Posts Tagged ‘living in italy’

Posted on May 29, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

2 DIY Olive Oil and Lavender-Kissed Cleansers!

If your facial cleanser is leaving your skin feeling dry, it’s removing too much of its natural moisturizer, known as sebum.

On the other hand, if your cleanser leaves your skin feeling greasy or sticky, either it isn’t removing enough oil or it contains heavy emollient and film-forming ingredients that clog pores.

Squeaky, Cheeky Clean!

A great facial cleanser removes grime from your skin – without stripping it of healthy lipids which you need to protect from the environment.

That’s where a great DIY green cleanser comes in.  Olive and sunflower oils are suitable for almost every skin. Try the following recipe, which green cosmetics author and advocate Julie Gabriel considers “a green replica of conventional cleansing” products.

Just Olive Cleansing Oil

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ampoule of vitamin E (a blend of tocopherols and tocotrienols)
• 1 drop essential oil of chamomile

note: an ampoule is a small sealed vial

How to:

1. Pour the oil into a stainless steel shaker; add the vitamin E and essential oil. (if you have acne outbreaks, replace the chamomile oil with one drop of tea tree or geranium oil).

2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

3. Pour the contents into a pump bottle. Thanks to the antioxidant action of vitamin E and chamomile, this blend has a long shelf life in dry, cool conditions.

The following DIY recipe can be used as a mask if you’re experiencing pimples, dullness, or overall uneven complexion. Just leave it on for 5 minutes to let it do its magic.

Day in Provence Cleansing Powder

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon loose organic green tea
• 1 teaspoon dried rose petals
• 1 teaspoon dried calendula (marigold petals)
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender florets
• 1 uncoated aspirin tablet
• 1 ounce white clay (bentonite)
• 1 ounce rice bran
• 3 capsules of vitamin C

1. Crush the green tea, rose and calendula petals, and lavender florets in a mortar.  Add the aspirin tablet, crush it, and blend with plant particles. Add the clay and blend thoroughly. Add rice bran. Twist open capsules of vitamin C and add them to the mix.

2. Transfer to a wide-neck glass bottle and shake vigorously so the ingredients form a homogeneous mix.

3. Use daily by pouring a teaspoonful (size of two quarters) into a dry hand. Add a few drops of water, form a dense paste, and rub into face, avoiding the eye area.

note: this concoction can be stored up to three months in an airtight twist-cap bottle.

Let us know how you like the results, right here: we’d love to hear from you!

recipes via The Green Beauty Guide, by Julie Gabriel

Posted on December 8, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Holiday Gift Giving: 2 DIY Perfume Recipes

I saw a White Diamonds perfume commercial on TV the other day – featuring a 1992 air-brushed Liz Taylor – and I thought I’d been sucked into a time travel vortex.

In addition to the post-collegiate flashback (in which ‘I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt’ topped the charts), the dated perfume commercial reflects the sea change I’ve undergone when it comes to the simple term ‘fragrance.’

A typical perfume contains a mixture of between 50 and 100 fragrance chemicals including, but not limited to:

• Coal tar distillates
• Petroleum distillates
• Benzene derivatives
• Aldehydes
• Phenols
• Phthalates (banned in cosmetics in the European Union since 2003 – see more in the ‘jargon alert,’ below )

Today, science makes it possible to dissect any natural scent and recreate it using synthetic fragrances.  Smelling machines, or ‘electronic noses’ use chemical sensors to produce a fingerprint of any scent. ¹

Doesn’t your special someone deserve something a bit more personal this holiday?

Try your hand at either one of these all-natural elixirs, and let us know how they turn out!

DIY Perfume

by Heidi Hill via www.MNN.com

Basic supplies for making perfume:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped flowers (we recommend lavender of course!)
• Cheesecloth
• Medium-size bowl with lid
• 2 cups distilled water
• Small saucepan
• Washed and sterilized vanilla extract bottle, or another small colored bottle with a lid or an airtight stopper

Instructions for making perfume:

1. Wash the flower petals. Gently clean off any dirt and sediment with water.

2. Soak the flowers. Put cheesecloth inside a bowl with edges overlapping the bowl. Put the flowers into the cheesecloth-lined bowl and pour the water over them, covering the flowers. Cover the bowl with the lid and let the flowers soak overnight.

3. Heat the flower-scented water. The next day, remove the lid from the bowl and gently bring the four corners of the cheesecloth together, lifting the flower pouch out of the water. Squeeze the pouch over a small saucepan, extracting the flower-scented water. Simmer over low heat until you have about a teaspoon of liquid.

4. Bottle the perfume. Pour the cooled water into the bottle and cap it. The perfume will last for up to a month if stored in a cool, dark place.

