Italy Car Drivers

Capri’s magic and mystique continue to cast a spell upon me every time I visit. Strolling the narrow streets of this island always makes me dreamy. Even the air smells different. It’s a world where everything is white. Page 30 from "It's A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast."

If you love to cook!!!

See preview pages here -https://www.cooking-vacations.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Its-A-Dream-Place-Cook-Book_compressed.pdf

Italian Beauties.
-Only at Cooking-Vacations.com

Hands-On and in the Kitchen with Italian Chefs!!! www.Cooking-Vacations.com

Summer Tomatoes

Summer gardens brimming with red tomatoes. Basil growing in big bouquets. Long summer days and breezy summer nights. Set the outdoor table, open a cool bottle of Tuscan Vermentino, and prepare this simple stuffed tomato recipe while sipping and swirling a glass of chilled white wine.

Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes
3 large sun ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of lean ground beef or 1 1/2 cups of organic rice, pre-boiled and drained
1 hearty handful of parsley
Olive oil, generous few swirls
Sea salt, to taste
Summer Tomatoes
Summer gardens brimming with red tomatoes. Basil growing in big bouquets. Long summer days and breezy summer nights. Set the outdoor table, open a cool bottle of Tuscan Vermentino, and prepare this simple stuffed tomato recipe while sipping and swirling a glass of chilled white wine.
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 handful of black olives pitted and cut in half
A few torn basil leaves
Capers, to taste, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano cheese

Method
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Take large sun-ripe tomatoes. Cut in half and core out the inside putting the pulp aside in a bowl.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the tomatoes on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size.

While the tomatoes are baking, add the tomato pulp to the ground beef or rice, then add the chopped parsley, basil, capers, olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, cracked black pepper, olives, and Parmigiano cheese, and mix well. Remove the tomato halves from the oven, and let cool. Once cooled, fill each tomato with the mix. If you have extra stuffing, make little balls, place them on the baking sheet, and bake too. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool and serve.
Summer Tomatoes

Buon Ferragosto!!! Happy August 15 to all our friends and family around the world. It celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is also the Feriae Augusti, the festival of Emperor Augustus, who made August a time of rest for the farmers after a hot summer's work.

The Summer Scope on Gelato

The Summer Scoop on Gelato Cooking Vacations The Summer Scoop on Gelato  Fragole, limone, pesca e menta... - raspberry, lemon, peach, and mint... - traditional flavors of Italian summer gelato. With temperatures reaching all-

Happy 85th Birthday to Music Maestro, Peppino di Capri -
"Champagne," "Saint Tropez Twist," "Luna Caprese," who opened and played with the Beatles.

Read his story in my book, "It's A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast," Page 188

Making Headlines in Positano News -
https://www.positanonews.it/2024/07/da-positano-a-ravello-its-a-dream-place-un-libro-per-sognare-e-gustare-la-costiera-amalfitana/3727009/

Grazie Signor Michele Cinque and Positano News!!! ❤❤❤

Da Positano a Ravello "It's a Dream Place": un libro per sognare e gustare la Costiera Amalfitana - Positanonews  "It's a Dream Place": un libro per sognare e gustare la Costiera Amalfitana Tra le pagine di "It's a Dream Place", la scrittrice Lauren A. Birmingham ci

Summer Read -
"It's A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast."
By Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli and Photos by Leo Gozbekian Photographer
For your copy go to https://www.cooking-vacations.com/requests-for-marketplace/?product=Lauren%27s%20Cookbook%20It%27s%20a%20Dream%20Place
OR

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Its.../dp/B0CV5ZR8GZ/ref=sr_1_1...

Rose Petals and Sage from https://conta.cc/4cxktW3. Read more here https://conta.cc/4eBTRop

Rose Petals & Sage from our Summer Garden Cooking Vacations Rose Petals & Sage from our Summer Garden Felice estate, happy summer, to everyone!!! Although a rain-laden summer was the start, it has now turned to sun-splashed days with beauti

Jordan Rich, Boston’s WBZ Radio Legend, interviews Lauren on her newly released cookbook, “It’s A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food Love and the Amalfi Coast.” Listen here, https://chartproductions.com/onmic/

Happy Father's Day to all of the great fathers in our lives.
I was gifted to have an incredible father who was not only my father, but was my friend. Here is a page from my book which is dedicated to my father.

"Sei Sempre Con Me, You are Alway with Me."

