Tabouli Season

Everyone knows I love Tabouli. I won't publish my recipe again but just wanted to encourage everyone to try it.



I found fresh tomatoes, cucumber, mint and parsley. Now who would not want to make use of this.



The yummy, yummy end result.


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Puntarelle-Updated!

When I come to Rome in the winter I seek out puntarelle like a mad woman. Bags of pre-sliced and pre-soaked curls are available at the market for 6 Euros a bag. (This is a deal trust me.) When I found out how much work went in to preparing the puntarelle for a salad, I gladly paid the 6 Euros. This unique member of the chicory family makes one of my favorite salads/side dishes ever.

Puntarelle are found in Rome in the winter season from December to March. I have not seen them readily available anywhere else in Italy. (From my limited experience, I mean Piemonte, Toscana and parts of Lombardia.)

To prepare the puntarelle you must VERY thinly slice the spears lengthwise, and set into a large quantity of cold water for up to four hours. This causes the thin strips to curl up. The crispy curls are served raw, dressed with olive oil, vinegar, garlic and minced anchovies. I use lemon instead of vinegar and in some establishments, the acid is not used at all. This site has a photo of the plant itself. If you ever come to Rome in wintertime, do yourself a favor and order a serving of this slightly bitter yet wonderfully crunchy and tender salad.

Update: Deme kept telling me that puntarelle is very uncommon outside Rome but today on a short walk in the neighborhood, I found some. I set out to prepare some for dinner pronto!



Here is the whole puntarelle, it looks like a bunch of celery with dark green leaves.



Deme showed me how to slice the spears, which I then placed in cold, cold water. After I finished the work, I placed the whole bowl in the refrigerator to soak even more. It may take up to 4 hours to "curl up".



And of course here is the finished product. Yummy!


Puntarelle Salad
Serves 2-4 people

1 head of puntarelle, sliced thinly, soaked in cold water until very curly
2 cloves of garlic
5-8 anchovy fillets
juice of half a lemon
fresh ground pepper
good olive oil

1. Add all the ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth or
add all the ingredients and blend with a hand stick blender. To make it the traditional way, mash garlic and anchovy in a mortar and pestle, the stir in oil and lemon juice.

2. Dress the salad and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Enjoy!

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Deme Runs the Roma Marathon

It was a gorgeous day today, sunny, warm not hot and with a light breeze. The Rome Marathon kicked off at about 9:15 a.m. I must say that watching from home, via Rai 3, the course was absolutely breath taking with views of Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, Fontana di Trevi and all the lovely sights that make Rome so special. The winner of the race was a Kenyan who finished in a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and some odd seconds. Wow!

The start and finish were both at the Coliseum. Irene, Deme's sister and I got there right at the 4.5 hour mark to pick both guys up but they did not emerge until the 5 hour mark. The cold Torino winter did not do Deme any good as he did not train as vigilantly as he would have liked. Still the finished with Stefano by his side the entire way. Way to go guys! You made it! How great it must have felt to complete a marathon in the city you love best in the entire world alongside your most cherished friend. I get choked up just thinking about it.




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A Cheater's Guide to Chinese BBQ Pork and Ribs

I am taking no credit for THESE whatsoever!


When Push comes to Shove, I used the packet and save myself some time.


The only problem is that I crave these ribs, pork chops etc... at least once a month. As you can imagine I am stingy with the packets. If you happen to find these packs yourself, I suggest the following:

1. Instead of adding just water like the directions say, add 50% water and 50% soy sauce.

2. Press one to two finely minced garlic cloves into the marinade. If you have a pinch of 5 spice powder, that helps the flavor. Add chili flakes if desired.

3. Whether you choose ribs, pork chops or pork butt strips marinate them in a ziploc bag, or else the red stuff stains, overnight. Turning midway.

4. Do not overcook the pork and broil towards the end to get a really crispy, carmalized and roasted effect. Enjoy! Serve with white rice and sweet and sour cabbage.

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Red Beans and Coconut Milk

Adzuki Beans are red beans that are used in all kinds of Oriental recipes. I remember eating them in mochi cakes, in buns, in soups, in moon cakes and in all other types of sweet desserts. I like them this way best.




