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A Tasty Viennese Holiday Waltz..

 

vienna christmas

The Holidays always have me daydreaming about my visits to the Christmas markets insalzburg austria Vienna and Strasburg, in Austria.  On New Year’s Day I am always in Rome where we eat New Year’s day dinner at home  with the traditional New Year’s Day concert from Vienna on TV… So Vienna always brings back special memories for the  Holidays and besides the spiced wine you drink whilst strolling in the main squares in Vienna  and Salzburg..there is Viennese coffee.  If you can’t get to Vienna for the  Holidays you can have a  Viennese experience in your kitchen with a cup of this hot tasty drink (for the full effect, play some Mozart while enjoying this):

If you missed our Holiday Gift Guide, here it is http://tinyurl.com/yzyb4r4

Viennese Coffee

viennese coffee

(serves 4)

4 ounces of dark chocolate- melted

1/2 cup of whipping cream

4 cups of dark espresso or espresso style coffee

1 tsp sugar

powdered cocoa

cinnamon

In large heat proof pitcher - blend cream and melted chocolate till creamy.  Add in boiling hot coffee, sugar, stir and divide into 4 coffee cups, top with some whipped cream, dash of powderd cocoa and dash of powdered cinnamon..don’t forget the Mozart!

You still have time to get a copy of the award winning book 

 The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions-winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for Best Italian Cusisine Book in America for 2009.

If you missed our Holiday Gift Guide for best products selected for their artisan quality and the ultimate experience they provide the consumer, here it is:

Holiday Gift Guide 2009

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1jim0/HolidayGiftGuide2009/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=

 Tanti Auguri (Best Wishes) for a Great Holiday

Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

 

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As You Ponder Your Next Cappuccino…

 

cappuccino-cup

 

copyright 2009, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

Here’s a familiar scenario: It’s 7 AM on a Tuesday and you’re making that daily commute when you decide to stop off for a little caffeine laced pick-me-up at a local coffee shop. A hot cup of java to get you over the hump and through another day at the office. So you order a cappuccino, or Americano or macchiato from your local Barista. It’s something you’ve done a millions times before, but have you ever stopped to think about what these words mean? Or from where they originated? Sure, you know that an Americano is an espresso shot with hot water, but why exactly is it called “Americano”? Although these words have morphed into the coffee shop terminology we now commonly use, each one has a distinct origin that differs from their present meanings. Often times we assume these words and phrases are one dimensional but by exploring their genesis we can appreciate these drinks as more than just an eye opener but as the well crafted beverage that we sometimes take for granted.

Cappuccino may be the most popular coffee house drink in America. A shot of espresso topped off with a layer of foam, served dry with no milk. The ingredients of the drink are well known but cappuccino has a rich and intriguing history dating as far back as Italy in the 19th Century. The name cappuccino is taken from The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, named so because of their custom of wearing a hood with their habit. In Italian, cappuccino is the diminutive form of the word hood. Although the exact reason of the name is unknown, many believe it is because of the color of the drink, or the foam resting on top of the drink is likened to the hood itself. The first cappuccino machine was patented in Italy in 1901 and the common variation of the cappuccino was perfected by the 1950s.

This drink, like many others originated in Italy and translate into simple terms. The macchiato translates to “marked” or “stained” in Italian. The “stain” refers to the tiny dab of milk on top of the espresso shot. In this case perhaps the more eloquent “macchiato” sounds a lot more appetizing than if you order a small cup of hot “stain”. The dollop of foam was originally added as a way for Baristas to show the serving waiters the difference between an espresso with or without milk.

The Italian Barista serves a much different purpose than his American counterparts. The American Barista is generally just a coffee house employee but in Italy the Barista is revered as an expert in his particular field. Like a ‘coffee sommelier’, the Barista is painstakingly trained in the art of coffee preparation and has an extensive knowledge of coffee beans, their varieties and the espresso machine itself. That certainly puts the high school kid working at your local Starbucks to shame.

