Simple Italy

"Author Sharon Sanders brings home the essence of Italian living."
Pasta, The Journal of Italian Culture and Cuisine

"[Sanders] emphasis is on freshness and purity of flavor. . . .The formulas are straightforward and wholesome. And, ohhhh, so good tasting."

Marilynn Marter, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"If Italophile ever made it inot Webster’s Dictionary — defined as one who is not Italian yet possesses an unabashed passion for all things Italian — you can be you’d find Sanders’ picture next to it."

Janet Rausa Fuller, The Chicago Sun-Times

"The book is an attractive, easy-to-use-and-read compilation of recipes, tips and food lore interspersed with anecdotes. . . .In addition to being useful and entertaining, the book is timely."

Joanna Poncavage, The Morning Call

"Sharon’s passion and affection for the people, customs, and foods of Italy are so delightfully infectious they’ll make you want to cook up an Italian life for yourself."

Dorie Greenspan, award-winning author Baking with Julia

"This is a book one can read from cover to cover as though it were a novel. It is well-written and gives us a new perspective on Italian food. . .I highly recommend this book and I am happy to have it as a part of my culinary library."
by alice@virtualitalia.zzn.com
virtualitalia.com’s pick of the month

"I love Sharon Sanders’ no-nonsense approach to Italian cooking. Her recipes are clear and easy to follow. The food reminds me of all that is best about Italian cooking—simplicity, freshness, and great seasoning. The stories of the author’s trips to Italy and excellent wine notes complete what will become a real classic of Italian cooking literature."

Nick Malgieri CCP, award-winning author Cookies Unlimited and Chocolate

". . .Homecooks in particular will find this book smart and kitchen friendly. The uncomplicated recipes come paired to make a meal.
Sanders does a good job of guidance with constant cooking tips, creative substitutions, and wine suggetinos. Most recipes probably can be on the table in under an hour."
Nancy K. Allen, Foreword magazine

Click here to order Cooking Up an Italian Life directly from us, and author Sharon Sanders will autograph it and ship it for free. We accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

Retail Price: $26.95

Format: Illustrated Hardcover, 272pp.
7 1/2 inches x 9 1/4 inches

ISBN: 0970298137

Publisher: PergolaWest, Inc.

Maiolica, Sicilian ceramics, in the town of Caltagirone.
photo courtesy of the Italian Government Tourist Board

Hosted by SimpleItaly’s Sharon Sanders and
The Cooking Cottage in Sellersville, PA

March 27 to April 5, 2008

Many savvy travelers who know Italy have yet to discover Sicily. The August 2007 issue of Travel + Leisure says it offers some of Italy’s best and most inventive food and wine for the traveler who is looking for rustic beauty and authentic charm.

As the largest Mediterranean island, Sicily attracted many cultures—Greeks, Romans, Normans, Saracens, Spaniards and Bourbons—whose cultural and culinary legacies entice us.

We’ll also share private dinners with local chefs—mingle with the jet-setters in chic seaside Taormina—get up close and personal with the only active volcano in Europe, Mt. Etna—delight in the “chocolate town” of Modica—ogle the majolica ceramics in Caltagirone—and much more. This magical island boasts a rich cooking heritage with sumptuous seafood, cheeses, olives, almonds, pastries, citrus, and gelato.

In April, temperatures reach a balmy mid-60s. And because we’re working with “Sicilian hosts and storytellers” Lucia and Doug Davies and Douglas Kenning, tour planners who live in Sicily (visit Sicily Tour to read the glowing testimonials from happy clients), we’ll visit the genuine attractions most tourists never experience. Alitalia will fly us, setting a la dolce vita mood the minute we board the plane.

For information about availability, please call 215.453.8186 or e-mail Peggi Clauhs at The Cooking Cottage
This exclusive tour is limited to 14 so please book early so you won’t be disappointed.

March 27
Relax from the start as you’re transported from the Cooking Cottage in Bucks County, PA to Newark Airport for our flight to Rome and a connecting flight to Catania, Sicily.

March 28
We arrive on the east coast of Italy’s largest island and are transported to our hotel in charming Siracusa, where we settle in and then gather for a welcome meeting. Evening dinner at a local restaurant (included) Overnight at L’Approdo delle Sirene

March 29
Tour of Siracusa, the greatest of Greek colonial cities and visit the Theatre, Ear of Dionysius, and the Roman Amphitheatre. Lunch on the incredible island-peninsula of Ortigia, followed by a stroll through its narrow lanes, Jewish Quarter, palaces, and shops. Dinner (included)

March 30
Morning visit to the UNESCO heritage city of Noto to admire Sicilian Baroque architecture at its honey-golden best. Refresh with a gelato, from flavor master Corrado Assenza at the great Caffè Sicilia. On to Palazzolo where we’ll see Cassata—the sumptuous dessert made from sponge cake, sweetened ricotta, chocolate, fruit and spices—prepared. Lunch (included) is followed by an afternoon cooking class with a local chef, after which we will all share the three-course meal (included).

