Vittoria Puccini a nudo

Le bellezze italiane seducono il mondo

Il governo Bonomi

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzato
Indicare le affermazioni vere
Dopo l'arrivo degli americani a Roma, Vittorio Emanuele III rimase re
Il re però trasferì i suoi poteri al figlio Umberto
I partiti democratici confermarono Badoglio alla guida del Governo
Tra i ministri del governo Bonomi, anche G. Saragat, futuro Presidente del Consiglio
Il governo Bonomi si formò al Grand Hotel di Roma

Will a black president change America?

Down in Europe we love Obama and hope for change. But in the US black critics have a different opion. Despite Barack Obama's message of change and hope, fears persist in the black community about what his election as president could mean for the legacy of racism in America. Read In black America, few dare hope for racial change

Antipasto Anyone?

For special occasions, stuffed mushrooms and stuffed artichokes can be the perfect starter! Yes, artichokes can be a little time consuming, with the prepping and all, but that can all be done ahead of time, which makes things alot easier.

In both appetizers I used the same stuffing which consisted of crumbled Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms, flavored breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and cheese. I love buying crimini mushrooms, if you're lucky to have a Costco near you, they have a great buy for a huge container of them.

Preparing the Mushrooms:

Wipe them off with a damp paper towel, trim away hard tips, snip off the stems, chop them up, then set aside. Place stem side up in a baking dish that was drizzled with olive oil. I used Crimini mushrooms, but you can use what you like.. Ater you stuff them drizzle olive oil over each mushroom.

Prepping The Artichokes:

This does take a little time, but it all can be done a day ahead if you like. Trim about 1/3 off the top of your artichokes, then take a scissor and trim off all the pointy tips. Slice it half length wise, and place in pot of water with squeezed lemon. Simmer till you can just start to stick the point of a knife through, you don't want them to be falling apart or mushy. Stoves, and the size of your artichokes will vary so its something you just have to watch.

After they cool a little bit, trim them down to the light green and tender leaves that are all edible, scoop out all the pointy and fuzzy stuff, but be careful to leave the heart in tact! What you'll have left is all edible, even the stem if you trim that up too. Place in a baking dish drizzled with olive oil. After you stuff them, drizzle olive oil over the top of each one.

For The Sausage And Breadcrumb Stuffing:

Squeeze your Italian sausage out of the casing, or buy it in bulk. Brown it up and get it into small crumbles. Drain on paper towel. Drizzle olive oil in pan, saute your chopped mushroom stems and a clove or two of crushed garlic. Add back your sausage, and mix together then take off the stove, add in Italian style dry breadcrumbs, or panko, or day old Italian bread, fresh grated romano cheese, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, and just a little bit of shredded mozzarella to hold it all together. Measurements don't have to be exact here, you'll be able to judge the amounts by the way it looks.

Bake at 400F, 15 or 20 min's, or until breading on top is nice and crispy. When mushrooms come out of the oven I usually place a little warm marinara on top, the flavors are terrific together! The artichokes are served with lemon wedges.

I guarantee your guests will not be able to resist these!

Buon Appetito!!

German Hip Hop - Brothers Keepers

Brothers Keepers is a German-based transnational anti-racism project, bringing together hip hop, reggae and soul musicians, headed primarily by Afro-Germans. The idea for the project took root in the 1990s, and when a German of Mozambiquan origin, named Alberto Adriano, was brutally killed by neo-Nazis in Dessau (East Germany) in 2000, a group of musicians decided to organize and fight back.

British Urban Species with French Mc Solaar

Old Skool Hip Hop from the British group Urban Species, a trio that played a reggae/acid jazz/soul/hip-hop crossoverelectronic. They cooperated with artists including Terry Callier, Imogen Heap, MC Solaar and Guru (wikipedia). The song in video is Listen (1994). Very European Hip Hop.

