I understand what DaVinci saw in the quiet, tranquility of Tuscany. Any time I need a break from my hectic life, I sit down and watch a  snippet of a drive through the mountains of Chianti, and I can relax for a few brief seconds. Better than any drug,it is Tuscany. Try this:

Driving through Chianti

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style is officially being released at the Utah Humanities Festival this weekend and Suburban Home Show in Phladelphia on October 21-23 and Philly Gourmet Food Show on October 23.

You can find the book on Amazon.com and Kindle but here’s a recipe to go with that Tuscan snippet

Cantucci Biscotti

(excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style; copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc)

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup whole almonds

4 whole eggs beaten

1 tsp of grated orange peel

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.

Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in  almonds and blend in.

Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.

*May 3, 2012 Join me in Italy for an all inclusive luxury cruise. Call Julie at Rosenbluth Travel at 1-800-257-8270

Besides, my frequent trips to the internet to find out about the latest weather reports in the East Coast of the US, I was preoccupied with making 2 chocolate ricotta cheesecakes for an outdoor ‘spaghettata’. A spaghetta is a sort of a dinner  or party and the menu is made up mainly of different spaghetti dishes.

The event will be held at the villa of an acquaintance..luckily it is in the mountains so I know the air will be cool and fresh. But the dessert will be a ricotta chocolate cheesecake.

I cheated a bit on this one..with temps in the 100’s here everyday… I did not feel like making  a full blown cheesecake and used as a principal ingredient, a  chocolate box cake mix that has pudding added to . It is half homemade and half pre made…well anyway it was surprisingly delicious and not one piece of 2  of these cheesecakes was left over.

Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake squares

2 lbs ricotta cheese

8 ounces baking chocolate  chopped

rind of one orange

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

! box chocolate cake mix with pudding

3 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup water

In bowl, mix ricotta with orange rind and chopped chocolate and sugar. Set aside. Mix cake mix as package directs with rest of ingredients. Blend. Butter and flour a 13 x 9” pan. pour in batter. Spoon ricotta mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until ricotta on top becomes brown. Remove from oven and let cool.Cut into squares

**Join me on a culinary cruise to Italy in May 2012. Besides a visit t oa vineyard in Sicily, I will be doing culinary demos and dinners throughout the cruise to explore tastes of the Mediterranean. And best of all everything is included, it is all inclusive, airfare, meals, tips, excursions, my events, are all included. Only a few spots left, to reserve your spot or for more info email: events@marialiberati.com

TravelSquire.com provides a rich travel experience offering detailed destination information as well as designing the actual journey; the online magazine is filled with original content featuring far-flung locales around the world. The site features columns, videos, an interactive map and much more. Every article transports the reader to places all around the world in an engaging, fun and informative way. The content on TravelSquire.com covers what’s hot and new around the globe. Destination articles are updated every other week and the site as a whole is updated daily. Each week, Travel Squire’s 10,000 newsletter subscribers receive the most current news delivered right to their inbox. These newsletters feature what’s new and happening on Travel Squire.com to ensure that their readers don’t miss a thing. They feature great places to stay- from established to exotic destinations to the latest trendy hotel. They review the world’s most interesting hotels whether a unique, stand alone property or a member of an established chain. Travel Squire is the perfect place to find out about some of the destinations on my upcoming culinary cruise to the Mediterranean

Here’s my suggestions for a great trip to Little Italy in NYC

Join me on a luxury culinary cruise to the Mediterranean. Visit a vineyard in Sicily with me and be part of my culinary demonstrations and dinners on board. And it is all inclusive, even your flight ticket is included from wherever you are leaving from in the world to join us in the departure city of Venice. To join me call Rosenbluth Travel   at 1-800-257-8279 or email: events@marialiberati.com and reserve your luxury cabin, reserve your place now before they are sold out!

copyright art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

My favorite way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon is eating al fresco at home, so that I can have a leisurely, meal with a great bottle of wine, crusty bread. This past Sunday ,it was  a lazy, hazy day, and I was outside with  more than one bottle of wine at the Great Grapes Festival in Cockeysville, Maryland on stage cooking a dish from my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition.  it wasn’t a lazy Sunday for me, but it was an enjoyable one.

