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Tomatoes: A Taste of Summer

You say tomato – we say Pomodoro! Tomatoes are, without a doubt, one of the most iconic foods in Italian cuisine. From raw to roasted to sauced, tomatoes appear in nearly every course of the Italian meal and in overwhelming number of dishes, regardless of the region. What better time than summer time to slice into the origins of this ...
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Lighter Fare for Warmer Weather – Italian Cuisine in Bloom

Even though it’s not quite warm yet, maybe you’ve begun to look forward to lighter and brighter flavors of spring. After a long, cold winter, that’s not a surprise! Now that we’re a week away from the Equinox (March 21), we look forward to dishes and flavors of spring. Italian cuisine is seasonal in its flavors, with many bright items …

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Spark Romance on Valentine’s Day with These Italian Foods!

Chocolate. Oysters. Honey. We’ve all heard about foods that have historically been considered aphrodisiacs. The word aphrodisiac comes from the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Foods with aphrodisiac qualities were believed to enhance appeal, provoke desire, and evoke love. In cuisines of the ancient worlds, aphrodisiac foods stimulate our senses – and on a more scientific level, play ...
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The Sauces of Italian Cuisine

Who was it that said “hunger is the best sauce”? It has been attributed to Socrates or Cicero or Miguel de Cervantes – whoever it was, they had the right idea! This is especially the case in Italian cuisine, where it’s easy enough to cook up a pasta – but it’s the sauce that makes all of the difference. “In …

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3 Classic Italian Dishes to Keep You Warm This Winter

Italy’s geography and position in Europe means that it experiences a variety of climate systems. Generally speaking, Italy’s location means that it experiences a typical Mediterranean climate: dry summers, and mild, moist winters. The northern regions of Italy are relatively cool compared to the rest of the country, while the southern part of the peninsula tend to fit more of ...
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3 Favorite Italian Comfort Foods

It’s officially autumn in Salt Lake City, with lovely sunny days and the vibrant colors of leaves. With autumn, as temperatures begin to cool, we begin to crave comfort foods. From Merriam-Webster, comfort food is “food that is satisfying because it is prepared in a simple or traditional way and reminds you of home, family, or friends.” Comfort food also ...
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New Study Reveals that Pasta is Good for You!

Yes – that’s right – your eyes do not deceive you. After years of being told to cut down on carbohydrates, such as breads and pastas, new studies have revealed that pasta, in fact, is not bad for you! While it is not recommended to load up on pasta – everything in moderation, as the saying goes – a group ...
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The Perfect Risotto

If you’ve watched reality TV cooking competitions, from Top Chef to Hell’s Kitchen, then award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay has made it very clear how difficult it is to cook the perfect risotto. From texture to seasoning, it seems like the test of a true chef. Outside the kitchen, risotto has popped up recently in an email from Clinton campaign manager, ...
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Get the Gnocchi!

What is Gnocchi?Gnocchi is one of the most comforting of Italian comfort foods – but it is also not a well-known or popular item! And then there’s that name – how do say it? Gnocchi, pronounced “nyaw-kee” or “nyo-kee,” has unknown origins, though many believe it comes from Northern Italy, where the climate is much colder. Gnocchi is most often ...
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Ravioli: An Appreciation

Ravioli: An Appreciation Everybody Loves Ravioli Ravioli has become a favorite food for Americans, but its roots reach much further back. Ravioli is considered a dumpling, with filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta. Though it takes many shapes, including circular or semi-circular forms, the traditional form of ravioli is a square. In Italian cuisine, vegetarian ravioli is served …