food & community

By Michele Genisio

Many great ideas emerge in times of crisis or by mistake. One minor Italian crisis in 1945 was the high price of chocolate in the post-World War II era. To stretch his supply, a master pastry chef from Alba, Italy, created a cream with chopped hazelnuts that rivaled other confectioners in his city. Using this cream, Chef Pietro Ferrero then created the little chocolates that he named “Giandujot,” which are now so famous in Italy and elsewhere.

Fresh homegrown fruit inspired this dessert I served at an evening to catch up with our friend
 

Cooking to love my neighbor led to surprising results — a “recipe” for many situations

Slovakian traditions for a special breakfast: an Easter cheese with a lot of eggs

I came home tired, and initially the only thing I wanted to do was to rest. But instead of thinking only of myself, I started to cook a delicious Chicken Ginger Stew