Capsicum stuffed with tomatoes
"an Italian idea that has been put into words well by Elizabeth David, Simon Hopkinson and Nigel Slater among many others. And no wonder – it is such a good idea" Rachel Roddy I spent another happy almost hour with Nigel today, checking out his book Tender volume 1 for my lunch party on Sunday. If you remember I had forgotten to check this volume out. And of course there were heaps of other possibilities in addition to what I wrote about the other day, but I think I will
6 hours ago
A recipe years in the making
"pushing the boundaries of Italian cuisine, to highlight the power food, drink and travel has on memory" Rob Hobart/Peroni Nastro Azzurro I started out today researching piña colada inspired desserts - it was a topic in my Ideas list. Somehow or other during those rambles around a couple of Google pages, I came across this Cherry and strawberry crostata with black sesame praline a dish that Ixta Belfrage had presented in her Substack newsletter, telling us that it was a re
Dec 4
Scarpaccia - and sad/happy memories
"thin and a bit crusty, just like an old shoe." Frank/Memorie di Angelina That's how I feel a bit these days ... Well not quite thin enough in body anyway. But this is a story all about this delicious looking Tuscan speciality. As always I start on one thing and wander here and there before ending up somewhere completely unexpected. So to begin at the beginning - the picture above of Tom Hunt's version of Scarpaccia which instantly reminded me of another Italian zucchini
Oct 31
Bagatelles
Bagatelle: "a thing regarded as too unimportant or easy to be worth much consideration." Oxford Languages So yes 'bagatelle' is a French word for a trifle: "The French word bagatelle , from the Italian word bagatella , means a trifle or little decorative nothing." Wikipedia And this is an oddments post - full of trifles. A bagatelle trifle is also a specific French Canadian dish of which the magazine Saveur says "The typical bagatelle in La Beauce is a child's delight o
Oct 27
From the street to Michelin stars - first recipe
"there is no such thing as ‘traditional, authentic cuisine’ anywhere. It’s constantly evolving." Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn - Michelin star chef Bangkok Before I return yesterday's book to a shelf somewhere I thought I should do a first recipe thing on it, as it will be placed on a shelf that has already been given the first recipe treatment. I also decided retrospectively, having researched a bit, to cover two different dishes here - the first and third recipes in the book.
Oct 17
Lentils and pasta - minestra?
"Perché la minestra si fredda (because the soup is getting cold)" Leonardo da Vinci Those words are sometimes cited as Leonardo's last...
Oct 11
Pizza and pineapple - yes or no?
"that conversation never ends well, and in fact never really ends." Itamar Srulovich/The Guardian It's interesting how some foods create...
Oct 4
"To show sorrow for your sins"
"May your solitary meals be delicious and the company just as good.” Deborah Madison I was feeling depressed - not over anything in...
Oct 1
Ciabatta
"The Mother's Pride of the middle classes" - The Guardian " a new bread posing as an old one that is new?" Robin Stummer - The Guardian...
Sep 22
Scacce ragusana
"a bit like a lasagne crossed with a focaccia and pizza." Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella This is just one of those short posts,...
Sep 6
A perfect match - zucchini and pasta
"Dishes that, when followed by a salad, piece of cheese and accompanied by a bottle of wine, can feel like an everyday feast." I have now...
Jul 22
Are we British ashamed of cream buns?
"The fisherman fishes as the urchin eats cream buns, from lust". T. H. White I actually started out with the idea of doing an oddments...
Jul 18
Do I need this book?
Probably not, but I want it - it's an object of desire Continuing with the pile of books on my desk I have mentioned this one a couple of...
Jul 17
Poaching chicken in vinegar
I have this pile of books on my desk which I have recently purchased, or which are first recipe or lucky dip books. So on a rainy day...
Jul 10
Rambling again - a pasta dish
"Best eaten after sturdy exercise in the open air." The Food of Italy This is a typical Rosemary's ramble, beginning with the usual what...
Jul 3
Pasta Primavera
"I find it very hard to imagine that prior to 1975, nobody in the history of the universe had thought to combine fresh spring vegetables...
Jun 6
Angel hair
“Angel hair just lands on your chin like the strands of a wet mop.” Bon Appétit "The thin strands absorb sauce like few other pastas...
May 23
Gennaro's Verdure
"Each plate is an emotion. In the mind of a cook there are thousands of recipes, every time you change it a little bit." Gennaro...
May 3
There's nothing new about one pot pasta
"A traditional spaghetti dish may be a two-pan recipe, but one of those pans contains only boiling water, salt and spaghetti. It’s not...
May 2
Broccoli, pasta - ordinary - but ...
"What’s courageous about the timeless combination of broccoli and pasta?" Deb Perelman/Smitten Kitchen The answer is nothing of course. ...
Apr 22