The concept of ‘salad’ has changed a lot over the years. Growing up, salad for me meant crisp green leaves, sliced cucumber, salt, olive oil and a little white vinegar. Or garden ripe tomatoes with sliced garlic, dried oregano, fresh basil, salt and olive oil. My Nonna made an epic bean salad, beans fresh from…
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See Naples and Die
That’s the title of a book I read some years ago by Penelope Green, an Australian journalist who ends up living in Naples. I enjoy reading this kind of book, always fascinated and a little jealous of people who get to experience living in a foreign country (especially Italy). I can’t remember too much of…
Nacatole
I can’t remember a day in my childhood we did not have a container of these in the pantry. I can’t even remember how often Mum would make them, but when she did, she made lots. Enough to give some away to friends and family, and plenty to store in the white recycled containers she…
Peperonata
I can remember big bowls of this peperonata at every family barbecue of my childhood. I was a fussy child and would have avoided it then because, as children often do, I had decided I didn’t like capsicum or eggplant, so refused to even try it. How much I missed. A mixture of onion, red…
When In Rome – Why I love the Campo de’ Fiori district
When I travel, my number one criteria for choosing accomodation is always location, location, location. I want to be smack bang in the middle of it all, I want to be within walking distance of all the sites, I want to be near bars and restaurants the locals hang out, and I want there to…
Pork, Chilli and Fennel Meatballs with Creamy Polenta
The heady chilli and fennel smell of these meatballs transports me to childhood memories of my family’s annual sausage making tradition. With sharply honed knives, my Dad and uncles would butcher a large pig, reared on my Uncle’s farm especially, meticulously ensuring not a scrap of meat was wasted. The meat was diced, leaving just…
Foolproof Basic Shortcrust Pastry
If you have ever been put off from making a recipe because you need to make your own pastry, read on. It is much simpler than you think. This is my Basic Sweet Shortcrust recipe that I use for all my sweet tarts, and can be used to make biscuits too. It is simple to…
Osteria Da Fortunata – Rome
If you want to eat well in a big city like Rome, it pays to do a little homework before you go. Like any place, there are so many restaurants, it’s difficult to know how to separate the good from the ‘meh’. Generally, the restaurants smack bang in amongst the main tourist sights are the…
Chicken Cutlets – A Staple in Every Italian Mamma’s Freezer
Every Italian has grown up eating cutlets. Whether it’s chicken or veal is no matter. They were just always there, in bulk, waiting in the freezer to be cooked up at a moment’s notice. Veal is the traditional meat to use, but you need to be able to get your hands on really good veal,…
Underground Secrets of Rome – Nero’s Golden Palace (Domus Aurea)
“Now I can begin to live as a human being.” That is apparently what Emperor Nero had to say when his Golden Palace, Domus Aurea, was finally built. Poor Nero, he must have been living in squalor before he could move into his 300 room abode set on 200 hectares of manicured gardens, fountains, a huge…