La FIAT 500 piace alle inglesi

Comprensione orale: livello medioIndicare le affermazioni vereLa FIAT 500 è la più amata dagli inglesiIl corrispondente da Londra si chiama Giovanni MasottiLe donne inglesi pensano che la 500 sia elegante e sexyI giudizi delle inglesi sono ricavati da un sondaggio online organizzato da un sito web del settoreLa notizia è stata diffusa dal Daily TelegraphLa 500 è perfetta anche per un fine

What to Buy When You Visit the United States

Due to popular demand I have put together a small list of the things we have learned to be worthwhile to buy in the United States and to bring back to Italy. With the favorable dollar you can really stock up in the USA. These are for both those who live in Italy permanently and for those who want to bring a gift back to friends in Italy.For expats:Tylenol and Advil- sounds funny I know but cannot

Chicago Style, Italian Beef Pizza!!

I was excited to do this months Daring Baker challenge, " PIZZA NAPOLETANA" , for one thing, I'm a proud Italian cook! and the other thing is, my family on my Mom's side is from Naples!


The pizza dough recipe which we had to use, came from Peter Reinharts, "The Bread Bakers Apprentice" other than that, we were free to use any sauce or topping we wanted.


Seeing that I'm a girl born and raised in Chicagoland, I thought it would be fun to base my pizza on one of the foods Chicago is known for, and that is Italian Beef!


Originating in Chicago, this sandwich dates back to the 1930's. Paper thin slices of lean roast beef, simmered in a beef juice that's loaded with flavors of garlic, oregano, and depending on where you get it from, many other "secret spices"!


I always order mine with "sweet and hot"( peppers that is). Sweet being, green bell peppers that have been sauteed, and the hot, which is usually a homemade giardiniera.

I picked up a pound of our favorite Italian beef from Portillo's, a very popular place that is always consistent, and always good.

When you buy it by the pound, they always separate the beef from the juice. When you get it home, instructions are to slowly simmer them together, never heating it on high heat, so that's what I did to get all the flavors into the beef, but then because I was going to put this on top of a pizza, I drained all the juice from it, otherwise your pizza would be a soggy mess.

My sauce was made by simply opening up a can of good crushed tomatoes, and right into the can I put 1 clove of crushed garlic, about 1 teaspoon of salt, some pepper, a light sprinkling of oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir it all up, take a spoon, and spread it all over your dough.

Of course I had to add "sweet and hot" to my pizza, along with some shredded mozzarella.

The verdict on the dough: I thought the texture and the chewiness was great, it cooked up golden and crunchy, but I feel it lacked flavor, almost like it needed a little more yeasty taste to it. But thats just my opinion!

A big "Thanks" goes out to our hostess Rosa, of Rosas Yummy Yums who picked this challenge.

Click on her blog to get the complete recipe for the pizza dough.

Also go here, and check out some of the other pizza's that have been cooked up out in the blogosphere!

amanda and raffaele indicted in slain british coed case

PERUGIA, Italy — An American college student and her former boyfriend were ordered Tuesday to stand trial in last year's slaying of her roommate, while the judge also convicted an Ivory Coast man in the killing, lawyers said.

The judge indicted Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle. and Raffaele Sollecito. of Italy. on charges of murder and sexual violence in the stabbing death of Meredith Kercher. A trial for the two, who deny wrongdoing, will start Dec. 4.

Rudy got 30 years. You can read about it here.

Wow. I am stunned. It has been a year, and I have flip flopped on who I thought was guilty so many times. I was torn between Rudy being innocent, and all three of them guilty.

Rudy, it seemed, had the most credible story, and made the most sense. But the evidence and case they built against all three of them, as they reveal it, does make it seem like all three were involved.

I kept going back and forth because it was hard to imagine a pre-meditated murder by Amanda and Raffaele....but a drunk/drug night, gone terribly, terribly wrong was more believable. But, Rudy is the only one who claims to remember anything from that night, and his story seemed to make sense.

I kind of thought, since Rudy took a fast track trial, that he would flip on the other two, or something. I am also really suprised that the other two haven't turned on each other. But, I think I did hear today that Raffaele is talking, turning on Amanda.

Wow, just bizarre. So, now Amanda and Raffaele will have their trials. They are still waiting for the judge to decide if they can leave on bail. I would imagine they are worried about Amanda bailing the country. It will be interesting to see what happens with Amanda and Raffaele now that Rudy got 30 years...

I still feel most sorry for all the parents involved.

