Cooking Vacations Italy-Celebrating The Food, Art & Music Of Italy

Women’s Day in Italy: Celebrating with a Flower

2012-03-07T16:15:00.000+01:00

Along the steep cliffs of Positano, the mimosa flower stands out like specks of bright yellow paint on a canvas. They’re the first sign of spring’s arrival and tomorrow they hold a special significance for women. March 8th is Festa della Donna or International Women’s Day in Italy. Women receive sprigs of the fragrant flower from their loved ones and friends.

Its origins are tragic, on this day in 1908, 129 garment factory workers in New York died in a fire. While protesting to improve their work conditions, the factory’s owner locked them inside. The day was established as a holiday in Italy in 1944 as well as many other nations worldwide. It recognized women’s overall contributions to society and efforts in achieving equal rights. The flower was chosen the following year to mark the holiday after World War II.

Today women celebrate by taking the day or evening off. Perhaps to enjoy a meal or drinks out with friends. Aside from flowers, women can indulge on treats such as the Torta Mimosa or Mimosa Cake made of orange juice, whipped cream and orange liqueur. So whether or not you have a mimosa to give or receive, remember how far women have come and those who still continue to strive for equality today.

Questa mimosa è bella come te che splendi e profumi nel giorno della tua festa! ~ This mimosa is as beautiful as you that shine and are fragrant on your special day.

Cooking Vacations Cooks Up Top Toasts

2012-02-15T20:26:00.000+01:00

Cooking Vacations
Cooks Up

TOP TOASTS
-A food & wine event-

Top of the Hub Toasts The Amalfi Coast
with Wine Pairing Event & Regional Wine Dinner
March 16 & 17

Mark Porcaro, Executive Chef at Top of the Hub, will welcome Vincenzo Esposito, Executive Chef from Villa Franca in Positano, Italy, to the sky-high restaurant on the 52nd floor of The Prudential Tower for a special collaboration of their talents and cuisines as "Top of the Hub Toasts The Amalfi Coast."

Friday, March 16, a Regional Wine & Hors d'oeuvres Pairing Evening set for 6 p.m, combining the best of American and Italian flavors and traditions.

Saturday, March 17, a special four-course Regional Wine Dinner will follow at 6 p.m.

Join us for the event, and visit Top Of The Hub for one month following and enter your chance to win a Cooking Vacation to Positano Italy at the Hotel Villa Franca, no purchase required, black out dates apply.

Additionally, select menu items marking the American-Italian collaboration will be added to Top of the Hub's traditional Dinner Menu during April.

The event is brought to you by,
The Top Of The Hub, The Lenox Hotel, Hotel Villa Franca & Cooking Vacations Italy.

Space is limited for these exceptional events.
For information and advance reservations (required for both events) Please call 617.536.1775

The Perfect Pairing: Neapolitan Food & Alto Adige Wine?

2012-02-13T11:56:00.000+01:00

Alberto Ugolini of Kettmeir, left, with Chef Alessandro Russo of Le Tre Arcate.

It isn't every day that a Neapolitan restaurant hosts a wine pairing dinner with a vineyard from Alto Adige. Brand Ambassador for Kettmeir Alberto Ugolini joked: “Vengo da Bolzano, non mi riccordo bene l'italiano,” “Being from Bolzano, I don't even remember how to speak Italian,' referring to the strong Austrian influence in this north-eastern corner of Italy, where you'll hear more German spoken than Italian. The two regions couldn't be more different- with Alto Adige land-locked, cold and mountainous and the Naples area comfortably temperate and surrounded by sea. Could the wines of one, go with the foods of the other?

Yet, Alessandro Russo & Chef Salvatore Accietto, of Le Tre Arcate near Sorrento, dared to bring these two cultures to the table together. Kettmeir, part of the Santa Margherita group of vineyards, proposed an evening focused on the 'texture' of wine, as so many words we use to describe wine, are the same we use to describe fabric: smooth, silky, velvety, satin, or even rough. So, with each of the four wines brought to the table, guests chose which of the four fabrics from a swatch card, reminded them most of the wine. No answer was right or wrong, just an opportunity to consider the fourth sense of 'touch' we use when we taste.

Chef Salvatore Accietto took care of the food pairings. A light pizzetta fritta dolloped with Vesuvio tomato and basil, followed by a trilogy of sea bream breaded & flash fried, a squid croquet and a red shrimp and buffalo mozzarella sfogliatella paired with Kettmeir's Brut Athesis Metodo Classico bubbly, a champagne-style sparkler from the mountains of Alto Adige, most grapes growing above altitudes of 600m (about 2000 ft). Following, a scabbardfish risotto with a drizzle of pine nut oil with the Chardonnay Maso Reiner, a completely oaked Chardonnay. Kettmeir's prized red Lagrein Riserva Athesis, made from Alto Adige's unique native grape, lagrein, paired with raisin & pinenut stuffed cuttlefish, served braciole-style. To end, a deconstructed fruit tart with raspberry, blackberry and gooseberry and a truly rosy Moscato Rosa, a perfect sweet ending with just the right tartness and flowery balance.

The perfect pairing? According to Ugolini, “Good wine with good food and good company.” I'll toast to that- Salute!

Cooking Class at Eataly NYC with Mamma Maria & Cooking Vacations

2012-01-26T22:02:00.000+01:00

Join us April 3, 2012 for a cooking class at Eataly, NYC with Mamma Maria!
Click here for more details on the menu and how to sign up.

Cooking Vacations Winter Kitchen News

2012-01-24T14:12:00.000+01:00

Read all about it....http://cooking-vacations.com/newsclips/newsletter/

The Good Little Befana

2012-01-06T15:20:00.000+01:00

On the night of January 5, folklore tells, the good Befana rides her broom delivering sweet treats and toys to children. It is also said she refused the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem and told them she was too busy cleaning.

When she changed her mind to invite them in, they had already left; leaving the Befana aboard her broom searching for the trio.

Legend also says, her rag cloths are the origins of the cenci, delicious pastry served at this time of year, especially in the North of Italy.

This feast day, dating back to the Pagans, is celebrated with different dolci depending on what region. One thing that is in common in all regions is the Befana Song!

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long live the Befana!

Cooking Vacations Test Kitchen: Anatra & Pappardelle

2011-12-30T16:04:00.000+01:00

Patience! A little patience is the key ingredient in making this delicate Tuscan recipe. Ingredients are simple, but you will need time to let it slow cook, stirring gently and every now and then over the two days. Taste as you go, you may want to add a little extra red wine in to the pan as it reduces. The best part of this recipe, besides wrapping the big fat noodles around your fork with succulent sweet duck, is the sweet smell it brings to your kitchen for the two days while slow cooking. There will be plenty of sugo for at least two dinners down the road, so make sure you have glass containers with seal tops for storing.

Buon appetito!

Anatra & Pappardelle
Makes a big pan of sugo (about a gallon or more)
Three servings of 450 grams of pasta each time

1 6-pound farm raised wild range duck (cut in pieces with most of the duck fat cut off)
4 carrots washed, peeled and sliced into small pieces
4 small inner hearts of the celery stalk, washed and sliced into small pieces
1 medium size onion, peeled and slicked into thin small pieces - chopped
2 pinches of sea salt
1 and a half handful of fresh parsley
2 large bottles of homemade sauce (San Marzano tomatoes)
1 cup of red wine

Wash the duck well, and remove all fat.

Start by warming extra virgin, first-cold pressed olive oil in the pan. Add the onions, celery, carrots and pinch of salt.

Cover and slow cook until the mixture becomes soft. Add the two bottles of tomatoes, and slowly add the one cup of wine, stirring slowly and often. Remove the sauce from heat for 3 minutes or so and blend everything with a hand-held mixer. Add the parsley and return the pan and sauce to slow cooking. When the sauce starts to warm, add the duck. Dunk under the tomato sauce and let slow cook on low, low, low...for 8 hours.

You can turn off and go to sleep and start the process again in the morning. As the slow-cooked sauce and duck start to blend, the duck will break down. I chose to leave all the bones in the sauce until serving, they add taste.

After nearly one day and a half of slow cooking, fill a full pot of water with sea salt and bring it to a boil. Boil Pappardelle pasta (450grams) until al dente. Add some sauce in a saute pan, add the duck sauce and then the pasta - flip the sauce into the pasta until well mixed. Serve in a big ceramic pasta bowl, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

And for a little dessert, a chocolate and a limone caprese!

Cooking Vacations Test Kitchen Cooks Up Hanukkah Treats

2011-12-27T16:44:00.000+01:00

While the rest of Italy is frying up Zeppole and Struffoli, we set our task to recreating a Hanukkah favorite, Sufganiyot in our test kitchen in Positano. Traditionally, Hanukkah recipes are fried in remembrance of the oil in the Temple of Jerusalem that lasted eight days when there was only enough for one.

This recipe is courtesy of Mauro & Tze'ela from our Lucca’s Ancient Flavors & Traditions™ programs, whose specialty in addition to classic Tuscan is Tuscan Kosher cooking.

Sufganiyot
Makes about 32

1 kg Flour (2.2 lbs)
1/2 cup Sugar
40-50g Fresh Yeast (2 yeast cakes)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
2 cups Hot Water
Strawberry Jam or Marmalade
Vegetable Oil, for frying
Powdered sugar or granulated sugar, to garnish

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, adding the yeast as the last ingredient. Knead to mix well and let rise for 20 minutes. Cut off pieces of dough about the size of a mandarin orange and roll each one into a ball. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rise until doubled in volume (about 1 hour).

In a deep pot, preheat oil to a very high temperature and fry the sufganiyot until golden - turning halfway to cook evenly on both sides.

Remove and drain excess oil on paper towel. Use an injector or teaspoon to fill the fried sufganiyot with jam or marmalade. Dust with powdered sugar or granulated sugar to garnish and serve warm. Be careful - the warm marmalade can burn your tongue.

Happy Hanukkah and Buon Appetito!

Cooking Vacations Tastes Campania's Top Wines For Telethon Weekend

2011-12-21T10:12:00.000+01:00

“I Napoletani hanno un grande cuore-Neapolitans have a grande heart,” said Gianni Maione of BNL, the sponsor bank of Telethon in Italy in the fight against Muscular Distrophy. Over a weekend of Telethon Marathon, the top winemakers of Campania donated their top-prized vintages for an evening of tasting for a cause in Naples at the Grand Vesuvio Hotel.

While upstairs soccer President De Laurentiis prepared for Naples' big game and legendary Italian singer Lucio Dalla prepared for an evening out on the town, expert Sommeliers served up Campania's 21 top-rated wines in the Vesuvio's Sala Scarlatti. Mastroberardino faced off with both the Taurasi Naturalis Historia 2006 boasting old vines that make sure an interestingly complex yet fresh taste, and the Taurasi Radici Riserva 2005, though younger vines, the 30 months in Barrique give this a mature fruit and wonderfully spiced finish. But not only the big guys made it to the table. Also top-rated is Nanni-Cope's Sabbie Di Sopra Il Bosco 2009 with just two and a half hectares of vines and a production about 7,500 bottles, and Montevetrano 2009 with just five hectares and a production of about 30,000 bottles.

Sommeliers, wine-lovers and Telethon-supporters lined up to taste each of the 21 wines, including top Greco di Tufo, known for their mineral-salty finish, rich golden colored Fiano Di Avellino and Marisa Cuomo's best-loved Fiorduva, ranked the number two white wine in Italy. Reds ranged from the interesting Campania IGT, to spiced Aglianico and robust Taurasi.

All the best of Campania's wines and all for a great cause. Salute!

Cooking Vacations Plays Tombola In Positano

2011-12-13T14:52:00.000+01:00

With my heart pounding I stare at the number 45 willing it forward. “Chiamalo!” I yell as tradition requires – Call it! 68. The excitement swells in the pit of my stomach as I fear someone else might hear their last missing number, before Peppino calls the only number missing on my lilac-colored Tombola card. 45.

“TOMBOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” I yell, as I feel my whole face out to the tips of my ears turning red with exhilaration.

Maurizio takes my card and calls out the numbers one by one to make sure it is 'a true Tombola.'

“E' vera,” confirms Peppino over the microphone. As I bubble over with excitement, sighs of disappointment circle the room as hopefuls count how many numbers they were missing- only one? So close. Two? Almost there. Three? Not even a hopeful, bring on the next round!

