The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
Gala Placidia's activity
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new Italian government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
Hello, Romilly and welcome. Liguria is a beautiful place. We had a look at properties around your area when we were searching for a house, but there was nothing suitable at the time, so we ended up in Northern Tuscany, however, we always spend time there as well. Best wishes regarding your future plans.
I also thank you, Andrew. I have used their products in the past, particularly artichokes and aubergines, but I never tried the garlic cloves although I buy a similar product in Spain. I recognised the jars when I saw the photos. I also had a look at the description and I can see that they put some additives, which certainly protect from the dangers of botulism... providing you don´t keep the product too long once it has been opened and always in the fridge.
It would be great if the whole Bagnone community could benefit in some way of the 138 million prize. I am sure that everyone knows who is the winner, but they are not telling....
Great practical advice, Sparky. Thank you. We had the house inspected by an electrician when we bought it, but your simple and easy test will help many buyers. Safety is most important.
I have seen it installed in a house I inspected a couple of years ago. It has stone walls and the cable was used and added to the decoration. It was very beautiful. The wires were covered in a sort of a cord with some texture and the colour I saw was a dark brown. Later on I saw some small packets of precut wire in the local Brico shop. I have also seen photos of similar installations in some Italian Interior Decor magazines. Talk to your electrician. Good luck!
You are right, Sprat, some herbs tend to loose flavour; however, it is always good to have them at hand if we don´t have any fresh ones available. Marinating in oil and vinegar is a very ancient method to preserve food and it is delicious. You can also add the liquids to cooking as they are very nicely flavoured.
A very warm welcome. You may wish to join our Cooking group "Il Buongustaio" Circle and our Gardening Group. They are open to anyone who shares our interests. Enjoy the Community!
There are some excellent preparations not only with garlic cloves but also with mushrooms, peppers and other vegetables. I would only keep those home made preparations in the fridge, for a limited time and as long as the garlic and vegetables are completely covered in liquid. This is particularly the case if oil is used. If you only preserve them "sott' aceti" (in vinegar), they may keep longer, but always in the fridge. It is also a good idea to sterilize jars before and after they have been filled. You do this in a "bain-marie" in the oven at 90ªC for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can also use a slow cooker if you have one.
There are some special storage bins and baskets for potatoes and onions, but a cool, dry and dark "cantina" is essential.
Don´t leave, Serge. This is a very interesting debate. I haven´t given you my opinion as yet. I was too interested in reading all the posts.... Please.....