The Love Boat

The Love Boat soon will be making another run 

The Love Boat promises something for every one

Come aboard for adventure your mind on a re-newed romance bla bla bla

Remember to show!!!!!!

We'll Be Coming Down The Mountain When We Come!!!!

 

As we come down the mountain from Fontana Del Pupa I'm thinking I've been slack and haven't posted all the recipes from Danielle, the cooking school in Roma + several from Fontana Del Papa so I will get them done over the coming weeks,  we have take notes like good little students so all good

For now we play!!!

We have 2 weeks with no cooking classes hip hip haray

We can see in the harbour with several large cruse-liners all waiting on their final guest to arrive.

We were supposed to board at least 2 hours prior to the ship setting sail. 

We arrive in a car that the cooking school arranged after a lavuous lunch  that we have just prepared, our host is on Roma time, they willa wait don'ta worry see see. 

She was right and we weren't the last to arrive but very very close!!! 

It was great straight through customs and on board and with in minutes we are taken to our "State Room"!!!! 

So cool we make our way up the lifts to the Decka Nina open the door to our room with our view over the port town. It like being on top of a high rise. 

Durum Flour

Durum Flour is the strongest flour used for pasta

O flour is used for pizza slightly processed 

00 is for cakes highly processed 

Salsa Verde Green Sauce

In a food processor blitz as much basil as will fit

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup pine nuts and 4 walnuts

A big splash of olive oil

1 cup grated pecorino similar to Parmesan but not as salty  

A pinch of salt to taste 

This was great over Gnocchi we made a Fontana Del Papa

Salsa Di Noci White Sauce

In Italy you have only white, green or red sauce! 

Same colour of their flag.

In a little pot bring water to the boil and add 1/2 cup of walnuts cook for 5 mins only and sit aside to cool

In a bowl with 1 cup of milk break in 3 slices of bread without crusts and soak for 10 mins

When the nuts are cooled you gently peel them hmmmm interesting job!!!! but well worth as it takes away the bitter taste

In a food processor blitz walnuts

1/2 clove garlic 

5 tablespoons Parmesan 

1/4 cup pine nuts to a fine crumb

Squeeze out bread and add to the mix adding the bready milk as needed to make a sauce consistency add thyme or margorium a pinch of salt to taste

Cook any filled pasta i:e spinach and ricotta and toss with the sauce

Bellisimo

Gnocchi

Boil 5 mid sized potatoes till soft using a buttery variety and set aside to cool

Get a large pot of water on to boil 

1 full bottle of white wine, a Danzante Pinot Grigio from Trentino Italy did work for us or personal discretion can be used at this point!!!

Drink the contents of the bottle and set bottle aside for later technical use!!!!

Get out that big board that you now own as part of your new Italian cooking equipment and invest or buy shares in a durum flour mill!!!!

On the board pass the cool potato through a potato ricer thingie and lay out to about the size of the empty wine bottle if you were to spin it!!!!!

Always make sure the bottle is empty thus the potatoes should be cool enough 

Sprinkle about 200 grams of the Durum flour over the potato and work in a soft turning/kneading manner as to bring both together 

Always have flour on your hands during this process and form into a not sticky but soft dough with a bit of elastic to the touch

You may need to Q . B flour at this point as required

In this process let the flour be your friend as it can be a sticky mess with out it It is a fine line as you don't want the gnocchi to be too floury or it will make for a gluey not pleasant texture in the mouth once cooked

Once the dough is ready use straight away as it will only get wet again if left

With floury hands and knife cut off a piece in a sausage size and roll out to about 20mm round and about 250mm 

Cut with a floury knife at about 45 degs and flick away from the roll

This will form little pillow shapes, adding a sprinkle of flour to stop them sticking together

Alway keep them separate at this stage until you are ready to boil them

Put them into the boiling water they will sink and once they come back to the surface let them cook for about 3 to 4 mins

Test one and leave for a couple more mins if you so require.

Drain and put some Salsa Di Noci White Sauce or Salsa Verde Green Sauce on a serving tray put more sauce and repeat

Serve as the pasta course of your next dinner party that we are invited too!!

