Our new staircase

Life at our house has been dominated this summer by the creation of a new staircase. For years we have been living with a staircase that had shaky railings, misaligned treads and risers, and no balusters to prevent dogs or children from disaster. Now, after several months of deep focus, Harvey has almost finished. Here are some pictures of the final product. We have balusters, railings, beauty, and fine craftmanship at last. The post caps are the most recent addition. He made them from a birdseye maple board that he salvaged from the old staircase (the top piece), and embellished them with trim from an old piece of black walnut that he found years ago in my sister's garage attic (the house had been owned by a woodworker and there was a lode of great wood).

This staircase makes me happy every time I walk up or down it--it is so solid underfoot. Next, paint. Stay tuned.

Amanda Makes Pasta

If you want to see the results of this adventure, check out Amanda's video on YouTube:

Trip to San Fermo

After being in Verona (twice) for extended periods of time, I finally made it to San Fermo yesterday. San Fermo is one of the landmark churches in Verona and is very beautiful. It is at the end of the Ponte Navi and is visible from the riverbank from many places. I had been wanting to get inside, but now that we are about to depart, I found the time. I crossed the bridge and took a left along the river, strolling through the Filippini neighborhood. The streets are very quiet, full of lovely old houses with flowered balconies and interesting restaurants. I met a woman on a bicycle who seemed interested in making sure that I got the best photographs of her neighborhood. She kept stopping to point out yet another photo op and told me to google San Filippini for more pictures. I stopped at a lovely Palladian-style chiesa on the Via Filippini, but there was a mass going on so I didn't stay. My wanderings ended up at the little piazza in front of San Fermo, where I had a cappucino and comtemplated the church. A beautiful spot--I texted Heidi and Laura, who were in class around the corner to see if they wanted to join me. Heidi showed up a few minutes later and we went into the church. San Fermo is a treasure. I especially loved the frescoes, which were throughout the church. There is also an older church below the present one, as well as a lovely (but unloved) cloister with grass a foot tall. Well worth a visit.
From San Fermo, I went to the Corte Mercado Vecchio to see the stairs, and finally, to La Casa di Guilietta, to see the letters. Can't leave Verona with seeing Juliet! She and Romeo are everywhere in this city.

The (Second to) Last Supper

Last night, we all went out to dinner at a small hostaria called La Vecchia Fontanina (in the Piazzetta Chiavica, near Piazza Erbe). Heidi and I had gone to check it out earlier and make arrangements--when we arrived, the owner had set us up in a back room by ourselves, which was very cosy and nice. David and Bea and Vicky (from NHIA) joined us, as did Federica. The menu was very traditional and the food was delicious. Everyone tried different things and we all shared bites, so we got to taste a lot. I started with a Pear torte that was wonderful, followed by cavello (finally) and polenta. The cavello had been marinated and then braised, so it was like a beef stew, on a bed of polenta. Delicious! We had carafes of house rosso and bianco (the bottles on display were from Corte Figaretto), and acqua with and without gaz. Others had some delicious things, but Staci's potato soup with truffles, which made the rounds of the table because she only ate a small amount, was the hit. It was fabulous!!! I also had a taste of bigoli with some sort of local small fish (salty and anchovy-like), which was delicious too. Laura had some of the most beautiful lamb chops I have seen and Bea & David had Angus beef--gorgeous. For dessert, I had only a caffe correto, but others had delicious-looking things, including semi-freddo with chocolate sauce and apple cake with vanilla cream. Everyone had a grand time. We all wish our stay in Verona could go on and on.

Trip to Bolzano

Saturday, we all expected rain--but when I got up and checked the BBC weather for the region, the prediction seemed much better--partly cloudy and a 30% chance of rain--so when the girls across the hall asked me if I wanted to go to Bolzano--a beautiful alpine village--I decided it was the only chance weatherwise. We had a 30 minute window, but the fates smiled on us. We caught a bus to the stazione and got the 9:09 train for Bolzano. The scenery en route was beautiful, increasingly mountainous as we sped north along the Adige. We arrived in Bolzand to find . . . fairyland! Italy, but very different from Verona. Rococo buildings plastered in pink, green, and bright yellow, with elaborate ornamentation. The Renaissance happened, but somewhere along the way, Tinkerbell came along and flicked her magic wand and spread fairy dust all over the city. Even the Duomo was transformed into a high gothic masterpiece with a multicolored tile roof.

We wandered around, admiring everything, especially the pastries, and feeling the influence of Austria on northern Italy. After a quick trip to the Info Office, we learned that the Iceman has been laid to rest in Bolzano's Museo Archaeologico dell'Alto Adige. Ötzi, as he is known, was discovered in 1991 by two German hikers and is one of the oldest mummified corpses ever found. Also, Ötzi was a "wet mummy," which meant that his body could provide a great deal of scientific data about his life and context. He lived around 5000 years ago and today reposes in a refrigerated exhibit case in Bolzano for all the world to see. We loved the museum, but had more to see. We wandered through town and made our way to the cable car that carries commuters up into the mountains to a little village called Renon. The view from the cable car was spectacular, as was Renon. We took a little walk, after filling our water bottles at the "Trinkwasser" spring (German is the primary language here). By the time we were ready to stop for lunch, it was 2:30 and all restaurants were closed--so we went to the local pizzaria, where the proprietor proposed that we sit in her garden and enjoy a plate of local meats and cheeses and some wine. Perfecto, followed by cake--chocolate or apricot, both slathered with whipped cream. Serendipity, once again. Totally enjoyable.
After lunch, we made our way back down the mountain via cable car and caught a train home to Verona. We had a date for the Opera that we did not want to miss.