I enjoyed speaking to everyone and answering questions about ingredients to use with recipes in my books and how to get to some of the out of the way places in Italy that are  mentioned in my books.  You can find a lot of info on those places here on this Blog

Never realized there were so many great wineries in Maryland.  But many states in the US are developing their own winemaking.  And with choices of wines produced locally, I receive many emails  asking me how to organize an informal wine tasting with friends and family. Summertime makes a perfect time to do an outdoor one and add that to your roster of activities for having a ‘staycation’

I am hired to do many formal wine tastings, pairings and dinners and the first thing we always decide on is (the most important guests) the wine that we will be tasting.

*Decide on a theme-wines from a specific state in the US or a region in Italy

*Red or white wines

*Divide wine bottle up into stations-tables that hold 1- 4 bottles of wine. Next to each bottle, have a card that tells name, and something about the wine or print up a list guests can carry around with them to take home.

*Each guest needs one glass for each wine he /she will use per each bottle of wine they will be tasting.

*For white wines,sparkling wines, roses, you will need buckets half filled with ice/cold water to keep wines in. Every so often you will want to remove wines so they do not become too cold.

*Have a spittoon on each table and give someone the task of emptying the spittoon every so often

*Include pitchers of water at each table.

*Have crackers and bread cubes or small pieces of bread at each table to eat with wine.

*If you want to make this into a wine pairing, pair  snack foods at each table with those particular wines-cheeses ,breads, crackers, nuts, etc.

*Lastly remember that it is a wine tasting not wine drinking event. So everyone should be prepared to taste a gulp of each wine, not to drink many glasses of each. The purpose of a wine tasting is to be able to discover new wines to try with upcoming meals.

Since mushrooms seem to be considered the meat of the vegetable kingdom, here is a grilling recipe to pair with a red wine

Grilled Porcini Mushrooms

from the upcoming book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style-2nd edition

8 large porcini mushroom caps
2 cloves of garlic
1 handful fresh parsley
4 tablespoons (60 gr) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Clean the mushroom caps with a wet paper towel. Do not put under water, but clean delicately with damp paper towel. Chop fresh parsley and garlic. Place mushroom caps,olive oil, chopped parsley, garlic, salt, pepper to taste to marinade in a bowl for 3 minutes. Turn over and marinade for another 3 minutes. Place on hot grill for about 10 minutes-5 minutes for each side. Serve immediately.

See you at:
July 21-24 -Festa Italiana ,Milwaukee Wiconsin-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be on stage doing  cooking demos all weekend

Editor: Lisa Zatulovsky

copyright 2011, Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

Saturated hues and bold color blocking are a dominant fashion trend for summer 2011. Fashion is celebrating the vibrancy that the season has to offer in their clothing and accessories. From a tangerine colored blouse paired with white denim cropped pants, to gold bangles and lapis colored earrings, the last few echoes of winter’s reign are nowhere to be found in the latest summer trends.

Take a nod from fashion and incorporate fun exotic colors into your cuisine this summer. A surplus of seasonal Italian vegetables such as peppers, squash, eggplants, tomatoes and zucchini should be readily available. Vibrant reds, greens, yellows and purples will transform your cooking into visual and delicious delights. Loaded with flavor and nutrients, Italian summer vegetables are wonderful for lighter yet flavorful options that allow you to feel guilt-free and satisfied.

Take advantage of the variety of summer vegetables by incorporating them into a simple Panzanella Salad. An Italian chopped vegetable salad is an easy and fresh alternative to a traditional greens salad. Basic Panzanella salad uses chopped tomatoes and any vegetables you may have at hand like peppers, olives or zucchini, lightly tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can add your favorite day-old crusty bread and add mozzarella for more heartiness, season with basil for added flavor.

For an appealing appetizer, bake stuffed Italian peppers or tomatoes with breadcrumbs, mozzarella, and oregano. For more ideas, replace hearty meat dishes by making eggplant parmigiano with fresh tomato sauce. Or make your own pizza with fresh sauce and top with ripe peppers and zucchini. Experiment with these summer vegetables by grilling, baking or frying and experience their unique flavors for yourself. Whether you go out and buy yourself a chic colorful blouse, or make a bright Italian dish, allow yourself to be inspired by the beauty of the warm summer months to come.

