From Libellula's Kitchen & Land

Lucia was unusual from a young age.As a child, she highly unimpressed with the stuck up attitude of wealthy Italians.So, during church services, she would sneak under the pews and cut off the bottoms of wealthy women’s dresses.The unsuspecting women would only later realize what had happened as they stood to leave church, aghast at their ruined skirts.As Lucia grew, so did her captivating beauty.But she staunchly refused any offers of marriage, declaring she had absolutely no desire to rely on men who always seemed so certain of their gender’s superiority.By the time she was a teenager, Lucia would dress...

In the early 1100s, an evil duke named Guido III ruled the small Italian town of Ivrea. Now Guido was your typical cruel ruler; mean to his servants, demanding taxes so high that his townspeople were on the brink of starvation, and handing out harsh punishments to anyone who dared to disagree with him. But one night, Guido took his cruelty one step too far. On a snowy winter's evening, Violetta, the miller’s daughter had just sat down to her wedding feast. Beautiful, brave, and spirited, Violetta was beloved by the whole town. And as such her wedding to the...

Ahh Ravioli. One of the most loved dishes of Italy!  Little pockets of fresh pasta filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables served in a variety of sweet, spicy, and savory sauces.  Ravioli have been enjoyed in Italy since the 14th century. At the court of the Gonzagues, stuffed pasta was offered to noble visitors as a royal treat!  But what about the Italian Christmas Eve classic, Ravioli di Zucca (Squash Ravioli)?  Well, it all started when farmers began growing squash in Northern Italy after it was brought back by explorers from South and Central America. The Italian nobility quickly became...

Located in the northwest corner of Italy, and isolated from most of Europe by the Alps, is the region of Piedmont. For centuries, residents of the hills of Piedmont would journey into the woods each autumn to gather hazelnuts, which flourish here due to the ideal climate and topography of the region. They would then dry and roast the nuts, using them as a key part of their diet all year round. Torta di Nocciole, like many old-school Italian recipes, is based on “cucina povera,” a concept that we often feature in Libellula dishes. “Cucina Povera” is Italy’s “poor cooking”...