Good Spot for a Nap
Taken 19 September 2011 - Trastevere, Roma
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Easy Cuisine
Cuisine is easily one of my favorite things about living in Italy, which is home to fresh, uncomplicated food that is simply delicious. I love Italian pasta dishes above all else (though pizza comes in an arguable second). A few years ago, I admit, I was a jarred-pasta-sauce kind of girl. My favorite pasta dinner included boiling up a box of spaghetti, dumping in a jar of Ragu or Prego, and shaking a plastic tub of powdered parmesan over the top. Dinner was served, and I was happy. My, how things have changed...
Living in Italy has completely altered my culinary style. Since my first stay here nearly two years ago, I have cracked open the lid of nary a bottle of jarred pasta sauce. I've discovered, partly through the inspiration of living in this country, and partly through desperation (everything in the supermarket is different here) that I love to cook. I love to go into the kitchen, open up the cupboards, pull out an oversized pot, and create. Anything on hand is fair game...and I've found that I'm pretty good at it. Pasta sauces have definitely become a favorite. Anyone who knows me, has without a doubt been stuck listening to me preach about the virtues of making homemade pasta sauces. It's simple, healthy, and the difference in taste is incredible.
A difficult element for many, of course, is time. With most of my friends raising young families and juggling jobs and a million other things at once, they start to roll their eyes the minute I launch into my "All it takes is tomatoes and time" monolouge. I am writing this post because I have stumbled upon a pretty fantastic little recipe, which I liked so much I could not resist sharing. One of my favorite dishes to order in Italian restaurants is a simple Spaghetti Pomodoro (spaghetti with tomato sauce). Yes, I know, how boring. But here in Italy, it is not actually boring...it's a simple, classsic blend of flavors with perfectly cooked pasta and just enough smooth, delicious sauce to coat. I found a recipe which is a pretty darn good replication of some of the Spaghetti Pomodoro I've eaten here in Italy. What makes it outstanding, to me, is its simplicity. This meal took me ten minutes to make, from start to finish, and tasted like it could have taken much more. For those of you busy people I have been trying to convert to homemade sauces, give this a try. It makes a light, uncomplicated, and tasty little dish.
Triple Tomato Penne
Recipe published in Food and Wine Magazine
Serves 3-4 as a main dish. Or two if you're feeding Roland.
1 pound penne (500g)
2 medium tomatoes (or one can diced)
4 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 large basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Fresh parmesan cheese, if desired
- In a large pot, cook the penne until al dente (this is crucial in Italian pasta dishes. Pasta should still have a firm bite. No mushy pasta!).
-Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
-Drain the pasta and return to pot. Toss hot pasta with sauce straight from blender (no need to pre-heat sauce).
-Season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan, if desired.
Note: It will probably look as if there is not enough sauce for a whole box of pasta, but prepare as directed...The sauce is meant to only lightly coat the pasta, not drown it. And yes, I really should have photographed this dish. But it wasn't until I finished off my plate a few minutes ago that it dawned on me to share, so my apologies. If only there were enough for one more serving...purely for photograpic purposes, of course.
Living in Italy has completely altered my culinary style. Since my first stay here nearly two years ago, I have cracked open the lid of nary a bottle of jarred pasta sauce. I've discovered, partly through the inspiration of living in this country, and partly through desperation (everything in the supermarket is different here) that I love to cook. I love to go into the kitchen, open up the cupboards, pull out an oversized pot, and create. Anything on hand is fair game...and I've found that I'm pretty good at it. Pasta sauces have definitely become a favorite. Anyone who knows me, has without a doubt been stuck listening to me preach about the virtues of making homemade pasta sauces. It's simple, healthy, and the difference in taste is incredible.
