Published on Sunday, November 20, 2011 by Kathy McCabe I'm just back from a few weeks in Italy where I saw the first signs of the holidays with Christmas trees in shop windows and a few presepi on display. A presepio is a creche or Nativity scene and  handmade versions by Italian artisans are an integral part of Italian Christmas celebrations.  If you will be in Italy during the holiday season, here are a few places to ...

Published on Friday, July 15, 2011 by Kathy McCabe So you think you've eaten well in Italy? Suspend all judgment until you've visited the region of  Puglia, where the Mediterranean sun waves its magic wand to produce a true bounty of magnificent, flavorful gifts. Here are some examples of the fresh ingredients Puglia produces and how they combine in simple, yet mouth-watering ways: Olive oil: The ancient  olive t...