Primavera, spring, has officially arrived in the northern hemisphere. Here in Ascoli Piceno, there were some earlier signs that spring was not far off. The sun seemed a bit warmer, the days started to get a little longer, closer examination of the trees we pass on our walks showed signs of forming buds and song bird choruses were more in evidence. And then, just about on the Equinox calendar schedule, we had a brief warming trend that actually had us out one afternoon without jackets. But that didn’t last long. It is back to the changeable weather that is so common to the transitional aspect of what makes early spring. And as if we were having difficulty recognizing that winter was not that far behind, on clear days we can see the higher elevations in the Apennine Mountains west of Ascoli are still covered in snow. We arrived in Italy in the earliest part of summer last year. So we are now moving beyond the third into the fourth seasonal experience in our newly adopted home. Being southern Californians through multi-year immersion, we are accustomed to less extreme and more rapid temperature changes as in during, Morning, Afternoon and Night. But Arlene and I have our roots in a less temperate zone on the east coast. There were defined seasons that were part of how we were reared in those years. I‘m finding it interesting that the visceral signals involved in the passing seasons here in Italy have a surprising comfort to them. I’ve never been a great fan of being cold and damp but I seemed to have found what little of that was experienced was really quite tolerable. It seems I’m getting back in touch with the natural, cyclical order of things that might have been submerged beneath the climatically comfortable consistency of southern California. I continue to be amazed by the sensory reawakening that being retired seems to afford. Intellectually I realized my working life involved a pace that was too fast to adequately sense some of what was passing by. Occasionally, I gained awareness that I was missing something. During one of my phases, I became enamored with riding a motorcycle. What comes to mind...
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Piazza del Popolo – Carnevale We didn’t get close enough to see reflection in mirror A little story of the fall of our singing nun Sunday in the...
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Red Sea – beach Stella di Mare Hotel Hotel main pool Hotel children’s pools Blog Office in Egypt Red Sea – reef off beach Our room – 4th down from top corner Hotel room with towel sculpture Our friendly beach hosts The Spa staff Outing to the Red Sea Reefs Aquatic life Reef Reef resident Sinai Desert St. Catherine’s Monastery St. Catherine’s-setting Exterior walls Entrance Exterior wall near entrance Exterior wall Exterior wall Interior-garden wall Christian bell tower next to Islamic minaret Interior court Prayers people leave in the walls Interior Mt. Sinai of 10 Commandments fame Lawrence of Egypt? Bedouin encampment Bedouin shelter Where’s the food? Ali Baba Resaurant, Dahab Tour Guide, Allam & Driver,...
Read MoreSharm El Sheikh, Egypt Here in Ascoli we have had a long run of unusually warm weather during the last half of December and most all of January and February. I have to admit that I sort of freaked out when it was in the 30’s and we got our first snow in November. I figured that it was going to be a long, cold winter. It seems that I overreacted because, as I mentioned before, when we returned from Rome in mid-December it turned warm (50’s during the day and 40’s at night) and it has pretty much stayed that way since. We’ve had a few nights in the 30’s and a couple days it was near 70 degrees. The low pressure fronts bringing the very bad weather to the UK and surrounds is bringing warmer air up from Africa to this part of Europe. This quite lovely weather made our planned trip to a warmer climate mid-winter to thaw out seem uncalled for. Oh well, we’ve never have needed a reason to take a trip. Our research found that actually there is no place in Europe that is warm this time of year. People recommended only two options within a reasonable travel distance – the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa (with temps around 70) and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (with temps averaging in the mid to high 70’s). Egypt was not on our very long list of places we hope to see, mostly due to safety reasons. Currently there are travel alerts discouraging Americans from traveling anywhere in Egypt, except, Sharm (what those who have been there call it). That is because there is the very large Sinai Desert between the the cities with the political unrest and terrorist troubles and the Sharm area on the Red Sea where the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba converge. The Egyptian government is protecting this last bastion of tourism in their country with everything they’ve got. Never-the-less tourism is down over 40% in the area and made a trip there very economical. Plus we decided it might be our only chance to visit Egypt should their situation continue to deteriorate. This was very out-of-character for Larry (Mr....
