Foodtopia Moments

Today we ate pranzo (lunch) in Civitella del Tronto. We all ate from the menu turistico, only 15 Euros each for a primi (first course), secondi (second course), contorni (vegetable side), water and vino (wine). Zia and I had the same thing, chitara pasta with polpettini (mini meatballs). For seconds, Mom and Zia had veal scaloppini, and I had a fritto misto of local treats. One was pretty interesting. They had stuffed a green olive with meat, breaded and fried it. The flavor was very interesting, and I wish there were more than four on the plate. We also had patatine fritti (French fries). I tried something new as a topping on the fries when I ran out of ketchup and mayonnaise. I used lemon. The fries already had salt, and the lemon added a whole new dimension that I am looking forward to trying again. 

On top of the world

We got back to the house to late last night for me to blog, so I am merging it with this one. Last night, we took a ride into my Dad’s hometown of Torremaggiore to visit the cemetery, and spend time with family and friends. I took Mom to see the memorial that we put in Dad’s hometown cemetery. As we were visiting graves, we heard a strange siren, sort of like a fire siren. As we walked out the custode (caretaker) was locking the gates behind us. We quickly figured out what the horn was for. After the cemetery we saw my cousins Connie and Rosana. Then we headed off to visit with the Monaco family. Mario Monaco was one of my father’s best friends, and we have thankfully kept in contact with them. After spending time with Mario’s wife and kids, we went to the house of his oldest son Antonio and his new bride Anna. We loved their house and the kitchen was organized perfectly. It looked like it’d be fun to cook in.

Today’s big event was heading off to Civitella del Tronto, home to Europe’s second largest castello (castle). On a continent with as many castles as this one has, being the second largest means it’s pretty darn big. Mom, Zia and I made the 2-hour trek across winding hillsides in the middle of Abruzzo’s rich farmland. People still live in the town, with the ruins of the ancient fortress resting high above. For mom, the trip up to the fortress was impossible, so she waited down below. Zia saw how many steps she would need to walk down to get out and she balked. I braved the two giant escalators up, followed by about 300 yards of rock covered incline walking just to get into the fortress (then did it all in reverse, save for the escalator as there are only stairs going down. Once in the fortress I saw antique battle armor, an old bakery, and some of the most breathtaking panorama views I’ve ever experienced. It was truly a one of a kind day.

We ended the day with a passagiatta (evening stroll) around Campomarino. We stopped for pizza and gelato. We even made it to the evening flea market, and purchased some interesting looking watches. It was a fitting end to a busy day. 

Foodtopia Moments

Today’s pranzo (lunch) was what I would call peasant food, and it was damn good. It wasn’t any less intricate to prepare, in fact I had more dishes to wash today than normal, but it was worth it. For the main dish, I took some of a jar of passed tomatoes that I had left over, and I mixed it with a little water, salt, olive oil and capers. Then I added chicken. It was very saucy. Instead of serving over pasta, I ripped chunks of 2-day-old bread and threw them inside the pan, then I turned the heat on medium and cooked it all until the sauce had saturated the bread. It was filling and delicious, as the bread added a whole new dimension of texture and flavor. As a side dish, Mom made some string beans with garlic, oil and vinegar, and she baked finocchio (fennel, and an Italian slur toward gay men, so context is important when using the word). The fennel was baked with a little chopped onion, salt, grana padano cheese and olive oil. It comes out tender and with an aroma that makes the whole block jealous. 

Foodtopia Moments

Lunch was a successful merge of old and new. We had some pasta with zucchini left over, but not enough for a full serving. It also didn’t have enough sauce to just add pasta. So while Mom was awakening, I cut up some garlic, basil and tomatoes and cooked them with some olive oil. When it was close to done, I turned it off and covered the pot. When we got back, I cooked up some more pasta, added the leftovers to the tomato sauce from today, and then added today’s pasta. The flavor merge was delicious. We also had some olive oil for dipping bread.

