Turkey Day Leftover Solution!

If you're still wondering what to do with some of your leftovers from Thanksgiving, why not make some soup! Today I took the last of my turkey leftovers and made a pot of Creamy Turkey and Rice soup.


I saved the breast carcass, put it in a pot with some water, celery, onions, carrot, and a splash of white wine. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme, then simmered it for about an hour and a half.

When my stock was finished I strained it of all the veggies, picked the meat off the bone, and also added in some breast meat I had put away in a container. Then in another pot, I sauteed in butter, some celery, carrots, onions, and crimini mushrooms, mixed in 1/2 cup of flour, let that cook till it was all blended, then ladle, by ladle I whisked in the stock and after it thickened up, I threw in some cooked brown rice, and then finished it off with a little half and half for color. Garnish with some parsley.


The salad was just pears, arugula, red onion, blue cheese and walnuts, tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette.


It was perfect for a cold and snowy day we had here today! Yes, it snowed a little already! Yuck!

I fagioli

Comprensione orale: livello avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il servizio è dedicato all'elaborazione dei fagioli in scatola.Il signore intervistato si chiama Giuseppe Bossi.Tra i vari tipi di fagioli ce n'è uno chiamato Pan di Spagna.I fagioli provengono da varie parti del mondo, tra cui la Cina.I fagioli vengono cotti in enormi pentoloni.Durante la lavorazione i fagioli

French film 'Entre les murs' and the stereotype blacks

I've watched the trailer of the award winning (Cannes) flick 'Entre les murs' (The Class). It's a story about a French language teacher in a multicultural inner city high school classroom in Paris. One of the action parts of the film is a young black kid who explodes in a class room, because he's being touched. But that boy looks so much like the stereotype black kid at risk in a ghetto school in the US. I've seen these scenes before.

The critics claim this is not your standard classic white-hero-on-a-black-school-film, but it’s more. It has to do with inspirational teaching.

I wonder why the main characters in the film are black and white and not ‘Magrebs’, wich would be more in line with the French reality. Maybe it’s because the multicultural line-up is more in line with US. That's why France submited the film for a nomination for an Oscar in the Best foreign language film category.

Most interesting detail. The film is based on the book of writer and teacher François Bégaudeau. He plays himself the film.

Read: Entre les murs - French winner at Cannes finally hits the big screen

Find a Happy Place - in Italy

First of all I apologize for being absent for a few days but I have been having some problems with the internet and I will leave it at that. I have been thinking of all of my readers out there, whoever you are and this post is for you!It has taken me awhile to find my happy place in Italy and I guess I just about stumbled upon it only recently realizing that it is my happy place. I will

Cesare Borgia

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzatoIndicare le affermazioni vereCesare Borgia era figlio di Papa Alessandro VISua madre era una principessaCesare fu nominato Cardinale in giovane etàFu spinto spesso da passioni incontrollateArriverà persino ad uccidere il fratello GiuseppeProtesse, però, il Duca di Bisceglie, suo cognatoLa sorella Lucrezia fu amante sua e del padreCesare ebbe un figlio

Caramel Wannabe's!!!

It's Daring Baker time again, and for this months challenge we had the option of making a caramel cake, or caramel candy. I opted for the candy, since I thought it would be a nice gift to give away, and because I never used a candy thermometer, nor have I ever made candy! The recipe... Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels... comes from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert.

Well let me tell you, candy making is definitely NOT my forte!!! Yes, I posted my photo with my little caramels all nice and snug in a pretty tin, studded with hazelnuts and pistachio's, but looks can be very deceiving!!

I got off to a good start, I stuck my new thermometer on my pan and waited for my sugar and syrup to boil, my heated cream was waiting in the wings to be incorporated. Everything was at the correct temperature according to the recipe.

When it was time to pour it all into my pan, my house smelled like a fancy candy shop on Michigan Ave.!! I thought it was the right color, but maybe in reality it was a little to dark, what do you think?

Here is the picture of how my caramels really turned out, like shards of cut glass! TOTALLY INEDIBLE! The first photo above, I practically had to take a sledgehammer to cut them, I had caramel shards flying all over my kitchen floor!

In conclusion, I noticed my candy thermometer said caramels to be done at 240F, but the recipe said 260F. I went with 260F . Maybe that was my problem!

A big "Thanks" goes out to our host Dolores, of Chronicles of Culinary Curiosity, where you will find this recipe, along with her assistants, Alex, of the Blondie and Brownie duo, and Jenny, of Foray into Food, and Natalie, of Gluten-a-go-go.

Be sure to click on the Daring Baker link above to see how the caramels were really suppose to turn out, and to check out all those good looking cakes.

I'm Thankful for...

Having my dinner turn out scrumptious good, hanging out with family all day,

And the fact that I don't have to cook today because there's plenty of leftovers!!!

Hope you're enjoying all of yours too!

