The Como Get Together-A Success!

From Torino, Laurie, Natalie, Alberto and I headed towards Como. George Clooney and Richard Gere were no where to be found but we stumbled upon a group of Super Friendly Ex-Pats! Carol B. who lives very close to Como, found the restaurant, arranged for a table for 18, and put a fire under all us Ex-Pats to come together. Thank you Carol for all your trips to Colico and the wonderful arrangements you made.
Now for the highlights of the GTG:

This is Cynthia and her "dreamy" husband, Cyn you'll have to guess who thinks your hubby is dreamy. It won't take much guessing since there are more than one of "us". Whoops was that a hint? Behind the dreamy husband is Jackie's hubby, sorry I can't recall his name. But I do recall we looked at his baby blues and kept repeating "Are you Italian?" over and over, he reminded us of an Oregon transplant.

The "men" got a chance to speak Italian to each other when the "women" were not gossiping about Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger or Angelina Jolie.

Jennifer B. and Enrico, Deirdre's husband.

Deirdre and Sara (American Girl in Italy). Sara made some "treats" for everyone, crafty one that she is, cute little Halloween cards and ghost lollipops.

Nat on the right in black, behind her, Davide, Jennifer B.'s husband. At the very end of the table on the right side was Franco, Sara's hubby.

The Ladies #1, Jennifer B. (awesome purse), Jackie, Deirdre, Nat, Laurie, Sara, Carol, Me, Cynthia and Lori.(Who knew there was caving to do in Italy, Jackie and her hubby are cavers. The came from Le Marche, what a haul.)

Ladies #2

Jackie is holding one of Sara's cards and Cyn is holding "American" magazines.

Ladies #4The lunch was a real success. It was amazing to see so many Americans and English speakers in one spot, as many people live in small towns where there aren't many other Americans. I was great to hear American idioms, jokes, and wise cracks. We talked for hours. The last people to arrive "us", sat down at 1:30 and we did not leave the restaurant until 5:30 or so. The afternoon passed by so quickly. Before heading back home, we made a pit stop at a chocolate factory, arranged by Carol B., to stock up on snacks for the drive home. I had a nice time and can't wait for the next one. (Photo credits to Enrico for doing an awesome job with my camera.)

Weekend Dog Blogging # 6 Who's Your Co-Pilot?

This is "us" on our way back to Torino from Rome last weekend. I can't tell you how much comfort and companionship my little dog has offered me over the years. Now he is getting older and quirkier. Only recently, since we arrived in Italy, has he gotten anxious in the car. He paces, pants, whines and tries to seek comfort on our laps. After months on trying different things, such as "Rescue Remedy" from the U.S., I took him to the vet and he was prescribed some liquid Valium. It breaks my heart to have to drug him and to see him fighting against the effects. In the end, he was a bit calmer but still able to bark at the guy who cleaned our windshield at the gas station. We are trying to find someone to dogsit for us in Torino but have not had any luck yet.

A Day of Wine-The Salone del Vino

This weekend in Torino is the famous Salone del Vino, an exhibition for wine professionals and producers. We got in on a few passes supplied by friends of Deme. Deme and I were there mainly to support his friend Marco, whose wine, Sagrantino di Montefalco, has won many accolades, including the Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri (3 Glasses) , this year his wine is due to collect a few more awards. His newest project, unveiled at the SMAU, a technological fair that took place last week in Milan, was a wine cork with a microchip in it. With this innovation, you can "scan" your wine, collect data and verify authenticity. Very cutting edge and interesting in my mind. Soon you will be able to go out to dinner and scan a wine you enjoyed into your cell phone for later acquisition.

Photos of the Day


The exhibition center was filled with vendors selling everything from chocolates, to aprons, to cookbooks, to crystal and of course there was wine. Everyone knows I am a feather weight so I loved being able to taste bits of everything without having to drink very much at all.


Deme hands me a taste of wine.


A very cool product, a wine vending machine. It looks tacky and cheap but isn't. This machine is a great asset to restaurants I think because nice bottles aka expensive bottles of wine can be offered by the glass since the wine can be opened and kept for extended periods of time. Oxidation is avoided and greatly suppressed by the addition of nitrogen to the bottles without affecting the taste of the wine.


