Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine

10/09/2024

I love the pasta from Rome! I ate it for just about every meal during my last trip. Here's the first of four recipes I'm sharing on my blog.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/cacio-e-pepe-4-pastas-from-rome/

30/06/2024

Isola San Giulio is a small island in the center of Lago d’Orta. The island has been home to a seminary/convent of the Benedictine order for hundreds of years. There is a Basilica, and still a small monastery operates here.

My sister and I spent an afternoon here and in Orta San Giulio, lovely in spite of a little rain!

14/06/2024

We did do something in Venice besides eat! Our lovely guide Clara da Schio showed us the Basilica and Doge's Palace, and the birthplace of the very first woman to graduate from a university, all in all a great introduction to the fascinating history of Venice. Then she reserved us a table at the rooftop terrace of H10 hotel, where we enjoyed an evening aperitif overlooking the Grand Canal, keeping the occasional pigeon at bay with the little sq**rt guns they provide :)

12/06/2024

Just back from 3 weeks in Italy with my wonderful traveling companion, my sister Joyce Klein. A few pics of the food from our first days in Venice, which included the Rialto fish market, black gnocchi, a visit to Venice’s ancient wine bars Duo Mori and Ai Storti. So much great food to be had, and ways to avoid the crowds if you don’t mind walking through this lovely city. Away from Piazza San Marco and early in the am or later in the day, the crowds thin, so don’t do as a day trip - stay overnight!

01/05/2024

Finally returning to my blog, after a hiatus of a couple of years! Here's my newest post, a recipe from our last Newburyport Wine Club event, featuring the wines of South Africa.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/south-african-inspired-butternut-squash-soup-with-creme-fraiche-and-dukkah/

15/04/2021

Recipes from Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine - creator of unique private bike, walk, and hike tours in Italy. Small groups, owner/expert led. The Best of Italy - Outdoors, Food and Wine.

11/04/2021

Dreaming about our October trip to Italy, I made some tajarin, a rich egg pasta from Piedmont. We'll have plenty of opportunity to experience the authentic dish during our next Barolo Walk and Wine tour!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/tajarin-rich-egg-pasta-from-piedmont/

Recipes from Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine - creator of unique private bike, walk, and hike tours in Italy. Small groups, owner/expert led. The Best of Italy - Outdoors, Food and Wine.

24/11/2020

Looking for some wonderful new wines to pair with your Thanksgiving feast? There are many flavors on our traditional Thanksgiving table, making wine selection a challenge. Think Italian - known for their ability to accompany food.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/wines-for-thanksgiving-pairing-italian-wines-with-your-turkey-feast/

Wine with Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine - creator of unique bike, walk, hike and ski adventures in Italy. Small group, owner/expert led. The Best of Italy - Outdoors, Food and Wine.

19/11/2020

Love this photo of the Dolomites! Can't wait until we can return with our small group private tours.

From Italian wine country to the Arctic Circle.

14/11/2020

We visit several of Laura's "under-the-radar" villages on our Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine Italy tours - biking up to Asolo, exploring the Prosecco wine zone, making the famous stuffed tortellini of Borghetto Sul Mincio. So if you wish to make your daydreams a reality in 2021, let us know!

24/09/2020

My favorite street food from Florence, which is basically a great way to use up any leftover pizza dough. Deep fry, serve with some nice fresh cheeses and prosciutto - and of course, a glass of Chianti! Can't wait to visit Italy again with our group tours and indulge in coccoli!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/coccoli-comfort-street-food-from-florence/

12/07/2020

Guests on our Italy tours, be they on the shores of Lake Garda in the north or in the south exploring Sicily and Puglia are enjoying olives in one form or another on a daily basis. Their complex flavor, a perfect combination of sweet, sour, salt and bitter make them an indispensable tool for any Italian cook.

Here’s a flavor packed recipe for roasted olives, perfect to enjoy with a spritz.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/herb-roasted-olives/

01/07/2020

Sicily's favorite street food, and a great way to use your leftover risotto. Arancini - deep-fried rice balls stuffed with something yummy!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/arancini-con-mozzarella-e-prosciutto-sicilian-street-food/

08/05/2020

A popular pasta dish from Rome and the Lazio region is the simple but tasty Sugo all’Arrabbiata. “Arrabbiata” comes from the Italian word for angry, referring to the red face one would get as a result of eating this spicy pasta. This is an easy sauce to make in the time it takes your pasta to cook, perfect for a quick dinner made with items you can pull from your pantry.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/sugo-allarrabbiata-angry-red-sauce-for-pasta/

17/04/2020

My recipes for quarantine newsletters continue: You deserve a treat! Italian sweets to sweeten your day.

28/03/2020

My view of what makes a good cooking class for our clients (besides a glass of prosecco) is that they leave with recipes they can make back at home. So I like to find those pasta recipes that are the simplest for a novice like me to do at home – no special equipment, easy to form, rustic in nature. Orecchiette makes the cut.

Now that we have time at home to cook a bit more, try your hand at pasta - no special equipment needed!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/orecchiette-pasta-by-hand/

17/03/2020

We're in this with you! Obviously, our spring tours in Italy are on hold. But we will get through this challenge. One way of making the most of our time indoors is to create some memorable moments around the table. I'll be sharing recipes throughout this time to inspire you!

Here are a couple of Italy inspired recipes from our last meeting of our Newburyport Wine Club - Wines That Tell a Story of Love. A great way to create a date night at home!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/pomegranate-braised-short-ribs-and-risotto-alla-valpolicella/

16/02/2020

09/02/2020

Last June I visited with Enrico Rivetto in Serralunga, and saw firsthand the dedication he and his team are putting into sustainability and biodynamic practices. His fields of barley, herbs and fruit trees stand out among the monoculture of the surrounding area. But enough Nebbiolo vines remain to produce some pretty amazing Barolo.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/rivetto-wines-bringing-sustainability-to-the-heart-of-the-langhe-barolo-walk-and-wine-with-italiaoutdoors/

15/12/2019

Here's an authentic Italian recipe for meatballs - perfect for a warm dinner by the fire, or dress up a bit for a holiday gathering. A wonderful quote from 1800’s Italian cookbook author Pellegrino Artusi “Don’t think I’m pretentious enough to teach you how to make meatballs. This is a dish that everybody can make, starting with the donkey.”

https://www.chefbikeski.com/polpette-in-umido-stewed-meatballs/

05/12/2019

Bread sticks appear in almost every restaurant bread basket in Italy, but no one seems to match the bakers in Piedmont to bring simple bread sticks to a new level. Crisp grissini flavored with fresh Ligurian olive oil and salt. I have to restrain myself to save room for the pasta course!

https://www.chefbikeski.com/grissini-torinesi-italian-bread-sticks/

25/11/2019

Here's a very special Italian-inspired dish for your Thanksgiving table - and sooo simple, if you have a great quality Balsamic.

https://www.chefbikeski.com/zucca-arrosto-con-aceto-balsamico-tradizionale-roasted-squash-with-balsamic/?preview=true

27/10/2019

We paired wines from Piedmont with some of their traditional flavors during our last Newburyport Wine Club meeting, "Putting Piedmont in Perspective". The classic flavors of Vitello Tonnato made their appearance in a white bean crostini, which we paired with a wonderful Arneis from Roero. The recipe for Tonnato can be found here on my blog:

https://www.chefbikeski.com/vitello-tonnato-veal-with-tuna-sauce/