Tuesday Tastes: Verdure Fresche

Oh my goodness I just spent 7 Euros on asparagus.

That works out to about $1 per stalk.

I kind of wish I didn't do that math. . . again.

Shocking but I probably would have paid 20 Euros because this is the first time I've seen it for sale since we've lived here (June). In the States asparagus was my go-to side dish. Always easy and elegant and I've really missed it.

Here only the freshest fruits and vegetables are sold. . . only things that are in season and they take such pride in all of it. At the fruit stores, you are not allowed to touch anything. You tell them what you want and they carefully select each piece. At the grocery stores you must wear a glove to select your own fruit.

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Fresh fruit and veggies must be purchased almost daily because everything is sold at its peak and only keeps for a day or so. No stocking up at Wal-mart for the week. But it is gorgeous (I can't believe I just called food gorgeous but really it is. None of this not-quite-ripe stuff you see in the States) and tastes just as fabulous.

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I am so glad to finally find asparagus because I had decided they just must not eat it here. Not too far fetched because Italians don't eat fresh corn. Can you imagine a summer without fresh corn on the cob? I had one. They sell in it cans but that's it. Actually, they also sell a frozen pizza called "The Big Americans" and guess what it has on it. . . corn.

Lunedi Lovelies: Palazzo dei Diamanti

The Diamond Palace. . . another gem of Ferrara (pun intended, hee hee) The palace was commissioned by the Estes and is one of the most famous Renaissance buildings in the world. The exterior is made of 8,500 diamonds carved out of marble.

To me the design is very contemporary but it was built in 1492. The same year Columbus sailed the ocean blue and way before power tools. Can you imagine carving each of those pieces of marble? Amazing. Legend has it that a very valuable diamond is hidden behind one of the marble diamonds.

It is now owned by the city and the interior is an art museum that also hosts many important traveling exhibits. They had an amazing Boldini exhibit (my favorite artist) and currently have an exhibition on Kandisky.

interior courtyard

Scarpe

I need shoe advice. As the season is beginning to change I am planning my spring shoe purchases. This is rather important as I walk at least 2 km a day. . . on cobblestones. . . often running after a two year old. . . but must be fashionable. This is Italy and here you only wear running shoes if you are actually running.

These crazy sandals were all over Italy at the end of last summer and now I'm seeing them for sale on US websites. So it must be a trend that is going to stick. My husband thinks they are ridiculous. I kind of think so too but I said the same thing about skinny jeans and thigh high boots and now I wear those daily. What do you think? Will you be buying a pair this spring?

My big problem is closed toe flats. I always think they are comfortable in the store then after wearing them a while they are miserable. Anyone have a brand that fits great and looks great? My husband tells me to just wear heels (of course he does) but a great pair of flats is a must for day trips to Venice, etc. or wandering museums. You get the point. Pleeease send me your suggestions!

Prada, Fendi, Armani. . .

Oh how I wish I could have been there. . . Italian fashion week was a few weeks ago. I would have loved to be in Milan during that time.

This year the week was cut short and I just read an article (thanks Dot) explaining why. It seems Anna Wintour, editor of American Vogue, decided to only be Italy 3 days. The Italians panicked and rearranged the whole schedule at the last minute. Huge fashion houses like Dolce and Gabbana changed scrambled to change days to accommodate her.

Seem a bit much? Actually it is not. If Ms. Wintour is not at a show, the stores won't buy that designer. She has been called the most powerful woman in America and I might agree. It is pretty impressive that an entire industry depends on her very presence.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/milan-fashion-week/7207157/Milan-Fashion-Week-in-chaos-after-Anna-Wintour-cuts-visit-short.html



I just watched The September Issue, a documentary about Anna Wintour, and I absolutely loved it. I highly recomend it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9-bAwz9uWk She is not as demanding as she was portrayed in The Devil Wears Prada but it is amazing to watch how this one woman infuences a whole industry.

Al Brindisi

Again, it amazes me that our city is not touristy.

At all.

I've heard Rick Steves doesn't even mention it in his Italy book.

One of our favorite restaurants in town is Brindisi. It is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest restaurant in the world. It has been a restaurant/ wine bar since 1435. Yes, you read that right. . . 1435. That's amost six hundred years. It is a teeny tiny restaurant on a small alley but they serve good food and have walls lined with very old bottles of wine covered in dust.

When Copernicus lived here (sometime in the early 1500's) he lived in an apartment right above Brindisi and so this was his regular wine bar. Amazing that we drink wine at the same place as someone I learned about in 6th grade science class. All seems quite normal now.

The Fashion Police

You know you are in a fashionable country when even the police look fabulous. In Italy we have Polizia who are the regular police and we have the Carbinieri who I refer to as the super duper police. I think they are actually a branch of the military but they act as police. Rumor has it that their uniforms were designed by Valentino. Don't know if it is true, but they look so great it is certainly believable.

I see them almost daily in town but I was too afraid to take a picture so I pulled these from the Internet-- thanks wikipedia.

Tuesday Tastes: Herbs de Provence

This is not Italian but it is something I first discovered in Europe. I learned about herbs de Provence while on a culinary tour in the south of France and have been using them regularly ever since. They are good in everything. . . chicken, pork, potatoes, veggies. It is a combination of tyme, sage, marjoram, basil and rosemary. . . and is absolutely fabulous (and smells like France).

I can't find the herbs here (Italians are not really big on importing food) and I have used all I bought in France. Luckily my Belgian friend who lives here has a huge canister of herbs of Provence from home and shared with me. She gave me so much it will last until our next trip to France. So nice. In Texas, I know you can buy them at Central Market. They may have them at other groceries too or you can just ask your Belgian friend :-)

One of my favorite simple dishes using herbs de Provence is with chicken or pork chops. Here's what you need. . . slice up a couple onions and several potatoes. Layer those in the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with lots of grated parmesean (fresh grated of course) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs de Provence. Then over that, add bone in chicken or bone in pork chops. Season the meat with salt, pepper and herbs of Provence, add some more parmesean, cover with foil and bake an hour at around 200 (400 F) or until done. Serve with a salad and bread and dinner is finished!

I made this recipe when my parents were here and my dad went with me to the butcher to get the meat. The butcher didn't have any pork chops that day so my dad convinced me to buy a whole chicken. I say convinced because he really did have to talk me into it. . . the chickens are truly whole here as in feet and everything. Ick. Luckily the butcher cut it up for us. Still, I don't need to see the feet of something I'm going to eat. Gross. So who's hungry for chicken now?