Banco di Garabombo: a different kind of xmas market

Impulsive as we were to zip into Milan for panettone, it wasn't the only reason to step off the metro. We also checked out the Banco di Garabombo (Garabombo's stand) at the parking lot of Pagano (M1). Housed under a big cavernous tent, BdG is a sort of multi-ethnic xmas market with a focus on fair trade items. Organic, eco-friendly, recycled and local (km zero) products also stock the shelves along with an ample inventory of books. A couple of things that caught my eye: the first being products cultivated on lands that were confiscated from the Mafia - Libera Terra (and if you look on the english page, it explains Libera Terra's objectives) and the second being goods generated by italian inmates by way of job-skills training. There were cookies, beers, wines, jewelry and clothing. Note: I'd like to add that at Re Panettone, there was a stand representing I Dolci di Giotto - panettone made by inmates at a baking facility within the Due Palazzi maximum-security prison in Padova. Cool video of the inmates at work (italian): youtu.be/4MFP2IcAc7E

FYI: who or what is Garabombo anyway?

It was the MotH who brought BdG to my attention earlier this month, but whenever I tried to remember the name, I came up Garagongo?, Galabamba? and even Gagabimbo. And then the who/what/where and why questions started so....well you get the point. I just like to know some background when putting the word out. www.bancodigarabombo.it

So who is Garabombo?
Garabombo is the protagonist in a novel by Manuel Scorza titled Garabombo, the Invisible.

What's the connection between a fictional character and a xmas fair-trade market?
I honestly don't know, and can only guess that since Garabombo was a defender of peasants, embodies the character of underdog who ends up saving the day. Many of the products at BdG represents fairness and equality from a social and financial point of view.

Who is behind this great idea?
The Chico Mendes cooperative, a non-profit organization founded by a group of volunteers who wished to promote a solidarity economy through fair trade. The cooperative was named after the brazilian environmentalist who was assassinated in 1988.

Banco di Garabombo rocks! Cookies, beer, tea, a t-shirt, yogurt, cheese, jam and a cute bird potholder. The shopping bag is from Hawaii. The market is open from 9am to 8pm through January 9th, 2012.

All Hail the King Panettone

So how many xmas breads will it be this year? An armload like that of 2010? On Sunday we had every intention of getting cozy and drinking hot chocolate around the new stufa installed the day before, but the morning was shaping up so nice that we decided to cross one more thing off of our holiday to-do list: buy some panettone. This year, however, we did the total opposite of industrially-made (and pocket-friendly) supermarket panettone and headed into Milan for the 4th edition of Re Panettone, a fairly new event that brings the best of the best all under one roof, enabling visitors to sample artisan products before purchasing.

Pride and panettone

While a corner of the building was set aside for Malvasia tastings (at a small cost), the rest of the floor space was occupied by 35 participants from north to southern Italy. Some of the stands were decorated to the hilt, with my favorite being Ol Pastisser of Clusone, Bergamo. Traditional or non-traditional? The choice is up to you, but when it comes to good panettone, the really, really good panettone - they all leave your palate so impressed by their excellence that it becomes difficult choosing which one(s) to buy for yourself and which ones to get as gifts. At 19€/kilo they aren't cheap, but I overheard a woman saying that while they were all great, the best panettone comes from Milan. Excuse me. I'd bet that she was a resident of the city herself. We eventually settled for 2 from Ol Patisser - a traditional panettone with candied fruit, and a more creative version with mountain strawberries and white chocolate, plus an item called La Focaccia from Pasticceria Tabiano in Tabiano Terme (Parma). This isn't focaccia as the world knows it, but is a rich egg and butter dough studded with candied fruit slices. The shape resembles panettone but its distinctiveness lies in the very soft and light texture and a hint of sweet liqueur. Some photos taken at the event...

Making panettone at home is possible if you've got the time and patience to spare. Artisan breads require atleast a day and a half, and you'll need some pasta madre “mother dough” to begin the process. The steps involve making a first and second dough that calls for a 12-hour rest period in between. Another 45 minute rest period after the 2nd dough before scaling, shaping, and placing into those pretty brown and gold-patterned paper pans. The panettone must then proof for 5 hours before baking. This abbreviated clip on youtube takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes peek at Ol Pastisser in Clusone. Moth, can we go there this weekend?

