eG Foodblog: hathor - Carpe Diem

[Sentiamo]

Am I reading this correctly?  Was that steak really just 2.5 euros?

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It will be sold al'etto, by the ounce. The way beef prices are fluctuating here in NZ I will be doing the same soon!

[hathor]

Bramo! I live here and I bramo! yes, it's a perfect word. Seriously, there is not a day that goes by that I am not blown away by the beauty, the simplicity, the wonder, the randomness, the weirdness of my little tiny corner of Umbria.

Wonton? What???? Abra: Carpe diem....when you see it, run with it!! wanton? No. Wonton looks so much better.

I cannot spell. I cannot proofread. I cannot lie.

Legourment: where have you been?? Pull up a chair, pour some wine, tell me what you know about mushrooms! What we saw today was simply amazing.

[hathor]

Dinner?? Did someone say they are hungry?

Tonight we are serving farona, faronha, guinea fowl. Dear Spelling Police, I've seen it with and without the "h", but any way that you spell it, guinea fowl is tasty. Before.

This bird is from the butcher shop in Umbertide. They cut off its head, strap on the pancetta, tie on the rosemary...and this is what is called "prepared food". They don't have this all the time, but when I see it, I buy it. 'nuff said. Here is the After shot.

Now, I've made roasted cauliflower about 56200 times. Have you ever seen this happen to the cauliflower?????

Woah! It was bubbling and sizzling like some weird mushroom, or like it has cheese in it.

I turned off the oven, letting everything rest and calm down.

To keep us entertained, I served some pasta with truffles.

Then we ate the farona, cauliflower, some cucumber and tomato salad.

The cauliflower came out just fine, and I like it with a spritz of balsamic vinegar.

We had some coffee, and now dinner is all done.

This has been a great week for me; a chance to share my incredible good fortune with you. There is so much that I didn't get to show you. So much that we didn't get to do, people that you didn't have a chance to meet. I hate long good-byes. Please, join us on the Umbrian thread.

Here is sunset from our roof. Raise a glass and toast our wonderful luck at being able to experience this part of the world together. Grazie mille!

Edited October 8, 2006 by hathor (log)

[edsel]

Wonton? What????    Abra: Carpe diem....when you see it, run with it!!    wanton? No. Wonton looks so much better.

I cannot spell. I cannot proofread. I cannot lie.

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I spotted that little typo/braino but chose to hold my tongue.

I'm just waiting to hear someone translate "carpe diem" as "catch of the day".

BTW, I caught that NPR spot on the Sicilian singer and somehow thought of your blog, even though you're a very long way from Sicily. Bramo indeed!

[hathor]

OK. I can't spell..

What Sicilian singer?

Blame the edit on the wine at dinner. I can't even find the question mark key!!

Edited October 8, 2006 by hathor (log)

[Swisskaese]

Grazie mille Judith. It was a wonderful ride.

And thanks for the extra chestnut shots.

[ghostrider]

Eggs were refrigerated in Korea, either, so perhaps egg refrigeration is a North American thing?

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I think you're right - they're not in Britain, but are refrigerated in Canada.

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Just playing catchup on this wondrous blog, savoring every page & every image, but this reminds me that refrigeration of eggs may be a relatively recent North American thing. When I was growing up in the 1950s in St. Louis, we used to drive out to the little town on the Missouri river where my dad grew up to buy, among other things, farm fresh eggs directly from the local distributor. They were most assuredly not refrigerated then.

I remember that there was some sort of mechanical conveyor belt contraption that separated the eggs by size, not unlike a multi-level train set for eggs. I'm not describing it well but I remember being fascinated by it every time.

Omigosh is this blog over already? I will still be reading it long after it closes, I fear, so let me say thank you - multi grazie or something like that - many times over. I've long been enchanted with Umbria. Gubbio is one of my favorite places in this world, I've always wanted to see more of the region. You are lucky indeed to live there and I'm grateful for all that you've shared with us,

Amatriciana is my favorite pasta dish. Nice to see your twist on it! Not to mention that lovely chunk of pancetta.

Edited October 8, 2006 by ghostrider (log)

[Pan]

Yesterday I had looked over the menu at one of Pietralunga's tavernas, and it seemed like a good idea for lunch.

[...]

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What would be in "Grigliata di Maiale Mista"? Different parts of pig, I presume?

Judith, I can't believe it's been a week already! (I'm sure you can, because blogging is a lot of work.) Era moltissimo divertente! Grazie mille, e ciao!

[KatieLoeb]

Grazie Mille my friend. What a wondrous life you lead. I'd be more jealous, but having met you and Jeff, I know how much you appreciate it. The photos are awe inducing. La Dolce Vita indeed.

Please let me know next time you head down to visit your son. I'd love to have a glass of wine (or three) and catch up. I want to hear more stories about Umbertide.

[edsel]

What  Sicilian singer?

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Sicilian singer.

As I said, many miles (kM) from you, but I thought of you nonetheless.

Edit to add: it was Pontormo who first mentioned the NPR piece.

Edited October 8, 2006 by edsel (log)

[nyokie6]

Thank You! It's been wonderful reading all week.

[Nina C.]

Judith - what a magical food blog. You've painted such a romantic picture-postcard of the expat life. I wonder if your house won't be very busy next fall with truffle-hungry egulleters!

In such a a small town, were you able to avoid being lonely or bored when you moved there? If there is time before the blog is closed, I'd love to know if it was difficult to make friends. You certainly seem to have a full friend circle now!

