For Valentine's day, Deborah got Gabriele a present...
it turned out to be an interesting project and a very long testing experiment (about 11 weeks)...for the whole family.

The Aerogarden has been see on TV and in various specialized stores around the country, and I am sure that many of you had for a moment the thought: "Mmmmhhh, interesting. Shall I give it a try?".
"No, you should not!", this is our opinion.
Technology in the house and in our everyday life, we all have to admit, brings these days peace of mind and some convenience. There are many utensils, tools and gadgets that we would not live without, especially when it comes to the Kitchen. This one, well, yes...we can live without this one.

Do not get fooled by what you're shown on the tube at night...what you see in the advertised pictures is absolutely impossible to achieve.
Look at the pictures below, can you try guessing which one is mine and which one is the advertised one?

We also would like to reassure you...
yes, more food episodes are coming. Evelina (our oldest daughter) has been enjoying her Spring Break, and we've had our hands full around here, for the past two weeks.
Next episode then, for sure, will be a recipe!
For the moment, we hope you enjoy this little clip.
Debi and Gabriele

Tags: news, test, technology, herbs, basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, mint, dill

Let us introduce you to a very special dish: Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomatoes and Stale Bread Soup)

Florentine farmers used to cook this soup using stale bread that was saved during the week, garlic, tomatoes and basil from their gardens: this is the most humble dish I know,
well, after boiled white rice...
Now, if you go to a restaurant, the tradition is slowly disappearing, and it is becoming very hard to find a good old recipe that works; that's why Deb and I decided to feature in this first episode two very dear friends of ours, Rosanna and Matteo. The good recipes are still secretly hidden into very old Tuscan homes, like The Farm Pacina, in Castelnuovo Berardenga, a little town that rests on the hills between the Chianti Area and Siena.

Pacina was originally an Etruscan site, then it became a convent in the nine hundreds and after eight centuries the property was sold by the church and became private. Today Pacina is an Agriturismo and a Yoga retreat, Olive Oil and Wine are produced and distributed in Tuscany...a place worth a long weekend!

Tags: pappa al pomodoro, bread, olive oil, garlic, basil, tomatoes, siena