Bisco in the Oven

It's been a good what... eight months since I last posted? I guess we've been busy baking.

We have a bun... or rather, a Biscottino (gingerbread man in Italian), in the oven. I'm now home on maternity leave and we're expecting the oven to go 'ding' for done anytime now. Ready or not, Bisco will be here and a new adventure will start!

Cantina Nino Negri

This year we decided to visit the Nino Negri winery during the Cantine Aperte or 'open cellar' event that falls on the last Sunday of May every year.



Nino Negri makes one of our favorite wines from Valtellina - the Le Tense.

The winery is housed in a 15th century castle and we were able to visit the cellars which are up to 13 meters underground.

















It was a nice way to spend Sunday morning before lunch. Most wineries in Italy do not cater for visitors so this event is a good opportunity to visit one of the many excellent winemakers in the country. We'll definitely mark it on our calendar for next year.




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Perfect Party Cake

by Dorie Greenspan





Decided to try out this recipe last weekend. The layers are a lemon flavored white cake, with a raspberry jam filling and iced with a meringue lemon buttercream. The final touch - a dusting of shredded coconut all over, perfect for covering any imperfections on the icing job. Dorie's recipes may seem a little involved but so far I have yet to be disappointed.



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