From Coronavirus Lockdown in Umbria, Recipe Ideas

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…

From Assisi During Coronavirus Lockdown: a Pino Recipe

With lockdown, there’s more cooking than ever in homes all over Italy; after all, cooking is an ideal way to ward off a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack). These days, Pino’s often at the burners, too. He made one of my favorite dishes the other day: pasta ai gamberi. Easy, quick, buonissima. He started by defrosting…

A Coronavirus Lockdown Recipe: Buon Appetito!

With the coronavirus lockdown, all over Italy, probably everyone’s eating better than ever: more time to cook… …although a buonissima pasta with broccoli takes little preparation time and requires just a few ingredients: broccoli, currants, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil. You may wish to try this dish of Pino’s mamma, Signora Vincenza, “i pasta…

Coronavirus Lockdown and an Assisi Morning Walk

These days, a few familiar hashtags are #Italianonsiferma – #DistantiMaUniti – #italystaystrong – #ItalyCoronavirus – and now of course, #italylockdown. Coronavirus lockdown was mandated here in Italy as of March 12th but outings for walk are permitted. Grocery stores, post offices, banks and pharmacies are among the few authorized destinations. On our way to Assisi…

With the Coronavirus Lockdown, No Outdoor Markets in Assisi – Just Novella

In Assisi, too – as everywhere in Italy now – all hotels, cafes, restaurants and shops are closed. Only pharmacies, newsstands, tobacconists, post offices, alimentari (grocery stores), panifici (bakeries), and macellai (butchers) may stay open. The Saturday outdoor market will be canceled during this lockdown. One vegetable stand is still open in Assisi: Novella’s. Novella’s…