Dutch author and Make up Artist Clarck Accord

Dutch author and Make up Artist Clarck Accord (1961) made his debut with the novel 'De Koningin van Paramaribo', ‘The queen of Paramaribo’. A novel about the live of a well-known prostitute in the capital city of Surinam. Based on the novel a theatre play was written. Accord's latest novel 'Bingo' deals with the gambling habits of Surinam people in the Netherlands.

La parola "expo"

Comprensione orale: livello medio
Indicare le affermazioni vere
L'ingegnere Eiffel impiegò due anni per costruire la Torre
La Torre Eiffel ottenne un consenso generale quando fu completata
La Torre rappresentò l'apogeo della nuova borghesia industriale
La parola "expo" è un'abbreviazione di origine francese
Le esposizioni universali mettevano in mostra il meglio della produzione agricola delle

Remembering Afro-German poet May Ayim

May Ayim (3 May 1960 in Hamburg — 9 August 1996 in Berlin) original name Sylvia Opitz was an Afro-German poet, educator, and activist. She studied Psychology and Education and wrote the book Showing Our Colors, Afro-German Women Speak Out. At this time she also co-founded the Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (Initiative of Black People in Germany). After spending sometime without sleep or proper meals preparing for Black History Month in 1996, she suffered a mental and physical collapse. She was 36 when she met her death after jumping from the thirteenth floor of a Berlin building.
The documentary Hope in My Heart: The May Ayim Story

What to buy when you visit Italy

My family has been visiting Italy from the United States for over forty years and before that my parents lived in Italy and now I live in Italy. So I can say we have become experts in knowing what products to buy in Italy to bring back to the U.S. Although the euro/dollar exchange rate has not been favorable, there are still must haves:Clothing/Shoes/JewelryThere is no doubt that if you can

sweet things di zia sara is now live!

For those of you who visit my site for loom knitting, and crafty goodness, I finally launched a new site!

sweet things di zia sara!

It will be updated with new craft photos, projects and patterns, as they are completed. But, for now, it hosts all of my Loom Knit patterns, plus the Crochet La-la-ta-ta's.

Please take a look-see (and let me know if there are any link errors!).

I also am in the process of moving all of my pics to a new site. I will be editing out the old, and updating with new, too. The craft photos are already transfered, and can be found in the right hand column.

Ciao!

Wall-E, il nuovo film della Disney-Pixar

British Author Alex Wheatle

British Author Alex Wheatle was born in 1963 to Jamaican parents living in London. He spent most of his childhood in a children's home, which he left at 14 to live in a hostel in Brixton. At 18, he was involved in the Brixton uprising and went to prison for 3 months. His second novel, East of Acre Lane, won the London New Writers Award (2000). In his latest novel The Dirty South Wheatle brilliantly evokes the temptations ofthe thug life for young black men growing up in London's Dirty South.
Interview Alex Wheatle about the Brixton riots in 1981

The Screen Nation Film & TV Awards 2008

The Screen Nation Film & TV Awards 2008 is the U.K's annual international celebration of the black contribution to Film and T.V. This year Whoopi Goldberg and Don Warrington will receive highest honours at Screen Nation Awards. The event will be held on Sunday the 7th of December, and will be hosted by Josie D'Arby

La parola "welfare"

Comprensione orale: livello medio/avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:
La parola esaminata proviene dall'inglese.
L'esperto in studio scrive sulla lavagna con una penna.
Welfare, in inglese, significa benessere.
Questa parola è associata, di solito, alla parola state.
Welfare state significa il tentativo di ridistribuire la ricchezza a tutti gli strati sociali.
La parola è

Old Wives' Tales...Italian version

Wow here I can write a book about all these weird beliefs pertaining to all sorts of things. Let me say that it is not just the elderly people who think this way but even young people. Talk about passing on from generation to generation.The Wind ChillOk something has to be said about "la corrente dell'aria" or the draft. Apparently if you leave the windows open and a draft occurs you will get

Learning How Not to Waste in Italy

I have learned many things during my time living in Italy. Perhaps one of the most important things that I do pass on to my children is how not to waste. Having been rasied in the United States I often took for granted the supply of water, gas, electricity etc. Things now have changed I believe worldwide and I do not think people are wasting at least not consciously doing so. Aside from the