Read MoreSee photos in Portfolio Arlene’s Birthday: Not noted for his party organizing skills, my wonderful husband planned a very successful small get-together at a local restaurant for my birthday. For a sure winner he chose Il Desco, rated #1 on Trip Advisor of restaurants in Ascoli. He invited Cinzia M., Grace & Maurizio, Laura & Sergio, Serafino and Mariella to join us for aperitivo at 7:30 PM (but folks did not show until almost 8 because they never eat before then-will we ever “get it”?). He requested they bring no gifts but most arrived with very thoughtful gifts anyway. Il Desco is a lovely restaurant to begin with and they set a beautiful table for the occasion. For what was an unbelievably small cost (15 Euro per person – they had to regret they didn’t charge more) they served us wines and a large selection of tasty spuntino (snacks). This is often done and considered “dinner.” I had written detailed descriptions of all the wonderful spuntino in Notes in my IPhone, but since then had to get a new phone and the list is now gone. I do remember one with roasted pear and pecorino cheese and another of grilled zucchini wrapped around herbed ricotta. Trust me, the spuntino were creative, beautiful and awesome. They even served a dolce, mine with a candle in it. We had a lovely and memorable evening – great job, Larry! Australia Day Always on the lookout for a reason to celebrate, Grace (our Aussie/Italian friend), invited us over for dinner to celebrate Australia Day on 26 January. Just as we were about to go out the door at 7:30 to walk to Grace’s (about a 25 minute walk) dear Serafino called to say he’d pick us up. At the table we were joined by, of course, Marizio, Antonella (Grace’s cousin), Cinzia M., Serafino, Mariella, Lucia, Gina and Jo. Jo is someone that both Grace and Cinzia had mentioned many times that they wanted us to meet. She is originally from Pittsburg but moved to Italy when she was just 18 years old. Her English, however, is so good and so unaffected by the distance that she sounds like she moved here last...
Read MoreSixty-three and just hitting my stride The beautiful table. Mariella & Cinzia M. with me. Laura, Sergio & Maurizio. I wish . . . . . not telling! Laura, Mariella, Cinzia, Me, Serafino & Grace Australia Day! Me, Gina, Grace, Lucia, Jo, Cinzia, Mariella, Marizio & Serafino. Cantucci & pizzelle Crostatini, Anzac biscuits & Auntie Muriel’s sponge cake Market Brunch! Larry, Laura, Alice, Grace, Gina, Lucia, Jo & Serafino Sesame twist bread & jams Egg salad tea sandwiches & Scottish baps Antiques Market Villa Sgariglia’s lovely banquet room Grace, Lucia & Mariella Rita and two new acquaintances Larry &, okay, so I forgot their names! And the dancing begins. More people join in Then the men join in The circle forms and suddenly I’m in it What a fun group And now I do what? I’m trying And the beat goes on Midnight and he’s still...
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Buddies – Sergio & Larry Laura’s lovely table with Antipasti Fresh squid ink sack 2 Bucatini with Ascolani & Squid Ink/Saffron Sauces Brodetto Happy chandelier and happy people! Olive di Magro-ready to freeze or fry Grace’s Beautiful Christmas Eve Table Luca Opens the First Bottle of Bubbly We ate, and we ate, . . . Maurizio & Serafino Caroling Valentina & Antonella Cinzia M. and Newest Family Member The Welcoming The Chefs-Cinzia’s Mother (ctr) & Aunts Cinzia praising Son, Davide And we ate, and ate, . . . The Pizza Makers The pizza dough The pizza oven The pizza baker Cinzia V. & Italian flag pizza We’ve died and gone to Pizza Heaven We ate, and we ate, . . Cinzia’s Incredible Tart Serafino’s 2 Sisters & a Friend Maria & Wood Oven Frying Meatballs A table set for 29! Grace & Jackie (from Dublin) Teresa Kissing son, Serafino Yes, Teresa, I did get that photo We ate, and we ate, . . and we ate, . . . and we ate, . . . Serafino & Larry Harmonizing Our New Year’s Eve Party Larry’s Angels-Grace, Me, Cinzia M. We ate, and we ate, . . . . And we drank. Serafino & Maurizio Emidio, Giampaolo, Mariella & Cinzia Mario, Maurizio, Joanna (in back) Grace & Allesandra (front) Serafino & Larry harmonizing Giampaolo at microphone (in back) Serafino, Allesandra & Maurizio Jackie & Gina Check out Serafino’s expression Friends-Cinzia & Grace Serafino can dance, too! I’m trying to imitate Cinzia but it never looks the same. Maurizio, Allesandra, Emidio And then we just got crazy! Epiphany Eve @ upstairs neighbors Traditional costume Bafanoatti entertaining for treats Upstairs neighbors-David & Antonella...
