tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-368613712011-12-12T17:11:24.978-08:00Your Italian Food, Wine and Travel NewsletterKyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-64258005542505933212011-04-03T17:14:00.000-07:002011-04-03T17:22:09.039-07:00

It has taken me a few days to get to this, and I apologize. Day 5 was different than the others, because for the first time we had a schedule: Elisabetta Cianfanelli, Florence's Assessore al Turismo, was to meet us by Artusi's grave at the Cimitero delle Porte Sante next to the church of San Miniato at noon, and this, for me, posed a problem:The walk from Stefano's locanda in Pontassieve to the

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-4949051693292826822011-03-31T05:32:00.000-07:002011-03-31T05:35:40.641-07:00

Considering the sun that had set, beautifully red, the night before, the misty drizzle that greeted us when we arose was a definite letdown. Fortunately Emma's breakfast was as lavish as her dinner, with all sorts of tasty morsels to nibble on. I'm afraid we didn't do it the justice it deserved, but one can only eat so much in the space of 12 hours.In any case, after eating we donned our rain

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-21538704116508176302011-03-30T15:55:00.000-07:002011-03-30T15:56:30.306-07:00

Before talking about today, a few words on Yesterday's dinner. We were staying in the Vecchio Convento, a nice hotel/restaurant in the heart of Portico di Romagna that has wonderful rooms with turn of the last century furniture. For dinner we were joined by about 20 Artusian devotees, some who had driven all the way from Florence, and I have to say the meal was worth the trip.We began with

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-37093289902119950252011-03-27T10:06:00.000-07:002011-03-27T10:08:22.425-07:00

Made it, and as before I'll add photos when I get home.Picking up where I left off, last night we had a very nice Artusian dinner, which began with cappelletti in broth, followed by boiled fish -- another pilgrim said trout, but it seemed more of a sea fish to me -- with home-made mayonnaise, followed by a stew, filetto alla finanziera, made with castrato, which is a castrated lamb, served in a

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-65614102219873819632011-03-26T11:41:00.000-07:002011-03-26T11:48:09.901-07:00

Our walk to Florence begins at Casa Artusi, in Forlimpopoli, which is not, as one might expect, Artusi's home, because that was raised at some point after he moved to Florence. Rather, it was the seat of the Servi di Maria, a Florentine monastic order that was quite powerful and quite active in the Papal lands beyond Castrocaro and Città del Sole, which were the final Tuscan outposts on this side

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-40356580497808646092011-03-11T02:20:00.000-08:002011-03-11T02:26:08.679-08:00

In 1891, Pellegrino Artusi, a 71-year-old retired silk merchant, gave up on trying to find a publisher for his cookbook, La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene (The Science of cookery and the Art of Eating Well), and self-published it. It took him four years to sell a thousand copies.The next edition sold faster, so he increased the print-run of the third. Then, a miracle happened: The

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-55036377708070800252011-03-03T06:50:00.000-08:002011-03-03T07:34:04.065-08:00

Greetings! Sorry to have missed last week, but I was at the Anteprime Toscane, or Tuscan vintage presentations, which were quite interesting. But more of them anon. The latest on Italian food is perfect for Carnevale, illustrated instructions for making what Artusi calls cenci, wonderfully tasty twisty sheets of fried dough liberally coated with powdered sugar, that others in other parts of Italy

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-3477686812617507482011-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:002011-02-09T14:59:44.768-08:00

Greetings! I am still doing administrative things on About Italian Food, and also adding a few recipes. In other words, doing things that aren't necessarily obvious, but that add depth to the site.On the IWR on the other hand, I've posted tasting notes for R, a wine made by the father of one of Daughter C's classmates, and also notes on several Emilian wines sent me by Paola Rinaldini of the

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-28856334073016439102011-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:002011-02-04T09:06:34.512-08:00

Greetings! To begin at the beginning, I have been doing administrative work on About Italian Food -- splitting up overly long categories of recipes and whatnot. Not exciting, but with thousands of pages on the site I do have to manage things or they will be impossible to find. The latest on the Italian Wine review is a new feature, the weekly photo (click on the image and you will see a larger

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-18740307254856095692011-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:002011-01-27T09:03:43.106-08:00