March 31
We visit, and savor, the renowned chocolate at Bonajuto owned by Pierpaulo Ruta in Modica. Then it’s off to a nearby Salvatore and Ornella’s farm to sample sweet fresh ricotta cheese and other specialties (included). Next we journey to the village of Buscemi, a living museum to Sicilian country life.

April 1
In the bustling open air market in Ortigia we’re free to seek out hidden treasures in the winding shop-lined streets. Lunch on your own. We regroup in the afternoon for a cooking lesson taught by a local chef who, along with her family, will share the evening meal (included).

April 2
As we drive inland to Caltagirone, the fabulous home of Sicilian ceramics, we pass through the stunning scenery of the Hyblean highlands where villages cling to mountain cliffs. Lunch and ceramic shopping then we continue to Villa Romana del Casale, a fine example of a Roman Imperial villa. We conclude this exciting day viewing the Valley of the Temples and dining on seafood (included) in the southern coastal city of Agrigento. Overnight in Agrigento La Cascine delle Rosse or Colle delle Verde Hotel

April 3
In the rays of the morning sun we walk among the Greek temples that make Agrigento one of the most stirring sites of the ancient Mediterranean. Then it’s back to the present with our drive to the posh seaside resort town of Taormina. Dinner (included) Overnight at Villa Fiorita or Villa Belvedere

April 4
Thrilling morning visit to Mount Etna then relax at a winery where we’ll sample olive oils, olive pastes, jams and some of the brilliant wines of the region. Our special farewell dinner (included)

April 5
All too soon, we head to Catania airport to bid arrivaderci Sicilia!

TOUR INCLUDES

A group get-acquainted gathering in advance of the tour
Three-star or higher hotels (double occupancy)
8 breakfasts and 8 other meals including wines
2 cooking classes, 1 pastry demonstration, cheese farm visit/ tasting, chocolate shop visit, winery tour/tasting; tours of Siracusa/Ortigia, Noto, Buscemi, Villa Romana del Casale, Agrigento temples
All entrance fees
An English-speaking host throughout the tour; all presentations in English or translated into English by an interpreter
Air-conditioned, chauffeur-driven bus
All gratuities, applicable taxes, service charges
Round-trip airfare from Newark to Catania, Sicily on Alitalia (economy class); all ground transfers

TOTAL COST

$3,750

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

$750 at time of booking ($250 nonrefundable)

$1,500 on November 1, 2007

$1,500 on January 1, 2008

All fees are non-refundable after final payment is received. We urge you to purchase trip cancellation insurance, which is widely available, to recoup your payment should any last-minute complications affect your plans.

Spend time in Italy, anywhere in Italy, and you’ll soon see that wine plays an integral role in Italian life.

It is poured at lunch and dinner. You may occasionally see a morning cappuccino being chased with a glass of delicate vin santo. Wine is enjoyed as a pick-me-up at bars and cafes during work breaks. Parents, good parents, even offer it, cut with mineral water or soft drinks, to their children to accompany a meal.

I now perceive wine in Italy as a food. No, even more. Remember the food groups pyramid? Italians would probably name wine as a food group and put it near the base, just above grains.

Chiaro o Scuro?

Perhaps no institution better depicts the integration of wine into Italian life than the vini. The word means wines, but I’m referring to the vest-pocket shops that sell wine and snacks.

The vini are informal gathering places. They provide an opportunity to linger and visit with old friends or stop for a quick snack and a nourishing sip of wine. All in all, vini are a time-honored and textured way to touch the pulse of Italy.

My favorite vini are the Florentine hole-in-the-wall shops. They show up every couple of blocks and are often so unobtrusive that, save for the customers milling in front, you could walk right past them.

The vini present an austere, chest-high wooden counter. On one side of the counter is an assortment of crostini: pieces of toasted bread slathered with cooked chicken liver, stacked with salami or prosciutto, or spiked with tuna, onions, olive oil, and pepper. At the other side of the counter is a tower of sturdy glass gotti, oversized shot glasses. No fancy stemmed glassware here; these beauties are heavy-duty. Wine in a gotto may be savored sip by sip or gulped to wash down a quick crostino.

Behind the counter is a narrow bin, filled with wine bottles attended to by the ruddy-faced proprietors. No matter which vini I recall, the proprietors are brothers. You can tell they are brothers by their facial similarities, but they are identical twins in their passion for wine.

And behind the brothers: a steep, creaking stairway down to a grotto where the liquid inventory is stored.

The vini serve an array of patrons. The old-timers belly up to the counter and grunt their preference. For these veterans, it is not a matter of a particular vintage, grower, or grape type. A simple scuro or chiaro suffices. Scuro, which means dark, is Florentine slang for vino rosso, red wine. Chiaro means clear or light, code for vino bianco, white wine. I don’t see these boys drinking much chiaro.

Other customers are a bit more discriminating, but no less appreciative. They inquire as to what is available. Some even seek recommendations.

