There are dishes you make because you are trying to be healthy. And then there are dishes you make because they are so outrageously flavorful that you forget they are healthy. This is the second kind. Jump to Recipe . Jump to Featured Wine . The first time I made this stew, I wasn’t trying to convert anyone to a plant based lifestyle.  I just wanted something bold.  Something warming.  Something that felt like it had traveled.  The kind of dish that smells alive while it sim

My grandmother was from a small village near Bardi, with my grandfather from Bedonia, and this was one of her true "roots" dishes. She called it uccelletti. The word literally means little birds, a reminder of an older rural language where names stuck even as the food changed. In home cooking, uccelletti can become shorthand for a rustic meat dish that has nothing to do with birds at all, just small pieces of meat cooked gently until tender. Jump to Recipe . Jump to Featu

My grandmother’s risotto was always simple and she made it the same way every time.  It began with cacciatore sausage and she never made it without it. The sausage added a deep rustic flavor to the tomato and the chicken and it was the aroma that told you dinner was on the way.  If it was simmering on the stove, you could smell it long before you reached the kitchen. Jump to Recipe . Jump to Wine Pairing . A little tip: Cacciatore sausage is firm and dense and you will nee

This recipe was inspired by a long lunch in Bolgheri shared with some truly amazing people. It is not difficult to make, and the hardest part is simply waiting for it to be done as the aromas fill your house and make you wish dinner would come faster . Jump to Recipe . Jump to Wine Pairing . Some meals linger in memory long after the plates have been cleared. This one takes me back to the Alfeo family’s estate in Castagneto Carducci, nestled between the hills and the sea n

(Trust me, you won’t miss the meat.) This recipe came to life during the period when my daughters were vegan, and I was determined to make something that would make everyone happy, including the skeptics who believe chili should always include meat. I wanted to create something that was completely free of artificial meat or anything processed, a dish that relied only on pure ingredients and layers of real flavor. What began as an experiment turned into one of those recipes

The first time I tasted tomatillos, I was struck by their tangy, citrusy brightness. Their unique flavor instantly stood out and left me wanting to incorporate them into my cooking. Over time, that initial impression grew into a deep appreciation, inspiring me to create this chili verde recipe that highlights their vibrant essence. Jump to Chicken Tomatilo Chlle Recipe Jump to Wine Pairing These small, green fruits, often mistaken for unripe tomatoes, stand out for their ze

When the weather turns chilly, nothing beats a steaming bowl of my grandmother Elena’s minestrone soup. This recipe is a direct link to my childhood, where a pot of her savory soup simmered on the stove, filling the house with comforting aromas and bringing everyone together. Jump to Elena's Minestrone Soup Recipe Jump to Wine Pairing for this Recipe Download a PDF of this Recipe Unlike some of the more elaborate filled pasta dishes I’ve shared; this soup is refreshingly sim