Category: Kitchen Tips

Posted

February 20, 2024

By Peg Kern

Recipes from Sarteano: Pici al Ragù Toscano

Filed Under  Kitchen Tips, Recipes Italy

Meet Chef Chiara, the culinary instructor behind our Authentic Tuscan Cooking in the Val d’Orcia Valley and this recipe for Pici al Ragù Toscano! Chef Chiara left her career in journalism after genetic testing revealed her intolerance for many staple ingredients in Italian cuisine. She embarked on a mission to create flavorful alternatives for herself and others with dietary restrictions. She would become an accomplished Chef and author of the… Read
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Posted

November 11, 2022

By Peg Kern

Recipe for Chocolate Soufflé from our French Foodie Getaway in Tours

Filed Under  Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes France

Our French Foodie Getaway culinary vacation in Tours, France, is fast becoming a favorite. This short stay in one of Europe's most charming and picturesque cities includes a market visit with cooking class, a guided wine and cheese tasting, a walking tour of the city center, and an optional day touring the famous Loire Valley chateaux. Our culinary travelers who recently returned from their stay in Tours raved about the… Read
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Posted

October 21, 2022

By Peg Kern

Recipe for Creamy Curried Carrot Soup

Filed Under  Kitchen Tips, Recipes

What to do when you find yourself with several pounds of carrots? One great thing about getting a CSA (community supported agriculture) box of produce every week is the element of surprise. it's fun to be forced to try new things, and a CSA box can mean a new array of vegetables and therefore a new mix of recipes. But sometimes, it just means so much of one good thing.… Read
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Posted

September 7, 2022

By Peg Kern

Recipe for Sicilian Sardines "a Beccafico"

Filed Under  Destination Features, Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Italy

Sicily is one of our most popular destinations, and it's no wonder when you consider the amazing and diverse gastronomy that you will find on the island. The coastal areas obviously will give you more fish and seafood dishes, including a lot of different preparations of one of the Mediterranean's prized fish: the sardine. In the US sardines are found in tins, and not exactly considered a gourmet food. But… Read
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Posted

July 21, 2022

By Peg Kern

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Recipe for Eggplant Parmesan)

Filed Under  Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Italy

What is "parimgiana?" You will see this word on recipes and menus in Italy, but what exactly is it? In a nutshell, it means it is a dish made with a tomato sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or a similar substitute). When you see "alla" incuded in the name of an Italian dish, it generally means "in the style of." Some classic examples, besides melanzane alla parimgiana, are pasta alla norma,… Read
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Posted

June 23, 2022

By Peg Kern

Recipe for Moroccan Harira (Chickpea and Lentil Soup)

Filed Under  Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Morocco

Harira is one of my favorite Moroccan dishes. There are many variations but they all include legumes (usually lentils and chickpeas), tomato, onion, turmeric, and herbs. It is sometimes thickened with egg or a slurry (a mixture of flour and water, called a tedouira in Moroccan cuisine), although it will thicken on its own if left overnight. Harira is a dish traditionally served during Ramadan, but can be enjoyed throughout… Read
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