Everyone loves pasta and homemade pasta is actually very easy to make. Come learn how to knead, roll, and cut delicious homemade pasta in these upcoming cooking classes: “The Best of All Pasta-ble Worlds” on July 14 at 6 pm with chef Vito Racanelli (cheese ravioli!) “Journey Through the Past-a” on July 17 at 6:30 […]

When a food tastes really delicious, don’t just serve a little bit. Go all the way! Don’t just cook a couple of morel mushrooms; cook enough to satisfy demand! The morel hunting season has begun and there are plenty available. Pictured here are three pounds of morels right before we cooked them. The best way […]

I have never sought the attention of clams, but never minded them when they appeared. I have scoffed at bottled clam juice, but understand that it has a purpose. When three dozen fresh clams presented themselves, my response was, maybe I should try out spaghetti with clam sauce. Wow. This dish seems to come out of […]

The first time I ate pasta was a revelation; I wanted to eat pasta every day for the rest of my life – it was so satisying. I was so smitten that I bought a pasta machine and learned how to make pasta. The best pasta of all was ravioli. I loved the little surprise of […]

It’s 6 pm and I’ve done nothing about dinner. My husband has a one-word answer: risotto. Twenty minutes later, dinner is served. Really. Risotto is our favorite fast-and-easy dinner. Sometimes we even serve it to guests, but it seems too simple. What’s the best aspect of risotto? Creaminess. It’s so creamy that I have serve it in a […]

Dear Chef,  I have been cooking for over 50 years and have never deveined my shrimp. Never saw the real need for it. I love cooking and ethnic foods. Friends and family never complained. A couple of friends my age are shocked that I don’t devein. Are there many people who don’t devein? How important […]

Many traditional Italian cooks react in horror when they see anyone grate cheese on top of a pasta dish that contains fish or shellfish. It’s as though you just added a dollop of chocolate mousse on top of liver-and-onions. But what’s so wrong with fish and cheese; after all, the French do it all the […]

smoked pork tenderloin, pear marmalade, spaetzle, angel food cake

By this time in February, the larder is empty from the last harvest. We’ve eaten all of our home-grown white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green peas (which we shelled and froze). We still have some garlic left, but the cloves are soft and sprouting. What should we eat on these dreary days? Spaghetti Carbonara, of […]

fresh homemade pasta