Former Dutch black businesswoman of the year has been found homeless

The former black businesswoman of 2001 who later functioned as alderwoman of the city of Rotterdam has been found homeless
Rabella de Faria's homelessness was discovered after she checked herself in at a local night shelter.
She has lived on the streets most of this year but was now staying with friends.
De downfall of the De Faria, who is born in Surinam, started after a career as alderwomen. She was alderwomen for security and public health on behalf of the Leefbaar Rotterdam party between 2002 and 2004. Leefbaar Rotterdam is a party with a strong anti-Islam agenda. The party was founded by Pim Fortuyn, a politician who was later murdered by a left wing activist. Rabella de Faria's career came to an end when she was forced to resign.

Read: Mogul-turned-politician now homeless

Spike Lee e la resistenza italiana

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzatoIndicare le affermazioni vereIl film di S. Lee è incentrato sulle stragi naziste della seconda guerra mondialeIl titolo italiano è "Il miracolo di Anna"Il film tratta la storia di quattro soldati italiani morti al fronte combattendo contro gli americaniLa strage di cui si parla nel film costò la vita a 560 vittime civiliL'Associazione Nazionale Partigiani

UK singer Estelle attacks white soul music

In March 2008 singer and songwriter Estelle, attacked the British music industry and white soul music. In an interview she expressed her grief by singling out Adele and Duffy, she said: "I'm not mad at them, but I'm wondering - how the hell is there not a single black person in the press singing soul? Adele ain't soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she's got a deeper voice - that don't mean she's soul. That don't mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I'm like: you're telling me this is my music? Fuck that!" Afterwards she said her remarks where completed blown out of proportion.

But the Black Music Congress in the UK organized a debat about the topic. In their press release for the debate they highlighted racism and lack of commitment by the big record companies in developing and marketing British black music talent. They highlighted the fact that white artists such as Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen sell black music.

Interesting where the questions in the debate. What if the overwhelming white population of Britain prefer black music performed by white artists? And also, as the record companies are commercial entities, why should they invest in African British talent when they believe that these artists seldom sell?

But I think the future of black soul looks grim. Jazz used to be the exclusive domain of black people the US, nowadays the scene is packed with white musicians from Europe. Even black people call jazz ‘the white man’s music’. And look what happened to rock! And Hip Hop? Even that will stop, at least for black people. I am afraid that in twenty years time black Soul music will just be on the topics list of our annual black history month.

Read:>Estelle Weighs in on 'Blue-Eyed' Soul in the UK, Brings Sass

How to Dress Italian and Look Good - Part II

In my first article "How to Dress Italian and Look Good" I wrote about what gives the Italian woman the edge on class, elegance and style. While the formula for looking good includes copying and then personalizing it, a crucial factor is being body conscious. An Italian woman for instance is very much in tune with her body weight, shape and height. She will follow fashion trends but not at the

Genuine Italian Pizza Dough- Recipe

The secret to a good pizza is making genuine Italian pizza dough. Can this only be learned through years of experience? Absolutely not. All you need is the right formula, the correct ingredients, and a good working oven. Unfortunately an Italian cook would never tell you that as it is a rare thing of an Italian to pass on a good, easy recipe. Well here is a real recipe on making genuine Italian

Traditional Foods of Italy

People always ask me what are traditional foods of Italy. There are regional differences in what Italians eat but having lived and visited various parts of Italy, I can say that there are staples and ingredients that have become known as the traditional foods of Italy. Throughout the peninsula of Italy you will find that Italians eat pasta in all shapes and sizes. Pasta is either homemade "fatto

Il vocabolario della Crusca

Comprensione orale: livello medioIndicare le affermazioni vereIl Presidente Napoletano ha ricevuto in dono la prima copia della riedizione dell'Enciclopedia della CruscaSi tratta della ristampa della prima edizione del 1612E' un dono dall'alto valore economicoE' l'opera che ha fissato le regole della lingua italianaIl vocabolario di base della lingua italiana si discosta non poco dal lessico di

New career? Become a community organizer like Obama

Looking for a Presidential career? Become a community organizer like Obama. Obama was a community organizer in Chicago from 1985 to 1988 before he became Senator. But what's a community organizer and what did Obama learned from the job?
Community organizing is a process by which people living in proximity to each other are brought together by an organization to act in their common self-interest. In the poor Chicago South side Obama’s used techniques as demanding summer jobs, pushing for an after-school program. And try convincing the city to spend more on this or that.
After loosing a fight over asbestos Obama gained a new perspective. A fellow community worker recalled: "The solution, Obama felt, was to find a way to political power of his own. He was constantly thinking about his path to significance and power." He rememberd him saying, "I need to go there [Harvard Law School] to find out more about power. How do powerful people think? What kind of networks do they have? How do they connect to each other?”
Read: What Did Obama Do As A Community Organizer?
Obama's Community Roots

Italy Customs, Traditions, Lifestyle

Italy customs, traditions, and lifestyle are rather complex but if someone were to ask me to summarize them, I would say that these factors are based on pride, image, food, resilience and humor.Pride is an attribute that lingers in Italy customs, traditions and lifestyle. Italians are proud of who they are. It is a boastful population but not in the negative sense but rather in a constructive way

Roasted Parmesan - Creamed Onions

I'm making a call out to all the onion lovers out there. Are you with me? You have to try this!!
Roasted sliced onions, that are bathed in a white wine and parmesan cream sauce, studded with a hint of fresh sage or thyme! This is a perfect side dish to go along with your turkey day dinner, or any dinner for that matter!

