I love the taste of Almond Roca and its so easy to make! I decided to whip up a batch for those moments when you just want something sweet but don’t want to commit to eating an entire dessert. I’ve made this Almond Roca three times since I have been here in Italy. One time it was to give away to friends in small gift bags and all of the girls loved it! Italian don’t really have this type of candy so it’s a real novelty!
I’m still trying to catch on to the true “Italian Style” of cooking and it often eludes me. I especially have been baffled on what to make as a “Secondi Piatti” or Second Course when I have people over for dinner. This Saturday morning I walked to my local grocery store around the corner and was amazed at the spectacular choices available and it dawned on me that I have been shopping at the wrong time! Saturday lunch is traditionally the biggest family meal of the week.
I love Vietnamese food, and here in Italy is impossible to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant. So if I want to eat Vietnamese, I must make it. Fortunately I can find the ingredients pretty easily. So I pick up a package of celophane rice sheets and an array of vegetables in my shopping bag and head home to whip up my own Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
Whole wheat waffles are one of my favorite breakfasts. This summer we have celebrated each fruit on a Sunday morning under the cherry tree in the cool of the morning. We walk outside with our plate heaped high of crisp waffles while the scent of vanilla waifs through the air behind us.
Homemade Cannoli
(You will need cannoli molds and pastry bags to make these, I ordered mine at Amazon.com and they were under $10 and arrived in a few days. You can fry the shells a few days before filling them so it’s a great “do-ahead” recipe and a real crowd pleaser!
The garden is in full swing and everyday I am harvesting crisp green cucumbers, shiny purple eggplants, juicy red tomatoes, green beans, okra and peppers. I have had to become innovative on how to incorporate all these healthy veggies into our normal meal plans. I scoured the internet and came to see that a Mediterranean diet was the solution.
The other day a friend knocked on my door, when I opened it, there he stood with a big smile on his face holding a white bucket full of the blackest berries you have ever seen. He had just picked the wild blackberries that morning and picked a bucket for us and for himself.
This is the MOST delicious ice cream you will ever eat! Ahhhhh, homemade ice cream and summertime…could there be a better combination? I have early memories of homemade ice cream growing up. My mom would mix up a batch of her vanilla custard, stirring the steamy concoction on the stove while sweet vanilla wafted through the air.