Charbroiled

  

Getting up this morning was the toughest part of my day. We put the AC on last night, and it was very comfortable. I went outside to hang the towels we washed overnight, and almost immediately I wanted back inside. Today was hot and humid with the heat index pushing 115 degrees. But, I pushed myself and got Mom out of bed and we were at the beach club around 10:30. We spent about 25 minutes on the beach, with me char-broiling in the sun, before we went into the mare (sea).

As we walked to the sea, I distinctly felt the sun’s force as the sabia (sand) was burning my feet. Once we made it to the water, we didn’t want to get out. The water felt amazing and just standing up with my top half out of the water brought the full force of the sun down on me. I would head right back under water. When we did get out, I spent about an hour tanning before heading back for lunch.

During lunch we had some surprise guests (not that surprising as we knew they were coming, but we expected them later in the day). My cousin Mariella from Hollanda (The Netherlands) and her husband Nik and two son’s Fabio and Elio arrived. They have a place that we can see from our patio, so we will likely be spending much more time with them. I haven’t seen them since 2010 and my Mom hasn’t seen them since 2009. It was a nice visit.

After they left, I researched the feasibility of making a boat trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia. But at 434 Euros, I think I’ll pass. I don’t want to be on some rickety “Euro” cruise for 9 hours each way. We found a site not that far from here that has Europe’s second largest castle. I think we’ll go there one day.

Once I was done researching, It was back to the beach. I took a notebook along this time, and after sunning myself for an hour and a half in the late afternoon sun, I ordered up a Peroni grande (large), and scene mapped out a new script idea. It’s 32 scenes long.

Foodtopia Moments

While Mom and I rested on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, Zia cooked us some pasta. She used fresh tomatoes and passed them taking out the skins and seeds. It was flavorful and had a great aroma as she used brasciola in the sauce for flavor. We ate the brasciola dopo (after) the pasta. I threw on a nice helping of grated grana padano cheese, which makes all great pasta dishes even better. 

Beached at Lido Ritz

Last night was beautiful in Termoli, and when we returned to Campomarino we decided to watch the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics. We watched as all of the pageantry took place and then we waited for the United States’ athletes to enter the arena. And we waited. And waited. And waited. The Italians next door watched Italy’s Olympians enter, then shut off their TV (which is on their patio) and went to bed. An hour or so later we did the same.

Needless to say we were tired this morning, and didn't get to the Lido Ritz beach club until almost 10:30. Luckily, Zia was cooking today, so we could stay at Lido Ritz until it was time to eat. After lunch, Mom took a repose (or siesta depending on where in Italy you are, basically a nap) and I went online to look at emails and work on more travel reservations (Florida is booked, because five weeks in Italy isn’t enough).

Tonight we went back to the beach club, where I applied two hours of late afternoon sun directly to my back. I didn’t feel it at the time, but when I took my shower I distinctly felt the sting of sunburn. Tomorrow, I’ll work on bronzing both sides of me. My goal is to get dark enough to carry my tan all the way into the first week of school.

Zia had a problem today with her 21-year-old television remote, so we bought a new universal remote. While we were out, I stopped for some gas. I filled up 38 liters for 65 Euros (or 9.5gallons for $81.25 plus my bank’s international conversion of about $1.75). Fortunately for me this car takes diesel fuel, which is 15 Eurocents cheaper than unleaded. Talk about pain at the pump. I had to fill up today because supposedly there is a strike happening tomorrow and gas stations will be closed. I don’t have plans to head anywhere tomorrow, but just in case, I thought it’d be a good time to fill up. 

Foodtopia Moments

It’s been a couple of days, and I’ve been eating well. On Thursday, we finished the Pugliese sausage and peppers that I made on Wednesday. I find the best thing to do with leftover vegetables is to mix them with pasta the next day. Last night we went to Ristorante Netti, where I got a pizza with chopped tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, arugula and spicy sausage. It was outstanding as usual. For pranzo (lunch) today, I chopped some tomatoes, zucchini, basil and garlic and cooked them with some olive oil until I had a nice little sauce. Then I tossed with pasta and added some grated grana padano cheese. It was bursting with natural flavor, as all products were farm fresh. 

