Archive for February, 2008
The other day I was discussing the many traditional Carnevale and Lenten sweets that people make around me. I think they are supposed to quit making them once Lent starts, but they don’t. You almost can’t walk into a home this time of year without the perfume of hot oil and sugar winding around you and wrapping you up for the fat farm.
Everybody is making them and posting about them except me. I am cajoled and teased and blackmailed into tasting them constantly and I can’t bear to have them at home as well. I’m asking around for someone who is willing to be followed and photographed so I can publish it for you, but if you look around the blogging world for Cenci, Castagnole, Fiochi, Chiaccherare, and the hundreds of other words used to describe the hundreds of versions up and down the boot, you will definitely find them.
I remembered then that I loved a seasonal sweet traditional to my culture. The mighty Hot Cross Bun! I was immediately told that it is not the season until Good Friday. Uh! Something that good eaten only three days of the year? Not in my world! I decided that if I didn’t put the frosting crosses on until Good Friday I could have them right away and even take them to my hosts this weekend for an easy breakfast.
I looked at loads of recipes on line and in old cookbooks. The cookbook recipes were way too simplified for me. They wouldn’t produce what I remembered from decades ago. Delia of British fame has a good looking recipe, but my scale is broken so I needed a US recipe that doesn’t need weighing.
The recipe I used in the end was from Bella Online where they also have the nursery rhyme and the story behind this old fashioned sweet roll. If you agree that mine are prettier than theirs, it’s because I added an egg yolk wash before raising the formed buns. I think mine are a bit too big, too. I would make 16 of them from this recipe instead of 12.
The above is how they look in the very welcome sunshine that is pouring over my counters today. I have already eaten two and given one to Olga. We are agreed that these are the best we’ve ever had– mind you she’s never had them before.
February 7th, 2008
I was reading style.com, the online part of Vogue, and I read that the absolute best way to get rid of dull, winter skin was to use a supersonic skin brush by Sonicare, the toothbrush makers.
“Hmmm,” said I to me, “I have been wondering what to do with those brushes that just don’t brush teeth very well anymore. They are expensive, hard to get here and they look like they’d be good for something. Maybe this is it?” The something I had thought they might be good for was, I admit, cleaning minerals off metal or polishing silver.
But I figured, having just changed brushes again, why not try it? So I did. I unscrewed the new toothbrush and screwed in the worn and too soft one and used it with mild soap to clean my face.
Let me say here that the brush they sell is round and much wider and must do a better job, but it also costs $199!
I think it works. I think I look brighter and areas that were troubled with one lack-of-sun thing or another are responding. So if you have a Sonicare toothbrush, try it! Do NOT press hard, very lightly is the only way it works supersonically. Don’t mix it up with the one for your teeth because soap tastes bad. It will make your nose tickle almost to an unbearable level.
Read this tip anywhere else!
February 6th, 2008
Look what just arrived at Alberta’s house! A bit early but just in time for Carnevale. Alberta is my fellow teacher and lives around the corner from me.
February 4th, 2008
I did cook quite a bit today, but I didn’t photograph anything nor write about anything in particular. Today was a day when I prepared for future dishes. I roasted a leg of lamb and the bones are all simmering for stock right now. The meat is safely sealed up and in the refrigerator.
I made lentils and they were delicious, but meant for another day, other than those I spooned down.
I made up two dessert sauces but I didn’t make a dessert to use them on.
What a great day, tucked into the fireplace corner of the kitchen, getting up for a nibble of this and of that. I read an interesting and very atmospheric mystery called “Savage Garden” by Mark Mills, which I found very well written. It’s set in 1958 and only a few miles north of here. My only disappointment was a general clean-up, happy ending that I thought was a bit screwy.
I was conscious of happiness today in the way we rarely are. I wouldn’t have changed places with anyone unless they had their own sunny island. Let the rain fall.
February 3rd, 2008
Both the dress by Sorbier and the girl look capable of a good time and ready for it.
It’s dresses like this one that make Elie Saab show up on red carpets around the world.
Valentino has left us with one last big lipsticky smooch. Who will do this for us now that he is gone?
I nominate this Mabille shirt as “Most Likely to Be Seen on Carla Bruni on a Diplomatic Visit.” Am I wrong? Is there anyone else who would? Who? After leafing through the Mabille shots I could only wonder why hire beautiful girls and then make them ugly?
This is only one of a line by Lefranc.Ferrant that I loved. I picked this one to show because it reminds me of how old men will wear their trousers higher… and higher. This line I would wear, not anywhere special, just at home doing the things I do. Loved it.
Who would predict that Gaultier would produce a line of parasols that make sense? The worst burns I have ever had came when the sun shone in from the side.
This was the girl I wanted to be in 1975 and never was. Edling has recreated her: cool, smooth and confident.
The photos were selected from the fashion coverage of the UK Telegraph.
February 2nd, 2008
Underway are experiments using white chocolate. Need volunteers to eat same.
Classes are forming in April, May and June. I’m looking for an interactive calendar that will show the days that are available. Any suggestions?
February 1st, 2008
Yes, I can say that in French, but since I write in English from Italy why bring another language into it?
Two different things have been happening here. I have been moaning in public about the quitting smoking thing, so I will only mention in passing that I was worshiped for that by an old friend this morning, who then began gushing advice which included “Avoid people who smoke and stay home for a while.” This after complaining he hadn’t seen me in over two weeks and while he was smoking a cigarette.
The other thing is accidental and mad. A month ago I would have said my hair was going white all over. We’ve all heard those stories, right? But they can’t be true, because hair that is colored today may fall out and be replaced by white hair, but without chemicals that hair will not turn white itself. Still, probably because my hair is very short and gets cut very often, it seemed almost to go white in the blink of an eye. I’ve had a white streak over my right eye since 23, and I suspected that it had gotten larger than that strip I allowed no one to color ever, but I did not know for sure. I could see that something was changing fast, faster than the four weeks between cuts. So I decided to let it happen and within a month it was over.
And no one can believe it’s my hair. Including me some days. I have a snowy halo around my face and a crown of taupey pink and white mixed. It looks like the most talented colorist has done something rare and expensive. I admit to nothing.
At my age neither of my parents was very gray, let alone white. This is a special treat reserved just for me.
February 1st, 2008
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