Culinary Vacations in Italy: The Foods of Norcia
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Travel Tips Italy
What's the best place for a culinary vacation in Italy? Nestled in the hills of central Umbria is one of the world's best foodie destinations, a small medieval town called Norcia. Although not large in size, it is large on the culinary scene for being home to some of Italy's most distinctive products. It is also known as the birthplace of Saint Benedict and his sister, Saint Scholastica. Discover our… Read
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The Best Chicken Noodle Soup
Filed Under Cooking Videos, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Italy, USA
I've decided to share my recipe for The Best Chicken Noodle Soup. We're in the heart of soup season, one of my favorite times of year. Not only am I obsessed - OBSESSED! - with homemade broth, as a working mom I love anything that can be made in one big pot and that can serve the next day as leftovers. Of course, at TIK we're also all about doing… Read
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Best of Tuscany: Traditional Tuscan Dishes
Filed Under Cooking Videos, Destination Features, Food History Italy
What traditional Tuscan dishes will you find on our best of Tuscany culinary vacations and cooking tours? Traditional Tuscan dishes tend to be hearty peasant fare rich in breads, beans, and olive oil. Examples of Tuscan dishes are: Ribollita Pappa al Pomodoro Panzanella Crostini di Fegato Cecina Lampredotto Schiacciata Trippa Cantucci Castagnaccio Ribollita is perhaps my favorite Tuscan dish. We joke in the office that Tuscan food does not photograph… Read
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Spaghetti Cozze e Vongole (Spaghetti with Mussels and Clams)
Filed Under Recipes, What's Up at TIK Italy
Pasta with mussels, clams, or other types of seafood is one of my favorite dishes. Easy, quick, and bursting with flavor, it's a go-to menu option for me. You can find this type of tasty pasta dish on one of our cooking vacations in Italy. Pretty much any coastal region will have a version of pasta with seafood, and this one hails from the Amalfi Coast. Click here for details or… Read
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In the Footsteps of Ulysses
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Videos, What's Up at TIK Italy
The road is narrow and in places steep, curving along the mountainside heading down toward the sea. Most people descend from the main road on foot or, if that's too difficult for them, on the back of a scooter. We're with my old friend Salvatore, though, who used to race cars professionally for Ferrari. He waits patiently while they lower the chain that closes the entrance and proceeds to steer… Read
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Recipe for Amalfi Coast Lemon Sorbet
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Italy
One of our favorite activities during our Culinary Experience on the Amalfi Coast cooking vacation in Sorrento is the gelato demonstration at Gelateria Bougainville. It is not the most technical of our classes, but you learn a lot about what for my family is a very basic need: making gelato! You actually learn both sorbetto and gelato. What's the difference? Sorbetto is what we would call a fruit sorbet and… Read
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