Post-tsunami watch

Ke'e Beach, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

What a relief. I stayed up way past my beauty rest last night in anxious wait of the news, so this morning we're all a little groggy but very grateful that nothing terrible came of tsunami 2010. Today's plans for a Sunday morning drive out to Recoaro Terme/La Chiamata di Marzo have been cancelled. A darn pity for sure, but after stressing last night all I, all WE want to do is relax like how these beachgoers are chillin' in the photo. By the way, this image was taken 3 years ago, and that there is the usual winter surf conditions on Kauai's north shore.

What's that italian nut?

Pistacchio di Bronte in maturazione, originally uploaded by VinoFamily / CC BY 2.0

Being that today is National Pistachio Day, it's only fair to stretch the boundary lines a bit by including the ones grown in Sicily, specifically in the area of Bronte at the foot of Mt. Etna. Of course Bronte's pistacchio (spelled with 2 c's) shines in a special attraction all its very own: the Sagra del Pistacchio. Used in cakes, cookies, arancini (rice balls), pesto, gelato, cheese, sausage, nutella di pistacchio, and even noted as an aphrodisiac, this bright green nut is considered the sultan of the town. But until we can manage to get out there in October, I am only able to save my sagra-lovin' soul thanks to clips on youtube.

So what of the other nuts? I have to laugh at my earlier monoglot-ism because it took me the longest time to remember the italian translations that in english, included the word nut at the end. For example:

Walnut = noce | NOH-cheh (also general term for the word nut itself) - plural noci
Hazelnut = nocciola | noh-chee-OH-lah - plural nocciole
Peanut = arachide | ah-RAH-kee-deh - plural arachidi
Coconut = noce di cocco | NOH-cheh di KOH-koh - plural noci di cocco

It seemed like forever before I became accustomed to the new terms, but for others it didn't seem to be as much trouble, such as:

Pinenut = pinolo | pee-NOH-loh - plural pinoli
Pistachio = pistacchio | pee-STAH-k'yoh - plural pistacchi or pistacci (I've seen both)
Cashew = anacardo | ah-nah-KAHR-doh - plural anacardi
Almond = mandorla | MAHN-dohr-lah - plural mandorle
Nutmeg = noce moscata | NOH-cheh moh-SKAH-tah

But wait....because there is one last "nut" that can't be left out because it is only second to pistacchio when it came to easily remembering the italian name, and that is castagna. After all, I scribble dalla foresta di castagni.

Khinkali (Georgian-style dumplings)

Photo credit: TheMightyQuill / CC BY-SA 2.5

Well I've met my match in this crazy obsession with dumplings because I can't figure out why my khinkali (georgian-style dumplings) don't turn out like the ones above. The Georgia that I'm referring to, of course, is the one in Eurasia (yes that one!) and not the american state that is famous for luscious peach pie and southern hospitality. I don't remember how I came to learn about khinkali, only that a youtube video done entirely in japanese had me emailing Kat if she would translate the recipe. What does a japanese cooking show have to do with georgian cuisine? Not anything profound that I could pinpoint, but food has always been for sharing, so take a look and see if you can take a bite out of this.

These boiled dumplings are essentially pleated pouches of dough wrapped around a seasoned mixture of ground beef, pork (or both), onions and spices. Their unique shape resembles that of mongolian tents, and the proper way to eat them goes like this: grab the chimney part or "kudi" (hat); take a small bite out of the side; suck out the juices; then continue to devour the rest of the yumminess. The kudi as you might imagine, is a thick knob of dough and can be eaten or cast aside (great way to keep count on how much you've polished off). Don't you just love it? My mind was already rabid at the idea of having to use my fingers to eat this, being a great lover of finger food and nibbles myself.

Dough wrappers:
400 grams flour (just about 3 cups, preferably hard wheat flour, but all-purpose will do)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Filling:
500 grams (1 pound) ground meat, a combination beef & pork
1½ teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced

Now I won't get into the instructions because the video is clear enough to follow, but what you want to end up with is little pouches that look like this. And then you boil them...


