CHICKEN HUNTER’S STYLE Pollo alla Cacciatora MAKES 4 SERVINGS There are as many versions of this dish as there are Italian cooks! Here is one adapted from memories of my grandmother’s cooking and a dish I sampled in Rome. Ingredients 8 chicken thighs & legs, preferably natural, free of antibiotics & hormones 2 tablespoons extra [...]
Author Archives: Gerri
THE ACT OF COOKING FOR ANOTHER
February 13, 2012 – 7:15 pm
It’s a weeknight and most of us are working irrespective of St. Valentine’s day. Some of us would prefer to forgo the flowers, cards attesting to lifelong love, and all the “store-bought” artificially manufactured testaments to passion. However, there is nothing more sensual than a meal cooked for someone you love. With memories of my [...]
SUPERBOWL PARTY IDEA
January 28, 2012 – 12:58 pm
For those of you who have been fortunate to travel to Umbria or Tuscany during the Olive racolte, you may have tasted a true bruschette: crusty warm grilled bread saturated with new oil from the olive mill. This is bruschette in its simplest and finest clothes. With superbowl parties in the planning stages across America, [...]
STOCKING THE ITALIAN PANTRY
January 14, 2012 – 8:54 am
STOCKING OUR ITALIAN PANTRY One of the techniques I use to keep cooking a fun, creative process makes use of a well-stocked pantry. I know that I incorporate Italian flavors into an array of recipes whether I am cooking in New York or in Italy. These flavors are preserved in the form of canned tomatoes, [...]
THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG THAT MADE THE GOLDEN PASTA
June 28, 2011 – 12:51 pm
There is a saying in Italy, once you see Naples, you can die. I’ll rephrase this. Once you’ve eaten pasta made from goose eggs, you can die. Who would think an egg would be such a big deal? As you can see, the goose egg is over double the size of a typical “large” commercial [...]
The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg
June 14, 2011 – 8:42 am
Weighing in at 140 gram (over 4 ounces) , the egg of the goose is large indeed. The average large egg weighs in at about 60 grams or 2 ounces. What will we do with it in our kitchen at Cucina della Terra? Stay tuned…..
CARP (IN UMBRIA), CARPE REGINA
June 5, 2011 – 10:29 pm
CARP (IN UMBRIA) Carpe Regina Alice B. Toklas may have clubbed her carpe to submission, but here in Umbria, you need only a few dead mice, a fishing pole and patience to tire out your catch until they give up the fight. Mattia, the tall, blond, handsome son of my neighbor did just this last [...]
A SAGRA FOR SNAILS?
June 2, 2011 – 9:16 pm
A Sagra in Italy celebrates a certain food, whether it be a fruit, vegetable, animal, fish,or a particular pasta. It’s a festival that takes place in cities and towns, marked by tents, communal tables, inexpensive food , carafes of local wines, laughter and dancing. This past weekend we experienced the Sagra di Lumache, or the Festival of [...]
Risotto Primavera , Risotto in Spring
May 27, 2011 – 8:26 am
Finalmente, a night arrived without social commitments. RISOTTO PRIMAVERA, Risotto in the Spring Makes 2 servings If there is any recipe that symbolizes spring in Italy it is this one. The fresh bright greens and delicate flavors of asparagus, peas, fava beans, artichokes bring out the essence what spring is all about, the birth of [...]
Living in Umbria Italy
May 24, 2011 – 9:58 pm
Did I say yesterday that I was planning to make a risotto with freshly picked asparagus from the garden? We stuck to our plan, made a rich broth with chicken parts and iced it down. We decided to pick up some fresh peas and fava beans to add to the risotto. By the end of [...]