Minimal Chronicles

24 hours are too few!

2009-10-28T11:52:00.005+01:00

My dear Friends!
I'm sorry for the long absence from this blog... and from all your blogs! In this period I'm rather busy and it's difficult for me to keep three blogs, especially considering that this blog is a simple translation of CRONACHE MINIME, my italian one. On the other side I' m so sorry to lose all the beautiful people I met through this blog... I know I'm not a writer and I really don't write assiduously... but I like to share my world through photograph most of all and if you would like to visit me again you can do it here. I promise translation of the few lines I write!! Pictures... they don't need any words!! I hope to read you again and I wish you a wonderful day!

Chiara.

PS of course you can visit my kitchen everytime you like!!!

Sagra della Zucca or Pumpkin Festival!

2009-10-05T18:12:00.027+02:00

Every first weekend of October in the village named Piozzo, where our Grandpa lives (marvellous Piedmontese hills), there is the PUMPKIN FESTIVAL, a great exhibition of pumpkins which seeds come from all over the world. These nature wonders create a caleidoscopic show of shapes and colours that every year charms a huge number of visitors twisting this quiet village. In the village square you can find many ancient chariots full of multi-coloured pumpkins and a lot of stand selling tipical products of the regions, not only pumpkin based. If you're planning a trip to Italy next year in this period I suggest to include this stunning Festival in your agenda... it worth! For this year you have only to make a virtual tour.

It's still summer...

2009-09-29T18:11:00.008+02:00

After a couple of cold cold weeks the summer's here again! Some of these pictures has been taken in august around a stunning mountain town. Maybe you know it: in 2006 hosted Winter Olimpic Games and its name is Sestriere! Ok, those insects could be everywhere but it was Sestriere indeed! I post these pics because they're full of summer!

And BTW, I'm a little busy in this moment, trying to begin some different activities with photography... I need a little more time to re-organize my life then I'll be back!
Don't forget me and keep fingers crossed for me :)
See you soon.

Mother's heart...

2009-09-17T23:49:00.008+02:00

There's no doubt, sometimes it's necessary to be oversentimental; when you wander aimlessly into your photograph archives it's unfailing... you go back in time, you note sign of that time on your little "monsters" ... so easy to be moved!! I introduce Little Diddl and Il Ragatzo (something like The Boyz)... or at least part of them :))

See you soon (as I realize that the school has just begun and re-organize my life!)

Geneva: the queen on the lake

2009-09-10T19:03:00.025+02:00

Geneva: it was the first time I saw it. It's a strange town: you can breath richness everywhere, everytime you look up you can read important names of watch manufacturers... very very important!! In the lake you can see every kind of sailing boat of every dimension and along the street in the front of the lakeside you can find boutiques of the most important designers; there's a lot of people walking around, riding bikes, going on rollerblades or scooter; nevertheless I felt a little bit annoyed... Unfortunately I didn't find the vivacity of some little towns! Maybe the reason is that I still had the eyes full of the colours and the brightness of Annecy or Yvoire. Anyway here's some pictures; I hope that another visit can change my mind!!

This enormous jet of water is the symbol of Geneva: le JET D'EAU is 140 meters high and you can see it from all over! In fact I couldn't look away...

Is fantastic that you can feel like at the seaside... but it's a lake. I fell quite nervous to have a bath in a lake... Nessy, you know!!

See you soon, for another journey! Next time I'll go to Geneva I hope to meet someone who can guide me for a better and satisfying visit!

Fil rouge (6)

2009-09-07T17:10:00.006+02:00

This little car is travelling
travelling around the world.
No need to fill up
it runs driven by your dreams

Tell me more... if you like!

Yvoire: flower's village

2009-09-04T09:33:00.027+02:00

After we left Annecy we headed to Geneva. On the road we met this wonderful medieval village of fishermen that's Yvoire! Is situated on the french side of Lac Leman and it's paradise of flowers and birds! There you breath history, traditions and a stunning scent of flowers!!
Enjoy the visit!!

Quiche lorraine is wonderful, and a bite to a traditional baguette is a must: we need a refreshment to continue our travel to Geneva!

stay for more...

10 things

2009-08-31T19:16:00.008+02:00

At the beginning of August Ester from Kosenrufu mama gave me an award in which I must say 10 things about me...

