This is a cake beyond the ordinary. I encountered Toscakaka (Tosca cake) years ago in Norway, where it is well-loved throughout the year. I associate it mostly with Christmas, however, as the best I had there was baked by a lovely woman named Elsa, … [Read more...]
Sicilian vanilla gelato (gelato di vaniglia)
This is a Mary Taylor Simeti interpretation of Sicilian ice cream, as made by her neighbourhood gelato maestro in Palermo. She painstakingly reproduced it at home so she can, in her words, "survive when he closes down for winter...". This … [Read more...]
Sicily, part I: Noto town and market
There is something about the south-eastern corner of Sicily that goes straight to the heart. It is agricultural, abounding in vineyards, citrus and almond orchards, and olive groves. It is also wild, windswept, rugged and mountainous, with a … [Read more...]
Sicily, part 2: Sicilian caponata
This is where I share the treasured recipe and insider tips for making traditional Sicilian caponata, as we learned it from two wonderful cooks in Noto, in the south-east of Sicily (read more here). It's the real thing -- exquisitely vibrant, … [Read more...]
A pear sorbet romance
Some years ago I was in Paris for a weekend as a solo traveller, on my way home from Tours, where I had been attempting to improve my French. I had salvaged some pennies from my student expenses in determination of finding one good French dinner … [Read more...]
Slow food trip to Le Marche, Italy
An aura of the pleasant life of days gone by seems to pervade the cooking of Le Marche, still unspoilt by modern whims of international fantasy, still based on the produce of the sea, the hills and the mountains. " Anna Del Conte, The Gastronomy of … [Read more...]