Excerpted from the upcoming book release-The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style

copyright 2011, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

Maria Liberati

Panzanella

(this is a traditional Tuscan salad that is  a clever way to use day or 2 day old bread).

12 slices day old crusty bread

4 tblsps (60 gr) white wine vinegar

1 cup (100 gr)extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb (250 gr) red ripe tomatoes

1 red onion

1 cucumber

1 handful basil leaves

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

Slice bread into 12 slices. Place bread in bowl with ¼ cup water and 1 tblsp (15 gr) vinegar. Leave for 3 minutes. Remove and squeeze water out from bread. Place wet slices on bottom of salad bowl. Place in tomato slices, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion. Drizzle in olive oil, 2 tblsps (60 gr) vinegar.Pinch of slat, freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently.

For more authentic Tuscan recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style

June 11 & 12-see you at the Great Grapes festival in Cockeysville, MD

July 21-24 see you at the largest Italian Festival in the USA-Festa Italiana in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I will be onstage thorughout the entire event. Hope to see you there.

The most beautiful things are the simplest, call me frugal or thrifty or anything in between..but my favorite things are those that are the simplest.. or maybe I am just  infatuated with the philosophy  of  Leonardo DaVinci who once  said that ‘Simplicity is an art’…Fot Mother’s Day I kept it simple but beautiful with a Spaghetti Alle Erbette (spaghetti with fresh herbs)-a convenient way to combine all those fresh herbs from  my kitchen garden..serve with a light. chilled, dry white wine (chianti or Est!Est!Est! or Trebbiano) or for that festive touch a dry Prosecco. But Mother’s Day can be any day-not just today!

Spaghetti Alle Erbette (Spaghetti with Herbs)

1lb (500 gr) spaghetti

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons (45 gr) extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp (5 gr) fresh rosemary

1 tsp (5 gr) fresh thyme

1 tsp (5 gr) fresh parsley leaves chopped

1 small,dry, red hot pepper

Peel  garlic and  cut  into small pieces. Sprinkle on pinch of salt. mash garlic with a fork. Place olive oil in saute pan over low heat.  Place in mashed garlic. chopped rosemary and chopped thyme. When garlic  becomes golden, add in chopped red pepper ,saute for 1 minute, remove from heat and let stand.  Bol water for pasta and cook till al dente. Drain and place into saute pan, toss to coat. Top with finely chopped parsley.

See you at..

May 14th, 1006, S. 9th St, Phila., Pa. at Fante’s Kitchenware Store from 1-3 PM .Join me a for a book signing during the annual Italian Festival.

May15th, Health and Fitness Event at Normandy Farms in Blue Bell, Pa , 11-3 PM,for a book singing and sampling of recipes from the Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition.

  copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

What does Chianti have in common with cornflakes..well not  much. But this past summer when I was invited to spend some time at Castello D’Albola in Chianti and made my way to all the little towns I found a particular cookie in many of the ‘forno’ (bakeries) there that I have been wanting to test out in my test kitchen here in Italy.

The cookie got my attention when I quickly spotted it in the window of a little bakery in the chic little town of Radda in Chianti, next to all the cantucci biscotti (the local biscotti produced in that region) The reason..it is very similar to a cookie that I remember from my childhood in the US that is made with cornflakes..and really delicious.

If you purchase them in Chianti they sell for 15 (about $22US) Euro a kilo (2 pounds), but you can make them at home for much less. Who would have thought that a little infamous cornflake cookie from the US would be featured in a bakery next to the famed cantucci biscotti.?

While spending time in my test kitchen here I was finally able to put together a recipe and added other flavors to make them decidedly Italian-dark Italian chocolate and peel of fresh oranges, another delicious memory of Chianti….