Every year, December 8 marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Italy and in Positano that means Tombola at the central Bar Mulino Verde. Tombola is Italian BINGO – with winnings starting at Ambo (2 in a row), Terno (3 in a row), Quaterna (4 in a row), Quintina (5 in a row) up to the coveted Tombola (all 15 numbers on the card). Everyone from town, young and old, piles in to play for 1Euro a card and have a chance at winning gift certificates to spend at the bar. Though winnings can get high as the year ends and every usable inch of table, counter, bar, or pastry case is filled with someone keeping track of their numbers, the possibility of winnings is not what brings the whole town out on rainy evenings in December.

I squeeze in next to friends, acquaintances, neighbors, kids that are much bigger (and feistier) than I remember, not to mention a tourist here or there that needs the numbers repeated in English, French, or German and some kind tomboliere is always happy to oblige. All together, all counting and hoping Peppino will call out our lucky numbers.

As Maurizio begins passing out the next round of cards, we demand the cartelle fortunate, lucky cards. Maurizio has the same reply every time : “I always give lucky cards.”

For the full holiday event schedule in Positano including concerts, art & photography exhibits, Open Doors sagras in Positano's neighboorhoods and more, click here.

Or, click here for Cooking Vacations Culinary Tours In Positano.

2011-08-30T12:48:00.000+02:00

Cooking Vacations Italy Cooking Classes & School
Amalfi Coast Photography Expedition With Massimo Bassano
~Photographing, Exploring Images, Color, People, Food & Landscapes~The Chefs Kitchen~October 2 to 7, 2011. Join us cooking and photographing on The Amalfi Coast!!!

~Photographing, Exploring Images, Color, People, Food & Landscapes~The Chefs Kitchen~October 2 to 7,

www.cooking-vacations.com

An Italian Cooking Vacations experience celebrating Italian food, Art, and Music in Italy. We are the leaders in culinary tours, hands-on cooking classes, and cultural adventures in Italy

Elizabeth Berg Writers Studio ~ Positano

2011-08-23T16:59:00.014+02:00

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Writing & Cooking in Positano ~ October 8 to 13, 2011

Hope you are enjoying the summer!

Writing to follow up on the Elizabeth Berg Writers Studio in Positano.

Join Cooking Vacations for this exclusive writing and cooking week with New York Times Bestselling Author Elizabeth Berg.

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Writing & Cooking in Positano ~ October 8 to 13, 2011

There is still a couple of spaces available, if you decide to join us!

Call Lauren at 1.800.916.1152 or email at lauren@cooking-vacations.com

Hope you will join us writing & cooking in sunny Italy!

Lauren

Cooking Vacations’ August 2011 News

2011-08-16T17:48:00.000+02:00

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/newsletter.asp

Agosto, the month in the year where days on the beach end under smoldering sunsets that turn to star studded skies, where a gelato a day is a must, and where outdoor events of every kind spill into piazzas, gardens and outside theatres. In fact, everything in Italy is outside in August! Late nights under the starry summer skies mean San Lorenzo is almost here, - August 10, just another reason to celebrate and wish upon a shooting star.
August was originally called Sextilis in Latin when it fell under the Roman Calendar of Romulus, and it was renamed Augustus after the Roman Emperor Augustus around 8BC.
August brings us 31 glorious days of summer in Italy! It may be sizzling outside, but our kitchen is filled with delicious summer recipes to keep you cool and healthy!
Safe Summer!
Lauren

Serve an Italian Feast this Summer

2011-07-13T13:30:00.000+02:00

A delightful feast fit for a king! This 3 course Italian inspired meal provided by Cooking-Vacations.com includes Arancini Di Riso (Rice Balls), Filetto di Manzo All’Aceto Balsamico (Beef Fillet in Balsamic Vinegar), and Gelato Alla Crema (Italian Creamy Ice Cream)! The family will love the richness and flavors of each dish, and everyone will feel transported to Italy, if just for an evening!

Click to read the article and recipes in Tiny Green Mom
http://tinygreenmom.com/2011/07/serve-an-italian-feast-this-summer/

The Ubiquitous Grape!

2011-05-18T16:55:00.000+02:00

Wine is becoming more accessible and attractive to more consumers.

More Americans are shunning beer for wine, and younger generations enjoy it outside of meals, preferring it instead with snack foods or solo, says new research about the latest in wine trends. In fact, experts say, one-quarter or wine is enjoyed without any food at all. Wine drinkers’ ages may determine how wine is drunk, as older drinkers are more likely to have it with food than younger wine drinkers. Half of the wine that those aged 65 and older is consumed with food, while less than a third of the wine that Millennials drink is enjoyed with meals or snacks, says the study.
Why the generational differences between wine drinkers? The results make perfect sense, says Elizabeth Schneider, Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine and owner of Wine for Normal People.
While the study says that one-quarter of consumers don’t eat food with wine, that means the majority—three-quarters—do, she notes.  Also, while less than a third (31 percent) of MIllennials drink wine with food is an “important statistic,” Schneider says, it is tied to their life stage.
“That age group is probably just beginning to enjoy better food, [and] learning how to cook,” she explains. “The group is upwardly mobile, but maybe isn’t at the place where food has become a big deal for them—that generally comes with the ability to afford meals out or to buy gourmet ingredients to cook.”
Just as the characteristics of wine change over time, so does how an individual treats it. “Younger people tend to consume alcohol for different reasons than older people, and their behavior changes with age and time,” Schneider says.
Schneider dispels the notion that drinking wine without food is something unique to the Millennial cohort; as they age, she contends, their habits will more closely resemble those of their Boomer counterparts.
“I guarantee that as the generation ages, earns more, and grows more savvy in its knowledge of wine and traditions, individuals will consume more food and wine together,” Schneider maintains.
While there tend to be differences between groups of wine drinkers, it is never good to over generalize, agrees wine tasting expert Melody Guerra, who is sommelier-in-training for Cooking Vacations Italy.

http://www.demodirt.com/index.php/us-trends/consumer-spending/464-the-ubiquitous-grape

Tastes Of Italia's May Issue, featuring Todd English by Lauren Birmingham

2011-05-11T22:54:00.000+02:00

"I came from a family of amazing cooks," says Chef Todd English. "My great-grandmother, Bettina, who lived to be something like 100 years old, would always make pasta. Check out Todd English's Red Velvet Cupcakes in www.tastesofitalia.com/homeNew.html

Cooking Vacations featured in Top 20 List Of Best Breaks for Foodies by Trip Base London!

2011-05-04T20:17:00.000+02:00

Are you a foodie, tripping the planet for delicious recipes, hands-on cooking classes.....Cooking Vacations featured in Top 20 List Of Best Breaks for Foodies by Trip Base London! Cooking Vacations is the leader in hands-on cooking classes, food tours, and market visits to Italy. Tie on your aprons and join us in sunny Italy! www.cooking-vacations.com

Check out Trip Basewww.tripbase.com/d/culinary-breaks/culinarybreaks.htm

http://www.tripbase.com/d/culinary-breaks/culinarybreaks.htm

The Easter Bunny

2011-04-23T20:20:00.000+02:00

The Easter Bunny

Everyone loves the Easter Bunny. He is warm, fuzzy and always brings creamy candy and chocolate to the little ones. And although the Easter Bunny is so loved, we question where did the Easter Bunny really come from?

Folklore says, that the Easter Bunny came to America sometime in the 1700’s with the Germans who had ...settled in Pennsylvania. The fabled tale of the Easter Bunny, once called Osterhase, evolved and the tradition of coloring eggs and putting them in Easter baskets spread across the USA.

The Easter Egg
According to Saint Bede the Benedictine Monk, the word Easter came from Eostre, an Anglo Saxon goddess of Spring. In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. So eggs laid during that time were boiled, and saved to be a mainstay of Easter food, including prized gifts for children. And throughout time, the egg is a symbol of new life and fertility.

Celebrate spring and Easter with our Italian traditions from Cooking Vacations, including Mamma Celeste’s Easter Pastiera, and Mamma Maria’s biscotti.

Boston Marathon Carbo Charge!

2011-04-16T20:35:00.000+02:00

BOSTON MARATHON CARBO CHARGE FROM COOKING VACATIONS ITALY

CARBO CHARGE for the Boston Marathon this Monday with
with fresh Italian pasta courtesy of Cooking Vacations Italy.

Chef Salvatore Barba from Positano and Lauren Birmingham are busy in the test kitchen gearing up for Monday's Run. Any and all runners need just call for a complimentary delivery from the Boston Test Kitchen.

Eat healthy pasta with our hand made artisan pasta and organic Cooking Vacations virgin olive oil, and pass the finish line a winner!!!

Todd English To Nonna's Kitchen

2011-04-07T18:57:00.000+02:00

Lauren Piscitelli On Delicious Food Writing

by Taqiyyah Shakirah Dawud

I asked Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli of Cooking Vacations about the food-focused start of her career as a food writer, the special characteristics of food writing, and her favorite food writing adventure.

Q: How did you get your start writing about food?

I grew up in the kitchen with my two Italian grandmothers and mother. Cooking is a big part of the Italian culture, and my grandmothers and mom have kept all those traditions alive. Although we have a big Italian American family, as a young teenager who loved to read, cook, paint and write, I didn’t think about my roots. I lremember choosing fun books to read each summer on the hammock in our yard. We had a very Italian-looking yard and garden laced with grapevines and growing everything an Italian family could want: eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pumpkins, oregano, thyme, and sage. We also had cherry, fig, pear, peach and blueberry trees. But it wasn’t until I was older that I realized the importance of my background.

Q: What characteristics make a good book or article about food?

Tell the story of the roots of the food: its etymology, history, and orgin. Tomatoes for example, although icons of Italian culture and food, are not indigenous of Italy; they’re American. Eggplants are Chinese, lemons are Persian, and the list goes on. It’s also fascinating to write about how civilizations travelled with food, intrducing things like fruits and vegetables to other people who would then replant it ad have it flourish based on their climate. The information and knowledge is endless.

Q: How should a food writer prepare to write about a topic? What kinds of things do you regularly do when you’re writing about food?

Learn the source of the type of food or the ingredients of each dish you’re writing about. Find out the season, origin, and best compliment of each food. Then try everything in the kitchen. It’s almost impossible write or learn everything about food from behind a computer. Good food writing requires hands-on experience. All the senses need to be engaged as the writer touches, smells, cooks, and learns.Tasting is an absolute requirement.

Q: Tell us about the best food-writing adventure you’ve had to date.

Interviewing great chefs from Todd English and Franck Cerruti to a humble Nonna in the kitchen has been wonderful; each interview is always a learning experience. Although I am proud and pleased to meet and talk with each of them, my last interview featuring Chef Cerruti and a visit to Monaco was a true adventure. This world class, three-star Michelin-ranked chef is as simple as the country ingredients he cooks with. Look for the interview in the next issue of “Tastes of Italia”, coming to newsstands in June.

Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli is creator and owner of Cooking Vacations. She is a published writer, photographer, and owner of Birmingham Associates Communications, a public relations and marketing agency. She is married to Rino Piscitelli and they live high on the Amalfi Coast in Positano Italy surrounded by lemons, olives, oranges and an ever-blooming vegetable and fruit garden. They are producers of their own first-pressed Virgin olive oil and herbs, and they advocate organic products free of pesticides and the healthy Mediterranean diet.

Cooking Vacations Visits Villa Matilde

2011-03-29T15:16:00.000+02:00

If I met Maria Ida in a different circumstance, I would have ventured a guess that she was an art gallery curator or museum docent- with her gray wool cardigan contrasted perfectly with a red scarf and matching gray spike heels. As we walk though the vineyard, she jokes: “I’m so short, I’m used to hiking in heels.” I admire as she strolls gracefully over the uneven rocky ground.

“We are vignaioli,” – people of the vine – she explains. Her father, a lawyer by trade, planted the vines of Villa Matilde as a hobby, but never thought to make a living that way. Maria Ida and her brother Salvatore Avallone, despite their father’s warnings, decided to continue his tradition- leaving the wealthy professional circles of the city of Naples, to live and work in the countryside. “We started with just our passion, and today we have over 40 dedicated employees that help us produce about 880,000 bottles of our wines each year.”

Across the vineyard she points out the Renaissance villa that is built on ancient Roman foundations. The evidence of the Roman roots of this area is unmistakable, located just a couple of miles from the Lazio border in Campania. Here, the people have been cultivating grapes and making wine since Roman times- with the ancient Falernum – today’s Falerno Del Massico.

