copyright 2012  Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

(photo credits: www.dolci.it)

A cena (dinner) with friends is an all night event..from 8 PM to 1 AM..first the selection of the restaurant..then organizing the meetup of everyone..then  30 minutes  to organize the seating arrangement for 15..not an easy task…selection of courses..antipasti or not? first course or second course or both? With meat..without  meat…

For someone that is used to eating at 6 PM, a 9PM dinner is not an easy thing. Frustrating to say the least is the time spent between arriving at the restaurant and finally eating  the first morsel of food to arrive…this is the real ‘eating all’ Italiana ‘(eating Italian style). A meal becomes more like a long opera than a simple night out…But once it is all over you realize it was really worth it! Dinner becomes a true food experience, not just a meal….

The golden hue of the locally grown  potatoes and  the intense red radicchio make for a colorful canvas for any artist in the kitchen. The colors of winter decorate any plate.

Crostini with Radicchhio, Mozzarella and Caramelized Figs

( Photo credit:  http://saperlo.stbm.it)

To make caramelized figs:

8 ozs dried figs

6 tsps honey

2 branches of fresh rosemary

1 sage leaf

1 fresh red hot pepper cut into thin strips

Crostini:
2 whole fresh buffalo mozzarella ( Or fresh mozzarella)

1 small red radicchio

1/2 loaf crusty bread (baguette or similar)

Chop figs into  large pieces. Place in saute pan, drizzle honey on top.  Heat over low heat, melting honey. Cover with fresh rosemary, pepper strips, sage leaf. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a glass bowl to cool.

Wash and clean head of radicchio. Set aside 8 whole leaves of radicchio and cut remaining leave in half. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan and place in radicchio leaves. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, set aside.

Cut mozzarella into thick slices. Cut baguette in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half. Place on baking sheet and place in oven under broil till golden on one side, remove from oven, turn over and repeat on other side.. Remove from oven. On each slice of bread place 2 fresh radicchio leaves, slice of mozzarella, sauteed radicchio, and finally top with caramellized figs. Drizzle with olive oil, dash of sea salt and serve immediately.

Serve with a dry Rose wine..

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style here or in ebook exclusively available on Kindle.

See you on March 24-25th in Charlottesville Virginia at the Festival of the Book.

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

After surviving another Feast of the Seven Fishes in Italy  last year (the meal typically celebrated in Italy and now all over the world for Christmas Eve with many seafood dishes) I wanted to jot down some quick tips on cooking seafood many different ways. Everyone always seems puzzled as to what to make and how to make it. These are some quick, easy tips to help, but not only for the Feast of the Seven Fishes but all year round seafood dishes too! These are the principal 5 ways to cook specific types of seafood.

Alla Brace (usually refers to cooking in a fireplace or wood burning oven -over wood or coal)

Fish that has firm meat inside like tuna, are perfect for cooking this way,not all fish can hold up to this cooking method.

You can add a sort of aroma and splash with white or red wine or seafood broth to reinforce the perfume of the herbs/spices added. Choose a double sided grill that will make turning the fish easier.

Alla Griglia (grilled)

If you are going to grill fish you shouldn’t scale it, the skin protects the delicate meat of the fish from the intense heat of the grill. Before placing on the grill, dry the fish well with paper towels, even if it has been soaking in a marinade. Don’t overcook the fish. For example, sardines cook for only 1 minute on each side, for a sea bass-10 minutes per side. A large fish should be cooked slowly and drizzled with oil every so often to keep it moist.

Alla Mugnaia (a la meuniere- a French cooking term that means lightly dusted with flour and sautéed with butter)

A whole fish or one that has delicate meat inside like Sole should first be sautéed in a sauté pan with butter, then cooked over medium heat. In general, most fish can be lightly salted and breaded before cooking. The cooking time varies from between 2-3 minutes per side.

Fritto (Fried)

Fish best fried are small fish or those cut into smaller pieces or those like cod and sole. Always dry the fish before frying, coat with flour and dust with breadcrumbs. Oil should be hot but not smoking and should also be in an abundant quantity. Avoid keeping the breaded fish in the pan for too long a time, after cooking remove and place on absorbent paper or paper towels to absorb the oil.