Cornflakes in Chianti Cookies

(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)

*2 cups flour

*3/4 cup sugar

*2 eggs

*1/2 cup butter

*1 tsp vanilla

*16 ounces dark baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)

*grated peel of one fresh orange

*approximately 2 cups of cornflakes for coating cookies

*1 tsp baking powder

Sift flour and baking powder together. In separate bowl blend together sugar and eggs. Add in softened butter and sifted flour/baking powder-1/2 cup at a time. When blended, add in vanilla, chocolate and orange peel. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cornflakes on flat dish. Separate dough into small balls, roll in cornflakes, flatten cookie, place on cookie sheet, be sure to leave space between each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.

 For more great recipees get yoru copy of the book selected as the best Italian cuisine book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

“Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. he attracts and follows”

Jean Paul Richter (German novelist and humorist 1763-1825)

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati/art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc

This phrase rang so true in my head spiraling along the winding curves of the hills of Chianti. Rows of sunflowers seemed to be bowing to the beautiful Tuscan sun, and they almost seemed to be smiling as a welcome to this beautiful region.

Along Route 222 passing through the beauty that is Chianti, I begin to remember that  here may have  once passed DaVinci, Michelangelo, Giotto.. My eyes dance in the landscape of  castles and villas and vineyards that in some way may have been touched by these artistic masters and I  begin  to feel as if I am in a colorful kaleidoscope..or  in a living painting..for the scenery is too perfect to be real.

Driving through the Hills of Chianti part 1

Continuing the drive along we almost become hypnotized with  the vines that seem to decorate the hills. Well, for me it’s  a problem I’m only the   passenger, but Alfonso is driving and although he has been silent for over a half  hour, too dazzled to speak ,we quickly remember that we are going back to our castle in Radda in Chianti and have lost our way..”Are you looking for Route 222? he mutters. “Yes, Yes” I answer, just to appease him..I really had no idea where we were..but wanted to just continue riding along (what seemed to be) the endless hills..

Luckily when I regained my consciousness, we were really on Route 222 continuing back to Radda in Chianti…passing through the little towns of Impruneta, Greve in Chianti and then Radda in Chianti..we both breathe a sigh of relief and decide that tonight we will go for a coffee and a passeggiatta in Radda in Chianti..a warm August night  will make the perfect canvas for an evening walk.

Driving thorugh the Hills of Chianti Part 2

As we drove up the Piano D’Albola (the plains of Albola)  I tried to imagine how the nobility that once lived here entered the gates and the long drive up to the main house, but I could hear my stomach rumbling as I thought of the fresh porcini mushrooms we bought at the market today..a pasta dish with porcini mushrooms was definitely in order.

Under castello D’Albola in the Original Cantina

Lunch for that day was a yummy Penne ai Porcini  ( a plate of penne pasta with porcini mushrooms),served with white wine from Castello D’Albola-produced here. Since this dish includes fresh mint the preparation included a mandatory  walk outside along the castle walls to follow my nose and  pick fresh bunches of mint… it only calls for a  small handful but the fragrance was so enticing I picked a bit more and put  the remainder in a  (makeshift vase) - large  plastic water bottle cut in half- with some fresh water- and used it as our table centerpiece..

 Penne ai Porcini (Penne Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms)

1 lb of penne pasta

5 funghi porcini

1/4 lb of pumpkin

1 scallion

1 handful of fresh mint chopped finely

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

dash of freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

Chop scallion. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and cut into slices. Take off sin of pumpkin and cut into small cubes.

Place olive oil in saute pan, place in scallions and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, then place in mushrooms,saute. After 5 minutes place in cubed pumpkin. Saute for 10-15 minutes over low heat, stir gently. Add in salt, then add in chopped mint and toss, saute for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Place penne in boiling water and cook as indicated on package directions till al dente. Drain and place into sauce, toss gently, grind black pepper on top and serve

For more great recipes get your copy of the award winning The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition the book that was selected as the Best Italian cuisine Book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Be A Guest Writer and Share the Joy! and your food memory

Visit  me at OpenSky

October 3 see you in Sacramento, California at the Italian Cultural Center

October 12th- Lower Southampton Library in Feasterville, Pa

Otober 29-30 the Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show in the Valley Forge Convention Center

The villa stands on the top of the hill. From the balcony in front  you have a magnificent view of all of Chianti; behind is an old garden with wild mint and hedges, grass walks and an artificial lake in which water glistens under the bright Tuscan sun.