The cream and wine saturate these sweet roasted onions, and gives them such a luxurious flavor. You will be smitten with the first bite!!

Recipe Adapted From: Rick Tramonto's Osteria

***Take 4 yellow onions, peel and slice them 1/4 inch thick, and carefully place them on a baking sheet, rings intact. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast them at 375F for about 15 minutes.

***While onions are roasting, place 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of white wine in a small saucepan and simmer till it starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from stove.

***After 15 minutes, carefully take the onions off the baking sheet and transfer into a shallow baking dish, still keeping rings intact. Spoon cream sauce over each onion, maybe a little more black pepper, cover with foil and cook another 20-25 min's.

***Remove from oven, take off foil, and raise temp to 450F. Shave, or grate your parmesan on top of each onion, place back in hot oven till golden brown. About 5 min's till they caramelize.

Garnish with fresh sage leaves or thyme.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend,

Buon Appetito Everyone!!!

In Italy, Celebrating Christmas

In Italy, celebrating Christmas has many meanings. No matter where you are in Italy, celebrating Christmas equates to being with the family, going to mass, exchanging gifts, seeing friends, eating and drinking.... a lot.The backdrop is always the same in every household on Christmas day. The fireplace and Christmas tree are lit. There are opened gifts scattered all around. There is every type of

French 'Barack Obama' still a dream says black french minister Rama Yada

France's only black minister,Rama Yade, has said her country will never elect its own Barack Obama under the current ageing, white political elite. Yade warned it would remain a pipe dream until mainstream parties opened up and introduced affirmative action. "Just look at the French National Assembly, the Senate, the circles of power... the time for allowing a new elite to emerge is well overdue,"said the secretary of state for human rights and foreign affairs in an interview with the Telegraph.
Read: French 'Barack Obama' still a dream says country's lone black minister

Italy Naples Attractions

A positive outcome of the mess caused by the trash emergency is what has been called a rebirth of Naples Italy and the new and old attractions of this city. Naples has its problems, no doubt, but there are few cities in the world that have the incredible charm of Naples and its people.Some of Naples attractions that you should not miss include: - the Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donnaregina which

Il baccalà

Comprensione orale: livello medio/avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:
Il servizio è stato girato a Somma Campana.
Il signore intervistato si chiama Ferrari.
La ditta del signore intervistato si dedica, da tre generazioni, alla lavorazione artigianale del baccalà.
Il consumo del baccalà si è diffuso in Europa dal 1800.
Il baccalà viene prodotto tutto l'anno.
Il taglio del

Screen Nation Film & TV Awards in the UK (2)

The screen Nation Awards is the only annual international celebration of achievement within black world cinema and TV in the UK. Set to take place on the 7th December 2008 at the Hilton London Metropole. Check the site for the nominees and vote!
Read: Screen Nation website
Watch: video of the 2006 Award ceremony

Pasta Making Continued...

Pasta Perfection: Tools of the Trade

Recently I received a very nice email from a sweet women named Khara, over at cookware.com. Khara offered for someone to do a guest post for me on the topic of my choice.

Not being too aware of cookware.com, I decided to quickly go over there and check their website out. It's really a great online source for all of your cooking and baking needs. Go over there and check them out when you get a chance! I even found my ravioli forms there!

Since I've been in a pasta making mood lately, obviously from my lasts two posts, I thought a post about pasta machines, and some of the accessories would be very informative. I've had questions from readers regarding pasta making, so hopefully this post will answer some.

So here it is... The following was written by guest blogger Jamie Sward. Enjoy!

As the weather starts turning colder, what's better than a nice hearty bowl of pasta to warm up both body and spirit? Served up on your best Christmas dinnerware, what could be better this holiday season? While there are a great many pre-made pasta options in stores today, nothing beats the uncompromising flavor of fresh, home made pasta. Before you can start making delicious homemade pasta, you need to make sure that your kitchen is adequately stocked with the proper tools. Below, let me break down for you the essential pasta making tools that you need in your kitchen.

• Pasta Machine: A pasta machine is one tool that anyone looking to make homemade pasta should invest in. Most pasta machines feature rollers, which flatten the pasta, and ribbon cutters that cut the pasta into different widths. Pasta makers either run on an electric motor or are manually operated using a hand crank. Once you have your pasta dough prepared, cut it into smaller chunks and run them through the rollers of your pasta maker. You may need to run these through the rollers several times until they are smooth and flat. The rollers can be adjusted, depending on how thick you want your pasta.
  
  
  

  
  Once you have achieved your desired thickness, let the strips dry for about 10 minutes. Now you are ready to run the strips of dough through the cutting rollers. Most pasta machines come with 2 settings - spaghetti and fettuccine. Other optional attachments are available to make angel hair pasta, Lasagna, Ravioli and other types of pasta.
  
  
  
  

• Chitarra Pasta Maker: A chitarra, while not necessarily an essential pasta tool, is still a very useful pasta making appliance. A chitarra is a wooden frame with steel wires strung across the top. A chitarra shapes and cuts macaroni all chitarra, which is a flat, square spaghetti. You simply place a flat sheet of dough on top of the wires and push downward, using a rolling pin. The pasta then falls through the wires.
  

