Enjoying breakfast at the local café as a way to reclaim freedom | Reproducing that breakfast at home | The recipe for the Italian jam puffs, just like those you eat at your favourite café
Well if I wasn’t feeling hungry before, I sure am now! Thank you for sharing your recipes and telling us what Italians are now doing for breakfast. For me I still prefer my (as we say in Australia) Long Black which is a full cup of coffee without milk (of course!) I try to keep the old age kilos off so breakfast for me is Green Tea and fruit with yoghurt. It would be a special treat to eat some of those pastries and your favourite rice tart looks so good. Before we got the key at a little town for our accommodation near San Gimignano, there was a Supermarket where I purchased the most amazing Almond biscuits crispy on the outside and a bit soft in the middle. Even at our Italian grocer they didn’t have anything like it. I need to find a recipe to replicate.
They were sold in a cellophane packet, about 12 in the pack. Size wise they were about the size of a golf ball, maybe slightly larger, and as I said crispy (not hard) on the outside and soft centred. Probably a bit like Ricciarelli, but without the flaked almonds on the outside and no cherries. I’m guessing made with egg whites, caster sugar, almond flour, lemon zest and almond extract and when cooked perhaps dusted with icing sugar. Any confirmation would be terrific. Thank you Guilia
Your words bring me back to Italy! I hope to cook with you on our next visit. I’ve been following you for years! All the podcasts, Udemy cooking classes, Markets of Tuscany book, and newsletters. Your little world is amazing! Thank you for sharing tidbits of your sweet family life along with you recipes. Xoxo
Ciao, Giulia! These look delicious, and I cannot wait to make them. Thanks for the recipe!
On another note, I can very much relate to your first paragraph. Have felt similarly and still finding it difficult to return to my pre-pandemic positivity. Reading your and Tommaso’s posts certainly help, as does knowing I’ll be returning to Italy in October! 😊
Beautifully written Giulia. Your words resonated deeply with me - adjusting to “life after Covid” was in one sense, filled with joy in those simple, everyday, ordinary moments, but contrasted with low level anxiety and a background sense of impending disaster, a fear that life would never return to normal. Thank goodness there is always good food to anchor, reassure, comfort, and steady us! Our weekend breakfasts are generally more leisurely, and often sweet, always with coffee. Eating out for breakfast is a rare deviation but nonetheless a treat ☺️
Beautifully written Giulia. Your words resonated deeply with me - adjusting to “life after Covid” was in one sense, filled with joy in those simple, everyday, ordinary moments, but contrasted with low level anxiety and a background sense of impending disaster, a fear that life would never return to normal. Thank goodness there is always good food to anchor, reassure, comfort, and steady us! Our weekend breakfasts are generally more leisurely, and often sweet, always with coffee. Eating out for breakfast is a rare deviation but nonetheless a treat ☺️
It's rare that we go out for breakfast these days. We usually have coffee and scrambled eggs with toast or cereal with fruit. On weekends, I often make pizza fritte (fried dough), when I have leftover pizza dough. We fry the dough and sprinkle it while it's warm with cinnamon sugar.
There is very good puff pastry for sale and it makes great turnovers. We usually fill them with apple pie filling, which is cheating I know. I'm a senior citizen and I look for easy ways to bake.
Your jam puffs look so delicious. Thank you. Rosalie
Yum! These look delicious. I will have to give it a go. Pastry has not been my easiest thing to do, but I keep trying. I loved your story and am so glad that you finally finding some peace from the chaotic past 2 1/2 years.
Oooooh a sfogliatina with riso is a thing I DREAM about. I had the best one on a very early morning in San Gimignano eons ago. And my daughter loves an apple filled turnover of any type.
I've always been intimidated by puff pastry so this is super appealing--off to look at that recipe.
Do you think they would travel well? We're getting ready for a long road trip and I am thinking of making a few treats--we'll be eating mostly in the car/picnics/in our hotel rooms.
There’s a small doughnut shop in the town just south of mine that makes an Italian (or Italian-American pastry called bania. It’s a cornetti-looking pastry filled with a cream-like custard. I’ve done a search on it and found nothing. Do you know of it in Italy?
It's strawberry times here in Québec, for sure I will try this recipe soon. Thank you for your generosity. COVID affected our life in so many ways but younger or older we should go on and enjoy the beauty of every day.
