topics: dip, sauce & syrup, food., recipes, salad, starch

I hope you had a lovely Easter, Mother’s Day and my oh my: are you gearing up for graduation like we are? My son Caleb is on the cusp of exiting the 8th grade, crossing off each of these last days as ‘mission accomplished.’ It’s almost mid-May!
I think May and October might be my two favorite months. October is the thick of fall, full of crisp days and colored… [more]

Sicilian arancini

06/20/2010 | 5 Comments | Topics: food., Italian food & wine, recipes, starch, starters

Every so often, the boys and I trek to the Paperback Exchange—an English bookstore—near the Duomo in Florence. While their books are a bit overpriced, it remains a gem as it is full of paperbacks, cookbooks, school books and more. Plus you can turn in already-read books for pennies on the dollar (we are big fans of ‘recycling’ books—it is less about the pennies).
On one such day, Anthony (my… [more]

make your own tortillas

05/14/2010 | 7 Comments | Topics: food., recipes, starch

I was super happy to find My Sister’s Kitchen… [more] via Twitter; and how lucky to land on Barb’s website when her recipe for homemade tortillas was front and center!
In Italy, if we have a penchant for tortillas we end up buying overpriced American tortillas or too-thick-and-crumbly Italian ‘tortillas.’ The latter come with a caveat: although they appear to be tortillas, Italians use them to make sandwiches (think: replace the