Rubber Slippers In Italy

Oprah's cinnamon-cherry ice cream

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Cinnamon-cherry ice cream, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

I knew it would be hard to top that other Oprah recipe since I go for the unusual, but if this one didn't have such a noticeable eggy flavor...it reminded me of eggnog (due to liquor that the cherries needed to soak in), and I never liked eggnog.

I did appreciate the adult influences with needing to soak the cherries in port (no cream sherry on hand) but all it ended up tasting like was a milder version of amarena (sour cherries in syrup stirred into plain gelato). Recipe here.

Boy, if we had eggs like these when I was a kid...

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:30:00 +0000

...I would have been the coolest little snot on the block to have such fancy egg boxes at my "store". You never played Mr/Miss Grocer as a child? I remember raiding the kitchen garbage for empty Campbell's soup cans, mayo jars, and cereal boxes to beef up my shelves. Weeds and mud pies, if I remember correctly, made up the produce and bakery section.

This entry is in partial response to RONW's egg-citing post because the thought of his precious 18 going splat! in Waikiki just made me cackle too disturbingly hard. Buying eggs in Hawaii is an agonizing affair. They are always so expensive (like milk), that all you really look for are weekly specials and when that happens, watch out! One person in my family hoards the darn things *cough* like his life depended on it. Eggs are so much a part of the local diet (as breakfast, in custard pies, for portuguese sweet bread, etc.) that if the hens decided to go on strike...well, I hope the cops won't be out on furlough.

The image's flickr page has all the pertinent notes to explain what is what, but I should admit that I don't usually buy so many different types all at one go. It just so happened that I needed yolks that were more yellow, even if the shells were all white, and that I wanted to see if the organic/not genetically modified ones tasted any better, regardless of the fact for having brown shells. Note that the sizes aren't anywhere near the economically convenient 18-count, or full flat 30 count that I'm familiar with in the islands. Yes we have 4 and 2-packs (and again, if we had these when I was a kid...).

Last but not least, some of you may remember this particular object?

Red leaf shiso mochi w/earl grey milk jam

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

You may as well thank me now for the compliments and awed expressions you'll receive if you bring this to your next dessert party. This mochi reminded MotH of the lokum that his colleague brings back from the offices in Turkey, but he liked this too. What I've achieved here is a culmination of spontaneous ideas that came together on a whim. It all began with our red shiso plants that have been producing like mad, and right after seeing the jewel-like hue of Obachan's shiso drink, I knew that I wanted to try something as creatively brilliant.

Now while I adore all kinds of mochi treats, there are those who simply don't care for the soft, gummy-like texture of the dough or the flavor of the red bean paste (tsubushian). In this experiment I made the mochi smaller and filled it with earl grey tea flavored milk jam. Milk jam is like the ultimate caramel spread on salted crackers, but if you encase it within something - for example, chocolate - it immediately melts in your mouth like the ganache part in a truffle. And who can resist those? While the texture is still soft, it's the melting factor which really brings this all together in what I'd like to affectionately dub as "melting mochi chews". You don't really taste the tart flavor of the shiso tea at all as the taste becomes muted in the mochi dough.

You'll want to start at least a day in advance to make this recipe because first you'll need to follow the instructions for making 1 recipe of milk jam at Kat's blog. While I am particular to earl grey, you could also use the original or vanilla bean-flavored one too. Also, preparing the the red shiso "tea" a day early would speed things up as it needs to be cold before using.

Recipe

1 cup brewed red leaf shiso tea (see instructions below)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour
1 recipe earl grey milk jam
cornstarch for dusting

Thoroughly combine cold shiso tea, sugar, and mochiko flour in a large glass bowl that will fit easily into your microwave. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5-7 minutes* until cooked through.

Turn dough out onto a work surface dusted with cornstarch. When cool enough to handle, divide in 2 equal portions and roll into logs, about an inch in diameter. Slice into 28 pieces (about 1.25 inches in length) and flatten into rounds, about 2 inches in diameter.

Fill the center of each round with a peanut-sized amount of cold milk jam. Working quickly, bring up the edges and pinch to seal, taking care that none of the milk jam seeps out. When all of the mochi rounds have been formed this way, place in a container lined with waxed paper, doubling up if necessary. Cover and store in a cool area or refrigerate and bring to room temperature when ready to serve.