Which brings us to our final drink, our country’s namesake, the Americano,. This brew originated, like many espresso-based drinks in Italy and consists of an espresso shot and hot water. It’s similar to our traditional American drip coffee but is obviously a much stronger brew. The drink tends to be a bit of an acquired taste and is usually served black, in order to fully appreciate the difference in flavor between it and regular drip coffee.

It’s so often we tend to move through our routines without stopping to appreciate the small details that create the unique aromas and flavors of our coffee shop beverages. Taking the time to smell the roses (or in this case espresso beans) can expand our palettes and give us a thorough understanding of those early morning brews we love so much.

 Get your copy of  new release The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions with over 140 recipes ,wine pairing tips, menus and short stories about Holidays spent in Italy.

 See you:
Oct 3rd-Collngswood Book Festival, Collingswood NJ for a book signing

Oct 5th- Horsham Township Library-book signing, cooking demo, sampler dinner, reservations limited email:juzz2@aol.com for reseravations

Oct 21-Lower Southampton Twp Library,  Feasterville, Pa-7 PM- book signing and cooking demo/sampling

Oct 16-18th- Onstage  cooking demo, book signings at Philly Food and Wine Fest

Nov 5-7th-Christmas in Italy weekend at Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast,. Lancaster, Pa. reservations limited, email: info@harvestmoonbandb.com

Mangia Bene,Vivi Bene,

Maria

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A Day with Moses & Michelangelo

trevi fountainmichelangelo moses 2

 

 

Copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Sundays in Rome always turn into special days..and this weekend was no exception. A  trip there  for an event on Saturday  for my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions turned into more than just that ..Sunday was  filled with finding  favorite foods in Rome and seeing old friends-Moses &  Michelangelo..

 It  became a  trip to revisit those old friends..a stop to see Michelangelo’s Moses, the Trevi Fountain and canlt forget Santa Maria sopra Minerva… I have seen them many times and can sit in front of them for hours upon end and take in their beauty..almost embarassingly so..my eyes become wide open in amazement.. thinking of Michelangelo toiling in front of his Moses…

 

cappuccinogelato

But enough about the art..let’s get into the food.. From cornetto & cappuccino near Santa Maria Maggiore to Pizza in Trastevere..coffee at St.Eustachio and EUR and gelato near Montecitorio…what a weekend program..  attempting to fit in all the local food stops one could fit in..It seemed like so many foods but  so little time to get them all in..

Pizza in Rome is at its best when it is thin ,made with fresh mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and most places display a sign to tell you the ingredients uses as do the places that make their own gelato. The sign is usually somewhere on the glass case that displays the pizza and/or gelato..

In 100 degree weather the  gelato creations, looking as something that may have been created by one of the masters, melt so quickly one has but a split second to  admire the aesthetic beauty. Enjoying a dish of gelato outside in Rome under the summer sun is an experience in contrast..the heatof the August sun beating down,the cool,creamy liquid refreshing your senses..the intense flavors hypnotizing…almost diverting your attention away from the uncomfortable temperatures at least for a few minutes.

 

A linguine with cold pasta sauce coming later today  for lunch..

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

Sorbetto di Caffe for a Monday

sorbetto di caffe

 copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Today is a coffee Monday! Even though I have heard that drinking hot coffee in the heat of summer keeps your body cool, you may want  to drink your coffee cool on a hot summer day.

The dish for today in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen was a Sorbetto di Caffe (Coffee Sorbet). It was great as an after dinner dessert..replacing my usual cup of hot coffee.

It’s really quite easy, made with simple  ingredients, no special equipment  needed to make it. Before the summer is gone try this for a dessert or a cool afternoon treat! Reminds me a of a stroll through the center of Rome and taking a coffee sorbetto in one of the chic coffee bars.. I can see it now..passing the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain the hot Roman sun beating down and nothing but a sorbetto di caffe will do!