A woman hand makes cigars called Toscana. I was surprised at how quickly one could be made and the uniformity of all the cigars. Unlit tobacco actually smells good.


This is the wine with the "smart" microchip cork. Soon I think microchips will be in all corks and scanners will be available to help connoisseurs keep an accurate inventory of their wines.


Saturday night everyone got a chance to let loose, there were speeches, tears, friends, food and a sense that years of hard work have been rightfully rewarded. Demetrio, Marco C. and Marco S. What we miss most about being in Torino is the love and company of friends, these guys have known one another for almost 20 years!

Autumn Soup # 3 Potato and Leek Soup

Why does it always seem like I'm making white soups? Well here is another to add to the list. My darling husband makes the best potato and leek soup I have ever tasted. (He will readily eat a creamy soup.) He wowed my super picky, vegetarian friend in Seattle. I copy his recipe and hope every time that it turns out as well. I adore this soup because it is so simple. You taste leeks, potatoes and that’s it. It’s light and wonderfully homey all in the same spoonful.

Potato and Leek Soup
Serves 2-4 as a first course

2-3 leeks, split, rinsed and sliced very thinly, white parts only
2-3 potatoes, nice white or yellow potatoes, no baking potatoes, diced ½ in.
Water, yes water not broth
Salt
Pinch of white pepper
Butter
Snips of chive
¼ to ½ C. cream (optional)

1. Put a bit of butter into a large saute pan, heat until the bubbling subsides then add the leeks.
2. Cook for 30 mins. on low or until the leeks are falling apart and soft.
3. Pass the leeks through a food mill and add them back to the pan, add the potatoes. Barely cover the potatoes with water add a pinch of salt and let cook on low until the potatoes are very soft, mushy is okay.
4. With a whisk, gently whisk the soup to a creamy consistency. Do NOT place the soup in a blender, the potatoes will become gluey. (I’ve done this and learned the hard way.)
5. For a richer soup, you can mad ¼-½ C. of heavy cream. Taste for salt and garnish with snipped chives.

Ex-Pats Unite!

I am very pleased to announce that this Saturday, Laurie, Nat, Alberto and I will head to Como/Colico to our first Ex-Pats in Italy Get Together! (Deme will stay in town for a wine fair in which his friend of 15 years is winning several awards. He has promised to set up the navigation system for me and YES I am driving!) Carol B. is the organizer and I am the Evite coordinator. This group is one that has offered me an immeasurable amount of support online. I have met a gem in Laurie, Linda M. and soon Nat. via Ex-Pat sites. To know I can call various Ex-Pats like Judith in Umbria and Rowena when I have “issues” is a comfort. Thank You Ex-Pats for your bending ears and generous hearts! Check back after the weekend for photos of the “meeting of the minds”.

Autumn Soup #2-A Black and White Soup

In the U.S. I loved being able to get any type of produce any time of year. However, off season fruits and vegetables often don’t taste great, if fact many are downright tasteless. Now that fall is here and cooler weather has set in, I am able to get fresh strawberries, greens and fall fruits. When I saw black kale at the market, I immediately thought of making a healthy soup.

The first time I made a soup for my husband, a 3 hour Chinese ox-tail soup, he informed me he did not like brodo or soups. He ate the oxtail, the carrots, and the potatoes but did not drink the soup. I was furious. This soup however he loved and I made it quite hardy so the broth was kept to a minimum. This soup comes together quickly if the beans are ready/ready made.


A Black and White Soup
(w/black kale, white cabbage and white beans)
serves 4-6 as a first course

½-2/3 C. speck or pancetta or bacon, cubed into a ¼ inch dice
½ a leek or small white onion, slice the leek thinly or finely chop the onion
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 bunch of black kale, about 2 cups chopped, ribs removed
1-2 C. shredded white cabbage
2-15 oz. cans of white beans
Dash of red pepper
2-4 C. chicken or vegetable broth
1 lg. bay leaf
1 t. fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

1. Heat a bit of olive oil is a large pot; add the pancetta/speck/bacon and sauté until all the fat is rendered.
2. Add leeks or onions and sauté until translucent, about 5-10 mins. Do not brown. Add the garlic, red pepper, bay leaf and ½ of the rosemary. Warm all the herbs and sauté until fragrant.
3. Add the broth and deglaze the pan. Now add the beans and kale. Don’t stir the beans too much as they tend to break up. The kale takes longer to cook than the cabbage. After 10 minutes of cooking check to see if they are soft and no longer crunchy when you bite into them.
4. Now add the cabbage, the other ½ of the rosemary, fresh pepper and let the soup come to a boil. After it boils, turn the heat off, cover and let rest for 10 minutes or more. This way the cabbage will cook but not turn to mush and the beans will absorb all the flavors of the soup.
5. Taste for salt and serve warm. Don’t forget the crusty bread for those non-broth people.

