Cooking with Carmelo: Roasted Vegetables “Antipasto”

Chef Carmelo Sortino and I are keen to promote some simple vegetarian recipes while we are confined at home and need to stay healthy and inspired in the kitchen. This is a theme that will run through the next series of recipes that I will be posting over the next…

Read More »

Cooking with Carmelo: Risotto with Pork Sausage and Red Wine

From Carmelo’s Kitchen: Servings: 2 Sauce: 1 tbsp / 15ml olive oil 1 cup / 250ml large red onion, medium chopped 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped Pinch sea salt mixed with 1/4 cup / 50ml Herbs de Provence (savoury, marjoram, thyme, oregano) Sausages: 1/2 lb / 227g Sweet Italian…

Read More »

Cooking with Carmelo

Sicilian-born Chef Carmelo Sortino has been cooking since he was 14 years old, starting in his uncle’s pastry shop where he became fascinated with baking and making marzipan. Two years later, he moved to Milan to work for the Ricci Company before being offered a place at Giuseppe Ciocca’s culinary…

Read More »

Tuscany 2016

Tuscany is especially beautiful in the Fall. It’s golden slopes and slender trees, its sienna sunsets and pastel skies, its red, red wine. I can remember the sounds and smells as if it were yesterday. I stayed at Villa Fonte, on the outskirts of Certaldo a short drive to San…

Read More »

The Cyclades Islands of the Central Aegean, GREECE

In 2015, after having skippered food previous sailing trips in Croatia, and one in B.C. Canada, I decided to embark on a sailing adventure in Greece. I was in charge of a 49ft sailboat, and 7 crew. We left from Athens, and sailed 300 nautical miles over a 50-mile stretch…

Read More »

Carmel, California

When I think of Carmel, I automatically think of Clint Eastwood, rolling sand dunes and chic clifftop restaurants. Since my stay there in the summer of 2014, I now know all that to be true, and so much more. Fly to San Jose, rent a car, and drive that incredible…

Read More »