N°3 Che regalo! // What a gift!

~the following is N°3 in the series, Un’estate senza fine // An endless summer~ The next part of our journey brought us to Napoli for the wedding of my cousin, Maddalena, to Giancarlo. The anticipation was palpable. We couldn’t wait to see our precious Italian family and to celebrate with them. What a gift it would be […]

N°2 Improvising in Positano

~the following is N°2 in the series, Un’estate senza fine // An endless summer~ While staying in Sorrento, we knew we had to set some time aside to visit the Amalfi coast. Located on the southern side of the Sorrentine peninsula, it is an enchanting place, dotted with pastel-colored villages. The last time we visited the Amalfi […]

N°1 Torna a Surriento // Come back to Sorrento

~the following is N°1 in the series, Un’estate senza fine // An endless summer~ It was the trip of a lifetime, and we enjoyed every minute— and every bite. There is something about the sights, sounds and smells of the Campania region in Italy that instantly charms you. Even in the intense summer heat and humidity, you […]

Un posto a tavola // Summer 2016

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy dining al fresco with family and friends. Dining al fresco is simply eating outside; it requires very little and has the ability to top off a beautiful day perfectly, to make an ordinary day more special, or to brighten up even the toughest of days.  In the spirit of […]

La vigilia di Natale— Christmas Eve Dinner Menu

When my mom came to America, she brought many traditions with her and they have become treasured parts of our family make up. One of my favorites is the seafood feast that southern Italians typically eat on Christmas Eve. Although there have been changes over the years to which seafood dishes get served, the seafood […]

Gnocchi on my mind…

a recap of our Italian weekend at Taste of Italy LA and Little Italy Festa San Diego, plus tips on the perfect Gnocchi!  We had so much fun at the Italian events this weekend! Our Italian fun started Saturday night, when we met in Downtown LA for Taste of Italy.  The venue was just as promised— the […]

Italian Events! Oct 10 & 11th

Taste of Italy on October 10—Part of historic Downtown Los Angeles is transformed into a charming Italian piazza where everyone can mix, mingle and of course, eat and drink! Just one of the Italian Events this coming weekend.   Mark your calendars! There is a lot of Italian fun to be had this coming weekend: October 10 […]

I miei cugini

i miei cugini, my cousins, who are like brothers to me   I have always wanted brothers. Big brothers to tease me, protect me and love me. My Zia Ninuccia had three sons, my dear cousins Enzo, Orazio and Nicola…. From the moment I walked through their portone to the moment I left, they lovingly […]

Zia Ninuccia

This is my aunt, Maddalena Santoro, or as I affectionately called her, Zia Ninuccia.  She was the beloved owner of her own market in Casagiove, Italy, and the inspiration for Casagiove, California. I loved my zia.  I loved the way she embraced us when we came into town, and I loved how she made everyone […]