My absolute summer favorite is good, toasted cheese bread topped with fresh tomatoes!
Suppers have been lots of stir fried and fresh vegetables in combinations with my NEW favorite FARRO. I wish I could duplicate the farro and chickpea dish from the wonderful Sardinian restaurant
in Santa Margherita! Enjoy those book and the beautiful view! Healing thoughts to you.
Oh yes, that was such a lovely dish. I may be headed back to that restaurant this fall. I’ll see if I can get them to share the recipe. Toasted cheese bread + tomatoes sounds awesome.
Ciao Domeica, Last summer on our first mushroom hunt of the season my wife snagged her foot on a log and snapped her wrist. It became a different summer for us for sure. But we survived it and this summer we're back with gusto hunting for chanterelles again!
Reading Eva Dorme (Eva Sleeps) in Italian, fabulous book and a deep dive into the Austrian/Italian part of the world as well as the North South Italy dynamics. As an extra bonus, one of the characters works for a Tyrolese Restaurant Hotel and there are many food digressions.
On my own food front working with my Oooni pizza oven to get the perfect neapolitan style Gluten Free sourdough crust. Not an easy task but almost there with a crust made from ceci flour, buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, corn starch and tapioca. GF is it's own world when it comes to baking, gluten is magic and work arounds are complex...
Glad to hear you are both back to foraging for funghi ~ something I've been interested in but don't know enough about to dare try. Thanks for the book recommendation. Sounds like a good one. And I applaud your efforts to master a GF pizza crust. I've been lazy on the GF front, admittedly because no one in my family has an issue with gluten so it's made it easy to ignore.
The privilege of seeing one of my customers face light up with sheer joy when they try some of our crunchy sourdough bread or tangy focaccia is incredible. When people have been in the wilderness of no bread or bad bread for years being part of that shared essential food experience again is momentous and often tearful.
I imagine so. For quite awhile I was making homemade focaccia and pizza with my sourdough starter, which I’ve had for about 8 years now. It’s currently in my freezer in the U.S. waiting to be brought to life. Looking forward to getting back to it.
a) I am ashamed at how behind in my reading to just be learning now about your leg, b) How marvelous to wake up and discover a town called Penne exists, and c) I am making that (expletive) peach cake. Mend well and quickly.
Thank you, my friend. Yes, Penne, and it dates to pre-Roman times. It's a fascinating, if somewhat (currently) down-in-the-mouth city, though it is where hand-stitched Brioni suits are made and a Brunello Cuccinelli (another maker of luxury suits) factory is opening soon so perhaps things are looking up. Do make the peach cake since i can't!
Ciao Domenica! I hope you are healing rapidly. I am going to make at least 2 of these recipes and will be thinking of you. I am listening to The Marriage Portrait on my commute and am enjoying it. (I loved Hamnet!) I agree with the earlier commenter and recommend Lessons in Chemistry. The American cover makes it look like a beach read but it’s really enjoyable. Be well! 😘
Thank you. I enjoyed Hamnet as well, though I remember at the time being slightly annoyed by the sentimentality? But overall I thought it was a good read. She is marvelous at conjuring/imagining life as it might have been centuries ago. I've been curious about Lessons in Chemistry and look forward to reading it.
I’ve been thinking about you (and sending healing thoughts) recently- so glad to hear that you are on the mend. Are you able to watch Wimbledon in between reading? And btw- Trust by Hernan Diaz is my book of the year so far. Thank you for this wonderful post!
Ciao! Have had a hard time finding a way to stream Wimbledon over here, unfortunately. But keeping up with scores and match results. Hope you're having a lovely summer.
Even as you are recovering, you send us such a delicious post! Brava! Thank you for this and also for including what you’re reading. Brideshead Revisited is one of my favorite books (and, series!) and you’ve prompted me to pick it up again. Hope every day feels a little closer to full recovery, Domenica! ❤️
My daughter and I attended several classes you taught at Kitchen Art in West Lafayette, Indiana (before the store closed) and had a wonderful time meeting you and learning from you!