Leonessa

Comprensione orale: livello avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Leonessa si trova in provincia di Chieti.Leonessa è a circa 1000 metri di altezza.Leonessa è al confine con l'Umbria.Leonessa ha ricevuto la bandiera rossa del Touring Club Italiano.Leonessa venne fondata nel 1278 da Carlo V.Si può accedere alla cittadina da due porte, la Porta spoletina e la Porta aquilana.Il

Afro-French Television

In France Aka-a TV makes Afro-French web television. With Le Tcip show, an Afro-French sitcom. K-Dam, a fashion and a beauty program, and much more.



Video - Le Tcip show (sitcom)

Travel Tip for Italy

It may seem like a really simple piece of advice but knowing ahead of time the day of rest or "giorno di riposo" of stores in Italy is very important for the traveler. There is nothing worse than finding everything closed down in a town you had planned on spending the afternoon in. In Italy every week stores, pharmacies, bakeries, etc close a half day. Depending on the town you are in, this day

Pumpkin Pastina

In many Italian households children are first introduced to pasta by way of pastina. Pastina literally means "little pasta". Today you can find shapes of many different forms, from tiny dots to stars, alphabets, and many more.
My own kids grew up with pastina, simply made with a little butter, and grated cheese. To this day it's the kind of comfort food that they still crave every once in a while, and so do I!

When I first saw this recipe in Michael Chiarello's cookbook...The Tra Vigne... All my fond memories of pastina came rushing back. I just had to make this! Tiny pastina cooked in a warm broth flavored with onion, & thyme. Adding to that, creamy parmesan cheese, and roasted butternut squash! I can barely describe how good this is, it almost didn't make it to the table, you will be tempted to eat it right over the stove with a spoon!

By all means, you don't have to serve it in a pumpkin, but the presentation is great, and very festive for this time of year. And besides, you have to roast your butternut squash, so why not do it all on the same baking sheet! This recipe serves four, and the pumpkin I used was one of those small ones about 6 or 8 inches round. I was going to use the green one in the photo too, but decided against it. Just cut the top, scoop out the seeds, oil it inside and out, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lids back on the top when baking them.

For the butternut squash, I just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, oil it inside and out, salt and pepper, and place it cut side down on baking sheet.

Both will cook at 375F for about 40 min's. You want your pumpkin still firm enough to stand, so depending on what size you use, you might want to check it.

NOTE: Do all of this earlier in the day to get it out of the way, the pastina cooks up fast.

This has nothing to do with the recipe at all, but I just wanted to show you the beautiful colors that were on these leaves that I saw, while taking a walk the other day! I just love the fall colors!!!

Michael added turkey in his, and cooked the pastina like risotto, adding the broth little by little. I didn't do that. You certainly could add turkey to it if you like, for a more heartier meal. I didn't do that either. I might however, use his suggestion to chiffonade some chard or spinach into it next time.

FOR THE PASTINA:

In a pot, saute about 1 cup of onion in olive oil season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme.

Pour in 4 cups of stock (I used chicken) and bring to a gentle boil.

When stock is boiling pour in 3/4lb. of your dry pastina or any small pasta.

When al dente, fold in about 1 cup of your roasted butternut squash that has been scooped out, and 1/2 cup of good parmesan cheese. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.

The consistency should be loose, so you might want to add more stock to it, so have extra on hand.

Buon Appetito!!!

Les Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens 2008

Les Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens 2008 (The Trophies of Afro-Caribbean arts 2008) is an anual award ceremony for Afro-Caribbean artists in France. Awards can be won for music and other artistic expressions such as literature, film or television. The award 2008 in the category Revelation of the Year went to female Zouk singer Fanny J and in the category Best Artist the award went to singer Jean-Mari Ragald. The event was held in Paris on September the 23rd 2008.
The ceremony is closely tied to the legacy of Afro-Martinican francophone poet, author and politician Aimé Césaire. Césaire was a member of literary and political movement Négritude, a movement with a strong anti-colonial and anti-racist character. In this spirit, the winner of the price must refrain him- of herself from racist, homophobic, sexist or anti-Semitic expressions.
Les Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens official website
Short video Award Ceremony
The whole Ceremony