A difficult element for many, of course, is time. With most of my friends raising young families and juggling jobs and a million other things at once, they start to roll their eyes the minute I launch into my "All it takes is tomatoes and time" monolouge. I am writing this post because I have stumbled upon a pretty fantastic little recipe, which I liked so much I could not resist sharing. One of my favorite dishes to order in Italian restaurants is a simple Spaghetti Pomodoro (spaghetti with tomato sauce). Yes, I know, how boring. But here in Italy, it is not actually boring...it's a simple, classsic blend of flavors with perfectly cooked pasta and just enough smooth, delicious sauce to coat. I found a recipe which is a pretty darn good replication of some of the Spaghetti Pomodoro I've eaten here in Italy. What makes it outstanding, to me, is its simplicity. This meal took me ten minutes to make, from start to finish, and tasted like it could have taken much more. For those of you busy people I have been trying to convert to homemade sauces, give this a try. It makes a light, uncomplicated, and tasty little dish.
Triple Tomato Penne
Recipe published in Food and Wine Magazine
Serves 3-4 as a main dish. Or two if you're feeding Roland.
1 pound penne (500g)
2 medium tomatoes (or one can diced)
4 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 large basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Fresh parmesan cheese, if desired
- In a large pot, cook the penne until al dente (this is crucial in Italian pasta dishes. Pasta should still have a firm bite. No mushy pasta!).
-Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
-Drain the pasta and return to pot. Toss hot pasta with sauce straight from blender (no need to pre-heat sauce).
-Season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan, if desired.
Note: It will probably look as if there is not enough sauce for a whole box of pasta, but prepare as directed...The sauce is meant to only lightly coat the pasta, not drown it. And yes, I really should have photographed this dish. But it wasn't until I finished off my plate a few minutes ago that it dawned on me to share, so my apologies. If only there were enough for one more serving...purely for photograpic purposes, of course.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Foto del Giorno
Self Portrait - Driving through the Mountains.
Taken 3 September 2011 - East Coast of Italy
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Day to Remember
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. I can barely remember what I ate for lunch yesterday, but I can still remember every moment of that fateful day ten years ago. It's amazing how time flies. Being so far away from home, marking this anniversary here in Italy feels different. I really found myself noticing the lack of media coverage as well as missing the general feeling of patriotism and rememberance I think we as Americans feel every year on this date. Coincidentally, Roland and I had agreed to drop by an art exhibit this afternoon. The exhibit was held by our landlord, who is an artist from Germany. The work we have seen of hers is quite eccentric, and we had no idea of the theme or what to expect of the exhibit, but wanted to stop by to show support and see her latest creations. The exhibit, we knew, would be what is called an installation - a large piece of art made from different materials in the spirit of a sculpture of sorts. When we first arrived, we were not sure what to make of the installation. This is what we saw:
We spoke to Suzanne, the artist, shortly after arriving, and as it turns out, her installation was in memoriam of the attack on the twin towers. Once she explained her vision on the piece, it made much more sense. She explained that the black tower on the left represented the charred remains of a tower, an acknowledgement of the event and all that had been lost. The golden tower on the right was a symbol of hope and re-building for the future. It was an interesting creation to see in person...the photo really does not do it justice. It was a unique piece of art, and one that was special to see on this anniversary. I am glad to have had to opportunity to commemorate the day in some small way.
Suzanne also had a set of three other pieces which were also created to honor 9/11. These were abstract glass dioramas, created on a smaller scale than the installation.
On this day and all days, may we never forget those we lost and all of the brave heroes who stepped forward for their country and their fellow Americans.
Foto del Giorno
Nestled among the distinguised busts and classical sculptures in Villa Borghese, we stumbled across this sculpture. Titled Modern Heroes by sculptor Mauro Perucchetti, it depicts Batman and Superman in a style reminiscent of The Creation of Adam in The Sistine Chapel.
