Italy is a little short on the ingredients needed for American baking.  In fact, it is limited on lots of things that are found easily in America.  So, being a cook and baker, I've had to find ways to make things from scratch or find reasonable substitutions.  Nothing reminds me of this than cooking for the holidays. Take Vanilla for example.  Not available here.  So I had to learn to make my own.  It is simple: vodka, vanilla beans, and a lot of time.  The great thing is that it is sooo cheap to make it yourself!  Even at European prices, mine cost .91 cents an ounce.  In the US it would cost half that to make.  Wal-Mart sells pure vanilla for $3.48 for 2oz.  Very economical!   

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin risotto all need -pumpkin.  Can't buy canned pumpkin here.  When they start showing up in October, I buy, roast, puree, and freeze.  Wallah!

Brown sugar is nothing more than regular granulated white sugar with molasses. Now, this works great -it keeps the chocolate chip cookies coming and syrup for pancakes on the table (yep, I have to make that too) except I can't get molasses here.  So it is a necessary import item!  This holiday season cleaned me out ...hoping a friend in England can bring me back some! I just have to make one more batch of caramel corn!!!

This is Thanksgiving dinner.  EVERYTHING here is made by hand  ...well, some things had to come from America like the cranberries, pecans and sweet potatoes.  Takes some time time and planning (and a little hoarding/saving) to pull it off.  It's worth it though.So from syrup to sour cream it can be made!  Now let's throw in some pomodoro sauce or pasta freshca from scratch and I've got a well rounded kitchen :)  Maybe just a well rounded American-Italian kitchen.