Ask Chef Walter! Hanukkah History, with Apple Fritter and Latke Recipes

by Chef Walter Potenza, contributing writer Friends: Chag Sameach! As the first candle of Hanukkah is lit this year on the evening of December 14, 2025, at Flavors + Knowledge, we’re delighted to share the joy of the Festival of Lights with you. In honor of the holiday, here is the story behind Hanukkah and…

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Ask Chef Walter: Canning Tomato Tutorial – Chef Walter Potenza

by Executive Chef Walter Potenza, contributing writer A long and demanding job that will pay off during the year when you open that preserves made with your hands and with a lot of love to season your favorite dishes. Friends: If Columbus hadn’t discovered the Americas, we wouldn’t eat tomatoes. However, it is a historical…

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Ask Chef Walter: The Classic Frittata – Walter Potenza

by Executive Chef Walter Potenza, contributing writer Friends: The story of the frittata is not found in the grand cookbooks of royalty but in the humble, sunbaked kitchens of rural Italy, a testament to the beautiful ingenuity of cucina povera—the art of making do. It’s very name, from the verb friggere, meaning “to fry,” whispers…

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Ask Chef Walter: Sfogliatella, by the Glorious Nun’s Hands – Walter Potenza

Two croissants and cups of coffee on a marble table.

by Executive Chef Walter Potenza, contributing writer Friends: The sfogliatella masterpiece created by Sister Clotilde, continues to captivate palates and charm gluttons after 400 or so years. Many of our readers asked about this traditional sweet from Naples, and here you have it! The Sfogliatella is an iconic pastry that has gained worldwide recognition and…

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