Odds and ends

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We work our way through February. It has been the wettest February I can remember here. It is always the rainy season but not as much as this. It is good for the water table. We will enter the dry season in May and nary a drop for months. So we are going to be in good shape for it.

We had a lovely lunch at Calagrana on Sunday. They have been closed since Christmas. They actually got to take a month long vacation in the US with Ely’s sister who lives near Philly PA. I’m happy they had a good time. We had a good chat with Alberto the Chef. He tried Philly cheese steak sandwiches (loved), and hoagies (hated). And had a seafood boil (loved).

Sunday was their “soft” reopening. They had all but two tables filled. We had all missed them and were happy to go have a meal. We asked a couple, Sarah and Don, who bought a place and moved about 8 months ago, to join us. I had been meaning to get them there with us for a long time. I’m sure they will want to take guests, family, friends who visit there. We all do. We had a lovely lunch. Sarah and I had the tagliolini with cream sauce with truffles. So, so good. Don had the cheese soufflé with truffles. Luther, the ravioli. All the pasta was made in house. Both Don and Sarah professed to not really love truffles but I think they came away believers. They each had the roasted baby chicken, Luther and I had the rack of lamb. It was all delicious. We were so glad to be back and share with new friends. Sorry no food fotos!

It’s Carnivale time in Italy. Think Mardi Gras. All towns have some sort of celebration. We have a parade. I have videos but suddenly the video embedded doesn’t work. Anyway here is a photo.

Tomorrow we embark on a short trip to Salerno. It is the bottommost town on the Amalfi coast. It is not like the touristy towns there it is a real, livable town, year round. We have friends there and are also meeting up with Susan and Gary. Our present plan is to take the train there and check in to our hotel. The next day we plan a trip to Paestum. We have all been there before twice to see the famous Greek temples, which are incredible. This time we will focus on a Mozzarella di Bufala farm. This is the area where the best, creamy mozzarella comes from. I have always wanted to visit a farm. During our previous trips I stared and searched to see buffalo [these are water buffalo brought from India centuries ago. They have very rich milk which makes the best cheese] and I never ever saw one. Turns out, they are kept inside. In the barns. No wonder I never spotted one. So this time we visit an actual producer and have lunch. Excited! The next day we plan to visit Caserta. Very famous. I’ve never been and actually don’t know what I will be seeing! The last day we will spend in Salerno. With our friends for lunch and sight seeing. Should be a fun trip to break up the winter. Stay tuned for a trip report.

I heard there was gong to be a thaw of all the ice that has coated the U.S. east coast! Good news! Enjoy. Ciao for now!

Rain, rain go away

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The last couple days has been busy-ish. Yesterday I had an appointment for an endoscopy. I had never had one, ever, but knew what they were. Hence my reticence to get this procedure. The doctors were very pushy about it so I had to finally do it. It was pouring rain on the way to the Città di Castello hospital. But it seems everyday is nothing but rain. I went into the appointment with Luther so we could both hear what was being said. Then I got taken into the room where the deed would be done.

On a table, fully clothed. I got a needle in my arm as a port for meds. The nurse asked if I wanted a sedative to calm me, darn right I did! But after I got it I was fully awake and mostly lucid and aware of what was happening. Ugh. Horrible experience. I think in the U.S. you’re fully sedated, but not here. I don’t like things in my throat. I bet most people don’t. But finally the ordeal ended.

We went back home and I was just very happy to have that behind me. I had been dreading it. Now to take all my results to my doctor.

Today I woke to pouring rain. Again. My errand for today was to get a haircut. Normally I go to Sansepolcro which is about 30 minutes north, just over the Tuscan border at the head of the upper Tiber valley. Stefano was my guy. I hadn’t been all that happy with him lately so I decided to go back to Nada, here in town. She’s pretty good. And she taught me a new phrase in Italian. Sono stufa. Yes like the stove. But in this case it means I’m fed up. For instance “sono stufa della pioggia”. I am fed up with the rain. Which I AM!

