Franci

One more stop to a supermarket to buy some salumi, cheese and pasta.

When eating in Ventimiglia we are left with two options: pizza or Ristorante Hanbury We like it for many reasons: we can eat outside so feels less formal, the children can walk around if they are done eating and the food is good. Local food, maily fish, not boring and it tastes great. We are welcomed with a little pizza plate She is definitely more interested in the food than her brother My husband got as antipasto a "crudo di pesce" and the house antipasto for me. Some warm potato and octopus, saute' scallop and shrimp, baccala' mantecato (very good!) and some fried anchovies. Good seasoning, perfect temperature at the table, delicious. Then spaghetti with vongole for the husband And spaghetti with langoustine for me, shared with the children. Well executed.

Hi Kay! The wines span between 5 euros to 300 euros, which really represents the range of Italian wines. In Liguria, and for the French consumer, the prestigious Piemontese wines (e.g. Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Docetto) are prominent and take high prices. Some of the super Tuscans are also represented and expensive. Fortunately, there are also some good regional wines, especially whites, that are available. For example, Valpolicella (bad name in the States) are actually excellent, along with its cousin Amarone. There are also wines from where I grew up in Puglia (e.g. Primitivo di Manduria aka Zinfandel, Salice Salentino) that cost 5 euros. The Italian whites deserve special mention. I don't think any other country quite have the variety of whites that still exist in Italia. I can name Roero Arneis in Piemonte, Pigato and Vermentino in Liguria, Vernaccia in Cinque Terre, Lugana and Soave in Veneto, Falanghina and Greco di Tufo in Campania. My husband usually gets 12 bottles at a time from Ventimiglia - 2 barbera d'asti, 2 nebbiolo, 1 dolcetto, 1 primitivo, 1 salice salentino, 1 nobile montepulciano, 1 barolo, 2 lugana, 1 roero arneis.

Next stop was the liquor store. I don't know how many liquor stores there are in Ventimiglia. Many. Many. Distribution is set in a way that once you cross the border you cannot find such a variety of Italian wines. We talked about this over lunch my husband and I. He is the one who does the shopping for wine and he has been very impressed with Ventimiglia. He has not seen such a place where you find wines for all over Italy, with such detail, and very good ones.

At the far end of the market they sell fish. Cod tripe, anybody?

Plants, here tomatoes More vegetables Dried mushrooms and dried tomatoes by these guys. Porcini and black summer truffle Many deli stalls on the side Nuts

Cheese mostly from Piedmont Honey, also coming from the mountains in Piedmont Some bakeries/pasta stalls. In Liguria they are big on ravioli (meat or borage filling and trofie with pesto) A pastry shop

Ventimiglia is a small town at the border, a working class town. Bordighera and Sanremo are closer to people's idea of charming places on the Riviera. Not Ventimiglia. But it is convenient for us to shop for food and wine. This is the entrance to the market Saturday morning is very crowded, full of Italian and French shoppers. One aisle is taken mostly by farmers cardoons borage wild dandelion wild fennel prepared minestrone fresh beans Trombetta everywhere, which cost 8 euros in France and Monaco

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to get back, it has been a long day, spent mostly shopping for food and eating. Today I got up and was out of eggs. Sometimes I treat myself with a middle eastern style breakfast (I loved Hassouni or Nikki beatiful breakfast in Beirut) but let's say that I didn't have much in the fridge. So I got a tomato and cucumber salad and some feta with pain au levain. The red mullets are dredged in a mix of fine cornmeal and flour. The artichokes are dipped in a simple batter of eggs and flour, fairly thick. I use peanut oil for frying. I deep fry (in a wok) first the artichokes and secondly the fish. I don't think there is a particular policy on discarding oil here, when I use a lot of oil once cool I pour back in the bottle and goes in the general garbage, if the oil is not much I admit I drain down the toilet.

Oh, thanks Scudadoo97! You are very nice . I kept my food very simple and I try to cook what I know is liked in my house, in fact, tonight dinner has already been seen to egulleters on the "dinner thread". Two things my husband is particularly found of: fried fish and fried artichokes. I generally like much smaller red mullets for frying but these were still pretty good. and I think I'm going to be done with artichokes for a while, they were still sweet but time to replace them with zucchini blossoms which strangely I couldn't find this morning

The children already had their dinner The sole was very nice Served with oven roasted chips. My daughter ate half of the fish, my son ate the potatoes We are going to have a late dinner. Tomorrow morning we are going to Italy. Please, let me know if you are curious of particular aspects. There is a big vegetable market, one side dedicated especially to farmers. In the far back the fish section and on the sides some general stalls (salumi, fresh pasta and butchers). Ventimiglia is also full of wine stores, they make most of their profits with the French and Monaco shoppers.

