Last month was the coldest and wettest month of May Italy has seen in 30 years. Thanks to this strange weather the artichokes season lasts longer. Mamma Anna, mother of our friend Lucia, is a passionate cook and prepared us her fried artichokes. Clean baby artichokes, cut in quarters and put in water with lemon. … More Fried artichokes made by la mamma Anna
In San Giovanni d’ Asso they celebrate the white truffle and the new olive oil harvest Truffle hunting is an activity which we really want to join. What did we learn? Any dog can be trained, but they have to start really young, and they litteraly are fed with truffle from the beginning. The … More Truffle hunting
The olive harvest and pressing is taking place everywhere in Tuscany. If we are lucky we will be able to have our own olive oil this year! Certain villages are really known for their olive oil feasts, as Montisi, and others are famous for the truffle, as San Giovanni d’Asso. If the butcher puts white … More Olive oil and truffle, the current protagonists in the kitchen
Cavolo nero is real local and the base of the well known ribollita. Cook 200 grams of chopped cavolo nero(remove the real hard parts) for 10 mins in salted water. Drain carefully and cool down. Put the cavolo nero in the blender with 200 grams of ricotta, 50 grams of grated pecorino or parmigiano, 1 … More Gnocchi nudi o ravioli nudi?
Green cabbage offers loads of possibilities. The outer part of the cabbage is perfect to fill. Blanch 6 beautiful leaves for a few mins. Drain thoroughly. No meat today, lentils and spicy gorgonzola instead. Fry 2 chopped shallots, 4 chopped garlic cloves, 4 cm of finely chopped fresh ginger in a drizzle of olive oil. … More Real winter weather in Tuscany = green cabbage on the menu
A group of Belgian friends is visiting Tuscany. One of those people is ‘my banker’. They asked me if DocV wanted to cook for them. Of course!! The recipes of most of the dishes can be already found on my blog. As appetizers, in small portions, I serve three different plates : -mackerel balls ( … More My first real ‘meal on order’.
Thanks to my lovely parents in law I have this cookbook filled with real Tuscan recipes. This allows me to discover the local cuisine. When I have a busy agenda I try to prepare a dish the evening before, so often it is an oven dish. Today a dear friend, Gerda, arrives from Belgium, and … More Crespelle alla fiorentina, Florentine-style crepes
Doc V's Healthy Kitchen 