1- when I'm angry I slam things (pans, plates, doors...) so that the other can hear me;
2- I hate when someone looks at me when I'm doing something: I'm in awe (it's different only if I'm cooking or taking pictures!);
3- I love so much travelling;
4- I love to drink directly from the bottle... even if IT'S NOT ALLOWED!!
5- sometimes, when I look in the mirror, I'm scared to see a ghost behind me... O_O
6- I like elves and when I play role playing games online I always choose elves, possibly wizard or druid (I love the archer too!!!)
7- I love DOITYOURSELF... I'd like to paint the walls, decorate furniture, make stencils... but I'm lazy, lazy, sooooooooo lazy!!!
8- sometimes I'd like to throw away my television (RHCP teach!!) but my favourite TV at the moment is SPONGEBOB, can't lose it!!
9- I do love reading, sometimes two or three books at a time... unfortunately after a little I forget them (but I read again the ones I liked!!)
10- from time to time I wanted to be journalist, astronomer, marine biologist, coroner, screenplay writer.... and it wasn't a long time ago!

Conditions of this award are: tell your readers 10 things about you that they may or may not know, but are true. Tag ten people with the award, and be sure to let them know they have been tagged (a quick comment on their blog will do). Don’t forget to link back to the blogger who tagged you.

Here follows the awarded blogs:

moments of perfect clarity
the fragrant muse
un dejeuner de soleil
il giardino dei ciliegi
the art of living in japan
profumo di biscotti
cuttings on a blog
nocciole tostate
chez spud
il ramaiolo

Have fun!!

Annecy: la ville

2009-08-30T15:26:00.026+02:00

I just realized that since I've opened my foodblog I've neglected these "chronicles". So I decided to go back and start again from Annecy, a french gem that I loved a lot! It's been a rich and wonderful travel and source of big inspirations: after antique market and sunday market here comes a view on this beautiful city.

While we were wandering through the city park along the lake we had the luck to watch a concert that charmed us.

At the end what remains of Annecy is a wonderful memory because is an amazing and sparkling city. When you leave you know that you'll visit it again to discover other "minimal chronicles"!

Here I am...

2009-08-05T11:49:00.014+02:00

Marina di Carrara, the country where my grandparents were born, where my daddy was born, the home where I go for holidays every year since a long, long time... This is the olive, symbol of home... and family! He's there since more than hundred years, reassuring, silent witness of our lives.

Here's the little garden, warm and comfortable, with its fountain, also centenary as the olive.

One of the things I love more of this house is the possibility to live outside, always... eat, cook, wash... everything can be done outside...

... together with one more centenary object, this wonderful marble sink (don't forget we're in Carrara, famous all over the world for its marble quarries!)

Here there are always visitors... human and not...

Soundtrack of it all, the music of the wonderful guitar of my uncle...

I love Marina di Carrara even if it's not dreamland! The sea is not wonderful, the city itself is not so beautiful... but I love sitting on the rocks listening the song (or the shout... I remember my cousins and me running through the high waves that bypassed the pier!!) of the sea; I love walking on the sand, diving in the waves all the afternoon, then running home "because it's late"... and rinse the swimsuits full of salt and sand in the marble sink... I did all these things when I was a little child and now I can find my same gestures, my same emotions and moods in my little monsters... all so reassuring! I didn't post sea pics... you can find them in older posts and other will be posted in the future... but in this season it's not the sea I prefer! See you soon and wonderful holidays to all of you!!

Without words...

2009-07-19T16:42:00.000+02:00

Holidays

2009-07-14T10:15:00.009+02:00

It's time to leave: this saturday me and children go to my grandparents who lives in Tuscany, in Marina di Carrara!

Maybe I'll be less present on blogland in this period... maybe I can post something when I'm there, but before I leave, here's my news!

From this moment my kitchen moves here, so you will find everything concerning "food" on FOTO E RAGU'! Here remain my "chronicles", my projects, all the madness I thought from time to time!!

I hope that you like this news and I wait you in my kitchen; I wish you all WONDERFUL HOLIDAYS!!!

PS: anyway I think I don't disappear at all ;)

Fil rouge (5)

2009-07-10T18:43:00.003+02:00

This period is quite busy for me and I'm not able to follow everything I'd like to; anyway I don't want to leave you alone for a long time so here comes a new piece of our FIL ROUGE puzzle!