Lo zafferano e il pepe nero

Comprensione orale: livello avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Per produrre un chilo di zafferano ci vogliono circa 700 ore di lavoro.Lo zafferano che si consuma si ricava dal pistillo della pianta.Lo zafferano viene raccolto all'alba.Lo zafferano viene bruciato prima di essere conservato.Con un grammo di zafferano si possono condire circa 6-8 porzioni.Il servizio fuori

Salvare gli orsi polari dell'Alaska

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni vereGli orsi polari sono in gravi difficoltà
I loro problemi sono causati dall'abbassamento delle temperature
Tra i ghiacci dell'Alaska ora si naviga in canoa
L'ex avvocato inglese di cui si parla nel video ha organizzato la sua spedizione a scopo dimostrativo
Lo scioglimento dei ghiacci consente ora il

MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards

The MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards are held annually in the UK to recognise artists of any race or nationality performing music of black origin. This year, on the 15th of October, the show was hosted by Spice Girl Mel B and old skool Hip Hop icon, Rev Run of Run DMC. The award for Best UK Female went to British superstar Estelle.

The show has sparked criticism from fans. Some feel the event has left its British roots because American artists are also nominated.

The color of Obama

Starting a blog about black people in Europe with Barack Obama seems odd. But it’s the black connection that makes it less odd. As a black European I hope he will be first black president of the United States of America. No, I am not judging him by the content of his character, but just by the color of his skin. I’m sorry dr. King. Of course I am not the same as a white person who just wants a white person to be head of State just because he or she is white. No, as a black person I have a different angle. I need visual change, I would like to see, as Condi Rice puts its eloquently, "people who look like me" to shine at the highest level too.



But still the words of Martin Luther King haunt me. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Il palio di Palermo

Comprensione orale: livello medioSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il palio di Palermo è una manifestazione legaleSembra una sfida tra quartieri come a SienaLa gara è stata scoperta all'albaEra coinvolta un'unica via in centroSono stati impiegati 40 agenti di poliziaDei motociclisti vigilavano sulla garaSono stati sequestrati 2 cavalli ed 8 cronometriSono state arrestate 30

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Pie's

I've made many things using ricotta on this blog, obviously we love it here, and I always have some in my frig! Ricotta is such a versatile cheese that works very well in sweet, and savory dishes alike! It bakes wonderful with any kind of veggie or herb that you put with it. I often make these pies for a light dinner, lunch, or brunch.

You can bake them with a crust, or without. Below I used a 10" pie pan, and above I used a 10" spring form pan. Basically the ingredients are the same. About 1lb. of ricotta, 1/2 lb or less, of your favorite shredded cheese, here I used a mixture of provolone, asiago, and mozzerella. 1 cup of grated parm or romano, 3 beaten eggs, garlic and onion. After that, you can add in whatever veggies you want!

You can use shredded zucchini which has been squeezed of its moisture, frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed of all water, chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, various pesto's and herbs for flavorings. You can get very creative with all your favorite flavors!

Just start out sauteing your onion and garlic in olive oil, then add your veggies. Have your eggs and all your cheese whipped up together in a separate bowl, and then combine it all together. I bake them at 350F, till golden and firm in the middle, not wet. It could take 30 to 50 min's. It depends how good you get the moisture out of everything, the ricotta included. Cool them down a bit before you cut into them, so everything stays together.

Serve them with a salad or some fruit, for a complete meal thats light, satisfying and full of flavor! You'll find that the leftovers are just as good as the day you made it!!

Buon Appetito!!!

The Cost of Living in Italy

I will be writing a lot about the cost of living in Italy because many people who are thinking of moving to Italy want to know how expensive it is to live here. I can only talk about my experiences.It is very difficult to say if it is more expensive or not than in the USA for many factors which I will not get into right now. I can tell you how much I spend for various things with a four person

I Beatles spiati

Comprensione orale: livello medio
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:I Beatles erano spiati dai servizi segreti di mezzo mondo
Dossier sulla band sono stati ritrovati negli archivi dei Ministeri degli Interni e degli Esteri
Anche i servizi segreti sovietici tenevano i musicisti inglesi sotto controllo
Tutto è venuto fuori ravanando negli Archivi di Stato vicino Londra
Le prime

He Did It!!!