Green Eau de Toilette

by Julie Gabriel, The Green Beauty Guide

Basic Eau de Toilette Supplies

• 1 ounce vodka
• 4-10 drops essential oil of your choice
• 2 tablespoons distilled water

Instructions for making Eau de Toilette:

1. Pour the vodka into a small glass measuring cup (that has a spout) and add the essential oil, stirring slowly until the oil is fully mixed in. Pour mixture into a small, dark, lidded bottle and leave in a dark place (such as a closet) for two days so that the oil can fully blend with the vodka.

2. Slowly add the distilled water, shaking well. Again, let the mixture sit for two days (or more I you want a more potent mix). Now the perfume is ready. If you like, you can transfer it into a pretty spray bottle.

Homemade scents educate the gift recipient on why we can’t always trust what’s in our bath and beauty products. Plus, they earn serious brownie points for being hand-crafted. And most importantly, homemade scents are the healthiest way to smell great – naturally!

Top either DIY scent with a coupon for a relaxing Lavender Oil Massage, and you’ll win the award for best holiday gift, hands-down.

¹ The Green Beauty Guide, Julie Gabriel

_________________________________

Jargon Alert: Phthalates

Phthalates (pronounced ˈtha-ˌlāt) are found in perfume, soap, shampoo, nail polish, hair spray, mascara and more.  Listed in ingredient labels as dibutylphthalate, DPB, DEHP, DHP. Phthalates are not listed when used in fragrance. May cause developmental and reproductive problems. It is used to make materials more pliable, prevent cracking, and retain scents by ‘fixing’ perfumes to reduce evaporation

Posted on May 16, 2009 - by napavalleybath

My Familiar Chair

I’m sitting in my familiar chair….you know what that means….time to chat.

I have just made panzanella….I took everyone’s advice and then created it my own way.  I’d like to say that I am brave enough to do that on purpose but it usually is because I’m not exactly sure how to do it…so I wing it and hope for the best.  I had to improvise a bit as I didn’t have red wine vinegar…I used a bit of old chianti that was on the counter and balsamic vinegar…hope that doesn’t blow it.  I’m boiling asparagus now….going to make asparagus risotto…but as I type I am remembering that I don’t have vegetable stock….hmm…should I make it with the asparagus water or is that gross?  I don’t dare make it with water because Kaelin claims that makes it rice…not risotto.  Oh well…maybe I’ll have time to run to the store to grab some….it’s just a few blocks away.

Ah…to live in the City again.  I loved living in San Francisco….pre kids…..but was ready for the move back home to the country..the Napa Valley..to raise the girls.  It has been a great place for them to grow up and I’m thankful for all that we have.  We spend a lot of time in SF but it is always nice to come home to the peacefulness of the country.  It’s an internal struggle always though…how can you have both?

Little did I realize when we picked up and moved to Florence, Italy for a semester that I would find our how….it’s perfect here!!  It has all the energy and conveniences of a City…yet the history, beauty and a scooter jaunt away is total country!  I’m sitting in my familiar chair…windows wide open…it’s warm but a nice breeze flows in our windows to cool us down….I sit here…making dinner…and have live entertainment!  There is a festival in Santa Croce..what’s new?  Italians celebrate everything….and then some.  So, as I sit…I hear amazing music coming from the piazza….bundled with Italian voices..a language as sweet as the background music….and every now and then…..the bells of Santa Croce…and the clippety clop of horses hooves coming through our piazza…ah a bird just wanted to be heard….singing his own tune…I look out to see why he is so joyful and notice he is flying with friends…a celebration of some sort it seems.

When I look for the bird, I can’t help but see the beautiful stone bulding across from ours…buillt on a Roman Amphitheatre!  The owner of a restaurant across the way took me to the “basement” to show me the part that was truly part of the Roman Amphiteatre….you could see where it ends and the work of the Peruzzi Family begins…they were the first banking family in Florence…built up this piazza..only later to be beheaded….because, I’ve been told, they invested in the King of England during the 100 Year War…and never got a return.

I just put in the asparagus.  My favorite Florentine, Elisabetta, told me to cook the bottom of the asparagus in water and cover the top with another pot so the top gets steamed.  It’s not pretty but I’m doing it…..have no clue if it’s right or not.

No wonder I’m feeling regretful of the passage of time…only one month left in our adventure and then it is time to go home.  Five months have gone in the blink of an eye…probably because we have had so much to learn and discover….but really I think because we have fallen in love…and you know how things are magical in the “new love” phase…(wow..Kaelin just said the asparagus smells so good…..hopefully a good sign)….and how time passes quickly..I often wondered if we lived here if it would get old…familiar….if we would stop hearing the music, the birds, the language….if we would stop seeing the cobblestone, the horses, the dogs….would we stop craving gelato every day?!

