Nothing But a Royal Chocolate Torta for Easter!
copyright 2010, Maria Liberati Apologies for not getting this out sooner, but I think that you still have time to make this for your Easter dinner. I have been scouring…
The True Meaning of Valentine & A Cocktail
My trip to Terni, Italy -(where Valentine's Day gets it's origin from St Valentine-who lived there) was not filled with decorations of hearts and flowers as I had…
Special Gifts & A Sunset in Rome
copyright 2009, Art of Living, PrimaMedia, Inc, Maria Liberati Special gifts are sometimes the simplest things... At The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm, we are getting ready…
Il Lacrima and a 'Little Prince'
copyright 2009, art of living, PrimaMedia, Inc by Maria Liberati My recent trek to the region of Ancona in the province of Le Marche led to the discovery of a…
Frittata with Mint
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati This frittata is one of my favorites and is so simple made up only of a few ingredients..not the least important is the fresh mint to…
Spaghetti alla Pescatore & Labor Day
Spaghetti al Pescatore will be on schedule tomorrow in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen tomorrow. I know it's Labor Day back in the States and most are planning…
Settembrini and September
copyright 2009, art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc September is now the month of the 'Settembrini' when everything has a September feel to it. The air now has a gentler heat…
A Dinner in Three Acts..
A dinner of freshly prepared seafood and linguine is always on the menu when I am at the beach and this weekend was no exception. Eating grilled fish and pasta…
September on the Beach & Pasta al Forno
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati As we approach September everything here becomes known as 'settembrini' (loosely translated to mean 'septemberish'): The figs that are ripening now are smaller than the ones…
When the Ordinary Becomes the Extraordinary..
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati I have always thought of Italian cooking as just that; always making something ordinary into something extraordinary! Day-old bread becomes an elegant appetizer with just a…
Happy August 15th!
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Stopped for a picnic today in the mountains of Abruzzo, after all it is the 15th of August, the biggest summer Holiday in all of Europe.…
Pinot Grigio..in Oregon??
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Pinot Gris, has delighted the lips of wine-lovers for centuries. Its origins can be traced back to Burgundy, France (where it is called…
How to Serve Wine..
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Tonight, I finished up one of my wine education and wine pairing events at one of my favorite vineyards. Something that no one seemed to have…
Father's Day & Creating Special Memories
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Editor: Erin Kuhns As the saying goes, the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Dad is no exception. With Father's Day around…
Balsamic Vinegar -Made in the USA
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati In Italy whatever you do must always be beautiful, the way you eat, the things you eat and so on. In keeping along those lines, I…
A Tale of Grappa..
Copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Editor: Kate Hollinger Grappa, a native Italian drink not for the faint of heart, is not as popular as the wines of Italy but just as…
Those Wild Etruscans!
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati Editor: Christa Gutzler The Etruscans were wild. Wildly mysterious, wildly artistic, and wildly efficient in their influence over Italian culture, the Etruscan civilization infiltrated the Umbrian…
Michelangelo, DaVinci: Food & Art & Life
copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati Editor: Patrick Coyne The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Food, Art, Life...all related topics, cooking is an art...the way we eat is an art, the way…
Feb/March 2009 Newsletter
This month's newsletter is filled with articles and sweet treats for Carnevale in Venice, menu of the month, recipe of the month, Recipe Contest with La Cucina Italiana Magazine, Interview with Food…
Valentine's Day, Risotto al Mare & Orvieto Classico
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Ahhh, it is getting closer to Valentine's Day. I can smell the roses and taste the chocolate. Don't forget the wine.…
Buon San Valentino..
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I am on this 'kick' for everything Valentine. My 'better half' has even told…
That Magical Nectar Called..Wine..
Well San Valentino or Saint Valentine's Day is fast approaching...the nectar of choice for the perfect Valentine's Day dinner is ...wine. It has been said that wine has magical powers...the…
Retro is Back..
Retro food is in. From comfort foods, to preparing things from 'scratch'. In the US of course we have macaroni and cheese, apple pie, meatloaf. In Italy retro is coming…
A Taste of Venice & Carnevale, part 2
copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Halloween, Mardi Gras where did it all come from- from Venice of course. Well the Romans had a type of Carnevale…
Vino, Vidi, Vici (part 2) & Phytonutrients
Ahh my two favorite things wine & healthy foods. Did you know also that wine contains phytonutrients.., the very same substances that have been found to boost immunity and eye…
Vino, Vidi, Vici & More
Italy has always been considered the land of wine and rightly so. It was the Romans who further perfected wine for their use as a military strategy. Great concept, no…
Sismano, La Veranda & Fettucine al Tartufo…
copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking After our cooking program in a little town called Baschi, right outside of Orvieto (more on that tomorrow) and meeting…
Buon Capo D'anno (Happy New Year)
copyright 2008-2009, Maria Liberati The Basic Art of Italian Cooking I will be spending New Year's Eve (known as San Silvestro) and New Year's Day here in Italy between Abruzzo…
Umbria Jazz and the bubbly…
Umbria jazz festival is in town (Orvieto). This year the festival is highlighting gospel music and the music of Duke Ellington..but one never knows who will show up. One year-Sting-who …
My Salmon Post
copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati Salmon is a 'healthy for you to eat' dish and even though this weekend was made up of turkey, turkey and more turkey. We 'squeezed' in…
