How can something so simple be so good? This dish, like pasta with chickpeas, is simplicity and goodness. Look at that recipe for a little more detail on the steps. Here, briefly: More
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Chickpea Me–simply good
How can something so simple be so good? A few years ago my wife and I spent a weekend in Naples, the one in Italy, where we had pasta with chickpeas. The dish was life-changing. It’s so easy to prepare, so hearty and healthy, I can’t understand why I don’t cook it more often. Like…More
Let Them Eat Thistles?–seasonal and sensational
The affectionate term for them is gobbi—hunchbacks. I’m talking about cardone, that distant cousin to artichokes. A stalky plant with raised ribs, cardone resemble celery. Like the artichoke, cardone is a member of the thistle family. Just seeing (or hearing) the word “thistle,” if you know the prickly plant, you feel a wave of caution.…More
How to Satisfy Your Green Tooth
Glorious green.. We had our neighbor here in Michigan to dinner one day. He was educated in Rome and traveled extensively in Italy during his time there. That day we ate a dish of pasta, enjoyed some wine, and talked. After clearing the table for the next course, I placed a pan of spinach in…More
Leftover Love
What do you do with your leftovers? When I was a kid, some nights my mother served a dish she called “round potatoes.” They were patties 4-5 inches wide, 3/4 inch thick, fried in a cast iron skillet. My brother and I loved them. It never occurred to us that we were eating leftovers, though…More
No clams? No problem!
How to make a great pasta sauce in 30 minutes In my wife’s region in Italy—San Marino and Romagna—you’re likely to find pasta served with tuna sauce. Wait, let me revise that statement. In my mother-in-law’s kitchen, and in the kitchen of my wife’s old aunt over there, you would be very likely to find…More
Bean, Fagiolino, Haricot Vert
Why do green beans in Italy taste so good? I’ve been feeling lonesome for green beans since we got home from Italy. Early Tuesday mornings over there, in the piazza just up the street from our building, Marco Stanchini sets up his fruit and vegetable stand. He’s open for business until noon. By the time…More