I have some news for you all but it's a next week story.
Stay tuned.
Best wishes :)

Annecy: sunday market

2009-07-07T10:12:00.023+02:00

On sunday morning in Annecy we found this wonderful market with its colours, scients and flavours, kind and gracious people and the "artistical" order of the benches...

In any case pictures are worth more than many words... have a good walk!!!

Annecy: brocante et marchè de l'art

2009-07-01T15:47:00.036+02:00

In this weekend we chose Annecy as first stop of our journey: we passed through Monginevro and the famous Col du Galibier (famous for Tour the France lovers!), an impressive and wonderful spectacle of nature!

This road through the mountains is traveled by bikers (and I can understand...), many quad riders and cyclers (and I do not understand any more!!) who climbs up to 2646mt (not for me... too much effort!)

After few hours we arrived in Annecy, a wonderful town in southeast of France, quite near the border with Switzerland (35km from Geneva). Fortunately for us the last saturday of every month Annecy hosts brocante et marchè de l'art, a joy for the eyes and the heart.

I had a lot of fun with my camera and I think I must go there again to appreciate every single corner of the whole town.

For now, enjoy this!!

Stay tuned for another bet, there's more...

Preview!

2009-06-30T00:56:00.008+02:00

Just a bite of my last three days journey...

In the next days the whole story of my travelling weekend!

Fil rouge (4)

2009-06-24T09:16:00.004+02:00

After a long absence here I am with another flaming red picture: these wonderful chili peppers! I like them for the colour, for the scent they give to a dish, for the warmth of the country they come from... I dedicate you this present spicy and tasty! Have a great day!!

Chiara.

Vegetables miniquiche

2009-06-17T17:16:00.005+02:00

I know, the thought of the oven with this hot weather (well, here's hot!) is terrible, but something I must cook...

Here a dish I prepare to finish the left vegetables! In a pan with a little oil I put some sliced onion, one carrot and one zucchino sliced in rounds. I add in some string beans (alrealdy boiled for a salad), cut into pieces. While the vegs are cooking I prepare “creme royale” with 3 whole eggs, cream, Parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg then I slice the pastry for the little moulds. I put the vegetables on the pastry with one or two fresh tomatoes cut into cubes then cover with creme royale. In the pre-heated oven (220°C) for 15-20 minutes. The “little monsters” love these quiche a lot so these pies became “official supplying of vegetables for children who doesn’t love vegetables” lol!!
In these pies you can put everything you like, they’re very tasty; besides they’re a good opportunity to finish left vegetables!!

Craftsmen

2009-06-15T08:54:00.024+02:00

Last week I've been in the laboratory of two friends of mine, who are carpenters and furniture restorer

I've seen how they work, I've seen the passion they put in every single gesture.

I've seen destroyed furnitures, useful only for the chimney, reborn to a new life in their expert and loving hands.

I've seen their enthusiasm vanishing, due to the ignorance of the people. I've seen the disappointment when their work were not understood and appreciated.

I've seen the hours spent around a wooden sculpture reduced to nothing. Wooden sculpture are a difficult thing, need patience calculations.

I've seen bitterness in their eyes to note that today, even the craftswork (literally "made with my own hands") is reduced to quick patching, without any care, with tools that remember more and more the industry instead of crafts!

People is in a hurry, they want beautiful things, but "quickly" and no matter if your work need love and dedication, devotion, if you need hours to bring to a new life a ruin, if the defects of some pieces (a chair, a table..) are part of its history... "no defects, no bugs" is the

password!

And then, to do honour to them, who still cares about the authenticity of things and the respect of the "history" that hides behind every single object, I've carried home a symbol of

all these things.

I like to think that the owner of this chair put down a candle every night to write on a notebook his "minimal chronicles" and I'm happy to continue his work!

Collaborations

2009-06-09T15:49:00.012+02:00

So, starting by this month I have a little collaboration with CHIERIOGGI, a local magazine of the (small) city where I live ... I say so, as if nothing had happened ... BUT I'M SOOOO HAPPY! As the wise ones say, even in the longest journey the most important thing is the first step, and this is my first step in terms of newspapers and magazines!

