Recipes - The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

Recipes From the First Italian Cookbook in History | Platina’s Red Chickpea Soup from On Right Pleasure and Good Health

By maria February 7, 2012Food Facts, History of Foods, Recipes, SoupsNo Comments

Tris | Because 3 Desserts Are Better Than One

By maria February 4, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Culinary Art, Italian Culture, Italy, Recipes1 Comment

Zaletti (Cornmeal Cookies) | A Recipe for Giving and A Taste of Venice

By maria January 27, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Italy, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

Dinner is Not Just a Meal | Crostini with Radicchhio, Mozzarella and Caramelized Figs

By maria January 25, 2012aperitifs, Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Italian Culture, Italy, Recipes, VegetarianNo Comments

copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati (photo credits: www.dolci.it) A cena (dinner) with friends is an all night event..from 8 PM to 1 AM..first the selection of the restaurant..then…

How Muffins Invaded Italy | Fruit Muffin Recipe

By maria January 18, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Food Facts, Italian Culture, RecipesNo Comments

Why I Buy Fresh and Local | Tis Not the Season

By maria January 13, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, Pasta, RecipesNo Comments

Gusto as a Mantra | Torta Alla Senese (Siena Style Cake)

By maria January 11, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

copyright Art of Living, PrimaMedia, Inc/Maria Liberati I have adopted the word Gusto as my mantra…… Gusto is an English word, an adverb to describe ‘doing with enjoyment and excitement…..…

Sunday Dinner | Flan di Pomodoro, Zucchini, e Formaggio (Zucchini, Tomato, and Cheese Flan)

By maria January 8, 2012Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, Movie & Recipe Pairings, RecipesNo Comments

A house is at its’ most beautiful when filled with guests ..today’s Sunday dinner, with a house full of people reminded me of the classic Italian movie Il Gattopardo (The…

An Italian Afternoon | Tombola at the Post Office, Hot Borlotti Bean Soup, and Torta Paradiso

By maria December 30, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, Italian Culture, Italy, RecipesNo Comments

White…the Color of the Month | Making Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc)

By maria December 29, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Italy, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

I love the brilliance of the color White at home, in my kitchen, my bedroom, my living room on my table….but it can also be considered the color of…

Non Alcoholic Fruit Cocktail

By maria December 28, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Drink Recipes, RecipesNo Comments

Italy's National Day of Leftovers | Using Leftover Pears For A Chocolate Pear Torte

By maria December 26, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Holidays, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

Today, after weeks and weeks of baking and cooking for the Holidays, a sort of inventory of all the leftovers is taken… The day after Christmas, Santo Stefano (Saint…

Christmas Eve Stories and a Chocolate Panettone

By maria December 23, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Christmas, Holidays, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati Here is a Christmas Eve excerpt from the Gourmand World Award winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition.…

Tagliolini Pasta with Mussels for a Cold Blustery Day

By maria December 22, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Pasta, Recipes, Winter RecipesNo Comments

I never realized how welcoming a hot plate of pasta could be on a cold, blustery day….nothing fancy now I am not talking about some of the lobster and pasta…

Pasta Shells with Lobster and Spinach | Christmas in Rome

By maria December 21, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Christmas, Country Living, Holidays, Pasta, RecipesNo Comments

A perfect Christmas concert at Santa Prassede in the center of Rome, was an unexpected surprise as I arrived on Sunday. I have heard about this church before but it…

Christmas Memories of Rome | Farfalle con Tonno (Farfalle Pasta with Tuna)

By maria December 15, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Christmas, Holidays, Pasta, RecipesNo Comments

copyright 2011 Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati (excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition) http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/ Christmas and the holiday season in Rome has never been…

Rembrandt in the Kitchen | Learning To Cook Italian

By maria December 4, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Italian Culture, Italy, Recipes, Uncategorized, Upcoming AppearancesNo Comments

Love hearing your heart warming stories of food and cooking Italian with The Basic Art of Italian Cooking! Here is a story from one of our readers. And if you…

Christmas Memories of Rome & Mushroom Tarts

By maria November 29, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Christmas, Holidays, RecipesNo Comments

To Celebrate the Holidays I will be posting excerpts from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and was…

A Buttery Sbrisolana Torta from Mantova | Not Without Food or Love

By maria November 26, 2011La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

Fantastic Fungi… Thanksgiving in the Mountains of Abruzzo

By maria November 20, 2011Appetizer Recipes, Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, Holidays, Italian Culture, Italy, RecipesNo Comments

Thanksgiving in Tuscany..Siena.. Thanksgiving Dessert

By maria November 11, 2011Entertaining, Holidays, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

I have been receiving requests from the media asking for recipes that are unique for Thanksgiving dinner. This dessert that comes form Siena, Italy, is an interesting cross between a…

A Pumpkin Torta, Giotto, and A Little Devil in the Clouds

By maria November 6, 2011Art, Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

copyright 2011 Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati “Take pleasure in your dreams, relish your principles and drape your purest feelings on the heart of a precious lover” Giotto A beautiful quote…

Cranberry Sorbetto | Colors of the Season

By maria October 29, 2011Holidays, La Dolce Vita (Dessert Recipes), RecipesNo Comments

copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,inc/Maria Liberati(except sorbet photo) Cranberries are here..and these health filled beautiful red berries can be used in so many ways.... to dress up a meal,…

How To Make Gatto | Say Goodbye To Plain Old Mashed Potatoes

By maria October 26, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), How To's, Recipes, VegetarianNo Comments

One of my favorite dishes is a traditional Gatto….traditionally from Naples.. the dish was a joint creation of French and Italian hence the name Gatto (Pronounced like the French word…

Rotini Pasta alla Spinaci (Rotini with Spinach) | Tips To Improve Your Food's Presentation

By maria October 24, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Cooking TIps, Events & Appearances, Life Hacks, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian1 Comment

Thanks to all my fans that ‘spent the weekend with me’ (this weekend)and attended my appearances at the Suburban Home Show and the Philly Food and Wine Show. It is…

My Life in Food | Pears Poached in Wine

By maria October 12, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), RecipesNo Comments

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Truffles | Finding Pieces of Italy in Salt Lake City

By maria October 6, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Events & Appearances, Recipes, RisottoNo Comments

How To Make Panera Coffee | Visit Me at the Utah Humanities Festival

By maria September 29, 2011Drink Recipes, Events & Appearances, RecipesNo Comments

If you missed it.. today was designated National Coffee Day and in honor of that, here is one of my favorite simple but authentic recipe for a traditional coffee drink…

Cantucci Biscotti.. Find Your Tranquility With Tuscan Therapy

By maria September 28, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), Country Living, Italy, Recipes, TravelNo Comments

I understand what DaVinci saw in the quiet, tranquility of Tuscany. Any time I need a break from my hectic life, I sit down and watch a snippet of a…

Healthy Nutella Substitute & Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

By maria September 27, 2011Caro Diario. (Dear diary...), RecipesNo Comments