Here's a slideshow of our day:

Salumi class

Today we met at the Piazza Erbe to look at the market and the landscape of food merchandising,  and to visit a gastronomica to look at salumi. We talked with the proprietor and bought seven pieces of five different kinds of meats, including some Prosciutto di Parma, Speck, Lardo, and Sopressa. We took them back to my apartment, along with some breadsticks from the Pasticceria De Rossi and a melon from Verra Frutta to discuss and taste. Interesting discussions about the process of curing meat, as well as the need for controlling standards of production and the parallels between salumi, wine, cheese, and Gucci handbags. See the photos on Picasa.

http://picasaweb.google.com/home

My Food Course

My food course have been going along very well (at least from my perspective). Since I moved the class to my apartment, it seems easier to do everything--I have my projector, my computer, WiFi, a kitchen, and actual food. Last week, we had one class where we discussed Pane e Pasta (Bread and Pasta). I asked everyone to bring something to share--like a pot luck--and they all did. Francesca made a delicious ziti with tomatoes and cheese (anything else, Francesca?), other people brought different kinds of breads, and I made a platter of pasta con pesto (freshish pasta purchased en route home from my Italian class in the morning, plus deli pesto from the same Salumeria, my favorite). I also got a half loaf of Tuscan bread, which is crusty, white, and made without salt, and a small loaf of some sort of “antiqua” pane from a market I passed in the Piazza Isolo (which was a small traditionally shaped loaf, baked in a loaf pan, but clearly a sour dough bread). Mike brought a loaf of store-bought sliced whole wheat sandwich bread, and we also had a couple of other seeded, whole grain type breads.

So we cut up all of the bread into pieces for tasting and then proceeded to evaluate texture, flavor, taste, and personal preferences--and tried to figure out which breads were closed to what the Romans might have eaten and why. We had read an article about Roman bread, which described it as wheat, but coarsely ground, gray, and containing bits of the grinding medium (stones, bad for your teeth). Gives new meaning to “stone ground.” People didn’t much like the “antique” bread, but it was useful for discussing leavening techniques. Most of us really liked the seeded, whole grain-type breads best.

Then we turned to pasta. Michael had brought a bag of typical grocery store fusilli and I had a box of “Sapori di Casa” (taste of home) fettucine, which took a minute and a half to cook (compared to eight minutes for the fusilli). It was delicious and did indeed taste “Homemade,” just as the box promised. The pesto was wonderful too and we had a very tasty class. This company produces eight different varieties of pasta: Chittare, Maccheroncini, Tagliolini, Fettucine, Tagliatelle, Pappardelle, Linguine, and Maltagliati.

Last Friday, we did a similar tasting for our discussion of Olives and Olive Oil. We had five different olive oils, ranging from the typical “Pam” (supermarket) variety, to two della zona/made locally. One of these, from Salvagno, comes from Verona, and was pale green, gently fruity, and slightly peppery. The other, Fontanare, is also from the Verona region, but unfiltered. A bit more intense and peppery and cloudy in appearance, but also delicious. Next week, we do Meat and Salumi.

For me, this course offers a way of combining several different learning experiences--first, reading background material about the history of the food and the technologies related to its production over time, but second, evaluating food products and being able to directly apply the background knowledge to figure out where those foodstuffs came from and why they look and taste they way they do. It is great fun and I am learning a lot--always satisfying.

My students in the Teatro Romano, en route to the Museo Archaeologico.

On Friday afternoon, we took a class field trip up to the Museo Archaeologico, which is in a villa at the top of a big hill overlooking the Teatro Romano (the Roman theater). Here are all of the students sitting in the Teatro Romano. The museum has lovely examples of floor and wall mosaics, excavated from Verona sites, as well as other architectural fragments. There is also a collection of tiny bronze figures, probably funerary, and bronze and glass domestic items. Well worth the hike up and the view of Verona from the top is spectacular! For more pictures, go to my Picasa album.

Dinner with Federica and Karen

The rain ended in time for me to meet Federica at the Cafe Casa Blanca for a spritz. Karen Hillson, the art historian from the NH Art Institute joined us and we all went out to dinner at the Antica Trattoria Pero d’Oro--the Golden Pear. Another delicious meal, this time (for me) fettucine with artichokes and Vitello Tonnato--which was awesome! Vitello Tonnato is cold sliced veal with a thin layer of mayonnaise sauce--flavored with tuna and capers. Molto delicato. Panna cotta with caramel sauce for dessert--the caramel sauce was dark dark dark, almost the color of chocolate, and fabulous! Cafe completo (with grappa) to finish us off. A delightful evening with delightful company. Buona notte.