When they asked me to write this article I had one thought: summer is not the best season to stay around the cook stuff! So I started to think again and again.... et voilà: two simple recipes but very tasty, fresh, which do not require long hours at the stove: the "pasta alla crudaiola" and "tuna & peppers".

PASTA ALLA CRUDAIOLA

The first time I tasted it cooked by my dad, while he was living for business near Bari (Puglia, in the south of Italy); I was fifteen when I went there but I perfectly remember: the house near the sea with garden and sunny terrace, the Favonio (other name of Fohn, an hot wind) which forced everyone in the house with closed windows with the only shelter of the cool shadows of the rooms. The sea quite rough and turbulent, with its carpet of algae that always gave me a nasty sensation under the feet ... this recipe makes me think about the smells and tastes of those days, despite the years gone! I remembered this dish a few years ago while trying to avoid another "caprese" salad or ham and melon! So I asked my dad to help my memory and this is what I ate.

Ingredients (4 people)

3-4 ripe tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 basil bunch

seasoned "ricotta" cheese

extra virgin olive oil

red pepper, salt.

Cut the tomatoes into cubes and put in a bowl. Add a whole clove of garlic (if you want you can remove it before dressing pasta), a few leaves of basil chopped with fingers, grated ricotta. Dress it with extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper and a pinch of oregano, salt.

Leave it a few hours in refrigerator, stirring occasionally to mix well the different scents. One hour before eating pull out the bowl from the refrigerator. Once drained pasta is into the bowl, stir well, add in some more ricotta and serve immediately.

TUNA & PEPPERS

I've stolen to my mother-in-law this recipe and I discovered that is a quite typical Piedmontese appetizer. It's easy to prepare and you can eat it all year; in summer is good on bruschetta as a prelude to a great barbecue!

Ingredients

1 kg of red and yellow peppers

1/4 glass of white wine
1/4 glass of wine vinegar
1/4 glass fingers of extra virgin olive oil
2 whole cloves of garlic
4-5 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon of capers
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 bunch of parsley
2 tins of tuna
salt

cut the red and yellow peppers in small pieces (if you decide to put them on bruschette smaller is better!).

Put them in a pot and add in the white wine, vinegar and the oil; add the peeled cloves of garlic, anchovy fillets, capers, a teaspoon of sugar and salt.
Mix well and cook on a lively fire for 15-20 minutes (the peppers should not be too soft). In the last minutes of cooking add chopped parsley and two little tins of tuna.
Let it cool down and serve with toasted bread or as a simple appetizer.

I like these dishes for their simplicity and colours... I like them because they're a source of pleasant and fragrant memories... and finally I like them because they're so good in pictures... after all I am a photographer!

Buon appetito!

Today my mind rests...

2009-06-08T11:58:00.011+02:00

Absolutely no inspiration for today! I don't want to cook anything "photographable"; I don't want to photograph anything in the kitchen; I have no desire to find something artistic-cultural-creative-intelligent; I don't want to think ... this is the real point: I don't want to think! Then I'm going to leave my mind resting and I'm going to do something with my hands: the gardener ...

But before I leave you three ugly photographs made with the mobile that I do like a lot indeed!

Have a nice week!

Fil rouge (3)

2009-06-04T16:09:00.002+02:00

It calls to me... from the deep of a virtual drawer this work is calling to me... it's time to pander this, to pander this desire for creativity! So I took this picture of an old lantern bought by my mother-in-law in London, during a journey she made when she was 16. Originally it was black and now tells stories... eyes looking around in the darkness, to watch the rest of a city; a stationmaster controlling a train before its leaving in the dawn; it swings hung to a cart that carry fresh fish to the marketplace... or hung to the boat that's trying to fish at night in the dark, dark sea... Find its place in the world and bring it back to a new life!!

Sauces

2009-06-03T01:12:00.020+02:00

Today I was thinking about something tasty and yummy … et voilà… patè and mousse and sauces… coloured, tasty and absolutely good looking! You can put all these sauces on the croutons!!

HAM MOUSSE

Put in the mixer 2hg of ham, a little of rubra sauce (something like ketchup, for home made rubra you must wait... got to buy good, ripe tomatoes!!), half package of fresh cream, salt and pepper. Instead of the fresh cream you can use fresh ricotta cheese or other cheese you like! If you like you can add on a little of brandy!

