crostata

Stendhal Syndrome, Farmers’ Market Fever, and a Rustic Fruit Crostata

July 21, 2011

Years ago when I was a newspaper reporter, I came across a wire story that described a rare, peculiar illness. It seemed that certain sensitive souls, upon being exposed to the glorious art of the High Renaissance, were so overcome by the beauty before them that they literally went mad and had to be carted [...]

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When Is a Pie Not a Pie?

July 5, 2011

When it’s made by me. In fact, much like its creator, the dessert you see above hovers between two heritages, Italian and American. It began life as a typical Italian jam crostata—a rustic tart of sorts, made with tender, buttery pasta frolla (pastry) and filled with good blueberry jam.

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Crostata all’Uva

January 24, 2011

We are in the middle of a deep freeze here in Virginia. We have not had the snow that has hit other states, but temperatures have been unusually cold, dipping down into the low teens at night and reminding me of the years I spent trudging around in a parka as a reporter in Detroit–and [...]

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