Today the weather is very nice and warm. I decided to bring the girl down to the beach in the afternoon By the beach there are many snack places and little restaurants. A relaxing atmosphere From here, facing the beach, I couldn't take pictures, it was too bright. So I had to move on a little bit, to the next restaurant We decided to stop at the last coffee place on the way out for an ice cream A couple more weeks and here is going to be very crowded

On Friday I can have someone bringing in fish from Ventimiglia. Today I got a big red mullet, enough for pasta for me and my daughter. A sole that is going to be childrens' dinner and half a kg of small red mullets to fry for my husband and I. Here is the red mullet for our lunch I filleted the fish and used the head and bones for a quick fumet. Some EVOO and garlic, trimmings and head, some cherry tomatoes, parsley stalks, deglazed with white wine, water and quick cooking for 10 minutes. Strained the sauce and put on the side. I cut the fillets in bite sizes and saute them in garlic and EVO, plus cherry tomatoes, some black olive and the fish stock Saute' some spaghetti in the sauce, dusted with chopped parsley. Done. It was nice And the head it's for me

This morning I went to the bakery and got a couple pains au chocolat for breakfast and some bread to make a roll for my son's trip with the school. Then, I went to the Beausoleil market. Around there are also 2-3 little Asian stores, where I get some bottle sauces or sushi rice, very limited selection. I especially don't feel like buying their vegetables

Heidi, they were steamed for 20 minutes. Differently than the green asparagus they need peeling and longer cooking. The taste is also quite milder sometimes with a bitter note. One time I tried some white asparagus brought from people living around Padua, they were amazing, so much better than other white asparagus I tried. So I think sourcing the right product is very important in this case to really have a good experience. I would like to be able to answer in a more specific way to your question, Linda. Reality is that I've really not dining out much since we got here and especially in Monaco. We go either to Nice for fruit de mer or to Italy for pizza...And I don't know what my neighbors do. I know that most people here don't stay in Monaco all the time, they travel and have properties all over the world. So if they get bored with the local fair they surely have the opportunity to go to fancy restaurants elsewhere. I don't have the impression that people is very much interested into food. There is not a high-end supermarket. Hassouni, I'd love to cook more Chinese food especially because I don't go out for Chinese here and I miss it but my Chinese husband doesn't want to eat Chinese food that much I don't want my children to perceive Chinese food as foreign...but so far my son dislike the taste of soy sauce. This morning I took a couple pictures of my local little store for Asian ingridients...another reason I don't cook much asian food.

So far, I've bought heirloom tomatoes only two times. The black crimea you have seen in the teaser picture and a beef heart. The black tomato was disappointing, very mealy. The coeur de beouf was decent, with a good smell but still not that tasty. So far the only tomatoes I found good are the small "datterini", little dates (last picture from the open market, next to the trombetta zucchini. Today was a rough day. The little one didn't sleep in the afternoon, so I didn't have time to make something I had in mind: rendering beef fat. In the fridge I keep many different fats, I was out of tallow, so the other day, from Formia, I got some fat to render (they forgot and didn't keep for me the best option but I guess it is still ok). The girl was of course very irritable for the rest of the day. I decided for an earlier dinner for them . A soup, just like the one you have seen a couple days ago, some grilled meat and a cucumber salad. I peeled the white asparagus and the girl wanted to help. They were huge! I was disappointed to find a hole so big in one of the asparagus I served in the most simple way. This season I've not had very, very good white asparagus...hopefully soon, because when they are good I find them truly good. Then we had some scallops (yes, defrosted!). I wanted to try a recipe on the side note of Flavor Bible. I don't like it, meaning that for me that is fine if a want to make a calamari sauce to dress pasta. Possible my mistake...to much brown bits in the pan...so a darker sauce. A larger, tomato concasse'. I'm not sure but I'm with my husband on this one, better plain simple scallops with plain salt.

Lunch as usual takes me start to finish 20 minutes at most The batter for the spaetzle was ready With the spaetzle tool I dropped the batter in boiling water, drain when the dumpling floated to the top and crisp them up with butter In another pan I saute quickly some scalliions, carrot, trombetta, speck in cubes, chiffonade of the trombetta flower at the end. A little basil and some grated comte for me Voila'

Ha! Many would kill for that beautiful selection of produce! Can you describe your potsticker filling? Also what makes the rice have that yellow color? Enjoying this immensely. Yes, I know Heidi. I should keep my mouth shut. I followed Andrea Nguyen recipe of pork filling for the regular jaozi (so pork, napa cabbage, scallions, ginger, soy, salt and rice wine). I like her skins for potsticker but not for water dumplings. I made the filling in the past and froze, doesn't keep that well but it is so convinient to have it ready. In the yellow risotto, or risotto alla milanese, the color is given by the saffron.