Non sarò mai stufa della stufa!

I'll never get tired of the stove. It looks like a repetition of words in the italian version but since the verb stufare means to bore or to tire of, to be bored or fed up essere stufo/stufa can be applied to anything and everything from your job, life, your significant other and even your social network! Sono stufa di faccialibro - I am tired of Facebook. I'm just teasing. The funny thing is that stufa as a noun is a wood stove and thereby explains my play on words: I'll never get bored (stufa) of the stove (stufa). The reasons being that it provides warmth, will save us euros on heating bills, has a space for baking, and the dogs seem to like it.

It took the delivery/installation team just under 3 hours to complete the work, but the job of painting over the bare cement (where the exhaust tube connects to the flue in the wall) is something we have to do. As a person from a place that boasts summer temps all year long, shopping for a stove was a little apprehensive. There are just so many types/models/brands to choose from, but investment-wise, the total sum of 1317€ from Outlet della Stufa was the best price quote we received after visiting a dozen retailers in the area. No worries now if the power goes out in a storm (have matches, will burn), and the big plus is that 1/4-mile up the road, the village pizzeria sells firewood at 12€/100 kilo and delivers to your doorstep. We anticipate making pizza in the dead of winter and probably even on Christmas day???

Day after Thanksgiving: let the shopping begin

If last night's meal is any indication of future T-day celebrations, then clearly I no longer give a turkey's tail. Compared to the modest little spread from 2010, our dinner of bbq'd turkey drumsticks, cranberry sauce, stilton potatoes, fennel/orange salad and chiles en nogada not only got smaller, but it also went across the border - to Mexico. I know it's stretching it a bit to prepare a dish that is usually served on a mexican holiday (and it sure ain't Thanksgiving), but this very luxurious version of a stuffed chile was too good to resist making. Filled with a combination of pork, beef, onions, garlic, nuts, fresh and dried fruit and spices, then dipped in a fluffy egg coating and fried, I can see why it merits a special occasion. The walnut-goat cheese sauce puts a rich spin on what is already loaded with flavors while ruby red pomegranate arils add that extra eye appeal. The taste? We both thought it was food fit for a king but I gotta say that chiles en rellenos is still my favorite.

Unlike the White Friday of 2010, this year the forecast was no snow and right now it's 52°F and sunny. Excellent weather for fall hiking, but if there's no white xmas? I've heard that you can predict the weather by the shape of a persimmon seed but the fruit on ours don't have any seeds at all and they aren't even ready to eat. Not even Eve would dare to bite one.

How much is that scottie in the window?

Jingle bells, Barney smells, Miss Beazley bit the dust...

It always happens the week preceding Thanksgiving when a sense of urgency begins to tingle my nerves and I try my best not to give in. You know what I'm getting at, and no, it's not fretting over the turkey dinner. I'm talking about the holiday gift foods crowding the aisles, that, while so obnoxious to see in September (panettone? pandoro? anyone?), will inevitably and eventually break through resolves of not buying them earlier on. Take, for instance, this example of what the ideal shortbread means to me. Cute, no?

And this is why I consider myself very lucky to live out in the boonies where shopping malls don't exist. This past Sunday was a special date - 20.11.2011 in european format - and we went on another gorgeous fall hike to celebrate the day. I'm still coming down from the high of all that fresh mountain air. The scottie dog shapes are just the first of many more xmas cookies to come.

Invasión de los chiles rellenos

One, two...this is the 3rd go at making chiles rellenos since our return from the islands which makes me think we should've made a pit stop in Cozumel right after Kauai. Look at these monstrous beauties - can you blame me for wanting to stuff them? This actually is the first time I've seen peperone corno di bue (bull's horn pepper) at Bennet supermarket so either they're new or I am just blind. Must be the latter, because these chiles were about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide at the top end. The large egg compares like a peanut.

As everyone knows, there are as many variations to chiles rellenos as there are cooks, but my favorite way of stuffing this long type of pepper is with cheese. Monterey jack does not exist here and my cheddar source went awol, so the next best thing is fontal, the ignoble cousin to fontina. After roasting the peppers and slipping off the skins, I gently open them up and add the fontal like making a sandwich.

