Cantucci ..Signal the End of a Tuscan Dinner

Here they are ,so many have been emailing about these little gems, they are typical of Tuscany..whenevr you are having dinenr in Tuscany and someone brings out the cantucci and Vin Santo (a sweet wine)..that is the signal that dinner is over..enjoy...

Cantucci Biscotti
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup whole almonds
4 whole eggs beaten
1 tsp of grated orange peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.
Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in  almonds and blend in.
Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.

Saint Anna Di Stazzema-A Pillar of Remembrance

copyright 2010 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

Laying on the outskirts of the Apaun Alps, the village of Sant’Anna di Stazzema stands as a pillar of remembrance in Italy. The whole village now stands as a nobly divine memorial of an infamous World War II massacre in early August of 1944.


More than 560 people died in martyrdom at the hands of Nazi soldiers. The people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, were shot point blank in the town square, lined up against a church. The brutality of the attack struck fear, anger, and shock throughout the Italian people.

Today, Sant’Anna di Stazzema is a mended wound on the spine of the mountains, visited by many to see the memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the hatred. Although there are long-lasting scars among the family of those murdered, stitches are being threaded as an investigation takes hold. Up until 2004, the Nazi soldiers involved in the genocide of Sant’Anna were remained nameless. Investigations are surfacing, and the disrupted families of those lost are becoming content with the increasing justice.

Although the subject of the Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre is a thick, horrific subject, tourists visit the village to marinate in its history, and its recovery. The village is making amends and friends of the Germans, as they gradually embrace forgiveness.

The village of Sant’Anna di Stazzema is an illustration of the metamorphosis of past to present, and a mark of Tuscany that will always be the bold mark on the map

Please Don't Take Away My Salt...

 copyright 2010, art of living, PrimaMedia, Inc.
Guest Blogger: Emily Brauchle

Since the recession, Americans have been forced to give up small luxuries in order to sustain themselves and their budgets. Small luxuries may be cutting down on the grocery list, limiting vacation time, or conserving energy to shrink the electricity bill. There are plenty of comforts Americans have slowly begun to live without, but the fine treat of salt is something Americans could not go without. Tuscans, however, are a different story.

In Tuscany, Roman soldiers were paid in salt for its high value and cost. Salt was extremely expensive in that era due to the high tax placed on it. Salt, or sale in Italian, is where the English language gets the word salary and the expression ‘worth your salt’. With the tax on salt, Tuscans learned to live without the delicacy and adjusted their recipes and cuisine, most significantly their bread making.

At present, Tuscan bread is still, as it has been forever, perceived as simple and satisfying. Now it is also known to be salt-free, as the change in tradition carried over from century to century unto the present day. Nowadays, Italians claim that they prefer their salt-free carbs, and wouldn’t have it any other way, as it acts as a host to its accompanying food and it’s spices.

Bread is served, not as a main dish or entrée, but as a side accompanying. The unadorned bread accentuates the flavor of the food it is served next to, and does not counterbalance any flavor or taste of the important part of the dish. Tuscans have mastered the balance between too little and too much, making absolutely sure the consumer is never smothered, but always satisfied.

Sept 9-12-Hudson Valley WIne Festival, Rhinebeck, NY, Maria Liberati & The Basic Art of Italian Cooking will be onstage doing cooking demos from the newly released  award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:  Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd Edition

Visit OpenSky for some great cooking & Food products
Go to http://www.marialiberati.com/  where food meets art, travel & life!

When in Tuscany...

copyright 2010, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc
Guest Blogger: Emily Brauchle

In the beautiful utopia of Tuscany, thousands of places call out your name. You know that you can leave your boredom on the plane and release yourself into the paradise of Tuscany. You have countless places in Tuscany you’re just dying to see for the first time and breathe in all the artistry, history, and shopping. However, there are three places you must see during your holiday in Tuscany.


One is the beautiful city of Florence, or Firenze, where tourists flock to -like ants to a watermelon. Florence is the capital region of Tuscany, as well as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Being known as the ‘Athens of the Middle Ages’, Florence has a vast amount of architecture, music, art, culture, and cuisine wrapped up in the center of Tuscany like a gift. Florence was home to famous artists like Michelangelo, Dante, Botticelli, and da Vinci in older times, and is now home to the best modern art, courtesy of Prada, Cavalli, and Gucci. With one museum after another, and market after the next, no wonder it’s considered the art capital of Italy, and one of the most visited cities in the world. It’s an artist’s realm, and a shopper’s heaven.

