I am currently taking reservations for a very special event at Case Vecchie, "Savoring Sicily: A Writing and Cooking Course," that I am hosting with my good friend Laura Fraser. Laura, who is the best-selling author of "An Italian Affair", will lead daily workshops in writing about food, place, and culture. I will conduct hands-on cooking classes to whet your appetite for writing (and for fabulous meals). We will all gain inspiration by exploring Sicily's ancient sites, walking among the vineyards, olives groves, and gardens, and simply relaxing on a stone terrace in the sun. The course, which takes place June 12-18, 2011, is for all levels of writers and cooks, but is limited to 10 guests to provide intimate, personalized learning. If you would like more information, please Questo indirizzo e-mail è protetto dallo spam bot. Abilita Javascript per vederlo. .

I spent most of the month of February in the U.S., and the hit was a dinner at blacksmith Angelo Garro's forge in San Francisco, where we cooked a whole wild boar. It was a treat! Angelo, who was born in Sicily and has my own flavors in his mind, used super wild fennel stems to season the boar and his own vinegar and salts from Trapani. Over the long, peaceful day, I really enjoyed cooking with him, comparing our recipes and chatting.

For dessert, I made a biancomangiare, an almond pudding (you'll find the recipe below). I had brought some bitter almond extract from Sicily, and I made the candied orange peel to go with it. Finally, since we had some spare time left, I made cuddureddi, little donuts dredged in sugar and cinnamon. Alice Waters, one of the evening's guests, loved those!