Author Archives: lauren

Italian with Lauren: Everyday Decadence

When you’re in the supermarket, passing by the jams and jellies and peanut butter aisle, you might notice another packaged spread that hails all the way from Italy — Nutella. This hazelnutty spread is a standard in our grocery stores these days. And though it may seem to the average consumer like just another American [...]
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Italian with Lauren: A bittersweet treat

After leaving Italy, I missed it terribly.  But when I have a really bad day and need an Italian “fix” to quell my sorrows, I can almost always find something around to remind me of my happy days there. In New York, it is not hard to find amazing food, gelato, [...]
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Italian with Lauren: Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sweet Sausage

One of my favorite Italian dishes is broccoli rabe (rapini) and sausage over pasta. There are, of course, many variations of this dish — some like to add fresh tomato, some use spicy sausage in place of sweet, and the type of pasta varies as well. But the most traditional version, [...]
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Italian with Lauren: Dinner at Al Di La

Over a year has gone by since I moved to Park Slope, so I am extremely ashamed that on Monday, I made my first visit to Al Di La Trattoria. I went with my equally shameful best mate Kristen (also a first-timer) — it had been on the top of both of our “to [...]
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Italian with Lauren: The best pick for Vino Rosso

Almost every time I sat down to eat in Italy, there was always a large jug of some sort of red wine on the table. Whether it was a delectable local offering from the outdoor market, a five euro store-bought curiosity, or a homemade hooch sent from family in Calabria, it [...]
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Italian with Lauren: Aperitivo

One of my favorite local spots for casual Italian fare is Aperitivo Cafe in Park Slope. There are many reasons why I love this place, but initially it was a relationship of convenience — until a few months ago I lived less than two blocks away. Now I live much farther [...]
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Italian with Lauren: Melanzane alle Parmigiano

[Editor's Note: Hi folks -- I just wanted to introduce our first regular contributor to you, Lauren Uhlan. Lauren is a regular character in our tasting expeditions, so we thought it was about time she had her own column. Every Thursday she'll be chatting about Italian food -- from her grandmother's recipes to dining [...]
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