As he rhthymically combs one of our cashmere goats, Pino’s full concentration certamente wards off any hint of a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack): Of our nineteen adult goats, fourteen are cashmere goats, noted for their wool. The other four goats are camosciate delle Alpi, generous producers of milk…… ….. and of a tawny color, similar…
The cheese I’m enjoying for breakfast these days is the result of a Pino project during this coronavirus lockdown: the making of goats’ milk cacioricotta. I enjoy it in the morning on bread toasted on our woodstove,… ….then topped with our cooked figs: A perfect way to start off the day – and to ward…
(*Today’s blog note is a gift to my brother, Tom Robichaud, celebrating his birthday today in Madison, Wisconsin. Alone. We’re there with you, Tom. In spirit). Wild chicory as a coronavirus antidote? Well, let’s just say that on a warm, sunny day, roaming the glorious Umbria hills picking wild chicory is guaranteed to ward off…
Wish a diversion to ward off a possible CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack)? You might wish to make this new version of polpette (meatballs) – with a “Pino touch” – and then enjoy them with those sharing lockdown with you. For le polpette (for about 4- 5 persons), we used these ingredients (as we made enough…
Christmas gifts for our family members have often been wool or cashmere sweaters purchased at the outlet store at Novella Confezioni, in the valley below Assisi: Today, Pino stopped at the nearby alimentari (grocery store) of Ristorante Da Giovanni to pick up a gift, dropped off there by Monia Mancinelli, daughter of Novella (founder of…
On this blog, I’ve been writing daily (nearly) notes on ways to (hopefully) ward off what I’ve dubbed a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack). Nature provided us a distraction today, March 15, 2020: we woke up to our first snowfall. A bit late this year for snow, but as a napoletano friend wrote, “forse anche il…
At lunch today, Pino raised his vino rosso to every one of us, his closed fist affirming “lotta dura senza paura” (“a hard fight without fear”). Yes, we’re all affronting “a hard fight.” Many have discovered ways to ward off what I’ve dubbed a “CPA” (Coronavirus Panic Attack). On the Net, opera singers are singing…
All over the world now, people are sharing ideas on how to fill the lockdown days. Here in Italy, a good amount of daily time has always been dedicated to cooking good foods and eating them together. And now more than ever. Our primo today was a quick one: I just warmed up the sugo…
Even during this coronavirus lockdown, Italians are not renouncing their fresh vegetables: everyone’s still enjoying many portions a day. We’re grateful for Novella’s stand in Assisi: Recently, her bietola (Swiss chard) – when purchased, bound with a twisted willow sprig, as she binds all her leafy bunches – highlighted a couple meals for us. After…
Under our national lockdown, those in towns and cities are confined to their homes. Fortunanatamente, Pino and I are “confined” to the countryside around our farmhouse. As permission is allowed to exit the home to procure food, the other day we headed to Peppa’s: she’d called to ask us to drop by for “poche cose…