Maria Ida stoops and grabs a handful of dust that drains out of her palm into the wind, to demonstrate the characteristics of the soil. Thanks to the extinct volcano, the mountains on three sides, and the sea breeze, the soil is perfect for grape growing. “Here we grow the Aglianico grapes for the prizedCamarato,” she explains. “The vines here were planted by my father 47 years ago.” You can tell the age by the twisted, gnarled shoots coming out of the sandy soil in neat rows that are destined to make the garnet-colored Reserve.

“We may not be the largest or the oldest, but my brother and I make wines that convey our history and the personality of our land. That is our past and that is what we will carry on.” She gestures with her hands passionately as she talks, her silver bauble bracelets clacking together each time.

Food Trips Along The Amalfi Coast Wine Trails

2011-03-24T22:03:00.000+01:00

Our Wine tasting had everyone dancing in the vineyard!

A day out of the kitchen and at the vineyard, of course eating & wine tasting!! Bringing you fresh new food experiences and cooking classes from Italy! Chef Eva prepared Minestra with wine, Pasta e fagioli -yes with wine, grilled sausage & rape with wine, aged Pecorino with wine wine, and a table of desserts with sweet wine and great music. The country lunch in the hills of the Amalfi Coast brought new and old friends together, sharing recipes, tasting wine and keeping our artisan way of Cooking Vacations alive! Raise your glass and SALUTE!

TRIP ADVISOR VOTES FLORENCE & ROME TOP VACATION SPOTS FOR FAMILIES

2011-03-22T13:48:00.000+01:00

For all the parents out there that just can’t decide where to take the
kids on vacation this year both Florence and Rome have made the top 10
vacation locations for families in Europe!

Italy is a fantastic place for kids to learn and have fun. With all
it’s history your kids will have an amazing experience from seeing
Michealangelo’s David for the first time to clambering over ruins in
the Forum in Rome. Just remember after every museum or Church you
visit just buy them a gelato!

Dining out will be easy with pasta and pizza on every menu, and for
dessert some more gelato (you can’t have too much) the kids will be in
paradise! They may even learn a few words of Italiano along the way!
The Italians are all about families so the kids will be welcomed with
open arms everywhere they go. They will have a priceless opportunity
to enjoy their encounter with history, art, archittecture and a
foreign lifestyle!

Italy truly is a a great way to learn, have fun in the sunshine for
kids and grown ups too!

Apple Flagship Store Boston

2011-03-21T05:19:00.000+01:00

Big Apple at the Apple Flagship Store! I really felt like a big Apple on Friday, March 18 when I cooked up a spring menu and talked about my recipe for success using Apples for writing, I photo-ing, i pads, I phones and more. An interesting full house listened, watched and tasted samples from the Cooking Vacations' Kitchen. Grazie Apple!

Cooking With Apples- Ipod, MacBooks, Iphones & Cooking Vacations Italy

2011-03-15T21:54:00.001+01:00

Ciao from Cooking Vacations!

Cooking With Apple

For all the foodies in the Boston area, come join Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli Of Cooking Vacations Italy at the Apple flagship store, 815 Boylston Street, Boston, on Friday, March 18 at 6pm and cook with Apple.

Apple Computer, the world leader in Mac Books, Iphones, Ipads and computer technology pairs up with Lauren to discuss how she expanded her business to international heights using Apple Technology. An informal cooking demo with tastings from Cooking Vacations kitchen, along with lots of juicy information on new Mac technology to be served!

If you can't make it to Italy, we bring it to you!

We hope to see you there!

Italy's Feste Delle Donne & Sweet Mimosa!

2011-03-08T18:48:00.006+01:00

Yellow is everywhere today with soft flowers of Mimosa for the feast day. Ribbons & wrappings celebrating Feste delle Donne with Zeppole, Chiacchiere, Castagnole & Struffoli. The Bar Mulini, Positano’s best sweetest bar, was bustling today as lines of locals made their way to the pastry counter. Barister Maurizio piled the pastries high on parton’s platters with golden ribbons of Chiacchire & small mounds of Castognole; for the last sweet bite before Ash Wednesday tomorrow.

Amalfi Coast Beautiful In The Rain

2011-03-05T12:37:00.000+01:00

Even when the rain drops are coming down, there is a soft blue veil of mist that covers the sea and its beautiful in the rain. It looks like a Pasquale Volpe watercolor. A foggy feeling of comfort even though the rain is beats down. A mist of hazy blue, white and gray hangs over the mountains. No one is around. And the kitchen is waiting. A bowl of Cannellini beans that have been soaking overnight. Big as the rain drops outside, they are waiting to be tossed in onion and virgin olive oil with a little pink sea salt. Pasta and beans with fresh parsley is the fix for this lazy rainy day.

DeCecco Pasta Puttanesca For A Cold Rainy Day

2011-03-04T13:36:00.004+01:00

March winds and light sprinkles keep a cold winter feeling in the air. The perfect recipe for a hearty lunch to keep the chills away, Puttanesca. I started with a big pan and a three dollops of Extra Virgin first-cold-pressed olive oil, two springs of whole garlic over a medium to low heat (watching it while it infuses). I then add two small chili peppers, pink sea salt and a handful of capers. Next, I added a handful of small black olives, or olive di Gaeta. (I will remove the olives for Melody’s portion, she does note eat them), and four alici rolled around a caper (one for each person). Lastly a small bowl of cherry ripe tomatos sliced in half.

Let it simmer on low heat, about 15 minutes until the tomatoes start to cook.

PASTA. Boil water and a pinch or two of salt and "butta la pasta". Today I used DeCecco Spaghetti n 12 intergral, which means whole wheat pasta on the small side. Boil for 10 minutes, save a little of the pasta water or aqua magico to add to the sauce. When pasta is cooked "al dente" toss into the sauce pan and saute for a moment or two. Buon Appetito!

The Tuscan Epic

2011-03-03T17:28:00.002+01:00

The Soft Rains Of March Lead Us To the Spring's Green Grass In The Tuscan Hills.
The vineyards of Tuscany are home to our new program: The Tuscan Epic!

Join Anna Maria in her family’s historic mansion for a unique cooking experience blending Tuscan and Emilia-Romagna traditions in the village of Marradi. Luxury accommodations accompany delicious cooking, and local wines from Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna complete this colorful palate. Our weekend program gives you a taste of Marradi’s local flavor along with time on your own to enjoy the blend of tranquility and excitement that sets apart the Italian lifestyle, la dolce vita.

Marradi

Marradi is a riverside village tucked in the Lamone valley near Faenza in Tuscany, though just a short distance from Emilia-Romagna. This rural village nests quietly below cirrus-dusted mountains and has a landscape that has inspired artists and poets for centuries. Perfect for a hidden relaxing holiday yet within a short distance of the cities of Florence, Bologna, the seaside of Rimini and the incredible art of Ravenna.

Excursions take you to Ravenna with its incredible Byzantine churches and towns of Faenza, famous for ceramics, Pomposa with its frescoed Benedictine Abbey, Comacchio, a Venice-like lagoon town split by a network of canals and 17 bridges, Cervia, a seaside resort famous for its salt production, and Ferrara, with its Renaissance Estense castle.

Carnevale & Chiacchiere On The Amalfi Coast

2011-03-02T14:57:00.000+01:00

A warm cappuccino and Chiacchiere at a cozy cafe in Amalfi! There were mounds of Chiacchiere neatly laid in trays a top a baker's shelf, a sure sign that Carnevale is near. And as the cold wind swept in to this famous little bar with the many locals stopping in for their cafe, the baker's air inside kept me warm. As I bit into the golden ribbon of lightly fried dough, this traditional sweet that celebrates Carnevale, I immediately wanted another!

Executive Chef Franco Cerutti Executive Chef At The Hotel Paris Monaco!

2011-03-01T22:34:00.000+01:00

Italian Royalty reigns in Monte Carlo as the Chef to the stars, that is Michelin Stars, is wowing guests with his sensational seasonal food! I just returned from a private tour with Chef Franco Cerutti in his Michelin Star Kitchen at the Hotel de Paris and learned about his knowledge, passion and cooking secrets. Known for his simplicity in the kitchen, Cerutti uses seasonal high quality products and crosses the boarder into Italy to do his shopping. Daily fresh produce, fish, game, cheese and herbs are just a few items on his shopping list! Leading an orchestra of 20 Chefs, Cerutti serves up Sea Bass, Calamare, Turbot and game! From antipasto to dessert Chef Cerutti won my heart and palate!

Todd English and the Food Hall Plaza Hotel New York

2011-02-25T18:00:00.001+01:00

Chef Todd English opened the Food Hall in the Plaza Hotel last year- and New Yorkers are loving it! On a frigid Tuesday evening, the Food Hall was packed with diners elbow-to-elbow and chatting with each other and the chefs. The bar-style Food Hall puts diners up close with their chefs tending to the red-brick pizza oven, the raw bar and seafood station, the charcuterie and cheese block and more. The marketplace-food court atmosphere is decorated with swingy marmalades, olive oils, sauces, cheeses and of course, Todd English’s cookbooks, that are available for sale throughout the Hall.

The menu mixes Raw Bar, Sushi and Mediterranean with classic Italian such as Parmesan and Mushroom Risotto, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Bucatini all’Amatriciana, Pappardelle with Whipped Ricotta and Lobster Tagliatelle with Baby Artichokes.

We started with one of Todd English’s signatures- a Fig’s-style brick oven pizza, topped with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, rosemary and dried figs. As we waited I watched stiff-white-coated chefs walk past with a Zuppa Di Cozze, steamed mussels sprinkled with chilli pepper, and wooden cutting boards with all sorts of cheeses paired with salumi, olives and spiced honeys. The charred octopus with leeks and almond-red pepper romesco made my Amalfi Coast heart proud- that even on this icy February evening, my 8-legged tapas were tender and not the least bit rubbery. Meanwhile, my dining partner savored the hand-rolled Gnocchi with traditional veal Bolognese topped with shaved Parmesan.

We ended with two of Isabelle’s Curly Cakes- the Grasshopper with a mint butter cream frosting and the Red Velvet topped with a chilled White Chocolate-Cream Cheese. Keep an eye out for Taste Of Italia’s April Issue for more on these little delights!

February Newsletter

2011-02-18T17:19:00.000+01:00

February Newsletter

Click to read!

My Little Valentine

2011-02-10T12:40:00.000+01:00

Choco dipped strawberries sprinkled with sugar, candied slices of Amalfi Coast lemons, crystal chunks of golden ginger. A small little wooden box lined with lace and filled with Valentine sweets. Our Saint of love, San Valentino has an old story going back to the 500 AD. Even though his was abolished at one time, his come back is honored with hearts of all kinds on February 14. Celebrate the day with this simple romantic recipe. Take two bags of organic semi-chocolate, melt in a double boiler, add two cups of organic Chinese crunchy noodles. Stir until absorbed. Spoon out onto parchment paper lined pans the size of a walnut. Set to cool. Spinkle with sugar and serve on a silver platter. Sweet Tastings!

2011-02-07T19:13:00.000+01:00

Mangiare Bene

February Newsletter

Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy

My Little Valentine

I love the story of San Valentino! He was Italian! I love handmade cards shaped in big hearts and organic chocolate sweet made with baker’s hands. I love giving homemade gifts that make eyebrows rise and smiles wide. San Valentino is the saint of love, dates back to 500 AD, and was named after the Christian martyr created by Pope Gelasius. Sadly the sweet little holiday was edited off the Roman Calendar of Saints in 1969, but churchgoers and believers still honored him. It was the great writer Geoffrey Chaucer who put it back on the map when he penned beautiful love stories in his honor! Juno, the Roman godess of marriage, added fire to the flame and immortalize the name of Saint Valentine.

So here high on the Amalfi Coast, in honor of San Valentino, Melody, Giuseppe and I are busy in our Test Kitchen cooking, baking and making Valentine sweets to keep you cozy. Our small sized Capreses, made in a heart shaped form, are topped with pink sugared rose petals. Every sweet tooth wanted a bite so we baked and shipped our piccolo choco cakes to sweethearts Jennifer Lopez, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Larry King, and Denzel Washington to name a few.

Menu For Two

Simplicity reigns in Italian cooking and Valentines is no exception. Our San Valentino menu for 2 includes, antipasto Mare e Monti (sea and land) grilled winter pumpkin, wild Porcini, toasted polenta and lemon fused calamaretti (grilled to perfection); Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, Scialatielli pasta cooked in a sweet red tomato sauce tossed with sea-catches of clams and mussels; Todd English’s Branzino (recipe below); and a rich Torta Caprese con Gelato, white or dark flourless cake spiked with choco. And lastly, an espresso-Sambuca along with a choco-hazelnut Baci will have you exchanging love messages in Italiano!

