Where Food meets Life:

Food is a fundamental part of life, as it provides fuel and nourishment to our bodies. The best parts of life incorporate food in some way, whether that be sharing a meal with friends or traveling and tasting the local cuisine. Food is an essential part of life, however, cooking may not be in everyone’s wheelhouse. What would make cooking a better experience for those who don’t like to cook? Maria Liberati suggests three things for a better cooking experience, which include:

1. Make sure that you have the right appliances. An oven, stove-top, and other appliances make a world of a difference when cooking!
2. Have a comfortable kitchen design. Make sure that you can move effortlessly in your kitchen and have confidence in your kitchen layout!
3. Have a good set of knives. Dull knives will make your cooking journey very difficult!

These three factors will help make your cooking experience more enjoyable, as you ease yourself into the world of cooking. You may not be a culinary star with extraordinary knife skills, but getting comfortable in the kitchen is a good start! Learning how to cook for yourself and others will allow you to build a healthy relationship with food. Maria Liberati asks her listeners what their favorite thing to use at home in their kitchens is? Maria’s favorite appliance is her food processor! She uses it constantly and loves the consistency it brings to her dishes! Maria invites her listeners to share their favorite appliances using the #TheMariaLiberatiShow for a chance to win a copy of one of her books!

The Basic Art Of Italian Cooking Diaries: Seasons by Maria Liberati

While creating her novel series, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, Maria Liberati lived in Italy as she studied the local cuisine and toured the Italian countryside. As she traveled around Italy, she kept a diary of her time there, and that diary was brought to print in her newest novel, The Basic Art Of Italian Cooking Diaries: Seasons. In this week’s podcast, Maria gives listeners a glimpse into her newest book by reading an excerpt from the book. The diary entry that Maria is reading can be found on page 27 of her book, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Diaries: Seasons is from June 29th and is called “Villa Borghese.” Maria goes deep into the rich history of the Borghese family from Siena to their Villa in Rome. She details the beauty of the Roman architecture on Pincio Hill, with luscious, green gardens and the magnificent art housed there.

Granita Al Cafe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of espresso
• 1 cup of spring water
• 3 tbs. of sugar
• 1 vanilla stick
• crushed ice

Instructions:

1. Place water, sugar, and vanilla stick in a pan and let it boil.
2. Once a boiling temperature has been reached, take it off heat, let it cool & take out the vanilla stick.
3. Place in an ice cube tray and let this mixture solidify into ice in the freezer.
4. When frozen, place in an ice crusher or carefully chop the ice.
5. Place 3 tbs of crushed, or chopped ice into 4 glasses and pour hot, fresh coffee over the ice & serve.

Thanks for following along on this little journey through Roman delicacies and culture, and be sure to tune in next time on The Maria Liberati Show!

Be sure to check out Maria’s Socials to stay up to date on all things food, art, travel, and life!

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