Greetings!To begin at the beginning, the most recent additions to Italian food are a few recipes and a list of recipes that I especially like with Polenta, and therefore find uniquely suited to the cold weather we've been having. The latest on the Italian Wine review are instead an overview of the wines presented at Bolgheri this June, which I apologize for not getting up until now, and a post

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-53610958763667480582011-01-24T02:42:00.000-08:002011-01-24T03:20:23.530-08:00

Greetings! I trust all had the happiest of holidays and apologize for not having posted an issue during the break, but between kids and family things were hectic. The latest on the Italian Wine Review are a look at Chianti Rufina, which also includes a comparison between Chianti Rufina and Burgundy -- the Rufina folks invited several Burgundy producers to their vintage presentation this year -- a

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-10100052503336514632010-12-16T03:05:00.000-08:002010-12-16T09:38:27.925-08:00

Greetings! The latest on the Italian Wine Review are looks at Chianti Colli Fiorentini and Ribolla Gialla. On Italian Food I have posted illustrated instructions for making Zuppa Inglese, and am continuing to work on several image galleries.While we're on the subject of About.Com, I wanted to note that Barbara Rolek, our Guide to Eastern European foods, has put together a nice collection of

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-87408121139304746772010-12-09T02:48:00.000-08:002010-12-09T03:53:12.822-08:00

Greetings! This has been a busy week, though it will be a little while before I have much to show for it (other than an illustrated recipe for Pettole, Apulian Christmas bread fritters, and my impressions of the 2006 Barolo: I spent a couple of days tasting wines approved by the Tuscan regional wine tasting commission, and then, when I saw blue skies on Monday, grabbed the opportunity to go take

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-2925573814068680792010-12-01T03:58:00.000-08:002010-12-01T04:44:04.907-08:00

Greetings! As promised, I have begun to put the images from my new camera to good use, and on Italian Food have posted a step by step dedicated to Recco's fabulously cheesy focaccia. On the Italian Wine review, on the other hand, I have put up a look at Supertuscans and an overview od the Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa, which -- in addition to classic Barolo & Barbaresco -- makes some excellent and

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-66537385351690700962010-11-17T06:41:00.000-08:002010-11-17T06:56:35.487-08:00

Greetings! Nothing of particular import has happened on Italian Food since the last time -- just some recipes -- though I have recently bought a digital SLR that allows much more control than my old point&shoot digital camera and am in the process of assembling several image galleries. On The Italian Wine Review, I have just put up a look at Supertuscans, wines made outside the strictures imposed

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-9205078927192894422010-11-09T02:13:00.000-08:002010-11-09T02:39:56.182-08:00

Greetings, and has happened in the past I apologize for the long delay between issues. We shall see if, this time, I manage to establish a schedule and stick to it. While I have been silent here, I haven't been silent overall; all sorts of things have appeared on both Italian Food -- the latest longer thing a look at Porchetta, with pictures that were perfect for Halloween -- and on the Italian

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-906661328287058732009-11-27T12:28:00.000-08:002009-12-01T16:02:03.173-08:00

I have been writing. Quite a bit, it seems. The latest addition to the Italian Wine Review is a look at the 2009 Carmignano Vintage presentation, while the latest additions to Italian food are recipes, which I won't list, and new shots to the Fruit and Vegetables Gallery: we're up to 92 shots! I didn't expect it to get this big but I keep finding new things to add.Turning to Cosa Bolle in Pentola

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-26462039086666084472009-11-12T06:37:00.000-08:002009-11-12T07:05:37.685-08:00

Olive Oil, Stuffed Birds & More: Being the 164th issue of Cosa Bolle in PentolaThis has been a busy several weeks, and I am also dealing with Dread Swine Flu, which isn't an excuse for tardiness though it does provide some sort of explanation. To begin with, a number of additions to the Italian Wine Review: Barolo, Barbaresco, Gavi, and Bolgheri. All sorts of wines, some of which are well suited

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-46712285390499102002009-09-17T09:26:00.000-07:002009-09-18T06:49:59.149-07:00

Greetings! It has (again) been entirely too long since the last issue. I spent August on the coast, at Cinquale, alternating between working on About Italian Food and the Italian Wine Review, and taking daughter C to the beach -- we were with my inlaws, who were quite happy to host us, but are no longer able to take an 8-year-old swimming. Cinquale is on the thin strip of flatland between the sea

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-53489637691934870702009-07-31T06:35:00.000-07:002009-07-31T06:42:20.166-07:00