Things I’ve Noticed About Italy Part 8

After a weekend in Rome, I always come home with new observations. I think I have these same ideas when I am in Torino but since I am a visitor in Rome, it is much easier to take mental notes.

1. Badly/Poorly/Strangely Pruned Trees

I added strangely to the adjectives list because I wanted to allow for the fact that I may be having a “negative” day. As a Seattleite I can say I was a regular at the Washington Park Arboretum, a grand horticultural park. I feel confidant enough to say I know how to prune bonsai, perennials and small trees. My large trees in Seattle, a Japanese maple, 2 Douglas firs, a honey locust and 2 small weeping styrax/willows were pruned by a professional company but I did a ton of research before allowing them to touch my trees. The company that I went with was great, they pruned not hacked the trees and told me regular maintenance was essential to plant health and public safety.

When I see whacked up trees in Torino or Rome, I cringe. Large trees are planted in parking strips where they ruin the sidewalk and then grow too large for the space in which they were planted. To control their growth they are hacked back.

For example:

A) Very large oaks are planted next to roads in town and when heavy branches grow so they overhang above a street; the thick, horizontal limbs are also hacked back.

B) Locusts, not the insect, are large trees growing from 25-50 feet or 7-15 meters high and wide, yet they are used in tiny spaces next to buildings.

Trees are topped off, then when the lateral branches grow upwards the trunk bends and sometimes rot. Is this only in Torino and Rome?

2. Soccer Fanaticism

This is not a new observation generally speaking. There are many countries that have fans that go berserk for soccer. Demetrio took our nephew Giordano to a soccer game last Sunday, it was Roma vs. Lazio. I was a bit worried that among 80,000 fans something quirky might happen like a fight or worse. Nothing happened, the game ended 1-1 and everyone got home safely.

Several months ago while driving home from dinner; we were stopped to allow a motorcade through. I saw about 10 fully loaded and packed busses, windows steaming and so full that they were listing from side to side. I commented on how the busses must have been participants of a political rally since each bus had a large SUV police escort in the front and the rear. Deme said it was not a political rally at all; they were AC Milan fans in getting an escort out of Torino since there was a game earlier. I looked on in disbelief.

3. Language Integration

Italians use a few English words here and there. Many of them claim they can’t speak English but they can say a few words here and there. I notice it more and more:

Examples:

A) To go shopping for food or non-food items, Italians say “fare la spesa” this translates to something like “to make expenses”. Now to differentiate between food shopping and non -food, some Italians say “fare shopping”.

B) At the market today I saw a sign for mandarin oranges that said they were “Super Dolci”, which means “Super Sweet” and I bought some, they were delicious.

C) At a clothing shop which is called abbigliamento, I saw a sign that said “Abbigliamento Hip-Hop” and I laughed out loud. It was adorable!

Weekend Dog Blogging #5

We're off to Rome for the w-e so this post is a day or two early.

Can you tell we don't have kids? YET!



We've gone and done it this time...We knew we created a food snob but only this week did we find out to what extent. When Deme went back to Seattle, I asked him to pick up some doggie toothpaste. As you can see our old tube is running really low. He bought a new brand that Zavier won't go near. Our old toothpaste was chicken flavored, he love it. This new one claims to be chicken flavored but instead of being a creamy, beige chicken-skin color, it is white. Somehow the dog figured out it was not the "real" thing.



When I ask him to come over to have his teeth brushed, he is more than happy to oblige me. The disclaimer, IF and only IF I have the gourmet chicken flavored toothpaste. See how he licks it off the toothbrush before I even turn it on.



It has gotten chilly, clouds and mist have decended onto Torino. We have to keep warm now don't we?