*As microwaves will differ among households, the cooking time may vary between models. The trick is to cook the mochi mixture until it is no longer liquid, but not so much that it is too firm to handle. After 5 minutes I checked the consistency, giving it a stir to evenly distribute any pocket areas that were more liquid than others.

Red leaf shiso tea
Take about 20 large red shiso leaves and place in a stainless steel saucepot along with 1 cup of water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring to a boil then remove from heat, allowing the leaves to steep in the hot liquid. When cool, strain into a clean jar, pressing leaves to extract any moisture, and refrigerate for future use.

Left or right? Italian wedding humor

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Left or right? Italian wedding humor, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

This is the second time in 6 years that I've seen another "bedsheet humor" sign displayed in anticipation of a wedding. I've added notes/english equivalents on the flickr photo page, but I think a few of the illustrations give a fair enough idea of what two choices lay before the groom-to-be. At least I can say that I don't chase the MotH around with a rolling pin!

Beer Tastings

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Left to right: In-Heat Wheat, Double Dog, Road Dog, London's Pride

Hot diggity dawg, the americans have arrived.

A while back when our favorite beer vendor mentioned he had some american brews coming in, I didn't give it a lot of thought. I figured, so what does that mean? That now I could do a proper Jager with a Sam Adams back? Or flip the cap off a Miller Lite while Mr B races circles around Maddie? Little did I know that what he imported would be the beer to bite me back. These are the latest on beer tastings, the first 3 from Flying Dog Brewery USA and the last from Fuller's Pride UK (we tried their Organic Honey Dew beer last time). Have a Happy 4th!

In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen - 3€
Not our first pick of the trio, but with enough vavavoom in the mouthfeel to make it a repeat purchase...and soon. I'm sure it has everything to do with the malted white wheat, although it's also unfiltered for added flavor. I should do this one justice by getting curvacious weizen glasses. Turn up the heat...

Double Dog Double Pale Ale - 4€
The beer that bit me back. Lotsa hops in this one, but will the knowledge of an 11.5% alcohol content suffice? Love the dark reddish color; complex, almost bitter taste, and the way it hit me like a ton of bricks on an empty stomach. A must on each beer run.

Road Dog Porter - 3€
While also a good-tasting beer, it didn't match up to the balanced, malty flavor of London's Pride. Dark with chocolate undertones, it sure as heck wasn't the wisest thing to drink with moongre ki subzi (an indian dish of rat-tailed radish, potatoes and spices).

London Pride - 4.5€
I can't describe this beer any better than what's written on the web page, so check it out if you must. This is the UK's leading premium ale, but for little fishies like us it does just fine as the beer to serve at bbq's...along with some baby back ribs. Wish I could get this in a keg.

What's better than Filet-O-Fish?

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:37:00 +0000

Original upload @ www.flickr.com/photos/thedesignseen / CC BY-NC 2.0

Knäckis, that's what. Appetizing swedish street food in a neat little stack of fried herring, pickled cucumber, sliced onions and minced parsley on thin bread. When I saw this on Flickr it was an immediate "fave", but when I made it for lunch and took a bite, it was instant love at first bite, as in "Whoa there...this filet-o-herring sandwich is really, really good."

I wasn't able to obtain the specific type of swedish bread seen in the photo, so I used 7-grain dark bread buns instead. Slathered in mayo and mustard, it was the just receptacle for a fish that I've only known as being pickled (and I love pickled herring too). The next time I make this I'll coat the herring in panko crumbs to get a crispier texture - that's why there's only a thumbnail view of my version. I don't want a bun, I want a sandwich roll. Stay tuned for an upcoming - Behold, the File-O-Herring Sub.

Focaccia di Recco

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:20:00 +0000

Original upload @
www.flickr.com/photos/bellabaita
CC BY-NC 2.0

Certainly by now it's not necessary to explain what focaccia is, but do you know, or have ever heard of, the focaccia in Recco, Liguria? It's thinner, much thinner, and in between is a type of cheese called crescenza, a gooey, melted, wonderful mess, which, if you can imagine, is a challenge to eat if you're like me and tend to want to stuff your whole face with it.

And stuff yourself it is if you're in Recco around the end of the month in May. I found this very cool blog, László Varga - A Colorful Life Surrounds Us, and the write-up for La Festa della Focaccia (the focaccia is FREE people!) has been added to my list of 100 Ways to Celebrate Italy. Many thanks to Kat for tipping me off after she had read about the festa in Saveur magazine, and to Marla who allowed the use of her photo through creative commons. I just didn't feel like cranking up the oven today.

