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ABOUT

ABOUT

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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One of the Italian ingredients I could never live One of the Italian ingredients I could never live without is quality-driven Parmigiano-Reggiano. This nutty umami-rich aged cow’s milk cheese adds salty depth to simple bean & kale soups, leftover veg frittatas and completes most pastas or when super high quality, makes a luxury snack along with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be made in a restricted area in northern Italy, in the region of Emilia-Romagna and Mantova in Lombardia. It’s also the only hard cheese that can legally be called Parmigiano-Reggiano, anything else is a copycat. To help separate it from imitators, the rind of each wheel is pin dotted and branded. A single wheel takes at least one year to age, 131 gallons of milk to make and weigh over 80lbs! Our Italian Cheese Gift Box includes a hearty wedge of the umami stuff in addition to Tuscan pecorino 🐑 milk cheese and the option to add semi-aged truffle pecorino (extras like truffle honey will be added to all orders made thru the weekend!) Our e-newsletter (sent today!) contains discount codes (10-20%!) valid thru #cybermonday- check your inbox then shop our site, if you didn’t receive DM or comment for details! Hope you’re finding some appetizing stuff out on the interwebs this #shopsmallbusiness Saturday! 🧀 🐄 🇮🇹 #florentinegourmetclub
Been eyeballing our craft Negroni club boxes? I Been eyeballing our craft Negroni club boxes? I don’t blame you. While biased, they make a great treat, gift or home bar replenishment for those who of us who love bitter-vermouth stirred cocktails. They also include priceless perks like hooch you can’t easily find (like Tuscan-made gin) printed cards detailing the history of this Aperitivo born in Florence plus bartender tips and a ticket to our virtual mixology class! In theme with the last “deals!” days of November, we are throwing in this illustrated Negroni club tote bag by local artist @lucillavecc with every box- request yours via link in bio under “Negroni Club!” branch Watch this space for more daily deals/codes till December 1st! What was your favorite snack from yesterday’s feast if you partook? #curiousappetite #florentinenegroniclub
Yesterday I was minding my own business, sampling Yesterday I was minding my own business, sampling amari like any self-respecting lush at a ripe 6 in the evening (for the sake of our Negroni & Amaro club, naturally), and surprisingly discover @foodnetwork listed our gourmet boxes in their #smallbusinesssaturday round-up guide! 😍🥃😭🙆🏻‍♀️ It’s been a tough year, struggles abound, but the club boxes has been a fulfilling passion-fueled (*cringe*) “pivot” during a time in which many of us are unable to conduct our favorite jobs in the world. Even when THIS is all over, #florentinegourmetclub will be a permanent fixture in the #curiousappetite outfit. Of course this is not done 100% by me (I can’t profesh photograph, make cheese, graphic design nor safely pack boxes!) I’m lucky to have such a reliable, talented network of collaborators- grazie mille! Check the listicle (avail only to US IP-addresses) https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shopping/staffers-picks-small-business-saturday And peep our box offerings via linktree branch in bio under “shop!” All orders completed by Dec 3rd will get extra bonus surprise ingredients (or Negroni club merch) as a thank you for early ordering! 😘 And beyond blown away by everyone who supports the club and our online events- you all rock! 🥰 #holidaygiftideas #shopsmall
Into savory and sweet contrasts? These pear and pe Into savory and sweet contrasts? These pear and pecorino stuffed BIG ravioli have your name all over them. Earlier this Fall we were testing recipes for our online fresh pasta making classes with Patrizia and this 🍐🧀 pair was one of the most enjoyable pastas I’d ever had. I hope you are able to experience the same, or closest to it on our Sunday pasta making classes online! Info & tickets via our “Eventbrite Page” branch linktree in bio! Our newsletter just landed too, which has info there plus that promised PDF recipe for a panettone tiramisù. Let me know if you end up making it! Buon appetito 😘 #curiousappetite #onlinepasta
Calling panettone eaters! I’d heard of using le Calling panettone eaters! I’d heard of using leftover panettone for breakfast French toast, but what about a sort of tiramisù?! (fully prepared for @italiansmadatfood 🤣) We’re working on a dolce recipe that will (hopefully!) pair sweetly with our Festive culinary gold gift boxes- which includes a big ol’ panettone! Check out our gift boxes under the “Shop!” link in bio and subscribe to our newsletter if you’d like the recipe for this “panetiramisù!” What are some of your tasty tips for making the most of your holiday panettone stockpiles? (Or do they even last longer than 12 minutes once open). 🍞😋#curiousappetite #florentinegourmetclub
Starting to get the hang of this zona rossa life, Starting to get the hang of this zona rossa life, week one down. Grateful we can go on walks, exercise, pick up food and drinks to go, etc etc. There’s something magical about being able to crush one of the cities best pastries (sfoglia 🥐 al cioccolato 🍫 con arancia 🍊) and a cappuccino to-go by @rivoirefirenze on a crisp Fall weekend morning, ponte vecchio in view and not a soul in sight. But then reality kicks back in and you become sick to your stomach realizing the repercussions of this abnormal moment. Thankfully there are heaps of resources keeping #Florence updated on where to get take-out and delivery rounded-up by @theflorentine (including accounts like @sandrapanerai @girlinflorence @madtasting and more) I’m trying to do my part by getting a coffee, sometimes a sweet, and other comestibles to go whenever I have to be out and about for essential errands and appointments. What are some of the silver linings you’re finding in this mess of a time? #curiousappetite #florenceitaly
