Hi Nicoletta, Hi Loreto, can you tell us how your blog “Sugar Love Spices” was born?
It was born from our passion for food and cooking in general. With anyone, friends, family, or just acquaintances, we always end up talking about food. What people often tell us is “you are making us hungry!” Six years ago, we were in Italy at a dinner with friends and the conversation as usual moved on to what we had recently prepared. So, one of our friends told us “Why don’t you start writing a food blog?” And that we did …
Why this name on your blog?
The decision to start a blog was followed by the search for a name. Unfortunately at the time my husband and I were still living in two different continents. So the brainstorming of the name took place via Skype. The first choice fell on “Eat Eat Mangia Mangia”, the phrase that everyone has heard repeatedly from mothers and grandmothers. But since there were already some blogs with similar names, we continued the search by throwing out words, adjectives, nouns. Since I love sweets and my husband is the “king” of spices, sugar and spices came out immediately, love was added because ours is a couple’s blog, and between the sugar and the spices, there is a lot of love.
Like all Italians, you are passionate about cooking, what do you miss most of the Italian cuisine?
Seasonality. Canada has a climate that does not allow the growth of everything we have in Italy, and if they still manage to produce it, the season is far behind Italy. Furthermore, we lack many Made in Italy products. And if we find some, they are expensive, but we buy them anyway.
Do you organize cooking classes, what are your feedbacks?
People are enthusiastic about Italian cuisine, they want to learn how to make it at home, and many want to make it following the tradition. It is always a pleasure to see that spark of passion for cooking ignite. Furthermore, in our courses, in addition to the recipe in question, we also leave many tips and suggestions, and then we always talk about Italy with affection and make them want to go.
How is Italian cuisine perceived in Canada?
Everyone loves it and finds it simple and tasty, often noticing how much the choice of products and ingredients is essential for the success of a good dish. It must be said that Italian cuisine is sometimes confused with Italian-Canadian or Italian-American cuisine and dishes such as Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs are perceived as Italian even if they are fusion.
What is the most successful Italian dish in Canada?
Apart from pizza, maybe gnocchi, and lasagna.
What are the products and dishes that you like best in Canadian cuisine and that you would recommend to all Italians to try?
There is no real Canadian cuisine, because it is the result of the fusion of many cultures. But, I would say, pancakes, all the fruit pies, salmon in all its versions, steak, especially here in Alberta, barbecue in general, and the smoked stuff.
What is a traditional Italian dish to which you are particularly attached?
For Loreto chicken cutlets, for Nicoletta pasta e fagioli.
New projects for your blog?
The idea of a cookbook has been with us for years, who knows, maybe we can manifest it. And we would like to make videos.
What is your secret dream?
Make blogging our full-time job. Travel the world and cook with the locals. When we see the programs of established chefs doing just that, we tell ourselves how much we would love to be in their place!
