Happiness

Photo by Patick Piatkowski

Life is good today. Real good.

Today is my last day of work for a few weeks.

Photo by Michael Zeis

My little girl is on her way back home to me right this minute. I just spoke to her for the first time in almost a week and she told me she loves me more than the sun and the moon. I can't wait to hug her little body.

Photo by Franny Dee

Tomorrow I am boarding a plane to a little paradise.

With my family.

To go join my family.

Photo by  Lee Johnson

I will be posting from the sunny Mediterranean. I may get distracted by the beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. The splashing of a noisy bunch of cousins in a pool. Red wine and food aplenty. But I promise to send snapshots from my point-and-shoot. And to steal a few local recipes.

Photo by Pedro Vinagre

In the meantime, here are a few things I am liking on the Internet these days.

If you need a laugh after a tough week, go here.
If you are a native English speaker living abroad, this is a good way for your pre-schooler to practice English.
If you need an original gift for a chocaholic, go here.
Another hysterical post.


All photos from TrekEarth.

Brown rice with cream of cannellini beans, roasted garlic-infused olive oil and baby spinach

I was just reading a comment to a blogging friend's new post and unexpectedly got inspiration for my own post.

A few weeks ago I mentioned some of my pet peeves in the kitchen. Today I present you with a list of blogging pet peeves.

1. 'Please read my post before you leave a comment' or 'Commenting is not mandatory'

I know there is much more important stuff going on in the world than my blog. I understand that cutting your toenails is a more practical way to spend your time than reading my post. I even get it if you happen upon my blog, you scroll through the pictures and leave because: a) you don't like the recipe; b) you think the pictures are bad; 3) the design just gets on your nerves. I get it. I've been there, I've done it. But why, o why do you leave a comment that blatantly proves you did not read a word of what I just wrote? We all know why, but don't do it, don't be a traffic whore, people won't click onto your blog after reading your comment anyway.

The same goes for people who do read your post but don't really pay that much attention and comment anyway. I love getting comments, I love interacting, I really do. But if you are in a rush and don't feel like reading the whole post, don't feel obliged to leave a comment: a) that blatantly shows that you didn't get my point AT ALL because you just skimmed through the post; b) asking me how I am enjoying life in Florence if I just mentioned more than once that I live in Milan.

2. Why the heck can't I comment on some blogs?

There are a few blogs I follow that I have problems commenting on, but not all the time. Just nine out of ten times. It drives me bananas. On one I usally can't even get my cursor into the comment space. On another I write away only to click onto publish and watch it load endlessly to no avail. Beats me. 

3. Unrelated links in my comment space.

I am pretty new to blogging and I have surfed the blogosphere and left comments (and still do sometimes) mentioning posts in them too, but: 1) I always mention a post that was somehow related to the topic; 2) I rarely leave a link to my posts and if I have, there was a specific reason. Normally I just mention I posted on the topic and people are free to visit me if they are further interested.

Also, I always make an effort to visit the blogs of all those who leave comments and I often link to blogs I enjoy. Meaning I am happy to help people increase their traffic, but perhaps if you leave a funny or interesting comment, people will be more curious to check you out.

4. Typos

We all make typos, we all sometimes miss a few of them here and there. I probably made some right here and don't realize it. But if each and every post is filled with typos, then you are not revising what you wrote. Which is fine if you are writing in your journal but not as fine if your journal is a public blog. In my opinion at least.

5. Why do I keep coming back?

I read some of the blogs I follow on Blogger, others are in my blogroll and many more are in the Favorites of my browser. Each time I read through this list there are some links I skip automatically and some other links I click onto but groan inside as I do so. While I read them I keep checking how much is missing to the end. Why do I keep coming back? Why do I feel forced to? Why I am I wasting my time reading when there is so much good stuff out there? (Note to self: remember to use the same approach with books and articles). The solution is: delete. Delete if that blog is ok but the author irritates the hell out of you every time you read a post. Delete if the blog is just plain boring. Delete if the pictures are so bad or the font is so tiny or weird that you skip on to the next blog as quickly as you can. Delete if you are reading that blog because it was one of the first you discovered and you are sentimental, but to be honest you really don't like it that much. Delete if you dislike the blog even if everyone else is raving about it. Delete if that blog is torture to read but the author left you a nice comment eons ago when nobody commented yet and you feel an obligation towards them. Same goes for a blogger you are not into that comments all the time. Just delete. I comment on people's blogs that I enjoy even if they never visit mine. Who cares, if you love what they do? Delete those blogs that you log onto more often than their authors do. If they haven't written a post in 16 months, they probably won't in the next 16 either.

What are your blogging pet peeves?

Lait Gelateria Alpina at Eataly - Genova

On Saturday we drove to Genova. We went to the old port and visited Eataly before heading off to Piedmont to stay with friends. Even if the weather wasn't great, it is always a nice and interesting area to walk around.

The Acquarium



See the pool and sundeck?



As usual we got lost in the orderly and colorful rows and rows of pasta, cured meats, chocolate, beer, wine, jams, dairy products.

We decided to stop for a quick lunch so little guy could nap on our drive to Piedmont. I had a lovely carne al coltello (hand chopped raw meat of Piemontese breed) because I am avoiding carbs for a few weeks as you know. Husband had pasta di Gragnano with a fish ragout which he said was delicious. Little guy had a bit of both.

They also brought a basket of warm bread freshly baked in the wood oven. Ok, I admit I had some. Delicious.

Lurisia water and a glass of Prosecco for the husband and we were on our way.

Except we had some dessert first. I shared with the little guy because I am avoiding sugar and dairy for the next week too.