No sitting around

A couple of days ago, I spoke with Mom about how our time here is limited. We really only have 10 good days (now), and we want to get as much out of the time as possible. So we made a plan to start sleeping less in the midday hours, and worry less about cooking pranzo (lunch), which is the main meal here.

On Wednesday night, we went to the Festa di Santa Cristina in Campomarino sopra. It was a great night of shopping and people watching. Zia found the change purse she’s been seeking, and I found a guy selling pampanella (a slightly spicy seasoned roasted pork). I had a few bites, and brought the rest home for pranzo yesterday. For cena (dinner) on Wednesday, I had a Panini Kebab. It was a similar to shwarma in the States, for those familiar with the Turkish specialty. It was one of the tastiest foods I’ve ever eaten. They used beef and turkey and added roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms and fresh tomatoes, along with what was described to me as “sauce.” It was a little spicy, but each bite was better than the last. The town was all lit up for the festa and the main piazza was piping out hit after American hit. I also took in some of the murals, for which the town is locally known.

Yesterday, we decided to head to Lido Ritz, a beach club near here. We rented an umbrella and seats on the beach for Giovedi, Sabato, e Domenica (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Lido Ritz has a ramp for Mom’s scooter and she parks it about 2 meters from our umbrellone (big umbrella). We went swimming, I lathered on my zero SPF dark tanning oil (use your imagination to picture a guy my size oiled up), and my farmer’s tan turned into a bright red glow (it has since bronzed out a bit).

After spending most of the day at the beach club, we headed into the center of town for the Festa di Sant’Anna. The church here in Campomarino Lido is the Chiesa (church) di Sant’Anna, so she is our town’s Saint. Normally there is a processional with a band and fireworks at the end. We saw nothing, and when I inquired about it, people told me Italy is in a crisis and there is no money for bands and fireworks. In turn, we had pizza, tipped the waiter (which is extremely strange here) and headed home.

This morning we awoke with the idea of going to Isole Tremiti (a group of islands off the coast), but we decided that we got so much sun yesterday that we should rest our skin a little today. Instead we went back to sleep, then headed into town for some Friday market shopping. First stop was the farmacia (pharmacy) where I learned that prescription medications are cheap, but large band aids and peroxide are expensive (to the tune of about $24 for 10 band aids and a travel size bottle of peroxide). Then we were off to the salumeria (lunchmeat store) on wheels that rolls in each Friday morning. They have some of the best mortadella and assorted cheeses that I have found, and their prices are lower than most. We then went into the main part of the Friday market and Mom bought a new table cover. The interesting thing is that she bought 2 table covers in America and brought them to Italy, and now she bought a table cover here to bring back to America.

We ate lunch around 1, and I told Zia to scendi giu (come downstairs) around 3:30. I decided it was time to head into Termoli. Parking in Termoli has been a nightmare this year, so I thought we should head into town early. When we got there at like 4, only the bars were open. We stopped at Microbar, our favorite one, had a café, and waited until about 5:15 when stores were opening. Zia needed stockings and the rest of us went sightseeing. I went looking through the Mont Blanc store for a pen, and realized that $400 is a lot for a single pen. We then visited the historic section of town that dates back to the 1500s and the time of Federico II. We passed by the port and had one of the nicest passagiatta’s ever. We stopped for gelato at a place that is tops on my list, and I’ve eaten A LOT of gelato, and people watched for about an hour. It was a very enjoyable night, and we were home by 9 so we could relax and get ready for more sun and sand tomorrow. 

Foodtopia Moments

For pranzo (lunch) today we had string beans with tomatoes, garlic and onions, and sausage with tomatoes, green and yellow peppers, onions and potatoes. I cooked it in the oven, and the house was filled with an inviting aroma. 