I like my chiles rellenos with a substantial outer coating in order to soak up all that delicious enchilada sauce that I'll bake them in later on. The batter is an egg/flour/water mixture with a pinch of salt and maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. The consistency is quite like a medium-lite pancake batter - not too thin or thick - with enough body so it won't splatter to smithereens when it hits the hot oil. I use rice oil and do a shallow-fry....for me the end result is always much lighter on the palate and on the tummy.

My preferred pan to finish off the chiles rellenos happens to be a covered skillet that can only fit three maximum. Please do an enchilada sauce from scratch - there are plenty of recipes online - and make enough to have those cheesy stuffed peppers swimming. Bake, covered, for about 20 minutes at 400°F. I wait until it starts bubbling around the edges of the skillet.

Out of the oven and onto the plate. Is this not cheese and chile love? Done like so, they taste even better the next day rolled up in an italian piadina with mexican rice and refried beans. Chile relleno breakfast burrito es muy bueno!

Puka dogs in Italy? No, they're Buco dogs!

When did this happen? The last time I picked up hot dog buns at the supermarket they were standard split and fill, not anything remotely like the ones used at a popular hot dog stand in Poipu, Kauai. Puka (hole in hawaiian), meet Buco (hole in italian, pronounced like BOO-koh), because with buns that are già forato (already pierced), only time will tell if italian junk food junkies will embrace the concept of a buco dog, capisce? In my very honest and humble opinion these "american" buns are not bad at all and hold up well even with the squirts of mustard, ketchup and hot sauce. Somebody should be selling these at St. Peter's Square. PRICE POINT: a 3-pack of buns (odd, I know, but that's the way it works here) cost only 1.04€ after a 30% discount. A 3-pack of wurstel rang up at 1.23€. Getting a taste of american food culture can be so ridiculously cheap!

Buco dogs, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy on Flickr
With lilikoi mustard and hot sauce on the left. Ketchup, mustard and curry powder on the right.

Puka dogs in Poipu, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy on Flickr

Preparing for the cold months ahead

It's hard work supervising the leaf rakers, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy on Flickr.

What will winter be like this year? I didn't give it much thought until this past weekend while we finished last-minute tasks in the garden and around the house. Ever since getting back from Hawaii it's been sort of like a cloud hanging above our heads: do this, do that, call this person, find a stufa! What's a stufa? It's a wood-burning stove, although these days pellet stoves seem to be rising in popularity if I'm to judge what's out in the displays. We've been wanting to have a stove put in for the past few years but never found one that we really liked until last week! Here's a photo of Dafne (I like that it's a girl's name), complete with a small oven. Hopefully it/she will be installed before the end of the month. I'm already thinking along the lines of roasting marshmallows and hotdogs but also very curious to see if having a stove will make a big difference in our 900€/year heating bills.

One factor about purchasing a stove is that the state gives back 36% of the price (to be split equally in 10 years when you do your taxes), so that gives a small incentive to homeowners. However, this reimbursement deal applies only to stoves that meet a certain energy-saving requirement and that swank fireplace that I loved in the beginning fell way out of line. Sorry Santa, I honestly had your best interests in mind when searching for a fireplace but I'm afraid you'll need to use the front window. Just be careful to not wake the doxie...

Via Flickr:
We spent all of Sunday raking leaves, removing the hail netting, cutting down the useless young fig tree, pulling up old plants and a bunch of other things that were on hold until we returned from Hawaii. The "we", of course, did not include the 4-legged pooch patrol.

Happy Saint Martin's Day Weckmänner!

I bet there'll be more than 1,111 ways to acknowledge today's date but seeing as it is also the feast day of Martin of Tours, I reflected back on last year's post and my intent to roast a goose this time around. Unfortunately...sigh...there was no stupid goose, not even a part of it, in any of the main grocery stores that I raided (and yes I checked the frozen bird section).