This month Cooking Vacations was chosen as the leader in culinary tours to Italy specializing in KIDS COOKING sharing our thoughts on the healthy Mediterranean diet with Tiny Green Mom. I was interviewed and our recipes and story appear on this helping hand site for Moms, read all about us at http://tinygreenmom.com/2011/01/paccheri-con-le-melanzane-paccheri-pasta-with-eggplant-tomato-sauce/

The International Association of Women Entrepreneurs hosted an in depth interview on Cooking Vacations’ marketing and social media business communications. Read all about us, http://www.iaweo.com/facebook-marketing-strategy/

Cooking With A Contessa

Tastes Of Italia Magazine

Each month I travel, write and photograph for Tastes Of Italia Magazine covering all of Italy's 20 Regions reporting on interesting food & cooking news, artisan producers, slow food advocators, food purveyors and all good things Italian. Read about The Italian Contessa in this month’s issue.

“I love pasta! I love pasta e cocozza, pasta and pumpkin, pasta e piselli, pasta and peas, and pasta e cavolfiore, pasta and cauliflower, -simple pasta dishes, using the vegetables in season,” says Raimonda. This is Raimonda, she is a Contessa. Her green gray eyes catch the light as she tells about her love for Italian pasta. Read all about it, http://www.cooking-vacations.com/tastesofitalia.asp

Kids Cooking

From ours Kids Cooking kitchen, Chloe & Siena have contributed their love notes and recipes for fun Cupid recipes for any Valentine festa!

Florence Food, Art & Romance

And if you are looking for the absolute romantic getaway check out:

Florence: Food, Art & Romance™

Cooking With Chef Monica ~ 4 Day

Florence, Medieval City of food, art & romance is laid with ancient cobblestone streets, outdoor cafés spilling on piazzas, and museums home to Leonardo's Adoration of the Magi, Michelangelo's Davide and Botticelli's Primavera. Join Chef Monica for a Florentine cooking experience that will have you cooking like a local!

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp

Buon Appetito!

Lauren

Table Talk

February is the month of extremes: it’s wet and windy, often with unexpectedly warm days that surprise you; it brings the festive extravagance of Carnevale which is immediately followed by Lent, and the respite of winter along with the first seeds of spring and summer. After the snow and ice we’ve had over the last month, most of us are hoping for an early and clement spring, but in the meantime, it’s all winter coats and wooly hats.

But don’t let the cold put you off - there’s still lots to do out and about: a weekend on the slopes (it’s been a great year for skiing so far); a few days spent somewhere in the south of Italy where the sun is easier to find (why is it that while we’re bundled up against the snow it always seems that the beaches of Palermo are full?); and the many food sagras that are held in every corner of the country celebrating local seasonal produce like pork, beans, pumpkin, and the various different types of radicchio. There’s Carnevale of course, with its fabulous displays and processions with paper mache floats that poke fun at politicians and celebrities, and the most romantic day of the year, San Valentino. To celebrate, take the afternoon off to prepare a lovely dinner for two, and chose some of the Italians’ best loved aphrodisiac foods: oysters, shell fish, asparagus and truffles. Some even said that broccoli rabe was an aphrodisiac, but that was more probably a myth created to persuade people to eat it. But it is (apparently!) well known that almonds induce passion in females, vanilla increases lust, fennel is a source of estrogens, garlic and mustard stir desire, honey cures impotence, truffles stimulate and sensitize and of course we all know that chocolate is the food of the gods, so dessert could be anything from a couple of squares of 80% chocolate enjoyed with an aged rum or a silky chocolate fondue, after which it’s up to you!

So wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, we hope you’re having as much fun as we have here in Italy...

February Food Notes

It may be winter, but there are still some chores to do in the garden. The fruit trees and grape vines need to be pruned, and we also took some vine cuttings to graft onto others that are having less success. The perennial shrubs need tidied up and cut back, and towards the end of the month, perennials can also be divided. Out in the vegetable garden, our produce has survived the cold remarkably well. (Okay, it is under a makeshift greenhouse, but nevertheless...) The Savoy cabbages have come on in leaps and bounds though they need de-snailing every week or so and the first are ready to be chopped and sautéed with a little bacon or pezzente, a word which mens beggar or wretch, but which is in fact a delicious local type of semi-dry sausage which is made from all the left over pieces of pork once the main cuts have been transformed into chops, cutlets, sausages, salami, and capocollo. Left-overs it may be, but as anyone lucky enough to have tried it will tell you, absolutely delicious! The radicchio and fennel will be ready some time this month and the broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes a few weeks after that. Right now, what we have tons of is escarole, broccoli rabe (again best eaten with sausages or pezzente, and fabulous as a pizza topping) and a Neapolitan green called minestra, which tastes something like a cross between broccoli rabe and kale - very good indeed and very healthy. Which means that the kitchen is full of tasty green vegetables, simmering soups and hot savory pies. Maybe February isn’t so bad after all...

Recipes From Our Kitchen

Chef Todd English’s

Plaza Food Hall Whole Roasted Branzino

Serves 2

2 whole Branzino, (12 - 14 oz. ea) scaled and gutted from your fish monger

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bulb fennel, thinly shaved

1 orange, segmented

3 shallots, sliced

1 lemon, sliced into 3 1/8 inch slices

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp EVOO

6 thyme sprigs

Method

1. Rinse fish thoroughly inside and out under cold, running water.

2. If fish was not thoroughly scaled, remove by running the edge of a spoon along the length of the scaled area, from tail toward head.

3. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, shallots, thyme, fennel, and orange to make fish seasoning

4. Place fish seasoning mixture into the cavity of the fish and season with salt and pepper

5. Place fish on a hot grill and cook for 4 minutes on each side

6. Remove from the grill and place on a fry pan. Top fish with 3 slices of lemon and finish cooking in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Kids Cooking

Chloe’s Cupid Cupcakes

“Valentine's Day is a symbol of friendship and love. On Valentine's Day you show people you love them. Another word for Valentine's Day is Saint Valentine's Day. Cupids, doves, roses, and hearts are all symbols of Valentine's Day. The tradition of Valentine's Day started around the Seventeenth Century. The rose is the flower of Valentine's Day. Ciao ciao,…”

Chloe Lucia, 8 years old

Valentine Heart Cupcakes

Makes 6 cupcakes

6 tbsp butter, softened

Generous 3/8 cup superfine sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup all-purpose flour

Mix flour, sugar and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix until smooth. Place paper cupcake liners into muffin pan. Add mixture to half way in each. Bake for 20 to 25 mintues at 300F. Cover with white confectioner’s sugar.

Siena’s Choco Recipe

“Valentine’s Day is a very fun holiday. It’s fun bec/ we have Valentine parties. Valentine’s aren’t about how pretty they look, they’re about giving. People should make Valentine’s a great holiday by giving other people chocolate goodies and pretzels too. How about chocolate covered pretzels? Take some long pretzels, dip them in melted chocolate, or use chocolate molds. These are really yummy!”

Love, Siena, 5 years old

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Take 20 to 30 long Paul Newman pretzels

In a double boiler melt down one bag of Wholefoods dark choco chips.

Dip each pretzel into the melted choco. Place on parchment paper to cool. Sprinkle with pink sprinkles and place in the fridge.

With Love From Italy

If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~

Venice Carnival, 19/20 Feb - 26th Feb - 8 March

Those who have never experienced a day wandering around this beautiful city during Carnival have missed one of Italy’s most suggestive spectacles. Get there early, and enjoy a day spent wandering around the main piazzas and tiny alleyways rubbing shoulders with 18th-century wigged gentlemen and corseted, masked beauties. And even if you don’t dress up yourself, there are plenty of street artists around to paint kids’ faces and make them feel part of the action.

The Food Hall Plaza by Todd English

The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English is a European-inspired specialty Food Hall – and the first of its kind to open within a New York City hotel – offering the finest fresh, prepared and gourmet foods set in a stylish and convenient atmosphere. Visitors will also be able to purchase fresh flowers, a range of international specialty foods such as olives and olive oils, vinegars, spices, gourmet coffee, tea and cocoa, jams and sauces, as well as cookware and home goods. The open kitchens throughout the space will also allow for interactive events such as cooking demonstrations and wine classes.

The Unification of Italy, Sorrento, until 21 March.

The town’s Teatro Tasso just off the main square has been given over to an exhibition examining the Unification of Italy through cinema, theater, music and art. Along with historical notes, this makes for an interesting way to learn more about how modern Italy became a single nation.

Affordable Art Fair, until 6th Feb

Visitors to Milan this February might think about taking in the Affordable Art Fair at the city’s Superstudio Più, where over 60 galleries from all over the world present pieces of original art by living artists, all of which cost between 100 and 5,000 Euros. All in the hope of persuading people that creating your own collection of original art needn't cost an arm and a leg.

Giovanni Allevi, Rome 19 Feb

An unmissable event, with pianist and composer Giovanni Allevi performing pieces from his latest album entitled Alien. This particular tour debuted in Los Angeles and has already hit Japan, but fans back home are ready to welcome Allevi back to Italy with open arms. Also available on CD.

Italian Feasts And Celebrations

Carnevale isn’t the only event to celebrate in February: all over Italy you’ll find a whole selection of festas and sagras that will make your mouth water.

Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale. Florence, 4 - 13 Feb

This year the city of Florence is offering visitors an extra special treat over the Carnival period - a huge artisan chocolate fair. Not only will you find many of Italy’s most gifted cioccolatieri and their delicious wares - everything from steaming mugs of hot chocolate to delicately wrapped cracknels and bonbons, but there will also be demonstrations and lessons on the preparation of chocolate, explaining the transformation of the humble cocoa bean into the final product. And traditional flag throwers, masked processions and photographic exhibitions means there is plenty to do between one mouthful of goodies and the next.

22nd Sagra dei Biligocc, Casale di Albino, Province of Bergamo: 6 Feb

A wonderfully old fashioned sagra, here you’ll be treated to one of the area’s best loved products, chestnuts, which you can sample smoked, boiled and roasted as well as transformed into a range of products (including dried chestnuts and chestnut flour) that you can pick up to enjoy at home. This sagra boasts the participation of the local Slow Food convivium, so you’ll also be able to sample a whole range of delicious specialties prepared by local artisans, before enjoying concerts featuring traditional dancing and singing.

Mostra mercato del tartufo nero pregiato di Campoli Appennino, Campoli Appennino (FR): 12 - 13 and 19th - 20th Feb

Lovers of the delicious black truffle should head to the town of Campoli Appennino (under an hour from Rome) where they’ll be able to buy black truffles directly from over 80 dealers coming from 15 different Regions of Italy, and sample a myriad of delicious truffle based dishes. Enjoy the traditional truffle dog competition, folk groups, flag throwers, Medieval processions and visit local restaurants boasting yet more truffle offerings.

Fritoe, Golosità e Prodotti Tipici, Montagnana, (PD)

In the town of Montagnana in the Province of Padova, on the 20th February, those of you with a sweet tooth will be in your element. This delicious food fest celebrates all the various Venetian Carnival sweets and desserts, from deep fried sugar dipped frittole and chiacchiere to cream filled choux and miniature doughnuts. Lots of other produce will also be on sale and there are various face painting activities for kids and an antique fair and music for adults.

Italy On A Plate

Germaine continues her roundup of what's happening in the culinary world in Italy and gives you her chef of the month, book recommendation, and a list of seasonal foods for February.

What's in Season?

Pork

Octopus

Cod

Cuttlefish

Sea Bream

Baccalà

Swiss chard

Cabbage

Parsnips

Broccoli

Brussel sprouts

Carrots

Cauliflower

Broccoli rabe

Beetroot

Leeks

Celeriac

Fennel

Apples

Pears

Kiwis

Oranges

Lemons

Restaurant Of The Month

Bir & Fud, Rome.

Few visitors to Italy are familiar with the country’s artisan beer scene, so this month we visit a fabulous pizzeria located in Rome’s vibrant Trastevere district, close to the river, where instead of wine, there are an incredible 14 beers on draft, four hand pumped English style, and a further 250 different beers in bottles. And they’re all Italian! And what do you want to accompany your specially chosen artisan beer? A really good pizza of course.

