SHRIMP SCAMPI (A delicious dish of shrimp sizzling in butter and garlic) 16 – 18 JUMBO SHRIMP – peeled & deveined 6 GARLIC CLOVES – thinly sliced 3 TBS UNSALTED BUTTER JUICE OF 2 LEMONS DASH OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE PINCH OF PAPRIKA ½ CUP CLAM JUICE 1/3 CUP SEASONED BREAD CRUMBS SALT & FRESHLY GROUND [...]

CALAMARI IN FRESH TOMATO SAUCE (This is certainly one of our family favorites) 1 ½ - 1 ¾ Lbs CLEANED SQUID ¼ CUP OLIVE OIL – plus a little extra 1 BUNCH SCALLIONS - chopped 2 SHALLOTS - chopped 2 GARLIC CLOVES – sliced FRESH BASIL AND TARRAGON – to taste PINCH of DRIED RED [...]

LEMON POACHED FISH 4 CUPS WATER or FISH STOCK 4 Tbs FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE 2 TBS OLIVE OIL 2 CELERY STALKS – finely chopped ½ CUP PARSLEY or BASIL – finely chopped PINCH of TARRAGON 2 GARLIC CLOVES – thinly sliced SALT and FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER – to taste 6 1-inch PIECES OF [...]

Traditionally in our house, Friday night was always Pizza night and although we often had a plain tomato cheese pizza, often times the pizza contained, my favorite, sausage and onions. For some odd reason, every year when Lent rolls around we switch out the pizza for fish. Maybe this is a throw back to our [...]

For many of us our holy days are rooted in one food tradition or another. Sometimes it is feast while other times it seems like famine as we abstain. We are now at the beginning of Lent of which Shrove Tuesday or known in our house as Pancake Tuesday, is the prelude to.  Shrove Tuesday [...]

CAPRESE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE 2 1/3 CUPS SLICED ALMONDS 5 EGGS - large 2 TSPS EXTRACT* 8 OZ BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE 1 CUP DARK BROWN SUGAR - packed PINCH OF KOSHER SALT *You can use almond or vanilla extract but if you have a raspberry flavoring or liqueur that is perfect for this chocolate dessert, especially [...]

  Greetings and here we are at the happiest and holiest of Seasons. As a world we celebrate in many different ways. For me and my family in December it will always be “Christmas”. Growing up we celebrated a traditional Christmas but being Italian we also observed a few ethnic customs. On December 13th, my [...]

Santa Lucia was born in Italy in the year AD 283 and suffered the death of a martyr in 304 AD. The Feast of Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th , the day of her death. Lucia, meaning light, Santa Lucia is the patron saint of the blind. In her paintings or her statues [...]

No matter where you live or how old you are, at this season, Christmases from the past come to mind and have different meanings for each of us. For me it is mostly about family, food and traditions. Growing up, we were a family of extremely modest means. We always had a tree (not always [...]

  I was fortunate enough to grow up in New York City surrounded by neighbors of different religions and nationalities. Just off the corner of 43rd Street and Second Avenue was a Jewish deli and from there we bought the best rye bread and bagels. A few houses down from where I lived on 43rd [...]