...but they end up looking like this. Big difference from the one above. Mine look wrinkly. Okay so they aren't that bad, but they aren't great either, so I searched for another recipe and found a tutorial with loads of pics: Dumplings from the mountains of Georgia. Step-by-step words and images from start to finish, and I got the pleats down like a bad mofo (sorry, restaurant speak), down to the 19 folds which supposedly means that I'm prime marriage material. Who woulda thought? Sorry guys, but MotH ain't sellin'.

Unfortunately...the results weren't anything like I had hoped, in fact, the finished product at the end of the slideshow is a photo taken at a restaurant? A few of mine burst, which tells me that it must have something to do with the type of flour used. They do taste good, and are a lot of fun to eat, so after we're done with the 4 dozen or so sitting in the fridge, I'll have to give these another try until they don't resemble wrinkled skin after a day in the surf. A nice way to enjoy them is in a bowl of miso soup with a drizzle of sesame oil. Thanks Kat!

La Quarantana and the old lady with 46 legs

Lucera (FG), 2005, La "quarantana"., originally uploaded by Fiore S. Barbato.

Mezza Quaresima, or mid-Lent, is coming up fast (2nd weekend of March) so I thought I'd dig around for some interesting traditions despite the fact that things are usually quiet during the period that precedes Easter. We don't have any plans scheduled for next month, but in keeping with the spirt of things, I may just put together my own "sweet old lady" and break her in two when Lent is half over. The symbolic vecchia or old woman, wears so many hats in ancient customs that it boggles the mind whenever I come across a new bit of folklore. Be it the Befana that brings gifts to good kids on the eve of Epiphany, or the Giubiana that burns atop a large bonfire to end the winter season, "the old one" will never ever come unraveled from the threads of time in which she is tightly woven. She appears at mid-Lent as a sort of reprieve from the somber, penitent mood that is the Quaresima.

La Quarantana

That's her in the photo above, suspended between two balconies. Representing the forty days of fasting in preparation for Easter, she is a small stuffed doll all dressed in black. In the town of Santa Croce di Magliano (Molise), a potato stuck with 7 feathers is attached at the bottom. On each Sunday of Lent a feather is removed one by one until the day of Easter. Further south in Molfetta (Puglia) she takes on a larger, life-size appearance with seven plumes stuck in an orange. I can only imagine what a newcomer might think if witnessing this for the first time in Italy! I know people joke about the laundry and all that, but you can be sure that there are many well-kept religious observances in sud Italia (which often makes me wish we lived there instead up north).

La Vecchia

This is the old woman described by italian author Oreste Marcoaldi's in Usanze e pregiudizi del popolo fabrianese (customs and prejudices of the Fabriano people). Through a snippet on google books and more info on another website, it was revealed that a long ago tradition saw practice in fabricating a female form with 46 legs out of cardboard. Her legs represented the number of days in Lent (from Ash Wednesday up until Easter Sunday), and for every day that passed, one of them was cut off (don't ask me why it had to be legs). To top things off, she was sawed in half at mid-Lent, with her remaining self eventually meeting its end until the Vecchia was no more. Too much information? Well let me just say the tradition that followed after multi-limbed Vecchia fell out of vogue was definitely less gruesome.

Segamo La Vecchia

Or, we saw the old one, and it has nothing to do with using the optic nerve. In Monteluiano (less than 4 miles south of Gubbio in Umbria) the vecchia is halved again at mid-Lent, only this time, she takes on more palatable terms in the shape of a beautifully decorated cookie. I love the idea of a contest where the most becoming of them all is "sawed" and eaten. I'll be baking one for the blog. See some images of le vecchie here.

NO to nuclear power

As if it were a taken from a scene right out of the movie The Italian Job, the first half minute of this clip brings to light what could possibly become more than just talk. Excerpted from the Greenpeace Italia website:

The Italian government wants to impose nuclear power which is a dangerous waste of time and a false solution to climate change. The plans provide for the creation of at least 4 nuclear power plants that will cost the country between 5 and 6 billion euros each just for the construction alone, and they will not be active before ten years. If Italy focuses on nuclear power they will not be able to meet the European objectives for reducing emissions for 2020, and will waste resources that could have been invested in clean and efficient technologies.

---

Now this is a highly-charged political theme (of which I am not one to like getting into here on this blog), but nuclear power plants in Italy??? Naturally, the idea does not bode well with me, as I can't even imagine it ever in Hawaii. In other words... NIMBY! And Jonzie, I signed!

