Italy Journal
Monday, July 24, 2012
What a fantastic dinner we had at Il Mulino di Geminella last night with Anna. We arrived in time for Mira to show us how to make Tajarin pasta (like tagliatelle, but thinner like spaghetti. We enjoyed great appetizers (mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, ham chuncks, etc.) while we “worked.’ After we made the dough, all of us took turns cranking the pasta through the little machine until it was thin and cut into spaghetti strips. Then, Anna cooked it perfectly, added our pesto from the Eataly store, and VOILA! We realized that we had brought a whole meal to add to the pasta, AND Anna had misunderstood and prepared a whole meal , too. We then proceeded through 10 courses (We counted them!) of pasta (of course), baked rabbit and chicken, roasted vegetables, thin slices of ham, cheeses with Cogna (local confit like jam made with fig, apple, pear, peach and spices!), limone gelato, an offer of seconds of limone gelato, panna cotta, coffee and grappa. Rossella, Elettra, a colleague of Rossella’s, Anna’s niece, Anna’s cousin and Mira all enjoyed the fun and delicious eatables! We then stumbled out to the car after being invited to come by and get Anna on Friday at 3, and we will go to her nephew’s vineyard for a tour. Also, Elettra invited Valerie and Victoria to swim at her grandparents’ pool on Tuesday. What lovely new friends.
Happy Birthday, Harldur, Nonno and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Italian books and playing games with you by Skype today. Thank you for inviting us to come and play for a while. We love you!
The morning Italian lesson was super. Sara and I got it all worked out that she would stay as our teacher, and I learned some more about pronouns. I have to study during this break. Peter and I will meet with her on Thursday, but then we will have about 5 weeks of summer break.
On the way home, I asked Wild Dan to meet me in the street, and he gave me directions to the 2nd hand stores in Bra. I took Lori, Victoria and Valerie to both of them and found a great pair of shorts for Victoria and a pair of school shoes for Valerie. We also found a store with a “Tutti 5euro-15euro” sign on the door. I found an orange sherbet colored all weather coat for fall. When I went to pay, the man charged me 20euro, but I told him that the sign said 5-15 euro. He then showed me the tag on the jacket that said 87E. I said no, the sign says 5-15, and I put down the jacket and turned to leave. He said, “15.” I said oh, ok, and paid him 15 E. Ah, Italiano!
Then, we went to a store that we will forever call “Miss Lisa’s Store.” I didn’t realize there was a Vestebene in Bra, but we found it, and we will get 90% OFF with Lisa’s 20% discount. What a deal. Victoria found some great shoes, and I found some sunglasses that we left at the counter for Lisa to go with us to get the extra 20% off this afternoon.
Stephen and Peter spent the morning shopping for food to prepare for dinner for 14 tonight. We first nvited Enzo and Lisa, then 6 other students from the University were left in town, not leaving for vacation yet. So, we all joined forces and had a lovely dinner of jumbalaya, and all sorts of other goodies. Everyone took home lots of leftovers, and Wild Dan promised to come back on Sunday to fix us breakfast!! Sounds like fun to us!!!
Great day for all!
Colleen
No comments:
Post a Comment