Al Forno (Baked)

Al Forno – best to cook medium or large fish this way. You can also flavor the fish with flavorful spices and/or herbs or herb butter, broth, white wine. And if the fish is big enough you can also bake it stuffed with bread crumbs or shrimp or crab meat. In the oven, you can also cook smaller fish in parchment paper

So many of you have emailed  asking about how to celebrate this feast. So for those of you that do, please share with readers your favorite Feast of the Seven Fishes traditions and recipes. Christmas Eve is almost here!

For more Christmas recipes get a copy of the Gourmand World Award Winning Cookbook The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays &Special Occasions-2nd edition

**December 10th- Join me at Wendell August (103 Woodcutter Dr) in Exton, Pa from 1:30 –2:45 for a book signing of the Holiday book and Holiday recipes. Hope to see you then. For more info email: events@marialiberati.com

Love hearing your heart warming stories of food and cooking Italian  with The Basic Art of Italian Cooking! Here is a story from one of our readers. And if you have a story to share with our The Basic Art of Italian Cooking readers…. love to hear it…. Send your story (500words of less) to info@marialiberati.com.

This story comes form Anna M. Aquino (www.annamaquino.com) Thanks Anna!

Guest Post by Anna M. Aquino

I still remember the scene. My husband and I were newly married and I was trying to be a good wife by cooking what I thought would be a good meal. We were renting the back end of a house in downtown Pittsburgh, Pa. at the time and the floorboards of my kitchen were warped and uneven. The smell of bean soup flavored with a ham hock and corn bread had been a cultural staple of my childhood. I grew up with foods like mashed potato candy and corned beef and cabbage. I knew what was the American version of  spaghetti, but that is as far as my Italian cooking went. Culturally I come from the most politically correct term of Appalachian, but with loving humor I say I’m an Ohio Redneck.

(photo of Pietra Fietta from examiner.com)

“What is that?” I could tell my husband was forcing a smile. It was a look that was painted on with humor and obligation. My husbands’ family immigrated from a small village called Pietra Fietta Cosenza Italy in the 50’s. While he has never set foot in his motherland he grew up in an oasis of Italian culture and life. He didn’t speak English until he went to school. He had no need to.

He tried the meal, and if I remember correctly with a slight gagging reflex he managed to consume a bowl. I realized that night I would have to learn to cook Italian.

As an outsider looking into my mother-in-law’s kitchen it can be a bit overwhelming. Italians celebrate food like one would examine a fine piece of art. My mother-in-law is a Rembrandt in the kitchen. When you ask her how to cook something she’ll tell you by memory. There are  no exact measurements and it’s done all to taste. She wields her wooden spoon like a paint brush wafting homegrown ingredients out of my father-in-law’s back yard garden teasing the palate. Mouthwatering dishes, that until I married my husband, I had never heard of: Vitello, gnocchi, homemade tiramisu and melanzana. The women come together for weeks before the holidays to make Turdilli,a traditional sweet from Cosenza… They still cure their own capicollo, prosciutto, and make their own sausages. It’s as if they have an internal scale in their mind and it isn’t okay to leave their home unless you have tasted everything. Family meals are seas of faces, copious amounts of wine, and people shouting Mangia Mangia !

I’ve been trying my Italian wings now for 12 years. I’ve learned the family secret to the sauce, but don?t ask me what it is because I can?t tell you. My cooking still  isn’t as good as my mother-in-law’s but I’m working on it, and I understand my husbands need to have some kind of pasta on Sundays. I still make my Ohio foods, and my husband has learned to tolerate them. My tour through Italian cooking has been a journey but like any good wine, and it just keeps getting better!

