The name "mostaccioli" denotes a pasta variety as well as a type of cookie. I learned to make these Italian spiced cookies from my mom, Francesca Sciscente. Her delicious version ...
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Olives & Fennel
For the holidays, make this Mediterranean olive and fennel salad in no time. Serve it with any type of bread (Italian, French, Lavosh or Pita).
Finally, sip some wine and have ...
Monday, December 10, 2012
Panforte di Siena (Italian Christmas cake)
A few hundred years ago in Italy and other European countries, imported and exotic spices were linked to nobility - they were expensive!
Going back to the Middle Ages, panforte (it literally ...
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Tuscan Turkey for Four
Every year at Thanksgiving, my Italian mother (Francesca) made traditional delicious turkey stuffed and baked - Molise style. Our usual 20-pounder would feed 15 to 20 people.
While I love traditions ...
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Potato-Yam Chipotle Mash
With our turkey holiday right around the corner, I started thinking about smaller feasts. What do you do when you're not cooking for 15 to 20 people? You downsize a ...
Nancy DeLucia Real is an art historian and chef. She has led culinary courses at the Italian Cultural Institute, The Getty Center and The Getty Villa and is a former member of the Culinary Historians of Southern California. Nancy's gastronomy training took place in the heart of Italy under the tutelage of her grandmother. She has taught international cuisine at Williams Sonoma and Sur la Table Stores. Nancy's art history & culinary courses are ongoing at various institutions. She also teaches private cooking classes. 