Enjoy Ciac Ciac

In Italy A Typical Main Meal Consists Of

An Antipasto 

Pasta course 

Meat course 

Veggie or salad course 

Desert 

And finally a coffee to help with the digestion!!!! 

They are like 2 year olds and can't have one food touch the other!

They say it spaces out the meal and adds to the social aspect as Italy is all about the food, so beware, and to enjoy all only take a small serving and do it slowly.

It has taken me about the week to get this down and several walks around the city and Fontana Del Papa as my punishment. 

Today We Make Pasta Dough

On a large board 600 x 900mm put a mound of durum flour roughly 100 grams or 

"Q . B" of flour with 1 egg per person

It is best do a mix with 2 or more eggs to get a good dough mix

Place the eggs in the middle of the well that you have created in the flour this is called a volcanic

With a fork whisk the eggs to get air and to gradually the flour will fall into the well and be incorporated

An Italian will not get sticky hands during this process and once the eggs have started to form a paste that is not to wet flour your hands and start to work the dough

Knead for about 10mins until the dough is still soft, elastic and not sticky, set aside under a dry tea towel for 30 mins

On the same board scrape off the dry harder bits and put into a sieve with any left over flour from the volcano

Use this to flour the board under the round of dough that you have created

With a large roller 700mm long and about 50mm round start to roll out the dough

Turning the dough as needed and sifting flour under and on top of the dough to prevent sticking

Roll out till about 1mm thick a bit of a challenge as with the 4 egg mix that I was doing in the class it did take up most of the board. Work the dough so it forms a rectangle shape, roll up the thin sheet of pasta as required on the roller so that you can keep the board with a dusting underneath the dough 

Thank goodness the class was at their place as I think maybe this needs to be done outside!!!!! 

Q. B

This is an intriguing Italian cooking term used extensively as they cook by eye.

Even in a cake recipe you will find Q . B flour 

 Meaning  use as much as you need!!!!

Fontana Del Papa The Old Villa

Lunch on our first day at Fontana Del Papa was down in the lower level of the vast 600 year old villa and was a vegetable stew a welcome relief from the Roman food where greens seem to be missing. The villa is on 4 levels as it was in the past a typical working villa. The animal lived on the ground floor from the back of the villa and the 2nd floor was for grain storage, the 3rd floor which was our bedroom and private smoke-free lounge and the ground floor from the front was the olive and storage of the foods for the long winter months. The top floor is for the family and today that is where they live except for Luka. Luka wanted his own space and off to the side of the villa is the old pig sties and they have been converted into a small self-contained apartment. 

The ground floors have been converted into the small 6 person cooking school kitchen and living and dining areas with it vast "smokey" open fire some 3 meter wide. All 3 lower floors are connected by internal stone steps and the wall are in stone with low sections so it is like a medieval cave that links all the areas.  The top floor is via its own stair way from the front.

This stair way also delivers the smells from the kitchen as well as the "smoke" from the fire place "O" and the smoke from the italians smoking down in the kitchens"what that???" up the cave and into our room!!!! My asthma medication is getting a work out, and can you believe it I have become tolerant !!!!! of smoker!!!!! 

Solution I have put a moist towel under the door to the cave and we enter via the front entrance great solution and a happy Pete. EVERYBODY smokes in Italy except so far for Bruno and his smoke free cab, so that could also have been a reason for the 110km  cab trip to have fresh air for and hour or 2!!!! Bruno gave me his mobile no. so I may ring him when I need some fresh air !!!!

Luka The Gardener

I get to talking to Luka the gardener that bought our cases in from the taxi. 

He is a 28 year old tall slight man with a crop of curly black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, he has to be strong for his size as the cases are 30 kg each as I wanted to fit everything in the 2 cases for our trip from Roma. 

He is the oldest son of this family run agra-tourism business. I ask him about the permaculture garden  with it,s 500 olive trees that were planted by the monks some 600 years ago. The trees are broad at the girth and Luka pruned them back hard 10 years ago when they first came to to make harvesting easier. They produce enough oil for the house and the rest is sent to the local markets for sale. The grounds are quite over grown with the spring weeds and wild flowers, Luka tells me that this is not his passion but was the passion of his parents. His father now 55 had a stroke and heart attack some 5 years ago and that he has had to step into his father shoes to help support his 22 year old sister and 18 year old brother along with his mother. After the stroke Luka said "his mind now has no time for his own family"and went to live with his old parents and this house was the reason for his illness, a very sad story. Luke is studying telecommunications but there are no jobs in Italy for what he has spent several years studying for so at the moment his life will have to be here but hopes one day that he can have a life of his own!

