While living in Rome (back in 2011), I once went on a hunt for a special Roman sweet called maritozzi con panna. These sweet Roman sugar brioche buns are filled with whipped cream and served at breakfast – but I…
Rome’s Pizza al Taglio
Among many of its food specialties, Rome is also known for the pizza al taglio – which literally translates to ‘pizza by the cut’. These pizzas are long and narrow and served by the slice. They are typically found at…
Reading List: Autumn 2019
When autumn creeps in, I like to dive into a good mystery. Below are some recommendations for mystery stories that are both rich and creative. My Italian language recommendation is set in 1950’s Milan, and I liked the use of…
Stuzzichini: Supplí
Stuzzichini are small bite sized snacks typically found at bars at happy hour or served as appetizers. These bites vary from fried mozzarella, finger sandwiches, arancini, supplí, potato croquettes, and more. This post focuses on supplí specifically. Supplí are typical…
Do I Outline?
Many have asked if I outline before I write. The answer is no. I mean, I have an idea of the story I want to write and I think about different scenes, characters, situations, etc. and I start to write…
Tasting Testaccio
From the Archives. I enjoyed a lovely day exploring the food history of Testaccio – a residential neighborhood, known for its covered market, ‘hip’ nightclubs and amazing restaurants offering traditional Roman cuisine… and the main ingredient is offal. Testaccio is named…
Adventures in Rome 2011
Over the next few weeks, I will re-release my ‘Adventures in Rome’ blog post series as I transfer them from the archives to Magnusmade.com. Contributing to #tbt or #ThrowbackThursday, a new post will be released every Thursday, beginning Sept 5,…
Spaghetti alla Carbonara for Two Fools
This recipe is for the most non-romantic dish featured in The Love Fool, and is shared as part of the resources for Book Clubs. (More resources at the end of this page.) La Carbonara is one of the many classic dishes…
A Lumberjack’s Feast
La Buche (meaning ‘the log’) is, for me, another of the most memorable restaurants in old city Québec, offering a fantastic and fun dinner of local Québécois cuisine. The space: La Buche’s interior is reminiscent of a sugar house log…
Old Warehouse, Modern Cuisine
[Québec, Canada] – Located in an old warehouse attached to the Auberge Saint Antoine, Chez Muffy celebrates local Québécois ingredients via elegant presentations. The space: Highlighting the structure of this former warehouse, Chez Muffy’s style is accentuated by exposed wood…
Summer Negroni at Bar Artefact
The weekend in Québec City started with an aperitivo at Bar Artefact in the museum-like hotel Auberge Saint-Antoine – located by the Saint Lawrence River. The space: A sleek modern design with accent pieces including cannon balls and deconstructed leather shoes,…
The Sage Monkey
This is my really simple twist on a basic Gin Rickey. The gin: I wanted to highlight the delicious flavor of Monkey 47 gin; a small batch gin distilled in the botanical fairy tale woods of Germany’s Black Forest. My…