Holy Cannoli! The Adventures of the Sweet Couple

When I was younger, my mom often made stuffed peppers for dinner. My sister and I, only about a year and a half apart, only ate the inside of the pepper: a mixture of rice and beef. My brother who is about 10 years younger than us, now does the same thing, passing on a tradition of only eating the stuffing of the pepper. Anyways, today I made another type of stuffed pepper, peperoni ripieni , which is not made with beef or rice. Here is what this pepper is stuffed with: Tuna fish (one that was in oil) Breadcrumbs Eggs Olives Capers Parmigano Reggiano Parsley Yes, this was definitely not the way my mother used to make it and one that I would not have even touched when I was younger. But still, it brought back the memories of the one my mom makes. These peppers had a unique flavor, as the pepper was sweet and the filling had a savory taste. If I was to make these differently or even just in the states, I would probably not use tuna. I think it gave a different taste to th...

The land of Basilicata has always been extremely poor, with no aristocrats, popes, or wealthy families living there. This region was inhabited by the Enotri people who were the pioneers of wine culture in southern Italy. After the Enotri came the Lucani people, which were a combination of the Enotri and Greek populations. This region is sometimes referred to as Lucania because of the influence this population had on the land. The name Lucania  comes from the tribes who populated the region during the Iron Age. I decided to do more research into this poor region and here is what I found: The people of Basilicata date back to the Paleolithic. The first stable market center of the Apennine culture was found on the promontory of Capa la Timpa, which is near Maratea during the Bronze Age. Then during the Iron Age, communities lived in large villages located at the borders of the rivers and flat plains. The economy of Basilicata is very interesting, with the cultivation of the ...

The region of Puglia is truly unique, with many different traditional dishes and products. I really enjoyed the last couple days studying the land of Puglia and would like to share with you some of what I have learned. First, I would like to give you some history, agriculture, and other information about Puglia, then another recipe for you to try at home! Puglia has been an important part of all of Europe for many centuries. The Messapians were the first to inhabit the region, then came the Greeks. Both of these populations made an impact on the land, but unfortunately, the Romans came next and destroyed almost everything. From this point, the land of Puglia has done nothing but built on its rich history from agriculture to everyday life. The Travoliere di Puglia is a large flat land that dates back to ancient time. This land is very fertile and grows a lot of different things, from durum wheat to fruit and vegetables. I did some additional research on this large flat plain and ...

When I decided to study abroad in Italy, there were a lot of questions I had, but I really did not have anyone to answer them. Well, lucky for you, there is me to answer all of your questions! It can be very nerve wracking to travel to another country with little understanding about what is really going to happen while you are there. Here are some things I have discovered while studying abroad in Italy: 1. Don't worry, everyone is just as nervous as you are to take that long plane ride to a place you do not even know anything about. 2. When getting to the airport to travel internationally, it is important to get there early. You have to really be ready to pay attention to what is going on. If you have a layover, that is where it can get difficult because when you touch down in another country, you must go through customs. Plan for extra time to go through this process as you are not always sure how many other people will be there along with you. 3. Yes, people will stare at y...

Cavallo  is a common dish served here in Puglia. One of Chef Odette's friends came today who stressed that she was not a chef, just an Italian mother who cooked for her kids. She was such a nice lady who was there to show use the traditions of Pulgiese cuisine. She will be back again tomorrow and I will go into more of the history, but for now I want to share a dish we made today so you can try and created a similar one at home! Italian Word of the Day: Cavallo = Horse (Yes in Italy, they eat horse) Recipe Title: Braciole di Cavallo al Ragu'  con Orecchiette  Ingredienti (Ingredients)  8 horse slices 800 grams Orecchiette 500 gram tomatoes, canned & crushed 1 onion 2 cloves of garlic 1 glass of red wine Salt & Pepper 100 g Grated Parmigiano * These amounts are just estimates, follow my steps below for a better idea.* Method  For Filling & Rolling you need these ingredients from above: Salt, pepper, parsley (minced), carrot (min...

It's time for more cities to travel to! Here I want to share tips and tricks for Bologna, Florence, and Pisa. We did it all in 1 weekend, YES, 1 weekend! Bologna  While in Bologna, we did not see too much of the city because there was not good weather, but what we did see was great. Here are my tips & tricks when traveling in Bologna: - There is only a  bus  to get anywhere,  no subway . From the airport, I recommend getting on the bus to the center of the city and from there, you can get anywhere by bus. They are very crowded buses, but the city is not very big. - We stayed outside the city at the  Hotel Bologna Airport , which was a little far from things, but was very inexpensive. They offer a shuttle to and from the airport, which is very good when your flight leaves at 6 am. - The airport is a little confusing, at least compared to the rest of the airports I traveled to and from. When traveling in the airport, just try and read the signs. You m...

I created this new page on my blog to show the things I have learned here in Italy that is not happening in the kitchen. Yes, I named it "The Study Abroad Experience," but it is also a bit of a travel guide for places anyone may travel to in Italy. If you have any questions about places I have been to, comment below and let me know what you would like me to share. For now, I want to share with you all my experiences in Rome and the best way to do it all! Rome  Rome is an absolutely beautiful city that is spread out among a few miles. Here are my tips & tricks for traveling here: - A fabulous  Airbnb to stay at : "Welcome to Roma" located near Vatican City; This is owned by a husband and wife who are amazing hosts. They give you a list of places to go and see, also places to eat. They are super friendly, helpful, and even have a great website to help you with your travels. - BUY the Roma Pass! I can not tell you how much money this saved me. I got this p...