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fancy, artisan Tuscan appetizer platter at Vivanda. And their wine, too. Read more…

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Curious Appetite is a Gourmet Blog by Coral Sisk, Italian-American writer, certified Italian sommelier & culinary tourism specialist from Seattle living in Florence, Italy

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@curiousappetite on instagram

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Miss snacking on caloric-rich faves like finocchiona (fennel salumi) around Florence with you guys on our gourmet tours and hanging out with the artisanal food magicians who make them happen. Although seeing you in Italy is currently impossible, that doesn’t mean you can’t hack an Italian food tour at home. You can support Italian food purveyors and local small businesses by shopping your nearest deli for imported specialties, seeing if your favorite Italian restaurant includes charcuterie in their delivery menu, or your trusty online larder. If you’d like tips on how to DIY an Italian food tour at your table- comment or DM! Here’s to sending off one of the rudest months in history, hoping April will be kinder ❤️#curiousappetite #italianfoodforever

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In stories I asked which recipes y’all wanted on the blog and this was one of them you all really seemed to be curious about- so it’s posted! Head to thecuriousappetite.com for the lockdown recipe generously provided by Cinzia, one of our mega sweet cooking class instructors in Florence. If you’d be interested in step-by-step virtual learning- we are also offering online culinary experiences like pasta making. Link in bio or comment for more info and I’ll DM the link over. Grazie mille and wishing safety to all 💚 #curiousappetite #cucinalockdown

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One of our culinary guides in Bologna sent this at the beginning of the lockdown- it’s beyond unbelievable how much has transpired in a matter of 2 weeks. Sending lots of peace and virtual hugs to everyone in Italy impacted by this tragic moment in history❤️🇮🇹#BolognaItaly

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Def not the prettiest of dishes but one of the coziest, the Tuscan Ribollita. While staying in this weekend, you might appreciate a recipe which is rather time intensive and utilizes affordable staples such as legumes, sturdy nutrient-rich veggies like kale, leftover bread and for a moment, you may forget what else is going on in the world around you while concentrating on making sure the beans on boil don’t blister. If you’re curious to ribollita, there’s a post on the blog including cooking tips garnered from chefs, locals and cooks. And if you are in Florence and magically have dispensable income/want to take a break from cooking- see if @c.bio_firenze is making some as part of their delivery program, even though it’s now Spring 🍞🥣 Buon appetito https://thecuriousappetite.com/2015/04/22/in-search-for-the-best-ribollita-in-florence/
As always, if you’d like a recipe and/or vino pairing- comment and I’ll DM it over! We’re in this together ❤️#curiousappetite #tuscancomfortfood

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As of today, San Francisco and 5 other Bay Area counties became the first area of the US to implement #stayathome measures. (Whether or not they will be respected- another q!) I responded by making a carb rich dinner at home, doing my best to make an Amatriciana (a tomato + guanciale + 🌶 pasta from Amatrice, the small town in Lazio nearly wiped out in 2016 by the 6.2 mag earthquake). The recipe is simple and cheerful to make, I personally loved the article + recipe on @seriouseats “Unraveling bucatini all’Amatriciana”. I didn’t bucatini but had some ancient grain penne on hand by @rustichelladabruzzo and loved how the sauce snuck into the tubes. Curious for a recipe and a wine pair? Comment and I’ll DM it over! #andratuttobene 🍷🍝