Greetings! The month following Alba Wines was quite hectic, and then Wife Elisabetta managed to free herself from work (it's not easy for Italian MDs, who have to arrange substitutes), so we went to France for a couple of weeks and I fell even further behind.To begin with, the most recent things on the Italian Wine Review are looks at Montenidoli, which presented some fine older reds and whites

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-19059132382105218702009-05-04T09:43:00.000-07:002009-05-04T09:52:20.622-07:00

Greetings! To begin, I haven't done much on the Italian Wine Review and apologize. On the other hand, I've been putting together a fruit and vegetables gallery on About Italian food, which has a ways to go, but is shaping up nicely.Badia A Coltibuono: Older Vintages, Or, A Rare View Into The PastBadia A Coltibuono is one of the older estates in Chianti Classico, and was one of the first to bottle

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-23394422938472028762009-04-23T02:41:00.000-07:002009-04-23T03:04:43.673-07:00

Greetings! This is a bit late, because I was out for a week at Vinitaly, the major Italian wine trade show, and then we had Easter, with all the preparations and activities. Speaking of which, I trust all who celebrated the holidays had pleasant Easters and Passovers.Returning to Vinitaly, it was more subdued than it has been in past years, and a number of winemakers told me that orders were off,

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-83139884424218482262009-03-17T17:34:00.000-07:002009-03-17T17:57:01.577-07:00

Greetings! To begin, updates: On the IWR, I've just posted my Brunello notes for the 2004 vintage presented in February at Benvenuto Brunello. On Italian food I've instead added a list of favorite red sauced pasta recipes, and have also put up lists of the Chianti Classico D'Annata and Riserva that impressed me the most.Returning to Cosa Bolle, we continue with the Tusco-Medieval Exploration I

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-42304337450081132462009-03-13T06:56:00.000-07:002009-03-13T07:20:54.594-07:00

Greetings! To begin, updates: Last week I paid a visit to the Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia -- we're old friends -- and I tasted the 2006 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore. I've posted my impressions (it's impressive) . On Italian Food, instead, I put together a bit of background on wild boar, and links to boar recipes.Returning to Cosa Bolle, a number of years ago I got involved with a Florentine travel

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-43528451062160152612009-03-05T09:13:00.000-08:002009-03-05T09:28:03.664-08:00

Greetings!The major addition to the Italian Wine Review this week is my notes from the Chianti Classico presentation. The latest additions to Italian Food are two more favorite recipe roundups, one dedicated to Flowering Crucifere, i.e. broccoli and friends, and the other to bread soups. I decided to do bread soups now because I recently posted a recipe for Pan Cotto (a very, very frugal bread

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-51543335239088950922009-02-26T08:06:00.000-08:002009-02-27T01:30:45.042-08:00

Greetings! I didn't get to this last week because I was at the Central Tuscan Vintage presentations, which I will discuss shortly. But first, the latest on the Italian Wine Review is a look at the latest vintage of Amarone, the 2005. The latest things of consequence on Italian food are instead three collections of favorite recipes: Involtini (rollups), chicken breasts, and pork chops, all of

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-82455634847578288332009-02-06T06:50:00.000-08:002009-02-06T07:14:47.008-08:00

To begin, an apology on bended knees for being so slow in updating Cosa Bolle. And now, to the task at hand:Carema: A Historic Town, and Truly Heroic WinemakingIf you're planning to visit Piemonte with tourism in mind, you may well think of Torino, whose graceful elegance has become quite beautiful thanks to the massive facelift it received in occasion of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Or you may

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-6214900559259696202008-08-19T02:06:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:12:45.909-07:00

Greetings! I'm sorry to be late with this, but summer is a difficult period for me -- like many parents I count down the days remaining before school resumes, and this year has been worse than the last, because now there are two sets of homeworks to get done. We've got less than a month to go!I have managed to get a fair amount done on the Italian Wine Review and Italian Food, however: The most

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-3646372437298131712008-07-22T15:20:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:20.713-08:00

Greetings! Got back from spending a week in Sardegna a few days ago, and am still mulling over the trip. But to start off with, the latest on the Italian Wine Review is a quick rundown of some of the wines produced by the Gruppo Italiano Vini and before then I celebrated the birth of Alberto Alessandria with a writeup of the wines his dad Fabio and grandmother Marina Burlotto make at Commendator