Autumn Soup #1-Cauliflower, Leek and Fennel

I love soups and I love vegetables. Cream based soups tend to be fatty and overly rich so I invented a few healthy soups. The first one was a curry, carrot and squash soup. It was warm, spicy and tangy. We ate it so quickly that I did not a get a chance to take a photo. This is my second soup this week. I figure this is a great way for us to get our vegetables. I added a bit of crèma deliciosa (I think this is the Italian word or sour cream or creme fraiche) for richness and tang.

Here’s the recipe:

1 leek, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 med. head of cauliflower, cut up in florets
1 large fennel, diced
chicken broth
½ t. white pepper
½ t. salt

1. Sauté the leeks in some olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower and fennel and sauté for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Add enough stock to barely cover the vegetables. Add salt and pepper.
4. Cook until the vegetables are tender about 20-30 minutes.
5. Cool a bit, put the soup into the blender and puree, at this point you can pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve or not.
6. Serve warm and with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Italy vs. The Rest of Europe

I've seen this short movie a few times but can't get enough of it. (It's about 5 minutes long and hilarious.)

A Food Blog Controversy

I am only getting on this bandwagon because I believe in "information gathering". The Julie/Julia project is a food blog about a woman living in NY and her attempts to re-create 524 of Julia Child's recipes in 365 days. Her blog landed a book deal, a six figure book deal. The food blogging world is a bit upset about her recent comments, see this link for the details.

Write a Letter Why Don't You?

First a bit of history: Since the day I landed in Italy I have been writing letters to my 5 sisters, mom and dad, families I used to work for and friends, about 5-8 a week. Yet I have only received about one a month since I arrived. When went to the cartoleria in my neighborhood, a place that sells pens, envelopes and stationary, I had a hard time buying a boxes set of paper and envelopes. The proprietor simply told me not many people write letters anymore. So…after receiving a letter from my 2nd sister Gia, I decided to post this directive on my family’s website.

It reads as follows:
Okay, I am commanding you all to write letters to one another.
I just received a letter yesterday from Gia, she thanks me for her B-day card that arrived the day of, I am good aren't I? I sent one to Sara but never received a response; I have received letters from Anna, Gia, Tia but no one else. The forum is great, the blogs are great but whatever happened to writing letters?

Here's the challenge: Write a letter a month to a sister, I will assign here (why me b/c I am the oldest and the bossiest) and the list will rotate with time. Letters should be postmarked by the month assigned. Write about anything and everything your heart desires with varying degrees of depth depending on how close you are to the sister. Also letters to mom and dad are optional but should be considered.

This month October: (we'll start with a clean slate) I know that three sisters live in the same place, but it will still work. Stamps to Italy are 80 cents. You can go to USPS.com and get them delivered to your home if you are too lazy to go out and buy them. Think about this I spend 8 Euros a week on stamps, all my letters are ,80 Euros. I should be complaining but I am not. Someone tell Tia about this and help here with stamps okay? I will send a check to whoever I need to reimburse. (Tia is 9 years old.)

Tia to Kentra
Sara to Tia
Kentra to Anna
Anna to Gia
Gia to Sara
Gina to Gia

Next month November:

Tia to Sara
Sara to Gia
Kentra to Gina
Anna to Kentra
Gia to Gina
Gina to Anna

P.S. I will publish this campaign on my blog, in the hopes that someone will write to a member in their family.

P.S.S. Gia has gorgeous handwriting, I don't. Kentra said he was bored and needed something to do, Anna is busy but I hope she will find time. Sara might end up typing hers out as I do but she may do it since she is a computer whiz. Tia is the cutest letter writer in the world with her pink stationary. Look forward to hearing from you all. Pass it on!

P.S.S.S. Gia has stated that the letters should not be typed and I agree with her.

Thank you to Laurie for lugging a bottle of corn syrup from New York back to Torino for me. You shall be rewarded! Possibly with baked goodies.

Quasi Asian Spaghetti

When I get a craving for teriyaki, I often go in search of skewered meats. These happen to be turkey. I've been trying more whole wheat pasta lately, mainly for variety, but whole wheat pasta and traditional Italian sauces just don’t taste that great (in my humble opinion). I think I may have found an acceptable substitute, the recipe is from my friend Jan in Seattle. I would have loved to try her recipe with soba noodles but I have not found them in Torino yet.

