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 | I mentioned in a recent blog post that there has been severe flooding in the Veneto, with the provinces of Verona, Vicenza and Padova being hit especially hard. The Government toured the area in the person of the Prime Minister, who said the people of the Veneto are great ("un elogio alla gente veneta: una grande gente" -- praise to the people of the Veneto, a great People) and promised lots of funds; the locals are taking a wait-and-see approach to the promise, while in Campania, where flooding has knocked out the water supply for the the province of Salerno -- repairs will take at least a month -- people are wondering why the PM didn't visit them too (that he went to the G 20 meeting means little if you're gazing at mud and wondering where your next glass of water is going to come from). Yes, this is Italian politics in action.
Moving in a different direction, the latest issue of Cosa Bolle in Pentola is up, and here's a snippet:
I am a great fan of olives, and will happily munch my way through a jar of cured olives in a matter of hours. This makes me rather extreme, I think.
However, if you have plain brine-cured olives, be they green or black, and pitted or not, you can jazz them up quite easily. Pietro Morabito, who had a stand in the Calabrian section of the Salone del Gusto, was offering cured plain brine-cured olives seasoned with finely chopped celery, garlic, bell peppers (they used sweet, but you could also mix in a few fresh hot peppers if you wanted), olive oil, and chopped fresh herbs -- parsley, if I remember right.
"Mix everything together," he told me, "let it rest for a few hours, and serve it forth with toothpicks on the side." They were mobbed, and this is definitely something you should consider for your next party, or even as a mixed antipasto. They'll go quickly! | |
How to help with the flooding
A number of people have written to ask me if there is anything they can do to hep with the flooding. If you're in a position to visit the area, and are physically able, you'll be welcomed with joy -- Florentines are still talking about the angeli del fango, or mud angels (including my father) who came to help them after the waters receded in November of 1966.
If you are not, the city of Padova has a page with information on a relief fund that also accepts donations from abroad. There are other initiatives as well, but they are limited (I think) to Italian contributors. For further information (in Italian) on the flooding in the Veneto see Alluvione Veneto
| Polenta, Angelo e Demone
Most People Think Of Pasta As The Quintessential Italian Dish, and this is true for much of the Peninsula, especially the south. Polenta, on the other hand, was the staple food of the poor in the North, especially those living out in the country. And it's still a staple today, North Italians still eat it today, because it's very tasty, extremely versatile, and an ideal accompaniment to all sorts of things.
| A Tuscan Antipasto Misto: What's On The Plate
Want to open Thanksgiving Differently? Tuscan festive meals usually start with a mixture of antipasti, consisting of cold cuts, crostini, and generally something else, either pickles or cheese or perhaps both, and perhaps a sauce or two. If you're in a home the antipasti will be presented in platters, which people pass about, picking and choosing. In a restaurant this is obviously less practical, and you will likely get a plate.
| Michela's Healthy Minestrone, A Healthy Minestrone
When Kipling said, "There are nine and sixty ways of constructing tribal lays, and every single one of them is right!" he could just as well have been talking about minestrone. It really is a universe, and there are all sorts of ways to proceed. Michela Cariolaro's minestrone della salute combines vegetables and legumes, thus providing greens, fiber, proteins, and more. In short, a very healthy soup!
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