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Christmas Day Our Creche Our tree Fountain & Market – Piazza Arringo Tree – Piazza Aringo Comune Courtyard Ice Skating – Piazza Aringo City Tours Donkey rides Christmas Market Piazza del Popolo Christmas Antiques Market Christmas Market Caffe Guido – Marzipan Shop Window Piazza Roma Corso Mazzini across from Piazza Ascoli handmade ceramic...
Read MoreFood – Christmas Holidays Cookies & Truffles: As is my MO, as long as I was making Peanut Butter Cookies, I made a lot. I had to make the plain ones where you press the fork onto the top because I could not find Hershey’s Kisses to make Peanut Butter Kisses. What I did not take to Sergio & Laura’s dinner or Cinzia V.’s pizza party, I plated and wrapped up as small gifts for Larry’s barber, my hairdresser, the guys in the grocery store, the ladies in the pharmacy, etc. This was much easier than the multi-stage mega cookie and tea-bread marathon I did in the US, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Of course, I have a lot fewer people to gift here. For the angels and neighbors I made Ina’s chocolate truffles with a hint of Cointreau. All sweets were greatly appreciated and totally unexpected which, as a wise relative recently said, makes it even better. Olive di Magro (without meat): Whether making them with meat or fish,the trick is to cut the olive away from the pit so you can recompose it. With a small paring knife, start at the stem and peel at an angle, like peeling an apple without breaking the strip of apple skin. Per every 50 olives: mix together 100 grams canned tuna in oil; 80 grams grated Parmesan cheese; 1 egg and fine bread crumbs, a spoon at a time, until you get the right texture (something that will hold together). Then you make little balls out of the tuna mix (about the size of the pit you removed) and wrap an olive around each ball and squeeze slightly together. If done correctly, they should hold together just fine. Then you take 3 bowls and in one put fine flour, a couple eggs stirred in the second and breadcrumbs in the third. Put the olives into each bowl in that order, and then put aside. When finished with the olives, they are ready to freeze or fry and serve. Click here for a video of how to make Olive all’Ascolana, also showing how to remove the olive pit. Our New Year’s Eve Party: I didn’t want to worry about where...
Read MoreHoliday Fun: There is a lot of information about food here, but I chose not to put this on the Food Blog because I cannot separate the celebrations and people from the foods – they are one. The holiday celebrations began as soon as we returned from Rome and kept on through the New Year and Epiphany. Accompanying photos should be up in a couple days. Laura & Sergio: As I have said before, my favorite thing is to be invited to someone’s home. Laura & Sergio (who use to own our apartment) hosted a small dinner party the day after we returned from our Rome trip. The invitation was for 8:00 PM, which is the normal start time for a dinner party in Italy. Their current apartment is only a couple blocks away from ours. Their building has a lovely gated garden in the front and their apartment is two stories and, as with many of the older buildings, this apartment has been totally remodeled. It is warmly decorated in a fun eclectic style to match Laura’s personality. As in most homes the centerpiece of the living area is the dining table. Over their table hangs a lovely Murano glass chandelier in the traditional style but in a mix of fun colors. Sitting at the table under that chandelier, you had to be happy! In addition to us, attendees were angels Cinzia M. and Grace, her partner Maurizio (the singer) and Rita, who works with Laura. They had selected some lovely wines to serve with the meal and we all brought a bottle, so there was no shortage of good wine. Laura had really put a lot into this dinner and we were the lucky beneficiaries. We started with a delicious guacamole (which I hadn’t had since we left the US) that Grace had made and a plate of traditional black olives with orange slices. Most notable was an organic brown bread with nuts that Laura had made that was as yummy as it was beautiful. For Primi we had two pasta sauces over bucatini. Bucatini is larger spaghetti pasta but with a hollow center to hold sauces well. It is, as Sergio pointed out, very hard...
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