Red Beans in Coconut Milk

1 C. dried Adzuki beans
1 C. Coconut milk
1-3 T. Sugar
toasted black and/or white sesame seeds
toasted sweetened coconut flakes
chopped candied ginger (optional)
sprinkle of salt

1. Cook the dried beans in water until almost al dente. They should be somewhat soft to the bite yet not falling apart.

2. Drain the beans and add 1 T. of sugar at a time, adjusting to your taste, add the salt, then 1/2 cup of the coconut milk. Let simmer together for about 10 minutes until most of the coconut milk has evaporated. Taste again for sugar.

3. Warm the rest of the coconut milk slightly. Spoon the beans into bowls, dress with toasted coconut, sesame seeds, sprinkle of salt, candied ginger and drizzle with a bit more of the warmed coconut milk. This makes a great dessert! I loved it as a child and still do.

*Note: Mung beans can also be substituted for the Adzuki beans.

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Garam Masala Pork Chops

I am in no way an expert in Indian spices or Indian food, I do however happen to really enjoy the flavors. I found a bag of Garam Masala at my local ethnic food shop. The combination of spices reminded me of Julia Child's pork spice mixture, which I used to use quite a bit in Seattle. It contained no less than 15 different spices from crushed bay leaves, to mace, cloves, white pepper etc... I knew Garam Masala would be somewhat similar and set out to re-create those highly fragrant pork chops.

In the Garam Masala spice pack I used I notice the following spices:

green cardamom pods
cloves
black cardamom pods
cinnamon
cumin seeds
coriander seeds
fennel seeds
black peppercorns
fenugreek seeds

After a bit of internet research I discovered there is no set recipe for Garam Masala.

Garam Masala Pork Chops
Serves 4

4 medium to thick cut pork chops, let them get to room temp.
1/2 onion, slivered
1/2 apple, peeled, diced or sliced or 1/2 C. applesauce
2 T. raisens or prunes
apple cider vinegar
1 T. of peach preserves, apricot preserves

1. Season the room temp. pork chops with salt and sprinkle them with the Garam Masala. Just a tiny bit on both sides of each pork chop. Too much will be overwhelming and may burn.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet and add the pork chops, sear them a bit on both sides but do not burn, then lower the heat to medium low and finish the cooking. Or you can place the pork chops in a 350 degree oven to finish. Time your meat well as to insure they don't get too dry. Take them off the heat on onto a plate to rest while they are still juicy and the lightest pink near the bone.

3. Add a bit more oil to the same skillet and then saute the onions, apples and/or peaches, raisins until the onion has softened. Add a few splashes of vinegar and then the preserves/applesauce and taste for seasonings. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of garam masala. This sauce should taste like a warm chutney with a balance of sweet, sour and salty. Spoon the sauce onto the pork chops and serve.




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Someone is very thirsty.

Things I Noticed About London

Our long weekend trip to London was an absolute success. Demetrio first moved to London in 1985, he started working as a waiter and stayed for 3 years before heading back to Rome to finish his degree. Although he’s been back a few times and says he knows the ropes, I was reluctant to believe him. You’d think a wife would have more faith in her husband than that but let me be the first to say I was 100% wrong. He still knows London like the back of his hand. We were out of the hotel each day by 10 am and did not come back for bed until midnight. A truly exhausting but exhilarating trip, here’s what I noticed about London:

1. The news in London consisted to the various headlines:

a. Londoners are three times fatter than they used to be, upwards of 30 % of the population is obese.

b. The police chief of the Metropolitan police is asked to explain why he secretly tape recorded phone conversations with the Attorney General.

c. The 10 year anniversary of the Dunblane was marked this week. The massacre occurred in Scotland when a lone gunman entered a primary school, killed 16 children, the teacher and himself.

d. England is looking at a bill to require its citizens get mandatory ID cards along with their passports.

e. Horse racing is really, really big in England. So is cricket and football/soccer.

2. If you think the U.S. is “go, go, go”, try visiting London. I was shoved, pushed and bumped into more times than I can remember. I did not find it rude at all since I also bumped into quite a few people. People in London walk fast, get off the train fast, get on the train fast, get on the bus fast, get off the bus fast, basically it seems like everyone is in a mad rush all the time.

3. Have you ever heard of a mini-cab? Well it’s a cab that you cannot hail from the street; you have to call a dispatcher. They are regular looking cars owned by regular guys but the rate is up to 50 % cheaper than a cab you hail off the street. The regular black cabs of London are allowed to pick up customers off the street, at the train station, at shopping centers but they don’t have a call center. I saw several ads on TV and at the movies that warn you not to take unlicensed mini-cabs as rapes have been reported.

