The 'Nucatoli and Buccelatti recipes that I used to create my little hybrid 'Nucalatti biscuits are actually rather similar. Both versions use a buttery pastry to envelop a sticky, sweet, and rather decadent filling of dried fruits and crunchy Sicilian nuts...

  In the heart of the Val di Noto there is a beautiful Baroque town that nestles perfectly within the gorge it rests. Modica lies in the dramatic landscape of the Hyblaean Mountain range, and was devastated during the catastrophic earthquake of 1693. Like many...

Frank Sinatra once said that orange was "the colour of hapiness"...well Frankie baby, you didn't know true happiness because you never tasted this mouth watering blood orange cake.    Whenever I return to Sicily during the cooler Winter months I always try...

  Viewed from the port below the town, the candy coloured weather beaten buildings of Sciacca expand upwards against the gentle slope which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The port of Sciacca still remains one of the most active commercial fishing hubs in Italy....

  I couldn’t think of a more delicious way to celebrate the first day of my very first UK Winter than by warming up my tiny London flat with the enveloping aromas of buttery pastry and crisp seasonal pears. One of my favourite things about living in the UK is, of...

During my travels throughout the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sicily I have been lucky to meet a myriad of interesting characters along the way. However, in all honesty, my favourite locals to discover are the delightfully cheeky Sicilian street cats. These...

  For many of us, the daily monotony of our working lives can often be tolerated because we choose to indulge in re-living pleasant memories of past travels. Of course, there are times when our love of adventure and the need for joyful experience cannot be...

  To wander down the narrow alleyways of one of Sicily’s ancient street food markets is like taking a step back in time. Many of Sicily’s open air markets have been in continuous trade since the time of Arabic rule, and thanks to the island’s appreciation for...

  When dreaming of Italy one of the first things we imagine is ending each day in a quaint little bar tucked into a corner of one of Itay’s many picturesque squares enjoying un aperitivo and watching in awe as the locals enjoy their daily passegiata with friends...

  I’m not going to begin this post as so many others do, by banging on about how these biscotti are the BEST. They’re not. Those who’ve come before me in the great biscotti making game probably have made the BEST biscotti that you’re ever likely to taste. Of...

  When I was younger, I wanted to become a pastry chef. I pictured myself whipping up fluffy creations in an assortment of colours and flavours so vivid I could almost smell the aromas of freshly baked cakes wafting through my mind. Cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and...

“There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats.” ― Albert SchweitzerCats. Love them or loathe them there’s no denying these furry fluffballs are some of the most photographed creatures on the planet. If you know someone who has travelled...

“Un ingrediente sacro” – A sacred ingredient    Breadcrumbs! So what I hear you thinking? Those nifty, fluffy little things that are reached for in every good cook’s kitchen more times than Van Gogh reached for an ochre tinged paintbrush. What about them?...

“Art washes away the dust of everyday life”  - Picasso    Not only do I travel to experience the undiscovered beauty which lies beyond my doorstep, but also to gain a greater understanding of the culture, the landscape and the history that resides in these...

I love cooking. No, wait, let me rephrase that. I love ITALIAN cooking! Like many of us, I just don’t find the time to cook nearly often enough. I would love nothing more than to spend my days meandering through an open-air market in Italy, admiring all the...