Sorbetto Di Caffe

*1/4 cup of white sugar

*4 espresso size cups of espresso  coffee

*1 cup water

Make 4 cups of espresso in a 4 cup of espresso and let cool.In a saucepan place 1 cup coffee sorbetcooled coffee. Place ina feeezer container or ice tray. In one hour stir mixture, and stir again in 2 hours. Then let freeze.  When frozen solid it is ready to serve. Stir with a dollop of whipped cream

Just in time for the Holidays:
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking -Holidays & Special Occasions- get yoru copy at www.marialiberati.com

*Get the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at www.marialiberati.com

*July 16th, Whole Foods market, Annapolis,MD, call store t oregister or email: events@marialiberati.com

July 18th- Whole Foods Market, Fair lakes/Fairfax, Virginia. A Tuscan Picnic and a wine pairing. Call store or email :events@marialiberati.com

July 31-August 2nd-Atalantic City Food & Wine Show, Bally’s Casino. Email: events@marialiberati.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

http://mariaandco.blogspot.com
 

 

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Cappuccino, Macchiato, Latte, Americano…

_amore_caffe.jpg 

copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati

Editor: Patrick Coyne 

Here’s a familiar scenario: It’s 7 AM on a Tuesday and you’re making that daily commute when you decide to stop off for a little caffeine laced pick-me-up at a local coffee shop. A hot cup of java to get you over the hump and through another day at the office. So you order a cappuccino, or Americano or macchiato from your local Barista. It’s something you’ve done a millions times before, but have you ever stopped to think about what these words mean? Or from where they originated? Sure, you know that an Americano is an espresso shot with hot water, but why exactly is it called “Americano”? Although these words have morphed into the coffee shop terminology we now commonly use, each one has a distinct origin that differs from their present meanings. Often times we assume these words and phrases are one dimensional but by exploring their genesis we can appreciate these drinks as more than just an eye opener but as the well crafted beverage that we sometimes take for granted.

Cappuccino may be the most popular coffee house drink in America. A shot of espresso topped off with a layer of foam, served dry with no milk. The ingredients of the drink are well known but cappuccino has a rich and intriguing history dating as far back as Italy in the 19th Century. The name cappuccino is taken from The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, named so because of their custom of wearing a hood with their habit. In Italian, cappuccino is the diminutive form of the word hood. Although the exact reason of the name is unknown, many believe it is because of the color of the drink, or the foam resting on top of the drink is likened to the hood itself. The first cappuccino machine was patented in Italy in 1901 and the common variation of the cappuccino was perfected by the 1950s.

This drink, like many others originated in Italy and translate into simple terms. The macchiato translates to “marked” or “stained” in Italian. The “stain” refers to the tiny dab of milk on top of the espresso shot. In this case perhaps the more eloquent “macchiato” sounds a lot more appetizing than if you order a small cup of hot “stain”. The dollop of foam was originally added as a way for Baristas to show the serving waiters the difference between an espresso with or without milk.

The Italian Barista serves a much different purpose than his American counterparts. The American Barista is generally just a coffee house employee but in Italy the Barista is revered as an expert in his particular field. Like a ‘coffee sommelier’, the Barista is painstakingly trained in the art of coffee preparation and has an extensive knowledge of coffee beans, their varieties and the espresso machine itself. That certainly puts the high school kid working at your local Starbucks to shame.

Which brings us to our final drink, our country’s namesake, the Americano,. This brew originated, like many espresso-based drinks in Italy and consists of an espresso shot and hot water. It’s similar to our traditional American drip coffee but is obviously a much stronger brew. The drink tends to be a bit of an acquired taste and is usually served black, in order to fully appreciate the difference in flavor between it and regular drip coffee.

It’s so often we tend to move through our routines without stopping to appreciate the small details that create the unique aromas and flavors of our coffee shop beverages. Taking the time to smell the roses (or in this case espresso beans) can expand our palettes and give us a thorough understanding of those early morning brews we love so much.

Indulgence in the Eternal City..

palombini.png

 copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati

It is amusing to sit and watch how people that are extremely cold warm up. Some will stare in disbelief at their reddened hands, almost frozen and unable to move. Others seem to think that laughing  to shake off the cold’s icy touch is the best solution. Then there are those that will just sit without uddering a word, who seem to sit mute  almost as if  in shock.