Taken July, 2011 - Villa Borghese, Roma
Sick Day Scare
Sick days. We've all been guilty of, at one time or another, cashing one in for a reason other than an illness. A gorgeous sunny day, a happy hour that went on a bit too late, or one of those mornings when surrendering to the alarm clock and climbing out from under the covers is simply not an option. Italy has an interesting stance on sick days for those working in Aviation (and by interesting I mean very unfortunate). I am not sure if this policy extends to workers in general, but by Italian law, if a pilot must call into work to take a sick day (even just one) he must visit a doctor and submit paperwork from the visit within 24 hours to his employer. The effectively takes the "fun" out of the occasional sick day for any pilot working in Italy.
Recently, Roland had to take a day off because he was feeling, generally, a little bit unwell. There was no extreme sickness, just an uneasy stomach and some cold symptoms. He didn't need a doctor, but as the visit was madatory due to law, he went in. Luckily for him, there is a physician's office around the corner from us that caters specifically to pilots. This means, at the very least, there is never a wait or inconvenience to see a doctor. He came home who two prescriptions: One was dissolvable vitamin C tablets. Understandable. The other was a Drug called Aulin. Due to the language barrier, Roland hadn't quite understood what this was for. So I looked it up and was, effectively, shocked by what I found. Apparently, Aulin (the generic name for a drug called Nimesulide) does not sit at the top of the list of high quality drugs which are safe and widely prescribed. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The drug is an anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used to treat acute pain and osteoarthritis. As soon as I typed in the name of the drug on Google, I found page after page of cautions and warnings on its unsafe track record. It has never been approved for use in countries such as USA, UK, Canada, Australia New Zealand, among many others, in view of concerns over its safety profile. It has, in fact, been reported to be a contributing factor in hundreds of cases of liver disease and a number of resulting deaths. Many European countries have investigated Aulin and consequently banned the drug. And then there is Italy...
Interestingly, in 2008, an Italian news agency came forward after having received videotape of a top-ranking official at Italy's medicines agency, AIFA, accepting bribes from pharmaceutical companies. The bribes were given to ensure that a number of drugs, Aulin (Nimesulide) being the most prominent, would avoid scrutiny by drug-investigating authorities in Italy. Although this was exposed in the media, the drug is obvioulsy still prescribed.
We found it pretty shocking, to say the least, that Roland received this drug after his visit. Whether it was a matter of a miscommunication due to the language barrier, we aren't sure, but he definitely was not suffering from acute pain or osteoarthritis. Obvioulsy, the medicine went in the trash. It goes a long way to show that we need to be extra-diligent about looking after ourselves in all respects here, especially as English speakers, when miscommunications with Italian speakers happen more often than not. Lesson learned!
Recently, Roland had to take a day off because he was feeling, generally, a little bit unwell. There was no extreme sickness, just an uneasy stomach and some cold symptoms. He didn't need a doctor, but as the visit was madatory due to law, he went in. Luckily for him, there is a physician's office around the corner from us that caters specifically to pilots. This means, at the very least, there is never a wait or inconvenience to see a doctor. He came home who two prescriptions: One was dissolvable vitamin C tablets. Understandable. The other was a Drug called Aulin. Due to the language barrier, Roland hadn't quite understood what this was for. So I looked it up and was, effectively, shocked by what I found. Apparently, Aulin (the generic name for a drug called Nimesulide) does not sit at the top of the list of high quality drugs which are safe and widely prescribed. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The drug is an anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used to treat acute pain and osteoarthritis. As soon as I typed in the name of the drug on Google, I found page after page of cautions and warnings on its unsafe track record. It has never been approved for use in countries such as USA, UK, Canada, Australia New Zealand, among many others, in view of concerns over its safety profile. It has, in fact, been reported to be a contributing factor in hundreds of cases of liver disease and a number of resulting deaths. Many European countries have investigated Aulin and consequently banned the drug. And then there is Italy...
Interestingly, in 2008, an Italian news agency came forward after having received videotape of a top-ranking official at Italy's medicines agency, AIFA, accepting bribes from pharmaceutical companies. The bribes were given to ensure that a number of drugs, Aulin (Nimesulide) being the most prominent, would avoid scrutiny by drug-investigating authorities in Italy. Although this was exposed in the media, the drug is obvioulsy still prescribed.