On Friday I had read about a new gelateria they recently opened in the Eataly of Genova. What a perfect coincidence! It is called Lait, Gelateria Artigianale. The ingredients are top quality, the cream base is made in the mountains of Piedmont and brought to the stores (2 for now I believe) and then mixed with the flavors upon ordering.

Reasonable prices

Churning the ice cream when serving means the ice cream does not sit in tubs for long periods of time, thus not requiring the addition of preservatives or additives (food coloring, aroma). The end product is fresher, creamier, lighter. And it ensures a higher level of hygene. Apparently a special ice cream maker was designed by an internationally renowned chef just for this purpose. Our curiosity was piqued.

There are less than 10 flavors, two of which are fruit sorbets made with Lurisia water (the same water Grom uses). F got nocciola di Piemonte (hazelnut) and Pistacchio di Bronte (pistachio) in a cup. Little Guy and I got gianduja (a chocolate hazelnut mix) on a cone.

Our opinion. It was good, the ingredients certainly shone through. The pistachio, my meter for ice cream, was delicious. It was light yet creamy. Light as air because it has a lot of air in it.

It was basically gourmet soft serve, soft ice cream made with top quality ingredients. Soft serve reminds us of our childhood, so why not indulge in it with adult expectations and standards? It is a great idea, one nobody has had before, but not revolutionary. It is a classic revamped to appeal to foodies sprouting all over the world, a group of people who want and expect more from their food. It is a great marketing idea, I'll give you that.

 

Will it be the new Grom? Maybe not, but it is sure to draw a crowd.

Salmon with pomegranate molasses glaze and roasted peaches

Remember how I mentioned a while back that these days my kids have a more active social life than their parents? Well, my children also live a more glamorous life than we do these days. While Mommy and Daddy sit in the office next week, little big girl will be on vacation again. Not bad, eh?

The first night she slept away from us a little over a half year ago I was nervous. The first time she left home for almost a week a few months ago my heart was breaking. The second time we dropped her off for a week less than a month ago I shed a few tears in the car.

This time I refuse to acknowledge that little ache in the upper left part of my chest. I will not have visions of myself sitting on the couch in an old pyjama à la Bridget Jones to the notes of All By Myself. I will blink back those tears and focus on what happens when she comes back.

We are going on vacation. There will be beautiful beaches, great wine, fabulous food. But most of all there will be family, friends, laughs, love. There will be my sister, who is my best friend. There will be my three beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed German nephews. There will be their smart, fun loving dad. And last, but not least, the woman who started this all. My Mommy.

So there.

The detox continues. I am feeling healthier already and one pound lighter.

No surprise then that I was thrilled yesterday when I found inspiration on Dinners & Dreams to use up exactly the ingredients I had in my fridge. I played around with the recipe to accomodate some ingredients I wanted to use and leave out others I didn't have. The result was tangy, sweet, caramelized and tender at the same time.

The original recipe was meant for the grill and I am sure that would probably give even more delicious results but since I don't have one I roasted the salmon instead. In an attempt to eat as healthy as possible and cut some of the fattiness of the salmon, I roasted some peaches alongside. They were soft and sweet and juicy, just perfect. In less than 30 minutes I made a healthy meal fit for a king.

The next time I make this I will discard the excess marinade so it doesn't burn on the baking tray during roasting. This will allow me to set the oven on grill and raise the temperature so I can cook the fish for a shorter amount of time but at higher heat. This will make the salmon crunchier without overcooking it.

Fattoush with za'atar croutons

We are counting the days until we leave for vacation and I am simultaneously counting the calories in my food and the kilos on my scale. I am not too happy with the result, I'm telling you. Also, after that cheese and meat fest last weekend, my body is begging me to detox a little and eat healthier. If I happen to shed a couple of pounds whilst pampering my insides, no one is complaining right?

I went over to My New Roots (because let's face it, Sarah radiates such healthy beauty you cannot not follow her advice) to read up on detoxing, fasting (just daydreaming) and came across quite a few recipes I could not resist. Because, although many are a little too healthy for my palate, others are lovely and mouthwatering even if you are not on a health kick. So now I am drinking a glass of warm water with lemon juice every morning on an empty stomach and I am trying to eat as healthy as possible, cutting out any excess and getting ideas from her.

Out goes cheese with natural molds perfect for polenta, enter fattoush.

Fattoush, as most of you probably already know, is a Levantine salad typically made with parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers (or other seasonal vegetables). Stale, preferably fried pita bread and sumac are key ingredients and the vegetables and herbs are more coarsely chopped than for tabbouleh. Fatt in Arabic means crushed. It is a refreshing salad with a pungent, sour flavour imparted by the sumac (a powder whose name is the same as the dried berries it is made with, that grow in Mediterranean countries) and lemon juice. It is salad with pizaaz, a must for the hot months. I, being me, of course made some small variations that should however not bother fattoush integralists too much. I am sure they will forgive me for using up some stale bread we brought back from the mountains instead of pita. Nobody likes waste, right? And they may even feel flattered that I dressed these croutons up with sumac's more glamorous cousin, Ms. Za'atar.

Instead of using sumac in the dressing I liberally brushed the bread with olive oil and za'atar and toasted it in the oven. And I sprinkled some more of it over the fattoush itself. Za'atar being a mix of sesame seeds (I toasted mine), sumac, salt, thyme and oregano (but there are as many variations as there are families making it I believe. Please correct me if I am wrong). To top it all off, I made a dressing with garlic-infused olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and a tablespoon of maple syrup (remember, no sugar these days). I would have used honey if it had been in a more liquid form.