La Levitt looks forward to our parental visits to NYC as it provides her with the opportunity to dine (uhm) as she feels she should. Maialino being within walking distance to her apartment makes it is a frequent choice. Last summer I enjoyed a deeply flavorful Pistachio Budino or Pistachio Pudding with some fresh cherries and crushed amaretti cookies – divine. Imagine a rich pistachio cream garnished with deep ruby cherries, what a wonderful way to celebrate Valentines Day was my immediate thought and I began to develop the recipe as soon as I returned home.
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I have a confession to make, as a child I thought canned soups were the ultimate. Not all soups mind you, there were a few favorites and Progresso Chickarina was definitely at the top of the list. Chickarina soup, with those tasty tiny meatballs was so different than any homemade soup I was accustomed to. I mean tiny meatballs in chicken broth with diced carrots, celery and pasta pearls – come on, it had to be good. Although prepared foods were certainly the rage in many households at the time, my Mom never relied on them. For some reason Progresso products were viewed as being acceptable; it wasn’t difficult to understand that the name, Progresso was an Italian name representing something familiar…. 