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-4078382348410147372008-06-24T06:28:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:21.701-08:00

Greetings! I am sorry this is late, and also that this is as long as it is -- it's a sort of a shaggy dog tale that grows out of a weekend spent driving around Romagna this winter -- but given its length we had best get started:A few years ago I visited the annual presentation of Sangiovese di Romagna held in Im322ola's imposing XIII century Rocca Sforzesca, and it was an eye opening experience

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-50294190252171393112008-05-30T02:59:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:21.861-08:00

Greetings! I've just added my tasting notes for the Chianti Classico Anteprima to the Italian wine review. On Italian food I have instead added a few recipes, but nothing major or noteworthy.La Dolce Vita isn't So Dolce NowItalians have been saying for a while that their purchasing power has been eroding, and the recent jump in gasoline and (to an even greater degree) diesel fuel certainly

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-68978144344449359312008-05-19T09:07:00.001-07:002008-12-08T19:27:22.339-08:00

Greetings, and I'm sorry to (again) be late with this: last week I was in Alba for Alba Wines, the annual Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero presentation. Since it is news, a few quick thoughts about the vintages:Roero was the 2005, and presented us with little to go on, because the appellation has just achieved DOCG status, and many producers have decided to hold off until next year when they can put

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-77090526249597566932008-05-02T07:18:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:22.608-08:00

Greetings, and I'm sorry to be late with this: last week I was in Bordeaux for the Concours Mondial De Bruxelles. The latest on the IWR is a vertical of Tedeschi's La Fabriseria Valpolicella Classico Superiore, a most impressive wine. Nothing specifically new on Italian Cooking. However, one of the first things I did when I got home was fire up the pizza oven and bake pizza -- a welcome change

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-75205888622086014332008-04-15T03:29:00.000-07:002008-04-15T05:11:46.160-07:00

Greetings! The latest things on Italian Food are a look at how the Perini Family, which has a fine deli in Florence's Mercato di San Lorenzo, puts its food on display: if you work carefully you could do something similar the next time you hold a party, buffet, or cookout. Also, a look at some of the wines that impressed me the most at Vinitaly.Le ElezioniAnd though this naturally leads us towards

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-54590926570568459032008-03-28T10:53:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:23.161-08:00

Greetings! The latest on Italian Food are Leonardo Romanelli's Tiramisu recipe, which gets around the dangers posed by raw egg in a deceptively simple way: He makes a zabaione of the yolks and stirs them into the Mascarpone cheese to make a Mascarpone cream. See here for illustrated step-by-step instructions. The latest on the Italian Wine review is instead an overview of the 2004 Amarone, with

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-48790226843196557032008-03-17T06:57:00.000-07:002008-03-17T07:17:34.074-07:00

Greetings!To begin at the beginning, the latest on Italian Food is a quick thing dedicated to broccoli, which the Romans greatly enjoyed -- at least the cabbage Pliny the Elder says is among the best sounds like broccoli -- though it seems to have been a food for the masses. I gather this because, as far as I can tell, Pliny doesn't tell the story about the Emperor Tiberius's son Drusus's gorging

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-69350863889773621492008-03-07T10:06:00.000-08:002008-03-07T10:25:35.482-08:00

Greetings, and the happiest of March 8ths to all who celebrate International Woman's Day.Not familiar with it? Like many other days set aside to celebrate the rights of workers, its origins are American: At the turn of the last century women were entering the workforce in record numbers in the United States, and began to agitate for better working conditions and pay, as well as the vote. In 1908

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-60418727315012685302008-02-28T01:46:00.001-08:002008-12-08T19:27:23.771-08:00

Greetings, and apologies for being late. Again not much to report on the Italian Wine Review, though I do have something to say here. On Italian food, a reader's question about pheasant resulted in a quick collection of recipes, together with instructions on how to ripen (can one ripen meats?) feathered game.Chianti, Nobile, and Brunello: Vintage Considerations Returning to Cosa Bolle, I spent

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-84870943254571742962008-02-12T03:36:00.000-08:002008-02-12T03:45:37.404-08:00

Greetings! Not much to report this week on the Italian Wine Review, though I hope to put some thoughts on Marsala up soon. On Italian food, the major new things are rundowns of the Barolos from Alba Wines that impressed me the most, which I divided into two groups -- 2003, which consists of fewer wines than I realized when I was taking notes and marking those that impressed me, and 2001 Riserva,