Quasi Asian Whole Wheat Spaghetti

½ a package of whole wheat spaghetti

Dressing:
5 T. sesame oil
5 T. soy sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-3 T. sugar to taste
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ t. ginger, very finely minced
1 T. black and/or white sesame seeds
2-3 stalks of scallions, sliced very thinly
A few drops of chili oil

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients together.
2. Cook pasta until al dente and add to dressing, toss, can be served right away but is also great cold.

For the skewers:

I cheat and buy them pre-made from the grocery store. Pork, beef, chicken and turkey will all work. Grill them in a grill pan or broil them in the oven, just 2-4 minutes per side until just done.

For the sauce:

Combine the following in a small sauce pan, ¼ C. soy sauce, honey or sugar to taste, 1 pressed garlic clove, a bit of minced or powdered ginger, chili flakes, a splash of orange juice and cook on low until you have a thick syrup. Taste it occasionally and adjust the seasonings accordingly. When a thick syrup is achieved, drizzle it over the skewers. Garnish with sliced scallions.

Weekend Dog Blogging #5

As we say in Italy "Buon Weekend."



This dog would sing for his dinner if you let him. Most of the time he walks on his hind legs, rolls around on the ground and salutes.

Telline aka The Cutest Little Clams Ever

We made another trip to the grand market today. Deme loved the variety and we had a blast. We came away with these tiny, delicate little clams. He said they were little but had wonderful flavor (of course I wanted to give them a try). I was a bit wary since from the looks of them, it was going to be a labor intensive lunch. As it turns out, he was right. They were fantastic and not much more work that shelling pistachios or sunflower seeds.



We bought about 1 kilo and in that kilo I think there were easily hundreds of little clams.



Clams and pasta in a simple white wine sauce just cannot be beat. I wanted to add some tomato and make it more of a hearty dish but Deme said the tomato would mute the fresh flavor of these delicate beauties. (If you want to try them, see my recipe for Fasolari con Lunguini. Adjust the time, since these are much, much smaller.)


On a bit of a negative note:
I did feel sad however at seeing all the little canaries, finches and love birds cramped into small cages. The rabbits, geese and chickens did not fare much better.

The Kitchen Meme-"Show Us Your Kitchen!"

Funny I am tagged two days in a row. First by Rowena and now by Judith in Umbria, a fellow ex-pat. Here are the instructions for this Meme, translated from il cavoletto di bruxelles.

1) Show us your kitchen ( a picture) and tell us what is it about this place that reflects your own personality.
2) Open a cupboard (the one you feel to open), take a picture and tell us what we see.
3) Present us your favorite kitchen-based electrodomestic tool.
4) Take out the ingredients you like the most, the ones you always keep stored.
5) My little steel friend: present us to your favorite cooking/baking recipient.


This is my kitchen, after dinner no less, when it is the most "used". It's long and narrow but not too small. I would love more counter space but so far has served me well. We have a microwave, a dishwasher and a stove. What more could I ask for? I would not say that this kitchen suits my personality, it is an apartment kitchen and I would love a grand country kitchen, like Judith's! Check hers out it is fab. Since I spend most of my time in the kitchen, it makes sense for it to be the biggest room in the house. We made due with the space but someday I hope to design my dream kitchen.
This is the second part of our kitchen, next to the fridge and behind the door. I love having a door to the kitchen since I can close it instead of smoking up the house. The bakers rack was a great way to store all our pots, pans and bakeware. One of the great things about it is that we can take it away with us when we move. Notice how we stock up on water like a typhoon is looming. I really hate buying water and lugging it out of the car, in the elevator and into the kitchen, so we hoard.

This is my favorite electric item, it's a food processor, a mixer and a blender all in one; basically it replaces three appliances. The motor is not as powerful as our old Kitchen Aid but it's sufficient.

Here are the items I cannot live without: English Breakfast tea, honey, red rooster hot sauce, chili flakes, vinegars, oils, soy sauce, salt and pepper. If I were stuck on a deserted island, I could probably rustle up some lizards to eat but for me to enjoy them, I'll need a Guamanian finadene sauce, made with chilis, soy sauce and vinegar or lemon juice, hence all the essential condiments.

Here's a look in to my OCD cabinets, all canisters are labeled with my label maker. Yes, I am a freak and I know it. I've got things categorized. Whole wheat bread crumbs, semolina, potato flour, flour tipo "00", don't let me go on. I know I am sick! I will seek professional help if it gets worse. Ha! Ha!