Turdilli

1 cup of olllive oil

1 cup of white Vermouth

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

honey

peanut oil for frying

Heat olive oil and vermouth in a pan till just before boiling. Place sugar in a bowl. Pour hot olive oil mixture into bowl and stir until sugar melts. Add in sifted flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Stirring after each addition. Mix dough until soft, but lucid. Place on a floured wooden board and work the dough till not sticky. Cut dough into pieces that are 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 1 inch long. Dust pieces with flour and press each piece with a fork. Cover pieces with towel, let stand for 30 minutes. Heat oil in frying pan, enough oil to cover pan and about 2 inches high. Fry till golden, dough will puff up when fried, remove and place on towel paper. When cool, heat honey in saucepan, place in cooled turdilli, toss gently and coat with honey. Place on parchment paper on serving plate, decorate with colored sprinkles.

*December 10th 1:30-2:45  Holiday Entertaining and Holiday Book signing at Wendell August, Exton, Pa Join me for a book signing, sampling from the Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition. For more info email: events@marialiberati.com

*Join me in Italy for an all inclusive luxury cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean where everything is all inclusive. A few spots are open, Makes a wonderful Holiday gift! Call Julie at Rosenbluth Vacations at 1-800-257-8279

Thanks to all my fans that ‘spent the weekend with me’  (this weekend)and attended my appearances at the Suburban Home Show and the Philly Food and Wine Show.  It is always fun  to meet you and thanks you for sharing  all your stories about your experiences and questions trying the recipes in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking book  series  and questions about the places I visit in the books …. and sharing stories about your family’s origins in Italy and stories about the  towns they come from.

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style has had a very successful release and is doing very well ..thanks to the support of all of you…thanks for all your love and support!!

As promised, here is another recipe from my onstage cooking appearances and photos of the beautiful items I paired the recipes with. It is just as important to know what foods to pair together as well as the items they are presented in, And I am sure you will agree that the Fiestaware and Wendell August pieces were the perfect pairing. Fiestaware’s  75th anniversary color –Marigold- added the perfect touch to show off the other colors in the ingredients used.

Rotini Pasta alla Spinaci

1 pound rotini pasta (whole wheat )

8 ozs. fresh spinach (washed, chopped)

2 cloves garlic (peeled)

1/4 cup cooking cream or cream

4 ounces steamed crabmeat, shredded

3 ozs. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Cook pasta in boiling water  10-12 minutes. While pasta is boiling, place olive oil in saute pan, place in whole garlic cloves. Saute just till garlic becomes golden. Add in fresh spinach, saute for 2 minutes, than add in crabmeat. Saute for 3 minutes, add in wine. Saute for 5 minutes or until half of liquid has been absorbed.  remove garlic cloves.Add in  cream. Saute till creamy. remove from heat,keep warm. When past is al dente, drain and place into saute pan and toss pasta to coat with creamy sauce.  Serve hot.

**Join me on in Italy for my Cruise to the Mediterranean and a culinary adventure (May 3, 2012). This luxury cruise will leave from Venice Italy and go to Rome, Tuscany, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Monte Carlo, Your flight to Venice,  and a night in a luxury hotel in Venice (included) and all your food, excursions, on board alcoholic beverages,flight back and shuttles to and from airport are all included. The suites you wil stay in are luxury suites. No better way to see Europe and I iwll be happy to introduce you to the Mediterranean that I know so well! I will be doing on board dinners and cooking demos and taking you on a visit to a vineyard in Sicily. Only a few spots left..join us call Julie at Rosenbluth Vacations at 1-800-257-8279…see you then

Thanks to all my fans and readers for spending Sunday with me (this past Sunday) from the Woman of the Week interview  on 95.7 FM in Philadelphia with Marilyn Russell to the afternoon  book signing event at Williams-Sonoma at King of Prussia Mall.

Hope to see you all at the Suburban Home Show this coming weekend.  I will be doing onstage appearances throughout the show and signing copies of my book and Rosenbluth Travel will be doing a special audio visual presentation on our  upcoming Mediterranean Cruise  to Italy with tours to vineyards and onboard culinary dinners, leaving May 3 from Venice Italy..hope you can join us for that!