  
  

• Raviolamp Ravioli Maker: A raviolamp is a simple tool designed to help you make your own, fresh Ravioli. To use, simply place one sheet of pasta dough on top of the plate, putting your Ravioli filling of choice (meat, cheese, veggies) into the slots. Place another sheet of dough on top and use the rolling pin included to seal your Raviolis up nicely.
  
  

  
  
  

• Other Useful Pasta Making Tools: Here are some other essential pasta making tools that you should add to your kitchenware
  collection.
  
  

  
  
  

  • Rolling Pin: A rolling pin is a must-have for getting your pasta dough thin enough to work with (if you don't have a pasta maker)
    
    
    
    
  • Pastry Wheel: Perfect for cutting pasta, a pastry wheel is a great way to add an attractive fluted edge on your pasta creations. Use a pastry wheel when making home made Ravioli!
    
    
    
    
  • Cookie Cutters: A completely versatile kitchenware item, cookie cutters are perfect for making stuffed pasta!
    
    
    
    
  • Pastry Bags: Another versatile tool, pastry bags are great for adding your desired filling to your pasta creations. Perfect for making Ravioli, Tortellini and Tortelli.
    
    
    
    
  • Garganelli Maker: Sometimes referred to as a "butter pat," this device is shaped sort of like a comb and creates grooves in the dough. Its most often used to create gnocchi.
    
  
  

As you can see, a pasta machine isn't completely necessary. It's perfectly possible to create some delicious pasta with just a rolling pin, some cookie cutters and pastry cutters. Pasta machines do tend to simplify the job, though - turning pasta making into a fun, family friendly activity. If you want to go a step further, respected kitchenware maker, KitchenAid makes a line of mixers with pasta roller and cutter attachments. When you see how much fun it can be to create your own pasta, perhaps you'll want to purchase one as a gift for your friends or family members? You can purchase a basic pasta maker for under $30 and add on additional attachments as you need them.

Interview with Barack and Michelle Obama after the elections

The CBS News '60 Minutes' interview exclusive with the US President-elect Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama after the elections. November 16, 2008

Da Bepi

A good place for dinner time. In the Cannaregio Sestiere, not far from Santi Apostoli church, at the beginning of Strada Nuova, a nice and warm restaurant typically venetian. Try their beautiful razor clams (picture) or their excellent "Moeche" fried soft crabs (favorite venetian dish). One of the best adresses in Venice. Osteria Da Bepi. Cannaregio, 4550. Tel. 041.716039 - Closed on Thursdays. From 25€ to 40 €.

Thank you to Alain Hamon for this picture.

Travel Throughout Italy on a Budget

With the world stuck in this financial crisis, it is no wonder that Italian tourism is suffering. Right now the only thing that can increase tourism and turn things around for the travel sector is the strengthening of the American dollar and the abundant travel bargains going on in Italy. All throughout the Italian peninsula you can find special hotel, bed&breakfast, car rental packages and so

Il materasso

Comprensione orale: livello medio/avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il servizio è stato girato a Mantova.Il signore intervistato si chiama Dini.L'interno del materasso è in viscoelastico.All'interno del materasso c'è della lana e del cotone.L'esterno viene rivestito in puro cotone.Il lato invernale del materasso viene rinforzato con dei fili d'argento.L'argento viene

Black Eurovision Song Contest Part 2: Laura Izibor (Ireland)

Afro-Irish Laura Izibor is the international rising R&B star from Ireland. Entertainment Ireland wrote, "It's safe to say the hype surrounding Laura Izibor is founded, Ireland is clearly a place where she is honing her talent before she takes on the rest of the world and proves that she is an actual contender for the crowns of Angie Stone and Alicia Keys." Isibor is born in Dublin to an Irish mother and Trinidadian father
Read: Laura Izibor's official website

Winter in Venice by Miro Sinovcic

Most of his work is about New York City where he now lives. This is, somehow, a surprising choice of subject, since he lived half of his life in Croatia. But sometimes Miro Sinovcic comes back to the old countries. And he is in Venice these days...

Site officiel
Sur New York Citymag

Where to Eat in Chiusi and Cetona When You Travel to Italy

It has taken awhile to know the best places to eat in and around my town of Chiusi (Siena) Italy. One of the advantages of being married with a Chiusino is knowing the ins and outs of the best eateries. Keep these places in mind should you visit the Valdichiana area.Chiusi (Lake)The Restaurant "Da Gino" is literally one minute from the lake. Don't be put off by the look of this restaurant as it

Black philanthropy on Black Gives Back

I came across the blog Black gives back, a blog about black philanthropy. It’s a blog full of truly inspirational examples of black Americans helping other black people. I asked the blogger why she started this blog. "Before I started blackgivesback, my plan was to create a blog for my Washington, D.C. based charity, highlighting issues and programs in and around D.C. But then I thought, why just focus on my hometown of D.C.? So I then switched my focus to include what's going on in the world with philanthropy in the black community. My blog showcases what celebrities and everyday people are doing to make this world a better place, and it highlights current issues of importance to Black America."