Rowena's shiso black sesame seed gelato

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:57:00 +0000

Continuing with the gelato experiments... MotH's verdict: it's good; make it again. Of course I had to put my signature on it. {ahem!} Oprah's fennel, basil and vanilla ice cream in the previously tested recipe inspired me to come up with my own leaf/seed fusion gelato, but first I had to overcome one little detail - the color. I didn't want charcoal black, prison gray, or the chalky white seen in other photos, but what I ended up achieving was something even more hideous — a custard base that looked like.....dirty tahini. That's tahini not martini. Fortunately the unappetizing shade becomes lighter in the churning process, evolving into a pale green tea hue [gunpowder?] that makes a nice contrast with the black sesame seeds. The flavor is interesting in that you first get that minty-basil taste from the shiso, then it mellows with a buttery, nutty richness of the sesame. Very, very nice.

Recipe

1½ cups whole milk (375ml)
1/2 cup heavy cream (125ml)
1/2 cup plain rice milk (125ml - if unavailable, use whole milk)
1 cup torn green shiso leaves, loosely packed
1½ tablespoons black sesame seeds, crushed (I used a mortar and pestle)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1/2 - 1 tablespoon black sesame seed (to add to the gelato during the churning process)

Combine the whole milk, heavy cream, rice milk, shiso and sesame seeds in a small saucepot and heat on a medium-low flame until tiny bubbles form around the edges. Turn off the heat and let sit for 45 minutes.

Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until light in color. Strain the infused milk into a clean saucepot, discarding solids, and warm over low heat until hot to the touch. Temper the hot milk into the beaten egg/sugar by whisking in a small amount a little at a time. Pour this mixture back into the saucepot and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool completely before setting in the fridge overnight.

Churn according to directions for your particular gelato machine. I add the remaining portion of black sesame seeds almost at the end of the churning time.

Where to find Fiordifrutta jams and preserves

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

In April of this year I received a kind reply from Rigoni di Asiago's customer service in answer to where people would be able to find their products in the USA. Hands down, these fruit preserves are my ultimate favorites, and we typically keep at least 3 bottles of Nocciolata and/or Fiordifrutta in the pantry all the time - they are really that good! On toast, in crepes, in a pb sandwich or stirred into plain yogurt, the true ingredient flavors are outstanding, but it is the whole basis of their policy in using organically grown fruit which appeals to me the most. In each jar (almost 12 oz net) goes 4½ pounds of fruit which has been cooked at low temps to preserve all of the goodness that an ecologically cultivated fruit could offer. Apple juice is used as a natural sweetener which makes Fiordifrutta an even better alternate choice to sugar-laden products.

Apparently Whole Foods Market is a key player in distribution, so I hope this listing will be of help. The video at the end are of the strawberry fields and harvesters in Bulgaria.

Regional offices: North Atlantic - North East - Florida - South - Northern California
*please check this link for States breakdown www.wholefoodsmarket.com/..../regional.php

Should also be present in the following areas: MidAtlantic - Southern Pacific

Also present in many other famous gourmet stores and chain stores:
- Manhattan (Citarella, Zabar, King supermarket)
- NJ and EAST area (Fresh Market)
- Philadelphia (Di Bruno)
- Atlanta
- San Francisco (Lunardi’s, Andronico’s)
- LA (Gelson’s, Mother’s)

info@rigonidiasiago-usa.com
http://www.rigonidiasiago.com/

Cafe culture: Bar 'Ai Ponti'

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The reason why Ai Ponti is in quotation marks is because this cafe is located next to two bridges (ponti) in central Lecco. Hard to miss for landmark-dependent people, but the best way to find this place is simply heading to Hotel Pontevecchio. The cafe is nestled behind the hotel along a shady, tree-lined promenade right next to the water.

What's the best thing about this cafe? I have to admit that when the server brought out our brioche pastries, my mouth dropped open at the sheer size of them. They weren't like any of the others that we've had, and the buttery, flaky, dark golden tops were definitely the real thing in pastries. We initially ordered a raspberry (yum) and 2 chocolate-filled brioche but gave in and got another (apricot). The 2nd best thing about Bar Ai Ponti is the price — since the location is not directly at Lecco's waterfront square, the prices drop. I was shocked when it came time to pay up - 12.50€. Thumbs up. This cafe is dog-friendly.