I had a picture I liked and I had practiced my hair vocabulary but … as always, there were communication issues.. She got what I wanted, so that was good, but apparently there were a couple ways she could do the back of my hair. In rapid fire Italian she explained each one and I’m nodding, with no clue, and she finishes and asks which one, one or two? 😳 in the end I got a decent cut. Trying to grow it all a bit longer so the cut has to be small now to allow it to grow,

Walking back home I crossed the Torrente, which is a small stream that runs through town and into the Tiber. With all the rain it was indeed a torrent. I took a quick snap.

I realized they had made a new path through the construction zone which I’ve written about before. It’s nice. I have heard the construction has gotten slowed because they had finished all the new paving with lovely stones and then allowed a truck to drive though which should not have happened. It was too heavy and broke the new stones. 😞 So they had to replace it all. I also noted a bunch of new planters with new plants already planted. They will be very nice once the plants grow. I am sure it will be a nice space although the local Umbertidese do not like it at all. They don’t accept change easily. 😁 Picture.

I didn’t get to post this yesterday and I wanted to report I woke up to…SUNSHINE! It probably won’t last but it was nice to see the blue sky. I forgot to mention that we have lost our internet. It has been out for four days. We are exploring alternatives right now. Hopefully we will be back up and running soon. Ciao!

I giorni della merla – and food!

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I had a new experience this week. I placed an order with a group called Villagio del Cibo. I was turned onto this group by friends and got on their mailing list. Every two weeks I get an email with an attached order form with all the available products. It changes according to the season and who has what. The products are provided by a network of producers who sign up to sell their stuff. It is brilliant. They are all from here in the Upper Tiber valley. Local and certified organic. This gives the producers a market and we consumers get the benefit of good, safe, food. Win, win. So I do want to support this. This being winter the veggies are limited to what’s growing now. I got broccoli, cabbage, radicchio, and cavallo nero (Tuscan kale). I also got fresh eggs, roasted hazelnuts (nocciole), dried chickpeas (ceci) and a bottle of passata (tomato sauce). First picture veggies, second a soup I made.

We have a shop here called Giorgio al Mare. It is all frozen food. Mostly seafood focused but tons of other stuff. They have whole kits for pasta al mare, seafood risotto, etc. Frozen of course. Also every type of fish and shellfish imaginable. They even have vegetables and sweets. In fact this store is where I buy my cinghiale. Only place I have seen that stocks it. I buy quite a bit of seafood there. Many fish fillets which make a quick dinner. Also all my shrimp comes from there (it’s deveined and shelled but you can get it uncleaned). All kinds of whole fish which I roast or grill. I like their salmon. Last time I went I got two tuna steaks. I made them last night. They were a big hit with Luther and I even liked it. The marinade made it happen. It was much like a steak, very meaty. I also served it with a a pretty salad with chickpeas, clementine segments, and cherry tomatoes. The salad dressing was the same as the marinade. I just seared the tuna, here is a photo.

A weird experiment. Luther mail ordered a bunch of food. Don’t ask 😑 So now it is up to me to cook it all eventually. One thing was a Wagyu steak. It is apparently a famous thing. So I thawed it out and cooked it. I bet it was 75% fat. I think that’s why people like it. The first picture is the raw steak, note the fat. The second was after cooking. It was quite tasty, and interesting, but not worth the cost.


Finally something that cheered me. I learned a new thing about Italy. January 29-30-31 are i giorni della merla – the days of the blackbird. It is a little-known period which has several legends. The one I liked was that this is the coldest the winter will be and the blackbirds shelter from the cold in their nests or near chimneys. They say that if it is cold during these three days, spring will come early. My friend, who posted this, said it beats a giant rodent (sorry Phil). I have a special place in my heart for blackbirds. This morning I had a treat. Our resident blackbird was singing his heart out behind our building in the middle of the night. At least he thinks it will be spring soon anyway! Sing my little friend, sing! 💕

This guy I photoed a few years ago in Liguria. It was his special day. He found a cherry!

