TAX REFUND SALE

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

As you may know I have been leading culinary tours to Tuscany and Calabria in Italy for years. These small group fully escorted tours last for a week. We stay in one beautiful villa or hotel in the hills of Italy and our driver comes to pick us up daily so that we can visit places such as Lucca, San Gimingano, Siena and Chianti and much more in Tuscany.

Our visit to Calabria includes a day in the vineyards, visiting the ruins at Sibiari, a trip to the mountains and La Silla national park. Our last few days are spent on the lovely and famous Almafi Coast in a wonderful hotel in Positano with fabulous sea views.

Each tour offers so much more and I would like to suggest that you go to my web site at www.carmiescucina.com for the full itinerary.

Since it is tax time we have decided to hold a TAX REFUND SALE. Between now and April 21, 2012 we are offering a reduction of price for our tours. Each tour for a limited time will be priced at $3,195.00. To make a reservation or to discuss the tours please contact me at bchobbins@comcast.net I will be happy to tell you more about these wonderful tours.

I hope to see you soon at a cooking class, speaking engagement, book signing or in Italy.

Make every day a celebration.

Buon appetito,

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

EASY SPRING PASTA RECIPE

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

Are you looking for a really easy spring pasta recipe? The this is the one for you. A classic recipe from Emilia-Romagnia, where cream and butter are commonly used in pasta sauces. Fresh peas are the best for this dish, but frozen are perfectly acceptable and much quicker. Just add a salad some bread and fresh fruit and you have a wonderful but easy spring meal.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons onion, chopped
1/4 cup cooked ham, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh green peas, shelled or 1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
1 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the chopped ham, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and the peas then simmer for 2 minutes.

Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of salted, boiling water until the pasta is al dente. Just before the fettuccine is done cooking, add the cream to the skillet of sauce and stir until heated through and well blended.

Drain the fettuccine, and spread the pasta out on a flat platter or pasta dish. Pour the ham and pea sauce over it. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and parsley and toss before serving.

This is one of our family favorite dishes, I hope it will become one of yours too.

Buon appetito,

Carmela Tursi Hobbins