Salads & Vegetables
Italian vegetables and their traditional uses in regional cooking. Articles cover seasonal produce, preparation techniques, and classic salad combinations from different regions.
Artichokes in Italian Cooking
Globe artichokes need careful prep work to reach the heart, but it's worth learning how to trim, remove the choke and cook them properly for Italian dishes.
Do You Know Your Autumnal Ingredients?
Test your knowledge of Italian autumn cooking with these 10 questions about seasonal ingredients, wines and dishes.
Fennel in Italian Cooking
Fennel's sweet aniseed flavor works beautifully in Italian cooking when paired with the right ingredients, especially fish.
Fruits of the Forest: Mushroom Hunting Season
A bumper year for wild mushrooms in Italy comes with deadly risks as hunters compete fiercely for prized porcini and truffles.
Guide to Italian Salad Leaves
Italian salad leaves like radicchio, rocket and lollo rosso bring fresh, quality ingredients to the heart of Italian cooking.
How Garlic Is Used in Italian Cuisine
Italian cooks use garlic differently depending on the region and dish, from whole roasted bulbs to single cloves in pasta sauces.
Mushrooms and Truffles in Italian Cooking
Italian cooks rely on wild mushrooms and prized truffles, especially white truffles from Piedmont, which command premium prices.
Onions, Carrot and Celery
These humble vegetables form the flavor foundation of Italian cooking when chopped and cooked with care.
Spinach in Italian Cooking
Spinach wilts down dramatically when cooked because it's mostly water, here's how to prepare it properly for Italian dishes.
Tomatoes and the Italian Culture
Tomatoes became central to Italian cooking just 200 years ago, transforming pasta and pizza into the iconic dishes we know today.