Quiet time

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January is a quiet time here. Plenty of folks going about their everyday business, but nothing much else is going on. At least here all the restaurants and stores stay open all winter. This town doesn’t shut down because the tourists are gone like so many do. That should always be a consideration if you intend to move here. Some places are shut tight!

The weather, after our two week cold snap, is pretty nice. Highs in the 50s, lows in the 30s and 40s. My lemon tree did get frost bitten, even though I brought it and the persimmon inside. I have trimmed off the dead bits. I’m sure it will recover once it’s back outside. I’m following the big winter storm hitting much of the U.S. right now. Stay warm everyone. Our stufa keeping us warm. 🔥

I’ve been making lots of soups and comfort food. We have a good friend here who had a medical crisis a couple weeks ago. Thankfully he is better and home now. Seems there is a syndrome called acute haemolytic anemia or favism. Apparently a person can develop this G6PD deficiency triggered by components in fava beans. He was in the hospital for a week and had four transfusions. Very sick boy. Now he can’t eat any legumes like beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc. for a couple of months. I was trying to find recipes of mine in my soups and it was a surprise that almost all of mine have one of those forbidden items. I did find two. Anyway, I’m very glad he is on the mend. Get well soon Steve!

I don’t have much else to report. Hang in everyone. Hunker down for the storm. La primavera sta arrivando!

Holiday cards

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OK this is just plain weird. Yesterday, January 9, we got a holiday card from friends in the U.S. It was mailed December 13 from Virginia. Happy to hear from them! We chuckled about the Poste Italiene. Then, I heard on Facebook from a friend who got three cards today. I was agog. But wait…then another two commenters in the friends post said they TOO had gotten two holiday cards today, So what’s going on? Did the Poste Italiene save all the holiday cards from the U.S. until today to send out to us stranieri? If so, WHY? I mean, did they say, it you see a card from the U.S., put it in this basket? We will deliver in January. 🙄

Of course we don’t really know who is at fault. One commenter said in tracking their card it went to Chicago and from there Indianapolis where it sat for several weeks. Why? Chi sa! The part that is still odd is why did so many of us here get our cards on the same day?

Epifania

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Today is Epifania, a holiday, the day the 3 magi came to visit the Christ child. It marks the official end of the Christmas season. Now we hunker down and try to struggle through the longest, coldest and darkest month.

We are in the very beginning of a frigid week. There is a polar vortex that’s covering most of Europe. France is the coldest since 2012 and I would wager it will be here as well. Predicted to have -5C (23F) tonight and -8C (17F) tomorrow. Coldest in the 11+ years we have been here. So cold that the cover covering he lemon and kumquats will not be adequate protection, so they now are inside upstairs.

I also looked up olive trees and how hardy they are. Seems mature trees can tolerate to -9C but young trees only to -4C. I’m wondering if this will damage these around here. I hope not. They say the cold is good to kill the fly larvae, but this is pushing it.

For a treat, it began snowing here about 1pm. Is is very pretty. Slowed down now (4:30) but with that cold coming it could make for treacherous roads, Video I took, I hope it is visible.

I have been making cold weather food the last couple of days. I made a big pot of potato leek soup for lunches, and a big pot of chili last night. Sticks to the ribs and warms you up.

Stay warm if it’s cold where you are. If it’s warm, enjoy it! Ciao!

Buon anno a tutti!

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I decided to make Hoppin John soup instead of traditional Hoppin John. I made this last year and really liked it. It is also a one pot meal and I was not up for making multiple things. I had left over rice so that made it doubly easy.

I was tired last night because we decided to move from the top floor to the bottom floor in our apartment. It was quite a lot of work. Just emptying the refrigerator and freezer was a lot! I am trying this out this year but I am not sure I will do it again. Part of the reason is the stufa is on the main floor. We have a pallet of pellets in the garage. We wanted to use them and augment the heat. I also wanted to just test it out. It seemed a waste to never use anything but a bedroom and the bathrooms on this floor. The upstairs will now not be heated to save money. We will move back up in the spring. Anyway, we concluded a hard days work would kill us 😁 We moved Luther’s desk and chair down, that was a pain, and then there were all the spices and some food. Multiple trips. But it’s done now and the experiment begins.