It's Own Spring Water Fountain

Ifa you wanta the fresha springa water, youa turna ona tha tapa bya tha walla cee cee!!! I'm going to lovea this parta of Italy they speak my sorta of Italian !!!!! How'a areyouu-'how'a areyouu- is used  for how are you and for are you ok or can I bring you more food or wine???? We are in the country now and life at Fontana Del Papa is slower and so more relaxed that of the bustling Roma check out their web www.fontanadelpapa.it  - www.cookitaly.it
That have their own spring water and its just out side our room and as you need you just go and fill you glass or decanter it is so cool and sweet, I would buy this place just for the spring water.

Daniele's grandmother's Tuna loaf

This was an intriguing cooking process many years old. Traditionally served Christmas Eve as a second course after pasta as no meat is eaten in this day. 

Put on a large pot of water to boil

Blitz together 

400 grams of drained tin tuna 

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

4 tablespoons of dried bread crumbs

4 eggs

Wet and crush a  large sheet of baking paper and lay on a tray

Shape the tuna mix in a long log onto the paper, roll firmly into the paper and tie off each end like a Bon Bon and one in the centre

Immerse the loaf into the boiling water and boil for 45 min or until you have had 2 glasses of chianti.

Carefully remove from the water and cool over night in the fridge

Unwrap and slice the loaf into 13mm slices

Make a dressing of lemon juice olive oil and salt and drizzle over 

Serve with a fresh green salad

A Day with Bruno

Heading To Chivitechhia was going to be by train until we got into the taxi outside if Marinas place. The cab was organised by Marina and turned up within the 8 mins that it is allotted that a taxi "must"  turn up. Many words were spoken and hand gestures given and with a smile on both faces we new we were in good hands, we did hear "bambino" in the conversation and I think Marina threatened to send the marfia to his home if he tried to ripe off her little Aussie babies. So off we head, the taxi was as handsome and well groomed as was the young mid 20's trendy driver Bruno. We start to chat as one does to a taxi driver and turns out that he lives near by the Fontana Del Papa where we are heading for the next few day for our cooking classes some 90km from Roma and he drives in every day and that it normally would cost 120 euro.  I start to ask more questions and I know that Sandy knows where my questions are going, so I say could you take us to Chivitechhia now per favore? Bruno looks and says now ? yes now per farvore, really replies a beaming Bruno, yes really. It is then agreeded that 100 euro would be our fee. Great he said he will be able to have  lunch at is mother place today and she is making Melinsany paragarma. It only takes about 15mins to start to leave the high rise apartments of Roma with all there dirty laundry airing in the air out the windows for all to see, now I  know where that saying comes from, behind us and into the country, and for the first time we start to see houses with land and gardens.

Bruno was the perfect tour guide so what would have been a slow trip back into the city of Roma and a fight with our cases at a train station and a slow trip back through the city again by train has turned into a very pleasant tour with Bruno. He was a funny guy and with his little English and our even littler Italian we had lots of fun conversation. He told us that for an Italian men like him their are only 2 things that are important, food and women!!!! 

He likes his women short and with meat!!!! Something to hold on and "how do'a you say" with biga de bresta. I look at Sandy and smile that explains the "lack of eye contact" she was has been experiencing in Roma!!!! 

Our journey north of Roma takes us on the highways so I'm paying attention to the driving so that I,m ready in a couple of weeks after the cruise when we will pick up a car in Venice.

 I do notice that the white line are more of a guide for the centre of the car than for the driving side as we tend in Oz and I think this was also why in some area of Roma there were "no" lines at all, a free for all, and he who has the biggest horn! uses it.

We arrive into Chivitechhia and it is then a further 20km up the hill Tofla and then to our final destination of Fontana Del Papa. Our host are to pick us up from the station in  Chivitechhia in about 1 hour so we ask Bruno what would it cost to take us up the hill and we agree on 10 euro. We ask Bruno to ring our hosts and let them know that he will bring us to them, after what was a very verbal heated conversation Bruno say "he not lika that woman" as she thinks he is try to take advantage of us as he has bought us by taxi from Roma. We chat to our lady Assuntina and let her know we are happy.