As a Special Gift to my Fans and Readers, I have some Free Tickets to the Suburban Home Show at the Greater Philadelphia Convention Center in Oaks, Pa this coming weekend, Oct 21-23- just email Sue at :events@marialiberati.com  HURRY WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT TO GIVEAWAY TO MY READERS. 2 Tickets to a Person.

Email your name and contact info and we will leave them at the door of the convention center. You will get a confirm email back. But HURRY!!

Hope to see you all then!  I really appreciate all the support of my readers and fans and love meeting each and everyone and hearing about your expereinces cooking from The Basic Art of Italian Cookbooks and your stories abotu visits to some of the little towns in Italy that are featured in the books.

xoxo Maria

copyright 2011 Maria Liberati

On the road again”….that winsome, Willie Nelson tune just seems to pop out at me as my book tour unfolds. An invitation to appear at the Utah Humanities Festival found me in Salt Lake City this past weekend. After a long flight, the calm relaxing pace of that city as well as a landscape filled with mountains and sky provided a bit of tranquility.

And even though Salt Lake City is certainly not a hop,skip and a jump from the east coast, it reminded me in some ways of home in the mountains of Abruzzo. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, fresh spring water,fresh air. It was almost like I was there in my little town in Abruzzo but supersized with multi lane highways instead of 2 lane highways going through town, skyscrapers instead of old country villas and terracotta glazed buildings.

But no need to look too far for great food, I was scheduled to do another event (A book signing and recipe demo from the book) at Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli. I call this place a little piece of Italy in the West. With am Italian market, a deli, a fresh fish market and restaurant, I didn’t need to look any further. The recipe was a Risotto with fresh porcini mushrooms and truffles and Caputo’s had all the perfect ingredients that are not always so easy to find. Ingredients like carnaroli rice, frozen porcini mushrooms from Umbria, Italy and black truffles from Burgundy, France, butter from Parma ,Italy and Olive Oil from Tuscany..The ultimate ingredients like this always make for an ultimate food experience

P.S. Only use a pinch of truffles to top off this dish, truffles are wonderful only when used correctly, not over used.. And if you can’t find a truffle, a drizzle of truffle infused oil on a finished risotto will work as a substitute.

.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Truffles

(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:DaVinci Style, published by art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

*4 cups vegetable broth

*3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

*2 leeks chopped finely

*1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice

*1 tablespoon unsalted butter

*1 cup dry white wine or Prosecco

*1 ounce dried procini mushroom

*1-2 tswps grated truffles

*2-4 tablespoons freshly shaved or grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

Place dried porcini mushrooms in small dish of warm water and let soak for 30 minutes, set aside. Heat vegetable broth till boiling, then simmer. Place olive oil in large saute pan, place in leeks and saute till leeks become transparent. Place in soaked porcini mushrooms and set water they soaked in aside. Saute for a minute. Place in rice and toast til rice is coated with oil. Add in dry white wine, wtir till liquid is all absorbed,then add in liquid from porcini mushrooms, stir and then when liquid is absorbed, add in another ¾ cup broth and repeat this till rice is al dente (about 18 minutes). When finished, remove from heat and place butter on top, stir in and then plate the rice and serve with grated or shaved parmigiana-reggiano on top.

Serve with the wine you added into the risotto for cooking, if you’re not sure, Est!Est!Est!,Falenghina, Pecorino, dry Prosecco all make great white wines for a risotto dish-to cook with and pair with at dinner

*Join me in Italy on an all inclusive luxury cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean. We will explore the sights and tastes with visits to vineyards, on board culinary events and more. Only a few spots left. Call Julie at Rosenbluth Travel at 1-800-257-8270

*October 12th at 9:30 AM if you are in Philadelphia, listen in to WBEN 95.7 FM radio as Marilyn Russell interviews me for her Woman of the Week show and hear about my latest book and special projects.

*October 21-23-Suburban Home Show at the greater Philadelphia Convention Center in Oaks Pennsylvania. Join me for on stage cooking demos of my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style and find out how you can join me on my upcoming luxury cruise to Italy. For more info email:events@marialiberati.com

I have discovered a magic flavor in a tube..no its’ not toothpaste..it’s tomato concentrate. Imagine a concentrated flavor of a sweet  fruit (tomatoes are classified as a fruit)..the flavor is sweet, sweet, ..without sugar.