Bar 'Ai Ponti'
Via Aspromonte, 60 (behind the hotel)
Lecco
Total: 12.50 euros/17.56 dollars (the exchange rate sucks!)

4 brioche pastries - 4 euros
2 cappuccini - 4 euros
1 espresso - 1.50 euros
1 freshly-squeezed oj/spremuta d'arancia - 3 euros

Take Your Dog To Work Day

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:30:00 +0000

MisterB the grouch, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

30 more minutes until the 26th of June runs out for me. Today is TYDTWD (who knew?), and seeing that Mister B is about the only one that does any of the real canine work around here (barking at strangers, biting my plants, snapping at flies), he gets to be top dog while Maddie takes a backseat.

To be honest, he really doesn't look like the type that could handle a 9-to-5 desk job.

Westie out of a leg cast

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Westie out of a leg cast, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

“Promise that you'll go heavy on the photoshop enhancements and I'll pose for your photo.” It's been 13 days after her knee operation and Miss Maddie the westie is doing great. I take her on short, slow walks, and from what I'm able to tell, her knee is coming along fine as long as she doesn't overdo it in running or jumping. It will be awhile until her coat grows back, but for all of her fans who wished her well, Maddie sends a big kiss and a huge grazie!

Oprah's fennelseed.basil.vanillabean.icecream (gelato)

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:26:00 +0000

Fennel seed, basil, vanilla bean gelato, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Don't knock it til you try it. At first I was skeptical about this flavor fusion but if they can do olive oil, tomato and garlic flavors, why not this? My initial impression was that it would do well as an interesting palate cleanser after the second course, but then I kept eating spoonful after spoonful (and even what little amount in the espresso cup in the photo) and I thought, naaah! If Oprah ok'd this, then it's for indulging, not mere tasting!

The recipe is easy to follow although I split it in half to be able to churn it successfully in two turns (my gelato machine is only 1-liter size/4 cups). I'll be trying several of her other flavors in the following summer days to come.

Pulehu #3: fish and lobster

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:13:00 +0000

Six years of marriage and we still split meals when dining out (switching plates after eating half). I take this as a healthy, positive sign, and hope that MotH will continue to want to share his fancy dinners for more years to come. This past Sunday we did not go out to celebrate, opting instead to throw something on the coals and spare Maddie the possible embarrassment of an onlooker staring at her naked butt. Poor thing! But what happened to your dog?! At first we thought of an enormous florentine steak - bistecca fiorentina - but in the end decided to go all seafood and shopped at our favorite, thee best, most amazing fish shop in this part of Lecco - Ittica Brianza at Cesana Brianza. I ♥ that place!

To make the menu even more special, I dove into my stack of saved recipes from around the world. A hint of greek, a touch of persian and a taste of portuguese to compliment the ever-present flavors of Italy.

Gilthead sea bream - orata (oh-RAH-tah) in italian.

What is that first image, you may wonder. Well see, this is the result of foodies who go into great detail when describing a restaurant meal - they fuel my need to taste what they ate. The idea of marinated octopus and marinated anchovies on a skewer was simple enough, but to have the two coated in a crust of pistachio praline??? The recipe for mezze on a stick can be found here. It was sweet, salty, tangy and intriguing all at once. Definitely a do-again. The noblesse oysters (in italian) were another delicious surprise that I've never seen before at the fish shop. The flavor of these smallish french gems are supposed to be reminiscent of hazelnuts, but all I could discern was that they were indeed very fresh, silky and incredibly delicate in taste - all that it needed was a squeeze of lemon. I'm no oyster connoisseur but are they ever worth the splurge (a little over 2€ each). The grilled fish is a gilt-head bream that I finished off in a medley of vegetables.

Pencil-thin asparagus with garlic and spiny lobster taste so good off the grill, but this rice, potato/sweet potato dish idea was from acquainting myself with persian cuisine. I've tried two different recipes but just can't seem to gather enough courage to allow the dish to cook long enough so that the spuds crisp up and the rice gets crunchy on the bottom. The first image on this post from Elra's Cooking is nothing short of spectacular, but I'll be trying this recipe from the NY Times, sustituting potato slices for the pita bread. The last photo was something that I went absolutely crazy over during a trip to Portugal: portuguese egg tarts. The recipe for these were okay but I wouldn't mind a little r&r in Lisbon and Porto all over again. Recipe from www.algarvebuzz.com/pasties-de-nata-portuguese-custard-tarts/

Beer Tastings

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:04:00 +0000

Stop with the weed pulling. The pub is now open.

