Culinaria Italia – Italian Food and Cooking

About Culinaria Italia


I’m a 40 something Brit still finding my feet here in the heel of Italy. I’ve been here for about a year now. Cooking has always been a big hobby of mine but I’ve never really kept any record of the new recipes I try and I usually cook them a few times and then forget about them. So, as a sort of on-line recipe book, I’ve started a food blog. I lived in the north of Italy for a number of years, so you might find a few of my favourites from there too :-) I’ll also try to keep you informed about the food festivals that are a regular occurrence here too.I’ll attempt to photograph the results with the only camera available to me at the moment. My flashless Nokia 6131 mobile phone. Don’t expect David Bailey :-)
The recipes come from 3 main sources.

  • Local Italian friends
  • My translations and adaptations of recipes from the local press/cooking mags
  • My translations and adaptations of recipes from Italian language web sites.

But basically it will be what I’ve enjoyed cooking and eating. If the recipe didn’t work, I won’t post it!

Note about ingredients pictures: The ingredients pics are meant to be an illustration only. Refer to recipe for quantities.

Note to my mates back home in England. If a recipe is listed as Primo – First course, then quantities given are for an Italian style first course. Here, pasta is only one leg of a very long journey through antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci, frutta, formaggi, caffe, liquore. If you don’t intend to continue to the bitter end, double the quantities ;-)

Drop in and see what you think. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

24 Comments »

  1. ciao vole! sorry DJkrysa…:o) it is realy good idea this site. i will try your recepies. try some special czech food, for example “smazak” or “knedlo-vepro-zelo”…:o))) i am joking. hope i will have your food personally soon.
    ciao krava

    Comment by stalina — November 7, 2007 @ 11:48 am | Reply

  2. Do you know I am almost starting to miss Smazak ;-) Bring some mushrooms when you come. DJ

    Comment by djkrysa — November 7, 2007 @ 2:50 pm | Reply

  3. PS Recipe for Czech Spaghetti

    Place spaghetti in boiling water. Leave boiling and go to the pub for a few hours
    When you come back, drain the pasta and squirt some ketchup on it :-)
    Add cheese (it must be eidam with ABSOLUTELY NO taste)

    Dobrou Chut!

    Comment by djkrysa — November 7, 2007 @ 9:57 pm | Reply

  4. HI, What a great blog!!! SOOO informative and enjoyable. Your ability to look at the topic of food & cooking from a different perspective, as well as convey these ideas to others is not only effective, but quite genuine and novel.
    Thanks for the information and bringing a smile to my face for I am contemplating what to cook next.

    Looking forward to more posts,
    Michael

    Comment by Michael Ferris — November 22, 2007 @ 11:36 pm | Reply

  5. The recipes on this blog seem extremely authentic, which I love! Italy is a part of my heart – not just cause my great grandparents are from there, but because I was engaged in Rome and married last summer in Tuscany. Thanks for these simple, beautiful and lovely Italian recipes – the way food should be!! – amy @ neverfull.wordpress.com

    Comment by Jonathan — December 13, 2007 @ 3:05 pm | Reply

  6. Thanks a lot Jonathan. I glad you like the recipes. I feel very lucky to be able to try the great food from this area.

    Congratulations on your wedding and tanti auguri! :-)

    Comment by djkrysa — December 13, 2007 @ 5:21 pm | Reply

  7. Czech style spaghetti is cooked almost the same way in Ireland where I’ve been living for a good number of years.The only difference is that it is cooked after pub hours and in a completely drunken state of mind!HAHAHA!!!

    Comment by Stella — March 25, 2008 @ 1:47 pm | Reply

  8. Hello,

    I am the webmaster of http://www.buy-absinthe-alcohol.com
    I was just going through your blog, I like the way you write about things and I was wondering if you would be interested in doing a review for my website. I’m interested in an unbiased paid review of my site in your site blog
    http://www.culinariaitalia.wordpress.com

    Please contact me if you are interested.

    Thank you.

    Sara

    Comment by Sara Smith — March 27, 2008 @ 2:06 pm | Reply

  9. Hi Sara

    Thanks for asking but I don’t think it would be appropriate on this site.

    Also, I think Absinthe is filthy stuff and have vowed never to touch it again.

    DJ

    Comment by djkrysa — March 27, 2008 @ 3:30 pm | Reply

  10. I’ll be sure to check out the new blog, thanks.

    Have you moved your American blog? The link I have seems to be out of date. Let me know the new address and I’ll update my blog roll.

