A warm greeting to all those who have followed me and who follow me. My book "Io, Guenda e il gene matto" continues to be a success and I am taking it around Italy. So I will need a lot of time and energy. Stay in touch and thanks to all of you! Good life! Francesca

Class Experiences

What is tempering, crystallisation, how to temperate chocolate, why temperate. Chocolats cafè, truffes, mendiants. ...

01 May, 2016

Casa degli Scarabocchi, Ranco (Varese) See the article on Facebook ...

05 December, 2015

Thank you Eric and Alex, editors of The Chef's Cut, for coming and cooking with me!!!It has been great to spend the day with you!To everybody: if you need some details, take a look to their great website! www.thechefscut.com Gnocchi with Basil PestoTiramisu ...

05 May, 2015

Cooking on Lake Maggiore with a big family from Utah!! Welcome!! Gnocchi , focaccia and pear panna cotta! ...

02 October, 2014

Welcome and thank you american friends!!! Again together!!And thank you again for improving the recipes at home!!!! Sbrisolona, tagliatelle and pumpkin gnocchi! Pasta alla Norma Created around the 16th century in the Northern Italian countryside, outside of Mantua, sbrisolona was a popular dessert among poor families. In order...

25 September, 2014

From WikipediaPanzerotti originated in central and southern Italy, especially in Apulia. They are small versions of the calzone or closed pizza, but produced with a softer dough. The most common fillings are tomato and mozzarella, but spinach, mushrooms and ham are often used.Another filling is...

18 September, 2014

Chocolate Chip Cookies 320 gr. all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt2 large eggs2 tablespoon water1 teaspoon vanilla extract225 gr butter (softened)200 gr granulated sugar100 gr packed brown sugar2 cups semisweet chocolate chips1 cup chopped nuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).Cream together the...

08 September, 2014

The Best Soft and Chewy Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies 3/4 cup melted coconut oil (in liquid state, measured like you measure canola, olive, etc. oil)3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)1/4 cup granulated sugar1 large egg1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups all-purpose flourone 3.5-ounce packet instant vanilla...

05 September, 2014

Isabel and Jeff from Australia to Lake Maggiore on the 18th of August, cooking fresh pasta.. Gnocchi with basil pesto, Tagliatelle with Ragù ("alla bolognese") and Lasagne. Everything home made! ...

20 August, 2014

Great cooking class with Ann Marie and John! Caponata,  Pasta alla Norma and Cannoli, talking about  the story of Bellini's famous opera and listening Maria Callas. Indeed, Norma is the little of a successful opera written in 1831 by the Catania-born composer Vincenzo Bellini. In those years it became common in...

13 July, 2014

Jennifer, Matteo and Gabrielle We made fantastic pizza, focaccia and panzerotti inspite of the bad weather! Thanks to Jennifer, Matteo and Gabrielle, and thanks again to Jennifer for the photographic service !!!! ...

05 July, 2014

Cooking class with Deborah from Chicago! Spinach, pumpkin and potatoes gnocchi; tiramisù and chocolate salami Deborah and her GnocchiTiramisuChocolate Salami ...

17 June, 2014

Cooking a Cassata or Cassata siciliana ,  the traditional dessert  from Sicily. It consists of round Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake)  moistened with  liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese, candied peel, and a chocolate or vanilla filling similar to cannoli cream. It is covered with a shell of marzipan  and decorative designs. The cassata is topped with candied fruit depicting cherries...

29 May, 2014

Macarons are sweet meringue-based confection made with eggs, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder  and food colouring. They are  commonly filled with ganache or jam filling sandwiched between two biscuits. The name is derived from the Italian word macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the Italian meringue....

28 May, 2014

Pizza's cooking classes on Lake Maggiore According to popular tradition, in 1889, 28 years after the Unification of Italy, during a visit to Naples of Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I, chef Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi and his wife created  a pizza...

15 May, 2014

Colomba is an Italian Easter dessert similar to the Panettone, with flour, eggs, sugar, natural yeast and butter; it also contains orange candied and no raisins. The dough is then fashioned into a crosswise or dove shape and finally is topped with pearl sugar and almonds before being baked. ...

21 April, 2014

Chocolate Salami I’ve been making this dessert since I was 6 years old, when my mum gave me as a gift  The Cookbook of Grandma Duck, and every time I prepare it, it brings back memories of my childhood.It’s really easy to prepare and it’s also one...

04 April, 2014