Welcome

Cooking the Classics is a collection of timeless recipes, foundational techniques, and thoughtful wine pairings, built one dish at a time.

If you’re new here, this is a good recipe to try:

Recipes to Start With

These are a few of the recipes I return to most often. They’re a good introduction to the kind of cooking you’ll find here.

How to Use This Site

You can explore the site in a few different ways, depending on what you’re looking for.


Recipes include a wine pairing and a printable card. Guides focus on techniques, ingredients, and foundational skills. Wine posts help you understand what to choose and why it works.

For a closer look at pairing Italian wines with food and how to read the label, download the Italian Wine Pairing Guide to keep on hand while cooking or shopping.

Wines I Keep on Hand

These are a few Italian wines I keep on hand for everyday cooking and meals. A sparkling, a white, and a couple of reds are usually enough to cover most dishes.

Italian Pantry Staples

You don’t need a long list of ingredients to cook well. A few core staples will carry most recipes.

Kitchen Tools I Reach For Most