Atlanta's Italian film fest -- starts Monday!

The 4th Annual Atlanta Italian Film Festival starts Monday, March 29. The festival will kick off with light food and drink and the music of the Trevor Eich Jazz Ensemble.

The festival's first movie is "Italians," which will start at 7:30.

The 2009 film was directed by Giovanni Veronesi and stars Carlo Verdone and Sergio Castellitto.

All films will be screened at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Arts in downtown Atlanta. Here's the film lineup for the week:


Monday: Italians at 7:30
Tuesday: Cemento Armato at 7:30
Wednesday: Alza la Testa
Thursday: Il papà di Giovanni
Friday: La Casa sulle nuvole

Saturday: There are two films at 6 and 8 PM
Mar Nero
Il Compleanno

Sunday: Sbirri at 3PM


For more information about the festival, go here www.cinemaitaly.com.


ALL FILMS are FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Sempre di domenica - Daniele Silvestri.

I love this song!

"Mi sono accorto che sto bene....solo quando sto con te."

Dov'è Ciambellina? A lavoro!

Ciao Cari Amici,

It's been a bit quiet here in Ciambellina land and I do apologize!

Such is the life of a freelance writer: lately I've been pretty busy writing stories for local publications and preparing radio scripts for the NPR affiliate here in Atlanta (radio pubblico).

Yes, I'm on the radio!

Here's a link to a story I wrote about streetcars (trams) in Savannah:

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/streetcar_envy/Content?oid=1391844


And here's a link to a radio story I wrote about an endangered historic property:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/223/0/1574378/WABE.Features/Herndon.Home.Hits.Hard.Times


Però, lest you think I've forgotten about Italy and its wonderful language, I leave you with the photo above -- a lifesize sculpture of a horse sketched by Leonardo da Vinci.

I took this photo at the High Museum in Atlanta, which had a small exhibit on Leonardo this winter.

Diner's Journal: Linguine ai frutti di mare

It's been a particularly rich time to eat with Il Nostro Inviato, who is a whiz in the kitchen.

In the past month or so, he's prepared homemade pasta, baccalà and pizza (he's also pickled beets, and baked an apple pie but I don't think that's Italian).

The latest entry: the dish you see above, linguine with littleneck clams and mussels. A later iteration of the dish included wild Georgia shrimp, which were truly a revelation.

He's thoroughly mastered the basics, by which I mean the foundations upon which to build countless dishes. The base sauce for this pasta dish, for example, is a rich combination of olive oil, garlic and peperoncino, sauteed to perfection.

I love the way you can see the steam rising up from the pot!

Add a solid Italian wine -- in our case, almost always red, even with seafood -- and a salad or more substantial second dish, and you have a great meal.

I will have more photos to share, and I hope they inspire you to cook Italian.

Buon appetito!

When vin santo is not on hand...

Vin santo, one of the liquid joys of Italy, can often be expensive here in the U.S., if you're able to find it at all.

And when we travel to Italy, we tend to load up on regular wine, not after-dinner drinks so we typically only have one bottle on hand.

What to do? Buy a bottle of what Il Nostro Inviato calls Spanish vin santo.

That would be sherry; we like the kind you see in the photo, Lustau Solera Riserva Deluxe Cream.

To be sure, it's not the same as vin santo.

And publications like the Times will often sniff at sweet sherry as something unsophisticated, but for the purposes of dipping the cantuccini cookies, which are a key part of the vin santo ritual, and enjoying an after-dinner drink (see photo below), it does the trick.

Cin-cin!

I' Che C'è C'è

Trattoria I'Che C'è C'è is a small restaurant in Florence not far from where I used to live and surprise, surprise the chef and owner will be teaching a cooking class at the Cook's Warehouse here in Atlanta next month.

I say surprise, surprise because the restaurant is a real neighborhood place on a tiny street (Via de' Magalotti) that's not easy to find; you need to know the short, narrow streets near what was once the Etruscan center of the city.

In other words, who knew they had a little empire going?!

Anyway, I can vouch that the chef knows Tuscan cooking. The restaurant takes its name from a Tuscan expression that can be translated loosely as "Be happy with what you have."

(I always thought whenever I ate there that, given it's the name of a restaurant, the expression could also be translated as, "What we have is what you'll get," though with the proviso that Tuscan cooks can make something wonderful with whatever's on hand).

Here's the info:

What: "Authentic Italian Via Florence," featuring Chef Gino Noci
When: Sat., Feb. 6, 12 p.m.
Where: Decatur location (on Ponce, in downtown Decatur)
Cost: $50

For more information, visit www.cookswarehouse.com.

Crema di zucca con baccalà

Slowly but surely, I will be posting photos from our Christmas culinary extravaganza.

Staying in Atlanta for the holiday meant Il Nostro Inviato could go to town in the kitchen -- so to speak.

Here's the soup we had on Christmas Day: squash soup with salted cod.

I suppose I've had salted cod before but it was a revelation this time around.

Salty and soft and just right. I could've eaten bowl after bowl!

Buon appetito!

No trespassing!

I found a photocopy of this picture on the door to the closet in the guestroom. It reads, "Keep Out - No Unauthorized Personnel."

That was Il Nostro Inviato's way of keeping me away from my Christmas gifts until Dec. 25! It worked.

Baccalà per la vigilia di natale

Il Nostro Inviato sta preparando il cenone per stasera! 

Io invece vado in chiesa.

Tantissimi auguri di buon Natale!!!!