Bir & Fud opened in 2007, but is already a firm favorite with locals and visitors alike thanks to the painstaking efforts taken by the owners to provide nothing but top quality food and beer in comfortable surroundings, and it now rates among the city’s top pizzerias. But of course, that doesn’t happen just by accident. At Bir & Fud, only best quality stone milled organic flours and specially sourced starter yeasts are used to prepare the pizza dough, which is then left to prove for at least 24 hours. (This ensures that fermentation takes place before the pizza is cooked, not once you’ve eaten it!) The same goes for pizza toppings: whether you opt for a ‘mare d’inverno’ which is a white focaccia with marinated baccalà, Taggiasche olives, and cherry tomatoes, or a ‘trifolata’ with mushrooms, sautéed eggplant, fresh buffalo mozzarella and shavings of Parmesan cheese, all ingredients are carefully sourced and selected. And part of the fun here is allowing knowledgeable staff to help you choose the best beer to accompany your choice of pizza.

There are plenty of other dishes to choose from in the menu, and all of them are good. But our favorite way to enjoy this great little eatery is to fill up on their traditional Roman starters like croquettes, supplì (rice balls), fried pumpkin, fried polenta or a little pumpkin risotto, then opt for one of the pizzas and an Italian beer.

Bir & Fud

Via Benedetta, 23

(Trastevere) Rome

Tel: (+39) 06 589 4016

Book Of The Month

Stir, Mixing It Up In The Italian Tradition

By Barbara Lynch

She may be an Irish girl raised in South Boston, but according to many of her biggest fans, professional chef Barbara Lynch cooks like an Italian nonna. Discovering her natural culinary talent in high school home economics classes, Lynch fueled her passion by reading books like Waverly Root’s ‘The Food of Italy’ and books by her culinary heroes Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Joel Robuchon and Gualtiero Marchese, and eventually took trips to France and Italy to absorb the local gastronomic scene and hone her culinary skills. Now, after many years of creating and cooking in her own restaurants, Lynch shares many of her own kitchen secrets in her first cook book ‘Stir’.

Remembering how starved she was for inspiration while still an aspiring chef, Lynch has taken care to include in ‘Stir’ the type of pointers and advice she knows will be useful to anyone who tries out her recipes: tips on the importance of using only the best ingredients, gaining a better knowledge of your own cooking tools and on seasoning food properly. Lynch’s appreciation of good food encompasses everything from simply sliced ripe tomatoes with best extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of fleur de sel to more elaborate preparations such as prune stuffed gnocchi with foie gras sauce and this is reflected in her recipes. Many, as she says, are embarrassingly simple: the gorgonzola fondue; pommes frittes; mixed greens with fresh herbs; and spiced walnuts. Others are a little more challenging, but promise unforgettable combinations of flavors: Maine crab, lemon and zucchini blossom risotto; green bean and seared shrimp salad with spicy curry vinaigrette; fontina and mushroom stuffed crespelle with brown sage butter sauce; and seared steaks with cheese sauce and roasted onions. Desserts cover everything from creamy vanilla bread pudding and yoghurt panna cotta to homemade apple butter tart and winter citrus with cumin meringue and whipped creme fraiche. So whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a special dish to entertain friends, ‘Stir’ provides the perfect inspiration.

USA: 20 Park Plaza, #400, Boston, MA 02116, USA |
T: 617.247.4112 | F: 617.247.4850

ITALY: Via G. Marconi, 177-84017, Positano, Italy • T:
39.339.604.29.33

Celebrate Valentines Day With A Sweet Cooking Vacation's Culinary Trip!

2011-01-28T18:41:00.000+01:00

All of us at Cooking Vacations know that everyone is counting down the days to, but days are getting longer already! And although temperatures are below here in some parts, Melody, Giuseppe and I are busy in our Test Kitchen cooking up a score of delicious foods! San Valentino has our recipes books turned to February with ideas for romantic dinners for 2 including, antipasto Mare e Monti, Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, Grigliata di Pesce, and a rich Torta Caprese con Gelato, white or dark. An espresso after dinner drink, spiced with Cointreau and a baci will have you exchanging love messages in Italiano!

I love the story of San Valentino! He was Italian! I love handmade cards shaped in big hearts and organic chocolate sweet made with bakers hands. I love giving homemade gifts, when eye brows rise with smiles wide. San Valentino is the saint of love comes from Italy. He dates back to 500 Ad and was named after the Christian martyr that was created by Pope Gelasius. Sadly the sweet little holiday was edited off the Roman Calendar of Saints in 1969, but churchgoers and believers still honored him. It was the writer Geoffrey Chaucer who put it on the map when he penned beautiful love stories! Juno, the Roman goddes of marriage, added fire to the flame and immortalize the name of Saint Valentine.

Celebrate Valentines Day With A Sweet Cooking Vacation's Culinary Trip!

Send us your favorite recipe and photo (if you have one) and one foodie wins a basket filled with goodies.

2011-01-18T18:38:00.000+01:00

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Scribing, Chef’s Kitchen & Writer’s Walk ~ June 11 to 17, 2011

Join New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg and Cooking Vacations for a writer’s workshop and cooking school on the Amalfi Coast in Positano. This extraordinary Literati Culinary Week is set for June 11 to 17, 2011. Limited space available due to restrictions on group size.

Spend a gorgeous week in sunny Positano with Elizabeth Berg and learn about good writing in this exclusive writing workshop and hands-on cooking classes too. Elizabeth, as you know, loves to cook!

Please read more, http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp?IDART=461

2011-01-13T15:29:00.000+01:00

Each month Lauren writes and photographs for Tastes Of Italia Magazine. As the Italian correspondent, she covers all of Italy's 20 Regions writing and reporting on interesting food & cooking news, artisan producers, slow food advocators, food purveyors and all good things Italian. A food lover, cook, pastry baker and Italian dinner party host, she keeps everyone in the know with her food stories that appear each month in America's most beloved food magazine, Tastes Of Italia- dedicated to Italy's food and cuisine. Click on each front cover to read on. Buon Appetito!

February 2011 - The Cooking Contessa - Click to read the article on Tastes of Italia!

Cooking With A Contessa

Join Chefs Antonino, Francesco, Antonio and Raffaele as they lead you through their wonderful hands-on cooking classes in Positano for a week of food, wine and sun-filled days. Our chefs share their Neapolitan recipes with you for making pizza, fresh pasta, antipasto, fish, meat and desserts. This program features the healthy Mediterranean diet. This one-of-a-kind cooking experience is set in a luxurious Villa, a private property, perched on the Amalfi Coast overlooking the pastel village of Positano. 

Stay in the Contessa's Villa overlooking the sea in Positano. Experience where her noble ancestors cooked and entertained lavishly and where she continues her family tradition. Recreate her Sette Sapori, Seven herb pasta dish-fit for any Queen!

Raimonda Gaetani dell'Aquila d'Aragona is an elegant Neapolitan Contessa and artist who invites you to share her family recipes. By Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/tastesofitalia.asp

January 2011 News

2011-01-03T18:25:00.001+01:00

Mangiare Bene

January Newsletter

Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy

A New Year In Italy is colorful fireworks over decorated piazzas, eating lots of lentils, wearing red undies and always ending with a sweet zeppole. Although Italians would rather be inside around the table or snuggled up to a hot choco in un bel caffé, New Year is a feast for all. The game of the season is Tombola. Tombola is really Italian bingo and has locals piled high with their cards as a designated m.c. calls out numbers faster than you can mark them with your little fagioli-beans, and everyone vies for the winnings. Winnings vary and can include Panettone, a leg of Prosciutto, a wedge of Parmigiano or sometimes a stack of Euros. Whatever the prize, a good game of tombola brings everyone out, mingling and socializing in even the smallest cafés. Buona Fortuna!

Lauren

Cooking Vacations’ Program Of The Month

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Scribing, Chef’s Kitchen & Writer’s Walk ~ June 11 to 17, 2011

Join New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg and Cooking Vacations' Writer’s workshop for a fabulous week of writing, cooking and eating your way along the Amalfi Coast. The week is limited and we do have space available. This extraordinary Literati Culinary Week is set for June 11 to 17, 2011. Limited space available due to restrictions on group size.

Spend a gorgeous week in sunny Positano with Elizabeth Berg and learn about good writing in this exclusive writing workshop and hands-on cooking classes too. Elizabeth, as you know, loves to cook! Read more here,

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/program.asp?IDART=461

Table Talk

Buon Anno from Cooking Vacations!

A New Year is with us, with its ice and snow (and what snow!), crowded ski slopes, dreaded new year’s resolutions and of course, the much awaited Befana. Those who love winter sports head for the Alps and the Dolomites for the famous settimana bianca, as the first few days of January are still considered holiday time. But towns and cities are also popular destinations, with visitors flocking to enjoy the festive lights and decorations without the summer crowds, and making the most of the bars and cafés to get out of the cold and enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea or chocolate. But the date that all the children have their eye on is the 6th January.

The feast of the Epiphany, celebrated 6th January as a national holiday in Italy, is one of the most important days in the Italian Christmas calendar (though Santa Claus is fast catching up!). The name Befana comes from the Greek word for Epiphany (epiphaneia), meaning manifestation or appearance, and is the religious festival celebrated 12 days after Christmas - what we would call the twelfth night - the day on which the Three Wise Men arrived at the holy infant’s manger bearing their gifts. Just as children all over the word leave notes to Santa Claus, Italian children spend the days running up to the Epiphany composing letters to the Befana and leaving them stuffed in an old stocking ready for her arrival. Then they leave out a glass of wine and a plate of food for their visitor, and run upstairs to bed, heedful of their parents warning that if the Befana sees them she’ll thump them with her broom. With her fearful appearance - ragged white hair, hunchback, large warty nose, missing teeth and black headscarf, children don’t need much persuading. Years ago, in their stocking children would expect to find nuts, dried figs or an apple, with coal for the naughty children. Nowadays there is always something sweet, but usually more generous presents too.

And while children await the Befana, adults struggle to keep their New Year’s resolutions to eat less and exercise more and decide that one more slap up meal probably won’t hurt after all. So more lasagne, more sweetmeats, and more brindisi with Italian bubbles. Because as everyone knows, the best diets always start tomorrow...

Food Notes

There are so many things we could talk about with the passing of the Italian New Year - the various New Year dishes eaten for a question of tradition and good luck - stuffed pig’s trotter served with a mountain of lucky lentils, ‘crespelle’ stuffed with salami and cheese, sweets stuffed full of candied fruit, dried fruit and nuts, and more luxurious ingredients like oysters, caviar and truffle to get the New Year off to an auspicious start. Or the thousands of bottles of Italian bubbly used to make toasts all over the country, prosecco, spumante and Franciacorta as popular as the better known champagne.

But in many regions of Italy, January also sees the traditional activity of the killing of the pig, harking back to the time when families were by and large self sufficient, and the slaughter of one of its most prized possessions was indeed cause for celebration. And for many families today, just as in the past, it is an important appointment on the gastronomic calendar. It’s an activity that demands a lot of hands: between the butchering, cleaning up and transformation of meat into sausages, salami etc. the whole extended family is involved. And it’s probably fair to say that there are countless Italian American grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles who look back fondly on the days in which they gathered in the courtyard to give a helping hand on the big day, running errands and carrying impossibly heavy basins of pork meat into the kitchen where the womenfolk worked long hard hours to cook and preserve just about every part of the pig, serving up the least prized (but equally delicious) cuts to be eaten together round a huge table after a hard days work. That way, the head, feet and other lesser cuts (virtually nothing is thrown away!) were enjoyed immediately, with more precious cuts cured and salted to be enjoyed throughout the year. While today most of us live far removed from such customs, it has to be said there is something very natural and life affirming in such simple traditions, something that reaches beyond the mere sphere of food and survival and that touches on family, comradeship and celebrating living and working together. And the truth is, sometimes what looks like progress may in fact be leading further from the truly important things in life. So we hope that every so often this year, you manage to take time out, not to kill a pig necessarily (!), but to celebrate the simple joys of family, friends and abundance.

Recipes From Our Kitchen

Lauren’s Lenticchie ~ New Years Eve Lentils –that can be eaten all year long

Serves 4

1 cup of organic lentils

4 cloves of garlic, cleaned and pressed

1 cup of baby carrots sliced in small pieces

1 cup of baby fingerling potatoes sliced in small pieces

two handfuls of chopped parsley

two stalks of celery sliced into bite-size pieces

Salt & Pepper, to taste

¾ pound of ground chopped Sirloin

1 red chili pepper

Extra Virgin first-cold pressed olive oil

First take a big, preferably ceramic soup pot. Drizzle the bottom of the pot with virgin olive oil until it is coated, slowly start to warm the oil on a very low

Heat. Add the garlic and let sauté. Add the chili pepper, salt and parsley.