4. An all day travel pass costs about 5 GBP (British Pound) or 7 Euros or 8.50 USD. (U.S. Dollar). This is preferable to paying the 5 pounds it costs just to drive your car into the center of town. If you plan a trip to London, bring your walking shoes and a few blister Band-Aids, you might need them.

5. A movie ticket will run you 11.50 GBP or 16.10 Euros or 19.55 USD- (I am not kidding you.)

6. There are many, many wonderful ethnic restaurants all over London. I tore out a few pages from and old Gourmet magazine and followed my nose. The old reputation of London having only terrible food has been dispelled in my eyes.

7. London is chalk full of tourists all year around, I heard German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and American English most often.

8. Fleece (called pile); jeans and tennis shoes were worn by about 50 percent of the population of the Underground train goers. Folks tended not to talk on their telephones on the train, this was good.

9. Smoking is still allowed indoors in London, Deme felt a built guilty lighting up but it did not stop him.

10. Rent is outrageously high, for a one bedroom apartment in an okay area; you might end up paying 350 GBP a week, that 1,960 Euros a month or 2,380 USD a month. The rents are 2-3 times that of Torino and up to 3-4 times that of Seattle.

11. Some English words I heard:

Queue=a line, to line up
Pram=baby stroller
Cresh=day care center
Child minder=baby sitter
Chap=dude, guy, man
The tube=the underground, the train system

12. Like the U.S. English folks are swimming in credit card debt. There is ad after ad on TV about consolidating your debt with one payment or loan.

13. Although things are very expensive in London, there were a few very nice free things too. The museums downtown were free. The beautiful parks that dot the city were clean, free of dog poop and well groomed. Even public restrooms were clean. (Although at the train station you have to pay 20 pence to use the facility, that’s 34 cents.).

14. London is very, very large about 620 square miles with over 7 million people, compared to Rome with 498 square miles with 3.8 million people and New York City with 321 sq. miles and 8.1 million people.

15. My favorite thing about visiting London was seeing all the different cultural and ethnic groups represented in the city as well as hearing different languages and seeing inter-racial couples. We plan to head back very soon.

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London Highlights-A Photo Tour

You knew my first few photos would be of food. Here I am with a Starbuck's coffee in hand, standing in the unmistakable red London, phone box.

My mouth watered as I stared glassy eyed and drooling at the crisp ducks and pork hanging in the windows of Chinatown. While in London, I got a taste of many of the foods I've been missing. Phad Thai, Crab sauteed with ginger and spring onions, Mandarin duck pancakes, thick rice noodles with beef, shall I go on?
An absolute cheese lovers haven; This is Neals Yard Dairy. I pranced right in and asked for a bit of while Cheddar and yellow cheddar and was just about laughed out of the place. Instead of embarrassing me, I had already accomplished this all on my own, the lady behind the counter let me taste cheese after cheese until we walked out of there with 6 different kinds of cheddar, Stilton and goat cheese. Yummy!
The Museum of Technology and Science was a grand place with interactive exhibits for children and adults alike. We want to being our niece and nephew here on our next trip.
Absolutely breathtaking and FREE! The dinosaur exhibit should not be missed. Other highlights include a wonderful variety of crystals, a 1500 sequoia tree, Darwin's galleries and much, much more.
Here Demetrio munches on his first chickens foot, deep fried then braised, they are delicious. Etta, a friend of ours, took us to this great dim sum place where the scallop and cilantro dumplings hit the spot. I ordered all of Demetrio's favorites, sticky rice in lotus leaves, ha gao, sui mai, char sui, roasted duck, gai lan, we were in heaven.
"Mind the Gap"="Watch your Step" as you step on and off the trains in London. On average we spent 7-8 Euros a day with an all-day train and bus pass. Even with the Underground, we only managed to see a small part of London.
A trip to London would not be complete without a tour of Harrods. This is the biggest shopping center I've ever been in. Some things you can find in Harrods:1. golf carts2. saddles3. great meats and fresh seafood4. wonderful teas and coffee5. jewel encrusted cell phone for about 35,000 Euros6. a refrigerator decorated like the British flag7. an in-house demonstration with live owlsand so much more.
The Big Ben
Westminster Abby

*Another post to follow entitled: Things I Noticed about London

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The Changing of the Guard

What is a trip to London without a visit to Buckingham Palace to see the "Changing of the Guard"? We did not plan to but luckily we made it to the ceremony just in time. All I knew about the guards I learned from movies, never having been to London before. I wondered if they really stood on guard for 8+ hours without moving and if they are really expressionless in the face of any distractions. I was about to find out.


