Girasole

L'ho comprato al mercato sabato in anticipo del rientro del Nostro Inviato da Messico (lui c'era rimasto un'altra settimana per lavorare).

Un girasole sapeva dargli il benvenuto!

Fioravanti è libero

Non so, forse perché preparavo per il viaggio in Messico, non avevo letto che Valerio Fioravanti ora è totalmente libero.

Ho letto "A Mano Armata" due volte quando vivevo a Firenze, e la vicenda dei latitanti e la strage del 2 agosto mi hanno sempre affascinato.

Lui, comunque, si ritiene innocente, ed infatti vuole indagare un po' per conto suo sui fatti della strage di Bologna.

Incredibile. E' libero.

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/09_agosto_03/fioravanti_spazi_per_lavorare_sul_processo_61b27502-8037-11de-bb07-00144f02aabc.shtml

Viognier

Sometimes a backlog builds up at Ciambellina. This is one of those instances.

We drank the bottle you see above quite a while ago, after Il Nostro Inviato was in Milan and visited a wine shop that sold vino sfuso.

Vino sfuso is bulk wine that has not been pasteurized so it does not participate in Italy's wine certification system (DOC and DOCG, for example).

This is not quite what you'd find in your everyday wine shop! And I highly recommend it!

We quite like after dinner drinks, as you may have surmised from my tales of drinking carafes of vin santo in Siena.

But generally what I want is something that's like wine, not a shot of Jagermeister! This bottle of Viognier really hit the spot.

The wine shop in Milan where he bought the vino sfuso -- La Vineria -- is on Via Casale in the Navigli section of Milan, which is a cool, gentrifying area of the city that's centered around an old canal.

The wine shop, which vigorously defends bulk wine and calls pasteurization and other standard wine processes unsafe, has received attention from lots of magazines in Italy. You can visit the shop's Web site here http://www.la-vineria.it

You won't need to buy bulk wine to try Viognier. For example, the Viognier grape shows up in traditional bottled wines in the Northern Rhone region of France.

So get out there and try it!

Appena tornata da Messico....

Ciao ragazzi!

Sono appena tornata da Messico e ora con il rientro, ho un sacco di cose da fare ecco perché inserisco pochi argomenti questo mese.

Però brevemente vi vorrei far vedere la foto quassu'.

Almeno nella città dove stavo io (che si chiama Queretaro), i Messicani vanno pazzi per la cucina italiana!

A Queretaro oltre a tacos, potete facilmente trovare la pasta, la pizza e il gelato (si vede una gelateria nella foto).

Io non vi posso dire se ci riescono o meno -- ho mangiato solamente la cucina messicana!

Ma mi ha fatto piacere vedere che la cucina italiana è tanto populare in Messico quanto in USA.

Vespa-with-sidecar Watch

Troppo ganzo!!!

The owner of this tricky scooter lives in my neighborhood, I am proud to say.

Vespa Watch -- Sesto Fiorentino (FI)

A photo of my friend Fabrizio on a Vespa at his home in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence.

Classic!

Ringrazio Ilaria per avermi mandato la foto. Mi ha fatto davvero sorridere!

Divertitevi in Puglia! Quanto sarebbe bello esserci con voi.

Regalino -- note cards

Guarda qui!

Ciambellina, I guess, was a very good girl because she received the above note cards as a gift and it's not even her birthday!

Can you beat Vespa note cards that say "Ciao Bella!" -? No!

What's great is, I almost bought these cards a few weeks back, but decided I should save my money!

You like them? Il Nostro Inviato bought the cards at Barnes and Noble bookstore (you can also find Cavallini brand cards online).

Lavazza from Amazon.com

I bought Lavazza from Amazon.com for the first time this month, and it seems to work pretty well.

I usually buy Italian coffee from Whole Foods when Il Nostro Inviato has not been to Italy for a while.

Each package cost $5, and as you can see, it comes in a four-pack. $5, even for Crema e Gusto which is usually cheaper here, is a very good price. My Whole Foods does not stock this variety so I cannot compare prices.

Anyway, this is certainly one way to skin a cat.

Tifosi per AC Milan vivono ad Atlanta!

Va bene, AC Milan non ha vinto la partita contro Club America (una squadra messicana, la quale ha vinto 2-1) che ebbe luogo in Atlanta ieri ma tuttavia era una serata molto divertente e movimentata.

Eravamo in 12 nel nostro comitato e ero veramente incuriosita dal numero di tifosi ad Atlanta. Cioe, la gente che indossava maglie di AC Milan (c'era una ragazza, chiamiamola Ciambellina, che indossava una maglia della Fiorentina, ma lasciamo perdere).

C'erano anche persone che indossavano maglie di altre squadre, tipo la Juventus e Inter. Non credevo che gli americani seguissero calcio in modo di poter conoscere le squadre, e persino con risultato che volevano comprare le maglie! E poi 50,000 persone sono venute a vedere la partita. Cavoli!