On the photo Boxer Ronald Lamont "Winky" Wright (left) and singer/actress Christina Milian (right) pose with sickle cell guest Maliah. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that is common among African Americans. [And Afro-Europeans.]
Read: The William E. Proudford Sicle Cell fund, Inc

So what are the black folks in Europe doing? I hope giving you – and myself- the answers in upcoming posts

Black British MP Dawn Butler inspired by Obama's Victory

Dawn Butler, a member of Parliament in the UK, launched a new initiative after Obama's victory. She has used this symbolic moment to launch a new platform to aid future UK BAME politicians; Bernie’s List. BAMA stands for Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic. Bernie’s List is a new initiative put forward by a coalition of UK Members of Parliament to strengthen the UK’s democracy by increasing diversity and representation in Parliament.
Read: Racism is common in the House of Commons says Butler

U.S. protest against racist insult of Obama on Austrian TV

After Obama's victory former Austrian US Correspondent Klaus Emmerich said in live broadcast on a Austrian TV channel, that he wouldn't take any orders from a black person in the western world. The U.S. ambassador filed a protest against the insult and demanded a clear apology from the responsible official TV channel.
Read: U.S. protest against racist insult of Obama on Austrian TV

One man's meat is another man's poison

Aqua alta on San Mark's Place. Pigeons reserved domain all year round, Piazza San Marco under water is a great private playground for the seagulls...

Thank you to Alain Hamon for this picture.

Tips on Children & Italian School System

Many parents have asked me to discuss raising children in Italy and especially the school system. I am by no means an expert on the subject but can just write about what I personally have learned. I have to admit that the thought of placing my childen in school in Italy terrifies me largely because I am not familiar with it. I was born and raised in California and have no idea (aside from what my

Time To Make The Ravioli's!!!

This past Saturday, was our annual ravioli making day, we started at noon and by 4:30, we had finished with a grand total of over 400 ravioli's, not bad huh? There were 5 of us, and after we figured out who was going to do what job, we grabbed our aprons and got going!

I love the convenience of making the pasta dough in a food processor, when you're making so many batches, it really goes fast, and every batch comes out perfect! In a matter of seconds it all comes together!

As we made the batches of dough, we would wrap them up so they wouldn't dry out.

Ahhhh, The convenience of a pasta machine! I remember back in the day when I would roll the dough out all by hand, lot's of work, and very time consuming! Besides, a pasta machine does a way better job! The dough comes out perfect.

After you figure out your first batch, it goes pretty fast, because you'll know what numbers you'll be doing your cranking on.

Back in my younger days, I never used these ravioli forms. I would make mine all by hand, each one having their own individual "look". But not anymore! I like this so much better!

Just make sure you flour the forms really good. See those zig zags? You have to make sure that you rub the flour into all those grooves, or you won't be able to flip the ravioli's out.

So here the rolled out dough is placed on the floured form, and into each indention you place your filling. Here we used a mixture of meat, cheese and spinach, a wonderful recipe from my Daughter- in laws Nana.

Same thing here, only this time we used a mixture of ricotta cheese, grated romano, fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

Now top your filling with another sheet of dough, and take a little rolling pin and roll over those zig zags, doing this is, will actually cut your dough. When that's all finished, start at a corner and pull up a little, turn the form over, and they all should pop out! Remember, flour is your friend, you don't want them to stick!

When they come out, they look like this, now just brush off the excess flour.

Close up....Aren't they pretty? See how the ravioli form cuts them so perfect?

We first freeze them individually on cookie sheets, and then when they're frozen, we bag them all up. This was when we were only half way through!

If you never made homemade ravioli's, I would highly recommend you give it a try.

Not only do they taste outstanding, they're so much fun to make with your family.

Thanks to, Vanessa, Christa, Evelyn, Michele, and (Lena, for your wonderful recipe!)

Il Colle Capitolino

Comprensione orale: livello avanzato
Segna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:
La guida del programma si chiama Francesco Melone.
Il Comune di Roma venne istituito nel 1144.
Il Papa Paolo IV affidò a Michelangelo la sistemazione della piazza.
Michelangelo costruì solo una rampa di scale del Palazzo dei Conservatori.
Michelangelo costruì in questa piazza l'intero Palazzo Vecchio.
In

Aqua Alta in Venice

Venice, a city of stone and water. Sometimes the aquatic element goes beyond is domain and streches on a large part of the city, for the photographer's aesthetic pleasure. Then, two possibilities to stride along Piazza San Marco : wear high wellington boots, or walk on the surelevated wooden passages put up by Venice's municipality.

Thank you to Alain Hamon for this picture.

G. Marconi e il Titanic

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzatoIndicare le affermazioni vereIl Titanic esplose nell'Oceano Atlantico il 15 aprile 1912Nel febbraio dello stesso anno Marconi aveva installato sul Titanic il radio-telegrafoIl Titanic era ritenuto inaffondabileMarconi si rifiutò di partecipare al viaggio inaugurale sul TitanicSulla nave si imbarcarono 700 persone tra passeggeri di I, II e III classe e 600

Whoopi Goldberg: Would Barack Obama be president if he had a white wife?

