Pongi

mrbigjas, we generally call it "la Moka". Caffettiera is a generic word, which can refer to any coffee maker (for example the caffettiera napoletana, which is something different) except for espresso machine, that's just "la macchina da espresso". More, the word "caffettiera" is often used to indicate any kind of old, slow, coughing vehicle (car, boat or train). Since an old car is also called "un macinino" (a coffee grinder) could you explain to me why coffee and vehicles are so closely related in our italian minds? This is the first time I notice it Pongi

Ditto, Craig! You're funny and informative as usual A couple of things more: -Apart from daily use, another critical point is the quality of water. Some tap waters make good moka coffee-others don't. If the water in your area is not good (you can suspect it if your coffee is still wretched even after 1 month of continuous use of your moka coffee maker) use mineral water. -If your coffee doesn't come out properly and start boiling before having filled the upper part of your moka (which makes an awful coffee, of course) this can be due to several reasons: 1)You have filled too much the filter with coffee powder. 2)Your coffee powder is too fine (for example, it's espresso coffee) 3)It's time to change the rubber seal. 4)If you have already changed it, it's time to change the filter. In any case, if you cannot replace your seal/filter at present, there is a trick. Remove your moka from heat, and cool down its bottom very quickly, putting it in cold water. Then put it on the heat again. This generally works. -A "grandma" trick to get a sort of cream on your moka coffee. As soon as the first drops of coffee come out, pour them in your coffee cup, add a couple of tsp of sugar and stir vigorously with your spoon until creamy, then add very slowly the remaining coffee. When we were children, we were told that this was a way to get " a real espresso"...of course this is not true, but the result is anyway pretty nice -Recently, Bialetti created a new moka coffee maker which is supposed to make an "espresso-like" coffee. We purchased it, seriously putting at risk our lives as it has a deplorable inclination to explode...so, we renamed it "The Boom-Boom Machine". If you survive, you'll get a coffee cup that looks just like an espresso cup. My hubby is very proud of that, and I daren't tell him that the coffee is practically undrinkable... Pongi

I agree with Nikolaus on many points...especially on Caino. I've been there a number of times since I was a young girl, because my mom used to spend a couple of weeks every year at the Terme di Saturnia. It was, at those times, a traditional restaurant...with a special touch, however. A place where you could have things like roasted porcupine (delicious!) and Fragolino wine! The chef still was the mythical Angelona who made the restaurant renowned everywhere in Italy (but not yet abroad...) In the course of time, I've seen Caino getting more and more sophisticated as for food, decor, and prices. I still enjoy a meal there, but I could easily forget to be in Tuscany, and that unforgetable flavour is almost lost now. Just a pity! Pongi

From the italian point of view, what slkinsey said is totally correct. Lasagne (we never use the singular!) are a type of noodle, which can also be served just boiled and sauced. For example, the traditional Genovese lasagne, called "Mandilli de saea" (silk handkerchiefs) for their thinness, are simply layered in the serving dish, brushed with pesto and sprinkled with grated parmesan before serving. Like in the above mentioned Mario Batali's recipe, Lasagne with pesto can also be mixed with bechamel and baked, but personally I'd avoid adding other ingredients like vegetables. As someone said, the more simple is the recipe, the more it's "italian" and not "italian-like!" It's also right that we generally make our baked lasagne with bechamel, only seldom with other cheeses, never with ricotta. I like alot vegetable lasagne, but I make them "white". I mix bechamel with pureed mushrooms or artichokes or asparagus (I never use them together), then make layers of lasagne, bechamel and slices of the same vegetable I pureed in the bechamel. Another good option can be white lasagne (only bechamel and cheese) flavoured with white truffle paste (or REAL white truffles if you're rich ) BTW: why eggplant slices, baked with tomato, cheese and herbs, should be called "Lasagna"? They have already got a name - "Parmigiana di Melanzane" Pongi

I'm very surprised to see those two Alto Adige restaurants, La Siriola and La Stua de Michil, included in that list. I must admit that, although I have a holiday home near Bolzano, I've never been there, but this is due to the fact that, according to the Guida de L'Espresso I generally go with, they share a medium score with other 10-12 restaurants in the area. According to L'Espresso, there are no top restaurants in Alto Adige, being the best one "Zur Rose" in Appiano - which is, in my opinion, a good but not unforgetable place. So, if Craig or someone else is planning to try those two places, I would be glad to know something about them as I'll be in Alto Adige the last week of July Pongi

Hi Adam! since you're supposed to visit (if I understood well) the most eastern part of Liguria, I have a few more advice to add to the very exhaustive one from giuliochef. Lunigiana is full of places where you can have Panigacci, the most typical specialty of the area. They're a kind of savoury pancakes, served hot with salumi and cheeses. Thay can also be boiled in water like a pasta, cut in squares and served with pesto, meat or mushroom sauce. In this case they're called Testaroli. Another typical food of Eastern Liguria is Mesciua, a bean and pulse soup. And don't forget another traditional cake, Spongata- a sort of shortcrust pastry filled with honey, jam, nuts and spices. Some good places where to eat: -Locanda delle Tamerici, in Località Fiumaretta di Ameglia (pretty expensive and sophisticated) -La Palmira in San Terenzo near Lerici (a small, friendly trattoria, renowned for its excellent fish dishes) -the restaurant (which name I can't remember) on the main square of a small medieval village called Nicola; not only because of the good food, but also for the place, that is magic! -The most famous place for Farinata is La Pia in La Spezia; they recently opened a new place which has lost the fashion of the former one but luckily their farinata is still the same Pongi

Hi everybody! Hmmm...it seems I have had main problems with my first posting attempt. Could someone explain to me why I cannot post using Netscape (the writing space does not appear) while I can using Internet Explorer? A pizza cheese mix very popular in Italy, and my very best favourite, is half Mozzarella fiordilatte and half Stracchino (or Crescenza or Certosa which are about the same). Although very soft and fresh, stracchino is tastier than mozzarella and melts very well without throwing out too much water and getting rubbery. As for "stinkier" cheeses, like most Italians I'm not crazy about them in my pizza... BTW, jinmyo, if you ever come in Italy it's better you don't ask for "caccacavalo". Even if you LOVE stinky cheeses, it's unlikely you'd enjoy a horse sh*t on your pizza Pongi

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