From Scratch to Finish

By Lucia Cascioli

Are you looking for a cookbook that captures your love of cooking and baking? Look no further. Lucia shares some of her favorite recipes with you. After years of working as a public servant, Lucia has returned to her love of creative writing. She has written three fiction books: Struck; Shifters; and her latest thriller, Spiral. From Scratch to Finish is her first cookbook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781105633959

Book preview

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Introduction

I love food. It’s no secret. I have wandered through the cobblestone markets in Italy and nibbled my way through the stalls. I’ve headed to the St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto on a weekend, just to take in the aromas and to hear the crowd of fresh food lovers picking out their Saturday night meal ingredients. Most of the time, I shop at the local supermarket and look for the Foodland Ontario signs.

I haven’t always been this way. Sure, I grew up Italian. Pretty much everything was homemade: bread, pasta, wine, prosciutto, sauce, sausages, etc. etc. etc. If it was in a jar, it was stuffed in there, at home. Hazelnut spread was one of the few things I remember that was bought in a jar.

As a kid, I was pretty much an observer. I preferred it that way. It was easier. I would crank the tomatoes through the machine when it was time to make sauce, play with a small ball of pasta, but my mother ran the kitchen.

When I moved out, I ventured a bit. Baby steps. I took bigger leaps when I got married. Then, about ten years ago, I really started to get into cooking and baking. I read a lot of books, watched the experts, and looked for fresh ingredients.

The turning point for me was a cooking trip to Italy. It brought me back to the basics of cooking and a true appreciation of proper, simple techniques. I am no chef. I bow to the great ones out there.

Do you meet any of the following criteria?

Love to walk through kitchen aisles in a store and get excited looking at shiny pots and pans

Will turn the television off during the evening to whip up a batch of cookies

Read recipe books as if they were thrillers

Love to talk about recipe techniques you’ve tried with friends (and they nod at you, even though you seem way too animated over the way the chicken turned out)

Are thrilled to receive an instant-read thermometer as a stocking stuffer

If yes, this book is for you, friend.

Enjoy your baking and cooking (even if you burn some dishes from time to time).

It’s all for the love of it.

Buon appetito!

Lucia Cascioli

Equipment

Over the years, I have found tools that are very helpful to have in the kitchen and those that are not so helpful, which usually end up in a box in the basement or in the recycling bin. I have the basic collection of serving utensils, sieves, and sifters. I won’t get into large appliances here, nor are they listed in the equipment section of each recipe, but I thought I would share some of my thoughts on kitchen utensils and gadgetry:

1.     Spatulas, whisks and wooden spoons and forks

A variety of shapes and sizes of spatulas and whisks ease the task of blending, folding or scooping every bit of goodness out of bowls and cups. I have a number of wooden spoons and forks too. Some are designated for meats, others for sauces or desserts. They all look great on display on the kitchen counter too!

2.     Measuring cups and spoons

Make sure you have a couple of sets with which to work. It’s easier especially when you have to measure wet and dry ingredients. It helps to have metric and Imperial measurements on your cups. I’ve learned some recipes in metric and some in Imperial. So it helps not to have to convert.

3.     Knives

I have more knives than I actually need (some were gifts). I use my chef’s knife (all-purpose), my paring knife, and my bread knife the most. My peeler substitutes for a knife. It’s a great purchase.

4.     Baking sheets and tins

The more the merrier. If I want to double a batch of cookies, I don’t want to have to wait for the sheets to cool down. I also have sheets designated as other (e.g. the one to put under a pie to catch any spills). I make muffins all the time; the tin is a must for me.

5.     Scale

One year, my husband and daughter bought me a scale for Christmas. I didn’t think much of it. Now, it’s a staple. I can’t believe how much I use it. Most of the recipes I’ve collected from Italy are by weight. If you plan on buying one, I would suggest you look for a flat bottom that will easily hold a bowl and has a digital reading. This way, you can measure right in the bowl you will be using (less mess) and have a precise measurement.

6.     Digital instant read thermometer

Another gift from them that I actually dropped hints about. Need to know how hot your water is for pizza