32 Comments

I love this idea! I am also going to keep the functional but zero aesthetic kitchen in my new Venetian house to give myself time to figure exactly what really works in the space. I have been cooking in temporary kitchens since March. I brought a few good knives, a tiny whisk, and spices. I miss my good pots SO very much.

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I'm excited for your move to Venice! I'm finding it's harder than it used to be to find good-quality kitchen/house stuff. I'd rather not have to lug things over from the U.S. when I know there are good quality products to be had here. I guess I just haven't figured out where to look. Definitely missing my Dutch ovens...I would order online but I'm not sure the Amazon van would know where to find our house!

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I laughed when I read about the microwave-when I saw your post on Instagram I wondered if that was a small tv!

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I wish I could have watched the French Open on it (we have no TV here) 😂

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Right? At first glance I wondered if it was some newfangled Swedish appliance!

I inhabit two worlds and thus, two kitchens: my Arizona desert kitchen/studio with enough counter space to start my own cafe, and the tiny galley in my island farmhouse in Maine. As I get more creative in my cooking journey, I’m finding that good food can happen anywhere! Thanks for inviting us in to your creative space.

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How cool that your two kitchens are so different, Amie. Totally agree that good food can happen anywhere. My family's kitchens in Rome and at the beach would be considered tiny today, and yet so many wonderful meal emerged from them.

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I've been cooking out of Airbnb kitchens for the last 3 years. Finally in August I'm moving into a more permanent place but it will still be someone else's idea of a kitchen (and someone I know who doesn't cook very much). So I know where you're coming from. I kind of like the challenge of making quality food with scant equipment, but I always miss heavy bottomed pans, decent crockery and utensils. I've taken to carrying a chef's knife, chopping board and wooden spoon on my travels because they're never a given but are so important. It never takes much to make a kitchen yours, I always think.

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I agree; it feels more like mine everyday, but not quite there...yet. I like the idea of bringing teh essentials with you. Thanks for the suggestion and good luck with your move.

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Every couple of days I browse real estate listings in Abruzzo. And I will do so again now.

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An excellent way to spend time.

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Thank you for these recipes. I'll be using Swiss Chard in place of the chicory. I love it's taste. I usuallly just cook it with oil and garlic but the addition of rice will make it perfect.

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I love it with oil and garlic; this just takes it one step further. Have you ever made bietole e patate (Swiss chard & potatoes)? Again, same idea but with boiled, chunked potatoes added. So good.

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Actually, my mother made spinach & potatoes. Delicious. Thanks for the idea.

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Both recipes sound wonderful! Hoping to grow my own chicories this year....we will see!

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Oh nice! Good luck.

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Twas wonderful. It’s below the gargano, I think that’s accurate. My mom maiden name is gargano. My grandfather (who died before I was born) was as from a small town castle di sangro. I treasure the time we’ve spent there.

Not sure I posted my instagram message to you properly, I made the chicory & canaroli rice for supper. Very satisfying. Though I used spinach because it was so great looking & added matsutaki mushrooms for some protein. V E R Y S A T I S F Y I N G

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Nice! I like the addition of mushrooms.

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I'm so glad you're doing this, Domenica. the Abruzzo is a part of Italy that Americans and many Italians too really don't know at all and yet it's full of treasures, culinary, artistic, gastronomical, et al. I have passed through many times en route from Puglia to Tuscany and vice versa but your posts make me determined to spend more time in the region. Thank you!

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Thank you, Nancy. there’s a lot happening here, plenty of challenges but positive developments as well. It’s not an easy region to get around, which is one reason I love it. Much more to share in future newsletters!

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We’ve been in our house since 1988, and we still tweak it. I just bought another piece of McCoy pottery yesterday, and more shutters were installed last week. I adore our Annie Selke “Cat’s Paw” rugs. And two cats, of course.

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You have such a great pottery collection. I bought my first piece of Roseville a few months ago ~ in Vermont. I love it.

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So happy for your Penne experience. Right before Covid shut us down we spent a week in Vieste. Wonderful experience. Congratulations on your pasta bowls & wooden forks. I treasure the time we spent there.

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Vieste ~ is that the Gargano? Must have been wonderful!

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We’re in the process of moving from Ft Lauderdale, Florida to Asheville, NC and I totally understand what you’re saying about cooking your way into a new kitchen. Although it is a new kitchen of our choosing, it still takes time to find the rhythm in a strange space with different appliances in spite of the fact we’ll still be using all our old things. And what things will work? And what things won’t anymore? I’m looking forward to feeling my way through and finding a renewed bliss in the kitchen with all the farmer’s markets and local seasonal produce I never had in South Florida. ❤️

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How exciting! I have yet to visit Asheville but I hear such great things about it. Great food scene. You may find me knocking on your door one day 😁

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You are welcome anytime! 😘

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Grazie ❤️

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I love every one of your newsletters, but this one hit me just after 2 weeks in the North Carolina mountains where I had a most irregular diet - heavy on sweet and fried . To the market for anything close to chicory I go.

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Definitely some greens are in order ~ through the splurge sounds worth it!

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I am 💯 making that zucchini pasta this week.

For chicory I always buy dandelion greens (my WF always has them) but I’m never sure if they are really the same thing?

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Great suggestion, thank you. I believe they're related but not the same thing. Would you believe I've never had dandelion greens?! I'll have to look for them in the market, but maybe people here just forage them...

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Jun 11, 2023
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Thank you for this lovely comment!

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