We arrive at Fontana Del Papa a grand looking 600 yr old building on the side of a hill. It looks like a shot from the movie Under The Tuscan Sun.

While Luka the gardener takes our cases, Sandy is chatting to our host and try to keep her away from Bruno and I as we discuss secret men's business paying him the 100 euro + 50 euro ( that was what the host were going to charge to get us up the hill). With a big hand shake and a double-double cheeker we both agree who was trying to rip us off and it was not him. On the meter  it was a fare of 180 euro so we are all happy and we have meet a great italian guy and had an awesome couple of hours and an experience getting here. 

Ciac Bello Bruno

Heading for the Country

It's Wednesday 24th April we will catch a taxi from Marina and Daniela place to Termini station (central station).  From here we will catch the train for upcountry north to the Port City and from there we will be picked up by car by the people that are running the next 4 days and 3 nights of cooking classes. We will leave the house at 10am for the 2 to 3 hour trip.

Caic Bella, Caic Bello

Show bags flying high

Our little Qantas and B A show bags that you get on the flight are coming to an end.

Each flight you receive a little bag with lots of goodies from mini moisturise, lip and face creams, tinny winney little 5 and 10 gram tooth paste and eye restoring creams, I have been using the eye "Restoring cream" each day but to no avail I don't think any amount of cream is going to get rid of those bags Pete. As for the 5 and 10 grams of tooth paste I have done the calculation that 5 grams may be the correct measure on a plane but some days down on the Italian ground that it just won't cut it especially  if you have the marinated anchovies as part of your antipasti starter the night before!!!!!! So working on that assumption as the marinated anchovies are sooooooo great that the extra tubes of tooth paste that the Boy Scout packed in the suit cases may run out and me may just have to try an Italian brand!

So sad but on the bright side it will be less to pack back into our suite case as we start our next adventure today.

Water Saving Showers

I have discovered how they save water in Roma! This shower is  650mm S/2 so it is a bit of a squeeze for a bloke like me. But as is was designed in the 70's complete with a plastic concertina  door they weren't expecting me as their guest!!!! So my shower ritual has been, I have to get wet first, than turn off the water get soaped up with one hand in the air out of the top of the shower and then restart the water, and if you drop the soap in winter it wont be recovered till summer!!! For the fear of your bum making contact with the cold wall tiles. Not may italian babies must be conceived in the shower.

Last Day In Roma

Today Tuesday a bit of a lay day to recharge our batteries, it's a week today since we left Tamworth. Tonight will be our last night with Danielle and  Marina we will miss them they have been so much fun and Danielle has taught us some many recipes which are typical of Roma. Being some 20 food regions in Italy and all have their own style we will have our work cut out for us over the coming weeks. So tonight we are off to the Jewish sector for some cosure food (sorry spell check can't help me!!!!!) but I think you know what I'm saying. So as the day goes we will decipher our written notes and add some of Daniella's recipes + his grandmother's tuna loaf recipe which we made and had last night.

To our dearest Marina, Danielle and Gabrielle 

Can i just say "They who have so little give so so generously" 1st of your time, hospitality, your home and your bed, along with all the help over the past week"

We have been truly humbled by this wonderful and exciting experience and the opportunity of living in a Roman's home. We will carry this time with you all so very very closely in our hearts. Till another time when we meet again, we open up our home to you if you come to Australia  Piacere and Arrivederci 

We Arrived Back From City Roma

We did it!!!! our umbilical cord was cut and we did arrive to our cooking class in Roma city the old sector of Trastevere and more importantly we did get back home!  Be it a bit late and a worried Marina wondering what she had done letting us out of her site. Marina was like an expectant mother standing by the 3 store window looking down the road that we probably should have been on a couple of hours earlier. Buongiorno, Buongiorn from the excited Marina with Camel in hand (and that is a story for  later, Peter G, Greg, Joe and my mum will be a amazed). With much excitment we spoke of our journey and told them that the chef from the day suggested a slightly different route home from the instruction we had been given earley today. All was good and we got to see a very interesting sector of Roma with its small resturants open at evey other door way, the sounds of a lady playing the paino squeeze box up an ally as the rain started to come down, umbrella and wind jackets come out of the backpack always be prepared. We walked through the old streets and follow the river back to the metro station thus cutting out a bus trip.

