Everybody Loves Tuscany

Prosciutto di Parma Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian and is distinguished from cooked ham, prosciutto cotto. Prosciutto is made from either a pig’s or a wild boar’s ham (hind leg or thigh), and the base term prosciutto specifically refers […]

3 INGREDIENT SPAGHETTI Cacio e pepe- Spaghetti, butter, pepper & Parmesan. This dish sets the bar for the industry in Italy.   It is the entry dish for all chefs hired in Italy says Chef Fabio in this video. Chef Fabio says the sauce must be creamy and not oily.  The Parmesan cheese must be […]

Olive Oil Types In order to get the best results, not all olive oils should be used or cooked with the same way. In this video, Chef Fabio will talk about the types of olive oils and how each is best used. JOIN US ON THE NEXT PAGE FOR THE VIDEO

Castello Banfi The Castello Banfi estate extends to the south of Montalcino, to the borders of the Val d’Orcia. Of the 7,100 acres of land, about one third is under vine in a constellation of single vineyards, the remainder occupied by olive groves, fruit trees (mainly plums), woods and scrub. Castello Banfi JOIN US ON […]

Montepulciano, Italy: Tuscan Dolce Vita Montepulciano (Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a 605-metre (1,985 ft) limestone ridge, 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of Pienza, 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Siena, 124 kilometres (77 mi) southeast […]

Piselli alla Fiorentina Ingredients: 3-3 ½ C peas (fresh or frozen) 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 cloves garlic ½ C rigatino (or pancetta) 1 Tbs chopped parsley Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper Water (about ½ C) 1 tsp sugar Heat oil and add garlic and rigatino. Add peas once garlic starts to […]

Panna Prosciutto e Piselli Pasta Ingredients: 2 C (or more!) Fun-shaped pasta (*this sauce recipe can be used for up to about 4 C of pasta) 3/4 C heavy cream 1/4 C whole milk 1/2 C cooked peas (fresh or frozen) 1/2 C sliced ham (prosciutto cotto) 1/4 tsp of Italian seasonings of your choice […]

Insalata di Riso Rice salad is a great dish to be served at barbecues and picnics. JOIN US ON THE NEXT PAGE FOR THE WRITTEN RECIPE AND VIDEO Ingredients: 1 1/2 C Rice 1 jar of pickled veggies (choose one that you like!) Extra virgin olive oil Salt (to taste) 1 small can of tuna […]

Tuscan Cenci Tuscan Cenci Recipe 2 C Flour 2 Eggs 1/4 C Sugar 1/4 C Butter (melted) 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tsp Vin Santo Pinch of Salt Zest of a Lemon (or Orange) Sunflower Oil (for frying) Powdered Sugar (for sprinkling on top – I used Vanilla flavored) Shape your flour into […]

Homemade Jam Homemade Jam using seasonal foods. Here’s a video showing how to make different types of jams in Tuscany. Video from youtube Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life – Anna Akhmatova