Of course there is more than one way to get back at that missing goose on St. Martin's Day so I just baked one, along with the german Weckmänner. Also known as stutenkerl (dough guy) and a host of other names depending on where you are in Germany, he is just a sweet dough creation that will be on the dinner table tonight along with swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, braised red cabbage and a bottle of new wine. Salute!

Lantern fun

Sagra dello Strachitunt

San Giorgio and the Dragon on the road to Pizzino, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy

Pizzino, Val Taleggio - the son of taleggio but a father to gorgonzola, strachitunt is a typical cow's milk mountain cheese that has been gradually making a name for itself. This particular sagra can already count its 7th annual celebration, but word must've got out early on that Pizzino is just the place to be on the last Sunday in October of each year. Cars lined up one after another along the narrow lane to this tiny hamlet, and it took the MotH an hour of queuing even if we arrived just when the food service started. The line was that slow. Who in their right mind is going to wait that long to eat? Well, the answer could be in the menu. À la carte or set deal, but priced at 8€, eating here is a steal!

We've seen Pizzino on less populated days and the area is excellent for meandering about on the various footpaths. It's also where we came across a goat cheese producer at Il Pavone. As much as I'd like to see the sagra grow in popularity, event organizers will need to come up with a better plan to accommodate the masses. Maybe run this event for 2 days instead of just one? More shuttle bus runs? Both lunch and dinner seatings?

Welcome to Lake Como (guest blogger)

As the main focus of this site is to promote the beauty of the northern italian lake areas, the following article and images comes from Chiara who manages the blog Italy Lakes.net.

Welcome to Lake Como

Lake Como is one of largest and the most well-known of northern Italy's lakes. Thanks to its beauty, the diversity of its landscapes and its mild summers and winters, the Como area is a favorite destination for tourists from all over Northern Europe.

Among the most famous of Lake Como's localities is undoubtedly Cernobbio. A popular holiday resort at the foot of Mount Bisbino, Cernobbio is also well-known for its numerous elegant and luxurious villas, the most famous of which is Villa d'Este. As well as Villa d'Este, must-visits in the area around Cernobbio include Villa Erba, Villa Pizzo, Villa Fontanelle, and Villa Bernasconi. Then there are the Buco della Volpe – Fox Hole – and Zocca d’Ass caves. Last but not least, there is the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Santuario della Beata Vergine at the top of Mount Bisbino.

Another popular destination for visitors to Lake Como is the charming lakeside village of Bellagio which sits where the lake splits into two leg-like sections.

At the end of Bellagio's Via Garibaldi main street, on the left of the small square and at the foot of the Serbelloni Gardens hill, is St. James' Basilica – the oldest in Bellagio. Situated on the promontory to the east of the village with its magnificent park is Villa Serbelloni. Another building worthy of note is the neoclassical Villa Melzi.

Another famous spot on Lake Come is Laglio, which Hollywood star George Clooney made Laglio famous when he bought a magnificent lakeside villa in the village. In Laglio itself is the baroque Church of St. George – chiesa di San Giorgio – and not far from Laglio in the hamlet of Vergonzano is the elegant Villa Melograno, otherwise known as Fasola. Also worth a visit is the charming village of Briennio with its well preserved medieval centre.

For more information on Lake Como and northern Italy's other scenic lakes and to find out about festivals, shows, concerts, exhibitions, sporting events and more, hop over to the blog Italy Lakes.net (http://www.italylakes.net/).

Hiking the Anello Monte Muggio: the colors of fall

Long hikes at what is probably the best time of year are sadly lacking as we busy ourselves with preparing the garden for winter, but sometimes the actual reason is that weekends are often entirely rained out. In current weather events, the peninsula has been hit with heavy rainfall, bringing much difficulty and terribly tragic circumstances in certain areas around the country. So far we've had no problems or warnings in the chestnut forest, and it's insane to think that just a week ago we were hiking under serene italian skies on our first fall outing.