This is my favorite pan. I love my wok but it does not have grill marks on it. This All Clad grill is awesome and the handle stays cool. It's non-stick, a real breeze to clean up.

What a fun Meme! Thanks Judith for including me. Shall I tag you for the 23rd and 5th Meme?

The 23rd and 5th Meme

Rowena of Rubbah Slippahs in Italy tagged me for this Meme (I have no idea what it stands for) which is like a blog chain letter but much more fun. Here are her exact instructions:

1. Dig into your blog archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the 5th sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the entire text of the sentence along with these instructions. Ponder it for meaning, subtext or hidden agendas...
5. Tag five people to do the same.

I found this: "Americans love the food, the idea of long, lingering meals at the table, espressos, cappuccinos, operas, aria, Andrea Bocelli, and one of my favorites, good Parmigiano."

Since my blog is about my new life in Italy, I remember writing about how everyone thought I was so lucky. Americans love Italy, if you say Tuscany to an traveled American they are bound to ooze and melt at your feet. When I found this archived blog post I was just beginning my life here. I wanted to believe that I made the right decision and that Italy would love me as much as I thought I would love it.

I tag Melissa, Island Girl, Angelika, Paz and Mona.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

The hubby is dieting, the dog is dieting, maybe I should jump on the bandwagon too. I have to admit running is hard to do at first. Dieting when you love to cook and are in charge of all the grocery shopping is even harder. We’ve stopped buying all junk foods, no chips, gelato, ice creams, or any other fatty treats. All in all, I think we have a very healthy diet (no boxed foods here); the problem is the lack of aerobic activity. This has been on my mind recently and I keep thinking about it and wondering if there is an easy way out. (Is this an American trait?) I am afraid of what winter will do to me. We've discussed joining a gym as a possible solution.


His numbers: 4.9 kilos and steady. 7 years and 4 months old, that's 50 dog years.


I used to ask the hubby if he was wearing a belt ot not since the tummy covered his waistband. Now, 7 kilos later (that 15 pounds) it's quite obvious that he IS wearing a belt!

Spaghettini alla Checca

After dinner as Deme is clearing the dinner dishes, he proclaims "I'm happy with my purchase." Since we've bought nothing new lately, I ask him "what purchase?" He then gives me that silly grin that makes everything crystal clear. The purchase is me. When he's had a good meal he often says kooky things like this after dinner. I had no idea a few toms, basil and pasta could make a man so giddy. Make someone in your life giddy too.

Spaghettini alla Checca (Checca is short for Francesca and so I have no idea where the name comes from)

1/2 a box of pasta
3 scallions, thinly sliced then rough chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
12 ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved, then halved again
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
a tiny bunch of parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
3-6 T. olive oil
2 oz. Mozzarella, 1/2" cubed
1 ounce of Parmesan, shavings or little chunks

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve a bit of pasta water.
2. Combine all ingredients except the Parmesan.
3. When the pasta is ready, toss with the tomato mixture. Add pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately.
4. Plate up and garnish with Parmesan chunks/shavings and drizzled olive oil.

This dish was fresh and light. Summer is over but I still found some flavorful cherry tomatoes, so the dish was a success.

Things I have Noticed About Italy Part 6

Why oh why do I keep saying this will be the last installment of “Things I Notice?” I take it all back. Something tells me that as long as I am living in Italy, I will post about “Things I Notice.” This list is relatively short, not many things turn my head or surprise me anymore. You can say that I have settled a bit more and have gotten “used” to things here in Italy.

1. Baby Bottles and what’s in them

Not only do children in Italy drink form bottles until the average age of 3-4 and as late as 5. Biscotti Plasmon, a kind of baby cookie is added to the milk. The cookies dissolve into a mush as it thickens the milk. Demetrio remembers adding this to his sisters’ baby bottles and now that I am working with kids again, I see this practiced at the school and at home. In the U.S. babies are encouraged to fall asleep unassisted. They are discouraged from falling asleep with a bottle of milk, since this can cause the teeth to rot. If a bottle is absolutely necessary, water is encouraged. When I lived in Guam it was very common to see bottles filled with Kool-Aid and with the Kool-Aid came rotten teeth. It was strange to see 3, 4 and 5 year olds with silver caps on their front teeth to inhibit the rotting.