Il Vicolo

Today is a rainy Saturday--I started the day at the public market at the Stadio, where I bought assorted cheeses (Stracciata, Gorgonzola, ricotta, and Asiago Pressato). Also a bag of apricots (local) and some fresh organic asparagus. We beat the rain home and I've been puttering ever since.

 Here are some pictures of Il Vicolo, the house where we are all living (me and six female students). I have a kitchen/livingroom and a bedroom, all well furnished and very comfy. My kitchen has a *red* refrigerator--very flashy. I love it! My living space is large enough to hold my class in, which works quite well. I have a projector, computer, and wireless internet access. What more could I need? It also makes it possible not only to teach about foodways, but to allow the students to experience tastes of those foodways. This will be fun for all.

Last night, we all went out for dinner to the Trattoria Isola, a local restaurant that I had found in the SlowFood guide and which I loved the last time I was here. It lived up to my memory of it. The food is all home cooked and local and delizia!!!! I had a primi of fettucine with salmon and a secondi of bacala with grilled polenta. The dolce was semifreddo amarato. All mouthwateringly good. Several of the students tried horse, yes horse, as in cavallo--a local specialty here in Verona. It was lots of fun!

More soon. Many adventures still to come.

Italian Class

Today we had our first Italian class, courtesy of Lingua.it. Lingua.it is an established language school with a branch in Verona. Their method is Italian-only from day one--and by the end of two hours, all six of us were able to "interview" a staff person from Lingua.it, asking her for her name, where she came from, where she lives, how she was feeling, and what she likes to do. Obviously a very successful method (and the teacher was excellent)!

Earlier in the day, I had my first meeting with my Mediterranean food class--six students, a cozy seminar. The classroom is lacking in a few basics (internet access), but certainly adequate and the problems will be resolved eventually. Although it had been a gorgeous day when we went into class, by the time we left, it was pouring rain. We darted from arcade to arcade, trying to stay dry, all the way to Piazza Erbe--where three of us ducked into a cafe for lunch. Pasta with pesto, basic, but delicious. I also managed to squeeze in a little grocery shopping today--dishwashing soap, a sponge, and other basics--so now am feeling quite settled. Tonight I am nesting, eating some fresh asiago with olives and a drizzle of olive oil. Just San Benedetto (so far) as accompaniment. Hoping to give a blog tutorial to some of the students later on--they all have to create blogs as part of the course, sharing their food explorations. I'll post links as they appear. More soon.

Verona!!!

I am in Verona, safe and sound, and it is great! Our flight was long and uncomfortable, but we all got here without any probs. Federica, our wonderful local arrangements person, spent the day with us, getting the students oriented (and keeping them awake). We all had dinner at a cafe on the Piazza Bra--a big city center area w/many cafes and a Roman coliseum in the middle. Lots of fun. Today, I got up early, went to a cafe across the street for cappucino and brioche, then went grocery shopping. All morning, orientation, then we went rafting on the River Adige, which flows through the center of the city. We went under twelve bridges, some fun rapids, and spend about three hours basking in the glorious Italian sunshine. Afterwards, Federica and I went to a wine bar and had spritzes--Aperol and prosecco, I think. A perfect way to end a perfect day. Tomorrow, the work starts. Classes begin, and I have an Italian class from 4-6 as well. This is a wonderful life. My apartment is lovely. Wish you were here to see it all. You would love it!

New Love: Painting

Since the last time I posted, much much water has passed under the bridge. No way can I catch up, so I am just starting again from where I am at the moment. It is winter here in our neck of the woods and very very cold. We have been in the process of renovating both bathrooms since the beginning of November. Our upstairs bath was shaped sort of like home plate, but with more sides, and had a weird old bathtub that the former owner had drilled to put in an automatic tub stopper thingy--which did not work. Anyway, it had to go. But the main incentive for doing all of this was ice dams. Yes, Harvey spend many hours on the roof last winter fighting ice dams, which (for the uninitiated) occur when the roof is leaking warm air and melts the snow, which eventually refreezes and backs up under the shingles, causing leaks. Water dripping into the house is a problem. So, we decided to tear off the roof, insulate well, put on a new metal roof, and build a dormer to expand the existing upstairs bathroom. Since we were tearing things apart, we figured we would also do the downstairs bathroom at the same time (sequentially). Both needed work.

After a long period of chaos and angst over how much money this was costing, we are finally finished with bathroom #1 and it is beautiful! Big new bathtub, white tiles everywhere, fancy French pedestal sink, heated floor (my favorite part), decent lighting, a real medicine cabinet with mirrors, and a linen closet. Along the way, I have rediscovered my love of painting--walls, trim, and furniture. It's been years. I bought a console table at the unpainted furniture store in town and am in the process of painting it a pumpkiny color. But I am thinking that I would like to do some kind of decorative glazing over the orange (what this color really is). I am now looking for helpful suggestions about online sources. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I am hearing the name Jocasta Innes--a flash from the seventies, I think. Anyway, I just googled her and she is still around. So stay tuned for my adventures in decorative finishes.