Ora ti faccio vedere le altre foto che ho scattato:


Forza Milan!


Chiaramente Ronaldinho e' molto amato persino ad Atlanta! Qui i suoi tifosi bevono una birra ad un locale accanto al stadio.


Spero che AC Milan o un'altra squadra italiana venga l'anno prossimo a giocare qui in Atlanta. Per una serata, era come andare allo stadio -- in Italia. Bello!

Going to see "Il Divo" tonight at Landmark Cinema

The Italian movie "Il Divo" has finally arrived in Atlanta and I'm going to see it tonight with an Italian Meetup group.

The film is about career politician Giulio Andreotti who like a cockroach survived everything that came his way, including an extensive trial accusing him of collusion with the Mafia.

Here's a link to the New York Times review (permalink not working):

http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/movies/24divo.html?scp=3&sq=Il%20Divo&st=cse

Toni Servillo landed the title role of Andreotti, and it will be the second time in a year that I see Servillo in a key role. What a treat! (He was in "Gomorrah," the film about the Naples' mafia.)

I will report back to Ciambellina on my impressions. But whether I like it or not, I'm just happy to have the opportunity to see two Italian films in one year at a movie theater near me!

AC Milan stasera in Atlanta!

_MG_0940-35.jpg
Inserito originariamente da JMaloney

Io e Il Nostro Inviato andiamo a vedere una partita tra AC Milan e Club America stasera ad Atlanta.

Anche se molto probabilmente sarei tifosa per la Fiorentina, AC Milan gioca stasera e allora dico Forza Milan!

Amarcord -- the beer (Menabrea, too)

Found this lovely little Italian craft beer at Hops City in Atlanta.

Until a year or so ago, I didn't even know the Italians made craft beer! But indeed they do. And Hops City, a beer emporium that's opened on Atlanta's Westside, stocks quite a few types.

I picked Amarcord Speciale Bionda because it was not high in alcohol. I know high gravity beers are all the rage but I just find them too alcoholic. And of course, I've seen Fellini's film "Amarcord," and I love it!

Buying this beer, I get to read the word "artigianale," which has a lovely sound and a lovely meaning. It means more or less 'craft' or 'craftsman-like,' and is used to describe anything made by hand or made the old way or in small batches. Someone who makes something artigianale is an artigiano.

Here's another beer that's turning up in Atlanta restaurants and supermarkets (Kroger....non ci posso credere!):


This beer reminds me of all the times I've ordered "una birra chiara alla spina" at bars in Italy.

I've had Menabrea at Top Flr in Midtown (Atlanta) and Baraonda on Peachtree St. (though they had sold out of it Saturday when I was there).

It's a good beer!

But how was the Amarcord? I don't know! I'm waiting for Il Nostro Inviato to open it (since he's the real beer-drinker in our house).

In fact I held off on posting the photo because I had not tried it yet. But I just didn't want to wait any longer -- not while you could be buying it yourself and enjoying it.

Cin cin!

Bocce in USA, il 4 luglio

I nostri amici qui ad Atlanta hanno organizzato un torneo di bocce per festeggiare il 4 luglio, il nostro giorno di independenza. E' stato il sesto torneo di fila.

Ecco alcune foto!


La squadra vincente ha vinto $300! Incredibile, no? C'era, credo, una ventina di squadre. 

Come vi ho detto prima, giocare a bocce va alla moda ora qui!

Bocce in USA

Yes, si gioca a bocce anche in USA.....

Infatti, giocare a bocce negli ultimi anni è diventata un'attività ricercata fra i giovani che abitano nelle grandi città. È di moda!

Qui faccio vedere una partita ad un locale vicino a casa nostra. C'è sempre una folla di gente intorno alla pista. Ripeto: giocare a bocce va alla moda!

Sapete di già che odio gli anglicismi che si usano in Italia. E faccio di tutto per far vedere che qui in USA siamo altrettanto ossessionati dalla cucina e cultura italiana.


Se leggete il blog, avrete visto tante foto di motorini -- ormai si va in motorino qui perché vogliamo imitare VOI!

Finalmente noi Americani abbiamo cominciato a mangiare con un'occhio alla stagione e i suoi frutti, sempre con l'idea che voi in Italia be siete esperti e se noi vogliamo mangiare bene, dobbiamo adottare le vostre usanze.

E sì, giochiamo persino a bocce!

Program director job open in SIENA

There are some GOOD jobs available for folks who know Italian and want to help American students find their way around Italy. Here's the latest:


Job: Siena Resident Director

The Siena Resident Director (RD) is responsible for CET’s History of Art and Italian Studies in Siena program, in addition, to other small specialty programs managed by CET in Siena.

CET Academic Programs is a private study abroad organization. Based in Washington, DC, CET has been designing and administering educational programs abroad since 1982. CET is well-known for its innovations in the field of study abroad. Our programs emphasize high academic standards, innovative approaches to teaching, and careful student management.

