Pasticcio in Italian means “mess” and indeed Pastitsio is a dish that combines pasta, ground meat and bechamel. The name was established during 17th century in Italy. There are several variations of pastitsio that include dough, pasta and meat ragù. Pasticcio alla Ferrarese is a type of calzone which is stuffed with pasta, meat, mushrooms...
Most of people love chocolate but do we know how it is made? Do we know how from a small cocoa bean we end up with a rich in flavor dessert or beverage? I made a small research and I am giving you in brief the transformation of a cocoa bean to chocolate. Cocoa tree...
In all probability the dumpling is the first form of pasta used by man. In fact, it is spontaneous to mix a little flour, with little water, make small balls and cook them in boiling water. Gnocco is a Longobard term (knohha, meaning knot, knot), from the Middle Ages, it defines any dough with a...
One of my most wished trip was that of going to Rome. Although Rome is only couple of hours by plain from Athens it was a trip I have never made. I have always said to my husband about this it seemed that we never got the time to do it. I had my son...
One of the most popular stories (likely false) is that a man named Juan Mendez from Chihuahua, Mexico used a donkey to carry around his supplies for his food cart. To keep the food warm, he would wrap it up in a big homemade flour tortilla. First appearing in the early 1900s, right around the...
Matcha is a type of green tea made by taking young tea leaves and grinding them into a bright green powder. The powder is then whisked with hot water. This is different from regular green tea, where the leaves are infused in water, then removed. Drinking brewed green tea “is a bit like boiling spinach,...
Zucchini, like all squash, has its ancestry in the Americas. However, the varieties of green, cylindrical squash harvested immature and typically called “zucchini” were developed in northern Italy, long after the introduction of cucurbits from the Americas. It appears that this occurred in the second half of the 19th century, though the first description of...
Rosemary or Rosmarinus officinalis comes from the words ros which means coolness and marinus which means marine. So, basically is the sea coolness. It probably took its name because it bobbed up with Aphrodite from under the water at the island of Cyprus. Aphrodite touched the plant and gave it the distinct aroma it has...
Cyprus is a small island with a long history and a rich culture that spans 10,000 years, making it one of the oldest civilizations in the Mediterranean. Situated at the crossroads of three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa – the island’s unique geographic position has played an important part in its turbulent past since...
Pesto originated in Genoa Italy, many, many years ago. The definition of the word Pesto means any sauce that is made with the grinding motion of a “Mortar and Pestle”. Real authentic Pesto is made with Fresh Basil and is called “Pesto alla Genovese”. There is also a wide variety of other Pesto flavors available...