PEPPER’S PATE’
Put 4 peppers in the oven to roast them. After a while pull them out and let them cool down into a paper bag. Then remove the skin and the seeds inside and cut into pieces. Put into a frying pan with a little oil and a sliced onion, let them brown a little. Add in 2 or 3 anchovies, 1 spoon capers than mix all adding in oil, salt and fresh cream.

RED SAUCE
Mince 2-3 anchovies, 1 spoon capers and mix with tomato concentrate (about 150gr), add in 1 teaspoon of mustard, oil and vinegar. Stir well adding in one spoon of hot water to emulsify. If the sauce is too acid add in one tspoon of sugar and if you like it spicy add in a little of chilli.

GREEN SAUCE
Mince a bunch of parsley, one garlic clove, 1 spoon of capers, 2-3 anchovies, the soft part of a sandwich wet with vinegar, a little chilli. Add in salt if needed and oil. Stir well adding in one spoon of hot water to emulsify.

These two sauces (the red and the green one) are good with croutons... but they’re sooooooo tasty with anchovies!!! Anchovies in red sauce and green sauce are a tipical, traditional Piedmontese dish.The green sauce is wonderful also with a particular kind of meat called “bollito”, a big piece of beef boiled into water with onion, carrot, parsley. But this is another recipe, for another post !!
If something’s not clear ask... I’ll answer.

Travel's chronicles: Trentino

2009-06-01T15:52:00.025+02:00

Today I come back to Trentino (only with the memory, unfortunately...); we went there as often as we could in the last years because there are places which stay in our heart from the very first time we saw...

That's happened with Trentino with its wonderful greens, houses with flowered balconies, colours and scent of the woods.

Our eyes were full of dreamy images...

Villages and churches tell their old stories: "minimal chronicles" lived far from the spotlights, from urban frenzy, made of simple things...

I think it's time to visit this places again... when do we leave???

The Dove of Peace

2009-05-29T12:16:00.002+02:00

Visiting Ribbon' s fragments treasures memory I found this little dove... and now it's resting here on my sidebar in Turin, Italy!!!

She's flying and flying and flying... some more peace it's a good thing for this poor Earth...

If you want take the little dove with you and spread this message of peace around the world.

Thank you!

Ethereal memories

2009-05-29T11:13:00.011+02:00

I could absolutely not hold... as I saw one of them I had to blow! Every time I saw one in green meadows I ran screaming joyful and blow and blow and blow... up to make my head turning! And don't speak about a sea of these flowers... I ran and rolled on them laughing and laughing...

What do you think I did less than a month ago???

BTW, how do you call these flowers??? I call them "soffioni" from the verb soffiare=to blow.
The scientific name is TARAXACUM OFFICINALE, dandelion!!! Is this the colloquial term you use?

Mirrors

2009-05-27T15:31:00.011+02:00

...or how I want to see the world today!

Mirrors are always fascinating... in literature or cinematography are symbolic of a shift, a change of status... as a turning point is a must at this precise moment of my life I can start from a change in perspective ... Sometimes it helps...

"Fil Rouge" (2)

2009-05-25T16:11:00.005+02:00

I forgot I had this... work in progress...
Days ago I saw these rain-boots, property of one of my "monsters" and I thought: "why not?"

See you soon with another red thing :)

Grilled vegetables

2009-05-23T13:15:00.015+02:00

When the sun shines and the birds sing it’s time to BBQ!! Meat or fish , no matter.... you always find trays full of tasty grilled vegs!!! This time I bought round zucchini (!) so I can put them on a roasted slice of bread with aubergines and tomatoes!
Grill sliced aubergine, zucchini and bread, (if you like it you can rub a garlic clove on the bread); then put the vegetables on the bread in layers, adding in oil and salt between one slice and the other. Garnish with minced parsley and enjoy it!!!

OOOOOOOOOk I've tried to change it... to modify it!!! I don't like the pic just under the title... I don't like the text just stuck to the pic.... but clearly IT likes this way!!! I'm not able to control my blog... it's controlling me... Ok this time but only THIS TIME let's do it your way!!! Eheheh sometimes it's better to take it easy or I could crash my pc in thousand pieces :)

Patience

2009-05-21T19:23:00.007+02:00

As the spider, patiently, wire after wire,
weave its web
so would I, patiently, word after word,
weave our speaking...
... but sometimes I can’t...