As promised, I said I was going to share some photo's of my son Tony running in the Chicago Marathon yesterday. 26.2 miles through the city of Chicago. There were 4500 runners and over
one million people attending the event. This photo was taken right before the race was about to begin.

The horn blew and we cheered him on! He gave us a wave as he took off!

Because the route was 26 miles, we had to jump on the elevated trains, the subways and taxi's, to get to the different cheering stations, we were walking or riding on public transportation throughout the course. You couldn't possibly move your car.

He wore a chip, that would give us a text message on our cell phones to tell us what mile he just passed through, so it was easy to figure out when he would be arriving at a certain mile marker, because we all knew how fast he could run a mile. Very high tech stuff!!!

Here he is at the 12 mile marker, my DIL, had two star balloons attached to her backpack so he could spot us as we were all yelling " TONY!!!" He's still smiling at 12 miles and looking good!

Here he is at the 21 mile marker, high fiving us all, as we were cheering him on. Still looking good with only 6.2 miles to go!! Needless to say he finished the race! I have no pictures of him crossing the finish line, as you couldn't even get near it with the mobs of people around. Fortunately he'll get a professional one taken from the marathon.

This is the shirt my Granddaughter wore, and it really sums up how we all felt! Great job Tony,

You kicked butt!!!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes, it was much appreciated!

Those Long Lunches in Italy

Something has to be said about lunches in Italy. They are long....but good! We had a great day yesterday having lunch at a farmhouse in the hills surrounding Chiusi and Cetona. The occasion was the baptism party of a baby boy named Luca. After the mass, which of course, we were late to, we were to meet the entire party at the restaurant within a beautiful farmhouse called Larco Naturale (

Il razzismo in Italia

Comprensione orale: livello inizialeQuante persone ci sono nel campo rom a Milano?Quanti bambini?Secondo la vigilessa che cosa devono fare le famiglie del campo?Qual è la preoccupazione del comune di Milano?Chi abbandona i rifiuti nel campo rom di Milano?Dove vivono i rom nei paesi dell'est europeo?Quanti rubinetti di acqua ci sono nel campo rom di Milano?Perchè il bambino rom viene preso in giro

Schools and Raising Children in Italy

My post on raising children in Italy is really a request for information and experience from those who have raised or are raising children in Italy. I have to say that I am concerned as any parent would be about the education system in Italy. I have heard both good and bad about the public school program and really would love to hear from people on this.I finally found a site that is devoted to

Roasted Carrots and Shallots, w/ Olives and Gremolata!!

This recipe really takes the humble carrot and makes it the star of the show! It's a perfect autumn side dish, and great for any holiday table. I actually saw this while flipping through some magazines in Border's one day. What caught my attention, was the use of a parsley, garlic, and lemon zest gremolata, which you use as a garnish. The gremolata gives the carrots and shallots a depth of flavor that makes the whole dish pop!!

Cut your carrots length wise and place on a baking sheet along with your shallots that have been peeled and cut in half. Drizzle it all with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Bake at 425F for around 30 min's, they will start to caramelize but still have a little bite to them.

For the GREMOLATA

I used my micro plane to zest my lemon and also my garlic. I just used one clove and it was enough. Chop up some parsley and put it all together with a drizzle of olive oil and pepper.

When the carrots and shallots are finished roasting and all is still warm, toss in the gremolata and some good green olives. That's it!!

Buon Appetito, and have a great weekend!

I want to take this time to brag a little about my son Tony. You know, us mothers need to do that every now and then. This Sunday morning he is running in the Chicago Marathon, 26.2 miles, he has trained all year for this! This will be his first. The transformation of him has been phenomenal, he is now a lean, mean, running machine!!! This weekend we're all going to cheer him on in this enormous test of endurance, I'll be sure to take some photo's to share with you all. Wish him a great run!