As the official start of summer, today's solstice is reason enough to reach into the fridge for something cold, something ice cold to quench my parched labia oris after hours under the sun. Eh, to be honest I've been reaching for over a month because wine (and I'm a red girl) is hardly the answer after you've stooped and perspired in the heat. What do we have... Heineken? [old habits die hard] Corona? McFarland? Is that all we ever buy? So with that in mind we started looking for variety in local pubs, microbreweries and international beer vendors in the immediate area. Man cannot live by cheap supermarket beer alone, and we'll be checking out addresses in Bergamo and Como too. The 3 bottles above were purchased at Gustavino, a shop in Lecco that, if you recall, has a milk machine right next door.

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

Organic Honey Dew
This is supposed to be the best selling organic beer in UK but it was much too lite and a bit sweet for my taste. If I were a white wine person as opposed to red, perhaps this could have been appreciated better. Cute bottle though.

St Peter's Golden Ale
Very refreshing, this had much more character and pizzazz than the organic beer but I should admit that it was the bottle shape which caught my eye. It's oval, quite like a fat flask. The MotH thought this was pretty good too so we might be getting this beer again.

O’hara’s Celtic Stout
A winner. I liked this better than Guinness, and I love Guinness! O'Hara's got some wicked stout mojo on this one. Wonderful roasted flavor. Voluptuous and sexy on the tongue. We're buying more of this if it's still available.

I got the sucker

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:32:00 +0000

The fly ..., originally uploaded by claudiogennari.

I'm sure that by now the whole world has seen Obama k.o. the Fly. What fly? Oh that fly. Priceless, and I wonder if he got that from having lived in Hawaii. Check the hand sweep and eye movement, classic sign of imminent fly doom, and reminds me of the days when I'd be hunting them down with a plastic swatter or rolled up newspaper in hand, or better yet, the dishtowel swat - wah-pack! You stinkin' buggah! At a bakery where I used to work, customers would actually point out (with disgust) if there was a fly caught in the display case. You don't want to be known as a food business that lets insects anywhere near the goods - that would be like committing suicide. "I want a...Ey! You know get one fly inside??" WOP! "Thanks for telling me ma'am, I got da sucka!"

I cook rat tails and a dwarf (radish & peas, that is)

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Rattail radish plants in our garden

Garden fresh and pesticide-free. From the vegetable patch to table, it feels good to grow what we eat. I just wish I had known beforehand that rattail radishes multiply like - well, rats! Yes I'm just funnin' for shock value but even if you don't know your Raphanus caudatus (aka podding or rattail radish), it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. Same goes for the dwarf that precedes sugar snap peas. Why dwarf? Why not gnomes? After all, they're the ones most commonly seen hanging around a yard, shootin' the breeze.

The beauty of these skinny, tapering seed pods are that they grow above ground. As soon as the plant flowers, wee "tails" quickly follow and develop into spicy, edible pods which pack a nice bite like a radish. Tossed in a sizzle of olive oil for less than a minute, their snap texture turns crisp-tender, and the bite mellows to a purr, making them an ideal addition to a tangled mess of freshly cooked spaghetti, roasted pork and garlic. As for the peas, we just could not get past ham and peas in risotto, peas in a garlicky stirfry, and peas and ham with pasta in heavy cream. I'm sorry that there are no recipes - just spontaneous cooking with ingredients normally stocked in an italian kitchen.

Westie in a leg cast

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:42:00 +0000

Westie in a leg cast, originally uploaded by Rubber Slippers In Italy.

Just look at that face. Well it has been one traumatic weekend for us humans and Maddie the alpha dog. If only she could speak and had told us about her bum knee much sooner! To sum things up, she had been carrying along with a ligament injury that progressively worsened (she started to avoid using her right rear leg) until we took notice and finally went to the vet. Xrays and a physical gave proof of the torn ligament, and that arthritis had begun to set in. Our options were either to schedule her for TPLO surgery (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) or keep her on pain meds. What to do, what to do...that was the question. She went in for surgery this past Friday morning (12th) and came home with MotH in the early evening. Discomfort-wise, she was at her worst the first night, a little better by Saturday, much happier by Sunday, and as far as today goes, is trying my patience with her stubborn westie attitude in wanting to run and play! I am at my wit's end keeping her from running (hopping) around and playing with Mister B and trying to pull off her leg cast, hence the glum look.

