We just returned from living abroad for one year—a family adventure that started with 4 bikes and a GPS and ended with Italian soccer and school. We cycled from Amsterdam to Paris, toured London, flew to Florence and settled in for the school year (where my sons age 13 and 14 attended an Italian school). [...]

My brother, sister and two nephews are coming to Italy for an extended visit. We love that they are here for Easter—Florence boasts fireworks and a ‘dove’ delivering big bangs and smoke from a chariot near the Duomo. Does it get any better than that?
And since we cannot seem to find the colored plastic eggs [...]

Oh yes, I am having an affair with Italian food. Day by day, I am falling in love.

I signed up to participate in Foodbuzz’ 24-24-24 and was selected. My theme: pure Italian food. Better said: all of the Italian I can possibly insert into one fantastic menu, an outpouring of all I have learned and [...]

As in: no white shoes before Easter, loose the leg warmers and satin is out.
This meal is all wrong. I learned in cooking school that it is important to consider the combination of foods on a given plate. In other words, what are the varying textures? Are the colors contrasting? Do you have a protein, [...]

We all love a good rub: especially in the form of a nice comment or a compliment.
But this isn’t about verbal love: it is about well-rubbed steak. Ideally, a steak that beckons gratuitous verbal rubs after it travels from fork to palate.
Latin Spice Rub
1 T packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp [...]

Well they are friends the other days of the week too, but as it turns out Friday night was the night we invited these particular friends to dinner. I love looking forward to a night of basking in the company of good friends. It is a celebration, a happy time to enjoy one another’s company.
Of [...]