This journey has brought us deeper….closer to the core of our beings.  It has forced us to be absorbed in the beauty of life…there is no choice here…not even for teenagers!  What a gift…and as my “noni” taught me, a gift is to be respected….to be appreciated….and reverence shown to the giver.  So when the kids begin to whine about the journey’s end, I remind them that this has been a gift…and we need to be thankful…and appreciative..and most of all, show reverence to the giver….by absorbing it all into our being…taking it with us wherever we go….and using it over and over and over again.    Yes this truly can be the gift that keeps on giving….

Posted on May 14, 2009 - by napavalleybath

A Perfect Day

As I stare out the window of the train, I notice a smile on my face….one that I cannot erase.  There is no where to start or end the description of this day to do it justice…it was a perfect day…aside from the octopus in my pasta that is…it was a perfect day.  I take no credit for what transpired….only that I prepared….yes, I, Peggy O’Kelly, prepared.

Why you ask…now approaching age 45 would I decide to begin preparing?  Well… I have a new read…The Art of the Pilgrimage…(thank you Sandi!)…and I came across the quote from Louis Pasteur, “In the field of observation, chance favors the prepared mind”.  I never knew I would have more chance for chance if I prepared!

I prepared myself operationally…ensuring all details were accounted for long before my departure….and emotionally….took time before I crossed the threshold into this journey to sit and meditate….and calm any anxieties about the operations of the day.   I then proceeded to Santa Maria Novella with a clear mind and a warm soul to board my train to Certaldo…a small medieval town close to Siena….the home of a glass manufacturer.

I was to meet the sales person, Alisa.  She told me she had long blond hair…..and she would be waiting for me at the train station.  As I sat on the train, I noticed a map…I decided to look to see exactly where the Certaldo stop was….ah two stops beyond Empoli…got it.  Empoli came and the next stop did as well..but there was no sign of what it was….anxiety began to creep in…what if Certaldo was not marked…what if I overshot it….I looked for the map but it was no longer there…was it two stops or three stops….I quickly brought my thoughts down to a whisper and walked over to the door….as we approached the next stop and people disembarked, I looked out the door and couldn’t miss….Certaldo.  With a sigh of relief, I stepped off the train.  Instantly I was caught in the charm of the small town…the train station is one of the oldest in Italy that is still in operation….you could feel the history.

What is the likelihood of two blond women waiting for a train in a small Italian town?  I stared at my first pick and she turned away and then I looked toward the second….and she stared back at me….”Alisa?” I said with hesitation….”Peggy?” she replied… and with two sighs of relief…we shook hands and began to walk to the car.   She was young and spoke very good English….we began instant conversation and then jumped in her Alfa Romeo and sped away.  As we began to converse, I felt as if I had just reunited with an old friend….easy and fun conversation.  It was five minutes to their facility…I went for a tour and then to the showroom.  I went through the bottles with both she and another man, a director of some sort….they were very accommodating, professional and had some interesting glass for us.  As we accumulated bottles on the conference table, I had to continue to remind myself to forget about the romance of the setting…this was business….and I needed to stay focused and on task.

As Alisa and I were beginning to get into detailed conversation about pricing, etc.., a very strong energy came into the room…Mr. Cervantes, the President of the company.  He was a slight bit older then me…in designer jeans et al….a huge rolex on one wrist and two thin ropes ( like a surfer might wear) around the other….his shoes were alligator perhaps…off white with brown splotches…and pointed toes….I had to smile…..he was groovy and he knew it….he proceeded to go off in Italian…said he was too tired to try to speak English…he told me that the best way would be to get a container and ship 20 pallets…..I smiled….and politely responded that only if he would invest in my company could I afford to purchase 20 pallets…he smiled….pretenses were dropped and the real negotiations began.

Now when I refer to Mr Cervantes you must understand…he would look me in the eye and speak to me in Italian…as if I understood.  I would then look at Alissa and she would tell me what he said in english.  This was the course of the conversation of the day….I then noticed how I spoke to him….and yes I too spoke english to him and then we would look at Alissa and she would translate.  When Alissa spoke to me directly she would speak english…and I would answer in english..and then she would fill him in in Italian.  At some point I felt as if I was on a game show….if a word was in question, we would throw our other words until we understood eachother….and if we were at the end of sign language and throwing words…Alissa would bring out the ipod touch….google translate.  The process was bonding….as anything is when you have to work together….yes there was much more then a business deal on the conference table….there was friendship….my guess…lifelong.

Before we finishedwith all the details, Alisa looked at her watch and noted that it was time for lunch…I was invited.   By this time we were all enjoying ourselves…and our inability to communicate….they were interested in America and I was interested in Italy…so we hopped in a dirty SUV and drove about 2 blocks to the restaurant.  It was an old building…not historical…old….with the typical look of a traditional Italian restaurant…not pretty…but practical….and as Mr. Cervantes said, “it is not what a restaurant looks like but what it serves that matters, capito?”  I was impressed with the lack of pretense.  It seemed the more the day wore on, the more the “thin rope” side of Mr. Cervantes came through…and the less of the alligator shoes….it was a welcomed transition.