During a television show moderator Whoopi Goldberg talked about race and skin colour. She confessed that she was woken up during the night by a "strange thought" regarding Michelle Obama. "It was a thought that had never occurred to me," she began. "Barack Obama is one of the few men that we have seen who is a black man who has a very, very dark-skinned wife. She's very dark-skinned for normally what you see. And I wondered to myself, would he be electable if he had a white wife?"
Read: Michelle Obama's Darker Shade Of Skin: Whoopi Weighs In (Video)

Alessandro Baricco debutta come regista

Il cervello della donna pesa meno di quello dell'uomo

Comprensione orale: livello medioIndicare le affermazioni vereIl cervello dell'uomo pesa meno di quello della donna.Il fatto che il cervello della donna pesi meno di quello dell'uomo non significa che le donne siano meno intelligenti.Il peso del cervello di un adulto dipende dal peso corporale.Il peso del cervello determina il grado d'intelligenza.Il cervello di Marylin Monroe era più pesante di

Polenta Biscotti

Next time you're making biscotti, toss a little polenta into the mix, and what you'll get is a firm and crunchy texture that has a nice rustic flavor, and I have to say, they are ideal for dunking!

Now myself, I'm not really a dunker, I prefer to keep my coffee, free of any crumbs, and I don't like it when my biscotti gets all mushy! I prefer it crunchy all the way!!

On the other hand, my hubby is a major dunker, and so is his brother, and let me tell you when those two get together and dunk a bunch of biscotti, lets just say, in the end, the inside of their coffee cups are not a pretty sight!


I got this recipe while searching the net, and although I loved the ingredients, I wasn't crazy with the method of cooking it. They wanted you to cook the log and then refrigerate it for 12 hours!!
That wasn't going to happen, and besides I never made biscotti where I had to wait for 12 hrs. in between!

So here's my tweaked version!

INGREDIENTS:

4 Cups of Un-Bleached All purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Polenta
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons Aniseed
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Sliced Almonds
10 Tablespoons of Melted Butter
2 Teaspoons of Sambuca or Amaretto Liquor

In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, polenta, baking powder, aniseed, and almonds, set aside.

In another bowl, beat sugar with melted butter till light fluffy, blend in eggs one at a time, then add your liquor.

Form a log, or two, that's slightly flattened and place on a greased, or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F, for 20 to 30 min's, depending on your oven. It should have a nice golden color. Cool completely.

When completely cooled, cut slices diagonal, about 1/2 inch thick, place back on the baking sheet cut side down for 6 to 10 min's, then flip them over for another 5. Ovens do very, and so does a preference for crunchiness, so cook them according to your likeness. They do get cruncher as they cool down. Store in an airtight container.

I dipped some in melted chocolate, but most of them I left plain. I would definitely make these again!


Buon Appetito! and Have A Great Weekend!

I'll be busy making homemade ravioli's with the family, which I'll be sure to post about!

Poor Italy

Not all my posts are going to be on the upside. I read some alarming statistics regarding the poverty level of Italians and I thought I would pass the information on to you. The data is from Corriere della Sera Magazine (Nov.13 2008) with a photograph of an elderly woman (not a homeless person) going through trash looking for food:1,000,000 is the number of jobs that are estimated to be lost in

Black Eurovision Song Contest Part 1: Giovanca (The Netherlands)

Black Eurovision Song Contest Part 1. The Afro-Dutch singer Giovanca Ostiana - Amsterdam based with Dutch Antillean roots - is the revelation of 2008. Feel-good music with influences from pop, soul, jazz, Motown and hip hop
Read: Giovanca's official website

Fashion Trends in Italy this Autumn and Winter

Living in Italy gives you an advantage of knowing first hand what is in and what is out with regard to fashion trends. Without a doubt, if something is trendy it will be very visible both in boutique windows and on just about anyone walking the street. Here are a few of the many Autumn/Winter trends for accessories:- the "pantacollant", the footless microfiber pantyhose that can be worn with

No Electricity.

If you live in Italy then you have to grow accustomed to having your electrical and water supply turned off several times a year for about 4 hours each time. This occurs either because of a problem the providers are working on or because they are doing some kind of updating on their systems. You have to learn to organize yourselves around these inconveniences and if you work outside of the home

Roma città aperta

Comprensione orale: livello medio-avanzatoIndicare le affermazioni vereAll'arrivo degli americani, nel 1944, i tedeschi minacciarono di portare la guerra nel centro di RomaIl Papa Pio XII si impegnò per cacciare i tedeschiIl colonnello delle SS Dolmann partecipò ai negoziati in VaticanoDolmann racconta di aver accompagnato il suo superiore, generale Wolff, ad un incontro con Pio XIIDall'incontro

Blogging from the suburbs of France

After and during the French riots in 2005, blogging became a way for the French youth to tell their stories. Now that the unrest has gone, a few blogs still tell the stories of living in the suburbs. One of those blogs is Bondy Blog. It gives an inside look in the suburban neighbourhoods of France, where Obama is a source of inspiration for young 'Magrebs' and Afro-Europeans.
Read: Bondy Blog (translated)

Extracurricular Activities for Children in Italy

Many parents have asked me about what activities are available for children in Italy. I can speak of my area which I know of first hand. The larger cities of Florence, Rome and Milan have many activities for children. In Chiusi and the surrounding areas there is nothing similar to what we have at home in the USA like My Gym or Gymboree which are classes for the toddlers and Pre K children that

