Techniques

The Must Have Kitchen Equivalency Chart

March 14, 2012

I realize that not everyone cooks like me: a little pinch of this, a little pinch of that, a handful of basil and so on so forth.  It’s just how I grew up and watched everyone around me do it and it kind of gave me the chance to be a little chemist of my [...]

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Easter Eggs Naturally Dyed with Onion Skins

April 23, 2011
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It’s all about the fun of coloring eggs this weekend at my house. And since this is an organic wholesome food blog I can’t just let you use that egg dye kit from the drug store, at least not if you plan on eating the eggs !  So I’ll take you back in time to [...]

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7 Beauty Uses For Extra Virgin Olive Oil

April 10, 2011

I fell in love with extra virgin olive oil- All over again ! I go through gallons of it in my kitchen and just a few weeks ago i fell head over heels for a blood orange infused olive oil from Gourmet -Delights. It is made by crushing together fresh organic Moro blood oranges with [...]

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Bistecca Alla Fiorentina or Florentina Steak

February 15, 2011

Ok, I wasn’t the one who invented Florentina Steak, they were cooking it way before I was born but we happen to share the same name so I thought: hey, why not talk a little bit about the family…?! Bistecca Fiorentina or Tuscan style steak, is a thick porterhouse steak that includes the fillet and [...]

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Potato Varieties and How To cook Them

January 25, 2011
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Have you ever walked through a farmer’s market or grocery store and saw the many varieties of potatoes and all of a sudden got confused ? Or are you like me and always used to picking up whatever potatoes are on sale ? A potato is a potato is a potato, right? Not exactly, as [...]

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Cooking Tips

January 22, 2011
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Ever wondered how to make clear ice cubes,  soften your hardened bag of brown sugar or how to get a silky creamy risotto every time ? Or can’t explain why your whipping cream won’t turn into whipped cream… ? Here are 35 essential cooking tips I believe every cook must know. These will help make [...]

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Rustic Pizza Dough Recipe

January 13, 2011
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With a name like Florentina you would probably be willing to bet that I live La Bella Vita Under The Tuscan Sun and I can toss a pizza like no-body’s business. The truth is I do live La Bella Vita but under the California Sun and I can’t toss a pizza for the life of [...]

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How To Caramelize Onions

December 11, 2010
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Can you believe it’s almost Christmas ? I feel so unprepared I am looking for a legal way to push it back a few months. Instead of cookies I am baking pizzas and perfecting the art of caramelized onions… I don’t know why but whenever I order them on a burger or french fries, my [...]

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Orange Peels

October 21, 2010
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When it comes to citrus fruit like oranges, lemons, limes, tangerine and grapefruit, the zest contains most of the flavor, that’s where all the natural oils are hiding. So please save it and use it for something delicious ! Here are my favorite things to do with Orange Peels: Orange Infused Olive Oil In a [...]

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How To Make Perfect Rice Every Time

October 20, 2010
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Do you like your rice fluffy or sticky ? I like mine fluffy so I start by rinsing it in a few changes of cold water and drain it very well. This will wash off a lot of the starches to give you that perfectly fluffy result but you will lose some of the nutrients [...]

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