I'm aware of the discussions and conflicting opinions regarding surgery for this type of injury but we felt that at her age (she's still young at 4 human years) and at her level of outdoor activity (all-day hiking in the alps), surgical intervention would be the most logical solution. Note that I said logical, because I wasn't too keen on waiting out 8 weeks on a low-activity schedule plus meds to see if her condition improved. Maddie is much more active than MrB who is the couch potato between the two. Apart from all this, there is also the operation 2 years ago on the left hip for Legge Perthe disease, and even if that could have been a fault through hereditary genetics, we simply didn't want to gamble on that hip giving her any trouble since she was favoring her right side. The things we do for our pets. The price we PAY for our beloved animals! Eh, this means that she won't be going to Paris any time in the near future.

I'm sure that someone out there might want to know how much TPLO surgery could cost - in Italy - so here's a tally from medication to doctor's fee. Keep in mind that this was done on a 14-pound westie, and that this type of surgery (according to the doc) is commonly done on hunting dogs. I'll do an update after the cast is removed.

Initial xrays - 70 euros tax included
General anesthesia and surgery - 500 euros tax included
Altadol (100 pain pills of which we use less than 3%) - 19.59 euros
Rimadyl (for pain) - 16.17 euros
Baytril (antibiotic) - 15.60 euros

Informative links:
Torn dog ligament: Is surgery really needed?
Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Dogs
TPLO surgery for dogs that have a torn ACL
What the H_LL is the ACL

Il pranzo nuziale (the wedding lunch)

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Grab yourself a plate and let the feast begin. Starting around noon, from the time right after the ceremony and up until 8 o'clock that evening at the reception, it was non-stop eating. This is the first wedding I've been to where refreshments (lite snacks, panini and beverages) were offered to the attending guests at a cozy trattoria just a few steps from the church. All I kept thinking in my head was that if I had a pro video camera, a clip of the guests rushing to the trattoria in slow motion (it was raining!) would have made a perfect introduction to this entry. You see, it's considered good luck when it rains on the bride on her wedding day. Taking into account that it also hailed and there was fog too, the question remains if this is suppose to mean triple the good fortune, or Mother Nature at her freaky finest.

After this pre-gathering of the couple and those who were able to witness the "I do's", it was off to the grand event. The wedding reception was held at a beautiful old villa about an hour away from church and at this point, all I can say is that the newlyweds went to great lengths to ensure that everyone ate well during every part of the meal. From the smorgasbord of antipasti to primi (2 courses), to secondi (both meat and fish), the cheese course, enormous dessert buffet and finally the wedding cake, smartly dressed waitstaff carried out the meal with flawless precision. Indeed, the wine kept flowing while the smiles kept growing - truly 100% class all the way. I was pretty good about taking photos of everything until halfway when the alcohol started sinking in. Not that it would've mattered if I had shot each dish that was set before me! Narrowing down the chosen few for this post was difficult enough, but then I had to "relive" the meal all over again through the editing process. What a wedding!

Un matrimonio italiano (an italian wedding)

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:41:00 +0000

*Sniff*... I'm a sap. Here I was, all set to share a large undertaking of food images shot at a recent wedding, but while I was editing the non-food pics and listening to Bocelli at the same time (it sets the tone), this...this WAVE of emotion suddenly came over me and I could not concentrate further on the delicious meal that I had been invited to photograph. I was this close (holds thumb and forefinger within a hair's-breadth away) from breaking out the tissues. Drama queen. It was one of the loveliest weddings I have ever attended. Darn Andrea and his melodic voice. I will be back with the food much later...

*Sniff*... Sono sciocca. Eccomi, pronta a condividere una gran quantità di foto di cibo, scattate ad un matrimonio recente. Però, mentre stavo editando le altre foto e ascoltando Bocelli (fa la giusta atmosfera), questa...questa ONDA di emozione mi ha invasa e non mi potevo concentrare più sulla pietanza deliziosa che mi avevano richiesto di fotografare. Ero così vicina (tieni il pollice e l'indice a una distanza di un capello) dal prendere il fazzoletto. Regina del dramma. E' stato uno dei piu' bei matrimoni che ho mai visto. Cacchio quell'Andrea e la sua voce melodica. Ritornero' piu' tardi sul cibo...

