l'italia pt 2

From Genoa, we took the train to Florence. My companion had studied there for a year and we were able to stay with a friend of hers. Florence is an artist's haven. As you walk along the streets, there are little workshops tucked in everywhere. Many of them are refurbishing furniture or paintings, some are creating new items. We stopped into a glorious fabric store called Casa dei Tessuti which opened in 1929. The owner was sitting and reading from his book of poetry when we walked in. He invited us to sit. Several hours later we stumbled out with packages of the most incredible fabrics.

A main focus for us, as for all tourists in Italy was the food. And by that I really mean that we ate gelato everyday, had apperitivi regularly and tried to get in as much good pasta and pizza as possible. It was a diet of bread, cheese, ice cream and coffee for the most part. Walking a good 5-6 hours a day made it seem less gluttonous somehow.

One of the walks we took was to a church high above the city. We came across a public garden and some funny art installations. Florence is famous for the Ponte Vecchio, but really all of the bridges can be lovely to look at.

decompressing

After a summer that erred on the side of too crazy and too busy I have had 2 whole days in a row to sew and cook and then sew more. Lots of big things are happening (like leaving my job after 7 years) that have left me feeling overwhelmed both with excitement and anxiety. I have a few weeks to fill my largest ever (by a lot!) order but I was pulled into the kitchen this afternoon by a real need to cook. It's a place where I feel comfortable and calm. Thankfully we are smack in the middle of tomato season here so pasta with heirloom tomatoes and basil was an obvious dinner. I also made a zucchini and chickpea salad with harissa yogurt dressing that I want to experiment a bit more with before sharing the recipe. I realize I have neglected you all in the last few months and I am sincerely planning to be back here more often with recipes and photos to share. I'll also let you in on what's happening to me on the job front, but frankly I am too tired for it right now.

summer food and banana bread

I glanced down at the counter last night while preparing dinner and was so pleased. Tomato season is so very close (you could argue that it's here) and stone fruit is in full swing. I've been eating yogurt with granola and a peach or nectarine every morning and they have been amazing, juicing down my arm as I slice them. I cooked up a quick pasta with summer squash and tomatoes plus major amounts of basil for dinner-a staple around here. That banana bread you see in the background? I'm going to share the recipe. It's by far the best banana bread recipe I've ever used. I'm not kidding. It might be the amount of banana (3-4) which is more than I usually use or it could be the dash of bourbon. Okay, we all the know that's it's the alcohol which deepens the flavor, and I think the extra liquid makes the whole thing more moist. Rather than type out the recipe, I'm sending you right to the source (well not exactly the source since she got the recipe from someone who got it from someone else) because you really should know about this blog. It's gorgeous and totally inspiring.

lady of the night

It's barely fair to post a recipe like this one, it's that simple. In Italian, the word "puttana" means whore, and Pasta Puttanesca gets it's name either from the aroma (of anchovies which I leave out) or from the fact that this sauce is easy and cheap. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Heat a large skillet with a bit of olive oil. Throw in a clove of garlic, chopped and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup-ish of roughly chopped kalamata olives and a hefty tablespoon's worth of capers, either drained or rinsed depending on which variety you have. Stir it all together and add a large can of diced tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and then turn down to an active simmer. By now your pasta water might be boiling, so add a generous amount of salt and 1/2 a box of spaghetti or linguine. Cook al dente and throw the pasta into the skillet. Add a handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and serve. This should serve 2 adults plus leftovers, or 4 adults for a first course.