So back to the morning Daniela and Marina drove us to the under ground station some 20 mins away from there home to cut out the first bus trip and to make sure we would get on to a train into the old city. With our little Italian we managed to get due tickets, great system the same ticket can be used on the trains, trams or bus or the next 100mins. The train driver drive like the car drivers do! To a very fasta very quickly to a very fasta stop also so very quickly. So after a 20 min trip and many people looking at the Aussie on their train, perhaps it was the crocodile Dundee hat was a give away!!! Do ya think!!

Out of the under ground and with the visions still in our heads from the night before Danielle showing us on google Roma where to catch the B3 bus from.

That would have be OK if we came out the entrance that everybody else used, but no lets avoid the clouds and go out the other exit!!!! Note to self follow the crowds next time. Anyway  all was good, made it to the B3 on time as some very kind lady held the bus for us. Don't think she was to happy though as she was driving her car and thus with the side of her car and the side of the bus "Kissing" it did delay the bus leaving for those few minute's required by the Aussie to get on board. Roman drivers are so helpful!!!!! Woops don't make a comment Pete as I'm still yet to drive and driving on the wrong side will be a challenge. So off on the bus to our final stop. So take the bus stop with the old building out front, remember the big old building we saw yesterday Danielle said ( but they are all old buildings, yes yes the one with the statues out the front yep that's easier I will look for that one!!!!!! All good found the right old building and old statues so than it is just a 10 min walk, you will know the place up several little "Via" streets and it will be on the right no. 5 across from the little bookshop that I showed you on google Roma last night. So as we walked and remembered our land marks we made it to the class with time to spare.

A Car + The Underground + Bus

Well it's Monday morning and today were off to the city for a day in the kitchen with a chef. Well that if we follow our instructions that Daniela and Marina discussed with us last night. Again lots of Italian loud words and hand gestures and me looking at Sandy and saying "taxi" But no we will give it a ago it cant be that hard!!!! so hope to see you all real soon in blog world!!!

Ciac bella / bello 

Large Flee Markets Roma City

Sunday morning Daniela and Marina drove us into the city for the flee markets, we have to start with a coffee at a typical bar. We stand at the bar and have a cappuccino which is how the Romans start their day. Cappuccino is only a morning drink, we also have a corneto, which is a roman croissant  dipped into the cappuccino. Off to the markets and we split up for a couple of hours to let each other explore.. Daniela and Marina head straight for the record vendors to try their luck. Sandy and I are given a address on a piece of paper so we can show it to the many police if we find ourselves lost, Daniela is our gardian angel.
 Many amazing vendors and yes a shipping container may be the only solution. We come across so many things. I think the New Pope is having a clean out at the Vatican by having many stands at the markets, as the religious memorabilia was everywhere, a couple of marble holy water fonts take my eye and you can see where they were ripped of the wall!!!! The smell of fresh lacqare and a roman man assuring me it was an "original antique" BUT still 3 and 1/4 months to go and we need to have less to carry not more, but I,m sure we can find some markets later in the trip. We did find a couple of records to add to Marina and Daniela's collection as they love the 70's. We found a Chicago double album "Gate Fold" yes Marina I have been listing to what you have taught me!!!!! + America's History Greatest Hits. A little bit of the usual Italian loud communication of the voice and the the hand actions!!!!between Daniela and Marina as to who was to be the proud owner of each one. Daniela win's and tells Marina that she will have to have America!!! 

Back to the house for tonight's cooking lesson after a lunch stop at a local roman kitchen Trattoria loosely translated as a restaurant for people of "low critical expectations"   Got to love how words are translated, home style cooking. Daniela tells us he was born in a kitchen like this and said "this is his life" food is the social life of a roman, the food was great and the old man that owns the place still does the bill in Lire and then converts it to Euro even though it changed in 2000.

Ciac bella / bello now I know 11 words!!

