No Stir Saffron Risotto with Peas

No stir risotto? Seriously? Yup and Judy Witts Francini has the secret.  Head on over to her new Dining with the Diva YouTube channel to learn her secret to this delicious saffron risotto with fresh asparagus. I substituted peas, because that’s what I had in the house, and that’s what cooking is all about. Super…

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San Francisco North Beach Jazz Mural

Last year I spent a weekend in San Francisco enjoying Little Italy and noticed the North Beach Jazz Mural for the first time. What a cool building. Can’t believe I’ve never noticed it before!  The 30 by 40 foot mural was painted in 1987 by Bay Area artist Bill

Prepping for pasta…

I don’t always make homemade pasta, sometimes preferring the chewy bite of a dried pasta. But, as we ease into summer, I find myself looking for lighter things to cook and that’s where homemade pasta really shines

Trattoria Sostanza in Florence

Mouth watering wild strawberries in fresh cream.  True Italian style.  This simple and the sublime dish was served up to me at Trattoria Sostanza,  Il Troia as it’s often called,  after I dined on a decadent dish of baked chicken smothered in butter.

My Sicilian Family

My Italian American moment: On February 23, 1915, after a 15 day journey aboard the SS. Guglielmo from Palermo, Sicilia to New York City, my great grandfather Andrea Bavetta and his family arrived in the United States. Andrea was born in Sicily in October 1861 – not long after the unification of Italy.

Marinated Summer Squash Salad

Recently attended a lunch at Mozza Restaurant in Newport Beach celebrating Nancy Silverton’s new book Mozza at Home.  It was so interesting to hear Nancy tell the stories of her food.