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Monday
22Feb2010

The "Hungry in America Project".

Our Fund Raiser for Haiti has ended,
Debi and I would like to thank anyone of you who placed a bid on our Gourmet Tuscan Baskets, and congratulate with the winners!
A special mention goes to Susan from Saint Louis: not only she placed the highest bid, winning the Artusi cookbook and a set of our Olive Oil Cosmetic Products, but she also won the second prize.... as she wanted to share some of our Tuscan goods with her daughter: Thank You Susan!!!
Debi and I are very pleased with the outcome of our charity auction, it is wonderful to experience the support of our fans in matters that are so important to us; it is a great feeling to know that our followers share our sensibility and will to help others and do better in the everyday life.
Today though, we would like to bring the discussion "Home", so to speak: What About America?
It is "easy" to direct our attention to a geographic area devastated by an earthquake of historical magnitude, it comes natural to feel the pain in the eyes of kids that are pulled out of the rubble with almost nothing left to loose, it creates an opportunity for our own personal redemption (I speak for myself too)... it gives us a chance to reflect about our life and act accordingly.
A fund raiser almost feels like an act of confession: helping kids very far away from our home grants individual satisfaction and a sense of involvement that we almost are thankful for... "There has been an earthquake, here is my chance to do some good, at least for this year!".
But every day, in our own country, a serious struggle takes place, as the number of people in need of food is growing more and more every year:

"One in eight Americans — 37 million — received emergency food help last year, up 46% from 2005, the nation's largest hunger-relief group reports today.
Children are hit particularly hard, according to the report by Feeding America, a network of 203 food banks nationwide. One in five children, 14 million, received food from soup kitchens, food pantries and other agencies, up from 9 million in 2005, the year of the group's last major survey."

We do not hear about these issues on a daily basis, probably because they are too close to home... it makes us uncomfortable, thinking of what can be done, very often just around the corner of the city block we live in. Who wants to feel the pressure (or the guilt) of knowing that while we feed our kids with the best food we can provide them, we still live in a Country that is seriously struggling to feed its children.
The FEED Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds to ensure nutritious school meals for all children as a first step to improving the global food system. They need our help.
Please join Debi and I as we show our support for the "Hungry in America Project"!
This coming Sunday, February 28th 2010 at Craft Los Angeles, our friend Tom Colicchio will host a fund raiser in partnership with Vanity Fair and The Feed Foundation and co-hosted by Bryan Lourd of CAA; proceeds from the evening will be used to complete financing for Hungry in America,  a feature-length documentary he's executive producing, directed by Lori Silverbush and Kristi Jacobson, that shines a light on the history and causes of this country's epic hunger crisis.  The film asks why a nation that could provide access to inexpensive and healthful food for all has failed to do so.

Click to read more ...

Thursday
11Feb2010

The First Episode of the Year!

After way too many Tweets about it, here we are!
Debi and I spent the whole day yesterday frying up a storm, since we wanted to share with you two recipes that in Tuscany are mandatory to celebrate Carnival.
This pagan celebration, loved by young and adults, is lived throughout Italy according to the region you happen to be in; every big city has its own way of celebrating... who does a parade, who celebrates in public parks, and then you have Venice, were the first Carnival ever was recorded.... it was 1296!

This double feature episode is dedicated to every one of you that is going to spend the next few days dancing, cooking and dressing up, no matter if you are in New Orleans, Brazil, Venice orViareggio.
BUON CARNEVALE!!!
On a different note, Debi and I would like to thank the outpour of support we received for ourUnicef-Haiti auction on ebay. All of our Tuscan Gift Baskets have been bid on, and already we have a front runner for the final first prize... Remember, the highest bid out of the seven baskets will receive, in a separate shipment, a copy of Pellegrino Artusi's "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well" (Toronto Press 2009), and the first three bids will have the opportunity of trying some of our Olive oil Cosmetic Products before the official launch set for next Christmas.
Time to cook now,
Please join us in our kitchen, and let’s fry some Cenci and Some Frittelle!

Buon Carnevale
Debi and Gabriele

Friday
05Feb2010

Buy a Tuscan Food Basket, Help UNICEF for Haiti!

Indeed we wanted to shoot an episode soon... but you know, life always messes up with your plans.
Debi and I are eager to share with you a few recipes to properly celebrate this upcoming Carnival Season the Italian way, with lots of fried dough (there is always a first time for everything), unfortunately our home got swept with a terrible cold, and time stopped, so to speak.
Our daughters started trading bugs and viruses at school, as soon as we got back from our trip to Florence... as a result, many things had to be put on hold, a few good books have been read, and a lot of warm meals and broths have been cooked and served... but the energy of getting in front of the camera was not there, sorry!
Mardi Gras is approaching fast (February 16th), and we are committed to maintain the promise of showing you how to prepare "Cenci and Frittelle" so you can be ready to wear your masks and start partying.

This past month the Girls and I have been following with wet eyes the unfortunate faith of the Haitian People.
Not many words are necessary to describe the way we felt when the TV broke the news about the earthquake... and how we feel now, when we see helpless children and their families struggling to survive on a daily basis.

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
19Jan2010

Back in our home... far away from Home!

