From Libellula's Kitchen & Land — italian recipes

Peaches were once a great delicacy to the Romans. In the markets, a single peach could sell for the price of a day’s wage. Banquet hosts would display bowls of the fruit as if they were jewels, served alongside honey and wine. Over time, peach trees were planted across Italy, making the sweet fruit accessible to all Italians. In the Giardinetto grove, we have a number of peach trees that grow alongside our olive trees. And we love to toss a few peaches onto the grill during our summer barbeques!  To make this recipe simple to recreate at home, our chef has adapted it...

In the early 1700s, Venetians fell in love with hot chocolate.Cafe tables lining the canals of Venice were dotted with beautiful little glasses of the velvety, rich drink.And the flavor combinations were spectacular!Some cafes specialized in citrus hot chocolate, while others swore by their addition of chili peppers and cloves..Even the Italian court’s botanist, Francesco, created his own unique recipe for jasmine hot chocolate that was so popular and so delicious that he kept the recipe a secret until his deathbed.And it’s not surprising how popular hot chocolate was, because this was the only type of chocolate they had ever...

Ahh Ravioli. One of the most loved dishes of Italy!  Little pockets of fresh pasta filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables served in a variety of sweet, spicy, and savory sauces.  Ravioli have been enjoyed in Italy since the 14th century. At the court of the Gonzagues, stuffed pasta was offered to noble visitors as a royal treat!  But what about the Italian Christmas Eve classic, Ravioli di Zucca (Squash Ravioli)?  Well, it all started when farmers began growing squash in Northern Italy after it was brought back by explorers from South and Central America. The Italian nobility quickly became...

Located in the northwest corner of Italy, and isolated from most of Europe by the Alps, is the region of Piedmont. For centuries, residents of the hills of Piedmont would journey into the woods each autumn to gather hazelnuts, which flourish here due to the ideal climate and topography of the region. They would then dry and roast the nuts, using them as a key part of their diet all year round. Torta di Nocciole, like many old-school Italian recipes, is based on “cucina povera,” a concept that we often feature in Libellula dishes. “Cucina Povera” is Italy’s “poor cooking”...