The specialty of this restaurant was seafood.  It took a while using our mode of communication to let them know I was allergic to shellfish.  They became very protective…as well as the waitress….they all spoke over the table for quite a while about what to feed me….I told them I wanted a traditional Italian meal….they could choose for me.

They were into the experience…so Alisa began…. normally they would have an appetizer….but not today unless I wanted….I declined.  I was excited…I couldn’t really believe that Italians ate all these courses…I wanted to know first hand how this really works….and so we go….

Appetizer.

Second course…normally a pasta.  I told them that in America, we would have pasta for a main dish.  They were perplexed….”and what do you eat for first course? “….”salad” I said…”usually”….”and antipasta?”…..”we don’t…..maybe hors d’hoeuvres.”  “And nothing after pasta?” “Not usually.”  They shook their heads.

My first course arrived…a huge plate of pasta…with red sauce and polpo…I didn’t need to use the ipod touch for this translation…it was what looked like little octopus….squidish….they both had pasta with mussels.

We had a glass of a white wine that gave the sensation that it was sweet but the taste was clean and crisp….not sure what it was but it paired beautifully….and of course, the staple, acqua con gas.

As we ate, we spoke about their life….the business….my life….my journey….and then we stumbled into the history of the Chianti Flask.  Mr Cervantes began the story of his family….his father’s first business was manufacturing the flasks…with the straw casing…for Tuscany Chianti wines.  Originally woman put the straw on by hand….his father had a large portion of the market….700 women worked for him.  Originally, the flask was only for the highest quality Tuscan Chianti wines….it was a law and it was protected…or so they thought.  I can’t remember when exactly but at some point, the flask began to be used for cheaper wines….and the image was soiled.  The original intent of the flask was that it could be recognized anywhere in the World on a shelf as the best Chianti from Tuscany…..but that history is now gone….the flask symbolizes just the opposite for many…..something that Mr Cervantes said his father and many others tried to fight….they tried to protect it….but could not.  Their flask business is still thriving but much smaller….the process has been mechanized so no need for so many employees.  Apparently, the manufacturers employed a large population of Tuscan women…so when the concept was forgotten, so too was a large part of the Tuscan economy.   There is a book written by the University of Florence on the entire history of the flask…probably something on line as well.  They both spoke about it with sadness and with passion…they are very proud of their Tuscany.

I continued to eat my pasta never feeling as if I was making a dent so I conceded and rested my fork.  Mr Cervantes looked over at my plate, “What, you don’t like?  We will get you something else….what do you like?”  I looked at him perplexed at first… “I speak a little English”…he smurked.  I laughed and told  him the pasta was great but I could not possibly eat it all….they both looked at me puzzled.  The waitress, who was very attentive and spoke a bit of english,  came to clear our plates…. “what, you don’t like?”…..before I could respond, Mr Cervantes answered for me…in Italian….they all laughed….I joined in…that I could understand.

The next course was fish..for me swordfish, bass and calamari….they ate the same plus shrimp.  At this course, I could order vegetables or side dishes with the main course…maybe fagioli or fagiolini or insalate…patata…whatever..it would be ordered at this time.  I choose a insalate mista.  It was very simple…lettuga e pomodoi e olio d’oliva…..delicious!

The fish was great and I was happy to be able to eat every bite.  As I picked at the salad, the bread basket was put in my place… “Do you like the bread of Tuscany?” Alisa asked.  “The pane senza sale”.  “Yes I do now…not at first…and it is great for soup.”  I replied.  Mr Cervantes then launched into a pane zuppa recipe with Minestrone….I  understood everything that he said….wow…. I know how to speak recipes in Italian…they were impressed and asked why I could understand.

I told them about Elisabetta…. ….and that she has taught me traditional Italian recipes…and how I am totally into my cooking here…. and most of my speaking in Italian is about food.   I told them her recipe for fagioli and they laughed….yes they knew…very traditional.   Mr Cervantes said something in Italian, not a recipe…so I looked at Alisa….and she said, “Next week, we will pick you up in Firenze and we will take you to a restaurant to eat the BEST Bistecca Fiorentina in Tuscany.   You are in Firenze where they only serve the tourists….next week you will see how we eat.”   I was thrilled and vowed not to eat the day before so I could finish everything.

“Dolce?  Would you like dolce?”  I graciously declined so immediately the waitress asked if I would like café…. “Si.”  “Limoncello, Mr. Cervantes?”  “Si…limoncello.”   She then departed and so did Alisa….to the restroom.  Mr Cervantes looked at me…and I looked at him…as if we were in a standoff as to who would attempt the other’s language first…he broke the silence.  “Limoncello?  You like?”  “I have never had it but I have always wanted to try.”  I said realizing that I spoke too many words to have a shot at his comprehension.