For those who have been similarly seduced, I found this link.

Thank you!

[racheld]

Thank you, thank you for this wonderful glimpse into a land far away and a life so luscious. The rain makes the magnificent landscape even more beautiful, and the people are timeless inhabitants of a glorious, richly-hued painting. You've portrayed all your days in relation to the foods and wines which are everyday sustenance to your region, and it's been nourishing, even through the printed page and camera lens.

Your adopted home could be now, or yesterday, or the best of both. Just lovely.

[mrbigjas]

Grazie Mille my friend.  What a wondrous life you lead.  I'd be more jealous, but having met you and Jeff, I know how much you appreciate it.  The photos are awe inducing.  La Dolce Vita indeed.

Please let me know next time you head down to visit your son.  I'd love to have a glass of wine (or three) and catch up.  I want to hear more stories about Umbertide. 

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yeah, what she said!

[MarketStEl]

Grazie Mille my friend.  What a wondrous life you lead.  I'd be more jealous, but having met you and Jeff, I know how much you appreciate it.  The photos are awe inducing.  La Dolce Vita indeed.

Please let me know next time you head down to visit your son.  I'd love to have a glass of wine (or three) and catch up.  I want to hear more stories about Umbertide. 

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yeah, what she said!

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You may as well arrange a group outing for the Philly contingent when next you're in town.

This has been a beautiful tour of an absolutely lovely countryside. Thanks, too, for the brief introduction to mushrooms I'll probably never see in or around Kennett Square.

Stay well, and see you around.

[Chufi]

thank you, Judith, for a truly wonderful week.

[Chef Metcalf]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to write and portray such a wonderful glimpse of what many of us dream about.

Amazing photography, commentary and observations Judith.

Carpe Diem indeed!

[hathor]

Thanks to all of you for joining us! We had a great time.

Nina, we are extremely lucky with regard to finding friends, the townspeople could not be more warm and welcoming. If you hang out in the piazza, you are sure to make some friends.

And a Philly dinner sounds like a great idea....want to go out for some Italian food??

Now I'm going to go hang out on Eden's blog...a Renassiance feast...how cool!

Ciao!

[judiu]

Thanks to all of you for joining us! We had a great time.

Nina, we are extremely lucky with regard to finding friends, the townspeople could not be more warm and welcoming. If you hang out in the piazza, you are sure to make some friends.

And a Philly dinner sounds like a great idea....want to go out for some Italian food?? 

Now I'm going to go hang out on Eden's blog...a Renassiance feast...how cool!

Ciao!

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Thanks for the beautiful gift of Umbria. This armchair traveler just put another notch in the rocker! Wonderful!

[BarbaraY]

I'm glad I got here before this blog was locked.

I have something akin to nostalgia for somewhere I've never been. It is just too beautiful to believe.

As to the mushrooms, the first is called Earth Star here, I don't have the Latin name handy. The Coprinus Comatus is called Shaggy Mane here. I've been told that they are edible but the ones that pop up in my herb bed turn slimy in no time and I've never had an urge to try them.

In many ways Umbria seems to be very similar to this area, perhaps that's why so many Italians settled here in earlier times. I used to love to go to our neighbor's for lunch in the summer. We ate in the wine cellar where it was cooler (pre-A/C). Terrific pasta and really sourish wine, at least to my child's taste.

Thank you for a wonderful blog. It has truly made me, once again, want to go to Italy.

[ghostrider]

Just looked at the map & now see how (relatively) close you are to Gubbio.

I'll never forget hiking on Monte Ingino and sitting on an outcrop for a spell on a sunny summer day, savoring the view of the town and plain below, surrounded by the heady scent of wild mountain thyme. Startling thing to stumble across.

I bought some local herb blends the next day and used them at home over the next year to reconnect with Umbria.

Wondering if the woods and hilltops around Montone are similarly perfumed in summer. This question probably comes in too late. Anyway, thanks again.

Edited October 9, 2006 by ghostrider (log)

[Linda Griffith]

hathor, this is such a great blog, as far as I'm concerned, one of the very best ever... your pictures are gorgeous but the best part for me is your writing.. so evocative and you really know how to capture your audience! I am completely hooked! Every post is a story. Beautiful.

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/quote]

Thanks Klary...those are kind words. I'm dying to read about your vacation...its killing me that I haven't had time to see what you were up to!

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Hathor,

I feel like I am on vacation, myself! Having had the joy of being in and around Torino and Alba during Truffle season a few times, I can smell them again, along with the porcini and those fabulous roasted chestnuts. There is, however, nothing like being there in the flesh.

It has been years since I have been in Umbria, however. Now you really make me want to return. If only I could pack myself into Dominic's suitcase!

Thank you for this marvelous blog and sensational pictures. Don't stop, please.

[ludja]

...

First course was the lentil soup, or lentil stew, with fresh porcini.  The porcini were thinly sliced and added at the last minute.

...

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Another wonderful porcini dish! Your wonderful photos and descriptions bring the food into my mouth. Thank you for a wondeful culinary tour of your home and town!

edited to add: Reading back on this, I realized I used "wonderful" three times... I guess 'wonderful' was the feeling in my subconscious...

Edited October 9, 2006 by ludja (log)

[Dana]

Every week, I think that this was a really nice blog, but yours has been one of the best ever. Thanks so much.

[Jensen]

Thank you so much for sharing with us all.