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So many people and places are experiencing devastating effects from #covid19 that it’s become overwhelming to share tips or suggestions on how to help. Perhaps first priority is inform ourselves of ways on how we can help to flatten the curve (not panic buying toilet paper) and to donate to the Red Cross @crocerossaitaliana. For something a little fun I thought of from my part is to share food/wine pairing or recipe advice if you’re in lockdown in Italy or staying home elsewhere in the world. Wine makers and small food producers are probably feeling the hit, so if you have some Italian wines (or negroni fixings) burning a hole in your cupboard or would like advice on which wines/producers to shop- email me and I’ll happily share whatever info I have on your booze stash, suggest wines for your next shop, what foods would be delicious to pair with and sharing any recipes which might be a fun way to pass the time. Consider me your virtual sommelier during this storm! No strings, no cost, if you want to pay something after your sommelier consult, then please send to the Red Cross or other fundraisers for medical workers or relevant crowdfunds (comment below if you know any I can suggest!). But no pressure- hopefully for those staying home, this offer can make isolating times a little nicer/fun. You can e-mail via link in bio or directly coral(at)curiousappetitetravel.com #curiousappetite #flattenthecurve ❤️🍷

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If you are self-quarantining or laying low, may I suggest an Italian cheese and wine session at home? The wines like this bodylicious viognier/roussane blend from family-run @quercetodicastellina in Chianti Classico are coming in handy for snacks of taleggio from Lombardia and an “under ash” nutty/truffleish mild cow milk cheese “sottocenere” from the Veneto. I imagine food and wine producers are feeling the crushing economic tidal wave too and this is a good time to eat/drink your feelings with Italian juice and snacks. Curious where/how to buy? Of course if you happen to be bulletproof from an economic standpoint and the pandemic didn’t fire you. There are a few ways: support a local Italian deli like @luccadeli in the Marina (for those in San Francisco)

Shop small wine shops in your neighborhood or try to buy online directly from your favorite wine producers or join an Italian-themed wine club
Need more suggestions?
Comment and I’ll do my best to tip! #curiousappetite #eatdrinkItalian 🇮🇹❤️🥂🧀

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I know not the prettiest of delicious shots, but definitely a yum one to make this chicken broccoli zuppa. With coming to terms with Italy being all a red zone, or “lockdown” (as @girlinflorence says its not martial law or walking dead- just some common sense urges to the public to lay low and at arms length, a walk or a shop is definitely permitted) I’ll share some recipes from my humble kitchen in San Francisco I’ve learned from Italy, sights of her splendor and other tips for making the most of this isolating time. Although I made it out of Italy at the nick of time, as always, I would never give up wanting to be anywhere else- quarantines and all. I realize these measures while painful are necessary to make sure everyone is protected as well as lessen the burden to the healthcare system, as its overloaded. Thoughts aside, so about this soup! Tuscany instilled in me a love for soup making- while not a traditional Tuscan recipe, this inspired one was super simple yet extremely comforting. Recipe, basically: salt chicken breasts before prep. chop a carrot, celery and onion for “soffritto” cook in butter/olive oil, coarse salt, cracked pepper, chili flake, bay leaf and savory herb of choice (mine is rosemary) deglaze with white wine or lemon juice if need be, cube chicken and add to pot, cook a bit, add cut up broccoli, stir/cook for a few minutes then add stock or bone broth bit by bit, cover and simmer till chicken is cooked all the way but not overcooked. Little zing secret I picked up from @saltfatacidheat: add a couple capfuls of apple cider vinegar before bringing to a boil/full simmer. Top with pecorino romano or good parmigiano. What are you cooking in times like these, in Italy or afar? Missing you, Florence...#curiousappetite #fortheloveofItaly ❤️🇮🇹

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The day before leaving Florence (which feels like a world of change since), I stopped by @saraamrhein’s new beautiful shop in the Oltrarno where she makes sassy, statement jewelry and I was in awe of this woman and the wearable art she’s created (and @creativepeopleinflorence) Another amazing woman in Florence @girlinflorence wrote a sensible, heartfelt post about how #covid19 has affected Italy in these weeks and how to help/support businesses while experiencing a bit of Italy if visiting now is not possible. The situation changes daily so while no official besides an official wino, I hope we keep a level head, monitor things day by day rather than assume today will be tomorrow and take necessary precautions so we can all stay healthy and well. C’è la facciamo (we got this) ❤️🇮🇹 #curiousappetite #florenceitaly

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