Goodbye beautiful ladies or handsome gentlemen  

Our 1st Food Market Experience

Daniela and Marina take us to their local food market today to get ready for to nights dinner + also to get some tips on what to look for once we are set free of Roma come next Tuesday. In general for us it was similar to other vege market from around the world. The major difference is the variety of different tomato from down south in Sardinia and Sicily. Small bell shape tomatoes that are sweet and the flavour is so intense, too a black/brownred  tomato about the size a bit larger than a golf ball. This one we will use tonight, it is a very firm with a hint of natural pepper flavour and works so well with the little sweet bell tomato in our bruschetta. The fish section was amazing with a whole swordfish on display cut in 1/2 and set to impress with its head and sword set proud in the   middle of the fish section. Large round base ball size white/soft purple eggplant that will also star to night.

So it's back to the kitchen to learn how to make Melanzane Ala Parmigiana 

Cut eggplant into 10mm thick rounds, lay singular on a tray sprinkle 1 pinch course salt on each round cover with baking paper repeating the layers.

Place a tray on top and weight heavily set aside 45 mins.

Make tomato sauce in a pot 2tablespoons olive oil and 1 level teaspoon of Danielle's home made concerntrated stock (watch for recepie later in the blog) 1 bottle pasarto, 1 tin diced tomato, wash out tin and bottle with 3/4 cup white wine WOs dropped the cork need to open a second bottle!!!!!!

Add a good pinch salt and sugar simmer for 30 mins

Wash eggplants well, dry and press out excess moisture with a tea towel

press into flour both sides, fry in small batches just to a light golden brown on each side

Drain on kitchen paper

Add 1/2 cup torn basil to sauce and remove from heat

Blitz 250 grams mozzarella set aside and grate 125 grams parmesan 

Preheat oven 190 c 

In a deep baking tray lined with baking paper start layering 1st sauce, eggplant, mozzarella and parmesan. 

Repeat layering as required finishing with cheeses bake till golden brown.

Enjoy with green leaf salad and the  remaining 2 bottle

Edward A Soccer Star In The Making

Last night we went out into the garden, not as a garden that most of us Aussies would imagine. As we are staying in a sector 10 just out of Roma central some 15KM  but about I hour  by car. The garden is surrounded by 5 story apartments in long rectangle layout so it forms a private garden to the some 100 Family's that live in this self created and gated community.  The sense of community is so strong and the boys and young men playing soccer have done so over the past 30 years that these apartments have been here. The garden is about the size of 1/2 a footy field on 2 levels divided by a clipped hedge with 4steps down to the lower section where the soccer action is happening. There is not enough boys today for a game so the 6 of them play a game to show all their skills and are having so much fun.

On the upper section a small paved area surrounded by tall trees coming into springs new leaves there are several boys and girls playing volley ball and some older grandparents with small children on shooters. We meet Daniella's cousin  Francesco and his 4 year old son Edward. Edward like any kid a bit shy at first but Sandy and I start to play ball with him, his dad speaks English so that helps us to fit in, Edward  is being encouraged to  speak a little English  "Pete" softly came out some 20mins into the game "sooooo cute". As we sat on the green grass with little white meadow flowers we rolled the ball and played catch. On several occasions the ball rolled into the big boys area and they were so good with the little kids around them sharing the space with respect for all in the community. Edwards 96 year old great grand mother and 50 year old Daniella's grandmother also lives in the community we will be meeting them all later. We bought over some little clip on Koala Bears and you should have seen Edwards little face light up and to see him say thank you in English was priceless.

1st Lesson A Traditional Roman Lunch

----- 1st Lesson A Traditional Roman Lunch -----

Lunch is a pasta by Daniella showing Sandy frantically taking notes.

His eat-in kitchen is a small area and is typical of apartment  dwelling in Roma, few bench space with a large 6 burner gas hot plate and oven. Double bowl sink and a small table 1200 x 700 and 4 chairs.

Today we will be having our 1st lunch at Daniella and Marina's home.

Pasta  Con Carciofi Rigatoni and Argretti Salad

Rigatoni is a tube pasta with grouves to catch flavour

Carciofi  is with Pancetta and Artichokes.