Roll the chopped ground sirloin into tiny teaspoon size meatballs and let them start to roast over at the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, take a cup of lentils and sift through making sure there are no rocks. Wash thoroughly. Add one liter of water to the pan and toss in the lentils. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes. Let it cook for about 40 to 50 minutes on a very low heat until veggies are cooked.

Serve in a soup bowl. Garnish with garlic rubbed Italian toast. Drizzle a little virgin olive oil on the top.

Steamed Lobsters With Tomato And Basil Gelatin

Courtesy of Don Alfonso 1890

Serves 4

2 live lobsters (approximately 1.7 pounds each)

2 cups loosely packed basil

2/3 cup tomato sauce

1 new onion

4 leaves of unflavored gelatin

½ lemon

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Soften the gelatin in cold water then dissolve it completely over a double boiler.

Reduce the onion to a puree in a food processor; add it to the tomato sauce along with half of the gelatin mixture. Correct for salt, transfer to a mold and refrigerate until firm.

Blanch the basil leaves in ½ cup of boiling water. Drain, refresh and puree in a food processor. Add the remaining gelatin, correct for salt, transfer to a mold and refrigerate until firm.

Kill the lobsters with a net slice through the head and steam them immediately for 4 minutes. Remove the meat from the tail and claws and cut into bite-sized sections.

Presentation: Arrange the lobster meat on 4 plates, accompany with cubes of the two types of gelatin and nap with a citronette sauce prepared from an emulsion of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

Zeppole Anacapresi ~ Traditional Fried Dough Ribbons

Courtesy of Chef Maria of Maruzzella, Capri

Makes about 20 zeppole

3 ¾ cups 00 Flour

1 lb potatoes

½ cup sugar

5 tbsp butter

2 eggs

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

2 cakes (50g) natural yeast

¼ cup Milk

1 ½ liters sunflower oil, for frying

Boil potatoes until tender (skin on). Drain and peal by hand. Pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the middle. Pass potatoes through a ricer onto the flour and mix potatoes with flour, sugar, butter, eggs and lemon & orange zest. In the meantime, dissolve yeast in the milk, then add to the potato mixture. Mix well and should make a fairly solid dough, not too soft. Let rise in a warm place for about half an hour.

Roll out into coils and twist into ribbons. Set aside and allow to rise about 45 minutes. Put sunflower oil in a small pot and heat over low heat. Test oil by dropping in a zeppola- it should drop to the bottom, then rise to the top right away. Fry for 3-5 minutes turning until golden-brown. Toss with sugar and serve plain or with pastry cream and cherry- to taste.

With Love From Italy

If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~

Arte per Regalo. Those visiting Milan before 20th January might like to visit the Circolo Culturale Bertold Brecht where the Arte per Regalo initiative has brought together many Italian artists and artisans creating and selling their art directly to the public, in an attempt to encourage people to give unique, hand crafted objects as gifts to friends and family over the festive period. And the best news? Prices are surprisingly reasonable!

Van Gogh Back to Rome after 22 years. January is the last month for visitors to take in over 70 of Van Gogh’s masterpieces on display at Rome’s Quirinal Stables. On loan from museums and private collections all over the world, this exciting collection provides a unique opportunity to see many of the master’s most popular works displayed together. Also on show will be around 30 works of Gaugin, Cezanne, Pissaro and Millet. Too good to miss.

L’Acqua Alta. This year, like so many other years, has seen the city of Venice struggle under the high tides that submerge the city centre, creating infinite problems for locals and making it impossible to get about without the specially raised walkways and the donning of high rubber boots. Though it might not be to everyone’s taste, those hoping to see and photograph the world famous Piazza San Marco under two feet of water would do well to visit Venice in January!

Italian Feasts And Celebrations

Don’t let the winter weather deter you from visiting some of the fabulous sagras organized during the month of January all over Italy. By the time you’ve finished eating and drinking, you won’t feel the cold at all!

18th Mostra del Radicchio Rosso Tardivo di Treviso, Zero Branco, Veneto. As most radicchio lovers know, January and February are the best months for enjoying this deep red bitter vegetable, and during January, there are a variety of radicchio sagras to be visited all over the Veneto region. The one held in the town of Zero Branco near Treviso is held on the 7 - 9th and 14 - 16th January, and as well as being able to sample local specialties such as gnocchi, pasta and pizza with radicchio, you’ll also be able to try more unusual offerings such as radicchio grappas, liqueurs and cheeses. Music and dancing make this a great venue for kids, while adults can admire local ceramics and prints specially created for this event.

Festival Internazionale di Scultura Gelata, Cadipietra, Bolzano. Call us mad (we know it’s cold enough already!), but this fascinating ice sculpture event really appeals to us. From the 9th to the 14 January in the mountain town of Cadipietra near Bolzano, you’ll be able to watch an international team of artists create works of art from blocks of snow and ice while you stand enjoying a hot glass of mulled wine. This year’s theme is ‘Evolution’, so be prepared for some original works!

Fiera del Maiale, Villa Verucchio, Rimini. As we mentioned earlier, January is the month that pork products abound, and this festa held on the 16th January in the medieval town of Villa Verucchio near Rimini is a modern day celebration of the once traditional slaughtering of the household pig. Here you’ll find everything you’d have found a century ago - sausages, pork chops, pork liver, pork skin or ‘cotechini’, ‘ciccioli’ - fried pork fat trimmings (don’t be put off by the description - imagine crispy bacon-ish bites), salami, and even pork head. As well as pork products, you’ll find polenta, chickpea soup, and a variety of other soups with beans, greens, herbs and cauliflower.

Sagra del Polentone, Orvinio, Province of Rieti. Baby it’s cold outside, so fight off the effects of winter weather with this festival celebrating Italy’s deliciously filling polenta. January 23rd sees the 6th edition of this popular festa where guests can fill up on slices of polenta grilled and served with sausages and pork chops. Side dishes include local chicory, and of course, local wine is available to wash everything down. A real treat whatever the weather!

Italy On A Plate

By Germaine Stafford

Germaine continues her roundup of what's happening in the culinary world in Italy and gives you her chef of the month, book recommendation, and a list of seasonal foods for January.

What's in Season?

Duck

Goose

Parsnips

Broccoli

Brussel sprouts

Truffles

Persimmons

Carrots

Broccoli rabe

Beetroots

Apples

Pears

Kiwis

Leeks

Artichokes

Celeriac

Fennel

Restaurant Of The Month

La Pergola, Rome Cavalieri, Rome

It’s only New Year once a year, so we thought we’d include an extravagant experience as our January restaurant of the month. La Pergola restaurant is situated in the Rome Cavalieri hotel and is arguably one of Italy’s finest dining establishments. Boasting three Michelin stars and run by Executive Chef Heinz Beck, La Pergola is committed to culinary excellence, sourcing the finest ingredients in Italy and the Mediterranean and treating them with intelligence and sensitivity. Beck’s aim is to ‘transmit emotions through a balance of aromas, flavors and colors’, bringing a touch of innovation and modernity while respecting Italy’s great culinary traditions.

But there is so much more than food to be enjoyed here. The main dining room exudes unique ambiance and style: tables are laid with vermeil plates and cutlery and all around are fine paintings, tapestries, candelabras, antique Imperial furniture and a wonderful collection of hand-blown glass. And then of course there’s the view. The restaurant’s panoramic plate glass windows afford unforgettable views over the Eternal city and on summer evenings, diners can sit outside on the candle-lit terrace and watch Rome shimmer and sparkle as they eat.

And what to say of the menu? Chef Beck’s unique touch is apparent in every dish: grilled scampi with smoked potato purée, fennel and pink grapefruit; scallops with asparagus, radish and vinaigrette of tomato and basil; and medallions of lobster on avocado purée and tomato. First courses might include deep fried zucchini flower with caviar on shellfish and saffron sauce; risotto with oysters and champagne; spaghetti ‘cacio e pepe’ with white shrimps marinated in lime; or consommé of sweet peppers with veal ravioli. Main courses are just as appetizing: duck foie gras with wild strawberry sauce and amaretto gelée; black cod with celery sauce and curry crust; veal marinated in citrus fruit on vegetable ‘minestrone’; and terrine of rabbit with artichokes and beets, followed of course by a cheese selection second to none, the most delicious desserts imaginable. And there should be no problem selecting a wine from the 53,000 bottles in the restaurant’s cellar. Now that’s what we call a New Year to remember...

La Pergola

Rome Cavalieri

Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101

00136 Roma

Tel: +39 06 35091

Web: www.romecavalieri.com

Books Of The Month

Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life, by Frances Mayes.

Frances Mayes offers her readers a deeply personal memoir of her present-day life in Tuscany, encompassing both the changes she has experienced since Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany appeared, and sensuous, evocative reflections on the timeless beauty and vivid pleasures of Italian life. Among the themes Mayes explores are how her experience of Tuscany dramatically expanded when she renovated and became a part-time resident of a thirteenth-century house with a stone roof in the mountains above Cortona, how life in the mountains introduced her to a “wilder” side of Tuscany–and with it a lively engagement with Tuscany’s mountain people. Throughout, she reveals the concrete joys of life in her adopted hill town, with particular attention to life in the piazza, the art of Luca Signorelli (Renaissance painter from Cortona), and the pastoral pleasures of feasting from her garden. Moving always toward a deeper engagement, Mayes writes of Tuscan icons that have become for her storehouses of memory, of crucible moments from which bigger ideas emerged, and of the writing life she has enjoyed in the room where Under the Tuscan Sun began.

With more on the pleasures of life at Bramasole, the delights and challenges of living in Italy day-to-day, and favorite recipes, Every Day in Tuscany is a passionate and inviting account of the richness and complexity of Italian life.

Le Cento Migliori Ricette Di Bruschette, by Alessandra Tarissi De Jacobis & Francesca Gualdi

This dynamic duo takes us into their Italian kitchen and shares recipes for bruschetta, or italian toast. Bruschetta are normally eaten as a snack or antipasto and can be topped with simple extra virgin olive oil & sea salt, butter and anchovies, grilled vegetables, black or green olives, tuna in olive oil, smoked or marinated salmon, any kind of cheese, or salami and so on. The entire book is dedicated to a variety of bruschetta recipes, those toasted over a grill in the garden and topped with basil, to those prepared in front of a fireplace and topped with delicious truffles. Creativity, love and a little bit of fun make the perfect recipe for bruschetta - buon appetito!

USA: 20 Park Plaza, #400, Boston, MA 02116, USA |
T: 617.247.4112 | F: 617.247.4850

ITALY: Via G. Marconi, 177-84017, Positano, Italy • T:
39.339.604.29.33

December 2010 News

2010-12-29T10:30:00.000+01:00

Mangiare Bene

December Newsletter

Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy

Christmas markets manned by local artisans, bakers, and craftsmen holding down their bancarelle,- colorful stalls-bursting with sweets, cantucci & biscotti, roasted nuts, chocolates, Christmas tree ornaments and le Befane, the kind little witch depicted on her wooden broom who brings treats to all the children. This is Christmas in Italy, a grand celebration kicking off December 8 which celebrates the Immaculate Conception. Piazzas, churches and small villages celebrate with church festivities and concerts no matter what your religion is. Cafes, pasticcerie-bakeries, panifici-bread shops are lined with holiday treats of pantone, roccoco, paneforte and torrone. The smell of café brewing steamy cappuccinos and chocolate caldo-hot chocolate umbrella the air in every piazza. Christmas trees are centered in piazzas decked & lighted, and fun filled festivals go on until the late hours everyday leading right through to Christmas and onto January 6,-la Befana. Food and wine fests in the small towns and villages, often called open doors, have friends popping in throughout the month with impromptu aperativi- sipping of Proseccos almost every day. This is Christmas in Italy!

Buon Natale!

Lauren

Table Talk

Welcome to our December newsletter, written on a wet and windy Positano day, the rough sea and low temperatures a reminder that winter is well and truly at the door. And while it’s true most people head for Italy in the summer, make no mistake, in winter this country has quite a different charm. From the crisp mountain air of the Alps and the Dolomites to the mild wintry climate of Campania and Sicily, in December, every region works its special festive magic, delighting visitors with its Christmas markets, local food festivals and age-old traditions. Towns and villages are decorated with lights, garlands and wreaths and, especially in the south, beautiful handcrafted nativity scenes are set up in corners of churches, along the roadsides and in the piazzas. Pastry shops are full to bursting with local festive sweetmeats; panettone, pandoro, panforte, struffoli, and trays lined temptingly with roccocò, ricciarelli and mustaccioli.