There were quite a few people waiting to see the spectacle. The line of spectators stretched from near the soldiers barracks to the front of the palace. A distance of about 200 yards.

The ceremony began with a bit of marching, music (from the Guards' Band), and someone yelling a bunch of orders as the soldiers lifted their rifles and shuffled around in various formations, all the while keeping very straight faces.

Here is a lone soldier, waiting to be relieved of this post.

In marched the relief and his commanding officer (I am assuming this.)

The officer does a quick inspection of the outside of his post.

Gives a chat or thorough going over of the relief guard.

There is another inspection of the inside of the post box.

Here the left soldier, the one that was on duty, leaves his place and marches off.


The new guard is now in place.

Off goes the officer.


The end of the ceremony.

Want to plan your own trip to see the "Changing of the Guards?" Click here for more information and a schedule. I must say I was impressed with the guards' uniforms and the regal-ness of the whole thing.

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I have not been paying that much attention but the ParaOlympics must have begun this evening. Loud booms and a fantastic firework show greeted me as I came home from running errands at about 7:30 pm.

Mushroom Stuffed Quails

Little quails are so delicate and cute, I almost feel guilty eating them. They are however delicious and beautiful to see plated up with roasted vegetables and a nice red glass of red wine. When I want to treat someone to a fun dish I choose quails. Eating quails however is not a dainty affair; you will most likely have to use your hands. Cloth napkins are a must at the table.

Although they are a game bird, they are not as gamy tasting as say squab and have a richer flavor than Cornish game hen and chickens. They are however, small, weighing about 4-5 ounces; you should allow 2 birds per person. Game birds are notoriously lean and you can add strips of bacon or other types of fat to the breast area of the bird to make sure it does not dry out and to give it even more flavor. Be careful not to let the bird overcook or it will be very dry. If you can buy them semi-boneless, which means the breast bones are removed but legs intact. It makes it a lot easier to stuff and eat.

Mushroom Stuffed Quails

4 quails, preferably semi-boneless
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 T. finely chopped celery
2 T. finely chopped carrots
2 large sage leaves, slivered
1 small clove garlic, minced
Bread crumbs
Warm broth, dry white wine or both
1-2 T. pine nuts or pistachio nuts, ground
4 white mushrooms, diced finely
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes

1. In a sauté pan, heat a bit of olive oil and sauté onion, carrots and celery. Cook on low heat until translucent and golden but not too brown, about 10-15 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes more or until the mushrooms have rendered most of their liquid.

3. Add the garlic, sage leaves, nuts, chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste and sauté until fragrant.

4. Deglaze the pan by adding a few spoonfuls of broth or wine and take off the heat.

5. Add enough bread crumbs to the mixture to ensure a moist, not goopy, not too dry, stuffing. Taste for seasonings and adjust. Let the stuffing cool and preheat oven to 375 F.

6. Spoon the stuffing into the quails gently as to not tear them, about 2-3 T. should do. Stuff them so their chests cavities are full and engorged. (You may need to secure the opening in the cavity with a toothpick to prevent the stuffing from falling out or you could cut a tiny slit near the tail/backbone of the quail and insert the drumstick end of the leg into the leg to secure. They end up cross legged and very pretty this way. See photo.)

7. Sauté the birds in oil/butter mixture until well browned. Be careful as you are turning the birds, they have delicate skin that can tear. When the quails are well browned, place them in an oiled roasting pan, breast side up and roast for 10-15 minutes. They should be just cooked with a bit of pink near the bone. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.



The quails are being served with sauteed mushrooms on a bed of mashed potatoes and a mushroom sauce made from the leftover stuffing.


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Animals Galore

The "kids" just lounging in the living room. I love how sleepy both animals look and that the cat is longer than the dog.


Feral dogs on beach near Rome 1-for the hour or so that we played with these dogs, no one came around to check on them or to claim them. Both were healthy, friendly females that loved to frolic just at the waters breakline. With no collars around their necks, I guess they were feral. Still they were a joyous sight.


