farm-to-table

Bean Panzanella Salad
Bean Panzanella Salad

Bean Panzanella Salad excerpted from Lido: Recipes and Stories from Italy’s Beach Clubs. Text © 2026 Melissa Pellegrino and Matthew Scialabba. Photography © 2026 Melissa Pellegrino and Matthew Scialabba.

Lido: Recipes and Stories from Italy's Beach Clubs. Copyright © 2026 by Melissa Pellegrino and Matthew Scialabba.

An intoxicating tour of Italian Lidos with lush photography,  recipes  and more, from some of the most sought-after  beach clubs in Italy.

Brightly coloured umbrellas dance in the wind, above matching sun beds in the same bold hues. The crystal blue water shimmers in the background and gently laps against the pebble beaches. Bronzed, glistening bodies dot the landscape. Like most things Italian, there is an art to a day at the beach.

Lido is a transporting exploration of the history, culture, and food of Italian beach clubs. Part 1 invites you to the clubs along the whole of the Italian coast. Part 2 shares over 60 recipes from appertivi to dolci. Living la dolce vita has never been easier with recipes for Pinsa with Ricotta and Mortadella, Lobster Risotto, Puglian Bruschetta with Marinated Summer Squash, and Pavlova with Fior Di Latte Cream.

  • A Journey through Italy’s Beach Clubs
  • Coastal-Inspired Italian Recipes  
  • On-Location Photography throughout Italy
  • Italian Vacation Inspiration  

Grab your towel and find your spot under the umbrella. The salty, sweet air and azure waters of the beach clubs await. (more…)

Book review: Jack Allen’s Kitchen

jack allen's kitchen book cover

Right from the start of the book, the author sets a clear intention. He has a shared respect those, like himself, who make their living off of the land. He is keenly aware of the importance of creating meaningful connections with local farmers and purveyors. ‘On Saturday mornings, you’ll find me at the farmers market …I know the farmers and they know me …they take care of us and we take care of them.’  

Jack Allen’s Kitchen: Celebrating the Tastes of Texas includes 150 well-tested recipes using the produce and bounty of Central Texas. Coming in at just over 4.5lbs, this tome of a book pays homage to all four seasons with each section listing cocktails, appetizers, sides, dressings, entrees and desserts that make the most of that season’s harvest. The ingredients, measurements, cuts and preparations for each recipe are spelled out in an easy-to-follow fashion.

Mr. Allen’s book offers several familiar southern dishes as well as new takes on old southern classics. The Grilled Gulf Shrimp Salad with Greens, Strawberries and Watermelon plays with putting spicy and sweet components together to see how they complement each other. The Crunchy Fried Shrimp omits the tartar sauce and instead uses blackberries as a sweet and tart accent.

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