From the Archives

Still missing this wonderful restaurant. reblogged

MONTH: JANUARY 2010

COOKING CLASS “LA CUCINA FLEGREA” WITH ANNA

Rigatoni alla Vodka Spaghetti alla Rucola (Arugula) Tagliatelle Zucchini When we arrived Anna had bruschetta made on grilled bread, a plate of verdi and Kalamata olives and two cheeses for appetizer placed on a table waiting for us. She poured a glass of wine for each of us, red or white. A bottle of water, too. She demonstrated all three dishes and then each of us got to choose and make one by ourselves. The four of us made the Rigatoni with the Vodka Sauce. Watching all the work behind the scenes in the restaurant kitchen was impressive. When Anna prepared each dish it looked effortless. The combination of the ingredients makes each dish taste perfect! She had the recipes printed and tied together so we could add more recipes from another class. We ate AND took home leftovers. Delicious. We learned a lot about different olives, cheeses, pastas, olive oil, how to dice an onion without crying. All the classes are held 12:30 so we were finished in time for them to get ready for the evening service. What a satisfying way to spend a winter afternoon.

January 19, 2023 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Chef Anna Fevola, cooking class, food, Italian food, La Cucina Flegrea, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday 5 Comments

Every Single Dish Was Delicious

A tribute to a restaurant, La Cucina Flegrea– opened in the late ‘90s. now permanently closed. This print is when it was located on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

Rigatoni alla Vodka Spaghetti alla Rucola (Arugula) Tagliatelle Zucchini, and the soups!

Steve bought this print in Bloomfield years ago. It’s on my kitchen wall. I was thinking about all the delicious meals I had eaten over the years. My family celebrated my fiftieth birthday at this restaurant in 2002. I took a cooking class with Chef Anna Fevola in 2010 (click to see blog post)

Mementoes of a favorite restaurant, which has been closed a long time ago. Where every single dish was delicious!

December 16, 2022 by Ruth Categories: food, PhotographyTags: Chef Anna Fevola, cooking and eating, food, Italian cooking, La Cucina Flegrea, neighborhood, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday 7 Comments

Spaghetti Arugula

Ten years ago this month I took a cooking class at La Flegrea in Squirrel Hill . Here is one dish I learned to make- Spaghetti Arugula, a recipe from Ana Flevola. (Click to see the class)

I’ve posted the dish before in 2016, too if you want to see the steps of preparation.

Here’s the refreshing dish once again, from last night.

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 by Ruth Categories: food, PhotographyTags: arugula, dinner, food, kitchen. spaghetti arugula, La Cucina Flegrea, photography, postaday 8 Comments

Congregation in Market Square- Light, Video and Sound Art Installation

Saturday night, in the dark and rain, Steve and I went to dinner at La Cucina Flegrea to celebrate twenty one years since we first met.

When we got to Market Square we saw a crane, lights, people in motion, and heard music.

Lines and shapes of light, moving designs and patterns were on the ground and on the large screen. We saw the title of the work Congregation and I took some photos with the iPhone.

After dinner I shot a few more. We were fascinated by groups of people following the circles of light on the pavement and then racing to another area and it showed up with light patterns and movement on the huge screen in front.

“Congregation is an interactive kinetic video and sound installation designed and choreographed for pedestrian performers, created by UK-based media artists KMA – Kit Monkman and Tom Wexler”

The score is by Peter Broderick from Portland.

Here is a Post-Gazette article by Diana Nelson Jones about the installation. Lights on the side of the PPG building kept changing color. It was a fun experience, despite the rain.

Here you can see the crane with the lights and camera

Patterns and lines of light kept changing as people moved about the installation

Steve taking in the action on the screen

PPG building with blue lights

People standing in a circle of light

Steve ordered the cannoli for dessert

I had the Lemon Cream Custard Parfait with Berries and Kiwi

Twenty one years!

People in Market Square Pittsburgh PA interacting with CONGREGATION– Kinetic Art Installation by Kit Monkman and Tom Wexler, Music score by Peter Broderick.

Get down there as soon as you can as it is only there until March 16th.

March 10, 2014 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: art installation, Cannoli, choreography, Congregation, dessert, eating, food, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, kinetic video, Kit Monkman, La Cucina Flegrea, Lemon Custard Cream Parfait, Market Sqaure, Market Square Public Art Program, Peter Broderick, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, public art, Tom Wexler 16 Comments

Yes, That’s Crabmeat on the Asparagus- La Cucina Flegrea

V and I went La Cucina Flegrea on Murray Avenue for a decade and then it closed. We had missed going there for the Spaghetti Arugula and Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce. J and I took a cooking class there, you might remember that post click here

Well, Chef Anna is back and she was glad to see us. Our first visit to the new place. She opened last November but it was Laura’s wedding and all. It was my friend R who told me about this new location. Here is the website for the new one, complete with menu-La Cucina Flegrea to downtown’s Market Square. We were celebrating V’s birthday. Happy birthday V!

We started with the 5 Fagioli soup and then because we ordered the Baccalá with Sweet Onion and Shrimp Sauce, a Mozzarella Wagon with Fresh Tomato sauce came as an appetizer- 4 balls of mozzarella breaded and fried and accompanied by a delicious sauce. Here’s a shot of the Asparagus with all the lovely, succulent crab meat on it.

Dessert was Baba au Ruhm. Whipped cream and raspberries, a rum sugar sauce. And a cup of hot tea.

It was a happy birthday dinner and we were glad to eat at La Cucina Flegrea again. Everything was delicious.