There is more than Christmas Day in Italy. We also have St. Stephen Day, a full-fledged holiday. In pre-COVID days it would be still a day with family, maybe the less immediate family. A good day, less stressful. Although this COVID year (after all our past complaining about a too much commercialized Christmas), with the […]
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Last week while having an aperitif with a friend, I was served a small bruschetta with prosciutto, but I was puzzled by the bread; it was golden yellow and delicious. I had to know more about it. The server told me that it was bread with curcumin. He said that the bread not only tastes […]
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For all those “I Don’t know what to cook” moments… I think we all have those moments, maybe even the great chefs have them. Usually the spaghetti garlic, oil, and hot pepper solve a hot meal adequately. Eventually we can solve it with the “let’s get a pizza“ moment. But aside from those solutions, when […]
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And Other Complications From now to the 21st we are granted a little more freedom. Restaurants and caffees are open; just until 6:30 pm, but that is good enough. Stores are also open. The season of shopping is now, and that is why there are these somewhat looser rules now. Unfortunately the number of contagions […]
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Radicchio is that beautiful and eye-catching vegetable that makes the joy of every photographer when strolling at any Farmers’ Market in Italy. You’ll see it from now, until the beginning of March. I helps replenish our diets with the needed vitamins (A & B), and minerals. It is pronounced raˈdikkjo. Radicchio is the result of […]
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Aren’t we all ready to put 2020 into the dustbin of history? I definitely AM, and for quite some time now. There is nothing I can do but to wait 30 more days. However, I could practice by getting rid of things and possessions that clutter my house, and that often I didn’t even recollect […]
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Giving Thanks Regardless It is difficult to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursdays in Italy. Most people work on that day, so it is best to move it to the weekend, and so here we are. Just a few of us. We have COVID limitations, and we can only have up to six people around our tables. […]
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Since we are once again spending considerable time among our domestic walls, we are again doing some cooking. By the time we will eradicate this insidious virus we shall be all great Chefs. Seriously now, this thing is really changing our ways of life. This morning I went to my nearest caffe shop and got […]
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Today was our first day of Code Orange lockdown. Sunday is not Sunday with Bars, Pasticcerie, and Restaurants closed. Giving up espresso, cappuccino, and aperitivo is though. We are glad that it is still possible to walk around the town and to use the parks for exercise. So there are many runners around. But to […]
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“Biancomangiare,” literally means “White Eating”or in French “Blancmange”; it a dish known since the Middle Ages. It is characterized by the presence of white ingredients, considered a symbol of purity. It was intended for the rich and could be found both sweet and salty; milk, lard, chicken breast, almonds, rice were used to prepare it, […]
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Looks like we are going to be monitored again this falll. We may as well move to the kitchen and start cooking again. With the new wave of contagions even private gatherings should be limited to 6 persons. So I have still hope for Thanksgiving dinner. We can still carve a pumpkin 🎃 to put […]
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As COVID is back let’s start baking again… Not a Cake, but a Soft Focaccia Soft focaccia with carrots: easy and light recipe with no eggs, no butter, just a little flour, yeast, a couple of grated carrots and a few leaves of thyme to bring to the table a soft orange-colored focaccia, just in […]
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Life in Italy 