 Argretti is a succulent / sea grass looking style of greens

Prepare Artichokes taking off harder outer leaves cut and put in a water , salt and lemon bath leave for 2 hours

Pan fry in little oil the pancetta over gentle heat till slight colour add a small onion fine chop use little water to control the heat till soft and little colour also

White wine 1/4 cup reduce wine

Drain and add Artichokes + 1 cup of the boiling pasta water + 2 pinches salt

Let Artichokes soften on soft heat only

Beat 3eggs + 3 Tablespoon Parmencen  cheese + 3 pinches salt

Quickly stir into Artichokes and pancetta to coat NOT scramble

Add to drained Rigatoni pasta and serve

For the Argretti cut off roots add to soft boiling salty water for 10mins once cooked add olive oil, lemon to taste + salt and serve as side to the Rigatoni 

Enjoy Ciao bella

The Ab Fab 70's Retro Apartment

The apartment is about 130 m/2 with 3 bedrooms with a lounge and an eat-in  kitchen that flows out to a 2600 x 2250mm (so pleased I bought electronic tape measure at least I used it twice so Sandy can't rouse on me now) holiday rules got to use it more that once to get a place in the suitcase.

Daniella is a graphic designer and the art on the walls depicts that. Over the large 3 seater burnt lounge on the softer orange wall is a large print of the coke girl in 5 stages of colour, next to it a large graphic print of Marina's face from a photo and digitally altered to show a pose showing her hair shading one eye in teal. There are 2 windows and 1 side door to the balcony to the front car park also are in a complementary striped 2tone orange sheer and all with a view of a large cooking school college building. White book shelves on the 3rd wall with recorders and curios and a flat screen TV. On the the other wall a phone table with a 70's phone and 4 little orange plastic framed round corner mirrors. Also under the phone table a geometric panel to hide the back to the 21st century wifi. In the centre of the tiled floor lounge room is a large white coffee table with glass insert to view a collection of books and 45s, surrounded by 2 chrome and black padded low chairs and a ottoman to match.

The door to the hall way Daniella has painted with complementary 70's colour and geometric shapes with metallic hints.

Marina and Daniella love flee markets so that will be on the schedule this week end (Shelly I may need a container to send home my finds)

Meet Marina and Danielle

Our gracious  hosts Marina and Daniella collected us up from the airport armed with a sign with little chefs and our name on it, we are so lucky to have a contact here in Roma. Marina is the sister in-law to Sandy friend Joe from Sydney.  Sandy has known Joe for 35 years and when we said we were planing our food adventure to Italy he put us in contact with them.

Daniella is 50 this year also on the 17 October and has similar libraian trats to  me, a stickler for time (we have really clicked, on day 2 subtle jokes and hand gestures are had in the front seat of his audi A3 as we rush to a food tour that Sandy has organised in Roma central, and the beautiful Marina is in Marina time. Marina has very good English so Daniella and i  have to be carful with the jokes on time management. With the  flick of a hand from the back seat and the language reverting back to italian i can tell we have been sprung!!! his english is good, (WAY WAY better than my 10 words of italian) so it has been fun learning to talk to each other with Marina to help with some translation. He is a organised person with a passion for his vinyl  record collection Yes real music several thousand in shelve in the apartment.  Sandy and Daniella cook up lunch with lesson 1 on the 1st day Marina and I play some music. 

Marina has a beautiful sole and a generous personality for her home, time and information she also loves music and breaks into song at the hint of a word that come from a song sooooooo sweet and fun. Marina and Sandy are sooooo much older than their husbands both in their 50's with us blokes still in our 40's well at least till October, so will suck every last day out of that one.

Arriving Roma

Of all the airports over the past 41 hours it was the easiest one to get out of and find our way through, thanks to the Italian staff who were so lovely, there was not many around they had nearly all gone home, how thoughtful, no checks or double checks  as to what was in our carry on cases ( all 4 heavy one's of them).

Every other airport the security check were so stringent that by the time you transited to Rome they  must have thought you probably  had had enough body searches and scrutiny as to why you would want that many little bottles of different liquids /creams and tablets to travel with. Not sure what they thought we were going to do with them!!!!! But try to tell them you are away for 3 1/2 months and some things that you just can't live without or know what it is called in Italian so like any good boy scout you want to be prepared. 

On a serious note there were signs posted in the airports for witness to the bombings in Boston so it soon brings you back to earth that we live in a crazy, cruel world and some very sad individuals. 