The RD serves as CET’s primary liaison for the programs and coordinates communication between the other staff members, students and/or faculty.

The RD handles all non-academic issues, such as housing, meals, activities and excursions. However, as program axis, the RD is peripherally involved with academics and handles scheduling all classes and class-related field trips (in consultation with the faculty) and monitors classes, assists with hiring faculty, helps students with most common academic questions according to the academic policy, attendance, class room equipment, etc, as well as working together with the Italy Programs Director, faculty and students to work through any academic-related problems or issues.

Attributes of the ideal RD candidate are flexibility, enthusiasm for students and study abroad and dedication. Candidates are advised that this is a time-consuming, challenging position. We therefore discourage those interested in pursuing their own research projects in Siena from applying. CET is seeking a candidate willing to commit to two years in Italy.


To Apply:

Qualified candidates should submit:

• A formal cover letter that includes the position title (Siena Resident Director) and how you first heard of the position opening;

• A resume;

• Contact information for three references.

Applications that do not include all of these requirements will not be considered.

Application Deadline: July 3, 2009


Send application materials via e-mail to:

Emiliana F. Caldarelli

Italy Programs Director

Email: emiliana.caldarelli@libero.it

Frittata ai fiori di zucca = buona!!!

When you start with homegrown ingredients like these, you really can't go wrong!

So last week, Il Nostro Inviato made a wonderful frittata with the zucchini flowers and basil he's growing in his garden.

The zucchini flowers had a nice little crunch to them. They are also good fried!

Buon appetito!

Calamari -- that's what's for dinner!

Oh I love calamari.

I think I am probably preaching to the choir, but still, let me go on the record as being a lover of calamari so posterity gets it right.

Take a moment to look at the photo above because I think Il Nostro Inviato hit it out of the ballpark on this one.

He stuffed the calamari with sausage filling. Then he sprinkled it with fresh prezzemolo from the garden (I mean parsley, but I love the word prezzemolo!).

Oh yes yes y'all!

Please stay tuned because I will be posting some other food photos. He's in rare form these days, I think because so many wonderful things are in season.

Alfa Romeo Watch

Ero in giro per la zona dove vivo e guarda che cosa ho trovato!

Una vecchissima Alfa Romeo -- parcheggiata a due passi da casa mia. Ma guarda qui!

Guarda un po' dentro, nel caso che non ti fidi. Avverto che Il Nostro Inviato ha detto che non era in condizione originale, che chiaramente fu smontata e ricostruita in maniera anche un po' liberale, diciamo.

Ma come tappa per una passeggiata va proprio bene!



Datela un'ultima occhiata!

Tram -- Firenze

Tram
Inserito originariamente da Lucy.Van.Pelt

They've just about finished building the new tram line in Florence. Thanks to "Lucy," one of Ciambellina's regular readers, we have a photo!

Lucy posted a comment to my basil post, in which she said it took them 5 years to build the first line, and now they are also building a second line.

Looks pretty cool to me!

Basilico!

(Updated) Il Nostro Inviato is growing basil (basilico) in an earth box that my father sent us. We used some of the homegrown basil to make gemelli al pesto last week, and wow, it was good! (See photo below).

You really don't need much space to grow basil, and it's one of those plants whose smell transports me immediately to Italy. And of course, it pleases my other senses. I just love the color green!

I'd also like to add that making pesto at home is not very hard (even for an inveterate non-cook such as myself). You need a blender and only a handful of ingredients: basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan (the recipes usually call for another type of cheese such as pecorino but we often only have one grating cheese on hand).

(Actually, a mortar and pestle also works well so maybe you don't even need a blender!)

In this case, the difference between making the sauce at home and buying it ready-made is significant. It's just not something that can easily be mass-produced and then sold in a timely fashion. 

(Although yes, you will see pre-made pesto sold in supermarkets here, and also in Italy).

When I visited the Cinque Terre a lifetime ago, I was astonished to find the region that gave birth to pesto sauce (Liguria, home to the city of Genova) loves it so much that pesto pizza is commonly served at pizzerias there! And it's pretty good, I might add.

NEW: My tastes have evolved over the years, and quite honestly, I find the garlic component of pesto vaguely annoys me (I've been meaning to experiment with much less garlic) but there are many other Italian foods that both delight me and transport me. Obviously: ciambelle/ciambelline. In fact, I set aside an important slice of my time in Italy now for finding new bakeries and Italian coffee bars where you can dine on the best Italian "donuts" (in quotes because they are so airy, it would be wrong to associate them with American donuts).

I also love something as simple as prosciutto and of course crostini (especially at a small town trattoria up in the hills). Oh and don't forget about a lovely cheese course.

And while I'd love to visit the Ligurian coast again, I've traveled a lot down South since my visit to Cinque Terre and have written a lot about travels to Puglia where one can log some seriously outstanding meals.

One last thing: some of my favorite posts are about food, including the story of how I truly fell in love with panettone.

Buon appetito!