But be aware, my beloved kids,

I love you

and I will...

Gnocchi alla romana

2009-05-19T14:15:00.013+02:00

This is an easy recipe, much beloved by my children... and my husband... and me!! All my family loves this dish!!

Take 1lt of milk and put it on gas added in salt; bring to boil. In this moment take the saucepan off and add in 250gr semolina, little by little, stirring weel (with a fork or a beater) to avoid lumps. Put it on again and cook for about 10 minutes stirring and stirring! It must be quite dense.After this time switch off the gas and add in 1 whole egg, 1 yolk, a good dose of Parmigiano cheese and a little of grated nutmeg. Lay the compound on a baking-pan covered with oven paper, shaping it as a thin, uniform layer (about 1/2 cm thick) and let it cool down.

Cut the compound into circles (I use a liqueur glass) and put them in a pyrex dish greased with butter; put the small discs overlap... mmm please look at the picture for a better understanding, it's difficult for me to explain... (indeed if you have suggestions for the right explanation you're, as always, very very welcome!!!). Garnish with butter flakes and Parmigiano. Put into preheated oven (200°C) and cook au gratin!

Chiara's ZOO !

2009-05-15T23:22:00.010+02:00

Welcome my friends to Chiara's Zoo!
We'll open our gates on the magic world of animals
discovering it's similar to human's one!!

There's the tireless donkey...

... the quiet snail...

...the free seagull...

... the powerful steinbock...

...the loyal dog...

... and finally the independent cat!!

Which one you feel more similar to you?

Or which one would you be like?

Personally I feel like a donkey but I'd like to be a seagull.

Thank you for being with us at Chiara's Zoo.

Old works in progress...

2009-05-14T15:28:00.031+02:00

I’m absolutely late for Haiku Festival but I’ve pulled from one of the million drawers in my house this four Haiga (in original painting and haiku written on it; my version is pictures and haiku ... more info here) and I’d like to share them with you. My lovely husband has written beautiful haiku to accompany my pictures...

Drops on the branches
trembling diffuse
august lightness

Dawn full of rain
a coffee in my hand, a rug
today I rest

Wooden wings
in a sky of dream
they can fly

Without words
your eyes are telling
everything about you

(haiku by MR)

Tips and comments are obviously welcome!!

Happy birthday to me!!

2009-05-13T08:55:00.017+02:00

Yeah... today I'm older... but I don't really care :) I've got a beautiful family, a lot of fantastic friends, I love photograph and for this new year of my life I hope to make it my job!

I'm happy for this blog, 'cause I'm meeting many wonderful people.... I hope you all keep on visiting me to share my world! I long to know all your countries and if I cannot in person I'll know it for sure through your great blogs :)

(this is my world...)

(and this is my world!)

About friends... days ago I've received a beautiful present! Kristina (mostly berlin) passed on me this award...

thanks a lot!!

Now I want to pass it on four other blogs... here the list:

I pass the award on Polly's Sotto Voce for her wonderful way of writing... it's always a pleasure spend a while reading her posts :)
I pass the award on Ribbon's fragments treasures memories 'cause it's wonderful to have friends from "Downunder"!!! I love her blog, her pictures, her Mellow Yellow Mondays!!

I pass it on Konstantina's Exei Gousto for her sympathy, her yummy recipes, her great photo... and for she's greek and I love Greek :)

Finally I pass it on Viz of Desperate Houseviz for her beautiful blog, for her colours and for the scient of Lisboa :)

I leave you with a flower... may flower, for all the mummies :))

Another tour around Turin

2009-05-12T12:48:00.025+02:00

Rearranging my photo-archive I gathered other thematic "blocks" about my city, Turin. After the "lantern" proposed in the previous post here’s to you some architectural details that adorn the famous Palaces of this city. If you make good attention you can find it anywhere ...

Here some staues accompanying historical and cultural Torino, wonderful memories of the past.

At last the “insignia”, a detail of Turin that remember me Prague (there are different aspects of Prague that remember me Turin... another time I’ll explore them!); cafes, restaurants and simple shops, theaters and cinemas... all these enriching the arcades and the streets of Turin with their history and role in society.