What a difference a day makes

Mom and I awoke anticipating gloomy grey skies. But what we got was a sunbath. The remnants of the rain are still here, including giant puddles, but the sky is completely clear. There is a nice breeze and the humidity is less today than it was last week. It’s perfect weather to head to the beach later on this afternoon.

We made plans to go shopping at the Wednesday market in Campomarino sopra, but because of the Festa di Santa Cristina, the market is not happening this week. So we went to Lidl instead. It was Mom’s first time in the discount market, and she enjoyed the trip. While we were there, I went past the freezer section and saw a section of Americanized food. There were MCENNEDY Brand spare ribs, cheeseburgers, hamburgers, and a section next to it of frozen BBQ chicken tacos. That’s some very strange food for the Italians; must be only at the German-owned Lidl.

Tonight, we will make a third attempt to attend the festa di Santa Cristina.

Foodtopia Moments

For pranzo today, I baked Italian potatoes au gratin (with olive oil, garlic, onion and grana padano cheese). It was delicious as usual. The potatoes here are really bursting with flavor and bake really well. I also made a sauce with olive oil, fresh onions, garlic, basil and tomatoes. The sauce was inviting and rich with the tomatoes bursting with flavor. The basil provided the perfect amount of flavor accent. We used an interesting pasta today, which resembled a shell type pasta, but was closed in the middle and open on the ends. For a meat, we had chicken cordon bleu. They were prepared patties that are surprisingly popular here. 

Eating in the rain

Whereas yesterday there was a little rain and mostly the threat of rain, today is lots and lots of rain. The area is becoming saturated with centimeter after centimeter of rain. Twice last night there were thunder storms that woke me up. Once I woke up thinking someone had turned a light on, but it was just lightning.

During a break in the rain, I drove down to the center of town and went to the bakery and the fruit market. Not long after I came back did it start to rain. It is refreshing outside under the covered part of the patio, so we decided to prep lunch outside. Then we ate in the rain. Only once did we have to move the table closer to the house to avoid windswept raindrops. Even as I am writing this I am sitting under the cover while it pours outside. Notice the water coming out of the rainspout in the photo.

We did laundry today and moved the clothes drying rack in front of a fan inside the great room. We put the fan on high and are hoping for the best. Tonight we were hoping to head to the festival of Santa Cristina in Campomarino sopra (the part of town above the beach), but I think we’ll have to settle for pizza here in town. Too much rain to walk around in, and the forecast is calling for rain through Thursday.

Foodtopia Moments

Last night we tried something new. The butcher at the supermarket had taken ground beef and rolled it around ricotta cheese and spinach. At home we sliced it and cooked it like a hamburger. It was interesting, and the cheese inside was creamy and very flavorful. 

A break in the weather feels great

For the first time since March, Campomarino and the surrounding regions got wet last night. It stormed for most of the night and into this morning. At 6:30 this morning, there was a raging thunderstorm that lasted about an hour. The fresh, brisk temperatures that have followed the rain are a welcome reprieve from the hot, humid weather I was getting used to.

Mom had to have a blood analyzed so e went and did that today. It is more of a precaution after the flight, climate and food change from the United States. She is rarely in air conditioning, as we put ours on only as a real necessity. The house has been tolerable at night, so she hasn’t needed it. We went to a private lab this year called Progetto Salute. It’s a new place and very nice inside. Two blood tests for 6 Euros, and we were on our way.

We went to Carrefour and Bricopoint (sort of like going to Wal-Mart and Home Depot) after the tests, where we picked up some things for the house. One thing I got was Drano. I am noticing that at the end of my shower, I am standing in a puddle. So I cleaned the drain only to realize that the cover is attached to a trap. I took the whole thing apart and realized that it was clogged. I am guessing it has not been cleaned in years. After cleaning it, I used two rounds of Drano followed by hot water. We’ll see tomorrow morning how it worked.

