CityView Magazine

24 October 2022 For Antonella Scibilia, owner and chef of Antonella's Italian Ristorante in downtown Fayetteville, there's little hesitation in naming her favorite flavoring. "Fresh basil, basil and basil!!!" she writes in an email. "My favorite!!" In an interview, Scibilia says her restaurant uses about 10 pounds of basil over five days. Basil and oregano are "really good in salads or sauces," she says, adding that garlic — of course — is a staple of Italian cuisine. Tarragon is aromatic and adds a hint of licorice flavor. Mint is a favorite in salads. "Italians use a lot of mint," Scibilia says. "Crushed red pepper can heat up the flavors," she adds, noting that many customers will say, "Make it extra hot." Parsley is an important herb for presentation, she says. She prefers Italian flat-leaf parsley, not the "curly" variety. Scibilia encourages home cooks to experiment a little with herbs and spices. "A lot of my girlfriends say, 'I want to try this or that,'" she says. "I always think things with cooking are so easy. I was raised doing it." For beginners, Parker recommends sticking to a recipe at first, then tailoring the flavor to suit their own taste. "Read a lot of recipes," she advises. "You'll see that there are trends in what spices are used so when you go to the store, you know what to stock up on. "ings have fused so much over the years. You'd be surprised." When cooking with fresh herbs, Parker says, use twice as much as you would dry spices because drying intensifies the flavor. And remember that fresh herbs don't last long; buy enough for just a week, she says. Dry spices, by contrast, last for years. "I'm not a measurement person. It's my palette that matters most to me," Parker says. "And don't be afraid to experiment. e worst that could happen is, at least you tried it." For beginners, Parker recommends sticking to a recipe at first, then tailoring the flavor to suit their own taste.

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