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Quaresimali – Chunky Almond Biscotti for Lent
Nobody does Easter like the Italians. From chocolate fantasy eggs and wonderful cookies to the famous Pastiera, celebration foods abound. Lent, or Quaresima as it is known in Italy, is the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter, a time of self-enforced culinary deprivation during which cucina magra, or the consumption of lean food, is the order of the day. This extends all the way to dessert. However, Italians have found plenty of ways to enjoy their treats during the Lenten season, and Quaresimali, a traditional cookie, is but one. Each region, each town, every bakery and every nonna has a unique rendition of this cookie. From tooth-breakingly hard and desperately in need of a dunk, to the delicate cocoa meringue alphabet cookies of Florence, these cookies are found throughout the country. Read the remainder of this entry »
Southern Italian Desserts by Rosetta Costantino – A Book Review and a Giveaway
Zeppole di San Giuseppe
We have a winner!
The winner is Laney of the website Ortensia Blu!
Congratulazioni, Laney, your book is on its way!
Rosetta Costantino, food writer, cooking teacher, and native of Calabria, gathered her husband and kids, and traveled through the Italian regions of Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia and Sicily to find the classic desserts of Southern Italy, a swath of territory known as the Mezzogiorno. From cookies, to cakes, cream-filled pastries and frozen desserts, she tried them all, developed recipes and now presents them here in Southern Italian Desserts, entry number three in my Suggestions for Christmas Giving. This book will whet your appetite for holiday baking and gift giving, while awakening memories of family gatherings and long lost recipes. It’s a dream come true, a sweet tour of southern Italy, and I’m glad to say that the publisher, Ten Speed Press, has provided a copy of the book to give to one lucky reader.
The book opens with a brief history of Southern Italy and a discussion of the many different cultural influences and their contributions to the cuisine. The chapter A Southern Italian Dessert Pantry lists the tools, pans and other items necessary along with descriptions of various Italian ingredients. Like the country itself, the recipes are divided by region, presented in unique chapters. Read the remainder of this entry »
On Sunday, occasionally – No. 1
Welcome to my newest feature. In my virtual peregrinations I find articles that are informative, entertaining and just downright beautiful. Some are by professional food writers, others by amateurs. I’ve decided to post my favorites here on my site. This way you can see what I see. Most of what I post here will be in English, and I’ll focus on things Italian, but there are no limits. Not yet anyhow. If I see something special, I’ll post it here. For now my list will go up on the occasional Sunday – no promises yet on a regular schedule.
Many thanks to Kathy Ayer, whose Italy on a Plate-Weekly Roundup inspired this project, and to Judy Witts Francini for telling me to get going. Thanks also to Nancie McDermott, who wrote to me “You are the clipping service that never sleeps.”
Here are nine that caught my eye. Click on the descriptions to see what I discovered! Read the remainder of this entry »
Bocconotti Calabresi – Italian Christmas Cookies
Adri’s Great Blog Cook-a-thon #6
My great Blog Cook-a-thon continues. Travel to Calabria for bocconotti – little mouthfuls – with Cooking with Rosetta. These “little mouthfuls’ are delicate lemon scented pastry cases with a chocolate, almond and cocoa filling warmed with cinnamon and cloves. These are addictive. Read the remainder of this entry »
My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher
A Book Review
My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy’s Undiscovered South
I have mentioned it before. I am a cookbook addict, an avid collector. I love the genre, and my shelves are overflowing. Positively, absolutely overflowing. The truth is the books have begun a slow walk across the library floor, down the hall to the side of my bed. Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you. It is only fitting that the books have made their way to my bedside since cookbooks are my preferred bedtime reading. But with all those books I have had to become highly selective with my purchases. This one, however, was the proverbial no brainer. As soon as I heard that Rosetta Costantino had written a book on the cooking of Calabria, I knew I had to buy it. Ms. Costantino was born in Calabria, and at the age of fourteen came with her parents to the United States. She and her family live in Oakland, California where she teaches cooking. Her book was released late last year. I apologize to you all for keeping it to myself. Its 416 pages are filled with the food and culture of Calabria, all from the very personal viewpoint of Ms. Costantino. This collection of recipes, reminiscences and cultural background will have you reaching for your Post-It Flags. Read the remainder of this entry »