Author: Auntastasia

Dinners

“Travels” in Piedmont

When I think Piedmont, my first thought is always wine. My second thought is truffles. I am very fond of Piedmontese wines – and who wouldn’t be – but I do not pretend to have the kind of expertise necessary to write about them. I will say that this pasta dish goes quite well with […]

Dinners

“Travels” in Emilia-Romagna

This is a tough one. Emilia-Romagna is obviously the origin of so many of our favorite Italian foods, like prosciutto di parma and parmigiano reggiano. Modena is home to Osteria Francescana, regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world (https://osteriafrancescana.it/). Maybe one day I’ll get there. A restaurant featuring the flavors of Emilia-Romagna […]

Sides

Black Beans and Plantains

I was 20 years old the first time I had Cuban food. I was visiting a friend who was working in L.A., and we went to a Cuban restaurant she loved. One taste of Cuban black beans and sweet fried plantains, and I was a fan for life.That same friend recently recommended a Cuban cookbook, […]

Dinners

Roman pasta

I have a list, a literal list, of places I want to visit, and that list keeps getting longer. Yet, somehow, I find myself returning to Italy before visiting new places. This is in large part because I simply love the regional foods of Italy, and Rome is no exception. Give me some pasta with […]

Soups

CSA Boxes and Minestrone

One of my favorite things from June through October is getting farm share boxes.  It’s fun to not know what you’re making until you receive the box and see what’s in there that week – kind of like your own personal Chopped challenge.  And yes, I spread everything out on the counter and frequently take […]