Cafe culture: Morgana Caffé

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:44:00 +0000

Naturally upon first sight of Morgana's, I couldn't help but think of the magician Merlin. Chic name for a shot of java and a sitdown, but here the plot thickens. See that little image below? Around the corner and up a short walk from the cafe is a small chapel housing human bones. Neither has anything to do with the other, but after stumbling across those skeletal remains on the way to the cafe (well not literally) I felt an obligation to make mention of a novel that is famous among italian literature. The chapel lends solemn testament, albeit a tad morbid, to a period in which many fell victim to pestilence. This chapel is also part of a tour itinerary based on I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) which was set right here in northern Italy. I have not read the book which is like a Romeo and Juliet set in Lombardy during the plague, but MotH said that it was mandatory reading in his school days. Morgana's is situated across the lake from our usual hangouts in Lecco [A], and with a pair of strong binoculars you could probably make out the famous golden arches of the last cafe to grace this blog.

After the plague of 1630, chapels were erected through-
out the territory of Lecco and dedicated to the dead of
the great epidemic. This is one of the few and best pre-
served that remains on Via Agudio in Malgrate, Lecco.

Morgana Caffé
Piazza Garibaldi 8
Malgrate (Lecco)
Total: 5.30 euros/7.45 dollars

a chocolate brioche - 0.70 euro
a double-layer custard tart - 2 euros
two cappuccino - 2.60 euros

This cafe is dog-friendly.

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

Il Sentiero del Fiume (the River Trail)

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:28:00 +0000

Somana, Mandello del Lario (Lecco) - Let me first start out by saying that if you ace this trail with no regrets, then you are definitely EE - Escursionisti Esperti (expert excursionist) - material. This is the hike that gave me a taste of what a via ferrata (english) path might entail, and might I add that it was effin' thrilling? It has been a week since we last hiked this, but the River Trail in Somana left an impression that I can only describe as mind-blowingly incredible. A big thank you to the italian reader who alerted me to this gem of a sentiero!!!

For an easy-to-recognize reference point and beginning from Somana's church square, trailmarker 15b follows along a brief stretch of asphalt before heading down Via dell'Acqua Bianca and the last of the residential homes in town. Great grandaddy fig and cherry trees, and a large clump of tall bamboo line one side of the road before it turns into a dusty mule path leading into the woods. The circle tour itinerary is ideal if you're wanting for a day of adventure, a fair to medium challenge, and are not afraid of heights. Waterproof hiking boots are essential as the path bends, turns and twists in and out of the river, at times becoming part of the flowing torrent itself. It's impossible to lose your way as red paint marks on the surface of rocks/footpath clearly keep hikers from going astray. Simply follow 15b on the way up and 15 on the return down.

When you finally reach the waterfall there is one last, steep climb up (work those muscles!) where it will then point the way back home. This path is not advisable after a recent rain. At the end I've included a list of italian websites that should inspire anyone with the slightest hint of alpine wanderlust, and in the event that you might need a suggestion on where to stay and eat if planning a visit, a link for a multi-lingual b&b (conveniently located at the beginning of the trail) and one of my favorite Slow Food trattorias are also given. Getting to the town was a bit confusing with the gps navigator (it didn't take the one-way streets into consideration) but it's just a matter of following the black on white signs to Somana. Happy Hiking!

MotH's GPS tracking of the excursion
Val Meria
www.orsu.it (stunning photos)
.Luca's Flickr (image slideshow)
www.vieferrate.it (click on camera icons)
Bed & Breakfast dell'Acqua Bianca - Somana
Osteria Sali e Tabacchi - Maggiana (in construction)
Google map between the B&B [A] and restaurant [B]

Sagra del Pisello

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Piedmont - At the end of May and less than 20 miles east of Torino in the small hamlet of Casalborgone, this land of peas, or Pais di pois, hosts its annual celebration of a legume that caused so much grief for a princess. Poor thing, remember her? We are back on the sagra trail and I'm glad that we decided to visit this one for a single reason - gogu (guess which one it is in the food collage). According to some elderly folk that we were seated next to, the cultivation of peas was much more back in their days. With a nearby opening of a car manufacturing plant, and the siren call of the outside world, pea farming simply isn't what it used to be. This year marked the 56th celebration and I do hope it goes on for years to come.

A long, long time ago the Pisello of Casalborgone took its form in different varieties, namely Quarantin, Casalot and Barchetta. Then about 50 years ago the development of a commercial variety called Espresso Generoso (italian) became the pea that is now cultivated in the area. The flavor is very sweet...we bought 2 kilos from a vendor after he let us sample fresh peas from the pod. And this was after we had just satisfied our appetites on a lot of pea plates!

