🍽Simple recipes, travel, and restaurant reviews blended to a juicy narrative…
RagoĂ»t, RagĂą, Ragú…turns out your favorite childhood jar of “spaghetti sauce” has a long and storied history with roots all the way back to Napoleon. In France, ragoĂ»ts have been served for centuries. Typically, a rich and flavorful meat stew, the word comes from the verb ragoĂ»ter, meaning “to revive the taste.” The first mention... Continue Reading →
From Boston to Philly, Stromboli is a pizzeria classic. Decidedly Italian-American, the most popular tale of origin starts with Nazzareno "Nat" Romano at his restaurant in Essington, just outside Philadelphia. Sometime in 1950, fooling around with the idea of Italy’s “stuffed” pizzas, Nat’s experiments yielded a calzone-like dish filled with cold cuts, cheese, and peppers... Continue Reading →
I have a shocking confession which the snobbish world of foodies would never forgive. I kinda like the Olive Garden. It's the guilty-est of guilty pleasures. Not 'go there once a week' like, but maybe twice a year. For someone my age who is not a professional chef or food writer, I have some pretty amazing... Continue Reading →
Favorite flavors of fall bubble together in this decadent casserole. Italy’s long history of serving pasta with pumpkin, or Pasta con Zucca is time-honored and well-respected. The classic combination of sweet pumpkin and earthy sage spiked by salty prosciutto is a proven champion. Basically, an un-cheesed mac & cheese, this is pure, delicious comfort. Just... Continue Reading →
Some of the fondest memories of my young life include evenings spent with family and friends dining by candlelight for hours at Cecilia’s farm in Southern Italy. A true Baroness and always gracious hostess, ever-enterprising Cecilia turned her water buffalo (as in mozzarella di bufala) estate into a thriving agriturismo, or farm-inn. I was fortunate... Continue Reading →
The joys of summer are best served…uncomplicated. Simple flavor profiles and almost impossibly easy preparations rule the dog days. Borrowing from the classic Italian combination of ripe, juicy melon and savory cured ham, these recipes will have you by the pool or in the gadern with friends in under twenty minutes. Midori, an almost retro,... Continue Reading →
Opened in 1990 by husband and wife team Ed Aloise and Claudia Rippee, CafĂ© Pavone, or “Pavone’s” as most locals referred to it was a charming restaurant set in an old brick mill just steps from the raging Merrimack River in downtown Manchester, NH. It was comfortable and totally unpretentious, but showed sophistication in both... Continue Reading →
These are the exciting, early days! You will no doubt notice as more and more articles are added to this delicious space every Wednesday afternoon that common themes will naturally emerge. As they pull towards each other, sections will form into solid categories, even chapters. So today, let me introduce to you one of my... Continue Reading →
Huddled in a quaint trattoria on what could be any side street, just steps from any Piazza and away from the roar of too many tourists, I find solace in a bowl of peppery pasta. Spaghetti alla Carbonara seems to be Rome’s official dish. Thick chunks of guanciale -- a type of bacon cured of pigs’... Continue Reading →
DISH...with Sean Brady 