2. P is for Practicing

You can’t help but notice the giant P’s written on an 8 ½ X 11 piece of paper and taped to the back window of many cars it Italy. At first I thought the “P” stood for peace, in protest to the war in Iraq. Demetrio informed me car that have new licenses have to display a “P”. Italy has point system for its drivers. Don’t quote me directly, I know of the idea but not the 100% specifics. You begin your driving record with an allotment of something like 40 points. With each infraction points are subtracted from your total and you may also be fined. For example, if you are caught without a seatbelt, that will cost you 5 points. After you’ve used up the 40 points you have to re-take a driving school course, they are not cheap, and once again re-apply for your license. If and when you get it re-issued, you start with a clean slate.

3. Shopping trolleys

One of the great things about Italy is the public markets. There is one in every neighborhood. Oftentimes you only have to walk out your front door and you have access to fresh fruits and vegetables as well as goods of all kinds. My neighborhood market is 5 blocks from my house. On Saturdays a famous “purse guy” sells great purse at discount prices. After a morning of shopping for food, I am usually lugging plastic bags and canvas bags that must weigh at least 30 pounds. Just last week after my visit to Porta Palazzo, I bought my first grocery trolley. I wanted a tall one so I did not have to stoop, one with giant wheels and one that I could fold up and tuck away. After a bit of searching I found one that is washable, sturdy and light. I had never seen one of these before I arrived in Italy. Anyone that goes to flea markets, public market or even grocery shopping should have one, it is a godsend.

Here's my handy, dandy shopping trolley.

Although this photo illustrates I am a messy housekeeper, it also shows what a cutie our dog is. He loves to make "nests" on the bed.

Dinner at Wasabi

At the recommendation of our friends Linda and Jonas, we decided to try a sushi restaurant near our house called Wasabi. Since Chinese food is so awful in Italy, we were reluctant to give Japanese a try. Nobu in Milan is supposed to have great sushi, but we’ve heard mixed reviews. Wasabi was a nice surprise, I give it a 3 out of 5 and can confidently say the sushi there was good.

When we entered the restaurant, two Japanese ladies in kimonos took our coats and asked us if we wanted to sit at a traditional sunken table, in which we had to remove our shoes, or a normal table. We opted for the sunken one. As we sat and look around a bit, I noticed I was the only Asian person in the restaurant of about 50-60 people, besides the servers and the chef of course. The décor was very simple but authentic, a nice change in scenery. We ordered marinated tako (octopus), tempura of shrimp and vegetables, a large plate of mixed sushi/sashimi and dessert.

Although the fish was very fresh and the presentation was gorgeous, there was something amiss. There were not as many varieties of fish as we are used to in Seattle, there was no bar in which you could sit at to watch the chef, slowly and methodically slice fish or mold rice for nigiri sushi. There was wasabi paste, pickled ginger, Kirin, sake and all the usual suspects but something was still missing. After a bit of rumination, we decided one of the “issues” was the rice. It was not seasoned as well as we are used to, making the rolls and nigiri sushi a bit bland.

When we eat at Shiro’s in Seattle or Izumi’s in Kirkland, we are treated well since both of us know chefs at either place. We never look at the menus, we sit at the bar and when the chef asks us what we would like, we always ask “what’s fresh today?”, then he uses his imagination to create our meal. We’ve eaten fresh sea squirts (tough, chewy and tastes strongly of the sea), fresh abalone (crunchy and hard), limpets, snails, fresh uni (silken and a bit gooey), poki (a bit like a tuna ceviche, Shiro’s style) and live uni. All these items are often not on the menu per say. They are seasonal and not for the weak, (I still cannot eat live uni (sea urchin)). I guess what we missed the most last night was being recognized at our favorite spots; the anonymity simply dulled our experience and well as our taste buds.



The hubby dutifully pours my water.


Our platter of mixed sushi and sashimi.

Visitors

It’s strange how the internet can be so impersonal and distant yet it still has the uncanny ability to bring people together. Case in point, some weeks ago I receive an email from a woman from Washington State. She, her husband and their 2 children are due to arrive in Torino on business. Hoping to prepare for the trip, she asked me questions about the weather, what to bring, the culture of Torino, etc…We corresponded via email and called each other several times back and forth before we actually met up at a Brazilian restaurant in Torino.