Natale in America

La proprietaria di questo centro di bellezza ad Atlanta festeggia natale alla grande!

Buon natale da Ciambellina!

Merry Christmas cari lettori!

Protester hurls statue at Berlusconi

(Photo credit: ANSA news service)

Anger against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has reached fever pitch -- a protester threw a small statue at him today in Milan, hitting the 73-year-old in the face.

I blogged about the previous protests (below), in which signs, some with witty messages, were the chief protagonists.

This really ratchets things up a notch. And it's quite different from the tomato that hit Sarah Palin (though probably similar complaint).

A Facebook page has already surfaced suggesting the protester, who has been arrested, be named a saint immediately ("Santo subito").

Il Corriere della Sera has the story covered from every angle (www.corriere.it).

Cena

Homemade pizza, prepared by Il Nostro Inviato

Se la risposta è Berlusconi....

...allora la domanda è sbagliata.

(Trans.: "If Berlusconi is the answer, then the question is wrong.")

Even NYC is shunning Berlusconi

Protests around the globe, organized via the Internet, have sprung up against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The images I've posted here are from Italy, Germany and the U.S.

Italian cars @ High in Atlanta

The High Museum of Art will soon launch its "The Allure of the Automobile" exhibit, which will not only feature the Bugatti you see above but also a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900B Touring Berlinetta!

Non vedo l'ora!

The exhibit, which will show off 18 unusual vehicles, begins March 21 and will run through June 20.

For more information, visit the High's Web site at www.high.org

Ci vediamo li!

(Photo credit: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Coupe, collection Mr. William E. (Chip) Connor, photo © Peter Harholdt.)

Gnocchi Making Demo @ Toscano & Sons

Event: Gnocchi Making Demonstration with Elisa Gambino of Via Elisa Sauces
When: Saturday, 5 December, 4:30 - 6 pm
Where: Toscano & Sons, 1000 Marietta Street, on Atlanta's West side

The following is from an email that Toscano & Sons sent me:

Nothing beats a luscious plate of 'light as a feather' gnocchi; and Toscano & Sons is very excited to bring you a gnocchi making demonstration with the award winning Elisa Gambino of Via Elisa.

Those of you who are familiar with Elisa through her wonderful pastas and sauces will know that this demo is a rare opportunity to learn how to make gnocchi with one of the US's finest pasta and sauce makers. Elisa will take you from the basic flour to the final cooked dish topped with one of her fantastic sauces.

Participants will be able to interact with Elisa and see first hand how to make their own gnocchi; and she will provide her recipe to each of the participants so that you can go home and make your own delicious gnocchi. Of course, you will also be able to sample the final product! Suggested wine pairings will also be discussed.

The cost for this demo is $6/person. Space is limited so make your reservations early. You can either come to the store in person, or call us at 404-815-8383. The deadline to sign up or cancel is December 3rd. Registration fees cannot be refunded after this date.

Crudo + mozzarella = il panino perfetto

A volte comincio a scrivere degli argomenti per questo blog e poi li abbandono, presa forse da altri impegni o perché credo che il momento per il post sia passato.

La settimana scorsa, un vecchio argomento mi è venuto in mente perché ho mangiato il panino perfetto.

Mangiandolo, mi sono ricordata che il paese d'Italia mi aveva rovinato il panino come cibo.

Perché? Avete voi in Italia creato il panino perfetto e quindi da quando mi sono rientrata in USA, me ne sono accorta che i panini qui fanno schifo.

E' il solito discorso quando si tratta della cucina americana: gli ingredienti spesso non sono i migliori e/o ce ne sono troppi.

E' per quello motivo che spesso i ristoranti italiani in America non riescono a offrire cibo autentico: non preparano piatti semplici come si trovano a tutte le trattorie in Italia, da Milano a Lecce.

Allora vi presento nella foto quassù il panino perfetto: prosciutto crudo (sempre il crudo, che a mangiarlo mi sento di aver trascorso qualche minuto in paradiso), mozzarella fatta in casa, pane che non era sfornato qualche mese fa ad una fabbrica e basta!

E dove l'ho trovato? Ad un alimentari in Bayonne, New Jersey che si chiama Buon Appetito.

Grazie altrettanto!

Pomodori nostrali

Anche se ha già cominciato a far freddo qui ad Atlanta (al mio malgrado), i nostri pomodori e pomodorini continuano a crescere.

Sono bellissimi, no?

E meno male che ci sono, perché quelli che si comprano ora al supermercato fanno schifo!

Ora mi ci vorrebbe un po' di pane toscano e qualche fettina di mozzarella....

Milan paper on Atlanta mayor's race

Il Nostro Inviato insisted that my beloved Milan paper, Il Corriere della Sera, had written an article about the Atlanta mayoral race, and had even published a photo (above) of the frontrunner, Mary Norwood, who could become the first white mayor of Atlanta since 1972.

My response? I told him he was pazzo!

E invece, he's right. Here's the link!

http://route66.corriere.it/2009/10/lamerica_di_obama_riscopre_il.html

It's nice to receive a little attention! The paper questions whether this is a reverse of Obama's election, and I suspect Italy's interest in Obama and all things American may be reasons for the coverage.

Whether Norwood wins and whether she manages to avoid a runoff -- well those questions still remain to be answered.

And for the record, I bet Il Nostro Inviato that he was wrong, and in the process wound up agreeing to "A Night of Mike," quando si fanno tutte le attivita' piu amate da lui e andiamo a tutti sui locali preferiti.

Tutto sommato, niente male!