Feral dogs on beach near Rome 2-the smaller of the two dogs would bring the stick over to me, beg me to pick it up then jump on me as she tried to get it out of my hands. I ended up with sandy pawprints all over my jeans.


Feral dogs on beach near Rome 3-Parting was sad for me and the dogs as they followed Zavier away from the beach as we left.


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Woman's Day 2006

Judith in Umbria asked me 2 months ago if I wanted to join her and Divina Cucina in cooking up a Woman's Day feast. Since I adore Judith, I jumped on the bandwagon. When I think about impressionable women, I think of my mother often. I think about all the women in the world and how they swallow up all the responsibilities of those in their lives and how much I have also personally taken on. Now that I am married and living so far away, Mom writes often with tidbits of advice. She is truly the woman I admire most in the world. What does being a woman mean to me? I will attempt to show you with food. I wanted to do a soup theme but went overboard.

Being a woman means marching to the beat of your own drummer. Who says you can't make soup in a wok? It also means never forgetting your family and your heritage. And so with this said, I offer up Chinese Hot and Sour Soup. I still remember all the weekends we used to go to my father's favorite restaurant to eat great Chinese. I'm thinking of you dad.
Women are detailed oriented, we are fastidious.
Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
(lots of ingredients but comes together fast)

1/2 C. thinly sliced pork loin-marinate with soy sauce, sesame oil and a tiny bit of cornstarch
3 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked, stem discarded and sliced thinly
10 lily buds, soaked, and sliced in half lengthwise
10 small wood ear mushrooms, soaked and shredded-remove hard or knobby bits
1/4 C. sliced bamboo shoots-rinsed
2 T. chopped cilantro and scallions
4 C. broth
1/2 C. firm tofu, diced
1 egg, beaten
3 T. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T. water
2 T. soy sauce, and red vinegar or black vinegar and sesame oil
1 t. ground white pepper
1 t. sugar

1. Heat some oil in wok, when it smokes a tiny bit, add the pork and stir fry until no longer pink.
2. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lily buds and wood ears and stir fry for about 2 mins.
3. Add the broth, sesame oil, white pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and let come to a boil.
4. Add the tofu and let come to a simmer.
5. Stir the cornstarch slurry and then add to the broth, the soup will thicken. Check for seasonings. Turn the heat off and add the egg slowly to the soup, stir in a circular motion.
6. Add the cilantro and green onions and serve with a few drops of chili oil, sesame oil and dash of white pepper. ( I like my soup really sour and usually add a few more drops of vinegar into my bowl as well. Season as you prefer.)

Women are adaptable, we offer the greatest support imaginable. WE are penny pinchers and know how to get a bargain on what's fresh. With Spring on its way, I wanted to make one final hearty Italian soup. I have grown to embrace Italy more and more with each passing month and so I thought it fitting to offer this soup:

I also have to mention that my husband loves this soup.

Cabbage and White Bean Soup

1/3 C. diced pancetta
1/3 C. diced onion
1/4 C. diced carrot and celery
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 C. broth
1 can of white beans
2-3 C. shredded cabbage
1 new potato, diced
salt and pepper
2 T. toasted fennel or caraway seeds
a pinch of red pepper

1. Add some oil to a soup pot, when the oil is heated through, add the pancetta and saute until golden, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Next add the red pepper, fennel or caraway seeds and garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the broth, beans and bring to a boil. Add the potato and cook until the potato is tender.
3. Add the cabbage and let come to a boil once again. Stir and them turn the heat off to let the cabbage wilt and the flavors meld.
4. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil.


My final soup, one that reminds me of my parents' Vietnamese upbringing and the year I spent as a child living in Bangkok with my wonderful godparents. I want my children to appreciate all the things my family worked hard to provide for me and when I think of the future, I always revisit the past.

Tom Yum Goong

4 C. broth
3 stalks of lemon grass, smashed
1 pound of shrimp, with heads on, peel and clean shrimp and save shells and heads
3 kaffir lime leaves, I used the rind of 1 lime
1 can of straw mushrooms, halved
4 large button mushrooms or 2 clusters of oyster mushrooms
chopped cilantro
Limes and lime juice
galangal slices, I used ginger slices, smashed
1-2 T. fish sauce
Thai chilis
1-2 t. sugar, palm or white or brown
chili paste (I used a mix of chili paste, crab paste and shrimp paste, just because I had them in the pantry.)

