Part recipe, part food history. A dish I haven't had in a long time with roots pre-Roman Empire. All with a 21st-century twist; made with a rice cooker. Read More ...

Continue reading Old school cooking – Lentils and Sausage at PMags.com.

I made a batch of Neapolitan Ragu this past weekend. Better known as tomato sauce. Or "Sunday Gravy." Read More ...

Continue reading Italian-American Sunday Gravy recipe at PMags.com.

A more personal entry. I am thankful for what is in my life. The outdoors is part of it. Read More ...

Continue reading Giving Thanks at PMags.com.

A tribute to an ancient food for traveling on foot that still works well today. Read More ...

Continue reading Pecorino Romano cheese – fantastic hiking food at PMags.com.

A rainy and drizzly fall day is good for making some slow cooked food. And ruminating on cultural identity. Read More ...

Continue reading Musings on macaroni and Sunday gravy at PMags.com.

An old classic that is easy to make and works well for pre- day hike breakfast and during the hike for lunch. Read More ...

Continue reading Day hiking feast – Peppers and Eggs at PMags.com.

If you can’t tell by some of the references to cooking in my hiking documents, I love food. The cooking, the eating, the enjoying of it all with friends.

Part of this love for food could be my southern Italian heritage. The stereotype is that we do indeed put an emphasis on the meals. Eating is not just for physical sustenance or something to do before attending social activities. The meal *IS* the event. A wonderful way to spend a Friday evening with friends. Where dinner is not just about the eating..but also about the conversations, the laughs and the good memories.

More than my ethnic background, I think the seeds of these thoughts can more appropriately be traced to Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house. More than an Italian tradition..it is a Magnanti tradition. One I try to keep going in my own modest way.

Continue reading Italian Sunday Gravy at PMags.com.