Help! I've been possessed by steamed dumplings!

Help! I've been possessed by steamed dumplings!, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

I go through food-making phases like I go through a bag of chupa chups. For now it's steamed dumplings (generically speaking), and in this photo, 1 (dozen) out of the 5 total was already in my stomach.

I hope I don't turn into a dumpling.

McItaly: De gustibus non disputandum est

Or in simple layman's terms - there's no accounting for taste. It took the MotH less than 5 minutes explaining the complexities of speaking latin before realizing that I was way out of his league. But it took only one bite of the McItaly burger to know that the man who put his stamp of approval on McDonald's must have been out of his mind. Che tristezza!!! How sad! Asiago cheese, artichoke spread and 100% italian beef on an italian bun made with italian olive oil just doesn't cut it. This burger makes a mockery of american fast food in that not only does it taste weird, but it looks funky as well. Mr. Luca Zaia, minister of agriculture, the Big Mac has you spanked. This panino was horrid! What have you done??!

“You don't understand the power of the dark side. I must obey my master.”

And I believe that pretty much says why Luca Zaia-walker (pronounced ZYE as in eye) merits a character spoof à la Star Wars. He did what he did because he CAN, and only time will tell if it was worth all the negative media attention generated. I tried my best to like this premier sandwich but I'm afraid another one bites the dust. By comparison, a burger made at home (using the best italian ground beef that I could find) was a deluxe treat.

Bringing home da burger. It didn't look any better from the moment I opened my order at McDonald's. The classic menu (burger+fries+drink) costs 6.70 euros, a little over 9 bucks.

Splotch of artichoke spread on the top bun. In fact, what you taste at first is this spread, but the rest tastes like a naked Big Mac, perhaps even worse. Our hamburgers at M**Bun were so much tastier, but our "McItaly" made at home was 100% italiano at its very best, baby.

McItaly made at home, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Why do you eat polenta on Ash Wednesday?

Ask and I will find the answer.

And the reason is because polenta, a foodstuff that is considered povera cucina - poor man's or peasant food - is symbolic of the "lean" period which comes linked with Quaresima (Lent). Mercoledì delle Ceneri marks the date in which rich dishes, meats and sweets are to be eaten in less amounts or abstained from altogether. In Lombardy the only such event that I know of is La Bigolada, but instead of polenta, thick spaghetti-like strands called bigoli is served with a sauce of anchovies, tuna and onion. It is so delicious! La Bigolada always occurs on Ash Wednesday, and this photo from last year is all I get to enjoy. Also on today, the town of Borgo San Lorenzo (Tuscany) has a Polentata delle ceneri which I imagine is a huge amount of polenta doled out to the crowd.

I don't normally cook polenta for Ash Wednesday, or even acknowledge the date, but these vegetable and pork (just a little bit!) uzbek-style manti should go well with a clear vegetable broth. As for giving something up until Easter...eh... I suppose prosciutto, mortadella, pancetta, bresaola, coppa and all that stuff won't be missed if I just eat more cheese.

Martedì Grasso: Gnocco Fritto

Gnocchi fritti e mortadella, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

If you missed last week's Giovedì Grasso (Fat Thursday) or this past Saturday's Sabato Grasso, there's still some time left to get your cholesterol count up for Fat Tuesday. I poured myself a glass of red wine and set about making a recipe for gnocchi fritti (fried gnocchi) which is simply fried pieces of leavened dough. The classical shape is in the style of a diamond, but I've seen squares and rectangles too. A typical dish of Emilia Romagna, it is absolutely sublime fresh out of the fryer (and I used lard!), together with thin, silky slices of mortadella. Yum yum!

Carnevale dei Matoci

Valfloriana (Trentino) - Upon first glance, the cluster of villages scattered amongst a canvas of alpine mountain makes it seem as if I had never left the chestnut forest. At the very beginning of the access road, a large vinyl banner welcomes visitors to the celebration which occurs each year on Fat Saturday, but unless you were already familiar with this tradition, you would never believe what colorful, boisterous fun awaits at Carnevale dei Matoci. This is the first carnevale that I know of where the procession itself takes at least 7 hours minimum from start to finish. On Sabato Grasso - Fat Saturday (this year February 13th) - the residents belonging to the municipality of Valfloriana reenact their own unique tradition that deeply underlines the importance of familial rites of passage from father to son.

