To Sotheby’s to see TBTW

 Posted by at 12:28 pm  No Responses »
Dec 102014
 
To Sotheby's to see TBTW

The other day, I published an article in Zester Daily about the monster truffle that was found in Umbria. What I didn’t say was that it wasn’t until the night before it was to be previewed at Sotheby’s that an invitation landed in my inbox. At close to midnight I was waking my husband up to see if he wanted to play hooky from his work the next morning and take a drive into New York City to look at it. After all, it’s not every day that we have the chance to see a four-pound truffle, even if we wouldn’t be lucky enough to […more…]

Celebrating 100 Years of Delicious in Little Italy

 Posted by at 9:11 pm  10 Responses »
Nov 222014
 
Celebrating 100 Years of Delicious in Little Italy

Di Palo’s is one of the seven wonders of New York.—Chef Daniel Boulud His paternal and legal name, he will tell you, is Luigi Santomauro but to everyone who knows him on two continents, he is Lou Di Palo, after his maternal grandmother. Concetta Di Palo founded a cheese shop with her husband, Lou’s namesake, 104 years ago. Everyone who has shopped at the legendary store on Mott Street, Di Palo Fine Foods, has heard bits and pieces of the family story over the counter as Lou, Sal, Marie, Connie or any number of their offspring cut cheese and sliced salumi […more…]

Rocky Mountain High

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Nov 022014
 
Rocky Mountain High

Boulder is a serious food town where you can find everything from Colorado bison ragù to mule foot pork chops, local pecorino to real Venice-style gelato. I was there recently for the Chefs Collaborative Summit, a meeting of renowned chefs and like-minded professionals who are in the business of food—growing it, producing it, cooking it, selling it and writing about it. Many I spoke to told me that they have learned their trades from Italy’s artisans whose ancient food traditions have inspired them. Why that is, will be the subject of future articles, but here are some of the highlights of […more…]

There’s Good News in the World, Too: Gelato Explosion!

 Posted by at 1:26 pm  7 Responses »
Oct 082014
 
There's Good News in the World, Too: Gelato Explosion!

In my recent article for Zester Daily, I wrote about the gelato explosion. One thing is for sure, gelato is on the move from its Italian home base as more and more entrepreneurs set up shop all over the world using Italy’s state-of-the-art equipment, designed for small-batch, artisan production. Following up on my last post about Rimini, here’s the scoop about why I was in that famous beach resort last month. No, it wasn’t to sunbathe or take in the nightclubs. It was to join the World Gelato Tour which, after circling the globe and picking finalists along the way—including […more…]

Happy Birthday Joan Dye Gussow!

 Posted by at 1:21 pm  1 Response »
Oct 042014
 
Happy Birthday Joan Dye Gussow!

To professor, author, food policy expert, environmentalist and gardener; my friend, my mentor, my neighbor, my children’s honorary godmother, American hero, Joan Dye Gussow, on your 86th year!   As for my keeping on keeping on, I do believe that we are in serious trouble—maybe fatal trouble, that is, maybe it’s too late to stop the express train we’ve been riding on—but as I say to my students, suppose it’s too late? What are we going to do? Lie around reading novels and eating bonbons? I think we should all try to live responsibly because it’s the right thing to do and it’s what’s […more…]

Going Italian at the Fancy Food Show

 Posted by at 11:02 am  2 Responses »
Jul 242014
 
Going Italian at the Fancy Food Show

Summer Fancy Food Show, New York, 2014. The Italians always come bearing cheeses and prosciutto, impeccably dressed and wearing the latest eyeglass styles. If you want to sample some truffles or condimento, they’d rather huddle together in the back corner of their little booths and sip espresso than give you any. You have to wait until they’re good and ready to sell you something, or for those without importers yet, to promote something. That’s the the idea, isn’t it?—To sell you something? Even my “Press” badge doesn’t budge them. Still, the Italian pavilion is always my first stop. I like […more…]

True American Eats for the 4th: Fiery Italian-Fried Chicken Wings

 Posted by at 9:18 pm  2 Responses »
Jul 022014
 
True American Eats for the 4th: Fiery Italian-Fried Chicken Wings

There’s thunder and lightening from where I’m sitting looking out my kitchen window, with no sign of let-up for July 4th. If that means a change of plans for you from an all-American barbecue, consider the Independence Day tradition of the American South: fried chicken. While I grew up in an Italian household, fried chicken was always a special dish and it fit in just fine with potato salad and all the other American trimmings. Whether it’s Kentucky-fried, Georgia-fried, or Italian-fried, it’s as American as grilling on the Fourth of July. Here’s my recipe, sprinkled with some fried chicken history. […more…]

Toritto, Puglia: An Afternoon in My Father’s Land

 Posted by at 12:27 am  29 Responses »
Jun 152014
 
Toritto, Puglia: An Afternoon in My Father's Land

My father left his native Toritto as an infant in his mother’s arms in 1909. With his young parents and grandmother, he sailed for Ellis Island in steerage. The family said that in those bleak times in Puglia, they had survived by eating the wild greens that grew in the fields where they had toiled. Although he returned to Italy many times as an adult, especially to the Carrara quarries to buy marble for his shop in America, my father never went back to where he was born. What kindled his memory was the food he was raised on. His […more…]

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