La cavalleria italiana

Comprensione scritta: livello medioIndicare le affermazioni vere:Le ultime cariche della cavalleria italiana avvennero in Russia durante la seconda guerra mondialeLa prima cavalleria italiana fu quella sabauda, nata nel 1683Il primo reggimento sabaudo aveva il nome di "Lance blu"La cavalleria entrò per ultima a Trento alla fine della prima guerra mondialeI lancieri di Novara, durante la Seconda

Barack Obama could not become British prime minister

Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, claims Barack Obama could not become prime minister in Britain because of "institutional racism" in the British political system.
Mr Phillips said that while there were just 15 ethnic-minority MPs in the House of Commons, it nonetheless demonstrates that "the problem is not the electorate, the problem is the machine."

Watch video: Barack Obama could not become British prime minister
Read: Barack Obama could not become British prime minister

SILHOUETTE PASTA

Fresh herbs can be rolled into sheets of pasta for a very "sophisticated" effect. Because the pasta needs to be very thin it's best if you use a pasta machine. It's a great look for a special occasion, or if you just want to WOW your guests. It's a little time consuming, but it looks very fancy, and something out of the ordinary!

You can pretty much use any kind of herb you want, here I used the last of my garden parsley, which happened to be in perfect condition. And that's a key point, you want all your herbs to be pristine and unblemished.

Some other herb choices would be, sage, mint, green or purple basil.

Just use a basic egg pasta recipe, or better yet, a family favorite.Take your dough and roll it out in your machine until you have a very thin sheet, the next thing you want to do is take a brush dipped in cool water, and moisten the whole area.

Now scatter your herbs in regular intervals.

Top with another sheet of dough, and now take the sandwiched sheets through your pasta machine a couple more times, till it's almost transparent.

After that, your pasta is ready to be boiled and sauced.

I chose to serve this with some melted butter, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but this also looks and tastes wonderful in a clear soup broth.

A biscuit, or cookie cutter could be used for different shapes, just let your imagination go wild!

Buon Appetito!

Do black people collect art?

New ideas from the Netherlands. My First Art Collection is a training program for people who want to learn how to collect art. During the first training My first Art Collection: 20 participants get the chance to experience the art world in a personal way from the inside. In 13 meetings the participants are prepared to be a collector of contemporary art! über blick
From january - june 2009/ Amsterdam and Rotterdam / 375 euro

SOOTHING SOUPS!

To me, nothing soothes falling temperature better than a nice warm bowl of soup! Here in Chicagoland we had an amazing streak of warm weather for November. I think on Election day it even got into the 70's! But now that streak is gone, and we might even be getting some flurries tonight. So since it feels more like fall here again, I thought I'd share some soups I made recently.

All these soups are super quick to make because I used box stocks, and canned beans. I love the convenience of the stocks, and always keep quite a few in my pantry. Gone are the days of the high sodium ones! Although nothing beats a good homemade stock, in a pinch you can have a good quality meal using these, and no one would know that you didn't simmer it for hours!

Minestrone is a soup where any vegetable of your choice would be good. I always like to start out with my " soffritto" of garlic, onions, carrots, and celery sauteed in olive oil. Add the herbs of your choice, and then, every thing else. My ingredients here were... 1 1/2 cans of cannellini beans... 1/2 can of chickpeas, all being rinsed and drained...1 14 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes... 4 0r 5 diced zucchini... 1 diced potato... baby spinach or chard...2 boxes of chicken stock, or veggie, (each box is 1 quart)... 1 cup or more, of parmesan cheese... dried thyme and a little rosemary, salt and pepper to taste, along with a little frozen pesto I had. When everything is all cooked together, in the end I would add your cooked pasta. Here I used ditalini.


Always finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and more grated cheese, a dollop of pesto or fresh basil!

Here you can use some leftover cooked ham, pancetta, or in this case I purchased a cooked ham steak, one that was good quality and not salty. Same "soffritto" as above... dried rosemary, basil, and thyme... 1 small can of fire roasted, or diced tomatoes... 2 boxes of stock... 2 to 3 cans of beans... I used great northern white beans, but navy would be good also... As it simmers the beans thicken the soup. Garnish with grated cheese and basil.

A 12 0z. bag of frozen artichoke hearts were used here, tossed in a pot with garlic and onion...

Seasoned with, salt, pepper and a little basil... Toss in about a box and a half of stock, or a quart and a half... Simmer till tender and soft. Pour everything into your food processor and puree it all till it's nice and smooth. You can strain it if you want, I didn't, but I like the texture, and besides it's quicker!

Garnish with a dollop of pesto, and a reserved artichoke heart.

Have a great weekend, and Buon Appetito!