After visiting the ’square coliseum’, we knew we needed  some solution  to the cold wind.  The Solution ………was a visit to Palombini  (coffee bar) next door, the visions of sweet pillows of pastry and colorfully decorated cakes for Carnevale and Easter  was all that was needed to get us inside. That was the easiest decision, now came the world’s most difficult decision..what should we order or not order…

It was the perfect resting place for cold weary shoppers.. in the Eternal city how can anything but indulgence be your mission..food ,fashion, beauty, art, architeture..

To my next visit to Palombini and enjoy some tramezzini at home if you can’t meet me there.

Join me at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm Cooking School in Italy on Sept 23-Oct 6th at the villa. Stay for 6 nights/ 7 days with us and enjoy hands on authentic cooking classes, vineyard tours, visits to artisan food producers, wine tastings and more. (Almost all inclusive)_Everything exept airfare..Included is all meals cooking classes, lodging, excursions, wine tastings and transport from airport and back. Limited to 12 participants and if yo uregister by May 1st you receive $200 off the price. An Experience you will never forget. Makes a great Mother’s Day gift!

Visit our recipes and articles page, updated frequently with all the recipes you have been asking for and more to come.

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

Anyone for a Morning Cappuccino???

caffe-mocha.jpg 

copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking 

Living in Italy has taught me so much about appreciating some of the simpler pleasures in life. Things that are truly beautiful but yet so simple.. For instance …one of my  favorite things in the mornings here in Italy is the smell  of espresso brewing…  …I can’t seem to start my day unless I have a cappuccino and a cornetto (the Italian version of the croissant)…one of life’s simpler pleasures..  It is  like my motor isn’t running correctly or something is just is not right, but alas comes my cappuccino and cornetto…. and all seems right with the world my day can begin!! What is that about ‘carpe diem’??? at that very moment that my cappuccino and cornetto arrive I want to just stop time-if only for a few minutes…

The cold weather and the coffee bars have inspired us to also work on some recipes for coffee drinks here and there are so many that even that famous coffee place in the US (you know who I mean) would be stumped.

Here is a recipe for a dessert coffee drink done at the coffee bars here…enjoy and keep warm….

 Caffe Mocha

1/2 cup honey

1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups of hot espresso coffee

1/4 cup hot milk

1/4 cup whipping cream (unsweetened)

2 tbslsps powdered sugar

Place whipping cream and powdered sugar in a  chilled bowl, whip till peaks form. Place in refrigerator.

In another bowl. mix the honey with powdered cocoa and cinnamon and let sit for 5 minutes. Divide  and place mixture into 4 cups. Mix hot coffee with hot milk and distribute in cups. Stir and top with whipped cream mix.

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Go to http://mariaandco.blogspot.com

http://marialiberati.blogster.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

How to Make Cappuccino at Home

capuccino2_v-gallery.jpg

copyright., 2008. Maria Liberati

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm

http://www.marialiberati.com

Editor: Michela Pompeo

 

 

Cappuccino at Home

I have to admit that one of my favorite things about waking up in Italy is having cappuccino for breakfast. Oh, they sell it at that great big coffee company in the US-but it is not the same taste or the same experience. Not always having the time to go to the coffee bar in the morning ..we have learned how to  imitate  at home that great taste you get at the coffee bar.  With a little practice ,no matter  where in the world you are ..as long as you have a few things-especially  great coffee and fresh milk. and a moka pot..you should be able to wake up to the same experience I have every morning here. But be forewarned.. a great cappuccino in the morning can be come an addiction. If you read my blog about the explanation of the Italian word ‘voglio’ you will understand why a cappuccino in the morning has become my ‘voglio’  http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=286    in the morning. And if you really want to be mesmerized..add an Italian ‘cornetto’ (Italian version of a croissant) with that cappuccino..and you will have love at first sight…. now that’s amore..

 

What’s the difference between ‘white coffee’ and cappuccino (double ‘p’ and double ‘c’ in Italian)?

Well, basically, it is the foam. Cappuccino is widespread in all Western Europe and, I dare say, in America (North and South), too. Some nice variations have been made, (‘frapuccino’ for example…), but essentially it is made of milk and coffee in variable proportions, with FOAM.