Whatever the level of engagement, the proprietors meet it: civil, knowledgeable, but never overbearing.

On a hot summer afternoon during a recent visit to Florence, I stopped at one of my favorite vini near Piazza Signoria. I spotted the familiar knot of patrons: the old-timers, the business types in their suits, some young couples, even a few savvy tourists.

I worked my way up to the counter, fully expecting to greet the old brothers I remembered from the last time I had been here.

Much to my amazement, the old vini was now staffed by a pair of young gentlemen with fresh complexions and quietly efficient manners.

You could tell they were brothers by their facial similarities, but they were identical twins in their passion for wine.

Take a look at our Wine Rack

We sample, we sip, we savor
to find affordable affable Italian wines for you.

Salute!

Prices range from $10 to $15 per 750 ml. bottle
Selections marked with an * are available in 1.5 liter bottles

THE CLASSICS

Gavi

An elegant white made from the Cortese grape, comes from the Piedmont — way up northwest in Italy. Well balanced, fine and dry — a great complement to grilled fish, poultry and pork.

Orvieto

From Umbria, just south of Tuscany, this pale beauty provides a quiet canvas upon which to paint the brilliant flavors of summer vegetables and salads.

Pinot Grigio*
Usually from northern Lombardy or Veneto, has made its way onto nearly every restaurant wine list in America. Some snobs complain that it’s not memorable, but it brings out the best of vibrant summer cooking.

Soave*
This soft, lightly fruity, unobtrusive blend of Gargenega and Trebbiano or Chardonnay is produced in the Veneto. If you can find a Soave Classico, you’ll pay a bit more, but you’ll buy additional personality.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano
From an ancient Tuscan vine, this austere beauty was Italy’s first name and origin controlled (DOC) wine. Its characteristic slightly bitter finish evokes nothing but sweet memories of my many visits to that little town with the amazing towers.

HIDDEN GEMS

Erbaluce di Caluso
This varietal from Piedmont is pleasing, delicate and dry. The color is a soft yellow blush and it has a fresh, brisk nose. Excellent with grilled seafood.

Tocai Friulano
Related to French Sauvignon, this variety is dry and delicate. The 2000 I enjoyed had a grassy nose that gave way to a pleasing spring sage flavor on the tongue. Don’t confuse this Tocai with the strongly sweet Hungarian Tokaji or the Alsace Tokay.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesu

From the Marches, east of Tuscany, the traditional amphora-shaped bottles that used to be marketed here have been replaced with less gimmicky glass. The 2000 has a crisp, fresh citrusy nose, with a husky, broad taste that picked up some deep apricot tones. Great with grilled salmon.

Vermentino di Sardegna
From Sardinia, this clean, light varietal had a light citrus nose and bright, almost lemony on the palate. Marries nicely with grilled poultry.

Nuragus di Cagliari
Another lively Sardinian, this varietal is slightly acidic at first taste, then softens with the meal. The color is spectacular: bright, deep yellow with brilliant green highlights.

Terrazzo V, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, DOC, Classico Superiore, 2000

Produced by Moncaro and imported by Matt Brothers, NYC.
Price $10.99 per 750 ml. bottle

This white wine from the Marches offers bright straw color and a fresh, slightly citrusy nose. The initial taste is husky and broad with apricot tones. It finishes dry and crisp with the citrus emerging. Serve with grilled or roasted seafood, poultry, vegetable or white sauced pastas.

Sfida Rosso 1998

Imported by Matt Brothers, NYC
Price $10.00 per 750 ml. bottle

This red wine from Puglia, is a blend of Negroamaro, Primitivo and Aglianico grapes resulting in a pleasing blend of tobacco tar and lush dark berry. The tar diffuses with food, and is transformed by the emergence of lush, vibrant blackberry. Pair with roasts, stews, and hearty pastas.

Serves 4 to 6
In the port city of Genoa, pesto, the aromatic paste of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheeses, and extra-virgin olive oil, is tossed with hot strands of trennette pasta and cooked potatoes. This simple salad combines only the potatoes with pesto to make a wonderful warm weather side dish for grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or salmon.

6 to 8 medium red skinned potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup pesto

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bunch scallions, white and light green part, sliced

If the potatoes are large, cut into equal chunks about the size of golf balls. Place in a single layer in a microwaveable dish. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave for about 10 minutes, rotating occasionally, until tender. Remove and set aside for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

In a bowl, whisk the pesto, mayonnaise, and salt. Add the scallions. Cut the potatoes in 1/2-inch chunks. Add to the bowl. Toss.

Note: The recipe may be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings. Season with salt to taste.

©2002, PergolaWest, Inc.

Caramelized Almonds

Baked Oregano Chicken and Potatoes

Pesto Potato Salad

Orange Glazed Roasted Salmon and Fennel

Egg, Ricotta and Spinach Tart

Chianti Beef Stew

Chicken Paillard Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 8 to 10
Prepare this moist fruit cake up to a day before serving.

Cake