Yesterday was also the funeral of an ex English formidable female  politician , love her or hate her I still admire her for taking a stand which is unique in politics today ... besides anyone who's birthday is on the 13th of October can't be all bad!,  Heathrow was busy with diplomats at about the time we arrived, perfect timing Magie, and may god rest your soul as many would not have been in her shoes for all the world.

It Is A Beautiful Day

6am Thursday and in the words of my beautiful 4 year of niece Ava " it's a beautiful day and the birds are singing" and they really are. Slept with the window open (in a real bed) and the early morning light coming in over and through the new leaves in the spring trees in the garden 3stories below. The sounds of a couple of italian ladies talking below discussing the morning, well at least thats what i think as the words spoken were soft and calm. A cool

breeze moving the soft white muslin curtains embossed with geometric and a leaf pattern, Sandy is sleeping but Im on a buzz still, we both have managed a couple of 4 to 5 hours sleep 1st night from  Sydney to Tokyo and the 2nd yesterday between Tokyo and London  in the middle of someone's day the plane was turned into night mode once we had a bite to eat "BA"style of course! Now that was style, (so now the Qantas frequent flyer points are nearly all gone it will be B/A or JAL for me from now on it) we had our own little "apartment" we'll 2 seats in the middle of the plane so no windows which was OK but we were facing the back of the plane, never done that before so at take off and landing that was hmmmm a bit different and a tad disconcerting at first as the G forces start to work a treat. So back to our little flying "apartment" so cool both of the seats did the button control movement into a flat bed and the arm rests disappeared so it was more like a little doubleish bed. We even had little walls to our "apartment" 2 entrances so that if one wanted to sleep the other would not be disturbed, they did think of every thing!! our little apartment was 1.480 x 2.126mm and the walls were 967mm high (yes yes Sandy did question  me bring my electronic tape measure but you never can tell when it will just come in handy) so back to the "apartment" 2 tv,s and the best of the English staff (hosties) that money could buy (well frequent flyer point could get us), mind you the staff could not be in the apartment  at the same time as the tenants hence the wall height they could just lower in as needed or requested as many food drops and drinks as needed by the stranded tenants, again so cool, pip pip hooray to the English is all I can say. Our "staff" allowance for the flying apartment was many as we had to be looked after at every whim! As you all know Sandy is sooooo high maintenance!!!! so they had to take it in shifts to make sure we were stuffed to the eye balls if we so desired and heaven forbid we were not going to dehydrate. (Tetsue a Japanese looking man) Was one the first of the staff sent to entertain us and he had the best English ascent may be from Twotcher  we had a choice of Reds from France or Australia, "amazing" and well done to the Aussie wine industry to be the only other drop available on that BA flight.

No offence to the Aussie wines but we were to be flying over France that day so the french drop won the peoples choice for our apartment!! But no respectable flying apartment dwellers could start the flight with out a champagne, silly  me, one needs to be in the right state of lubricantion prior to the plane even leaving the ground! So a Boizel Grand Vintage 2004 should help just fine.

So the first!!!!! starter of the flight came out and as pretty as a picture on the plate was a pepper salmon with a Japanese style yuzu dressing (oil +salty + lemon+ black sesame seeds) yum and moist, with a glass of (white food matched wine) Chateau de Chantegrive "Cuvée Caroline" 2011,  Graves, Bordeaux equal parts Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, barrel fermented in new Allier Oak. It was the creamiest white we have ever had will be looking for that one back in Auz.

Main was a grilled beef with herb butter and Madeira (sherry) sauce, great flavour butttttt hmmmm note to self, beef kept hot in the galley not such a winner. But the winner was it was matched to a Chateau Marzy 2008 Pomerol, Bordeaux, nearly all "merlot" (well thats what the wine list said so not sure of the other variety blend) and yes it was rich with stewed plum flavours (but as for the Dundee cake, coffee, earth!!!!! and the dried meat undertones I was please they we're subtly) but we did have to have 3 glasses to see if we could find those hints of flavour, but we wont need to locate that one back home, a Conawarra red at this point still does it for us but we do still have 202 meals to see if that is still the case or 303 if we count breakfast!!!! Your terrible Muriel