Autumn is gently rolling in and the late summer harvest of Pumpkins has arrived. I love when I start to see the pumpkins with their large spheres and pale pink skins start to show up at the farmers market. The pumpkins here are different than our American version that are orange skinned. The pumpkins in Italy have pale skin and dark orange interiors. They call them ‘zucca” and this is my favorite variety.
What could be more homey than a chicken roasting in the oven with the smell of rosemary and thyme wafting through the air? The promise of a hearty meal soon to be set at the table. In our modern era of convenience foods the smells of a slow cooked meal are almost extinct. But this smell conveys the feeling of family and love and contributes to the families feeling of well being.
Seasons are changing and here in Italy fall is in the air. The mornings have that cool crisp feeling and we are starting our day a little later as even the sun wants to stay in bed longer. This slight change is bridging that gap between two seasons: the waning of Summer and the start of Autumn.
Its the end of summer and those of us who planted those adorable little basil plants in early summer with dreams of fresh pesto and bruschetta now have basil plants the size of trees spilling out of our Italian balconies. But have no fear, a sizable batch of pesto will soon cut those basil trees back down to size.
Grilled vegetables are a great addition to any dinner menu, buffet table or Aperitivo spread. They help to balance out all of those platters of salami and prosciutto and cheese adding much needed fiber to the diet!
Last night Jeff and celebrated the conclusion of our one year anniversary living in Italy. It was over a year ago that I first started this blog and announced to the world that we were planning to move to Italy for a year. On August 28, 2017 we began our epic Italian journey and shortly after that we moved into our apartment in Nettuno by the sea.
Eggplant Parmesan or Melanzane alla Parmigiana as they say in Italy is claimed to be from the Southern regions of Italy both Campania and Sicily claim it as their. It Is usually served as a Primi Piatti or first course in Italian Cuisine.
When I returned home to California for a visit, my sister asked me to make Italian Style Lasagna. My sister is known for her very hefty and delicious “American” style lasagna that is full of different cheeses, sausage and ground beef and costs a fortune to make. So we had told her how simple lasagna in Italy is and she really wanted to try it. I don’t know if it will be a game changer for them but this is how they do it in Italy…
As I stroll the meat isle at the grocery store in italy I am often baffled at the descriptions on the packages such as Macinata Scelta Bolvino Adulto, which simply is ground beef. But the age of the beast, the type of animal (pig, cow, chicken, etc…) Where it was raised as well as the cut are all important parts of the description. I often can’t find cuts that I am familiar with from America and so end up with less than the desired effect when cooking my standard recipes.
Italy is a Peninsula full of thermal activity, yet this is something you rarely read about in any guidebook of Italy. From top to bottom, Italy is speckled with hot springs ranging from high-end resorts to free cascades on mountainsides. Sometimes the hot spring will be a simple, natural pool out in a grassy field that will charge a small fee of €6 to enter. Such as Bagnaccio, where there is a snack bar, changing rooms and bathrooms and you provide the rest. I like Bagnaccio because it is a simple pool, low price and it has a nice grassy open area. I recommend packing a picnic, bringing a blanket or even lounge chairs and enjoying a couple of hours lounging at the hot spring. It is especially nice in Spring or Fall when you can soak up some warm sun while you lounge.