The Matóci

Starting from the hamlet furthest up the mountain (Sicina), a procession of flamboyant, masked characters travel from village to village every hour. With cowbells clanging loudly to announce their imminent arrival, the Matóci are always first to lead as they are responsible for obtaining entrance through a "blockade" of sorts that bars them from continuing on to the main square. To do just that, they engage in light-hearted repartee with the townsmen - a funny, animated scene (demonstrated in the video at the end) that is spoken in almost pure local dialect that not even my husband could follow it well. Finally, when the falsetto-voiced Matóc is granted entry, the rest of the parade participants are able to walk in.

The Arlecchini and the Cumpagnia

The Harlequin dancers and the rest of the wooden-masked group follow shortly thereafter. In this display of masks carved out of wood, italian pride, expert craftmanship, and love of heritage shine abundantly through. But it is the young Matoci that I found so adorable (bottom photo)! As stated earlier, through ritual, they follow in the footsteps of their elders.

The Food

When I initially read the program of events the thought of free eats didn't even occur to me. With many of these festive affairs, food plays a supporting, if not starring role, but most times you contribute a small token amount. At each of the stopovers, local tastes were shared by all and if you follow this Valforiana carnival link (english - not updated from 2009), the dishes are the same as it was for this year. Bread and wurstel, barley soup, canederli, a type of bread dumpling in clear broth. All of these comfort foods to warm the mind and soul in winter's harsh climate. We made it in time for polenta e luganega (polenta and sausage) but did not stay on until the evening. Of course if you're in the giving spirit, a small donation box is set up to defray costs.

Carnevale visited in previous years:
2008 Carnevale di Bagolino (Brescia)
2009 Carnevale of Schignano: i Bei e Brut (Como)

Mr B in "Jump"

Mr B in "Jump", originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Big sigh. If only Mister B would jump for joy like this (as opposed to biting) whenever we're around other people. It is so difficult to get him to do his kangaroo hops for the camera no matter how much I beg or plead. He either starts jumping - boing! boing! boing! - in rapid succession or doesn't move an inch. And when I mean rapid, I mean it in the absolute sense of the word. In a few seconds he can move a distance of 10+ feet without seemingly touching the ground. Kinda like Pepe Le Pew but at full speed.

We are back from Valfloriana in Trentino and the Carnevale dei Matoci. Full post report and video coming up.

Carnevale for tutti

Carnevale Sappada 2008, originally uploaded by Guido Andolfato.

We're ready for a super weekend of carnevale festivities and discovering new eats, but again, if I could be at several places at one time, I'd be wanting to go to the Carnevale in Sappada to snap my own photos of the Rollate (the bear-man character above). I really should stop stalking these sort of the things on the net....every time I even think about ancient italian customs and traditions, I find something that absolutely gets me all wired up and excited for next year. More information (in english) for Sappada's carnival fun can be found here.

You go Michelle!

Michelle Obama, originally uploaded by Justin Sloan.

“The first thing on the list should be to reduce, or altogether eliminate, HFCS from our diets.” ~ author unknown

I gotta give the woman credit. Taking on the immense challenge of changing how we nourish our kids in the fight against child obesity is an ambitious undertaking. It is a huge role to be starring in, because let's face it — if Morgan Spurlock couldn't change the world with his film Super Size Me, who can? Parents are often overworked, stressed out, have no time, have no energy, and the last thing on their minds is how to practice sound nutrition every single day for their families. I truly admire the agenda written on the blog Obama Foodorama, but as the saying goes, You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. If a child has been given sugary drinks since the day he could hold his own sip cup, you think he's gonna go ape over apple juice? And what of the insidious food commercials and the companies behind them? In corporate America, breakfast cereals are big business.