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-23605125477970193752008-02-01T05:16:00.000-08:002008-02-01T05:33:56.521-08:00

Greetings! This week I've been thinking about Bollicine, Bubbles, which those in Franciacorta would like to have us associate exclusively with their sparkling wines, but that can actually be applied to just about any kind, including Prosecco and Gavi. On the IWR I've just posted my complete tasting notes for the bollicine I tasted this fall at Spumantia, a fascinating event held in Viareggio (on

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-4360490642179203192008-01-25T05:46:00.000-08:002008-01-25T06:55:31.711-08:00

Greetings! This has been a busy but productive week. I've posted my notes for Dolceto & Dolcetto, the annual presentation organized by Dolcetto producers on The Italian Wine Review, at http://italianwinereview.blogspot.com/2008/01/dolcetto-and-dolcetto-2007.html. On Italian food I've posted a selection of Dolcetti, and added several recipes.Addio Romano!Returning to Cosa Bolle, you may have heard

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-38482653769193658502008-01-18T04:50:00.000-08:002008-01-18T04:57:25.796-08:00

Greetings! Another hectic week, and I'll be adding something new to the IWR tomorrow, though if you visit Italian Food, you'll find something on Cavolo Verza, or Savoy cabbage, one of my favorite winter vegetables.The Garbage Update The trash troubles continue in Campania, and they offer opportunity for thought and reflection. The Government, faced with the necessity of getting mountains of

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-31775499127941662302008-01-11T05:30:00.000-08:002008-01-11T05:46:11.380-08:00

Greetings! This has been a hectic week, and I regret to say I haven't added anything to the Italian Wine Review, and only a couple of recipes to Italian Cuisine, though I did update a few things.Olio Italiano? There are Other OptionsThus we quickly find ourselves with Cosa Bolle, and this means (to start out) olive oil. A couple of years ago I was invited to a conference hosted by the Fattoria di

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-60806669896543738332008-01-04T16:17:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:27:24.636-08:00

Greetings! It has been entirely too long since the last issue, and I apologize profusely. Let me begin with belated best wishes for the Holiday Season; I hope and trust everyone had a safe and wonderful time. Next, the latest on the Italian Wine Review is an overview of the 2003 Barolo, which, to be honest, I found wanting: It was a long, very hot summer, and many wines are unbalanced or

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-82114587722302277862007-07-03T07:01:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:25.468-08:00

Greetings! To begin with, I've been doing mostly maintenance on About, though I have added collections of favorite lemony recipe sand favorite summertime vegetables. The latest on the IWR is instead more substantial: the tasting notes for the 2004 Barbaresco, which include some very fine wines.School's Out! (Or, the benefits of oral exams)In the meantime, son Riccardo completed 8th grade this

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-14421724259649870652007-06-13T02:00:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:25.793-08:00

Greetings, and (once again) apologies for being slow in putting this together. To begin with, the latest substantial thing on About is a cold cuts gallery with shots of salami, prosciutto, and so on. Just the thing when packing a picnic hamper! The latest on the IWR is instead the tasting notes from Roero. Next week I'll be adding the Barbaresco notes, and will also be thinking about how to

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-44325847904266039472007-05-21T02:59:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:26.653-08:00

Greetings, and apologies for being slow in putting this together. To begin with, the latest substantial thing on About is a listing of the Dolcetti I most liked at the Dolcetto & Dolcetto presentation; see If you've already looked through the Dolcetto notes, might I suggest Springtime Recipes. The latest on the Italian Wine Review are writeups of Cascina Adeliade and Livernano, fine wines tasted

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-84965973919637109322007-05-04T01:34:00.000-07:002008-12-08T19:27:27.244-08:00

Greetings, from hot and sunny Italy, but more about that later. To begin with, the latest substantial thing on Italian cuisine is a look at bollito misto, or boiled dinner. I know it seems (and is) obvious, but you might be wondering just what to expect when you order a plateful, so I put together an overview. The latest on the Italian Wine Review is a writeup of Dolcetto, the wine many

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-82982307495446753912007-04-15T14:41:00.000-07:002007-04-15T14:56:06.621-07:00