We found it pretty shocking, to say the least, that Roland received this drug after his visit. Whether it was a matter of a miscommunication due to the language barrier, we aren't sure, but he definitely was not suffering from acute pain or osteoarthritis. Obvioulsy, the medicine went in the trash. It goes a long way to show that we need to be extra-diligent about looking after ourselves in all respects here, especially as English speakers, when miscommunications with Italian speakers happen more often than not. Lesson learned!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Foto del Giorno
I rarely leave home without my camera these days. I've been taking loads of photos, and I'm enjoying learning about photography and experimenting with photoshop and such. So, I've decided to start posting a Foto del Giorno, or Photo of the Day, here on my blog. I don't have time to write as often here as I'd like, so this will get me on everyday, as well as giving me a reason to experiment with photoshop more often. Hopefully these photos will give a little glance into the everyday things we stumble across here in Roma.
One of Rome's many stray cats, taking in some morning sunshine.
Taken 15 August 2011 - Roma Centro
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Hideaway of the God of Wine
For his birthday last year, Roland recieved a really cool gift from his brother - a year long "adoption" of an olive tree in Italy. Near his birthday, Roland got a package in the mail from the company, called Nudo, explaining the gift: A specific tree in an olive grove in Offida, Italy had been designated as his. There was a photo of the farmer, Tziano, and a map of the tree's location, as well as an interesting explanation of the process of creating olive oil. As the tree's adoptive parent, he would receive two shipments of olive oil from the grove, including oil from his tree. One, which came in the spring, had several cans of extra virgin olive oil. The oil is delicious. We've almost finished it all off. We are still eagerly awaiting the fall package, which has several flavored oils such as lemon, pepper, and mandarin.
Our last remaining can of extra virgin olive oil
The gift also promised that, should the opportunity arise, the adoptive parent was welcome to come out to visit the grove and hug their tree. Living in Italy, naturally we could not let this opportunity go by. So last weekend, we took a drive out to Offida, which is about 150 miles northeast of Rome, on the East coast of the country. We decided to stay in a little Bed & Breakfast right next to the olive tree grove, the owner of which promised to show us around the grove and direct us to Roland's tree. The B&B was called Nascondiglio di Bacco, which translates to "Hideaway of the God of Wine." The name suited the place perfectly, as it was truly a hideaway. It was hidden away in the rural countryside of Italy, nestled among fields of grape vines and olive groves. When we finally found the place (not an easy feat) we were greeted by Bacco, a massive floppy black dog and namesake of the B&B. Bacco was king of the house, wet-nosed greeting party, and lookout-dog extraordinaire. It was a lot of fun to have him around, since of course I have been missing Duke tons.
Bacco!
We were shortly thereafter greeted by Dwight, the owner of the B&B, who had an interesting story. He was an American former surgeon from St. Louis, who'd left his life behind in America to run the B&B and start a winery in Italy. He greeted us having just spent the day harvesting Merlot grapes from the field of vines next to the B&B (which we got to try - and were some of the tastiest grapes ever!). Since we arrived later in the day, we spent the first evening in the city center of Offida, which was hosting its annual Wine Festival, a showcase of all of the wines from local vineyards. For a small entrance fee, we were given a wine glass and set loose to taste all we could manage...39 different bottles were represented in the festival. Obviously, it was impossible to taste them all, but we made a good dent in them - and they were really good. We also had dinner by feasting on Italy's version of "street food"...mackerel hamburgers and deep fried olives stuffed with meats and cheeses.
At the festival. We were given bags to hold our wine glasses for easy eating of street food, etc.
The courtyard of the festival
After having our fill of wine we got some sleep and got up early to visit the olive grove. While we were having breakfast, the Olive farmer, Tziano, showed up at the B&B to welcome us and give us a bottle of wine as a gift to say thank you for coming out to the grove. Tziano's face is plastered on the back of each of our tins of olive oil at home, so it was kind of fun to see him in person. He stayed long enough to say hello and take a quick photo with us in front of an Olive tree at the B&B.