So sweet, I enjoy the stuff eaten on top of freshly sliced zucchini, cheese or other veggies or in place of mayonnaise or any other sandwich dressing… and as an added plus it is low calorie..only tomatoes..no sugar or fat!

Here’s a  colorful and flavorful recipe worthy of any artist in the kitchen…you can liken the tubes of tomato paste to tubes of paint used by artist..I call this

Paella Classica allo Picasso

2 cups rice

3 envelopes saffron

1 lb of mixed seafood (i.e. flounder, tilapia, salmon, cod)

1 lb of shellfish

2 glasses of dry white wine

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons of Tomato Concentrate (in a tube)

pinch red,hot pepper

Optional : red pepperoncini

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 fresh green pepper (seeded and cut into strips)

Was hall seafood. Cut seafood into uniform pieces, set aside. Wash and clean shellfish.

Place olive oil n a large saute pan with minced garlic cloves,chopped onion. Saute till golden. Add in rice, add in white wine and stir. Dissolve saffron and tomato comcentrate  in 1 1/2 cups hot, boiling water.

Once white wine has been absorbed by rice, add in this hot water mixture a little at a time, stirring slowly. After 9 minutes, add in shellfish and seafood, hot pepper, red hot pepper, peas. Stir and cook till rice is al dente, adding boiling water when needed. Serve hot

** May 3, 2012..Join me in Italy on my luxury culinary cruise to Italy, all inclusive and so much fun! visit a vineyard in Sicily, join me with my on board culinary demos and dinners. Everything is included even your airfare from whatever key city you are flying out of. Only a few cabins left..call Rosenbluth travel  at  1-800-257-8279  or email:Events@Marialiberati.com to make reservations now!!

Join me at some of my other appearances:

**October 2, 2011 ,Salt Lake City Utah,  Book Release of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:DaVinci Style at the Utah Humanities Festival ..Join me for a Celebration of Leonardo Davinci, poetry from his notebook and his travels.. For more info email:events@marialiberati.com

**October 21-23, Suburban Philly Home Show at the  Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Avenue Oaks, Pa …On stage cooking demos from my latest book release The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style and a presentation for my upcoming luxury culinary cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean. For more info : 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!

Editor: Lisa  Zatulovsky

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

Romantic emeralds, flashy rubies and elegant diamonds sparkled in the light on the stage of the Teatro Alla Scala during a three-week engagement of the ballet Jewels. Milan’s La Scala Ballet recently performed multiple performances of George Balanchine’s acclaimed Jewels this May. Balanchine captures the beauty of “Emeralds,” “Rubies,” and “Diamonds,” translating them into distinctive ballet sequences. The grandeur of the theatre framing the dancers of La Scala enhances the opulence of this dazzling ballet, like a menagerie of rare gems in a jewelry box, garnished with bracelets, necklaces and rings. Deep scarlet seats emblazoned with gold and delicate crystal chandeliers, paired with exquisite dancing are all ingredients for a magical recipe.

As the lights dim and the composer carefully waves his baton for “Emeralds”, dancers in deep-green velvet bodices with lithe tulle skirts adorned with emerald accents and magnificent jeweled crowns decorate the stage. A dreamy melody by Gabriel Faure brings the dancers to life, harmoniously chaining the movements together like the links of a delicate gold bracelet.

As the curtains re-open, the next section, “Rubies,” is introduced. Igor Stravinsky’s staccato, alluring and jazzy score starkly contrasts with the previous movement. Dancers in short red costumes with encrusted scarlet stones ooze sensuous appeal. Extreme extensions, angular movements and dazzling turns are front and center in this playful sequence. Like a bold-statement necklace with layers of rubies set in gold, this section demands attention.

