At age 94, my mother, Gigi Firenze is still cooking everyday. She invited me over to watch her prepare her favorite chicken dish. Please note that my mother is wearing her apron - “Recipe, what recipe, I’m Italian!” So, to translate what she does into a recipe with proper proportions is quite difficult and…more »
Cooking and Recipes
3 Appetizers for your Super Bowl Party…Dipping and Drizzling with Olive Oil
Here are 3 fast and easy appetizers for your Super Bowl party. What you need: country- style bread or baguette (sliced diagonally), sea salt, olives, garlic, fresh vegetables and your best extra virgin olive oil. 1. Bruschetta – the Italian way Grill slices of country-style bread (or baguette slices). Each person can make their own…more »
Focaccia – Quick and Easy
What you Need: 1 loaf of Bridgeford™ Bread Dough (they come 3 to a package) Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sliced onion – use about ¼ of a medium sized onion Garlic Salt or Coarse Sea Salt How to Prepare: Place 1 frozen bread loaf on a well –oiled, large baking pan (or use the…more »
Why Bake with Olive Oil?
Substituting olive oil for butter is a key element for health and dietary considerations; e.g. vegan requirements, lower cholesterol needs, and removing saturated fats. Because olive oil contains vitamin E, it helps to naturally maintain the freshness of baked goods and creates moist cakes, biscuits and muffins. Using olive oil instead of butter gives cakes…more »
Bruschetta: Three Recipes using NapaStyle Products
When asked by NapaStyle in Yountville, CA to participate in their Culinary Program as a guest author, I was thrilled that I could share my passion and offer some secrets in tasting olive oil and creating healthy, tasty and easy to make recipes …using EVOO and NapaStyle products. I shared how to make different variations…more »
The World’s Largest Frittata
Last November, during my Olive Harvest Adventure trip in Italy, I participated in a frittata-lover’s dream come true – an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for making the world’s largest frittata. The event was held in Fabro, a small medieval hamlet in Umbria, dominated by an 11th century castle and surrounded by thick…more »
Fourth of July, Thomas Jefferson and Olive Oil
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson, our third President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence was also what would be considered today… a foodie? Whenever I think of a foodie, I think… olive oil. And so did Jefferson, who proclaimed, “… the olive tree is surely the richest gift of heaven.” Deemed a…more »
Baking with Olive Oil Instead of Butter
Using olive oil for baking is a familiar feature of Mediterranean cooking. While it may sound a bit odd, baking with olive oil has actually been done for centuries. Olive oil gives cakes and cookies a light texture and can be used with confidence in lieu of butter or other oils. It best to use…more »
Pesto Recipe
The most famous of all culinary masterpieces from the Italian Riviera is its basil Pesto sauce. I just returned from visiting my cousins in Sestri Levante, a beautiful city near the Cinque Terra. Anna Maria served Trofie al Pesto. Trofie is Ligurian pasta made with flour and water, no eggs. Her delicious pasta was topped…more »
Frittata Recipe
What you need: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 5 medium size green zucchini (slice zucchini lengthwise into quarters and then coarsely dice) 1 chopped (white) onion 1 clove garlic 5 large eggs (ratio: 1 egg per zucchini) 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasonings (to taste) How to…more »
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