From Alpe Giumello (Casargo, LC): this is a relatively easy 2.5 hour loop trail that rambles around the base of Monte Muggio. There are a few tracts that need to be scrambled up or down carefully so I wouldn't suggest attempting this in winter or early spring when ice or snowmelt makes the trail extremely dangerous. We've gone sledding here in winter when everything was covered in deep snow, but now that we've seen the fall foliage, a repeat in late spring is possible if conditions are safe. Lake and mountain views from all angles are gorgeous, and the well-used path is not hard to follow even when going through a stretch of forest on Muggio's northside. Beginning from the parking lot (pink x on the map) continue on the access road to the left and through località Alpe Giumello; a small chapel comes into view on the right. Trail signs say Anello Monte Muggio until near the end where Alpe Giumello points the way home. Lunch at Ristoro Genio has always been fantastic!

Hele on the Kauai Bus!

Is it necessary to rent a car on Kauai? The answer to that depends on what you expect to get out of your trip. Extended evening bus schedules and pickup/drop off shuttle routes to Lihue airport now make it possible to actually look all around instead of keeping eyes on the road. For us, the use of a family member's extra set of wheels is never a problem, yet this time we were intent on not turning a key in the ignition. I'm aware of those who practice reducing their carbon footprint when exploring the globe and also the wandering types who would really rather experience a place by getting right into the thick of it, but for MotH and myself it was all about seeing the island at its natural pace. Kauai was made to lay low and live slow, and with a little extra planning it is possible to forgo rented wheels.

To be completely honest, we did use the car twice: once to get to a beer tasting and back to a luau in record time and once to get a good laugh while topping up the gas tank (at approx. $8/gallon in Italy compared to $3.49 in Hawaii, it's never a laughing matter for us). The rest of the time we used our $25 monthly pass (purchased at the Lihue Civic Center) which is a great deal since rides on the main line are $2 every time you board. Here are some of our observations while on The Kauai Bus.

1.) Riders greet the driver with a pleasant good morning when they board the bus. We've specifically witnessed this daily from the Kekaha to Lihue route, and on several occasions someone would also send a smile and "good morning" our way. Is that aloha spirit or what?!

2.) If a passenger utters a good morning you can bet they'll say goodbye and thank you when they get off at their destination. This also applies to visitors who have figured out the system and maybe even go one step further, testing their hawaiian with a mahalo instead.

3.) Bus drivers are also addressed as “auntie” or “uncle” by young people. Honestly! This teenaged kid hopped on for a second to ask for some info and I distinctly heard him say uncle even if by the non-reaction from the driver there was no way they could be related.

4.) Hardly anyone signals the intent to stop because the bus will stop at all pre-determined points no matter what. Some drivers will also call out the name of the bus stop. We were on the Koloa shuttle that does a loop run through Koloa/Poipu and the lovely hawaiian driver duly stopped at all points and called out the names even if we were the only passengers with her. She was so sweet when she quipped “I guess you've got the bus all to yourselves today!”

5.) Kauai bus riders are friendly folk, atleast on the westside they are not afraid to open up. Someone will almost always start a small conversation when you're waiting and for the most part I believe it's simply out of polite curiosity. Small island, small town, small talk; drivers without sour attitudes; one less car clogging up the island's 2-lane highway; watching the world go by one town at a time. Holomua Kauai Me Ke Aloha - moving Kauai with aloha.

International Stout Day: Hitachino Nest Beers on Kauai

Only one bottle out of the line-up calls itself a stout, but in light of International Stout Day I'm putting out the word that these Hitachino Nest beers were pretty dang good with the exception of their Ginger Brew (a bit too sweet and ginger-zingy for our taste). The japanese brews have been on my radar ever since spotting a couple types on a pub menu here in Italy, but they were all sold out and never restocked. The beer gods must've took pity on me because it wasn't long before discovering that I could get my hands on the bottle with the cute little owl during our visit to Kauai. As far as I know, The Wine Garden in Puhi is the only place that currently stocks these and prices ranged from $5.15-5.70 per bottle - a fair deal for a international beer nut like myself.