“No capito”

Ok so this time I will keep it simple…. “is it dolce?”  I asked… “sweet” …..”sweeta?”  he said… “what is sweeta”…. “dolce” I said…and he said “sale?”…and I said no “dolce” and he said “sale” and this went on for a few minutes until we both cracked up and then to our great relief…Alisa returned.  As soon as my café was done, the limoncello arrived.  As I sipped the liquore, I could not help but wonder if it tasted so good because of what it was or because of who I shared it with…two people who I was not prepared to enjoy and connect with…perhaps this was my “chance”.

The waitress was very sweet and welcoming. For some reason, I love to ask people where they learned their english….the taxi driver watched movies and subtitles….others studied in school and spoke English whenever possible….the waitress learned by translating songs….I have yet to meet anyone who has gone to a language institute….their method is true love…..dedication….desire….and determination.   I was inspired…

We left with the usual ciao grazies and drove back two blocks to the office to finish up with business.  As Alisa showed Mr. Cervantes our website, we all digressed….into one of my favorite topics…. “salvage”.  We spoke about the passion for reclaimed items in our country and especially those that come from and therefore,  symbolize Europe…and represent the lifestyle that we all dream is commonplace.  They laughed and spoke of the realities of their country…  I tried not to hear…and we continued to share cultures….mindsets….and were so caught up in the fascination of  the tales of our two countries that we forgot about my train.  Oh well…they are every hour….

To ensure I would catch the 6pm train, we packed up the glass samples, I called the kids and off we went to the train station.  It was a wild ride as Certaldo has a bit of traffic for its size….and Mr Cervantes is not patient driver….as most Italians.   As he ranted at drivers, Alisa and I continued our conversation….trying to get in every last thought before our time was up.  They both came into the station with me to ensure I would get the right ticket…I put my money in the machine and out came two tickets…no change….they hit the machine…pressed the help button a hundred times and spoke to each other passionately in Italian….they hit the machine again…looked around…and pressed the help button ten more times…more Italian.   They were serious yet I could not help but see the charm in it all.  This went on for a bit until we realized my second ticket was a credit to redeem in Firenze….oops.

We said our ciao grazies and piacere(nice to meet you) and as they were walking away, Mr Cervantes turned around and said something to me…and then Alisa turned around and said…he said we will see you next week.  I smiled at the two of them….and for a second wondered if this was their routine with naïve American producers….to get their business….and he speaks perfect English….ha…..how funny would that be…..but no, because I was not naïve….I was prepared… and this was “chance”.

As the sun beat in the window, I was lulled by the sound of the tracks… I was on my way home.  I processed the beauty of the day.  I pondered how close I was to having my own mold for a bottle…we still had things to work out and I’m not sure we can afford it quite yet…but we are so close…to a dream I have had for fifteen years…so close that I know it will happen….at some point…and there is so much peace in knowing.   Looking back at all the wasted yearning, I now know that I am exactly where I am suppose to be….at the exact time that I am suppose to be here….for everything has its time and this is now…as it rightly should be….and it could not have been then…..so the yearning was for not…or is it naught?  Capito?

I need to continue to refine how to just be….and to know….and accept the moment for what it is….for it is what it should be…and I vow to welcome whatever is to follow in whatever form it comes…positive or negative…it won’t be easy and I won’t always get it right…but I vow to try.

Oh and the moments still came as I proceeded on my journey home….with a quick stop at Elisabettas to find an amazing selection of produce from Florence…spring is here!…and more fresh pasta from Christian…and…turning the corner to our flat….I found my kids…..my kids?  Standing outside of the door….yelling, “mom!”.  Loaded down with groceries and a mind full of the meal to come, I was not prepared to hear that they had locked us all out of the flat…we had no keys….at 8pm…..in Italy.  As we sat on the steps of our building pondering what to do next……..I remembered my vow….and smiled sweetly as Emily noted…… “well at least we have good vegetables to eat”.

To be continued………

Posted on April 24, 2009 - by napavalleybath

What’s not to love?

Looking out from the duomo…

MORE ON THE WAY………

Posted on April 24, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Ricotta Fritta (Fried Ricotta)

Elizabetta’s was a nice respite from the rain…..we bid our usual ciaos and I announced my hope for the evening…..I wanted to make Ricotta Fritta (Fried Ricotta). I had found a recipe as I always do but SO look forward to Elizabetta’s spin. Today, she had a perplexed look and said ah yes….we make this in Tuscany…..but I don’t make too much…and then she went and grabbed a worn beautiful cookbook and began to explain how this chef is one of the best in Tuscany and he shops at her store every day…..and yes, he has the recipe…..