Gina Lollobrigida

Comprensione orale: livello medio/avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:
Gina Lollobrigida si dedica alla pittura.
Una sua esposizione viene esibita a Pietrasanta.
Pietrasanta si trova in Lucania.
Gina Lollobrigida venne chiamata la marescialla d'Italia.
Nell'ambito del Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Roma, Gina Lollobrigida riceverà un premio alla carriera.
Il premio

Culture Clash as an Italian American in Italy

I have talked to fellow Italian Americans about this topic before and it justifies to be discussed. There is something about being Italian American that makes you want to get to know the country that, in my case, my parents' came from. Growing up I always felt very Italian and when I decided to move to Italy I figured this is going to be easy and I won't have any problems with culture clash

La bomba atomica su Hiroshima

Comprensione orale: livello avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:
Quando esplode la prima bomba atomica a Hiroshima?
7 agosto 1945 - 6 agosto 1945 - 6 agosto 1946 - 16 agosto 1945


Il colonnello Paul Tibbets, con quale nome battezza l'aeroplano che trasporterà l'atomica?
atomica gay - usa gay - enola gay - paul gay


A chi appartiene il nome dell'aeroplano di Paul Tibbets?

Client Beware of Property Rentals and other Tours in Italy

I just read an article yesterday on the New York Times webpage regarding property rentals and how clients have to be careful of what they rent. I have written a post on Property Rentals in Italy and I cannot stress enough how important it is to do your homework ahead of time. As the article states as well, nowadays it is so easy for any property owner to rent property and you do not always get

Rustic Cranberry and Apple Tart!... and a few Scarecrows...

Fall is definitely in the air!! The leaves are beginning to change, I'm starting to put the heat on to take the chill out of the house, and the flannel sheets and heating blankets are ready to go!

I love putting my oven on this time of year, it warms up the house while the aromas are
filling the air!
Having recently bought a bunch of apples, and after seeing numerous apple creations in the blogoshere, I decided on making this free form tart. I love using those dried cranberries with apples, they go so good together. In fact, who was the brilliant person who thought of packaging dried cranberries? Whoever it was, was a genius!

Pastry for the Tart
1 1/4 c. Flour
1/3 c. of Almond Meal Flour
1/4 c. Sugar
1/3 c. of Cold Butter
2 Egg Yolks
2 Tbl. Milk
Mix the flours, and the sugar together. Cut in your cold butter, till it resembles small pea's. Gradually stir in the yolks. When dough comes together wrap it and refrigerate it for couple of hours. This is key, because the butter needs to get really cold again, otherwise you can't even roll it out, it will stick. You could even do this the night before, or early in the day.

Peel and slice 3 cups of apples, flavor them with a little cinnamon and sugar according to your sweetness. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the cranberries to this.

When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment, and heat your oven to 375.
Take the pastry dough out and divide it in half. You'll be making 2 tarts from this. Work quickly on a floured surface and roll out the dough, place it on the parchment, and fill with apple mixture leaving a border so you can fold up the sides. Brush on some apricot preserves on top of the apples, and a little milk over the dough to get it nice and golden. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Cool it down a bit before cutting, but serve it warm!

I think the almond flour is what really makes this stand out, so really you have to put it in, otherwise it won't taste the same.

Over the weekend we went to the Morton Arboretum, they had a Fall Color Festival, and a 5k going on. I thought I'd share with you some nature themed scarecrows that were created by the local Girl Scout troops. They were so cute!

Elvis, with his pumpkin head

Daisy girl

The Count, with all his bats!!

This was so cute, Hannah "Bloomtanna"/ Miley "Cyprus"

And lastly, Pirates of "the Arboretum"!! They did a great job didn't they?

Buon Appetito!!

