Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes (Cena di Vigilia)

Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes (Cena di Vigilia)

UPDATE: There is now a video recipe for Cioppino, the simple and easy seven-fish San Francisco stew: WATCH NOW Italian-American families have their favorite dishes for Christmas Eve fish dinner – some serve 7 fish (for the 7 sacraments or 7 virtues), some serve 10 (for 

Fried Calamari with Vinegar Pepper Confetti

Fried Calamari with Vinegar Pepper Confetti

Calamari fritti (fried squid) takes about 5 minutes to make and you are rewarded with the fresh, clean taste of the sea.

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

I recently spent a delightful evening with my friend Viola Buitoni, a wonderful Umbrian cook and teacher, and Carol Field, the San Francisco author of the just reissued classic, The Italian Baker. Viola hosts the wonderful Italian gastronomy series at the Italian Cultural Institute.  The presentations 

Is North Beach Shrinking?

Is North Beach Shrinking?

I was worried about the south side of Vallejo Street between Columbus and Stockton. There was an even mix of Italian and Chinese stores on that block. Then Pulcinella Pizzeria closed and I heard that Victoria Pastry (est. 1914) on the corner was moving to 

North Beach Boutique Crawl Thursday Night

North Beach Boutique Crawl Thursday Night

The annual North Beach Holiday Boutique Crawl – this Thursday, December 8, 6-9pm – is a great opportunity to discover the new businesses and to renew your ties to merchants who have been here for years.

Deep Dish in North Beach?

Deep Dish in North Beach?

Will Capos on Vallejo bring deep dish pizza to North Beach?

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali with peas and onions is a great easy recipe ready in the time that it takes to cook the pasta.

Free Recipe: Salsa Verde (Green Herb Sauce)

Free Recipe: Salsa Verde (Green Herb Sauce)

A really versatile condiment that you can serve with vegetables, fish or meat.

Italian-American Thanksgiving – Roasted Turkey, Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing, and Gravy

Italian-American Thanksgiving – Roasted Turkey, Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing, and Gravy

Recipes for Italian-American roasted turkey, chestnut and sausage stuffing and turkey gravy.

Song of Pulcinella Mural In Hiding

Song of Pulcinella Mural In Hiding

3 weeks to the day since the heavily damaged North Beach Song of Pulcinella mural was rescued from the dumpster and he’s back in his all his glory. Today we gathered at Emerald Tablet where the artist Vranas restored his mural. We had to position 

Bella Napoli

Bella Napoli

Naples as you may have realized by now is one of my favorite cities in all of Italia. My Italian roots are in Campania and Napoli is the region’s capital. I’ve felt as if I belonged there since I first visited. I love the food, 

Pickled Peppers

Pickled Peppers

Here’s a really simple recipe to capture the bell pepper bounty in a jar for your winter pantry. Just slice the peppers into strips, make the vinegar brine and put everything in a jar. Pickled peppers, or “vinegar peppers” as my family calls them, keep in 

Song of Pulcinella Mural Almost Done

Song of Pulcinella Mural Almost Done

It’s just been 2 weeks since we saved the severely damaged Song of Pulcinella mural and rolled it across Columbus Avenue to a safe haven. It’s been a week since I brought the San Francesco statue to Emerald Tablet gallery to oversee the restoration. The 

400 Food Bloggers in SF

400 Food Bloggers in SF

The Foodbuzz Food Blogger Festival was in town. I met some great people and learned a lot.