The last section begins, presenting “Diamonds,” the culmination of Jewels. Paying homage to the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky, Balanchine creates a magnificent and sophisticated conclusion. Corps dancers in mid-length white tulle tutus ornament the stage like a set of small diamonds decorating a silver engagement ring. As the leading couple starts to dance, a princely cavalier presents a majestic, long-limbed ballerina looking as though she were the central princess cut diamond of the engagement ring.

For an appetizer, inspired by ‘Jewels’ start with Bruschetta al Pesto. Reminiscent of the ballet’s green color, the understated deep emerald pesto sauce made with garlic, basil, olive oil and pine nuts, brushed onto a thin slice of crusty bread is an ideal antipasto.

Let your main course take a front and center role much like Rubies by presenting a show stopping Lasagna . Bold and hearty, Lasagna made with layers of tomato sauce, beef, al dente Lasagna sheets and creamy ricotta, shredded mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano will demand your attention with every bight.

For the grand finale of your meal, finish off with a sparkling Italian dessert white wine, suggestive of the cold finesse of a clear-cut diamond. For one last ovation, make your meal sparkle like a radiant diamond by enjoying sips of the sweet notes of Moscato d’Asti, as the last traces of radiance catch the light before the curtain closes one last time.

For recipes get your copy of the Gourmand World Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Ju;y 21- 24, Festa Italiana- the USA’s largest Italian Festival in Milwaukee Wisconsin- See you there at Cucina Showcase. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be doing on stage events every day and book signings by Maria Liberati throughout. For more info email: Info@marialiberati.com

July 29=31 Gourmet Food and Wine Show, Bally’s Atlantic City, Maria Liberati will be doing on stage cooking demos and book signings

“You ought to have seen what I saw on my way
To the village, through Mortenson’s pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!”

Blueberries by Robert Frost

One of my favorite things about summer are fresh blueberries..all over the place..you can pick your own or find them at your farmer’s market or supermarket..almost everywhere there sits that box with a beautiful purple blue hue peaking out with  berries overflowing on top. My not so favorite part of  summer is traveling  to places that do not have local blueberries available. ( I so miss the little guys). You can only get the best, juiciest fresh blueberries in the summer..an experience not to be missed…and as the days of summer dwindle down so do the number of days that these bursts of flavor will be available at their best…. As summer goes on I find myself creating more ways to use them from simple salads to ice cream desserts and of course cakes and muffins. Popping a juicy berry into my mouth produces a burst of momentary euphoria..and they sometimes never make it into the recipe..

and wouldn’t you know it…. I had an inspiration yesterday ..combine blueberries with another one of my addictions…coffee..a great ending to an alfresco meal or a cooling, rejuvenating afternoon pause!

Blueberry Cream Frost

*1 tsp (3 gr) cinnamon

1 tablespoon (15 gr) honey

6 shots of espresso (measure with small espresso cups)

1/2 cup whipped cream

1 cup of frozen blueberries  (Place fresh blueberries in freezer for approx 40 minutes before making this)

1 cinnamon stick for garnish

unsweetened dark chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa) for garnish

Place cinnamon, honey in a shaker. Make the espresso and pour into shaker. With a small wire whisk, whisk all ingredients together.  Divide whipped cream into 4 ice  cream glasses (3 ozs each) filling each glass about halfway.

Place frozen blueberries in shaker with coffee mixture, cover and shake 8 times. Pour into ice cream glasses top with whipped cream,divide evenly between all 4 glasses. Garnish with cinnamon stick and shave dark chocolate.

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

July 21-24- See you at Festa Italiana, the USA’s largest Italian Festival . The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be hosting many on stage cooking demos throughout the event, Nick Stellino will be onstage as well.

July 29-31 Gourmet Food and Wine Show-Bally’s Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm will be onstage throughout the weekend.

For info, sponsorship or advertising info  on any of these events, email events@marialiberati.com

For more recipes get your copy of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winning Cookbook at http:// www.marialiberati.com

**Free BOOK Offer..If you were not able to get to Book Expo America for the pre release book signing/event of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style, email: info@marialiberati.com and put free book in the subject and request the pre release mini version of the book. We will send a pdf  for download.