By Maria Filice • March 4, 2012  
Ciao a tutti!
It’s been a while since I last blogged. Forgive me …..
April 6, 2012 will mark the third anniversary of the L’Aquila Earthquake. I just returned from a visit to L’Aquila and was very sad to see that movement is still very slow!!
I’m organizing a few events in the next few months to help raise awareness and continue with fund raising!
I am working with a friend whom I met two years ago in Castelli (the finest ceramic designs in the world). I asked Antonio Simone, old school ceramic maker (inks are still made by hand), to design a plate from my book Breaking Bread in L’Aquila. When we met last week, he had me choose from a few designs and had a hard time picking one design. Instead, I picked two. This will be the first of my series and will add on: vases, larger platters, dinner plates, espresso cups (you get the picture)!
I have a limited supply of each of these designs available end of May. Unique, one of a kind, hand painted dish as part of my brand extension. You can hang it as a beautiful wall design or use the dish to serve my biscotti, amaretti, an antipasti or condorni. Then again, rule breaking Maria says “anything goes”!!
Each plate will be for sale on my website at www.foodandfate.com for $250.00. A portion of the net profits will be donated to an Art School in Castelli. I will post more about this soon.
A beautiful dish to add to your collection and the perfect way to help the children/youth in Abruzzo.
My goal is to present a check at Telos in Europe: The L’Aquila Conference
September 7–10, 2012, in L’Aquila, Italy
a presto,
Maria !
By Maria Filice • October 28, 2011 Hi Everybody –
I catered a party and served some of my dishes from Breaking Bread in L’Aquila. I made some modifications and shared with my guests that the book is very easy to use and the basis of creating much more!
I served outstanding cheeses from Abruzzo with the help from Bob Marcelli. Bob imports world class cheeses from his cheese making family in Anversa degli Abruzzi. Check out his site at http://www.marcelliformaggi.com.
• Caprino Stagionato di Abruzzo (Goat Cheese)
Aged 60-90 days, made from organic raw goats milk, salt and rennet
In the Sagittario Valley area of Abruzzo* the “caprino”* is made and aged in the baskets (called “fuscelle”). Slightly dry and lightly salted, it has a mellow goat flavor.
• Pecorino Del Parco (Pecorino of the Park)
Aged at least 6 months, made from organic raw sheep milk, salt and rennet
Classic example of the pecorino of Abruzzo. Rich, nutty and full flavored with the taste of over 120 wild herbs and flowers growing in the grass.
Pecorino was served with Organic Artisanal Savory Honey – Santoreggia – (Summer Savory). The Santoreggia plant is of the same family as thyme, but has a more intense scent. The honey that is gathered from the bees that feed on this and other plants, ranges from amber yellow to light green in color, with a flavor and aroma of medium intensity, with very floral-forward notes, as well as those described as “wet earth”.
Here’s my menu:
Antipasti:
Prosciutto with Melon / Prosciutto e Melone
Caprese Salad / Insalata Caprese
Roasted Peppers / Peperoni Arrostiti
Grilled Eggplant with Cured Black Olives and Basil / Melanzane alla Griglia con Olive e Basilico
Smoked Ricotta with Pepper / Ricotta Affumicata e Peperoncino
Primi:
Pasta alla Chitarra with Fresh Tomato Sauce / Pasta alla Chitarra al Pomodoro
Pasta with Butternut Squash and Pine Nuts / Pasta con Zucca e pinoli
Secondi:
Chicken Scaloppine with White Wine / Scaloppine di Pollo al Vino Bianco
Contorni:
Peas and Mushrooms / Piselli e Funghi
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Shaved Parmigiano Cheese / Insalata con Scaglie di Parmigiano
Dessert:
Tiramisu
Cookies / Biscotti: Amaretti, Biscotti (with cranberry and pistachio), Torrone
Coffee / Caffè
a presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • October 3, 2011 
Great time of year to make stuffed peppers or anything you can get your hands on at the market!
My interns (now close friends: Allie and James) made stuffed peppers from my book “Breaking Bread in L’Aquila”. They loved them and very easy to prepare!
Have you made them yet?
a presto,
Maria !
By Maria Filice • August 17, 2011 Hi Everybody,
I will be sharing some simple summer recipes on my TV segment on CHCH TV 11 – tomorrow Thursday, August 17th @ 8:10am.
It’s a beautiful way to show how simple vegetables make the perfect garnish, meal and table decor – gorgeous colors from yellow, green, red and blue.
I look forward to blogging some of the tips tomorrow. If you are in Toronto area., catch me on CHCH TV 11 @ 8:10am.
a presto,
Maria Filice
ps – to the staff of CHCH TV 11 …. don’t bring your lunch !!!!!!!!!!!
By Maria Filice • June 28, 2011 ![Mayor+presenting+gift+to+Mary[1]](https://foodandfate.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Mayor+presenting+gift+to+Mary1.jpg)  
Thanks to everybody!! We did it!!
On June 9th Maria Filice, author and food stylist of Breaking Bread in L’Aquila, publisher, Food and Fate Publishing (imprint of Telos Press Publishing) made a donation towards the construction of a playground for primary and secondary school students in Rocca di Mezzo. Using the net profits from her cookbook, Filice donated $5,000. The playground is dedicated to the memory of Filice’s late husband, Paul Piccone.
The official ceremony for receipt of the donation took place at 11am in Viale Giovanne Minozzi, where Filice presented a check to Emilio Nusca, mayor of Rocca di Mezzo, Carlo Benedetti, President of Consiglio Comunale of the City of L’Aquila, and the school’s principal Claudia Scipioni. Mayor Nusca is also the coordinator among mayors in the L’Aquila region who are responsible for reconstruction after the earthquake.
For those who wish to visit, Rocca di Mezzo is a small town about 15 kilometers from Celano with approximately 2,000 inhabitants. During the height of the summer tourist season, this population swells to 10,000. The town is situated atop a beautiful plateau among the highest mountains of the Abruzzo and the Appennini, about 30 kilometers from L’Aquila. As a smaller town, somewhat removed from the main destruction the April 2009 earthquake in the Abruzzo, Rocca di Mezzo has not received much help with reconstruction. Though the Protezione Civile rebuilt the school that is home to the primary and secondary students of Rocca di Mezzo as well as the nearby villages of Ovindoli and Rocca di Cambio, the playground has not yet been restored. With the donation, Filice hopes to fill this vital need.
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