Me, Tziano, and Roland
After breakfast, Dwight took us on a walk into the grove to visit Roland's tree. He had a map to lead us to the proper tree. Roland and his tree were very happy to finally meet face to face.
Roland was also determind to give his tree a hug...even though the truck was only a couple of feet tall.
Thanking his tree for all of its delicious oil.
Last, Dwight took us on a little tour of his brand new winery. When he moved to Italy 4 years ago, he built the building and bought all of the wine-making equipment. He also planted all of the vines and started the whole operation from scratch. It was really interesting to get a taste of all that goes into wine making.
Roland checking out a new batch of merlot
A view of the grapevines from the vineyard
A view of the B&B from the winery next door
Just outside the B&B.
A big Thanks to Peter for giving us a great excuse to visit a place we'd otherwise probably never have stumbled upon...we loved it!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Ferragosto In Roma
September has just begun, meaning the end of my least-favorite month in Rome...August. Despite being hot and humid, Rome is a complete ghost-town for most of the month. Traditionally, Italians take most of the month of August off, shutting down their businesses and heading down the the seaside to relax and escape the heat of the city. Romans call it "Ferie," basically meaning holidays. It is fantastic for them...but not so great for those of us remaining in town. Want to have something drycleaned? Eat at your favorite local restaurant? Visit a dentist or stop in to the office supply store? Try again in September. Supermarkets and gas (petrol) stations grudgingly remain open, but with few exceptions storefronts remain closed down, with their doors displaying similar homemade signs as this:
At the mid-point of Ferie, on August 15th, Romans celebrate one of their favorite holidays - Ferragosto. Originally, this holiday had some religious connotations, but it is now basically just one of the biggest parties of the year. Unfortunately for us, it doesn't happen in Rome! While the city is a major ghost town for the whole month of August, come the 15th, you will be hard-pressed to find a Italian person anywhere in Rome. Everyone that is not already there heads down to the seaside for a long day of eating, drinking, and fireworks on the beach that Italians look forward to all year long. We had heard in the past that this was an interesting day to go into the city early in the morning, to experience for likely the one and only time, a silent Rome. Since tourists usually don't emerge from their hotels until 9AM or so, we drove in at 7AM to check it out. The usually loud and bustling streets were completely empty, and I got to see my city from a completely new perspective. It was utterly peaceful and beautiful, and almost felt like rediscovering the place again for the first time. Although admittedly, there was some grumbling when I voluntarily dragged myself from bed at such an early hour on a holiday, I am so happy I did. Here are a few photos of a deserted Rome.
At the mid-point of Ferie, on August 15th, Romans celebrate one of their favorite holidays - Ferragosto. Originally, this holiday had some religious connotations, but it is now basically just one of the biggest parties of the year. Unfortunately for us, it doesn't happen in Rome! While the city is a major ghost town for the whole month of August, come the 15th, you will be hard-pressed to find a Italian person anywhere in Rome. Everyone that is not already there heads down to the seaside for a long day of eating, drinking, and fireworks on the beach that Italians look forward to all year long. We had heard in the past that this was an interesting day to go into the city early in the morning, to experience for likely the one and only time, a silent Rome. Since tourists usually don't emerge from their hotels until 9AM or so, we drove in at 7AM to check it out. The usually loud and bustling streets were completely empty, and I got to see my city from a completely new perspective. It was utterly peaceful and beautiful, and almost felt like rediscovering the place again for the first time. Although admittedly, there was some grumbling when I voluntarily dragged myself from bed at such an early hour on a holiday, I am so happy I did. Here are a few photos of a deserted Rome.
The Arch of Constantine
Driving past the Colloseum
Piazza Venezia. This was one of the most impressive places to see empty...it is normally so full of cars, scooters and people that it was really breathtaking to experience in this way.
Spanish Steps....normally too covered with people to see the actual steps themselves.
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