If you want to make yourself a nice cappuccino at home, without any big or small electric machine (leave it to professionals..) you’ll have to get a simple ‘foam maker’ and a moka machine (see pictures below).

The latter is not really essential, it is only to make nice Italian coffee, but you can make ‘long/American’ coffee as well. The most important thing, in my opinion, is foam, and good, creamy foam, not a series of empty air bubbles.

 

 

 

 

Starting from coffee, assuming you’re making Italian coffee, what you need is a good coffee blend such as LAVAZZA (both types: gold and Silver), ILLY, GOPPION, BRISTOT, and the moka machine. This last comes in different sizes: 1cup, 3 cups, 6 cups, 12 cups. You can see in the picture above both the 1cup and the 3 cup machines. Each one of them is composed of 4 main parts: the upper part, where you’ll get the liquid from, the first round flat filter + rubber lining fixed to it, the actual filter and the bottom part. To make the coffee, then, you’ll have to fill the bottom part with water, insert the filter (make sure a little bit of water comes out of it); fill the filter with ground coffee, screw the upper part to the bottom one, put it on the stove. Coffee is ready when you hear a ‘gurgling’ sound.

Now take the ‘foam maker’: It is made of two parts: a pot and a piston, which is also its lid. Pour a little milk into the pot, not too much because there must be enough room for the milk to ‘swell’ (if you need more, for many cups, you’ll have to repeat the procedure). Warm the milk, take it out from the heat, insert the ‘piston-lid’, thus closing the pot. Then, manually, you’ll have to work the piston up and down very quickly for a couple of minutes and it will be ready.

Pour coffee first into the cup and then, very slowly, hot creamy milk. With a teaspoon you can help foam ‘slide’ into the cup. Add sugar to taste and/or a sprinkle of cocoa on top of it and enjoy your home-made cappuccino.

A variation: top your cappuccino with a spoonful of freshly whipped cream!

For more recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

A coffee by any other name..in Hawaii??

In Italy  we are all professed coffee experts or we like to think so and a coffee that has a specific brand on it- like a designer label ..is always looked upon with favor, so we are somewhat coffee snobs and have designer brands we  favor..most are coffees that are roasted right in Italy and brought in from Africa or South America.

But have you ever imagined or thought of trying a coffee from Hawaii?.well think of it - a strong beautiful sun is there to nourish those beans with a rich soil to flourish in.

Well if you profess to be a coffee snob and think of South America & Africa having the best coffee beans in the world try Kona Luna Coffee.  It is smooth and no bitter after taste, so no ‘acida’ (acid stomach).  This company gives their coffee plants tender loving care and you can taste it in the quality of their coffee. Always perfect.. And roasted equally to perfection not burnt but roasted to bring out the flavor of the bean..

One of  the secrets of true not bitter ,superior taste is that  the coffee is made from 100% Kona Luna Beans, they’re not mixed with other beans of less quality that would diminish the quality of the taste. And this is evident of the clarity of the flavor.

 My Kona Luna Coffee blend of choice is Mahalo Mudslinger- it works well in my recipes & can be substitued for espresso. It comes across as a bold wake your senses up type of taste and..is the perfect morning eye opener or afternoon pick me up..which brings to mind my recipe for a ‘lighter Tiramisu’. I have included the recipe here, enjoy Mahalo Mudslinger in the recipe as well as a cup of it with it…

Tiramisu

1 1/2 cups Mahalo Mudslinger or  espresso coffee

2 teaspoons sugar

4 medium eggs
1/2 cup and 2 tsps. sugar
1 lb mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
35-40 savoiardi (ladyfinger cookies)

2 tablespoons bitter cocoa powder

4 ounces of dark dark chocolate shaved (for top of cake)

 

Prepare a strong  coffee. Dissolve two teaspoons sugar in it, while the coffee is still hot. Let the coffee cool to room temperature. Seperate egg yolks from egg whites into 2 different bowls.

Add ¼ cup sugar to egg yolks and beat till creamy. In seperate bowl, beat mascarpone cheese till creamy. Continue beating while adding in (a little at a time) egg yolk/sugar mixture.

