Perugia,Italy..a Sweet City....

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm cooking school held in a beautiful resort near Orvieto Italy..recently took some of our participants on a tour of the medieval city of Perugia..the city well known for it's chocolate and many other treats. Follow our visit to Perugia here:

http://www.gomestic.com/Cooking/Perugia-Italy-and-Its-Sweet-Treats.126185

and here is a recipe of one of their traditional sweet treats:

Ciarimicola
Ingredients:

1 lb flour
3 egg yolk
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
Lemon peel of ½ lemon
2 egg whites
¼ cup alchermes liqueur
1 packet yeast
Multi colored sprinkles
Grate lemon peel. Place flour, sugar. ¼ cup softened butter, lemon peel. Blend well. Add in alchermes and blend in. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of warm water, add into dough. Blend into a smooth dough.

Form the dough into a ring. Place on a pan that has been buttered an dusted with flour. Bake for 40 minutes. Beat egg whites into stiff peaks. Remove ring from oven. Place whipped egg whites on top. Bake for another 2 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and sprinkle with colored sprinkles.

Don't forget to follow ouradventures in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy at httpp://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
and http://twitter.com/marialiberati


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

Join our cooking classes in Italy or in the US. To register or get more info email us at events@marialiberati.com
Here is more info
In the US-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm cooking school will be at various Whole Foods Markets in the US starting in February:
Feb 8-Jenkintown, Pa Whole Foods Markets
Feb 18-Whole Foods Market, Marlton, NJ
Feb 19=Whole Foods Markets, Philadelphia,Pa
Feb 26-Whole foods Markets, Princeton, NJ

Mangia Bene,Vivi Bene
Maria

My Weekend with Pizza

This weekend we filled The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen here in Italy with the smell of pizza..follow our adventures here at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2 and find many more tips on pizza making at http://tinyurl.com/djd29w

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

Cappuccino this Morning..

Join me in my morning cappuccino at home...

http://tinyurl.com/6eaawf

For more recipes go to http;//www.marialiberati.com/blog2

For recipes ,menus,stories about life in a samll mountain town in Italy and more get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Can I offer an Espresso??

So polite that sounds but usually that is often heard in many coffee bars here in Italy..someone may also be doing your health a big favor by offering a coffee.
My research has been telling me that there are findings about the health qualities of coffee.
The aroma of coffee according to a US Study is an elixir against cancer. In fact this study done in San Francisco found that there are over 300 anti-oxidants in the smell of coffee.
Moderate consumption of coffee also helps negate the efffects of depression and it was even found to help keep the arteries from not clogging up...
Many of the artists and writers of Europe used coffee for their inspiration and today many literary talents look to coffee for their inspiration.
http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/World-Cuisine/A-Trip-to-Caffe-Greco-in-Rome-Italy.67362

For more great recipes on coffee go to : http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

Where did Carnevale start & sweet treats....

On my short trip to Venice,besides being overcome by all the beauty..I could not help but wonder what came first Halloween, Mardi Gras, or Carnevale.
Whatever came first..the most important thing-besides the beauty and colors of Carnevale is the food. I have been posting recipes and sightseeing tips and here are more..http://marialiberati.com/blog2/?p=486
Also check out this post at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
If you can't visit Venice bring Venice to your kitchen table..

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

Crepes-French or Italian??

Did you ever ponder, or have the time to ponder about the origin of the crepe? Once thought to be French cuisine but little did we know that the French crepe had it;s origins in Italy or from an Italian.
Here is more and a recipe as well
http://tinyurl.com/9pnxvw

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

Tastes of Venice & Carnevale

A short trip to Venezia (Venice, Italy) and one can't help but look in amazement at the beauty that surrounds...and then there is Carnevale.
Carnevale is the Venetian version of Mardi Gras. But what is so memorable about Carnevale are the masks and the costumes- so colorful and beautiful..the traditon of wearing the masks and costumes came from the idea that no on knew your true identity when you wore a mask and costume in the sense that everyone was treated equally because no on understood if you were rich or poor from nobility or not
The signs of Carnevale are everywhere this time of the year although most things like masks and costumes can be found any time of the year..it is the most popular festivals of venice and if you can't be there this time of the year, you can at least take a souvenir of it anytime of the year.
After a trip there I am always inspired by some of the tradtional tastes I found, and needless to say this week's cooking in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen here in Italy will be all about the traditional dishes of Venice.
From Baicoli to Rise e Bisi to Ciccheti
Bring a taste of Venice to your home kitchen without having to go there and cook along with us at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2 for all the recipe and sightseeing tips.
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com
Mangia Bene Vivi Bene
Maria

Barolo & its' Regal Wines

Copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm
http://www.marialiberati.com
http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2


From the province of Cuneo in Italy's Piedmont region comes what is sometimes called "The wine of kings and the king of wines." Barolo, named after a tiny town in the middle of the growing zone, is a thick, red wine and is one of the most collected wines in Italy.

Rarely can famous wines be traced back to their exact origins because many have been produced for centuries. In the grand scheme of things, Barolo is a fairly new wine.  Though it was present during the Middle Ages and was enjoyed by Louis XIV, its era of greatness dates back to merely the 1800s, when the Marchesa Giulietta Colbert Falletti decided to start making wine from Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo is produced primarily from these grapes.

These days, only about 3,000 acres of Nebbiolo are being cultivated in the region, which means that Barolo, though in high demand, is in short supply For the perfect Barolo, a certain type of soil is necessary. Oddly, the hills of the growing zone are split between two types of soil, which result in mild variations in flavor.The "left hills" produce a fruitier, longer lasting wine, whereas the "right hills" wine has a more composed taste that should be enjoyed more quickly.

The scent of Barolo is reminiscent of cherry blossoms and the color is a light ruby red that becomes somewhat 'orangey' with age. Age is very important when it comes to Barolo and DOCG regulations state that the wine must be aged at least three years before it can be sold.  To become a coveted Barolo Riserva, a bottle of this wine must age at least 5 years. These are just the stated minimums, though, as Barolo is often enjoyed when aged over 10 years.

This wine is at its best when paired with a meal. Be sure, though, to let it aerate.
For more great recipes, tips get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.comFor more on recipes and daily posts from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy go to http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

Sacher Torte

You can see more on our adventures in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen here in Italy on assembling a Sacher Torte at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

And for this months digital magazine go to
http://tinyurl.com/98xbtf

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