Hitachino Nest Beer
Kiuchi Brewery

Places to eat on Kauai: Da Hole-in-the-Walls

At last! Putting this list together took me longer than expected but here we go. Who says Kauai isn't a dining destination? Pity the fool who may think so because what it all boils down to is a styrofoam container stuffed to the gills with local grinds and a spot on the beach with the sun going down. I always make a point to visit my favorite eateries whenever I'm back, but as MotH was my chow partner this time around, I made it a mission to try as many new places as possible, specifically those that fall under the category of hole-in-the-walls. If anything, Kauai is ripe with establishments that fit the bill (in fact you could also get away with calling them "street food" since you're practically eating next to a busy street), and it was a tough job narrowing down the 2 dozen-plus locales beginning from the island's westside and up to the north shore. I also had a couple of food trucks jotted down but as neither was right next to the bus stop, I hope to get to them the next time.

Da Crack, next to Kukui'ula Market in gorgeous Poipu: put the word crack on anything and it works. We tried the burritos - 1 pork and 1 veggie - and both were decent enough although I wish we had gone for the really hot sauce instead of the mild (which we were told was hot). Hot and spicy on Kauai is silly compared to what piccante means in Italy. Inexpensive eats.

Da Booze Shop in Waimea: next to crack, put the word booze on a sign and how can anyone not notice? Well here's a confession - I've known about this place for years but never went in thinking that it was all alcohol and no food. Apparently that changed a while back and now they serve more food than beer but the name still stays the same. We inhaled our bbq pork wraps with spicy fries and mac salad. The girls working there were also super nice!

Kalaheo Cafe: not really a hole-in-the-wall but still a must for my favorite knuckle pastry and a quick cup of coffee in the morning. This place fills up fast in the a.m. but when we walked up a few minutes after 6:30 in the pale morning light, a handful of early birds were the only ones in there. This knuckle pastry (left) and cinnamon roll are even better fresh out of the oven!

Puka Dog in Poipu: the concept is cute, the quality is there, and any plug from Bourdain is like money in the bank but I simply cannot wrap my mind around this place. We got one veggie dog with pineapple relish and one polish dog with papaya relish, both with lilikoi mustard, and all I kept thinking was "Is this it?" It could be the substantial ratio of bun to dog (which had me tossing the butt end to the birds jonesing for a hand-out) or because when I see the word relish, I expect to see relish and not some finely chopped stuff in a sauce. Not overly expensive even for a place like Poipu and I'd suggest visiting at least once if you are a No Reservations fan.

Chicken in a Barrel in Kapaa: online reviews rave about this place and for good reason - the bbq chicken is incredibly moist and so delicious with your choice of sauce smothered all over! I would gladly give them 5 stars (food, value, hole-in-the-wall ambience, service and cleanliness) plus an extra star for being located next to the neighborhood center bus stop on the Kauai Bus route. We split the chicken plate (Big Mike's favorite) - hands down some great eating. I like that there's a sink for washing hands before and afterward, and that the chef kept busy wiping down tables in between cooking and running the counter. Web: Chicken In A Barrel

Mermaid Cafe in Kapaa: the reviews were mainly all good but I thought the local favorite - Ahi Nori Wrap - to be on the bland side even if it was of a generous size and assembled nicely. This is a 100% hole-in-the-wall with very limited seating, sandwiched between Java Kai and The Eastside.

Hamura Saimin in Lihue: for those born and raised on Kauai, it becomes a pilgrimage to stop into Hamura's if you've been away for a long time. Usually it's the first stop upon landing and the last one before getting back on the plane to wherever you now call home. It is 50°F outside as I type this and how I wish this could be my dinner right now.

Paco's Tacos in Hanapepe: decent mexican food is so hard to come by in Italy that it really should've been higher on my chow list. I'll try harder next time since I won't be wasting time chasing down the elusive Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls. Paco's Tacos always had people coming/going whenever we passed by on the Kauai Bus so we stopped in for an order of both carne asada and carnitas tacos and some chile rellenos. Better than what I've had in Italy and way more authentic than Taco Bell. And they had containers of hot sauce on the side! http://pacostacoskauai.com

Ishihara Market in Waimea: poke (assorted fish salads, raw or cooked), pastries, a variety of fresh pies, bentos, kimchee and pastele portuguese sausages, poi and BEER! We stopped in morning, noon and night for all our grocery needs, but it was the beer selection that had us making repeat visits. A very helpful clerk explained that there was a need for variety due to mainlanders at the nearby missile range, so a modest selection of local, national and international brews line the refrigerated shelves.