I have a dirty, little secret. Look what I bought today at Lidl! It's sliced, wholewheat bread. Shhh, please don't tell anyone -- especially any Italians. I came home right away and made myself a ham sandwich with mustard. My mind is reeling with the edible possibilities of other sinful delights. I think I see some french toast in my near future, smothered in Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, courtesy of my much appreciated, dear sweet mother.
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It's been snowing with freezing temps for three days... so far.
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I just made homemade applesauce for the first time and it worked! I had some gravenstein apples that after a few weeks in the refrigerator had gotten somewhat soft. I like my apples firm, like my coffee. Wait, that's not the saying. Anyway I've never seen applesauce here in Italy -- not even at Lidl -- and I'm so pleased to be able to make it fresh. Bring on the pork chops!
3-4 pounds of peeler, cored and quartered apples
4 strips of lemon peel
Juice of 1 lemon
3 inches of cinnamon stick
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put all ingredients into a large pot. Cover and boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes and remove from heat. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel and mash.
I love Lidl! Lidl is a Germany grocery retailer that provides me with international products. They feature food items from a different part of the world on a rotating basis. This is just a sample of what's been offered lately and the first time I have ever seen cheddar cheese in Italy! I bought two bricks. I suffer from the assumption that all this good food fortune could end tomorrow..
I thought they were called brussel sprouts??
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I was invited last minute, which is very common here in Italy, to join my neighbors for dinner last week. Not wanting to show up empty-handed I decided to create an olive tapenade from some leftover Puttanesca sauce I had on hand. I always thought my recipe would make a nice bruschetta topping and here was a chance to put my theory to the test. I put about 3/4 cup of the sauce into a mini electric chopper and added about 20 small, pitted olives, two anchovies, a tablespoon of capers, a large garlic clove, a drizzle of fresh olive oil and a small squeeze of fresh lemon. Flatteringly, the group declared it was a hit. I thought so too! .
Don't even ask me, because I don't know. I saw these shoes outside a leather goods store in a hilltown in Tuscany, Montepulciano. Maybe they were a way to get people to stop and notice and then wander into the store to see what other oddities abound. In case you're wondering, I kept walking. Me, I'm more of a leather purse gal.
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I have a dirty, little secret. Look what I bought today at Lidl! It's sliced, wholewheat bread. Shhh, please don't tell anyone -- especially any Italians. I came home right away and made myself a ham sandwich with mustard. My mind is reeling with the edible possibilities of other sinful delights. I think I see some french toast in my near future, smothered in Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, courtesy of my much appreciated, dear sweet mother.
I just made homemade applesauce for the first time and it worked! I had some gravenstein apples that after a few weeks in the refrigerator had gotten somewhat soft. I like my apples firm, like my coffee. Wait, that's not the saying. Anyway I've never seen applesauce here in Italy -- not even at Lidl -- and I'm so pleased to be able to make it fresh. Bring on the pork chops!
I love Lidl! Lidl is a Germany grocery retailer that provides me with international products. They feature food items from a different part of the world on a rotating basis. This is just a sample of what's been offered lately and the first time I have ever seen cheddar cheese in Italy! I bought two bricks. I suffer from the assumption that all this good food fortune could end tomorrow.
I was invited last minute, which is very common here in Italy, to join my neighbors for dinner last week. Not wanting to show up empty-handed I decided to create an olive tapenade from some leftover Puttanesca sauce I had on hand. I always thought my recipe would make a nice bruschetta topping and here was a chance to put my theory to the test. I put about 3/4 cup of the sauce into a mini electric chopper and added about 20 small, pitted olives, two anchovies, a tablespoon of capers, a large garlic clove, a drizzle of fresh olive oil and a small squeeze of fresh lemon. Flatteringly, the group declared it was a hit. I thought so too! 
Don't even ask me, because I don't know. I saw these shoes outside a leather goods store in a hilltown in Tuscany, Montepulciano. Maybe they were a way to get people to stop and notice and then wander into the store to see what other oddities abound. In case you're wondering, I kept walking. Me, I'm more of a leather purse gal.
