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When I was a kid, one of the restaurants we went to was an Italian pizzeria. There was a chef in the front, throwing and stretching pizza dough for all to see. We always ordered a huge family size pizza and I always burned my tongue on the hot melted cheese, too impatient to wait […]
I always include these as part of any antipasto platter. They are bite size portions and compliment the other antipasto selections. Sometimes these are called bocconcini and are sold packed in watery whey; sometimes they are sold packed in olive oil. However you buy them, they will work in this recipe. You can make any […]
For the Sit-in-the-Kitchen Dinner with my friend Maria, I knew I would assemble an Antipasto Platter, but I wanted to make it extra special. I am fortunate to be able to buy gorgeous raw colossal wild shrimp at my neighborhood market. These shrimp are delicate with a slight sweetness. I could have just broiled them […]
This is another one of my go-to appetizers for parties. The richness of a triple cream brie or a camembert combined with the sweet surprise of fig jam is always a hit. It’s perfect when you are having a large number of guests and want to have something already out while waiting for everyone’s arrival. […]
This is one recipe that will surprise your guests. The assertive spices together with the cooling Yoghurt Dipping Sauce made this a hit at my party. They look like ordinary meatballs but the flavor is anything but ordinary. Make them really small. If people like them, they go back for more. If the spices are […]
A Caprese salad is a simple salad made of sliced mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil. Even when I make this with the freshest mozzarella cheese and sweetest tomatoes, I find it a little flat in flavor. I long for the saltiness of good olives and a bite of fresh grilled veggies. So I put […]
Many years ago, I had a new acquaintance and we found ourselves talking about — what else? — food. We were amazed to find out that we both were hooked on sesame Ryvita crackers. These are a simple whole grain, healthy cracker that we both loved. We talked about how we like to slather them […]
During a vacation in Italy, a friend I was traveling with ordered prosciutto and melon as an appetizer. I thought of all the delicious choices on the menu, it was the most boring. And then I tasted it. Wow! The contrast between the tissue paper thin, perfectly cured, salty prosciutto and the juicy, ripe, sweet […]