Another gem to visit under the Tuscan sun is the famous Pisa. Yes, home to the ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’. All of those pictures you see with a person looking like a giant holding up a tall bell tower on an incline? Yes. That would be the Tower of Pisa. Not that you would travel half way around the world to see a falling building that is. The tower is company to the Duomo (neighboring cathedral rich in artistic works), the Baptistery of San Giovanni (which is rumored to cause bad luck among surrounding underclassmen who visit it), and the Camposanto (a monumental cemetery that is simple on the outside, and magnificently designed on the inside) in a beautiful square set apart form the rest of the town. Pisa is a pillar of necessity when visiting Tuscany.

Last, but not least, is Siena. Siena, along with it’s obviously desired cuisine, architecture, landscapes, and art, is widely known for its Palio di Siena. The Palio di Siena is a horse race held twice a year during the summer that attracts thousands to the city. The race has ten horses (symbolizing ten city regions in Siena) racing against each other, ridden bareback by jockeys. What makes this race unique is the requirement for winning. The only thing that needs to cross the finish line is the district’s horse, not the jockey! The excitement of the race is only amplified by the intensity of the jockey’s fate, as well as the fate of the district’s pride.

When in Tuscany, time can be passed by the years easily. The beauty of it is ravishing and divine, as well as its history and art. World-weariness is in short supply, so have fun! See everything, but be absolutely sure you see the three centered provinces of Florence, Pisa, and Siena.

For more Italian travel stories and recipe get your copy of the Award Winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition
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Summer's Here-Eat Healthy Tuscan style

Now that summer is officially here and fresh veggies are aplenty, here is a health yand delicious recipe, easy too. A great way to eat healthy and delicious, it also uses the Tuscan Picnic spice product I developed in Tuscany, it has been sold in limited markets in the US but has developed quite a following..will soon be in your local market.

Vegetable Ragu-Tuscan style

*6 medium eggplants
*1 red onion
*2 carrots
*3 potatoes
*4 ounces fresh string beans
*4 red ripe tomatoes
*1-2 tsps Tuscan Picnic
*4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Clean and cut all vegetables into chunks, except for string beans. Clean and cut string beans in half.
Place olive oil in bottom of large soup pot with a clove of garlic. Heat for 1 minute, then place in vegetables and Tuscan picnic. Stir. Pour in 1 cup water. Cover. Cook mixture for 45 minutes, uncover every 10-15m inutes, stir and pour in more liquid if necessary. This can also be cooked in crock pot.
This can be served as a Vegetarian second course or as a side dish.


Hope to see you on June 4th at Foster's Gourmet store in Philadelphia for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Tuscan Picnic class. Email events@marialiberati.com to register or for more info.

ALso I wil be onstage at the Horsham Days event in Deep Meadow Park in Horsham PA. Look forward to seeing you all. Email events@marialiberati.com for info

Get your copy of the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Join me in Italy

For more recipes and articles


Maria
http://twitter.com/marilaiberati

Bruschetta old & new..

Did you know that Bruschetta goes far back to the days of cucina povere (poor people's kitchen) in Italy. It was a way of making use of day old bread. Today bruschetta is served in many resturants but not considered 'cucina povere'..served in many as a gourmet dish.

But I know many think of bruschetta as having a tomato and basil topping..but the toppings can be different and varied.
Here is my recipe for bruschetta made with tofu and zucchini flowers:

Bruschetta with Tofu and Zucchini Flowers

*15 minutes to prepare
*7 minutes cooking time
*300 calories per portion
*Easy

For 4 people
*1 loaf of crusty Italian bread or a baguette with sesame seeds on top (8 slices)
*10 ounces of fresh tofu- firm
*10 zucchini flowers
*1 clove garlic
*the grated peel of 1 lemon
*4 ounces arugula
*1 tsp thyme
*1 tblsp fresh basil chopped
*2 tblsps soy sauce
*1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
*3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil for marinade
*2 tsps extra virgin olive oil to sautee zucchini flowers
*dash of pepper

Make a marinade by mixing together 3 tblsps olive oil, 1 tblsp balsamic vinegar, and 2 tblsps soy sauce.
Place in marinade the garlic clove, chaopped basil and chopped thyme, grated lemon peel, tofu cut into cubes, let marinade for 1 hour.

Cut 8 slices from bread and place in oven (350 degrees) to toast for 5 minutes per side. Open the zucchini flowers, remove the pistols inside and the stem. Wash the flowers very gently. Saute in 2 tsps of olive oil in a saute pan. Saute for 3 minutes.

Remove garlic from marinade. Wash and dry arugula. Distribute arugula on 8 slices of bread, then top with tofu mix and lastly top with zucchini flowers. Dress with the liquid from the marinade and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve

TO see more about the adventures at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen in Italy and our making of a Sacher Torte go to http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

A Sunny Day in Umbria..