Il prezzo del latte

Comprensione orale: livello medio/avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il servizio è stato girato in provincia di Verona.Il servizio è stato girato in una fattoria.Il signore intervistato si chiama Lolli.Il signore intervistato è il presidente della Parmalat.Il prezzo del latte nel 2008 è di 0.42 centesimi al litro.L'anno scorso il prezzo del latte era di 0.36 centesimi al

Sundays in Chiusi

Living in Italy in some ways is no different than living in Los Angeles. I mean yesterday was Sunday and we did what any family would do on a Sunday. We went to Church. We went to have lunch at Great Grandma's house and then after the children woke up from their naps, we went to ...the mall. I know that does not sound so exciting but it was too late in the day to drive anywhere and go to the

L'aglianico

Comprensione orale: livello medio/superioreSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il New York Times ha dedicato un servizio all'Aglianico.L'Aglianico è un vino che invecchia molto bene.L'Aglianico non è molto noto.Il Chianti o il Barolo sono più famosi dell'Aglianico.Negli USA si è tenuta una degustazione di 35 etichette di Aglianico.L'Aglianico è un vino potente ed equilibrato.Il

Day care and Preschool while Living in Italy

The first day of day care is scary I think for any mom and that is even more the case while living in a foreign country. My oldest son never went to day care and I was happy with that decision looking back. Now I have two children and things get more hectic and for many reasons we decided to try out day care for our youngest child.So the first day of day care was yesterday when I actually waved

Agatha Christie

Comprensione orale: livello medioSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Sono stati scoperti nuovi scritti di Agatha ChristieLa scrittrice di gialli s'ispirò a sua mamma per creare il personaggio di Mrs MarpleIn 27 nastri registrati Agatha Christie parla dei suoi personaggiLa Christie è la scrittrice più letta d'InghilterraI nastri furono incisi negli anni '60 e poi presto vendutiIl

Polenta with Spicy Sausage and Beans, and a Black Pepper Focaccia!!

Comfort food doesn't have to take all day, this meal was cooked up in no time using just a few staples that I always have stocked in my pantry. With polenta that cooks up in 5 minutes, canned beans, and some good canned tomatoes, this could easily be done in minutes for a nice midweek meal!

Brown up your Italian sausage (either spicy or mild) in a large saute pan in a little olive oil till it's crispy, add some fresh crushed garlic, cook till golden, now add some good canned tomatoes, I love Carmelina brand for this, they have a San Marzano Italian cherry tomato in juice, that hold their shape, and are so sweet! Simmer with the sausage till cooked through.

Now add some rinsed and drained beans of your choice, along with some fresh snipped herbs. Cook until all the flavors infuse. Start your quick polenta in another pan, and when its done, layer your sausage and beans on top.

For years my family has loved a black pepper focaccia that I would always pick up at my favorite Italian store, that has recently closed after being in business for over 30 years! I'm so sad! We miss you, D' Andrea's!

Anyway, this is my quickie version. Take some pizza dough, either store bought or homemade.

Roll it out, but keep it thick, drizzle with olive oil, and put lots of crushed black pepper all over. Make your dimples on top and push the pepper into the dough. You can leave it just like that, or in this case I added Kalamata olives and some snipped rosemary to it. Bake 400, till nice and golden, but still soft like a focaccia.

Buon Appetito, and Have A Great Weekend!!

still vacationing and visiting with my mom

Sorry, lame, lame blogger here. I have returned from our French Riviera and Switzerland vacation, but we then left for Vienna. Now, we are back. But, now we both have colds (my mom and I). We have been having a nice visit, not too hectic, except for our trips.

We also celebrated Mom's and Franco's birthdays. And my brother, Catherines, Zia Giuli and Maria Teresa all had birthdays in September.

My friend Kim (from Bergamo/Canada) is engaged now! She was here visiting Filipo, although I didn't get to see her while she was in Bergamo.

I was contacted by an American expat, Rebecca, who lives nearby, too! I can't wait to meet her. I will call her, and set up a get together, once my mom leaves.

I have lots of photos to sort through, and will do some write-ups on our trips, after my mom leaves.

What little time I spend online, I have been writing on my PUMA site. I have lost a few readers, because of it. Apparently not loving Obama is not allowed in some circles.... haha

OK, well, sorry for the short post. I promise to be back with knitting and travels real soon.
Ciao!

Renting a Villa in Tuscany

Since this is such a popular topic, I will be writing more and more about holidays and renting property in Italy in future posts. For one reason or another more and more people are deciding to rent villas in Italy. The many advantages are to avoid steep hotel costs, freedom to do what one wants to within the confines of your rental property, ability to lodge with many people and divide costs, and