Thinking Design
Get design inspiration, design operations tips, and recipes (from puttanesca to panzerotti) delivered monthly and prepare to have your mind stimulated and your mouth water.
What Nellie Bly Taught Me
When I was growing up my mother had a framed series of trading cards of the journalist, adventurist, and proto-feminist Nellie Bly hanging in her dressing room.
What can John Singer Sargent teach us?
During this time of social distancing, I've been thinking quite a lot about John Singer Sargeant. I don't really know why? Perhaps because his paintings are imbued with a serene elegance that I find calming.
Linda’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Satisfy your winter holiday comfort cravings with a freshly baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. In my recipe, cinnamon and nutmeg add complexity to the cookies’ flavor profile, and oatmeal lends a compelling texture (plus a hint of nuttiness). My oatmeal chocolate chip cookies also make a great shareable treat for neighbors and loved ones.
Linda’s Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This traditional Roman dish is my go-to when I am feeling run down and at risk of getting ill. I know the combination of abundant garlic and pepper will get my immune system’s attention and keep me in good health. Plus it is a super fast and flavorful recipe — perfect for a quick bite. My recipe is based on Marcella Hazan’s from Classic Italian Cooking, the only Italian food cookbook anyone needs to own!
Linda’s Puttanesca
This month, we are cooking up Pasta à la Puttanesca, which is a great pantry dish. Nearly all of the ingredients can be kept on hand indefinitely. By adding olive oil packed tuna, you get protein to make it into a complete one dish meal!
Linda’s Watermelon Salad
Continue your tour through my personal recipe journal with another Recipe of the Month! In keeping with the theme of belonging and sharing, and with the weather heating up, this month we are making Watermelon Salad—a great dish to bring to picnics. Easy to make, refreshing, and crowd-pleasing, what more could you ask for?
Linda’s Umbrian Lentil Soup (Zuppa de Lenticchie)
There’s nothing as soothing as warm soup on a chilly late fall day. Try Linda’s Umbrian lentil soup—a fan favorite of family and friends near and far.
Linda’s Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons
Continue your tour through my food journal with another Recipe of the Month. This month I am sharing a recipe that is my son Luca's favorite dish. It can be cooked in a traditional oven, but if you are lucky enough to have a wood-burning oven (like I do up at the lake, thanks to my wonderful husband Alan) the wood smoke adds a depth of flavor that takes it to another level!
Linda’s Brodo alla Nonna
This is my Nonna’s recipe, it makes approximately 2 litres of broth. This broth is wonderful with cappelletti or for Stracciatella.
Which Came First, Spaghetti Carbonara or the Egg?
Yummy, creamy, bacon-y, Spaghetti Carbonara, is the mac n cheese of Italian pasta dishes. Interestingly, the origins of this popular dish are not clearly understood. In fact, its’ provenance is the subject of intense debate in Italy.