Greetings, and I'm again sorry to be late with this: First there was Vinitaly, and then there was our furnace/hot water heater, which decided to die just before Easter. The calls to the plumber were especially frantic, but we have hot water again. To begin with the sites, the latest on Italian cuisine are a bunch of recipes, and a couple collections of favorite things. See http://

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-82154940217360319512007-03-26T15:17:00.000-07:002007-03-26T15:27:25.804-07:00

Greetings, and I'm sorry to be late with this. To begin with the sites, the latest on Italian cuisine is an illustrated recipe for Agnello Scottadito, grilled lamb chops, with a salsa alla diavola, or hot sauce. It's quick, easy, and quite tasty. The latest on the Italian Wine Revue is my writeup of the 2007 Chianti Classico Anteprima. Some very fine wines were presented!Protecting

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-62913826720735870342007-03-13T06:49:00.000-07:002007-03-13T07:16:47.325-07:00

Greetings! To begin with the sites, the latest on Italian cuisine is an illustration of how to chop onions and herbs (by hand). I know this sounds obvious, but a great many people reach for a chopper or blender, neither of which does as good a job, and both of which take much longer to clean up after. The latest on the IWR is a vertical of Cantalupo's Collis Breclemae, a beautiful single-vineyard

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-91589831221204618802007-03-08T14:56:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:27:27.664-08:00

Greetings! To begin with the sites, I've been doing housekeeping and adding a few recipes to Italian Cuisine, but nothing really fundamental. For the latest, see http://italianfood.about.com. On the Italian Wine Review, I've posted my reactions to Casanova di Neri's Cerretalto, which was one of the most distinctive Brunelli poured at the Brunello presentation held last week. And, while I'm at

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-41991516477792549882007-02-28T01:18:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:27:28.269-08:00

Greetings! To begin with the sites, the latest important thing on Italian Cuisine is a quick look at Wedding Soup in Italian and English: Though it's a mainstay of festive Italian American meals, it's much less common in Italy now than it once was; see . On the Italian Wine Review, to gear up for the Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile and Brunello vintage presentations that start tomorrow, I've posted

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-5748008816768667762007-02-13T14:58:00.000-08:002007-02-05T04:11:26.255-08:00

Greetings!To begin with the sites, the latest important thing on Italian Cuisine is another illustrated recipe -- I got Leonardo Romanelli to show me how he makes pasta e ceci -- pasta with chickpeas, pasta e fagioli's close cousin. On the Italian Wine Review, I'm still adding to the overview of Francacorta, but in the meantime have posted my impressions of the current releases of Carmignano's

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-51719976510580879042007-02-05T04:05:00.000-08:002007-02-05T04:11:26.339-08:00

Greetings, and a very belated happiest of holiday seasons! To begin with the sites, the latest on Italian Cuisine is an illustrated recipe, Michela's Gnocchetti Cimbri with a leek-and-cauliflower sauce; unlike the more common gnocchi di patata (potato gnocchi), gnocchetti cimbri are made from a flour-based batter that's dribbled into boiling water. They're easy to make and quite satisfying; see .

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-24307000170640486642006-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:002007-01-11T20:58:36.272-08:00

Greetings!To begin at the beginning, the sites: The latest on the Italian Wine Review is an overview of Bergamo's Valcalepio Appellation, whose reds are made with the classic Taglio Bordolese -- Cabernet and Merlot -- and whose whites also feature French varietals. Not necessarily what one would expect from Italy, but nice and in some cases worth seeking out. The latest on About is (for the last

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-46046184824417850312006-11-18T15:32:00.001-08:002006-11-18T15:33:14.852-08:00

Greetings from Chilly Tuscany!Well, not really cold, but temperatures have fallen off by more than 10 degrees C this week, bringing us our first frosts, and it will take us a few days to adjust. At least we're allowed to turn on the heat -- by law, furnaces are supposed to remain dormant until November 1.As always, we begin with the sites:The latest on the Italian Wine Review is an ice wine made

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36861371.post-1162248285045657092006-10-30T14:41:00.000-08:002006-11-13T16:59:28.220-08:00

Yes, Cosa Bolle in Pentola is back! What, you wonder, happened?In April of 2004 we put our house in Florence on the market, and began looking halfheartedly for new digs because there didn't seem to be much interest in our house. However, at the end of September a guy appeared with check in hand, and all of a sudden our search became a lot more serious; Elisabetta and I spent most of October and

Kyle Phillipsnoreply@blogger.com0