In order to entertain like an Italian, you have to really embrace using only what is fresh, available and in season. Most Italians shop daily and get what looks best for that day instead of stocking up for the week. They will search out the very best bread by making a trip to their favorite bakery instead of buying it at the supermarket. If you had planned on making asparagus, but it’s not available or doesn’t look fresh….use whatever looks best! For example, when I went to the fish market looking for swordfish but the salmon looked good. If you go to the market and the trout looks good make the recipe with trout instead. Fresh thyme not available? Pick another fresh herb that looks good and that you like. That means that the recipe might need to be tweaked a bit. It’s about learning a preparation and using what’s fresh where you live. Think of this recipe (and all recipes) as just a starting point…and don’t be afraid to improvise! (more…)
Sometimes we all feel like hanging a sign on the door and going fishing. Here are some of my favorite pics from Sicily of fishing boats, delicious seafood and gorgeous ocean views to have you wishing for a seaside escape! Check back tomorrow for a versatile and easy Italian recipe using fresh fish
Traditional Sicilian fishing boats
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The perfect Italian word to learn as we head into a beautiful summer weekend? It’s ’bellezza’ or beauty. Want to learn how to pronounce it? Click HERE
‘Bellezza’ is more than just an adjective. Learning to create, embrace and appreciate beauty in even the simplest of things is a way of life in Italy. So this weekend, take the time to set a beautiful table at dinner or to arrange a vase of zinnias from your garden. Pick out the most beautiful peach at the farmer’s market and appreciate how it smells and tastes. Go for a walk and really take the time to appreciate the beauty of a rock formation or a tree. Make space in your life for beautiful music, beautiful art and beautiful food. Life if full of ‘bellezza’ if we take the time to slow down and appreciate it.
Nothing moves me like beautiful music. Here is one of my favorites, Maria Callas singing ‘Vissi D’Arte’ live in 1958 in Paris. Even if you aren’t an opera fan I think you will be moved by the incredible power and expression of her voice. Enjoy! Click HERE to listen
If you are going to entertain like an Italian….the first step is understanding that Italians take their pasta very seriously. Let me say that again. Very. Seriously. When it comes to pasta there are some unbreakable rules. Here are a few tips for understanding Italian’s collective obsession with perfect pasta.
- Pasta is never, ever, ever overcooked. It’s always cooked ‘al dente’ which means it should have a little bite.
- It’s about the pasta. Not the sauce. Think of the sauce as just a ‘condiment’ for the pasta. This means that the pasta should be delicious on it’s own. Cook the pasta in (plenty of) salted water that has come to a rolling boil. On the same note, buy good quality pasta. I like Barilla for everyday and DeCecco for special occasions.
- The pasta and sauce have to spend a little time in the sauce pan getting to know each other before you marry them together in the serving bowl. Check out this great guide from Bon Appetit on how to properly cook pasta.
Ok. Ready to make your own pasta course? Here is an easy recipe for your perfect pasta course. This can be one course in a meal or an easy summer dinner. (more…)
This time of year it’s such a pleasure to wander through farmer’s markets and see the bounty of summer. Here are a couple of my favorite pics from markets I’ve been to around the world….make it your summer resolution to get to a farmer’s market and eat local wherever you are!
At the Oxbow market in Napa
At the market in Frascati, Italy
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The perfect Italian phrase to learn in preparation for this long, lazy summer holiday weekend? It has to be ’dolce far niente’ or the total sweetness of doing nothing. Want to learn how to pronounce it? Click HERE
So this weekend…embrace your inner Italian. Don’t get the house repairs done. Don’t catch up on work. Set aside time to slow down, sip a glass of cool prosecco and just relax in the sweetness of doing nothing at all. I think that this picture sums up the feeling!
drifting on a boat....enjoying the little pleasures!
Memories from my last summer in Sicily….
Summer tomatoes at the famous 'Vucciria' market in Palermo. Just waiting to be made into something delicious!
The view from the medieval town of Erice...known for amazing views and even more amazing pastries!
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Picture it. You’re sitting by the sea holding a glass of chilled white wine. Everyone around you is talking loudly and gesturing wildly. The afternoon seems to linger on forever. Everything seems effortless…from the simple, delicious food to the easy laughter at the table. That’s entertaining like an Italian. Effortless, relaxed and always delicious.
With my Yoga & Wine retreat to Italy coming up this fall…I thought I would share a few easy summer recipes over the next few weeks with Italian wine pairings. These are perfect for effortless summer entertaining. None of them should take longer than 30 minutes so that you can enjoy your party and not be left sweating in the kitchen. So put on some good music, pour yourself a glass of something delicious and don’t think too hard about making things perfect. Both you and your guests will have more fun when you entertain (effortlessly) like an Italian instead! So don’t wait for a trip to Italy….make your own ‘la dolce vita’ instead.
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One of Italy's best kept secrets, Torino, at night. The perfect place to take leisurely strolls around old piazzas, taste amazing food and slow down to see Torino's beautiful architecture. Looking forward to exploring on my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreat in September.
In the northwest corner of Italy, Piemonte is known for delicious food and amazing wine....it's no wonder that this is where the Slow Food movement was founded!
It’s still summer (although marginally so here in Wisconsin) but each time I look at the calendar I get more and more excited for fall and for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreat to Piemonte, Italy this September. Those of you who follow my blog know that this trip combines everything I love; yoga, food, wine and travel, into one experience! For those of you that are new to the blog, I grew up in a Sicilian restaurant family surrounded by good food and wine. After working in the wine business in San Francisco for a number of years, I am now a certified sommelier. In addition, I own Bliss Flow Yoga in Madison, Wisconsin where I get to share my love of yoga with a wonderful community of yogis.
Life moves so fast that I think we all need a dose of ‘la dolce vita’ every now and then to slow us down. Don’t you? Right now I’m daydreaming about crisp fall days spent looking for truffles and evenings spent lingering over an espresso. I’m imagining starting each morning with a flowing yoga practice followed by time spent exploring vineyards, taking cooking classes, lingering over meals and just experiencing life ‘italian style’!
Want to learn more about my upcoming retreat? Click HERE