Well if I wasn’t feeling hungry before, I sure am now! Thank you for sharing your recipes and telling us what Italians are now doing for breakfast. For me I still prefer my (as we say in Australia) Long Black which is a full cup of coffee without milk (of course!) I try to keep the old age kilos off so breakfast for me is Green Tea and fruit with yoghurt. It would be a special treat to eat some of those pastries and your favourite rice tart looks so good. Before we got the key at a little town for our accommodation near San Gimignano, there was a Supermarket where I purchased the most amazing Almond biscuits crispy on the outside and a bit soft in the middle. Even at our Italian grocer they didn’t have anything like it. I need to find a recipe to replicate.
Tell me more about those cookies! I can investigate for the recipe!
They were sold in a cellophane packet, about 12 in the pack. Size wise they were about the size of a golf ball, maybe slightly larger, and as I said crispy (not hard) on the outside and soft centred. Probably a bit like Ricciarelli, but without the flaked almonds on the outside and no cherries. I’m guessing made with egg whites, caster sugar, almond flour, lemon zest and almond extract and when cooked perhaps dusted with icing sugar. Any confirmation would be terrific. Thank you Guilia
Your words bring me back to Italy! I hope to cook with you on our next visit. I’ve been following you for years! All the podcasts, Udemy cooking classes, Markets of Tuscany book, and newsletters. Your little world is amazing! Thank you for sharing tidbits of your sweet family life along with you recipes. Xoxo
Ciao, Giulia! These look delicious, and I cannot wait to make them. Thanks for the recipe!
On another note, I can very much relate to your first paragraph. Have felt similarly and still finding it difficult to return to my pre-pandemic positivity. Reading your and Tommaso’s posts certainly help, as does knowing I’ll be returning to Italy in October! 😊
So good! Filled them with strawberry jam and some with lemon curd. I do need to work on my “sealing” skills.
Looks delicious! I’m going to try these this weekend! 💕 I love your newsletter as always.
💜 Lisa
Beautifully written Giulia. Your words resonated deeply with me - adjusting to “life after Covid” was in one sense, filled with joy in those simple, everyday, ordinary moments, but contrasted with low level anxiety and a background sense of impending disaster, a fear that life would never return to normal. Thank goodness there is always good food to anchor, reassure, comfort, and steady us! Our weekend breakfasts are generally more leisurely, and often sweet, always with coffee. Eating out for breakfast is a rare deviation but nonetheless a treat ☺️
Beautifully written Giulia. Your words resonated deeply with me - adjusting to “life after Covid” was in one sense, filled with joy in those simple, everyday, ordinary moments, but contrasted with low level anxiety and a background sense of impending disaster, a fear that life would never return to normal. Thank goodness there is always good food to anchor, reassure, comfort, and steady us! Our weekend breakfasts are generally more leisurely, and often sweet, always with coffee. Eating out for breakfast is a rare deviation but nonetheless a treat ☺️
It's rare that we go out for breakfast these days. We usually have coffee and scrambled eggs with toast or cereal with fruit. On weekends, I often make pizza fritte (fried dough), when I have leftover pizza dough. We fry the dough and sprinkle it while it's warm with cinnamon sugar.
There is very good puff pastry for sale and it makes great turnovers. We usually fill them with apple pie filling, which is cheating I know. I'm a senior citizen and I look for easy ways to bake.
Your jam puffs look so delicious. Thank you. Rosalie
Yum! These look delicious. I will have to give it a go. Pastry has not been my easiest thing to do, but I keep trying. I loved your story and am so glad that you finally finding some peace from the chaotic past 2 1/2 years.
These look wonderful and delicious I can’t wait to try them thank you for all the wonderful recipes and lovely letters I enjoy them so much
Oooooh a sfogliatina with riso is a thing I DREAM about. I had the best one on a very early morning in San Gimignano eons ago. And my daughter loves an apple filled turnover of any type.
I've always been intimidated by puff pastry so this is super appealing--off to look at that recipe.
Do you think they would travel well? We're getting ready for a long road trip and I am thinking of making a few treats--we'll be eating mostly in the car/picnics/in our hotel rooms.
There’s a small doughnut shop in the town just south of mine that makes an Italian (or Italian-American pastry called bania. It’s a cornetti-looking pastry filled with a cream-like custard. I’ve done a search on it and found nothing. Do you know of it in Italy?
James R Mihaloew
Strongsville OH USA
It's strawberry times here in Québec, for sure I will try this recipe soon. Thank you for your generosity. COVID affected our life in so many ways but younger or older we should go on and enjoy the beauty of every day.
Will have to try this recipe very soon. Thank you for sharing!