Ok, let's get back to the market The covered part of Condamine doesn't leave me with a good feeling, it's mostly empty. Pissaladiere Fresh pasta, gnocchi and sauces to dress (bolognese, pesto and tomato), plus panisse (the chickpea polenta) general food and this new place that look more like a bar to me... I counted three butchers inside Next stop is the little Bio market at the back. My son is going out for a field trip with school and I got some dry fruits and nuts Just in time to pick up my son from school

Thanks, Nikkib! I'm exactly half way between Nice and Ventimiglia. Although it's only 16 miles, Monaco is nestled by the sea surrounded by rocky mountains and there are some curvy roads to go up to the highway, so it takes about 30 minutes to Nice, 30-40 minutes to Ventimiglia. Before my daughter was born I used to go to Ventimiglia shopping every Wednesday but now not anymore. She really doesn't like travelling by car, so I wait for my husband to be home and we do some shopping on Saturday and not always. Because otherwise the all day is dedicated to shopping and we get home exausted. I do prefer to shop for food on Ventimiglia and, just like me, a lot of people from this side of the border. The all economy of the town is based on selling to French shoppers and commuting to work in Monaco . You'll see Saturday morning the difference in variety and prices at the Italian market. I could use the train, 10 minutes to go to the station, 20 minutes ride plus waiting times, with two small children...Forget! For me it's a big trip. So, although it is more expensive here and is more limited, I spare myself some pain. Also buying food online in Monaco is not very easy. By most sellers it is very expensive to ship to Monaco because it's outside European Union and it is not considered "France Metropolitane". I used to shop in London at Natoora (it's a French/Italian business), I cannot do it anymore.

This morning when I got up, I mixed a spaetzle batter, covered and left to rest in the fridge. I had the usual breakfast and left for the Condamine market with the little one. There is a nice arcade with a butcher and cafes The open air market is not very big Finally I see the little tomberry tomatoes from Ottolenghi's book! I stop at this stall and get a basket of strawberries from Pigna (a little town on the italian side, not too far away), a bunch of white asparagus, a trombetta and cucumbers for my son. Saturday morning we are going to Ventimiglia's market. I need to make mental notice of prices to compare: 70 euros for porcini, 8 euros for the long trombetta

Coming from you dcarch, I take it as a huge compliment. Thanks also to Zeemanb. This is funny, because, as Heidi knows, my new camera -received as gift- had an accident...luckily I also got a new Ipad. I'm a very mediocre photographer but the new Ipad rocks! Thanks Haresfur! I can also add that a good flexible spatula is of great help.

Good Thursday, everybody. After two days of so and so weather it seems is going to be a sunny day. Good to take some pictures! Just had my first coffee. Thanks for asking Kim. I'm feeling a little better, I didn't know I was suffering from seasonal allergies... There rice cakes can be a little tricky. I can spare some of tricks learnt over time. The traditional ones are made with no eggs, the starch from risotto and cheese should be enough to bind the cake. Sometimes I add one egg per cup of uncooked rice, more or less. They tend to fall apart, so to prevent it, I help myself with a ring. I used the ring to form the cakes and immediatly shake it a little, the bottom gets loose straight away, remove the ring and use it again when flipping the cakes. Otherwise, wait untill it's nice and crispy and flip with a ring in place. I like also a bigger version where I use a 14 cm ring and my small lyonnese. they can also be stuffed, traditionally with mushrooms, frog legs or snails. Good catch on the peeler. It is a tomato peeler. My son always loved raw peppers with no skin and I spent almost 3 years painfully peeling peppers with a regular peeler, wow, what a difference a good tomato peeler! It is great also for cucumbers or fruit because removes just the peel. I love it also for lemons, peels off just the right amount. Franci, Thank you for the extra piece of information. Using it and a little google work I found the following: "As the story goes, on the first of May 1561, King Charles of France—who was ten at the time—was presented with a fragrant bunch of muguet: the delicate green sprigs capped with tiny white bells that we know as lily of the valley. It was a gesture signifying luck and prosperity, which so touched the king, he continued the tradition by giving the sweet-smelling blossoms to the ladies of his court each year on the same day. La Fête du Muguet continues in France today, and though men, who wear a few stems in their lapel, still present women with fresh bouquets...' It is always amazing what you can learn on egullet. Thanks for all your work blogging with two little ones. Kay Well, thank you Kay, I didn't know it

Hello Kay. I do not know much, just that besides being Labor Day it is "Muguet" Lily of the Valley Day, so the two are associated. I thought they were more sugar work but maybe I didn't pay enough attention! I was concentrating trying to take a picture with my daughter in the carrier Before I go to sleep, I'm coming back to post about dinner. Not bad. We barely tried the cucumber because my son ate the whole plate (he likes the rice vinegar plus sugar combination ). The guo tie were approved by the husband and the little girl was ok with almost everything. Riso al salto, rice cakes. This is a staple I always make after risotto. The small pieces of rice that fall on the pan and get very crunchy are reward for the chef Pot stickers, served with chinese vinegar/soy sauce/spicy oil Quick pickle of cucumber Cold asparagus salad and Kimchi bought from the little Russian deli (not pictured) Time to sleep. Tomorrow mornig I'll go to the Condamine market by the port.

Ok, so tonight dinner is almost ready. I made the pot stickers skins And closed the pot stickers or as the other members of the house call them: guo tie. I also quickly pickled some cucumbers and blanched the asparagus. I have left over risotto to make some rice cakes.