Doctors at this time of the year are usually telling people that suffer from some sort of seasonal depression to use the sun and lights as a form of therapy and I am sure they know well. But if I had a depression because of the absence of sunlight, my prescription would be to go to Umbria, Italy..
The sun and mild January weather are perfect to cure most anyone out of a depression.
My cooking program in Umbria this weekend was filled with non-stop cooking and touring ,however, we also got to enjoy a day of walking and relaxed sightseeing of the Umbrian hills ,a nature reserve, splendid views of the medieval towns nearby and I can't forget the Umbrian sun..not far from Tuscany so I can understand why a whole book could be written about that part of Italy..
When the sun is shining there it does more than just provide light. The sun illuminates a painting that is the living scenery that you are part of while there..the rollling hills ,the olive trees, the verdant green, the trees lined up so perfectly.
Here is more on my trip to Umbria..recipes included
http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

Toscana

Toscana (or Tuscany) is known largely for its fantastic landscape. It is a region of beauty, mountains that meet their end on the warm shores of Tyrrhenian Sea. All of Tuscany seems to be painted with a dusty, pastel palette; it comes as no surprise that artists have been drawn to the region for centuries. The Tuscan city of Florence (Firenze) was the place that legendary artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, as well as writers like Macchiavelli and Dante, called home. Their work, and the work of several other renowned Italian painters, can be seen in Florence’s Galleria degli Uffizi, or the Uffizi Gallery. According to DiscoverTuscany.com, the Uffizi palace was originally built, beginning in 1560, for government offices. Still, the Medici family, a family of great power in Tuscany at the time, reserved areas to store and display their impressive art collection. Today, the Galleria degli Uffizi is one of the most popular art museums in Italy.

Pisa, a city known more for its architecture than its art, is located about 60 miles west of Florence. Though the Torre Pendente (leaning tower) has become Pisa’s signifying symbol, there is so much more to the city to explore. Even in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), the piazza where the Torre Pendente is located, are other beautiful and historic pieces of architecture including a Duomo, a Bapitstry, and a graveyard.

June is a very eventful month for Pisa and could provide an extremely interesting travel experience. On June 16^th, tens of thousands of candles are lit and placed around the city’s palaces that line the Arno River, all in honor of Pisa’s patron saint, Ranieri, who is celebrated the following day.

Also in June, Pisans compete in the Regatta of Saint Ranieri, a race between four boats representing the four historic districts of Pisa, with rowers costumed in Medieval dress. On the last Sunday in June in Pisa, a historic battle (the battle of the bridge) is recreated into a sort of tug of war contest across a central Pisan bridge.

Aside from these two famous cities, Tuscany is full of wonder and beauty. For more information about Tuscany, visit http://www.discovertuscany.com/.

Happy Carnevale!!!

copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

I could not let this colorful festive Holiday pass us by without a noble mention on my blog. Here is an excerpt from the book to be published in late 2008-

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions, copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati

Did you know that Carnevale originated in Rome?
It began in ancient Rome, the term comes from the latin word “carnem levare”. This referred to the period of fasting from meat. The feast lasts for about 10 days But the ancient Romans celebrated it for about 180 days of the year. It was their way of celebrating their victories. After the fall of the Roman empire, Carnevale was still celebrated by the Roman people. It always included a period of fasting, and joy


Carnevale is made up of some any colors- from the beautiful fireworks displays to the costumes to the colored papers and streamers used during this Holiday. To stay in the Carnevale spirit, keep your foods, tableware colorful and festive.

In the spirit of the decadent Romans a masked ball with decadent desserts is the perfect way to celebrate.

Dolce Cioccolata

6 eggs
½ cup sugar
16 ounces of unsweetend baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
2 /12 cups whipped cream
¼ cup Cointreau
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie pan and coat with baking paper. Dip finger tips in olive oil and oil baking paper.

With electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar of 5 minutes – until creamy and well blended. Melt chocolate in glass dish in microwave (approx 2 minutes depending on settings).

With rubber spatula, fold melted chocolate into egg mixture. Im separate bowl whip cream, fold in Cointreau. Gently fold this into egg/chocolate mixture until well blended.

Place pie pan coated with baking paper in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Place water in baking dish to reach half height of pie plate.

Bake for 30 minutes this way in oven. Take out. Place sheet of baking paper on top and bake for another 30 minutes this way. Remove from oven, Uncover and let cool. When cool, refrigerate overnight. Serve garnished with fresh raspberries and dust with powdered cocoa.

Form ore recipes and info on Carnevale:
http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Carnevale-in-Italy-and-a-Recipe-to-Celebrate-This-Holiday.66860

http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Winter-in-Italy-with-Winter-Recipes.66858

For more recipes, go to the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, copyright 2005,2006,2007,2008, Maria Liberati . Purchase at http://www.marialiberati.com and receive free shipping and $5 off retail price.

Ciao for now!!
Maria Liberati

http://www.marilaiberati.com

http://www.marilaiberati.com/blog2

http://www.mliberati.diaryland.com