There’s a wise old assisano adage, “quando Subasio mette il cappello, porta l’ombrello” (“when Subasio wears a hat, take your umbrella”) which unfailingly predicts a rainy day ahead. And today, our Mount Subasio is veiled in a low-lying soft gray cloud: his hat is on. But gray skies or not, the morning started with a…
Italians are cooking more than ever these days: after well over a month into lockdown, cooking and sharing the goodness together enjoyably fills the time. We also try to offer each other support, ways to fill the time: I hope the sharing of my recipes might be a small deterrent to ward off a CPA…
Just over a month into Italy’s coronavirus lockdown, cooking and then sharing the goodness still team as a perfect coronavirus diversion, a way to ward off even a hint of a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack). These days, dishes often depend on what happens to be on hand. Like today’s polpettone (“meatloaf”). Pino had bought us…
Italy’s RAI TV news programs on Easter Monday reported cars on the autostrade stopped by police, irresponsible Italians being heavily ticketed for trying to deny lockdown regulations which have confined us to an area not more than 200 m. from our homes since March 11, 2020. Anyone tuned in to the news knew where they…
On Holy Saturday afternoon this year, Peppa and all our rural friends can’t take their baskets of Easter goodness to be blessed at our small mountain church. I saw that church way off in the distance as I climbed the hill towards our woods to forage for wild asparagus (to top our hard-boiled eggs on…
The days seem to fly here in the Umbria countryside while under coronavirus lockdown. This morning started with a walk up our road… ….to the stall of our two donkeys and a few of our goats for a photo of Pino culling the cashmere wool of one of our cashmere goats: Odd tasks outside followed…
“We head home with the starry sky of this enchanting place in our eyes and in our hearts….and above all, the true cordiality of Anna made this vacation unforgettable. To travel is above all, to meet people and how lucky we have been!!” Rossella, mille grazie once again for your note to us the day…
On Palm Sunday, even our goats had a celebratory treat: instead of just their usual hay, also some fresh grass. Peppa called me just before noon on Palm Sunday, asking anxiously, “Anna, hai i vostri rami di olivi?” (“Do you have your olive branches?”). She was relieved to hear that I did and frantically urged…
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…