This brought to mind a Coke commercial that ran in Italy last year. Talk about balls! I was so irritated by the seemingly innocent way in which they portrayed the carbonated drink as a mainstay of italian culture that I wanted to hurl Maddie's stuffed toys at the tv. And judging from the response on the net, I wasn't the only one getting riled. Some took it as an attack on tourism, some didn't like a pretentious stick figure girl suggesting how to survive the economic crisis, but one blogger in particular was so incensed at the audacity of it all that he or she proceeded to insert flaming comments with a somewhat political bent.

http://youtu.be/rTgqQL1wUdA

Mi chiamo Giulia e vivo a Pisa
My name is Julia and I live in Pisa [Whatever..these jerks]

Ultimamente tutti parlano di crisi
Lately everyone is talking about the (economic) crisis
[Because there's an ugly world crisis little girl, at least they talk about it! F**k, what would you have them do? Doodles?]

Io sono ottimista
I am optimistic [No, you voted for Berlusconi]

Forse perchè a me bastano le cose semplici
Because for me the simple things are enough
[No, that has f**king nothing to do with it, it's because you are an idiot]

Io preferisco andare in bici che in una super macchina
I prefer to go around on a bike than a sports car
[And this demonstrates that you are an idiot. Bicycles only serve to impede traffic, and anyway, you don't even have a driver's license!]

Andare in vacanza dalla nonna più che in un resort
Going to grandma's for vacation rather than a resort
[But are you listening to yourself? Do you even know what's a resort? Evidently not, otherwise you wouldn't ever have said this enormous bullshit]

Preferisco la pizza al sushi
I prefer pizza over sushi [It can happen, and for this we thank you. More sushi for us]

E un panino col salame al caviale
And a salami sandwich with caviar [Not everyone likes caviar but you're still a boor]

Perché invece che andare a una cena di gala, preferisco stare a casa a mangiare il ragù della mamma
Because instead of going to a fancy dinner, I prefer to stay at home and eat mom's ragu
[A moment of reflection here. First, why must you make your mom slave instead of going out to dinner, but anyway, who the f**k prefers to stay at home and revere over pasta and ragu instead of going out to a beautiful place to be waited on and eat delicious food? Who? Only a retard like you, small useless idiot]

E poi tutti a giocare a carte!
And then everybody plays cards
[Aren't you aware that they pity you and let you win, or you cheat, and both are possible because we have found out that you voted for Berlusconi]

Today's lesson: Sardenara of Sanremo

Sardenara ready to go in the oven, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

If I had been told from the very beginning that this flatbread would play a delicious part in my Italianpod101 online lessons, I'd have signed up in a heartbeat. Sometimes the quickest way through a monoglot's mother tongue is via lo stomaco (STOH-mah-koh | stomach), and this couldn't be more true when the most basic of language exercises teach you how to order espresso from the getgo. You have to start somewhere!

I learned about the Sanremo-style focaccia early into the program, and here's where I branch off into some detail about what I'm getting out of all this. Firstly, it is strongly geared toward the absolute beginner/lower intermediate student, or those who might need to refreshen their knowledge. The exercises are just plain easy (for me) and I'm only enrolled in a basic subscription with minimal learning tools. For advanced lessons, the site does audio blogs (around 400 word count) spoken entirely in italian, and they come with italian transcript to follow along and an english translation for reference. These vocal blogs have been my favorite thus far as the content is centered around culture, important points of interest and lifestyle. It helps to build "an ear" in comprehending what's heard and greatly adds to your vocabulary, and I can't say enough good things about this teaching method.

But getting back to la sardenara or sardenaira, anyone who has been following this blog for any length of time will know my zeal for a good meal anywhere across the italian peninsula. Since one particular audio blog focused on Sanremo in the region of Liguria, it took me by surprise to "hear" about the town's popular specialty and right away I went a-googling. Sardenara (sar-deh-NAH-rah) is like a soft focaccia topped with a simple sauce of tomatoes and onions, fresh garlic, black olives and anchovies. There are other names and variations in the many towns along the Riviera dei Fiori, but digging even further, I came across a blogger who writes in both italian and english for which I'm glad that she shared her recipe for La Sardenara. As you might already be able to tell, the flavors are bold (those white pieces in the image are slivers of garlic, not cheese), and it's easy to do Dany's recipe in either language. I loved how soft the texture was in the finished results and really had to restrain myself from devouring the whole thing on the spot. Sono golosa! (I'm greedy - singular feminine) The only helpful hints I'd like to add are american measurements to the metric ones. See notes below.

