Love Thursday: An Adorable Little Nuccihra of Love
P and I don’t have grand birthday or Christmas celebrations; neither of us are fans of giving gifts only because it’s expected, although “just because” or “I was thinking of you” tokens are always welcome around here.
And we do tend to exchange little, thoughtful things year round — often simple gestures like one of us taking over cooking duties or running to the store when the other is exhausted. There are some physical gifts, but they tend to be of very little monetary value. In our house, it truly is the thought that counts — it always warms my heart to know that when P was “in giro” (out and about), he saw something and thought of me.
Over the years, he’s brought home tiny rosebuds, almond blossoms, old lire coins, a big bluish green lizard (!), porcini mushrooms, and even some saffron flowers.
And most recently this little nuccihra (noo-CHEE-ruh) arrived:
An adorable little nuccihra of love
It’s a type of hazelnut (nocciola) here in the mountains of Calabria —“nuccihra” is Badolatese (local dialect) for little hazelnut . . . an adorable little nuccihra of love if you ask me.
Happy Love Thursday!
12 Beans of Wisdom to “Love Thursday: An Adorable Little Nuccihra of Love”
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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Those are probably the tastiest hazelnuts I ever ate! Happy love Thursday to you.
Thanks Gil; they are tasty little nuts 🙂
And it’s heart shaped!
Indeed! Thanks for coming by Martha 🙂
Lovely! We do that too… life is unpredictible and gifts, like dessert, should be consumed as soon as possible. 🙂
Hee hee, I like that!
That is adorable! I definitely love the unexpected tokens of love and appreciation.
Thanks for coming by, Jen!
How romantic! Thanks for reminding us all that it is these little magical things that keep the relationship sizzling with delicious surprises…
Thanks Susan!
oh, wow, a new Calabrian food I have never tried! 🙂 thank you
We don’t get them very often as they’re pretty far up in the mountains from us, but *so* worth the trip 🙂
Aww too cute. Before we were married my husband once took my plate and cut what was left of my coteletta into the shape of a heart. It was too cute, I didnt even mind that he ate the cut away parts lol.
Hahaha…love is blind (to cutlet thievery)! 😉
Ahhh romantic Italian men! Aren’t they wonderful? Valentino has always been the same – how often would he go for a stroll and return with one tiny flower he saw and picked to bring home for me (I actually saved the very first one – the little gold marigold is still in a special little case to enjoy 35 years later!).Those special little gifts have so much more meaning.
Very sweet to have saved that flower, Bonnie…and I agree about the meaning 🙂
I have the same view about gifts, and your nuccihra of love is so sweet.
Isn’t it great that he saw something lovely and unique and thought of you? Now THAT’S love.
My husband and I have been together 13 years now. We’re pretty easy-going when it comes to gifts to each other. It’s the little things that matter most. He took my car this afternoon and filled the tank with gasoline – oh, how I appreciate little things like that.
Che carino! Those little gestures really do mean a lot. It’s a shame that many people are too “busy” to make the effort. Putting a smile on someone’s face costs very little and gives the highest return.
So very true about the smile 🙂
how sweet. sometimes those token of love and appreciation mean more than gold and silver!
Agreed Elisa!