Perhaps one of the most exciting things to do in December is visit one of the many Christmas markets to be found in almost all of the different regions. The most famous ones are to be found in Trentino and usually span the whole month of December. It’s always a delight to visit these markets (especially if you have children!) but at night when chestnuts are roasted on braziers and stalls are lit up with strings of fairy lights, the atmosphere is extra special. And as you stroll round the many stalls picking up stocking fillers and goodies for the festive season with Christmas music in the background and the aroma of spiced sweetmeats and mulled wine in the air, it really is like being in some kind of winter wonderland. On sale you’ll find everything from pretty Christmas decorations and painted wooden toys made by local artisans, to handmade figurines for the manger and mouthwatering displays of food and drink. Look out for local spiced sweets and cakes, torrone, and even candy coal for those who have been naughty rather than nice! So whether you take a walk round the Christmas market in Rome’s Piazza Navona, visit Naples’ Christmas Alley or are lucky enough to enjoy a snowy mercatino in Trentino, we think there can be few better ways to welcome in the Christmas season...

Buon Natale,

Lauren.

Food Notes

December brings a hive of activity to Italian kitchens. All through the month and especially during the run up to Natale, Mamma’s and Nonna’s are kept busy creating huge quantities of local dolci -sweets, some for their own family, and some to give to friends and extended family. Many of the traditional sweets are struffoli, roccocò, panettone, pandoro, panforte - can be made in advance, so it’s a great excuse for spending time in the kitchen and giving free rein to your sweet tooth.

Over the Christmas period most guests will turn up with some home-made gift or another: beautifully wrapped trays of hard, spicy Roccocò, a flat heavy round of panforte wrapped in sugar paper, a bottle of home-made limoncello, fennel or bay leaf liqueur, or dried figs stuffed with chocolate or almonds, fennel seeds and spices. Each offering is created with love and care and usually reflects local festive traditions, making it so much more precious than anything you could ever buy in a shop.

Then of course there is the question of the various important meals over the Christmas period. Apart from the impromptu dinners that occur when groups of family and friends get together, there is of course the Cenone di Natale which normally takes place on the evening of 24th rather than the 25th, and then Christmas Day lunch. Naturally, what will be cooked varies from region to region, and while the food is important, the most important thing of all is enjoying time spent with family. As the Italians say: ‘Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi’ - Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you please.

While not everyone is lucky enough to be able to spend the holiday season in Italy, most people have a local market to visit, a house to decorate and a fabulous celebration dinner to create. We at Cooking Vacations wish you the very best of festive seasons and the happiest of New Years.

Auguri!

Recipes From Our Kitchen

Vermicelli Con Alici E Noci ~ Vermicelli with Anchovies and Walnuts

Serves 2

This traditional recipe from the kitchen of our Secret Garden Positano Program is served every Christmas Eve and the recipe comes from the Amalfi Coast.

1 ½ cloves garlic

10 tbsp olive oil

Fresh Parsley, rinsed and dried

3 walnuts, shelled

7 salted anchovy filets

2 cherry tomatoes

Spicy Red pepper, as desired

Vermicelli pasta

Clean the salted anchovies under running water and remove bones. Smash the garlic by hand and chop the parsley and spicy red pepper. Break the walnuts into small pieces and slice the cherry tomatoes in quarters.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil until hot then add garlic. Sauté until the garlic is blonde, not brown, then remove from heat. Add the anchovies, spicy red pepper, and walnuts and put back on the flame, reducing to medium heat. After about a minute add the chopped parsley and cherry tomatoes and stir together.

Add a spoonful or two of ‘magic water’ (the water from the boiling pasta pot) and cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 2-3 minutes.

In the meantime, in a pot of boiling salted water, add vermicelli pasta and cook until al dente. When cooked, drain (saving a bit of the water) and add the pasta to the frying pan with the anchovy walnut sauce. Add another scoop of the ‘magic water’ to the pan and toss together over high heat for about 2 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top.

Polpette Alla Romana ~ Roman Meatballs

Recipe from the kitchen of our Roman Holiday Program.

1 lb chopped Sirloin

1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup red wine

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

Salt

Pepper

1 cup cracked green Sicilian olives

Plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all the ingredients, except the olives and breadcrumbs, in a bowl. Form small balls by molding meat around one green olive. Once firm, roll the meatball in breadcrumbs, making sure it is thoroughly covered.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Zeppole di Natale ~ Christmas Fried Dough

Recipe from the kitchen of our Secret Garden Positano Program.

250g potatoes

250g flour

20g yeast, crumbled and mixed by hand in a little milk

2 eggs

40g sugar

Pinch of salt

Lemon zest, as needed

Oil for frying

Sugar and cinnamon as needed

Boil potatoes, and peal with your fingers while they are still hot. Allow to cool and then pass the potatoes through a ricer.

In a large bowl, mix riced potatoes, flour, yeast mixture, eggs, sugar, salt and lemon zest to form a smooth dough. Mix at first with a fork, and then use your hands to knead the dough together for several minutes, making sure it is well incorporated. Cover the dough loosely and allow to rise in a warm place for about ½ hour.

Slice off about 2 tbsp of dough and roll into a short rope, about ¾ inch in diameter. Form the rope into a ring and twist the ends to seal the ring. It will look like a ribbon. Set aside and allow to rise again for about ½ hour.

In a large frying pan, heat oil. Test the oil with a bit of dough, and fry zeppole until golden on both sides. Remove from pan and drain for a moment on a paper towel.

Add cinnamon and sugar to a wide bowl. Roll the zeppole in the sugar and cinnamon while still hot. Set aside and serve hot or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.

With Love From Italy

If you cannot make it to Italy, we bring Italy to you~

Martedi In Arte

This is the last month to benefit from the national initiative called Tuesday in Art where on the last Tuesday of the month you can enter a whole range of major Italian museums absolutely free. Participating museums include the sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii, the Archeological Museum of Naples and the Museum of Capodimonte, the Pantheon, the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo, the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, and the Last Supper and Museum of Palazzo Ducale in Milan, to name just a few.

www.beniculturali.it

L’Unità d’Italia

To celebrate the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Unity of Italy, the Scuderie del Quirinale di Roma has organized an impressive exhibition to illustrate how Italian painting represented the events which between 1859 and 1861 brought about the Unification of Italy. Artists on display include Francesco Hayez, Giuseppe Molteni, Domenico and Gerolamo Induno and Giuseppe Sciuti among others, and one of the objectives of the exhibition is to convey popular and idyllic aspects of the fundamental battles that took place, as well as military details.

Pick Up A Prosecco

Give champagne the cold shoulder this year and opt for some Italian bubbly to get you into the party mood. Once upon a time Prosecco was regarded as Champagne’s poor Italian cousin, but it is now coming into its own as a perfect festive drink, to be enjoyed either on its own or used to create delicious cocktails such as Bellinis. Some say Prosecco was produced as far back as Roman times, but whether this is truth or fiction, modern, crisp, aromatic versions are a real treat.

Italian Feasts And Celebrations

December is an especially magic month for visiting some of Italy’s many sagras and festivals, and taking in some of the most beautiful Christmas markets you could hope to find. Here are a few of the best.

Il Natale nel Medioveo - Mercato Medievale Natalizio: Lucca, Tuscany, 10th, 11th, 12th December. We just love the sound of this festival which is held in Lucca’s historic center, and offers guests a fascinating insight into how Christmas was celebrated during Medieval times. Best of all, there is a medieval market selling all sorts of goods and products typical of the middle ages in this part of the world.

Mercatino di Natale ‘Stella Cometa’: Torino, Piemonte, 5th - 12th December. The colors, perfumes and flavors of this Christmas market make it truly magical and a wander round the many pretty stalls is the perfect opportunity to pick up some gifts for friends and family, or even a few decorations for the home. The colored lights and the appearance of the Stella Cometta, the comet, will enchant children and grown ups alike as they nibble on local specialties and enjoy the background Christmas music. Kids can even hand their letter over to Father Christmas who will take a sleigh ride round town distributing candies and smiles all around.

Eurochocolate Ski a Cortina d’Ampezzo: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto, 16th - 19th Decemeber. Anyone lucky enough to be in the pretty mountain town of Cortina d’Ampezzo this December will be able to ski to their heart’s delight (keeping an eye open for the many famous faces that flock to the town every winter), and enjoy a veritable feast of chocolate based goodies available all over town. The aim of this festival is both to promote lesser known sights around Cortina d’Ampezzo and celebrate local cuisine, giving it a delicious chocolate twist. Steaming hot mugs of hot chocolate will be on offer in bars, cafés, chalets and even on the slopes!

La Fiera di Santa Lucia, Bologna, 20th November - 26th December. This is one of Bologna’s most ancient festivals, one that dates back to Napoleonic times! Held at the Portico of Santa Maria dei Servi, numerous stalls are set up, and whereas it used to be more of a market in the true sense of the word, there are now many other aspects to the fair, including the possibility of picking up figures for traditional nativity scenes, sampling local gastronomic specialities, and finding out more about local artisan skills, including the production beautiful statues and nativity scenes.

Cooking Vacations’ Property Of The Month

At The Tuscan Table™

Chef Trio With Brothers Filippo, Matteo & Andrea ~ 4 Day

Italy On A Plate

What's in Season?

Sea Bass

Turkey

Celery

Parsnips

Swede

Red cabbage

Turnip

Leeks

Onion

Carrots

Swede

Cavolo Nero & Kale

Beetroot

Celeriac

Pumpkin

Cranberries

Apples

Pomegranate

Pears

Restaurant Of The Month

Gasthof Krone, Aldino, Alto Adige.

We’ve found the perfect winter hideaway for you this month: a beautiful hotel and eatery situated in the small village of Aldino in the Dolomites. Prettily decorated in the local style, wood features heavily in this typically South Tyrolean building, and the beautifully crafted vaulted ceilings, stylish rooms, carefully chosen furnishings, wood fireplaces and tile stoves all combine to create a wonderfully cozy atmosphere. It’s the type of place that’s beautiful both in summer and in winter, but we think December in Aldino is pretty special.

The Gasthof Krone inn and restaurant is run by the Franzelin family who have been in the hospitality business for centuries and who are experts at taking care of their guests’ needs. And the restaurant in particular has become well known for offering refined but unfussy food that delights locals, guests and critics alike.

Menus reflect the dishes and ingredients of traditional South Tyrolean cuisine, with much of the produce coming directly from the local farms. Gastronomically speaking, we’re in the Dolomites here and it shows. Antipasti might include marinated veal head, lentil salad or delicious sweetbreads. When it comes to the first course, the canerderli (dumplings) are really special, some stuffed with spleen or liver, others with mushrooms or spinach, but there are also usually good soups to choose from, wine soup perhaps, or a simple, creamy ‘burnt flour’ soup, and of course, a variety of handmade pastas. The second course usually features baccalà in some form, as well as lamb cutlets, rabbit, venison medallions, and boiled beef served with hashed potatoes (a real favorite!). There are also a number of interesting side dishes - soufflé of polenta, and speck and cabbage salad for example, with some of the quality cheeses on offer actually home made. Desserts are simple but delicious, with apple strudel, ricotta dumplings with zabaglione, and apple fritters with jam providing the perfect conclusion to a memorable meal. There is a very decent wine list, and lots of great countryside all around where you can start walking off dinner...

Gasthof Krone

Dorfplatz 3 Piazza Principale

39040 Aldein/Aldino

Tel. (+39) 0471 886825

www.gasthof-krone.it

Book Of The Month

Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy

By Elizabeth Antoine Crawford

We thought now that it’s chilly outside and temperatures are falling, this was the perfect month to indulge in some hearty northern Italian fare, and Flavors of Fruili is the perfect kitchen companion for chilly days spent indoors. It’s actually a rather impressive volume which provides a good deal of geographical and historical background on this region tucked away in the extreme north east whose borders touch both Austria and Slovenia. And after reading of the countless invaders and immigrants (Celts, Romans, Lombards, Austro-Hungarians etc.) that shaped the region’s history over the various centuries, the unique nature of Friulan gastronomy within Italian cuisine becomes easier to understand. It’s probably the least typical of Italian regional cuisines, but this, argues Crawford, is precisely what makes it all the more fascinating. And, as with most other regions, geography also plays an important role: from the mountains come numerous cheese and herb based dishes, hearty soups, the wonderful prosciutto of San Daniele, and from the sea, seafood stews, soups, pasta with langoustines and of course, the area’s much loved baccalà.