400 grams of flour = 2 2/3 cups
25 grams yeast = one packet dried yeast
I needed only ½ cup of warm water instead of 1 glass, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil
500 grams tomatoes = 14-15 ounce can of tinned
For the anchovies, I simply put what I felt comfortable with
For the black olives, better if you can get a hold of taggiasche olives!
For the garlic, I used only 3 large cloves and sliced them thinly
A 9x13-inch baking pan was the perfect size for this recipe

Link: ItalianPod101.com - Learn Italian with Free Audio and Video Lessons
Blog: The Knitting Cowgirl

Got snow? Go snowshoeing

Because walking with snowshoes burns over 400 calories an hour, thereby justifying a hearty, gooey, cheesy meal of piping hot raclette afterwards. As much as I'd like to see warmer days and the colors of spring, I'm not ready for old man winter to exit backstage just yet. Putting in an order for more flakes! Since purchasing snowshoes/snow rackets or raquettes last year at a sweet discount, this is the first opportunity we've had to put them to use. What a FUN workout! Navigating on mainly flat ground and up gentle ascents, it was fairly quick to adjust to the clumsy feeling - like walking with monstah feet - and finding a comfortable stride. Modern snowshoes (ciaspole - CH'YAH-spoh-leh or racchette da neve) aren't like the older "tennis racquet" style where you connect to the ground with each step; with these, your heel is free to lift up, mimicking the foot's natural rhythm of motion. At this point I have to admit that my body was hurting all over the next day, but not as much as my eyes. I carelessly neglected to wear dark shades since the sky was overcast - an idiot move with the presence of high UV rays.

Edit: The day after I wrote this and voila! I see flurries.

Mush!

Snowy Friday. Dogs give me the look that says Walk! Walk! You! Us! NOW! Walk!

Mister Bentley is a great lead dog. Maddie is good swing dog. I just need another one to be the wheel dog and I'm all set (another wire-haired dachshund if it were to happen). Between the 3 of them, I'll be zipping all over these mountains like a breeze.

Read, listen, learn, sing italian

In the words of Paul McCartney:
“Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs...”

And for all the reasons that you could possibly want to learn the italian language, I found not even one where it says so that you can sing italian love songs. And to that Paul chimes:

“What's wrong with that? I need to know....”

This isn't so much a lesson in order to serenade the object of your desire (hey it's a good start!), but rather to see how the most rudimentary of english phrases transforms into poetry and prose when sung in a romance language. A good example: Dean Martin crooning Volare. When I first heard it I really had NO idea what he was singing about in the italian, only that it sounded a lot more romantic than the english parts of the song. The few pop artists that I like (Neffa, Tiziano Ferro, Negramaro) are generally heartthrobs of italian female fans, but I don't know if they're as popular stateside. This video with Biagio Antonacci - Pazzo di Lei - comes with lyrics which aren't that hard to understand except for the more poetic parts which I will admit take on darker meaning in its ambiguity! All the same, most guys should be able to relate to being head-over-heels for that special hottie, right? Quite like the lovesick graffiti scrawled on walls. Patatina! Ti amo per SEMPRE! (Little potato! I love you forever!) Here, I give the closest general G-rated translation to what the words are trying to convey.

Pazzo di Lei | Crazy about her

Lui, lui è pazzo di lei — He, he is crazy about her
è per questo che non sa — it's for this he doesn't know
più darsi pace — anymore peace
Lui, lui è il gioco di lei — He, he is a game for her
tanto buona ma più furba — so good but more cunning
di una zingara — than a gypsy girl
Lui, lui è pazzo di lei — He, he is crazy about her
pochi anni ma nel cuore — so young but at heart
tanto cinema — she's such an actress

CHORUS:
Lei è sale — She is salt
fa male — she hurts
ma porta — but she brings
quella cosa in più — something more
quando c’è poco — when that something is missing
Sapore — Flavor
Amore — Love
è il sale — it is the salt
di una vita che — of a life that
ha senso solo quando — has meaning only when
il godimento è buono e lento — the pleasure is good and slow

Lui lui lui, — He, he, he
lui è fatto di lei — he is made from her
quando finge che potrà — when he thinks that he can even be able to be
un giorno farne a meno — one day without her
Lui, lui è pieno di lei — He, he is full of her
nei suoi occhi giallo grano — in his eyes, yellow fields
che si perdono — in which they lose themselves
CHORUS:

Ready to start tackling italian? There are several online courses but I'm currently studying Italianpod101 (see left). At this point all I can say is that maybe it's too easy for me, but I like the fact that in the 7 days free trial period, I could use everything within their learning center. Same goes for the french which I'm also taking. Who lets you do free stuff like that these days? Eventually I'll start introducing italian bloggers who write in both english and their native tongue!