Los Angeles, January 13th 2010

Me, Deb and the Girls are speechless. This trip to Florence has been the hardest so far, in what is now almost a decade of back and forth; everything worked out fine at the end, but if you follow us on Twitter, I am sure you had a chance already to laugh with us about our Christmas Tuscan Experience. We landed in Florence on December 18th, at dusk... the snow started falling the moment we exited the airport. By the time we approached the last few turns right below Fiesole, our rental car had to be parked on the side of the street, and got snowed in for the next four days.

We got rescued by my father and driven to our Pink House in the middle of the farmland. My mom had spent weeks getting it ready for us: clean, decorated, warm, half full fridge, cookies for the girls, a couple of steaks for Me and Debi... It was a wonderful welcome home. And outside, still snowing, a bit harder than before.My Los Angeles born and raised daughters were literally in heaven: I had promised them I would have brought them to see the Alps and play with the snow... I delivered much better than that: in our home, with the whole family, under a snowfall.

Click to read more ...

Sunday
13Dec2009

Happy Holidays!!!

It is Sunday, three o’clock in the afternoon, and I’m hungry! 
The wife decided to challenge the crowd at Toys ‘R’ Us, and the lunch I prepared have been sitting on the counter for the past hour... 
We will be leaving for Florence this week, and there’s a bunch of Italian kids waiting for some of our precious american-chinese junk, so it had to be done; don’t worry kids, all under control... still, I’m hungry! 
Debi and I will be back with a bunch of new recipes and videos around the end of January, as it always happens when we come back from Italy. 
From there though, we obviously won’t stop Tweeting about food and all things Tuscan... and who knows, maybe some Flip/Youtube action?! 
Thanks to all of you for the continuos support throughout this past year, thanks for spreading the word and sharing with your family and friends our recipes... get ready though for lots and lots more to come. Debi and I wish you the happiest and most savory Holiday Season of all, might you and your loved ones always be blessed with a strong family, a table full of food, and a good glass of wine... all the rest with follow! 
For the last time in this year 2009, please join us in our kitchen, as we prepare a magnificent and luxurious Tiramisu’

 

“Winter Wonderland” performed by Bossa Toscana ( download mp3 ) 
Bossa Toscana is: Terry RadiganGabriele CorcosJoshua CampPat Buchanan and Dave Eggar

Going to our house in Fiesole is always a good wake up call. Three weeks without TV or internet connection might seem scary in the beginning but, as it always happens, when we come back to America we realize that not much actually changes that quickly... So, instead of spending days on my laptop trying to figure out which mobile internet provider I might subscribe to in Italy in order to “remain connected”, I ran a quick QA on Facebook about what books these days might be worth my hours in front of the fireplace, once we finally get to our farm. 
The following titles are our picks for this Christmas (in no specific order or priority): 

- Michael Pollan: “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “The Botany of Deisre” 
- Julia Child: “My Life In France” 
- Chuck Closterman: “Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs” 
- Ruth Reichl: “Tender at the Bone” 
- Barbara Kingslover: “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” 
- Kalle Lasn: “Culture Jam” 

Enjoy your Holidays, your family and friends, and if you can, share some with the ones that are less lucky. 
And remember, if your child knows how to play Nintendo, he/she can for sure chop an onion: skip the line at the toy store, and gain some help in the kitchen, it’s a better long term investment! 

BUON NATALE 
Gabriele and Debi 

Tuesday
01Dec2009

Debi and Bonnie...

A quick morning post to give you all the heads up, Debi will be cooking on The Bonnie Hunt Show today (show will air on NBC at 3 pm PST). 
The splendid wife will be demonstrating our Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi recipe, cooking along with Bonnie, talking about food, family and Tuscan lifestyle. 

Debi will feature on the show a very traditional Tuscan recipe that has been in my family since I can remember, a dish that always made happy both adults and kids. 

A few ideas on how to eat/serve the naked gnocchi: 
- a few balls as an appetizer 
- a way to convince your kids to eat vegetables 
- party plate, paired with a nice Bruschetta 
- as an entree, followed by a nice piece of meat and some roasted potatoes 
- try it with a creamy red or mushroom sauce 
Debi and I would also like to give a shout-out to the one that helped us getting it together and rolled tens of spinach balls with us to feed the whole audience: thank you Jean
Let us know how this recipe will turn out for you, 

Buon Appetito 
Debi and Gabriele 

Monday
30Nov2009

The Little Engine That Could.

Two months ago Under The Tuscan Gun went online with a new, improved and greatly designed website: Debi and I have been celebrating it and spreading the word about our "Evolution" since. 
Unfortunately, while the new version of the site was an eye candy, because of its highly complexed architecture I started encountering issues I needed to address: I progressively lost functionalities I deemed very important, and even if the user experience did not get affected much, I had to make a decision to solve my dilemma.
The programming environment the new site was born in, created a bubble around my content, and I realized all of the sudden that instead of being part of a stream of information flowing seamlessly on the web, I had become somewhat of a "soap bubble" floating on it... 
Once I sacrificed my social media connectivity I progressively elevated myself above the "action field", like a beautiful but dumb blond with too much surgery done; she might look hot while strolling on Rodeo Drive, and deep down inside she even might have something very interesting to say, but the hyper-polished figure, the glossy pumped up lips and the overfilled chest that screwed with her center of gravity, have become a barrier that often prevents her from communicating in a way that is relatable and down to Earth. 
I gave these issues a lot of thought, then this Thanksgiving Weekend I eventually started talking to myself... Something had to be done, but what?!? 
Then, I thankfully came to a realization: I am the Little Engine That Could

Click to read more ...