Mark Leslie

Mark Leslie, seen cooking on NBC’s "The Today Show" and Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family," loves to cook for anyone with an appetite, vacations in Italy every year, and lives to eat his way through every plate of pasta and cone of gelato placed before him. His first book, “Beyond the Pasta: Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family,” tells of his life in Italy while cooking with an Italian grandmother. He shares his food experiences on his blog at www.beyondthepasta.com and has taught cooking classes in California, Georgia, Minnesota, Texas, and across Alabama. While judging for high school culinary events, he was chosen by the US Department of Education to judge for their "National Education Startup Challenge." Mark can be regularly seen cooking on NBC-affiliate, WSFA-TV 12's "Alabama Live! each Friday, bringing easy, locally sourced recipes to central Alabama. His iTunes app “Beyond the Pasta” features helpful videos and more of Nonna’s family-style recipes that she shared with him, plus, upon its release, it was named “New & Noteworthy” by Apple. DaVinci Wines chose Mark as their "2012 Storyteller" in Language Arts—where they sent him to Vinci, Italy, to write about wine, food and life. Mark, his home and book have been featured in such national publications and blogs as House Beautiful, Paula Deen, Food Republic, The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, Field & Stream, and The Daily Meal. A Chicago-area native and “Yankee” by birth, Mark has lived in Alabama for over 24 years, and celebrates the fact that he started life eating farina, progressed to grits, and finally arrived at polenta. Buonissimo!

“Mad Dog” Penne~

“Mad Dog” Penne with Cream  Penne all’Arrabbiata con Panna I enjoy it when the Italian...

Zuppa di Pomodoro~

It’s the time of year when the garden starts churning out tomatoes faster than one...

Zucca Soup~ah

Halloween is over and for most Americans that means the pumpkin becomes a forgotten thing....

Heads Up!

Growing up north of Chicago meant that school field trips often meant going downtown. One...

"DaVinci Wine" "Mark Leslie" "Beyond the Pasta"

Chocolate Extravaganza

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"Beyond the Pasta" "DaVinci Chianti" "Mark Leslie"

It’s Scream Time

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Light it Up!

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Chianti at Home

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Put a Ring…In It!

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Spring Soup~

Minestra di Primavera Lettuce, Pea and Pasta Soup [As featured on WTSU radio’s Community Focus...

"2012 DaVinci Wine 2012 Storyteller Experience" "Mark Leslie" "Beyond the Pasta"

Day 6: Full Circle~

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"2012 DaVinci Stroyteller Experience" "Mark Leslie" "Beyond the Pasta"

Pasta, Pasta~

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"2012 DaVinci Wine Storyteller Experience" "Mark Leslie" "Beyond the Pasta"

Day 5: A Casa ~

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"DaVinci Wine 2012 Storyteller Experience" "Mark Leslie

Day 4: Crossing Over ~

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"2012 DaVinci Wine Storyteller Mark Leslie"

DaVinci “Welcome” Video~

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"2012 Davinci Wine Storyteller"

Day 2: Now The Fun Begins…

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Day 1: The Arrival ~

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"2012 DaVinci Wines Storyteller"

Prologue~

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King Porcini~

[Subscribers, please click HERE to view the video from your e-mail.] Fall cooking with Mushrooms...

My bags are packed~

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