As I looked over her shoulder, she translated for me….and after we went through it all….she thought twice…I need to get a piece of paper….she looked everywhere on her desk and finally discovered a small tablet underneath some books…she tore a piece off and then went through the same routine with a pen.  Now armed with pen and paper, we went back through it again.  It was very different then the recipe I had found…

First you make the sauce…with flour, water, a bit of oil and two eggs.  I noticed the recipe didn’t have any measurements…but how do I know how much flour?  She looked at me in the eyes…perhaps with a bit of astonishment…she truly had a novice on her hands….ok….she said….you are making a sauce….you want it to look and feel like a sauce…that would cover the ricotta….that you could dip the ricotta in….so just do it that way….if it is too thick add more water….too thin add more flour….I must have looked a bit afraid as she then said…..ok about this much of flour….and held her thumb and finger apart so wide….and this much water…and opened them wider….and a splash of oil and the 2 eggas….I love the way she says eggs….eg gas.  Ok…I can do this!

She then went on to tell me how to make the ricotta…take the ricotta…I give to you exact amount you need…and add two eggs…and 100 oz. of parmesan cheese….ut oh….how much is 100 oz. I asked…not much she said…and then proceeded to pick up a piece of parmesan and show me about how much.  Mix it all together and finish it with salt.

Take a spoonful of the Ricotta mixture and dip it in the sauce…then place it in a pan with olive oil…don’t let them touch….and fry for a few minutes…should be brown on the outside and creamy ricotta in the middle.  Serve them hot….

As I walked out of Elizabetta’s that day, I couldn’t help but have a new feel for cooking….she was teaching me the “feel”….I never knew it had a “feel”.   Cooking is a lot of common sense…it can be a bit natural if you can cast the fear of failure aside….and I have failed….ask the girls about the ricotta and spinach canneloni I tried….we ended up having cornflakes for dinner…ha….but I have succeeded too…like the ricotta fritta…it was a HUGE success…the kids loved it….they loved that I was cooking and serving them right off the stove (of course I wasn’t sitting down)….and they talked about the look, texture and goodness…what it reminded them of….a food memory in our own kitchen!  They begged me to stop as I believe the recipe was for a cocktail party for 20 but I fried down to the last drop….we pulled them out of the frig the next day for lunch…along with the sundried tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil….and they were just as fabulous.

MY INGREDIENTS LIST AND DIRECTIONS ….. AND A LITTLE BIT OF RICOTTA FRITTA!

Posted on April 18, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Does Madrid ever sleep?

We got Sydney (Kaelin’s visiting friend) off to the airport this AM but what an experience!  We left the apt at 6:30am…I was a bit worried about finding a cab as they said calling one does not work….so we headed to the closest blvd.  As we left the apartment we immediately realized that Madrid had not gone to bed yet.  There were hundreds of people….all over…..still partying in the streets….LOTS of drunk people…as we strolled through the scenes with Sydney’s luggage rolling behind I felt somewhat unsafe….at 6:30 in the morning!  No one bothered us so I became more comfortable as we strolled to the main blvd.  It was still dark out so it was a bit erie…..we reached what appeared to be a busy street….as we waited on this one corner we saw taxi after taxi pass us by…all filled with passengers…I had no idea that my issue would be that all taxis would be full….and that we would be avoiding drunk people….no idea…I had these two young girls in my care and I was not prepared.

I started to immediately process game plan #2, with my antennas reaching toward the dark sky…..to think…30 minutes ago, I was sleeping peacefully.   As I contemplated our next move, I said a prayer…”just show me the way….show me the way”……..the next thing I knew this drunk guy was walking toward me eating a sandwich and said….”taxi?”  I said, “si” and he slurred some street name and point up the street….I tried to repeat what I heard so he would say it again…..and he did…but I still didn’t get it….I just knew it started with an M…and that there was egg in his sandwich…. so, we headed up the street in the direction he pointed….looking for anything that resembled his M word.  Yes I did ponder how ludicrous it was to follow a drunk man’s slurred direction but at that point it was all I had…so we walked…and as we did, I noticed a silence in our group….Kaelin and Sydney are normally take charge girls…there was silence…just the faint sound of their footsteps immediately filling the steps of mine….as if I had a wing…and they were struggling to stay under it.

As we walked passed a mariachi band loading their car….several couples hanging out by cars….groups of people all dressed up and looking good…I realized that we were the minority….sober people on the streets at 6:30am…we were the minority?!  I began to look at the passing cars in a different light….it was as if we were part of a game….I had to find a taxi…while tranversing through drunk people and most likely, drunk drivers…and the point structure?….taking the right direction after a drunk man slurred some words at you….10 points…….crossing a main blvd with cars full of drunk people driving every which way…..15 points……a empty taxi passing without stopping…..lose 15 points…..successfully passing the group with the young man peeing on the street sign….20 points…..staying calm while being taunted…10 points…..rolling a suitcase…..lose 50 points……saying prayers…..100 points……getting cash out of the atm during all of this…..beep beep beep stupid stupid stupid…..lose 50 points….I can laugh as I look back on it…but then….with two young girls in tow……and no pepper spray in hand….I wasn’t laughing.

