Just spent two wonderful weeks traveling alone with my 13 year old granddaughter Laila. From Rome to Abruzzo to our Tuscany farm followed by a fabulous week with friends at their Tuscan seashore home before going off to romantic Venice. Their daughter Michelle joined us and then led us to a new and exciting experience … Read more »
Basket weavers, the artisan of the month, came to my mind when in need of a particular basket to carry 2 liter size bottles. When I began to fix our abandoned 500 year old house in Tuscany years ago I questioned my neighbor where was the best place to buy baskets. I was surprised when… Read more »
OOPS!!! This week’s blog took off without picture captions that would help demonstrate next week’s blog of neophilia versus neophobia . Children raised with food culture, experiencing new foods and helping with food preparation are more likely to enjoy these experiences in their adult life. Next Wednesday’s blog, neophobias versus neophilias.
In the early nineties, when I met the Slittis (see blog on chocolate making) I like most of the locals knew and appreciated the wonderful skills of Andrea’s father, Luciano Slitti, as a prominent coffee bean roaster and maker of custom coffee blends. Few knew that behind the scenes in the eighties, Luciano’s oldest son… Read more »
Taking into consideration the possibility of interesting table conversation at a formal dinner of 25 guests from around the world, I placed a distinguish American industrialist near our guest of honor from England. I noticed our English lady frowning constantly as if in discomfort glancing with the corner of her eye at the gentleman to… Read more »
Our cooking class attendees had the occasion to visit both Parma and Modena in the gastronomically renown area of Italy, Emilia Romagna. It gave them the opportunity to view the production of the popular dry-cured ham known around the world as prosciutto as it was done centuries ago. At 9 to 10 months of age,… Read more »
While having a dinner party with some Italian friends my friend Eduardo came to visit me. When introducing him to one of our guests his face turned white, mouth dropped wide open and he froze in a state of shock. When I took him aside questioning what was wrong, he whispered that he was surprised… Read more »
The artisans of this month are the makers of Parmigiano Reggiano, which I consider the king of all cheeses. Our class attendees visiting Emilia Romagna’s world famous caseificios this week, where the production of these 80 pound wheels takes place, were amazed at the labor involved, time, dedication and passion that the artisans have for… Read more »
Some twenty years ago it was difficult to get American channels on our Italian TV. Success arrived with our satellite dish that gave us a channel for CNN and or to see a video, one or the other. This arrangement worked out well. One evening when our American guests retired for the evening, our Italian… Read more »
Life was not easy for the immigrants. They left family and loved ones to settle in a strange country with a different culture, language and a society that often rejected them. Worse of all were the war years. Mom found herself in an apartment, alone, with three baby girls as Dad went off to work,… Read more »
[caption id="attachment_1042" align="alignleft" width="300"] Saving electricity- ecological power[/caption] Jorge may love his bidet but I love, when time allows, to enjoy an occasional tub soak which he doesn’t understand. “You need a Jacuzzi tub.” An Italian massage therapist visiting us said when hearing about my back pain. "I’ll set up a portable unit that I…
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