A remarkable amount of research has gone into the book, and this is reflected in the authenticity and workability of the recipes. After so much time spent with home cooks and restaurant chefs in the region, Crawford manages to be both informative and direct, giving simple, concise instructions for each dish. We suggest you try out specialties like the balote, cheese filled polenta balls; frico con patate, the area’s well known cheese and potato pancake; jota, bean and sauerkraut soup; and of course goulasch. And while there are plenty of delicious fish recipes - baked scallops, salt cod with tomatoes and potatoes, trout with butter and sage, fish steaks with vinegar, marinated sardines - the meat dishes are also pretty mouthwatering: pork ribs in polenta; braised veal shanks; duck breasts with berry sauce; and sausages in bell pepper sauce. Not to forget the many different soups, pastas, including cjalsòns (a type of stuffed pasta), gnocchi and risottos.

Naturally, Friuli’s vicinity to Austria means there is an ample selection of sweets and cakes to be enjoyed: strucchi, dried fruit and nut filled cookies; torta dobos, a layer cake with chocolate buttercream and caramel; the famous torta sacher; and strucolo de pomi, apple strudel, to name but a few. All in all, we think Flavors of Friuli would make a useful addition to anyone’s culinary library and stands as a great testament to the infinite variety and diversity of Italian regional cuisine.

USA: 20 Park Plaza, #400, Boston, MA 02116, USA |
T: 617.247.4112 | F: 617.247.4850

ITALY: Via G. Marconi, 177-84017, Positano, Italy • T:
39.339.604.29.33

2009-11-24T02:17:00.001+01:00

November 24, 2009

Olives. Olives small pearls of green laid out to dry. We picked our olives from emerald colored branches about 2 weeks ago. The leaves of the olive tree with their dark silver hue seem to glimmer in that autumn sun. After almost 10 days in a sea-salt water bath, changed everyday, the olives turn less bitter.

We put them in a big oval basket for their last wash, and rolled them onto our big volcanic top table. The sun had already warmed the table top, and now the gentle wind from the sea is blowing them dry.

Before the next step, the olives need to completely dry. Patting and turning ever so often takes out any moister.

As I write, Rino is preparing the herbs for the next step. Our jars have been boiled in hot water and dried. Peasano garlic & lemons from Positano’ garden and pepperincino-tiny red horn-like shapes with a hot bite, our red hot chilli peppers are our choices for bottling.

Our Process-
Pick (or buy) 3 kilos of fresh olives
Soak in sea salt and water for 10 days-or until soft, changing water each day.
Dry the olives and crack open with a hammer
Put the olives in the water bath and repeat process for 3 days
Lay out to dry on papertowels in the sun
Dry well
Mix your favorite herbs-
Rino’s sea salt, red chilli pepper and garlic
Lauren’s sea salt and lemon zest

Toss herbs and olives
Jar and seal tight

Ready to eat in a week!

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Cooking Vacations Positano August 2009

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Cooking Vacations

Italian Food News

Summer in Italy is always hot, hot, hot, and this year is no exception. Each morning by 8am the glorious sun rises early over the Tyrannian Sea peeking around Praiano onto Positano and casting temperatures at 30C., or 86Farenheit.

By mezzo giorno it is over 100F, and locals close shop and head to Da Ferdinando at Fornillo Beach. Mamma Celeste, mom to 7, grandma to 13 and great grandma to 3, is the Chef in charge. With her sons Guido & Marco, and grandsons Nando, Ferdinando and Francesco, Mamma is behind the stove and cooking! Local fresh ingredients from her garden fill the the wooden tables set under the shade. Fresh smoked Provolone grilled between lemon leaves, frutti di mare insalata, totani & patate (a local calamari and potato delicacy slow cooked), Paccheri con spada, (wide tube pasta with fresh caught sword fish slow cooked in cherry tomatoes), and lots of green bean and potato salad dressed with our olive oil are lunch specials, and a creamy gelato to follow.

With the world of Italy closing from 1pm to 4pm in the afternoon, why not head down for a beachfront pranzo at Ferdinado’s with Mamma Celestes’ & Company. Beach chairs to follow and an afternoon nap under the sun, is the recipe of the day for our long days of summer on the Amalfi Coast. Front row chairs on the seafront go fast, to reserve call Guido at 089.875.365.

A Note From The Garden

The hot and dry weather on the Amalfi Coast cultivates prolific verdant gardens climbing and cascading everywhere. Heavy pumpkin vines hang over ancient stone walls holding the heat of the summer days, while below country baskets magically suspended catch the almost ready fruit, if you can picture it! We captured a photo for Signore Antonio’s pumpkin. Signore also picked the first watermelon of the summer from our garden, we will bring it down to Ferdinando’s beach and share it -for an afternoon spuntino on the sea.

Read on and discover a few of our local summer recipes, because no matter where you are, we are sending you safe travels and great cooking from sunny Positano!

Buon Appetito!

Lauren

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Happy July 4th, from Sunny Positano

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Happy July 4th from Italy. Summer has graced Italy with temps ranging in the high 90's-that is 31+ centigrade, long lazy days and an abundance of fruit & vegetables from our garden. Signore Antonino comes regularly to our large garden which overlooks the Tyrannian sea to keep an eye on the weeds, and help groom the zealous squash and pumpkin plants that are growing rampant down the wall. Our pumpkin plants are streaming now 10 feet down the wall reaching down to the sea. Ruby red, yellow and green peppers are popping up, squash flowers and zucchinis are abundant, and the basil plants are ever-green perfect. Small cherry tomatoes are clustered tightly on healthy green plants, which Signore Antonino has tied tight and high; they are now 5 feet high and cling on their poles. Chef Consiglia has just put the finishing touches on her strawberry tiramisu (tiramisu, means pull-me-up) and her newly inspired baby squid salad, soaked in fresh picked oranges sliced thin, and topped with crushed walnuts. Healthly, fresh and Mediterraneo style recipes at Cooking Vacations.

Although the weather has cleared, late spring brought us a mix of spritz and sun-but we did see the most beautiful Rainbow arch its way from the hills of Positano to the sea just below, and it lasted for 30 minutes. Sun and light rain mixed to produce a gorgeous palate of colors that only Mother Nature could bring!

So sit back in your beach chair, take a swim and enjoy the recipe of Chef Consiglia's refreshing salad; and fill your glass with a crisp cold Greco di Tufo dei Feudi San Gregorio (southern Italian white wine)! Enjoy the start of your summer and take a few days off!

View From Our Office

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Squash Flowers In Our Garden

2009-06-05T00:03:00.000+02:00

Even though unseasonably cool temperatures and chilly nights are here, our garden at Cooking Vacations is growing rapidly. We had our first squash of the season, from each plant whose leaves are 12 inches long, we picked 6 long green spin-stripped squash. -And not to mention the plump gorgeous squash flowers who raise their head each day to the sun.

Today we picked some of the ready ones, petals of gold stuffed with sweet white Ricotta. I whipped the Ricotta with a few sprigs of basil from the garden, and a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano and a dash of sea salt. After dipping the stuffed flowers in a simple, flour, pinch of salt and a splash of bubbly water mixed well, they were ready to fry (or pan sear for those watching their figure).

A simple garlic & oil pasta, spiked with fresh red hot chili pepper and lots of parsley, a Caprese salad (fresh Mozzarella cut and separated with fresh basil from our garden, fire-engine red tomatoes from Sicily drizzled with our own Virgin first-cold-pressed olive oil -started our lunch. The pan was still sizzling with baby artichoke hearts, cleaned & peeled and soaked in fresh Positano lemons. From the tree to the hot pan, and in no time we were tasting the dark green soft sweet leaves between our lips. Organic cherries, black and plum red were served for dessert. We kept their stems and left them in the sun to dry. The dried stems are the base for a special tea.

Spring is my favorite season, nature slowly rebirths in all its wonders, especially on the Amalfi Coast.

2009-05-22T01:00:00.000+02:00

Another sunny day in Italy,...after working until late afternoon we headed into the kitchen for a Traditional Neapolitan Cooking Class with Chef Antonino! Gnocchi, fresh fish and spring desserts-topped off with home-made Limoncello.

2009-05-19T18:20:00.001+02:00

The Amalfi Coast, where the sun touches down each day, and the long rainy days of spring are now far gone. The gardens are already filled with spring artichokes-spin stripped with violet and green; squash flowers tilting their head to the sun, and sweet cherry tomatoes on our plates!

Our cooking classes, despite a slow economy, are full! We are cooking each in every day-from the small canals of Venice to sea side in Positano.

Cooking Vacations Italy-Celebrating The Food, Art & Music Of Italy

Women’s Day in Italy: Celebrating with a Flower

Cooking Vacations Cooks Up Top Toasts

The Perfect Pairing: Neapolitan Food & Alto Adige Wine?

Cooking Class at Eataly NYC with Mamma Maria & Cooking Vacations

Cooking Vacations Winter Kitchen News

The Good Little Befana

Cooking Vacations Test Kitchen: Anatra & Pappardelle

Cooking Vacations Test Kitchen Cooks Up Hanukkah Treats

Cooking Vacations Tastes Campania's Top Wines For Telethon Weekend

Cooking Vacations Plays Tombola In Positano

Cooking Vacations Italy Cooking Classes & SchoolAmalfi Coast Photography Expedition With Massimo Bassano~Photographing, Exploring Images, Color, People, Food & Landscapes~The Chefs Kitchen~October 2 to 7, 2011. Join us cooking and photographing on The Amalfi Coast!!!

Elizabeth Berg Writers Studio ~ Positano

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Cooking Vacations’ August 2011 News

http://www.cooking-vacations.com/newsletter.asp

Serve an Italian Feast this Summer

The Ubiquitous Grape!

Tastes Of Italia's May Issue, featuring Todd English by Lauren Birmingham

Cooking Vacations featured in Top 20 List Of Best Breaks for Foodies by Trip Base London!

Check out Trip Basewww.tripbase.com/d/culinary-breaks/culinarybreaks.htm

The Easter Bunny

Boston Marathon Carbo Charge!

Eat healthy pasta with our hand made artisan pasta and organic Cooking Vacations virgin olive oil, and pass the finish line a winner!!!

Todd English To Nonna's Kitchen

Lauren Piscitelli On Delicious Food Writing

Cooking Vacations Visits Villa Matilde

Food Trips Along The Amalfi Coast Wine Trails

Our Wine tasting had everyone dancing in the vineyard!

TRIP ADVISOR VOTES FLORENCE & ROME TOP VACATION SPOTS FOR FAMILIES

Apple Flagship Store Boston

Cooking With Apples- Ipod, MacBooks, Iphones & Cooking Vacations Italy

Italy's Feste Delle Donne & Sweet Mimosa!

Amalfi Coast Beautiful In The Rain

DeCecco Pasta Puttanesca For A Cold Rainy Day

The Tuscan Epic

Marradi

Carnevale & Chiacchiere On The Amalfi Coast

Executive Chef Franco Cerutti Executive Chef At The Hotel Paris Monaco!

Todd English and the Food Hall Plaza Hotel New York

February Newsletter

My Little Valentine

Mangiare Bene

February Newsletter

Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy

My Little Valentine

Menu For Two

Cooking With A ContessaTastes Of Italia Magazine

Kids Cooking

Florence Food, Art & Romance

Florence: Food, Art & Romance™Cooking With Chef Monica ~ 4 Day

Table Talk

February Food Notes

Recipes From Our Kitchen

Kids Cooking

Chloe’s Cupid Cupcakes

Siena’s Choco Recipe

With Love From Italy

Italian Feasts And Celebrations

Italy On A Plate

Restaurant Of The Month

Book Of The Month

Celebrate Valentines Day With A Sweet Cooking Vacation's Culinary Trip!

Amalfi Coast Writer's Workshop With Elizabeth Berg™

Scribing, Chef’s Kitchen & Writer’s Walk ~ June 11 to 17, 2011

February 2011 - The Cooking Contessa - Click to read the article on Tastes of Italia!

Cooking With A Contessa

January 2011 News

Mangiare Bene

January Newsletter

Fresh Recipes, New Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy

Cooking Vacations’ Program Of The Month

Table Talk

Food Notes

Recipes From Our Kitchen

With Love From Italy

Italian Feasts And Celebrations

Italy On A Plate

Restaurant Of The Month

Cooking Vacations Italy Cooking Classes & School
Amalfi Coast Photography Expedition With Massimo Bassano
~Photographing, Exploring Images, Color, People, Food & Landscapes~The Chefs Kitchen~October 2 to 7, 2011. Join us cooking and photographing on The Amalfi Coast!!!

Cooking With A Contessa

Tastes Of Italia Magazine

Florence: Food, Art & Romance™

Cooking With Chef Monica ~ 4 Day