    I’m looking forward to tomorrow as I’m getting together with a few friends to cook a pugliese fish soup. I’ve never made one before, so wish me luck :-)

    Comment by djkrysa — April 4, 2008 @ 7:58 pm | Reply

  11. I always enjoy visiting your site and envy your life in Puglia!!!! Best Wishes! A note to let you know that I started a second site in addition to “Eat Know How” called “La Vita Tua” http://lavitatua.wordpress.com.
    It is my American blog gone Italian. Even with the help of “tanslation websites”, the bolg still needs a go through and removal of American ideas and cultural influences in my writing. In other words, it’s handy knowing the Italian language.
    Have a fantastic weekend and beautiful spring.

    Comment by eatknowhow — April 4, 2008 @ 7:21 pm | Reply

  12. Hi!
    As I promised you yesterday, I ve had a look on your web site.It’s a fantastic way of diffusing italian cooking abroad!I have checked the recipes I know and they are right, you are very accurate and precise.Next time I’ll give you the “cozze ripiene” recipe. Bye

    Comment by Marilisa Bari Italy — May 9, 2008 @ 1:42 pm | Reply

  13. Hi Marilisa

    Thanks a lot. You are very kind :-) I’m looking forward to trying ‘cozze ripiene’

    Cheers

    Comment by djkrysa — May 9, 2008 @ 3:19 pm | Reply

  14. I wanted to leave a comment on your artichoke post. Very clear with pictures. you blog is great, have you thought of joining foodie blogroll. great forum there.

    Comment by janetching — July 17, 2008 @ 10:50 pm | Reply

  15. Your blog is great. So happy I found an italian foodblog and spanish foodblog in English. Thanks

    Comment by janetching — July 17, 2008 @ 10:52 pm | Reply

  16. Hi,

    Here’s a magazine you should know about. It’s called La Cucina Italiana and it’s the U.S. edition of Italy’s oldest and most popular cooking magazine. It’s all about cooking traditional & modern Italian dishes using healthy, fresh and seasonal ingredients. (Thankfully, it’s for chefs of all levels.) I’m looking to spread the word, and if you’d like to take a look, I’d be delighted to send you a free media subscription. Here’s the site. http://www.lacucinaitalianamagazine.com. Also, if you want to host a recipe contest, we can provide the winner with a free subscription as well. Some ideas for the contest are:

    - Momma’s homemade spaghetti sauce

    - The tastiest organic Italian soup for fall weather

    - Gelato to chill for

    - Holidays in the homeland…the most authentic – and delicious – Italian holiday dish

    If you’d like to receive the magazine, please send your contact information to me at Vickie@reynoldspublicrelations.com. Thanks!

    Comment by Vickie — August 18, 2008 @ 5:38 pm | Reply

  17. Dear Chris,

    I hope you are in the best of health.

    I am updating my home page and should be happy to include a link to Culinaria Italia if you would like to tell me what to insert.

    Best wishes

    John

    Comment by John Langdon — November 27, 2008 @ 4:03 pm | Reply

  18. Hi, it’s great to have found your website. I’m in love with italian cuisine, and it’s really helpful to find recipes in english (my italian is not great!) I’m mexican and cooking is my hobby, it’s always horrible to find burritos are the mexican food outside of Mexico, so does carbonara with cream outside of Italy… Thanks for letting us reach the real deal!

    Comment by chio — April 21, 2009 @ 1:27 pm | Reply

    • Thanks Chio, it’s nice to have you here.

      I understand your horror at what the rest of the world has done to Mexican food. Next you’ll be telling me that you don’t eat ‘chilli con carne’ every day… :lol:

      Good luck with your hobby

      DJ

      Comment by djkrysa — April 21, 2009 @ 3:43 pm | Reply

  19. Glad to see some activity here:)

    Look forward to more delicious recipes:-)

    Comment by ellabellamablemoo — April 25, 2009 @ 7:03 pm | Reply

  20. I wasn’t expecting your makeover, first thing on a Sunday morning.

    It looks fabulous from where I’m sitting! Gill.

    Comment by GillthePainter — April 26, 2009 @ 9:39 am | Reply

  21. Thanks guys.

    The makeover is still very much a work in progress. Hopefully It will spur me on to post something new :-)

    Cheers

    DJ

    Comment by djkrysa — April 26, 2009 @ 11:54 am | Reply

  22. Just stumbled across this site. Great work! Love the recipes! I’m 1/2 pugliese (my grandfather was from a little town outside of Bari called Grumo) so I’m especially looking forward to making your orecchiette recipes!

    Comment by Frank — July 19, 2009 @ 6:26 am | Reply

  23. super site merci!
    http://www.troikatourism.com/

    Comment by dd — October 19, 2009 @ 2:53 pm | Reply


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