No….it wasn’t funny when I glanced up to see a young man….in a group of men…peeing on the street sign…and looking directly at us approaching.  I told the girls…keep walking fast and keep looking to your right…..no eye contact…..Kaelin….not hearing…..looked……and the taunting began….and our pace increased….there was a very big intersection in site….and as we approached the corner,  I could see lots of taxis passing by….filled with people….and my heart sank.  I began to turn toward the girls while telling them to say a prayer to whoever it is they pray to so …..and out of my eye there was a taxi….sitting right in front of us….I gestered to him  and he knodded his head…..he knodded his head!  He didn’t just drive on as others did before….he knodded his head!!  I didn’t really believe it until he got out and popped his trunk….we were safe…..we had won.

Before I could even step toward the taxi, the girls had thrown the suitcase in the trunk and were strapped in and ready to go.  I jumped in to the fainting sounds of taunting as we sped away.

Once safe in the cab, we regurgitated what had just happened and pondered what could possibly be so fun that you would stay out until 7am?  And how lucky were we that a drunk man felt the compassion to direct us?  And the taxi was right there at the end?  Hmm……

We took Syd in to her terminal and got her set…..watched her go through security and waved good bye.  Kaelin and I went on a search for the taxis which is never as easy when you don’t have your contacts in.   We were victorious and jumped in….buckled up….and headed back to Calle de Alpadoca, cinco.  As we told the driver donde we were headed, I recalled the memory of when we arrived in Madrid…first got in two taxis (5 people had to go in 2)….and how I had to show him the address written down…and was nervous about sending 2 girls in another cab at that point….and a bit nervous about where are apt was….how it would be…..what we would do…..and relieved that we made it through without customs…..and now we just jump in and say our address in Spanish and head back as if we were locals.  It felt comfortable….and everything had worked out just fine…..actually really good……and we had spent the night before at a bar, having a margarita, talking about sex, drinking, and anything else they felt like talking about……and I realized once again that there is a bigger picture to this….one that I cannot really even grasp….and I really need to let go of the daily worries and feelings as if I had control….and to let it be….be strong…identify good direction…..and execute…..because this is changing lives….and I’m lucky to be a part of it….

As we jumped out of our cab and ran back upstairs, I felt as if I was a Madrid local coming home from partying …so I jumped in my bed and fell back to sleep….and as I awoke there was a sense of great relief…..that I wasn’t in charge…..that I was back to my core team….and the stage was now set for an even more amazing second half to our journey….

Posted on April 16, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Food Memories….Make Your Own!

Food memories…..if nothing else we are creating an entire library of food memories.   Our world has made a dramatic shift…we have gone to Madrid for Kaelin’s spring break….to a land of tapas vs. pastas.  So far we have had 8 meals and I have yet to understand what I order.  It is clear when it comes to the table but before its arrival, it’s a crap shoot.  The good part is that I’ve had 8 delicious and flavorful meals.  So, I’m enjoying the “not knowing” and have decided that I will not attempt to understand the culture of eating in Madrid while we are here for 7 days…my brain is on overload and there is no room for anymore…so I will just order with no expectation and enjoy the flavors along the way…..not a bad philosophy to carry through my days.

Madrid is beautiful.  I actually bought a guide book this time and read it on the plane trip over.  I had a game plan which has been executed beautifully until today.  Today we took a left instead of a right and after we enjoyed a peaceful stroll through El Parque Del Retiro….and the kids jumped on a boat ride in the pond….we continued left…instead of right.  I was surprised that I was not reaching the street that I was looking for and we were going further outside of the City….the screams of hunger pains became louder and louder until there was no option but to duck into the nearest restaurant…so we did…and it was full….and so we continued…to the left…..the teen moaning became louder and louder until we spotted another restaurant…and ducked in….it was full too….but no…there was a downstairs….and they had a table.  The man spoke very quick Spanish to me and I was able to understand….the kids were amazed….you understood him mom?!  I had to admit that I didn’t understand a word but have become an expert on reading a situation and what he is probably saying and going with that….and sure enough….I was right….a table downstairs.  As we ventured down the small staircase, the noise became louder….of people talking….and the smells became more potent….of flavorful food….and ah….cigar smoke.  The girls (Kaelin has a friend visiting now so I have 4), were shocked and sickened.   I had to smile….feeling old as I talked to them about “when I was a kid”…and smoking on planes, etc….they were amazed as if I had told them that my refrigeration was in the ground…..and I had no electricity…..but their hunger pains won out…we would stay.