Then beat egg whites with ¼ cup sugar and pinch of salt till soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into mascarpone mixture with wooden spoon.

 

Dip half of the ladyfingers in the coffee and place in the pan in a single layer.

Spread half of the mascarpone cream on the layer of ladyfingers..

Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the coffee and

Spread the remaining mascarpone cream on top of second layer of ladyfingers.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and decorate with chocolate shavings and refrigerate for about three to four hours.

This is the original tiramisu recipe. If you want to make this a bit lighter, I find that a mixture of 1-8 ounce container of plain lowfat yogurt whipped together with 1-8 ounce pakage of non-fat or lowfat cream cheese makes a great lower calTiramisu

orie substitute for the mascarpone cheese and eggs.orie substitute for the mascarpone cheese and eggs.

Substitute artificial sweetener for the sugar although there is not that much sugar I nteh recipe.

Ladyfingers are not high claories and the small amount of cocoa and chocolate are fine and not loaded with calories.

So either way you can enjoy the dessert!

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

How to Make (Light as an Angel) Anginetti Cookies

anginetti-cookies.jpg copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

Editor:Sara Harris

What is it about cookies (dolci- in Italian) that have even the harshest food critics saying, Mmm! Whether these sinfully sweet desserts are prepared warm and gooey or tastily crunchy, I’ve never met a cookie that even Santa Claus didn’t like. Derived from the Dutch word koekie, meaning little cake, in most countries cookies are referred to as biscuits. Dating back as far as the 7th century, these perfectly sized treats journeyed globally into the hearts of society by the 14th century, quickly becoming a scrumptious crowd-pleaser among travelers, street vendors, and social classes alike. By the 1600’s cookies marched straight into the ovens of the Americas, proving a multitude of recipes were anything but ‘cookie-cutter’. The delicious aromas springs a nostalgic vision of generations hovering over antique appliances, waistlines cinched in funky aprons, as family traditions and bakeoffs leaves us wanting more.

Indigenous to parties and holiday dinners, Anginetti (a personal favorite) is a traditional Italian cookie-biscuit crafted to pillowy-white hints of lemon, vanilla, and confectioners’ icing. Perfect for tea parties, I located a family recipe and skillfully tried it… unsurprisingly they tasted exactly how I remembered. Versions of Anginetti float throughout the internet, but if you’re not in the mood to bake visit http://www.bellasbakery.com or http://www.gullaces.com for delectably purchasable homemade goodies.

 

With a cookie-versatility ranging from chocolate sambuca, buccellati, cannoli, biscotti, dolce di fichi, as well as popular originals like chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin… it seems someone always has their hands in the cookie jar.

 

Anginetti Bite-Sized Italy (yields approximately 40 cookie-biscuits)

Cookies:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest

6 tbsp butter

½-cup skim milk

½-cup regular sugar (or Splenda)

3 whole eggs or ¾ cup of Egg Beaters

3 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

 

Icing:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1-cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp water

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while lining large cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and non-stick coating.

 

In large mixing bowl, beat vanilla, zest, margarine, milk, and sugar with electric mixer on medium setting until texture is well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating each addition, and then continue to beat mixture for 1 minute.

 

On low speed, blend flour (1 cup at a time), powder, and baking soda until consistency becomes firm, sticky dough. If needed, have wooden spoon available for mixing. Dust hands lightly with additional flour, rolling dough into bite-sized balls. Place approximately 20 onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing 2 “apart.

 

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown.

 

Icing: While first batch is baking, combine vanilla, lemon juice, sugar, and water into a small mixing bowl, whisking ingredients until mixture is completely blended. Remove cookies from oven, placing a sheet of wax or parchment beneath wire rack. Using a small pastry brush, frost the tops of each cookie with icing, sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar, and transfer to rack for cooling. Begin second batch.

 

Still have a sweet tooth? Check out Maria Liberati’s delicious Cannoli recipe… http://marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=221

Be sure to visit http://www.marialiberati.com and get your copy of the bestselling book, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, by Maria Liberati.


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