L'asta del pesce

Comprensione orale: livello avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Il servizio è stato girato a Lumicino.L'intervistato è il direttore dell'asta del pesce.Il signore intervistato si chiamo Tinto.All'asta possono partecipare tutti.Il dentice è un pesce di scarso valore.L'asta parte da un prezzo base.Il maggior offerente acquista il prodotto.L'asta si tiene mediante gesti.Il

French blacks expect change after Obama victory

French blacks expect change after Obama victory. Now that Obama will be the first black president, and African-Americans are at the dawn of a new era, the contrast with blacks in France becomes painfully clear. Youssoupha, a black rapper with a master’s degree from the Sorbonne, hit like many well-educated blacks, a brick wall. “I found myself working in fast-food places with people who had the equivalent of a 15-year-old’s level of education,” he recalled. In a survey carried out by TNS-Sofres for CRAN, the French NAACP, in 2007, more than two out of three French blacks said they had been the victims of racial discrimination in their country. And more than 80 per cent said that the situation was not improving.
Read:
For Blacks in France, Obama’s Rise Is Reason to Rejoice, and to Hope

French blacks hail Obama victory - and expect change

Italy's Reaction to Obama Victory

It was very interesting to be on this side of the world taking in the reaction of Italians on the Obama victory. There were no festivities in the streets as we saw in the United States but the general concensus I think was a positive sigh of relief. The feeling has been that when the USA is sick, the world suffers the consequences. Italians are waiting for change.The economic crisis is blatant

Details about Daycare and Preschool in Italy

I received several requests for more information regarding what daycare and preschools are like in Italy so I thought I would give you some detailed data regarding my first hand experience in Chiusi.DaycareMy youngest has been going to daycare for about a month now and I am pretty familiar with the premises as I also attended "mommy and me" classes there. The daycare is divided into two sections

Barack Hussein Obama Presidente

Finally a black guy as president!!

Barack Obama, a black man as the president of United States of America. This is absolutely a great moment. Not only for the African-American community but for the entire black community. I hoped it wouldn’t be race thing, but for black folks it is. Colin Powel became emotional during an interview and Condoleeza Rice spoke at a press conference, as an African-American, about the factor 'race' in America'. At the end there was no doubt about it, this is not a Republican thing or a Democratic thing, it is a black thing.

American Patriotism is Alive in Italy

It is special to know that when you live abroad like I do, something fabulous happens with regard to how you feel about your native country. Although I live in Italy, am Italian American, my husband is Italian and I definitely have always had a strong Italian background growing up, I feel and believe my home is America. I have talked to many expats who feel the same no matter where they come

Brisighella

Comprensione orale: livello avanzatoSegna con una crocetta solo le affermazioni VERE:Brisighella è in provincia di Faenza.Brisighella è stata costruita su una rupe di gesso.A Brisighella c'è un colle in cui è stata edificata la Torre dell'orologio.Brisighella è circondata dai calanchi.Il gesso si è formato circa 80.000 anni fa.Il gesso si è formato grazie all'evaporazione del Mediterraneo.A

My Life Italian?

I miss my blog, but I've had a little trouble finding its direction since I came back home. One of the largest items stuck in my writing craw has been the title.

This title promises stories of a girl finding her way in a new country, eating and drinking in the heart (my heart) of the culinary world. I'd hate to mislead, but I've decided to leave it alone, for this is the blog that tells the story of the formation of my current life. I'm back in Texas, adjusting to the American way after four and half years in my surrogate country, and trying to figure how to keep it Italian--how to have the best of both worlds.

This post by Italian Wine Guy shows that I'm not alone on such a journey.

So this is my new theme, my new direction. I am here to preach the delights of taking risks and leaving all behind to chase a dream, but I know (believe me) how hard this is, and downright impractical for all but the nuttiest of us. I'd like to find the best way to keep a little Italiano in our American lives, how to find what we need right here at home to satisfy that craving that I know, for so many of us, will never go away.

Dealing with the Italian Language

I often get asked how I do with the Italian language. I have to say that I was fortunate since I was raised learning both Italian and English. We spoke both languages at home and like many Italian Americans we would go back and forth even within the same sentence in both languages. I also picked up a great deal of the dialect from Abruzzo since I am first generation American and my parents spoke

Where's the Afro-European Obama?

Tomorrow will we know if Obama will be the first black president of the US. But what about Europe?
Many black Europeans say victory for Barack Obama in the U.S. election might set an example that could help remedy their under-representation in European politics. But they emphasize that the U.S. Democrat inspires a massive following in Europe through his ideas and charisma, not just because of his color.
Read: Black Europeans pin political hopes on Obama

AUTUMN SIDES

These are two very easy sides to make, because your oven does all the work! The hardest thing would probably be cutting up the vegetables! Preparing your veggies with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roasting them at 400F gives a nice carmelization to them all. And if your lucky to have a "convection roast" setting on your stove, that's even better.



Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans, Dried Cranberries, Toasted Hazelnuts, all tossed with Brown Butter and Sage. I saw this combination in a magazine and loved it ever since! I think it was shown with whole pecans, which would be equally delicious!

Brown butter and sage, is simply made by melting some butter on medium heat, tossing in some fresh sage, heat until the white milk solids turn brown, and sage is crispy.




Balsamic Glazed Roasted Acorn Squash

Taking balsamic vinegar and simmering it down until it becomes a dark, sweet rich syrup, and then pouring a generous drizzle over your squash, makes it irresistibly good!!!

Have a great day, and Buon Appetito!!