Left side from top to bottom:
Gogu (GOH-goo, a sort of tortellone with a thick pea filling)
Lasagna (with some peas thrown in) and
Pork and sausage with peas (island folks can relate to this!)

Right side, top and bottom:
Pea frittata and cream of pea in puff pastry

At one time there used to be pea gelato but sadly it wasn't on the menu this year. I tried my own experiment with peas and coconut milk in the image at right but it turned out more coconut in flavor than anything else.

A note on italian food celebrations

My goal is still hitting the 100 mark then calling it quits (on Rubber Slippers), but it's becoming apparent that a hundred is near impossible without a little help from some friends. From strawberries and snails, to trout and smoked ricotta, I'm missing out on so many fun events that from this date on (I like to keep things in chronological order on my list) any blogger residing in Italy (expat or non) is invited to send me their link if they've visited a food festival and posted about it. A mention of the entry will be made here along with a link to the source, and I will add the sagra/festa to the 100 Ways to Celebrate Italy at left. The only requirement is that the post be in english and to have photos of the food, for that's what makes these gatherings so distinctly italian. I'm especially keen on adding sagre from areas that I have not yet visited, and Fern of An Expatriate in Rapallo in the region of Liguria kindly agreed to share her post on sgabei. To learn more about the Sagra degli Sgabei and for some great photos (I envy her behind-the-scenes shots), follow this link to Sgabei.

National Donut Day

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:14:00 +0000

Donut Test, originally uploaded by caitlinburke.

Today I get to knock down 2 birds with one stone. First, in this Flickr feature which enables me to post directly from my flickr account. Cool huh? Makes me feel almost like a genius. And secondly, double kudos because it's also the big D-day (d as in donuts) but instead of heating up the fryer, I'm spreading donut awareness with license to share from another user. You can read about Chorizo's photo shoot in the process. Too cute!

And as a side note to Richard Boehmcke... I made bomboloni already. Thank you for sending that email, you are too kind! To see what you've missed, read 'em and weep right here.

However you wanna call them, I forgot how much FUN it is to make your own fresh donuts until I gave it a little extra thought. Oh yeah...now I remember. The 2am baker's shift. :-O The greasy film left on your face after frying. :-S The task of changing the frying oil when it's long past its prime. How could I have forgotten? Yet despite the rather optimum environment to sprout new zits [read more...]

To Live For Blueberry Muffins

rowena@hawaiistories.com (Rowena...) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:53:00 +0000

I didn't intend to leave anyone hanging with that photo of me swinging from a rock face, but when you max out an extended weekend for want of feeling ‘Heidi Klum fit’ in a challenging sort of way, a price will inevitably have to be paid. A price (and not a bad one at that) in the equivalent of aches, pains and sun-fried brains from a day out hiking up a valley to see an 8-story waterfall. How do I do it? Well pretending to be a siren in Club La La helps. A little hip-hop on near vertical while clinging on for dear life will empower anybody. It sho' did me!

Reflecting on that climb had me craving for muffins, but muffies that were healthier and less refined. The recent slash in blueberry prices ('tis the season) meant trying a new recipe for this berry occasion. Google sent me To Die For Blueberry Muffins which, imho, asks for too much sugar within and on top of the darn thing. So I substituted, adjusted amounts, and came up with, but what else? To Live For Blueberry Muffins. Into the mix went rice milk which is naturally sweet through its own enzymatic doing, enabling me to cut the dosage of the white stuff. Now while I can't say these are the best in the world, with sweet, juicy blueberries my version shouldn't bring you any closer to the pearly gates of heaven.

Recipe for 10-12 muffins

2¼ cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup rice bran oil
1 large egg and 1 egg white
about ½ cup or so of organic rice milk
1½ cup fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil (I use rice bran oil) and flour muffin pan or use paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Pour the rice oil into a 2-cup measuring pitcher and add the egg, egg white and enough milk to obtain 1½ cups of liquid; blend thoroughly.
3. Fold the liquid mixture into the flour just until combined (too much mixing will cause heavy, "rubbery" muffins). Gently stir in blueberries and portion into prepared muffin tin. Bake for about 25 minutes until done and tops gently spring back when touched.

Signoraaaaa! The aroma of those blueberry muffins are to live for!