My father’s name was Laurence, Lorenzo in Italian, after San Lorenzo – the patron saint of chefs and cooks. In Italy, the first-born boy often takes the name of his father or grandfather; I was given his name because the doctor thought I was going to be a boy. So I was named Lauren.I called him daddy. Everyone else called him Mr. B. He was Hollywood handsome and adored by everyone. He loved to travel and was the first one to pack his bags for trips from New York City to Italy and France. He loved the outdoor cafès of Paris, the medieval village of Roquebrune and the marketplace in Menton in the south of France. But most of all, he loved Positano. He was the first to dress up for a party and was always ready to open his best bottle of wine. He’d say, “Why save it? Every day is a special occasion.”My father shined in our lives while we were growing up – four kids in a close-knit Italian family. He’d fill the pool to the brim in spring and invite the whole neighborhood over for a pool party. In summer, he’d chauffeur us to the beach, sail around Narragansett Bay in his boat, fish for lobsters and dig for clams. Linguine and clams was his favorite. In winter, he’d drive us back and forth to ice-skating practice – even when it snowed – and sat through cheerleading practices and hockey games from 6 a.m. until midnight. He always listened and guided us without curfews. His gentle words were, “Use your own discretion and don’t disappoint me.” We never did.As we grew older, he’d hold court around his big, round ceramic table, the one we bought from Piccadilly Ceramiche on the Amalfi Coast, weighing 300 kilos. He’d sip his homemade wine and tell us stories about growing up with his Nonni Costanzo and Antonia Caparrelli while his grandchildren – Chloe, Siena, Ava and Chase – ran around the table and played hide-and-seek.When I married Rino in the Madre Assunta Church in Positano, he cried while he walked me down the aisle, then gave me away with a kiss. Just before he turned away, Rino gave my father a kiss – one on each cheek – like all Italians do.His love for his family was immense. Not only was he our winemaker, travel partner, gardener and consigliere – he was our hero. Even though his leather recliner is empty, he is always in our hearts. Grazie papà, sei sempre con me, thank you, Daddy, you’re always with me.

Happy Cooking Classes in Positano, Italy!!! Look who joined us, Sharon Gentile Penta and her beautiful family!!! Tie on your aprons and join us at www.Cooking-Vacations.com
We love to cook!!!

Cypresses stand tall line Tuscan roads of emerald green - join us and discover Italy. www.Cooking-Vacations.com

Food and Wine Tasting on a Cooking Vacations Tour www.Cooking-Vacations.com

A great Memorial Day read, "It's A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast." Michelin-Star recipes, Andrea Migliaccio. Photo by Leo Gozbekian, photographer.

Cooking Classes In Italy!!! www.Cooking-Vacations.com

Happy Cookers!!!
Sicilian Cooking Between Palermo & Trapani™
Chef Rosario’s Cooking Week ~ 6 Day
https://www.cooking-vacations.com/tour/sicilian-cooking-between-palermo-trapani-6-day/

Join us at I Am Books for a book signing on Friday, May 3 at 6 P.M.; located at 124 Salem Street in Boston's North End -supporting small bookshops and celebrating "It's A Dream A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast.

https://iambooksboston.com

It's a dream to be at Trident Booksellers and Cafe next to Gisele Bündchen's book "Nourish."

"It's A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love & the Amalfi Coast." https://www.cooking-vacations.com/online-shop/

Steve DiFillippo is set to host "It's A Dream Place," Amalfi Coast dinner. Steve DiFillippo and Davio's Seaport host "It's A Dream Place" book signing set for May 9 at 6pm - Seaport, Boston!!!!

We are excited to share - "It’s A Dream Place - Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and The Amalfi Coast" is available on bookshelves now.

The book, written by Lauren, features stories from Capri, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast, Michelin Star recipes from Executive Chef Andrea Migliaccio of Capri Palace, traditional recipes from Italy's greatest chefs, and photographs by Leo Gozbekian Photographer https://www.facebook.com/leogphoto.

The book is available at I Am Books 124 Salem Street, North End Boston; Trident Books 338 Newbury Street, Boston; Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop, 11 Board Alley - off Hanover Street - Boston; Cooking Vacations marketplace page https://www.cooking-vacations.com/online-shop/, and Amazon.com

Flower Power

Bravo Chef Robert Sisca - Cafe du Midi Boston!!! Grazie Mille for your extraordinary culinary talents, great staff, hospitality, and venue overlooking the Boston Public Gardens!!!

Bravo!!! Executive Chef Robert Sisca @ Bistro du Midi Boston. Food is Art!!!

Happy Saint Joseph's Day, and Happy Father's Day in Italy. Enjoy your Zeppole. Mamma Marie Lucia, my Mamma made ours!!!