I'm sorry to hear about your unfortunate accident but at least you have beautiful scenery in Italy to make day dreaming more real:) Hopefully you'll be back in your kitchen again very soon!
I finished reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah for my book club and made the following recipes for our meeting: Zuppa Di Pasta Fagioli (recipe by you), Arancini with Pancetta & Garlic Tomato Sauce, Fettucine Alfredo, and Lavendar Lemonade. It was a wonderful book!
I also just finished listening to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand. I really enjoyed both books!
Hi Kim, thank you for your comment and your book recommendations. I have yet to read any of those, so am putting them on my list. I have thought often of Kitchen Art; he seemed to close it with so little notice and I wondered what prompted him to do so. Warm regards, D
He said he was retiring and going to travel since his children were grown but he closed shortly before COVID moved in so I am not sure if he was able to travel. Take care!
What a terrible time to be stuck in the house. The beautiful weather, the scent of flowers the colors of Summer are life's pleasures. I wish you a speedy recovery but I know, from experience, it takes time to mend bones. It will pass and you'll be back on your feet doing all the things you love.
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. I can't wait to try them.
So good to hear your voice, Domenica, and happily you seem to be on the slow but steady road to full up and ready to go! Your view of the landscape around Penne has me longing to be back in Italy-- not this year, not for me, alas, but your picture is enchanting. Thank you and buona dominica!
Thank you, Nancy. I am familiar with that feeling of longing, though right now I'm kind of longing to be back in the U.S. and closer to my kids. Funny how that works...
My absolute summer favorite is good, toasted cheese bread topped with fresh tomatoes!
Suppers have been lots of stir fried and fresh vegetables in combinations with my NEW favorite FARRO. I wish I could duplicate the farro and chickpea dish from the wonderful Sardinian restaurant
in Santa Margherita! Enjoy those book and the beautiful view! Healing thoughts to you.
Oh yes, that was such a lovely dish. I may be headed back to that restaurant this fall. I’ll see if I can get them to share the recipe. Toasted cheese bread + tomatoes sounds awesome.
I would do that trip again in a heartbeat! It was incredible!
Thank you for the experience!
Bella Atri!
Città di nascita di mia nonna!
Domenica I just read The Post Card by Anne Berest. I think you would like it. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/books/review/anne-berest-the-postcard.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Loved your list and thank you for sharing. And the recipes! I need to make that eggplant timbale. Keep healing!
Thank you for this recommendation, Susie!
Oh, hobblessa. Hope you are getting on. You'll make. I am planning to try some of those recipes. I am hungry now!
Thank you, and happy cooking!
Left out a word: You'll make it!
Ciao Domenica. Thank you for the book recommendations. I loooooove Brideshead...that writing. Wow. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Thank you. So nice to find fellow Brideshead lovers.
Ciao Domeica, Last summer on our first mushroom hunt of the season my wife snagged her foot on a log and snapped her wrist. It became a different summer for us for sure. But we survived it and this summer we're back with gusto hunting for chanterelles again!
Reading Eva Dorme (Eva Sleeps) in Italian, fabulous book and a deep dive into the Austrian/Italian part of the world as well as the North South Italy dynamics. As an extra bonus, one of the characters works for a Tyrolese Restaurant Hotel and there are many food digressions.
On my own food front working with my Oooni pizza oven to get the perfect neapolitan style Gluten Free sourdough crust. Not an easy task but almost there with a crust made from ceci flour, buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, corn starch and tapioca. GF is it's own world when it comes to baking, gluten is magic and work arounds are complex...
Glad to hear you are both back to foraging for funghi ~ something I've been interested in but don't know enough about to dare try. Thanks for the book recommendation. Sounds like a good one. And I applaud your efforts to master a GF pizza crust. I've been lazy on the GF front, admittedly because no one in my family has an issue with gluten so it's made it easy to ignore.
The privilege of seeing one of my customers face light up with sheer joy when they try some of our crunchy sourdough bread or tangy focaccia is incredible. When people have been in the wilderness of no bread or bad bread for years being part of that shared essential food experience again is momentous and often tearful.