The oldest building on the estate-Cassero D’Albola- was built in the 12^th century when it was the property of the nobility of Monterinaldi. In the 15^th century the castle was built and transformed during the Renaissance into a spectacular villa.

It was most recently restored by the Zonin family, one of the oldest and largest importers of wine throughout the world. And it was they who invited me to spend a few days there getting to know the wines of Castello D’Albola.

My apartment there at the Castello had large and lofty rooms with a large window in the kitchen that opened out to the view of the gardens. It was August and I spent most of my days admiring the peaceful serene countryside and the hills of Chianti that were painted with endless vineyards and cypress trees.

When I was able to get over the splendor of the views I would spend much time seeing the sights, pleasant mornings in Radda in Chianti or Greve in Chianti, small, characteristic little towns. Although we were in close proximity to Florence I seldom visited except to lunch or dine with friends. I was in awe of the beauty of the castle and preferred to walk about the gardens and relax with a good book.

If I wanted to go out I preferred to get into our Fiat and explore the Chianti countryside. As I was winding along the hills of Chianti a sense of tranquility  came over me..the brilliant hue of the dark purple Sangiovese grapes almost ready to be harvested and the greyish green olive trees..the beauty was… captivating..

Vin Santo produced there made a perfect accompaniment to the cantucci biscotti I would find at a local bakery each day in one of the little towns. Finding great cantucci became somewhat of a ritual every day so that we would have a reason to sip Vin Santo  in the evenings after dinner..

Cantucci Biscotti

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup whole almonds

4 whole eggs beaten

1 tsp of grated orange peel

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.

Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in  almonds and blend in.

Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.

For more stories of fabulous places in Italy and great recipes get your copy of the book that was selected as the Best Italian Cuisine Book  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

See you at the Philadelphia Gourmet food & Wine Show on Oct 29-30 at the Valley Forge Convention Center

*Oct 3rd- Italian Cultural Center in Sacramento, California

visit me at OpenSky

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

As I remembered the song from my favorite musical The Sound of Music..I thought to myself as we drove along the hills in Chianti…these hills are alive with the beauty of the  grape vines( filled with beautiful plump black grapes)..almost ready for the vendemmia

I don’t think I can ever look at another hill again without remembering the beauty of Chianti..it’s green, rolling hills, decorated with tall, proud cypress trees and sunflowers that seemed to smile and greet you as you drive by..as we drove the sharp curves and winding roads a calm came over me..the beauty and serenity of the hills seemed to put me in a trance..albeit a relaxed one…

When we arrived at Castello D’Albola at the top of the hill I could barely speak..I think I became drunk with the beauty before I drank a drop of Chianti…a medieval castle that was built somewhere in the late 1400’s..and may have been worked on by craftsman taught by Michelangelo or DaVinci or Bernini…

More on Chianti and Castello D’Albola soon…One of the wines in they expertly produce there is Vin Santo..a wine that is served at the end of a dinner and cantucci biscotti are dipped into a glass filled with this sweet liquid.. If you are eating dinner in Tuscany and a bottle of Vin Santo is placed on the table with cantucci biscotti-this means dinner is finished and this will be the last course.

Cantucci Biscotti

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup whole almonds

4 whole eggs beaten

1 tsp of grated orange peel

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.

Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in  almonds and blend in.

Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.

For more great recipes get your copy of the book selected as Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Visit OpenSky

September 10-11..see you at Hudson Valley Wine Fest in Hudson Valley, Rhinebeck, NY. I will be onstage with The Basic Art of Italian Cooking from 1-2 each day. For more info email: Info@marialiberati.com

Be a Guest writer and Share the Joy! In honor of the release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition- we are inviting our readers to also share their special Holiday food memories for any Holiday and any nationality. Email your story of 300 words or less and we will be selecting one story a week to publish on the blog and to be part of a nationally published book. All stories become property of art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc Email your stories to

sharethejoy@marialiberati.com