Amari, meaning “bitter” (not to be confused wi Amari, meaning “bitter” (not to be confused with bar bitters or Campari-like bitter liqueurs) are a booze class of their own! These syrupy elixirs are a complex, flavorful result of a base alcohol and a top secret blend of macerated herbs, roots, spices, barks, citrus peels, etc and sugar. Most should be appreciated room temp or chilled but I’d refrain from ice unless you enjoy amari this way- and that’s all that matters! Did you know we have Negroni & Amaro club, in addition to our gourmet boxes mailed from Florence to you? (yes, even you in the states!) I’m a total amaro geek and take great joy in curating our booze boxes! Included are hard-to-find (dare I say impossible in most of the states!) unique craft amaro by interesting makers around Italy, some who use local herbs and citruses they grow themselves or foraged in the Northern Italian alpine regions. You can either request bottle(s) to be added to your Negroni club box OR a mix of only amari, which we’d work together to select based on your personal tastes. Curiously thirsty? Send an inquiry via linktree at bio under “Join Our Negroni & Amaro Club” branch! 🥃 #curiousappetite #florentinegourmetclub
Another off-brand reflection- and that is, what do Another off-brand reflection- and that is, what does it mean to food blog in 2020? I started food blogging in 2010 (with a hideous boiler plate template), it was a hobby to share travels, dining, reflections about food culture and random recipes. Much was inspired by time spent in Italy during college as I majored in Italian Studies and studied in Rome & Perugia. There was zero “strategy”- I wanted a place to share my love for food and thoughts around eating (and eventually living) in Italy 10 years later and so much has changed- there are literally millions of food blogs and food instagrammers (!) And I think it’s fabulous- people talk and care about food more than ever. Food is...cool! But is there a certain level of pressure/expectation to be heavily curated and perfectly marketed? Is there enough encouragement to be simple, imperfect and relatable? The second slide is a soup, which are my favorite things to make in the Fall and a testament to why I could never quit Italy. As long as you have quality ingredients like fresh squash, good olive oil and even fancy sea salt- you will inevitably create something incredible. (The recipe is on the blog!) And I don’t care how pretty it is or how much it makes my IG grid aesthetic *pop*- I’ll take an unflattering plate of food any day as long as it tastes good and is accessible! Maybe this explains why most of my food pics aren’t amazing (at all) unless from food tours or gift boxes (I mean, those BETTER look appetizing for obvious reasons!) 10 years later I’m still (kind of?) blogging eyebrows deep in a pandemic I never would have imagined when the name “curious appetite!” popped in my head during a lunch at Volterra in Seattle’s Ballard, nor would I have imagined what these years in Italy have taught me about food. And the best part is that everyday I realize I have so much more to learn in this country’s endless rabbit hole. What about your favorite things about Italian food and blogs you love? Buon appetito 😘 #curiousappetite #foodforthought
Is there a one wine fits all cheese? Hardly. I wil Is there a one wine fits all cheese? Hardly. I will say my trusty go-to is a high acid white (this usually has something to do with a personal preference for high-fat cheeses) or think of what local wines are made near where cheese has been crafted- per the old adage “what grows together goes together.” Our monthly Sommelier-Led Italian cheese and wine pairing is this Friday November 20th at 3:30pm East Coast/9:30pm Italy time- tickets via linktree in bio under “Eventbrite!” Come geek out with a sommelier on this useful virtual tasting on how fat, acid and flavor play into wine pairing selections for your next cheese plate (whether for the holidays or at-home aperitivo). What’s your favorite cheese and wine combo/go-to? Mine is a tie between Pecorino Toscano and Vernaccia di San Gimignano OR Lambrusco di Sorbara with Parmigiano-Reggiano 😍 #curiousappetite #onlinetastings
Usually breakfast in Italy is something sweet like Usually breakfast in Italy is something sweet like a cornetto 🥐 brioche or fruit filled puff pastry (tbh why cornetto when you can sfoglia con ricotta e pera 🍐😍) and while some may see this as a glorious pass for dolce as least once a day, others may find a baked sweet underwhelming. But there are savory loophole exceptions like little panini and pastry flatbreads with decadent toppings as these from most local bakeries and coffee bars. The top right corner slice is porcini and potato on fat rich thin crispy pastry flatbread and I’m here to tell you it may change your life a little (right @mementomartina?) and def served as a salty send-off to Tuscany’s last day of orange as starting tomorrow we are officially in the red. To understand all this color coded madness, @theflorentine @girlinflorence @thelocalitaly as usual breaks it down (in English!) Today was a carb-free for all in light (or darkness) of the stark new (albeit needed!) lockdown in effect at midnight (Sunday). Which is silly (or dramatic?) because this is all temporary and it’s not like you can’t order or pick up carbs for at-home eating. But for distraction’s sake- if you had to choose between a savory or sweet breakfast- which & what would it be? ☕️ 🍕 🥐 #curiousappetite #colazioneitaliana