Archive for 2008
love thursday: all hail the prince(s)
This year’s Easter Sunday celebrations brought a special visitor to my village:
Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont and Venice
This is the prince* at his wedding to French actress Clotilde Courau in 2003.
But no, I don’t have a photo of the prince’s visit to my village.
How’s that possible?
Well my very own Principe P and I were busy enjoying a gorgeous, lazy Sunday morning capping off a gorgeous, lazy weekend starting from Friday afternoon when these photos were taken:
Fairy tales can be fun, but the real thing is fabulous.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
*Italy was ruled by the royal family, the House of Savoy, until the monarchy was voted out in a controversial election in 1946. In the Constitution of the new “republicca” all of the Savoia family’s male descendants were exiled from the country.
This provision was removed in 2002 when Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, the last claimant to the House of Savoy, renounced all claims to the throne.
Just a year later, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, son of Vittorio Emanuele, married his bride in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs.
Six years later he came to my village. And I missed it.
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Potatoes, Peppers, & Eggs
My grandmother used to make this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday recipe, Potatoes, Peppers, & Eggs, any time of day and so do I.
I tend to turn to this tried and true dish whenever I have peppers around that won’t get used otherwise or when I simply don’t know what else to eat but want something that’ll fill me up and keep me full.
And every time I make it, I wonder why I don’t make it more often because I really do love it. Pass the fresh bread! Yum!
I do this in a fancy scrambled eggs style, but you could just as easily turn this into a frittata/omelet. For me, scrambling the eggs is simply less labor-intensive, thus keeping the fast, easy, and delicious theme that we like so much around here.
Oh, you don’t want the potatoes in? Check out the Seven Fishes Blog‘s recipe for Peppers & Eggs here. And of course this would be great with ham, pancetta, onions . . . use your imagination, and whatever you have around that needs to be used up!
Potatoes, peppers, & eggs
(serves 2)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 large green pepper (or red, yellow, whatever you prefer), cut into strips
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon grated cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Heat oil on medium in a pan that will be big enough to hold all ingredients.
2. Add peppers and toss so they are covered with oil. Lower heat and let cook for about 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Add potatoes, tossing well with oil and peppers. Cook for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and light golden brown.
4. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, beat together eggs, cheese, and salt.
5. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and peppers, stirring frequently. Cook until eggs are no longer runny.
6. Grab some fresh bread and dig in!
Buon appetito!
The Signs of Spring in Calabria
Even though you couldn’t tell from yesterday’s cold, windy, rainy Pasquetta weather, primavera is definitely here in Calabria, and do you know how I know?
From the flowers on the trees.
I’ve always loved the season of spring and its gorgeous gifts, but before living here I didn’t pay much attention to what blooms when or even really which flowers belong to which trees.
Now I have the routine down and look forward to it every year, which you might be able to tell from my posting about the first almond blossoms–here are last year’s and remember these from January?
Yes, the almond tree (il mandorlo) always flowers first.
Next comes the apricot tree (l’albicocco):
Then the plum tree (il prugno):
And finally the peach tree (il pesco):
Watching this cycle with anticipation and excitement every year is so soothing to me–knowing that, without fail, these blossoms will usher in the new season, new growth, new opportunities, new possibilities.
Also? The figs are coming! The figs are coming!
I just love the sweet breath of inspiration that spring provides, don’t you?
La Buona Cucina America Plus Pasqua in Calabria
Even though there have been small celebrations all week, today really begins the Pasqua (Easter) festivities around here. They won’t finish until late Monday afternoon, so I won’t be back blogging until Tuesday.
But you know I wouldn’t leave you without at least some suggestions of what to do to fill your blog-reading time, right?
Want to experience what I’ll be doing this weekend?
1. Check out Pasqua in Calabria for a description of our day long procession on Sabato Santo (Holy Saturday) and the magical Easter Sunday meeting between the Madonna and Jesus.
2. Then see the photographic evidence in Pasqua in Calabria: The Photos.
3. And if you’re curious about why the fun in Italy continues on until Easter Monday, check out last year’s Pasquetta activities in Still Celebrating.
4. If you’re looking for traditional Calabrian Easter cake, check out Calabrian Cuzzupe.
5. And if you happen to be interested in one of my favorite childhood holiday memories, check out Deno’s Easter Eggs.
And now a very important announcement:
Have you noticed the new widget over in my sidebar? Looks like this?
Here’s the deal. Our philosopher in Umbria, Judith of Think on it!, is stufa of hearing that American food is characterized over here in Italy as unhealthy at best and downright poisonous at worst. We Americans know we eat “real food” and that it’s not all sweets and McDonald’s right?
Well it’s time to show the Italians “La Buona Cucina Americana.”
So Judith, Mary of The Flavors of Abruzzo, Barb of Barb and Art Live in Italy, Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy, Cherrye of My Bella Vita, Judy of Over a Tuscan Stove, and I are going to be taking turns sharing real American food and recipes each Friday.
In the words of our fearless leader Judith:
Some friends and I are going to begin publishing weekly recipes for old fashioned American food, food like grandma used to cook and perhaps like you still cook, if you happen to be American. So what’s new about that? There are innumerable food bloggers in the USA pouring out magnificent food of every description as made in the USA. Yes, that is so, but they don’t do it from Italy and in Italian!
That’s right folks. All recipes will be in English *and* Italian so that Italians can stop by and enjoy some down home American food–so tell your Italian friends!
Mary is kicking off things today with American Style Shepherd’s Pie, and next week will be Judith’s turn with Chicken Pot Pie.
Mmm. I’m getting hungry…and homesick!
If there’s anything you’d like to see featured in La Buona Cucina Americana or if you’d be up for the challenge of sharing your American recipes in Italian (with ingredients available in Italy), leave a comment here!
I hope the Italians are ready for us.
Buona Pasqua to those celebrating–and buon weekend to all!
Love Thursday: Love Notes on a Cactus
Last year at this time, some of you were disturbed when I posted Scribblings on a Seawall–love notes written in Catanzaro Lido. Yes, graffiti has a tendency to annoy me too.
Well hang on to your virtual hats.
Here’s another creative expression of love, on a cactus in the ruins of Tindari:
This cactus was *huge* and absolutely covered in love notes.
Disturbing, sure, (the poor cactus!) but it certainly made me think of my P waiting (impatiently) for me at home while my travel buddy and I vagabonded about . . . reminding me once again that love is all around.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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