Gala Placidia's activity

We do the same, Alan!!! And when there is no Panettone available we use brioche and add some fruit and sultanas and a sprinkle of orange water... Finally, Panettone is a brioche dough! The final result is much nicer than the classic bread and butter pudding.

This old thread may be of help; however, someone may come up with good addresses. We have dealt with similar problems in the past and I advise you to do a search (top, right hand corner) using words such as accountant, double taxation, property income. You may get quite a lot of information. Good luck!

I guess it is a bit late now... but you can prepare a great bread-and-butter pudding with panettone leftovers!!! Sorry, very unhealthy thoughts!!! I am also on a diet, so I should not be even thinking about bread...

Y ¡Olé! Well done! Most people just pay and leave... never to return...

It sounds great, unfortunately, I am also on a strict diet... Peccato!!!! Nevertheless, they say that a small piece of pure dark chocolate (75%) is good for our health...

This thread from the old Forum may be helpful: http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/general-chat-about-italy/5867-bread-making.html

You may be talking about this form of insulation, "cappotto" means a cape. Sorry, I head about the expression; however, I do not know much about the system. Perhaps someone else could help. In my opinion, any type of insulation is great, it all depends on the characteristics of the area you need to insulate. Sometimes lined curtains and carpets or rugs can make wonders... I guess that you have to study the particular house and see the origin of the problems and how the cold air gets into the building. Same case, in reverse, for heat.

Perhaps it is better not to generalise as each house is different. Depending on the location, aspect, the materials used, ventilation and the general layout, Italian houses can be nice and warm or cold in winter and hot in summer. In any case, proper insulation and good double-glazed PVC windows and doors contribute to maintain a good temperature and reduce your energy bills. We have discussed these matters at length and, should you need help, do a little search through our search facility on the top right hand side of the screen.

Great information. Thank you. I had the same problem...

We feel the same. We can't wait until we get there. I am certainly going to look for the lady's daughter as we have her name. I remember reading a story concerning the forced migration of many people from the area and that it was possible to find someone from Bagni di Lucca practically anywhere in the world. Quite a few of them were itinerant sales persons trying to sell the figurines and nativity sets from the local artisans. I have been able to see an old suitcase containing samples that is kept by a local family. The story also said that when Christopher Columbus arrived in America, he found someone from Bagni di Lucca already trying to sell the figurines to the Indians!!!!! Glad to hear that you enjoyed my little anecdote.