maria - The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

The Garden of Eating | The Start of Summer

By maria June 19, 2006EntertainingNo Comments

www.marialiberati.com http://spaghettiatmidnight.blogspot.com Summer is the season of far off getaways to exotic locales and beachfront bonfires. In Euorpe we look forward to fireworks on the beaches on the Riviera. It…

How To Make Spaghetti al Fresco Riviera

By maria June 18, 2006Pasta, RecipesNo Comments

Alfonso and I made a trip along the Riviera by car recently. I can describe this trip with memories of vivid blues and greens that I have never seen before...and…

The Origins of Spices

By maria June 18, 2006Food Facts, History of Foods4 Comments

Spices are so important in any style of cooking to enhance the flavor of your foods. Most cultures have a tradition with certain spices, herbs and flavorings. Unfortunately, in the…

A Chef's Thoughts on "A Touch of Ginger" | My Favorite Saffron Recipe

By maria June 15, 2006Movie Review, Recipes, RisottoNo Comments

I must admit, I am a foreign" film-aholic". I just caught a 'delicious' film that is worth blogging about. It s actually a Greek film but I saw it…

Garden Of Eating

By maria June 12, 2006Entertaining, UncategorizedNo Comments

May 27, 2006Garden of Eating, Part IV (Il Posto- the place) (copyright Maria Liberati 2006)Filed under: La Dolce Vita — Maria @ 8:06 pm Edit ThisAs promised we are continuing…

Where did the birthday candle come from?

By maria June 11, 2006Food Facts, History of FoodsNo Comments

I have always found it fascinating, when studying culinary arts in Europe, to find that certain foods and dishes we use today are derived from the ancient Romans or Greeks.…

A Chef's Guide to Cooking Perfect Pasta

By maria June 9, 2006Food Facts, How To'sNo Comments

How to Cook the Perfect Pasta 1. How much water should I use?To cook pasta - as a rule of thumb - use 5 quarts of water per 1 lb…

Two Recipes Perfect for Your Next Dinner Party: Brie & Comte

By maria June 9, 2006Entertaining, RecipesNo Comments

Today I worked on perfecting two recipes for my 'Art of Entertaining' book that will be released later in the year. I am so excited about their success that I…

What You Need to Know When Buying Olive Oil

By maria June 9, 2006Food Facts, History of Foods, How To'sNo Comments

A staple in many kitchens, olive oil is a fan favorite. These are a chef's simple tricks to make sure you're buying the best olive oil. 1. Pay attention to…

How to Fix a Meatloaf that Falls Apart

By maria June 9, 2006How To's, RecipesNo Comments

Ruined meatloaf? No worries! What do you do when you have dinner guests coming over, and your planned dinner has just come out of the oven not exactly the way…

Sketch and travel.com

By maria June 9, 2006Travel & customs, Uncategorized5 Comments

Technorati Tags : Sketch, and, travel.com I was recently interviewed in www.sketchandtravel.com- a wonderful site all about travel. Here is an excerpt on my interview........ 'My grandfather and…

How To Make Fresh Groceries Last Longer

By maria June 9, 2006How To'sNo Comments

Ahhh, the pleasures of staying at home and enjoying that fresh produce... But what’s the best way to keep those fresh things tasting fresh? Should you keep fresh produce al…

Five Grilled Italian Recipes You Need to Try This Summer

By maria June 9, 2006Grill Recipes, RecipesNo Comments

Summer cuisine can be so much more than hot dogs and hamburgers. Italian cuisine can be so much more than spaghetti and gravy. Why not add some flavor to your…

Two Grilled Italian Appetizers to Start Off Your Next Summer Party

By maria June 9, 2006Grill Recipes, RecipesNo Comments

Summer is just around the corner. The days are lasting longer, the beaches are open and kitchens are being deserted. Yes, it's the time of year to give the ovens…

How To Make Bruschetta | Italian Chef's Guide

By maria June 9, 2006Appetizer Recipes, RecipesNo Comments

Now that summer time is quickly upon us thoughts of quick, easy but still beautiful, casual food come to mind. And bruschetta (pronounced brooh-skeh-tta) is one of those foods. Bruschetta…

Top 6 Facts You Never Knew About Parmigiano-Reggiano

By maria June 9, 2006Food Facts, RecipesNo Comments

By maria June 6, 2006UncategorizedNo Comments

It has always been my point of view that Italians were healthier and happier not just because of their relaxed lifestyle but also because of the foods that they eat.…

Painting the Scene of an Italian Wedding

By maria June 5, 2006Italy, Weddings in ItalyNo Comments

As Winnie the Pooh says, "You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." Go out…

Chicken Laurentana | My Thoughts from an Italian Wedding

By maria June 5, 2006Recipes, Weddings in ItalyNo Comments

"Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" is one of my favorite quotes by Adair Lara. It came to mind as I was in the middle of…

Dear Diary, Ciao Bella, Roma!

By maria June 5, 2006Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), ItalyNo Comments

Today I am writing from sunny Rome... The flight was wonderful, can't say the same about the food on the plane- that was terrible!! But that's okay: I was dreaming…