What two food items/spices/herbs/ would you have if stranded on a Desert island?  

S.C. Rosemary and lemon, (I'd cook with the sea water and make delicious fish!)

What Funny or Crazy Food Experience have you had? 

S.C. When we came to the states in 1989 to open our restaurant we brought many new items that were not well known to Americans (at least not in Western NY). We had Veal in a creamy truffle sauce, a guest loved it, he had never seen a truffle before so he asked if we could show him what they look like. We brought out a dish with a few fresh truffles on it, the guest smelled them then quickly proceeded to pick one up and put it in his mouth...We were speechless, and shocked, we explained that the going price was $600.00 a lb. and that only a little bit was needed to impart the flavor...he was mortified, but we all had a good laugh in the end-and the chef made sure that if he ever brought them out again they would have a glass cover!

Any food/cooking family stories will you share with students/guests?  

S.C. Every Sunday my Aunt would prepare a wonderful meal for the whole family. We are from Friuli in Northern Italy, and our staple is the Polenta made with corn meal. She would stir it for about 40 minutes then pour it out on a "tagliere" a large wooden board placed in the middle of the table, on top she she gently added braised quail in a wine sauce. I always remember the wonderful aroma, the swirls of smoke when she served us our portion, and the way the Montasio cheese would slowly soften when placed on the hot polenta. I still hear the joyful voices of us all sitting at our table talking, eating, and laughing together.

 

Sandra is a partner in "Luxury in Tuscany," an agency that specializes in upscale vacation experiences in Tuscany and Northern Italy with a focus on food and wine.  Through her experiences, Sandra reveals the secrets of Tuscan cuisine and the Italian culture.  Having grown up watching her aunt prepare delicious meals from the Friuli tradition, and later in Florence where she learned to cook home style Tuscan food from scratch, she developed a love for Italian regional cuisine.