1. Add shrimp heads and shells to pot with broth, lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal, chilis, chili paste, fish sauce, and sugar and let come to a boil. Then simmer for 20 minutes. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and then strain.
2. Add mushrooms to broth, let come to a simmer, then add shrimp and cook only until pink. Turn off the heat, season with more sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and chilis.
3. Serve with chopped cilantro.

There is nothing like food to lift your mood and remind you of who you really are. Thanks Judith for giving me a chance to participate. Who says that men are better chefs?

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Weekend Wrap-Up

We headed off to Rome this weekend so Demetrio could run the Roma to Ostia half marathon, that's 13 miles and 21 kilometers. Winter in Torino has been cold and with two business trips to Seattle he has not had much time to train. Still he came in in 2 hours and 6 minutes which is almost exactly half of this Marathon time in November 2005 of 4 hours and 35 minutes. Not bad for a an almost 43 year old smoker. (I wish he would stop the smoking though, he insists he is waiting for a Phillip Morris sponsorship.) A big victory for me too: I had to drive him to the starting line and then find my way back home alone. Therefore, I can say, I can drive in ROME! Another one on the belt notch for me.


A 7:30 a.m. pre-run photo.


Here he is about 100 yards from the finish line.


The dog got some exercise at the beach in Fregene. Paw on stick = my stick, stay away.
He lets them know when they get too close to "his" stick. "Though he be small, he is fierce."
He had a great time with this dog, they played "keep away" for about an hour. Funny thing was the larger dog could not get enough of Zavier. Maybe he was thinking "I've never seen a barking river rat before."


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On the advice of someone who commented on my blog I went to a store called Casteroni in Rome, they have several locations, to look for my tortilla press. No luck on the press, they actually used to carry them but don't anymore.

Long story short I found a ton of stuff:
(this is the short list)
cranberry juice
Libby's canned pumpkin
black strap molassas
pinto beans
wild rice
sichuan peppercorns
poppy seeds
BBQ sauces
marshmellow fluff
French's Yellow mustard
scottish shortbread
mirin-rice wine
etc....

Strangest thing I saw and bought was Tom Yum Soup in a can and from Thailand!

The "Birthday-Claus" Arrived at my House

My birthday is next week and look at all the goodies I received.

My sisters Kentra and Sara pooled resources to get me two Asian goodie boxes filled with cookies, rice crackers, curry mix, drinks, candy, gum, dried squid, and more. So much for my diet.

I was so glad to see this. I need it to make my Chinese Roast Pork. I don't follow the recipe on the back but the package is pretty good on its own.

I can find nori in Torino but not hot seasoned nori, yummy! This is how I get my iodine fix.

Thank you to the Haskin Family: John, Megumi, Milou and Milay (the monkey). They filled a box with Seattle goodies. A slug lollipop, Japanese noodles, an Asian T-shirt, snacks, marinade, a little Zen kit and special Seattle salmon dog and cat treats. I love them all! You guys will be getting a box from me the next time Deme goes to Seattle.

In case I missed the rain from Seattle, they even got me a little reminder.

Demetrio had to buy another duffel bag to bring all this stuff home.I needed self-laminating sheets (for my lessons) and rolodex refill cards from Office Depot, stuff from the drug store, shoes, and of course stuff from Amazon.com. Items of interest: 1. TUMS with calcium and fruit flavored-I love the taste and they are 1/4 the price of the ones in Italy which taste like chalk.2. Glide Floss: this is the greatest floss ever3. Rain-Ex-it does not exist in Italy4. Armor All-also does not exist in Italy

Why did I need this brand of hair dye? Because it's gentle and made with herbs of course.Why did I need this brand of deodorant? Because it works better than any brand I have tried and in Italy they do not have a brand that works for me and comes in unscented.Why do I need motion sickness pills? Because when we drive thorough hills and up into small towns, I get car sick.And the fake lashes? Because mine are wimpy and fake lashes are fun.

I have been looking for Silpat in Italy for a year and have not found it. The silicon spatula can take the heat, up to 800 F.

I love the shoes in Italy but I bought three pairs on sale off Zappos for the price of one here in Italy (on sale) and boy are they cute. I also have to mention my friend Laurie G. Thanks so much for the book, A Thousand Days in Tuscany, the follow-up to A Thousand Days in Venice. I wanted this and love the card you sent with it. I hope to see you this summer!

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