Shortbread is an absolute favourite of mine. I love the buttery taste and the fact that it practically melts in your mouth the moment you take a bite. These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are no exception, and besides, they are made with cocoa powder… so they are the perfect treat for any chocoholic like yours truly!…
Archives for 2017
Homemade Pasta Made Simple
As you probably already know, in the past few months, I have been working really hard on a very exciting project. I know I have been keeping you on your toes, but the time has finally come to introduce my latest work of love: Homemade Pasta Made Simple.
Pork Patties with Apples
I just recently discovered this recipe and the family is already hooked! These Pork Patties with Apples are an absolute treat… let me just tell you that the patties are made with bacon. Need I say more? Besides, the combination of pork, apples, and sage is a classic that never fails and one of my…
Sweet Potato Mash
Add warmth to your holiday menu with Sweet Potato Mash. It’s smooth, buttery, and naturally sweet, making it the perfect match for roasts and seasonal sides.
Onsen Etiquette – Japan Guide
Even though we had stayed at some onsen towns during our first trip to Japan, we had never tried taken a bath in the hot springs. Our kids were very young and we felt the water would be too hot for them. But I must confess that the real reason was probably the thought of…
White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Bark
Don’t you just love chocolate bark? I had some leftover white chocolate and dried apricots, and I just couldn’t resist to urge to mix them up! This White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Bark tastes delightful and it’s very quick and easy to make! I know bark is mainly a Christmas thing, but then again, it is…
Lamb Tajine
There is nothing I like more than to eat stew on a winter’s day. Sometimes, I like to add a touch of exotic to my dinner, so instead of making a “normal stew”, I make tajine. I have already shared my recipes for Lamb Tajine with Quinces and Lemon Chicken Tajine with Olives – 2 of my…
Himeji Guide – Japan
During our recent trip to Japan, we visited Himeji, a town most famous for its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle, which is considered Japan’s most beautiful surviving feudal castle. The castle is designated both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Homemade Peach Jam
Sweet, soft peaches turn into a golden jam that adds brightness to breakfast and desserts. Homemade Peach Jam is simple to make and brings back the taste of long summer days.
Kurashiki Guide – Japan
Kurashiki is located in Okayama Prefecture, not far from the prefectural capital of Okayama. I had always been intrigued by this town and I was sorry to leave it out of our 2015 itinerary, so this time I made sure to include it. Kurashiki has a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo…
Italian Sausage with Bell Peppers and Potatoes
I LOVE sausage. As a child, it used to be my favourite dish ever. We would almost only have it in summer though, as we would find the best sausage in Sicily. We would barbecue it and enjoy it in the most simple way. It was so good that you didn’t really have to add…
Chocolate Chip Buns
My kids love chocolate. I think most kids do, wouldn’t you agree? I had some chocolate chips I wanted to get rid of in my pantry, so I thought of making these Chocolate Chip Buns. They are perfect for breakfast, and even more so to give to kids to eat at school. I am always…
Hiroshima Guide 2017 – Japan
During our recent trip to Japan, we also visited Hiroshima. We had already been there in 2015, so we could have easily skipped it this time around. I know many people go to Japan and don’t feel the need to visit. We, however, just had to be back. We were in Miyajima after all and…
Beef Carpaccio alla Cipriani
Chilled, tender slices of thin beef paired with Cipriani sauce make Beef Carpaccio alla Cipriani a refreshing starter with light flavours, ideal for warm days or simple menus.
Miyajima Guide 2017 – Japan
Oh Miyajima! This has to be, together with Kyoto, my favourite place in whole of Japan! When we drafted our itinerary for our latest holiday in Japan, we had no doubt we would include Miyajima in it. It was a given, actually. We had fallen in love with it during our 2015 visit, and when…
Italian Rice Salad
I recently realised I still hadn’t posted the recipe for Italian Rice Salad. And that my dear readers, after over 6 years of blogging, is a huge oversight! Needless to say, the issue required to be addressed immediately. Italians eat rice salads quite often during spring and summer and there are countless recipes. In fact,…
Matcha White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
During our recent holiday in Japan, we enjoyed some delicious matcha cookies. In Kyoto there is a shop called Malebranche that sells amazing sweets. Our favourite are langues de chat… 2 wafer thin matcha cookies sandwiched with a layer of white chocolate in between. We had them during our first trip and we got some…
Nagashima and Nabana No Sato Guide – Japan
Nagashima was the place we visited after leaving Kawaguchiko. We had always wanted to see the winter illuminations of Nabana no Sato, so this time we made sure to include it in our itinerary. Read my Nagashima and Nabana no Sato Guide for great tips and photos!
Italian Lemon Meringue Shooters
If you follow my blog more or less regularly, you will know that I love desserts that can be served in shooter glasses. Creamy desserts that can be eaten with a spoon have always been my weakness, and I love to serve them in smaller portions, especially as part of a buffet, so I can…
Pasta with Baby Eggplants
Finally I am back with another pasta recipe! This Pasta with Baby Eggplants is a dish my grandmother used to make in Sicily. I have always loved it… it’s very easy to make and whenever I find baby eggplants at the grocer, I always buy them to make this pasta. What sets this sauce aside…
Kawaguchiko Guide – Japan
Kawaguchiko was the first place we visited after leaving Tokyo. We had always wanted to see Mount Fuji, but when we visited Japan in 2015 we had to leave it out of our already too busy schedule. So, this time we made sure to include it in our itinerary. Read my Kawaguchiko Guide for great…
Smoked Salmon Bagel
I had my first Smoked Salmon Bagel when, at the age of 17, I visited New York. It was my first time in the USA and I spent 3 weeks in NYC as part of a school exchange program. I have always loved smoked salmon, but I had never had it with cream cheese before….
Fiadoni
This year’s Easter recipe is Fiadoni. Fiadoni are a typical Easter dish from Abruzzo, in Central Italy. They are savoury ravioli, filled with cheese and then baked until golden brown. Usually, the cheese is a mix of dry grated sheep’s milk cheese (like Pecorino Romano) and a milder, less aged sheep’s milk cheese. I used…
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Cheesecake + ice cream = yesss please! Don’t you just love both desserts? And you can have them both into 1 single dessert with this ice cream. This Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream tastes amazing and you don’t even need an ice cream machine to make it! You can whip it up in 20 minutes! The…
Sakura Panna Cotta
As you know, my family and I recently travelled to Japan for the second time in less than 3 years. We absolutely adore this country: its culture, its cities, its scenery and… its food. One of the the things we discovered this year was sakura, as a flavour I mean. I had no idea that…
Apricot Jam Crostata
Growing up I have always preferred Nutella over jam. However, I did make an exception for peach jam. I know you may be wondering why I am talking about peach jam when I have used apricot jam for this crostata. Well, the reason is simple: I can’t find peach jam at regular supermarkets here in…
Fried Pasta
Crisp, golden Fried Pasta with a savoury tomato aroma makes weekday lunches effortless, turning simple leftovers into something warm, satisfying, and ready in minutes. My mother often made fried pasta. It isn’t really a proper recipe since the ingredients don’t have exact proportions, and you can easily adjust it depending on what’s left in the…