We are going out for lunch in a bit with good friends from Montone. That will be a nice treat!

Happy New Year to all.

A cat quietly sleeping in my lap

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Something about a cat’s gentle purr. I read that it rumbles at a frequency very soothing for us humans. I do find it calming. My little Simba is addicted to my lap, if such a thing can be. They came over with us in 2014. We each had a carrier with a cat and reservations in-cabin for them. Oddly no one seemed to notice them. Not at check-in, not when boarding, not during the flight, not even when passing through passport control and customs on the way out of Roma airport. But that was ok. They were good travelers. They were only four then. Young boys and very adaptable. Now they are sixteen. How did that happen? I could ask the same for myself. I celebrated (?) 3/4 century on Sunday. So many years. I will miss my boys when they are gone.

Do we all get into an introspective mood when the year finishes and a fresh one begins. And why do we even have years? Is it a compulsion for humans to mark time, whatever that is? Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. I will watch the year change across the globe on CNN. Then I will endure the fireworks the Italians love so much.

Of course, for food, we will have traditional fish for New Year’s Eve. Then on new years I will do American south, hoppin’ John, cornbread and greens, all of it for luck. The greens are for money, and the corn bread is for gold, I will post pictures of the big doins’ in my next post.

Christmas Eve, Christmas day

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Hi everyone! I hope you’re enjoying your holiday. I wandered into town on Christmas Eve to take my biscotti Americani (chocolate chip cookies 🙂) to Angelo and Bar Mary. I also stopped by books for dogs for a drop off of some things I thought they could sell, it was busy. But the market was already breaking down because it was Christmas Eve. I sat and had a glass of vino bianco at Bar Mary. It was nice outside in their enclosed seating area. No one there but me.

Cheese stand still open.
Market closing.
On the way home. This is Piazza Carlo Marx, in front of our house.

Luther shared the biscotti I made with all our neighbors in the building and I dropped a bag at the girarrosto downstairs. Nice people, Sarah and Luciano. They work so hard. It is amazing how popular they are. People were waiting in line outside. People come from all around to pickup their orders for Christmas Eve or day lunches or dinners. Super popular but that means they are open on all the holidays. Hard workers those two.

For Christmas Eve dinner I made Cinghiale in Umido. Wild boar stew. Braised in the oven for 4 hours. Turned out very good and tender. You never know with wild boar.

For Christmas dinner I found a small turkey. Only 6.6 pounds, 3 kilos. So I made that with mashed potatoes, broccoli, gravy and cranberry sauce. I like to make a turkey once a year and the stores have started to stock them for the holidays. The turkey was tender and juicy. Now we have left overs for dinner and best of all…turkey sandwiches!

I went out into the hall and saw the offerings from the little girls who live across from us. Their sign says, “welcome and eat well baby Jesus and the donkey”. I thought it was cute. There were bowl and cups with a bit of food left behind. 🥰

We caught up with the families. I spoke to my sister and her husband. I emailed all of the Hamptons on Christmas Eve. I heard back from Luther’s youngest brother, in California. And from my niece in Southern California, who may be paying us a visit in the summer. We had a video call with Luther’s middle brother and some of their family. They have small grandchildren who spent the night and woke at 5:30am so everyone was exhausted. Anyway, everyone is doing pretty good, all things considered.

So, another Christmas has come and gone. I hope you all had a nice holiday. Friday was a holiday here as well, San Stefano. Fino alla prossima volta! 💕

Buon Natale!

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It is Christmastime again. I am wishing you all a nice holiday season, whatever you celebrate. It will be quiet for us and that is just fine with me! I am having fun cooking. I have cinghiale which I’m making into a stew today, and a tacchino piccolo, baby turkey, for ourselves tomorrow. Turkey sandwiches here we come! Buon Natale a tutti! Let’s all be kind to one another, ❤️