Foodtopia Moments

Zia made pranzo (lunch) for us today. She used fresh tomatoes, basil and onions to make a nice Sunday gravy complete with brasciola. She served it over tagliatelle pasta. I topped off my meal with a little vino bianco (white wine) made in my father’s hometown of Torremaggiore. Fortore is a brand put out by the town cooperative, where famiglia nostra (our family) takes their grapes each year. Some grapes are squeezed to make this wine, and others are sold to wine makers in Tuscany, where they are pressed, fermented, bottled and sold to mostly Americans at about $15 per bottle or more. Fortore was only 2 Euros. 

Goodbye sunshine…at least for today

After looking at the weather report for this week, I made sure I got to the beach this morning. It was sunny as usual, but it was windy and the sea was too rough to go in. Rain is on the horizon, up to two inches says the Weather Channel. All day we’ve watched as the clouds have rolled in and the already strong wind has picked up.

Currently we are sitting under cloudy skies with wind gusts around 25 mph and even thunder. Everyone has pulled pillows inside, and all of the balcony sun shades are in ready position for a storm. I’m curious to see if it even rains. Sometimes the storms arrive, and then head right out to sea. Hopefully this one drops some rain here. This area hasn’t seen more than a few raindrops since a March snowstorm dropped 20 cm of powder all over the region, including the beach. Farmers need this rain bad.

If the weather report holds true, it looks like we will be staying in tonight. I can use the time to lesson plan, write my classroom rules and expectations and to revise the page ladder for the 2013 West yearbook. 

Elvis Lives!

Mom and I debated what to do tonight. Do we stay in and relax, or head out and brave the busiest night in all local towns. We decided to head out. Our first stop was Campomarino sopra (above). It’s referred to as sopra because when we are at the beach and look to the town above, it is still our town, Campomarino, just the part that’s above sea level. We heard about a festival and saw all of the streets lit, but we found out the festival starts Monday. So we headed to Termoli about three hours after the last parking spot was filled in town. We drove around looking for parking, but to no avail. So we headed back to town, and decided to park at home and go on an evening stroll. We went past the beach clubs and watched the seniors dance to accordion music. Then we went past the night time flea market. We then headed to Shangri La gelateria for some gelato.

While we were enjoy the slightly frozen treat, we saw a police car escorting a group of motorcycles with a limousine and a pink Cadillac trailing behind. The whole town stood in wonder as to who was inside the car. About 5 minutes later, we heard the music. It was an Elvis impersonator, complete with an Italian sung on every note. It was really entertaining to hear him belt out the tunes, and the people’s reaction to the fancy cars was also priceless. Once parked, people swarmed the cars like they were seeing something for the first time.

Foodtopia moments

For pranzo (lunch), we had a few of Ristorante Netti’s specialties and split them. We had stuffed eggplant. It was filled with cheeses and vegetables like tomatoes, artichokes and zucchini. We also split a portion of eggplant parm and a portion of cannelloni. 

I loathe meetings

Today was annual reunione (condo association meeting), which is a day I hate but Zia waits all year for. I went as usual, but unusually I understood every conversation. The meeting, as in past years, went nowhere. People complained that their TV reception was bad and that we are too far from the free internet signal provided by the town (which is likely less powerful than the one I have in Hamilton). Neither is a complaint for the condo association. There are a couple of walls that need cement, and these should be fixed before next year. While I was in the waiting area before the meeting, which always ends with me paying something to the association for preventative maintenance, I saw a TV guide type magazine with Jack Black on the cover. I guess he’s famous here too.

After the meeting, I took my mom to La Fontana mall and we did a little grocery shopping. We almost lost track of time, but we were able to stop at Ristorante Netti for a little bite to eat for lunch. When we were done, I changed the light bulb for outside and installed the globe cover. Now the light isn’t exposed. 

Foodtopia Moments

Knowing my cugino (cousin) was coming by tonight, we stopped at a place this morning and picked up some almond paste cookies. It was an assortment, and each one was better than the last. When my cousin Renato arrived, he brought over some meat filled pastries from a Bar Biri in San Severo. Some of the pastries had meat and capers. Some were filled with salami. And some were like pigs in a blanket, but make with a pastry crust, not something bread-like or dense. The meat pastries were very light and flaky.