The man then told us where to sit, which I didn’t understand…and there were 3 tables open….two for 4 people and one for 6…..so I assumed it was the one for 6….ah….still going strong without having to say, hablas inglés?…I was proud.  As we sat at our table in the corner, I was able to watch all the various tables…through the smoke….a family at one….business people at others….and a few couples….all very local in appearance and language…all enjoying each other and their meals.  Their was laughter and chatter…the energy permeated the smoke so it soon disappeared.

We stumbled through the menu as usual and ended up with a plethora of dishes…it was fun to share…family style…..makes a difference….it inspires food conversations and brings a sense of unity that you don’t have when ordering on your own.  I haven’t really thought about that difference until our meal today….interesting…..might be one of the attractions of tapas…..an underlying psychology that we are not totally aware of…..sharing food….very cool.

As we finished, we continued to pour our water and talk…..four teenage girls and myself…..hanging out for yet another 2 hour meal.  I had to smile to myself as we sat there because these girls don’t even realize what has transpired….sharing a meal is a 2-3 hour experience now…without even noticing.  Their conversations are intense and continuous…they talk about the food….about life…..about the food….there is no computer….no ipod…iphone…..just a meal with loved ones…..and it is satisfying….to the body, mind and soul.

Oh dear, I rambled again as I really wanted to tell you about an amazing bakery that we stumbled across in our left that should have been a right.  The kids spotted the sign…pan cake….it was adorable.  I told them we could stop after lunch…and they didn’t forget….headed straight to it and in….what a find!  It was very French in style of dessert offerings….and it was all organic.   They didn’t speak english and I was spent so they brought out a young very cool dude who was the “baker” and may have been the owner….he came out and with flour on his hands explained the pastries.   We placed our order, sat down and talked….not about the weather….or life……or Madrid…..but about the desserts that we were about to eat….and how amazing they looked…yes folks it was the beginning…..of yet another…….drum roll please……FOOD MEMORY.

I could reach deep into my library of descriptors and reveal each each dessert one by one….but there are not enough books in the library to do this justice….besides….I’m obsessed with my “flip camera” (thanks Kel!) and thought I’d show you instead.

I hope you are enjoying your day and creating your own food memories!

Ciao….or should I say…Adios!

Posted on April 9, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Grounded by David Picci

I continue to amazed at the people I’ve met on this journey….the passion….the heart…..the soul….it’s everywhere….and David Picci was no exception. I will admit that I had my doubts…I’ve met enough “experts” in my industry to be a little jaded. I also have less patience to listen to ego….so as I shook David’s hand….in a small parking lot in Figline….I was guarded. He immediately began to speak about the olive tree…the conversation started with pruning…went to varietals….pressing….harvest….oils….all over the map. I let him do most the talking as I have learned the art of listening…I have found if you listen as if you can hardly hear then you can discover not only the content of the words but also that of the person behind them…and as we neared the end of all we could say in a parking lot, I had a sense….that David was a man not only passionate about his trade but also about the earth that it was connected to….so needless to say, I didn’t hesitate to take him up on the invitation to see his orchards.

The drive to the orchards was framed with fields of olive trees….everywhere….and no straight rows….or plowed fields….but all pruned the same…..the centers wide open….at home the olive tree is the side show, if that, to the vineyard…..here, it steals the show….

I have attached the video of some of our conversation. I thought you might enjoy hearing knowledge passed down from generations….and although the content might not be pertinent to you, maybe David’s soul will come through, as it did on that day…and maybe you will feel the inspiration of a man who is driven by passion for his trade…..because David does not drive around with a “green” sticker on his car nor does he brag about his “sustainability”….because once again….it is simply who he is….and if there is one lesson that I have learned on this journey… it is that when you are true to yourself then you don’t have to say a word….you radiate your message because you are IT.

Posted on April 9, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Minestrone Zuppa

I always thought that minestrone would be too much to attempt….way too many ingredients. But…after many requests….I decided to attempt it…..when I began to tell my grocer what I needed he immediately knew I was making zuppa….so he began to pick out my ingredients even before I could say and then added some that I didn’t know that I needed….so here is goes.

Ingredients

• 7 oz. fagioli beans
• 2 small red onions
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks for celery, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 head of fennel, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• small bunch of fresh basil
• 2 400g cans of plum tomatoes
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• 7 oz. spinach…washed and sliced
• 1 pint of broth…we use vegetable
• Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 oz. pasta
• Organic Grey Sea Salt
• St. Helena Olive Oil Co. Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Heat up a good amount of the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and the finely sliced basil STALKS.  Cook on low heat with the lid a jar for about 20 minutes until soft.  Add the tomatores, zucchini and red wine and simmer gently for 15 minutes or so.  Add the spinach, stock and beans.  Add the pasta and continue to simmer until pasta is cooked.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.  Let everyone add their own portion of parmesan cheese.

Observations

I was amazed at how easy this was and how delicious it turned out!  I really didn’t measure much…just used common sense and all turned out well.