Being Brazilian, she commented on how similar things in Italy were to her native Sao Paolo. I listened to her speak Portuguese and marveled at its sound. A cross between Spanish and Italian, she used Portuguese to get by for the month she was in Italy. Since her husband was working during the day, we went to the mall, the market, to lunch, anything to keep the kids busy and entertained. What I enjoyed most were our chats, comparing notes on Guam vs. Brazil, our independent experiences of Seattle, as well as the adjustments you have to make when moving to a new country. In a short 4 days we divulged anything and everything. I was glad for the company and happy to have connected with someone. She says I have made a friend for life in her little boy, I told her the feeling is mutual.


Look who is a bucking bronco today!



The children at a mini-Lego Land.

Roberta and the children.

Porta Palazzo

I’ve been living the Torino for 7 months and 1 week. In all this time I have not dared to venture to one of the largest outdoor markets in all of Europe (it‘s in all the guide books), namely Porta Palazzo until last week. Many people have warned me not to go there alone, they’ve told me it can be dangerous, and the chance of getting pick pocketed is fairly high. I’ve been wanting to go especially after my friend here Laurie told me this is where she goes to find cilantro. We made plans to trek over to the market about a month ago but never did.

Federica, a friend of a friend, scoffed at me when I told her I was wary about the market's reputation. She led the way as we meandered my car through the narrow and crowded streets to the grand parking garage. She knows the area very well and led me through the farmers market, meat shops, fish market, cheese shops, ethnic groceries, clothes and shoe vendors, until we toured the entire grounds. We stopped at her favorite vendors which included a very friendly bread man, aka panettiere, who offered to take us horseback riding.

Here were the highlights of our market trip:

Sour cream
Dill
Corn on the cob
Beets
Cannolicchi (can-no-lee-key)- a rare razor clam from the Adriatic Sea
Live eels
Wintermelon
Baby bak-choi
Cilantro
Quail eggs
Gang Kung or Ong Choi-an Asian green sometimes called swamp cabbage
Mangoes
Limes
Fresh olives
Loads and loads of porcini mushrooms

I had a wonderful time discovering this market on owe Federica a debt of gratitude. Deme and I plan to go at least once a month to stock up on ethnic goods. I bought half a kilo (1 pound) of fairly large shrimps, about 7 Euros worth, so that night we had a nice shrimp curry.

Weekend Dog Blogging

Sweetnicks has been hosting a great round of Weekend Dog Blogging. I submitted Zavier and the spaghetti slurping, what a hoot. Check out all the other weekend dog bloggers.

A Few More Good Things

When Deme came home last night he said he got me a present. A bottle of Chanel #5 perfume (I''m not very fond of this fragrance but he likes it), a bag full of American cooking magazines, a bunch of office supplies from Office Depot and other misc. items from Seattle as well as a gift card to purchase I-Tunes off the internet. The card and the gift card were both in my favorite color so I was was more than excited. Also he knew that I was helping a friend make a few CD's for a party he's planning on giving. "Great!" I thought, I'm as happy as a clam. Then he asked me where I was going to use my gift card. I told him on my laptop. We already have a huge 40GB I-Pod that I use but because Deme's Macintosh got damaged in the move, we cannot upload music on to it with MS Windows without erasing the entire library. I saw a glint in this eye and then he gave me this:


It's the new I-Pod Nano, 2 GB, enough for 500 songs and light as a feather. I made a promise to really jump start me running program with this little baby and today I ran for 34 minutes.

A Few Good Things

When I saw these peppers growing on the the balcony of a friend, I was shocked. These tiny pepin peppers grew as in my mother's gardens as well. Although they are only the size of a little teardrop, they pack quite a punch. My friend, Federica was kind enough to give me a sprig. I'll use a few then dry the rest and plant them in the spring.


The market was absolutely overflowing with people Saturday morning. I saw plenty of porcini vendors but only one man was willing to cut into the stems and check for worms. This was a great vender, I have no idea how much he was charging but loved his service and bought 5 medium-large mushrooms from him. I paid almost 6 Euros for the bunch. Enough for a simple lunch of porcini and fresh fettucine. A homecoming lunch fit for a king.