Carnevale, Valentine's Day plus a happy new year?

Pig's year, originally uploaded by Man in a bowler hat (Epzibah).

Well the odds just had to mess up my plans as such that the 2nd weekend of February should see a whole lot of partying in Milan's chinese quarter but I won't be there to cover it. Can't be in two places at the same time, so a big "X" will mark the date for Year of the Rabbit in 2011 (which will be on the 3rd of February, btw). I wish I knew someone who'll be going this year...

Se qualcuno ha intenzione di vedere (e bloggare!) il capodanno cinese in via Paolo Sarpi, me lo faccia sapere. Può essere scritto in italiano e io posso scrivere un riassunto.

My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets

Okay....so even if you might be tempted to jump in and say, “If they're best kept secrets, why are you revealing them now?” - hear me out. I'm spilling the beans because a while back, Lori of The 3 Star Traveler tagged me to do Katie's Tripbase Best Kept Travel Secrets, a compilation of info regarding far-flung destinations, hidden hotels, exotic foods and expert travel tips. Regular visitors will already know that my travels around Italy are written on a timely basis, but there are still some gems/finds that go unblogged because I'm just too busy. Today I make an exception, and if anyone is interested in collaborating on this effort, see Katie's link above.

#1 Google Maps - I'm not kidding. Some of the best surprises are waiting right there in plain view. It works like this: I pick a small nearby town and zoom in. Then I take note of the tiny symbols (typically a square or fork & knife) and click on those to get the info. Last month, one such "play the map game" honed in on Bigio L'Oster in the town of Albino (Bergamo) and netted us a great catch. It led us to a dinner club in an isolated spot up in the mountains, listening to the smooth tunes of guest musician Bobby Watson! It was fantastic since it's not very often that I get the chance to listen to an american jazz artist in Italy.

#2 The best plate of risotto in Milan - because whether you want to believe it or not, northern Italy is thee domain of this much loved rice dish. My suocera SWOH-cheh-rah (mother-in-law) can make it with her eyes closed, and by sheer birthright it grants MotH an apron in the kitchen when it comes to cooking Scotti (a popular brand of rice in Italy). Still, if you're looking for the locals' pick in the city of Milan, I suggest Trattoria 23 Risotti and also Trattoria da Abele on via Temperanza, 5. Foreigners may ooh and aah over other places, but italians don't lie about their rice.

#3 Where to go for Carnevale and how I always find all of these cool events in Italy
Unfortunately the following websites are only in italian, but google translate does enough of a decent job to get the main facts. Folclore and Eventi e Sagre in Italia. This year we've decided to carnevale in Trentino....I hope we don't get snowed out!

Read, listen, learn, speak italian

Whoops, I'm a baaad student. January came and went without a single post on my Italian101 language lessons so I'm taking this opportunity to share February's good news. Firstly, you are going to see more italian parole/pah-ROH-leh (words) in my posts. Secondly, this month means that things will be getting busy as I always start my tomato seedlings indoors. And thirdly, I'll be putting more effort into cultural and travel subjects, along with the occasional what-to-see/where-to-shop/what-to-eat suggestions. This means that Rubber Slippers will become less of a food blog and more of a lifestyle one. How so? Well, as my 7th year of expat residency is coming up fast - June to be precise - I want to put this site back on track and focus on what I've come to admire so much about Italy, and that is the small communities and all of their wonderful traditions. Thanks to your enthusiastic comments, encouragement, kind emails and inevitable search terms that led to the discovery of Rubbah Slippahs, I know that what I share with the world is worth sticking around for a little bit more!

The following video is just one fine example of why nothing beats a good old-fashioned race through town no matter who or what is in the running. Peccato/peh-KAH-toh (a pity) that it's in Gubbio...300+ miles away.

In the event of an error message, the video can be viewed here:
http://youtu.be/O6Ruqm8969M