I imagine so. For quite awhile I was making homemade focaccia and pizza with my sourdough starter, which I’ve had for about 8 years now. It’s currently in my freezer in the U.S. waiting to be brought to life. Looking forward to getting back to it.
a) I am ashamed at how behind in my reading to just be learning now about your leg, b) How marvelous to wake up and discover a town called Penne exists, and c) I am making that (expletive) peach cake. Mend well and quickly.
Thank you, my friend. Yes, Penne, and it dates to pre-Roman times. It's a fascinating, if somewhat (currently) down-in-the-mouth city, though it is where hand-stitched Brioni suits are made and a Brunello Cuccinelli (another maker of luxury suits) factory is opening soon so perhaps things are looking up. Do make the peach cake since i can't!
Ciao Domenica! I hope you are healing rapidly. I am going to make at least 2 of these recipes and will be thinking of you. I am listening to The Marriage Portrait on my commute and am enjoying it. (I loved Hamnet!) I agree with the earlier commenter and recommend Lessons in Chemistry. The American cover makes it look like a beach read but it’s really enjoyable. Be well! 😘
Thank you. I enjoyed Hamnet as well, though I remember at the time being slightly annoyed by the sentimentality? But overall I thought it was a good read. She is marvelous at conjuring/imagining life as it might have been centuries ago. I've been curious about Lessons in Chemistry and look forward to reading it.
I’ve been thinking about you (and sending healing thoughts) recently- so glad to hear that you are on the mend. Are you able to watch Wimbledon in between reading? And btw- Trust by Hernan Diaz is my book of the year so far. Thank you for this wonderful post!
Ciao! Have had a hard time finding a way to stream Wimbledon over here, unfortunately. But keeping up with scores and match results. Hope you're having a lovely summer.
Even as you are recovering, you send us such a delicious post! Brava! Thank you for this and also for including what you’re reading. Brideshead Revisited is one of my favorite books (and, series!) and you’ve prompted me to pick it up again. Hope every day feels a little closer to full recovery, Domenica! ❤️
Thank you, Jolene. We have so much in common, now even Brideshead. I would watch the series again...will have to search for it.
If I find it I’ll let you know!
My daughter and I attended several classes you taught at Kitchen Art in West Lafayette, Indiana (before the store closed) and had a wonderful time meeting you and learning from you!
I'm sorry to hear about your unfortunate accident but at least you have beautiful scenery in Italy to make day dreaming more real:) Hopefully you'll be back in your kitchen again very soon!
I finished reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah for my book club and made the following recipes for our meeting: Zuppa Di Pasta Fagioli (recipe by you), Arancini with Pancetta & Garlic Tomato Sauce, Fettucine Alfredo, and Lavendar Lemonade. It was a wonderful book!
I also just finished listening to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand. I really enjoyed both books!
Hi Kim, thank you for your comment and your book recommendations. I have yet to read any of those, so am putting them on my list. I have thought often of Kitchen Art; he seemed to close it with so little notice and I wondered what prompted him to do so. Warm regards, D
He said he was retiring and going to travel since his children were grown but he closed shortly before COVID moved in so I am not sure if he was able to travel. Take care!
What a terrible time to be stuck in the house. The beautiful weather, the scent of flowers the colors of Summer are life's pleasures. I wish you a speedy recovery but I know, from experience, it takes time to mend bones. It will pass and you'll be back on your feet doing all the things you love.
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. I can't wait to try them.
Thank you, a long process for sure but getting closer every day...
So good to hear your voice, Domenica, and happily you seem to be on the slow but steady road to full up and ready to go! Your view of the landscape around Penne has me longing to be back in Italy-- not this year, not for me, alas, but your picture is enchanting. Thank you and buona dominica!
Thank you, Nancy. I am familiar with that feeling of longing, though right now I'm kind of longing to be back in the U.S. and closer to my kids. Funny how that works...
So kind, thank you, Barbara.