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Ribollita

10/13/2022

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PicturePhoto by Melina Hammer
Oh ribollita... how I love thee. 

The first time I ever had this amazing veggie stew was during the fall while I was nannying for an Italian family. The mom made the most incredible batch and topped it with bright green olive oil. It was pure heaven.

Ribollita in Italian means "re-boiled." This soup is traditionally made with leftover veggies! All the scraps left over at the end of the week or already cooked veggies, hence the name. It definitely tastes better with fresh but you do you ;) 

This soup is super easy and gives you LOTS of leftovers.  And trust me, you're going to want the leftovers...


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Caponata

9/14/2022

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PicturePhoto by This Italian Kitchen
Cos'è questo? What is this?
1. It's delicious. 
2. It's easy to make. 
3. It became my obsession during our honeymoon in Southern Italy this summer! My husband and I first ventured to Naples for pizza (of course) and then to Capri. After Capri, we flew to Sicily and headed to our agriturismo out in the countryside.

By recommendation of our host, we tried the farmhouse antipasti spread which included this saucy, savory and sweetly stewed dish called Caponata. I have NEVER encountered it before and I certainly didn't want this time to the best the last! For the rest of our time in Sicily, besides hunting down the best cannoli and granita we could find every day, I was on the hunt for more of this dish! 

As soon as we got home to Los Angeles, we tracked down some recipes to try and recreate it. We've gotten *very* close to what we tasted in Sicily and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did. 


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No-knead Pizza Dough

8/10/2020

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Photo by The Stay at Home Chef
As this summer without Italy comes to an end and fades into fall, I find myself thinking about all the things I missed most about how my summers usually go. 

Usually there's traveling around the US, and of course the summer retreats in Italy. These trips are filled with my favorite pastimes...sketching and eating. And damn, I've missed eating. 

I've of course missed pasta, but that one dish I'm fairly good at replicating at home without feeling like I'm missing out on the real thing

But one thing I can never quite get right, or find an adequate substitute for is pizza. Even though the struggle is real to find the perfect crust (very thin, still slightly chewy and with crispy, burnt edges from the fire), it never hurts to spend some time trying to recreate the real thing. Especially while stuck in quarantine! 

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Affogato... a quick Italian dessert fix!

5/24/2020

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Photo by Rustic Kitchen
As the summer draws closer and our departure day for Italia pushes further down the calendar year, we're looking for ways to still get a taste of "la dolce vita" while we're sitting in our apartment stateside. 

One of the easiest desserts for both a taste of Italy and a quick sweet fix is an Affogato. The word affogato means "drowned" so think of it as gelato (or ice cream) drowned in the deliciousness of espresso! (Note the lack of an 'x' in espresso, per favore ;) ) And whatever toppings you want to toss on top. 

This is an incredibly easy recipe...like, 2 ingredient easy and I-almost-feel embarrassed-typing-it-out easy. You can of course modify it to fit your tastes or customize it just for fun but it's a great one to have in your back pocket. While we think it's tasty just with gelato and espresso, it could be fun to make an "Affogato Building Station" for a summer bbq party!

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Fresh Focaccia

12/12/2019

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There's few things I love more than freshly baked focaccia. When it's still warm from the oven and crispy and has enough oil that it starts dribbling down your face. I'm a focaccia fiend! One of the first friends I made in Italy with the local focaccia lady, Carmen. Those early conversation days over a slice of fresh focaccia will always be a sweet memory.

Luckily, this addictive bread is surprisingly easy to make. A little time consuming but if you have a lazy day at home to multitask and make some fresh focaccia, it's totally worth the effort. Since it has no preservatives, it can go stale in a few days. If you don't eat it all in time, use the leftover stale focaccia to make some EPIC Panzanella! 
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Photo by Julia Gartland, Food52

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Freshly Baked Biscotti

10/22/2019

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When I was living in Austin, Texas while going to college, my aunt and uncle lived just north of me. Being avid bakers and cooks (my step-uncle is Italian), I spent many weekends and Holiday breaks up at their house learning to make some tasty Italian treats!

One of my favorites (besides focaccia) is freshly baked biscotti. Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are long, flat cookies that are baked twice...once as a flat loaf and again when cut into slices to crisp them up on all sides. I already have a weakness for freshly baked cookies but these biscotti are another level...especially with the chopped almonds, I'll justify eating a dozen because there's protein in them. 

Regardless of my addiction to sweets, these are easier to make than you might think and are great when paired with your morning cappuccino...or just after dinner as a quick dessert served with vin santo! They also make a great housewarming or hostess gift.
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Photo by Alan Richardson at The Splendid Table

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Stracciatella Semifreddo

8/27/2019

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Photo via SBS
When the summer gets hot in Italy, most people think of cooling down with a gelato! It can be tricky to get quality gelato when you're not in la bella paese, but a quick (and easy) at home option is Semifreddo!

Semifreddo, literally meaning half cold, is a frozen treat that you can whip up at home for a simple taste of la dolce vita...even when you're walking distance from the 405 freeway!
We picked this recipe up during our Lucca retreat at our cooking class with Leela from Abbaca-la. ​

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Tomato & Garlic Bruschetta

4/29/2019

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PicturePhoto from Simply Recipes
Oh Bruschetta...how we love thee so, and all the various forms you come in! Bruschetta is one of those dishes that's ridiculously easy to make and so satisfying every time. Especially during the summer when tomatoes are at their peak! With some fresh bread and a glass of wine, you're ready for a deliciously quick aperitivo! 

This recipe is from our lovely Villa hosts in Castiglion Fiorentino, Famiglia Buccelletti! 


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Panzanella Recipe

1/29/2019

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Oh Panzanella...how I love thee so. After Farro Salad, Panzanella is my 2nd favorite go-to summer salad to make. Especially on a budget! When I was living in Lucca for a couple months during the summer, I'd bounce between these two salads all the time because they were tasty and made a LOT for not much money! Plus, making them in the summer has the added benefit of all the fresh seasonal produce that make them even more delicious. 

They're actually really similar recipes too. Nearly identical actually except this recipe has the added tasty ingredient of fresh croutons! Traditionally, Panzanella is made with stale bread which is then softened with water to make edible again, then tossed with all the other ingredients. ​I like to make mine with day old focaccia which is a whole other level of YUM! 
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Photo via Lifestyle Food

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Farro Salad Recipe - my favorite summer salad!

12/7/2018

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One of my favorite things about summers in Italy is the produce. Going to the market, be it an actual market or the local weekly market, is always such a treat because the quality of the produce in Italy is phenomenal! It's amazing how flavorful the produce in Italy is and just how affordable it can be in season too. Plus, lots of the produce you find at the market was probably grown in the nearby region!  

A staple during my summers is a fresh Farro Salad. Farro is a small grain-like ingredient that has a chewy texture and is similar to barley. You'll see it pop up in salads, as sides or even in soups during the colder season. But during the summer, farro is the perfect addition to a fresh salad. The best thing about a farro salad is that you can easily change ingredients if something isn't available or you'd just like to add your favorite produce instead! 
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Photo via A Foodie Affair

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