We are very far from an end of this overview on Turin ... but I need a friend to continue without big mistakes! Well let’s see what can be done JMeanwhile, if you can come and visit Turin in person, otherwise stay tuned for the next episode!!

Tapenade

2009-05-07T23:49:00.005+02:00

As I promised here the recipe of the “tapenade”; native to Provence, I’ve learn it by a friend of mine who lives at La Reunion Isle!!. It’s very easy: take black and green pitted olives,(the original recipe say “only black olives”) add in some anchovies, a good part of capers and chop finely. Add in olive oil, lemonjuice and blend all. You can spread on toast bread... let me know what you think about it!! Ah... I don’t give any dose because I think this recipe is very... subjective... I can give you the components.. and you mix them as you prefer. Totally free!!! But if you want the right recipe you can find it here.

Hello world! See you soon.

Chronicle of a “pasta”… indeed two!

2009-05-06T14:33:00.027+02:00

In this season I usually prepare a lot of tomato sauce; tomatoes are beautiful, perfumed and very very tasty! I prepare my sauce without any condiment (only simple tomatoes) so I can use it in various recipes. Today pasta: therefore “red sauce” (as my little kids say) and “ragù”.

First of all the tomato sauce.

Take ripe tomatoes, wash them and cut in four pieces; put them in a pot and cook gently until will not have consumed good part of their water. Then purèe with the vegetable mill so the skin will be removed. If the sauce is still too much liquid make it cook a little more, till you obtain the consistency you prefer.

For the red sauce: put in a casserole oil evo (extravirgin olive oil), a clove of dressed garlic and cook it gently for some minutes, till the oil takes the scent of the garlic. Add the tomato sauce (if you prefer at this point you can remove the garlic); in order to remove tomatoes acidity add in a sugar teaspoon, stir for some minutes, add in salt and cook for half an hour. While the sauce is cooking put on a saucepan with water added in salt until the water boil. At this moment put into the water some pasta (tortiglioni, maccheroni, spaghetti,... the one you prefer; more ore less 60-70gr per person) and cook for the right time (you can find it on the packaging). Strain the pasta and add the sauce; garnish with fresh leaves of basil and put on a generous dose of grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese.

For the ragù: chop a carrot, an onion, a little of parsley, a piece of celery and put all vegetables in a pan with extravirgin olive oil. Take a piece of lard or bacon and put it into the pan with minced vegetables, bond with a twig of rosemary. After a few minutes, as the bacon become browned put the minced meat and cook it with lively fire.

When the meat start to brown wash it with a good red wine and let it evaporate; add in salt and tomato sauce till covering the meat and leave the ragù cooking for a long time with a cover… (if necessary add in sugar); the more it cooks better is! (At least an hour and a half Grandma says!) While the ragù is simmering add in a bay leaf .

This is an ensamble of the two versions of my grandmothers, one born in Tuscany and the other lived many years in Bologna, motherland of ragù … there are many variants of this tasty sauce; any mom and Grandma prepares it on her own way! I only remember when I was a child and I soaked bread into that fantastic ragù...(with obvious disappointment of the grandmothers themselves!!); the same pleasure is for my kids every time I cook this sauce!
I’ll be happy if you want to share with me tastes of your infancy.
See you soon!!

Is there something to do....

2009-05-05T12:03:00.005+02:00

I'd like to be there, sitting on that bench, reading something or simply sitting... with nothing to do... But it's impossible!! On sunday there's a party for my children, 30 people at my home... I must spend the entire week cooking for all, cleaning and trying to rearrange the ordinary mess of my family... nothing new for me, I always have a lot of people at home but it's an important celebration for the children and a lot of relatives are jumping around, giving "wise coucils" ... it's a little tiresome!!!

(It's not sunny today and that's why I'm a little meditative...)

No problem! Everything is under control!!
I only wanted to explain why I'll be so absent this week! Next week I can post something about that party, my two little angels will be so elegant and beautiful!!!
Well, I must go... as Depeche Mode say "is there something to do"? Yes, there is!!
See you soon. Chiara

Travelling through "Langhe"

2009-05-03T23:55:00.012+02:00

We've passed the last three days travelling through a Piedmontese region named "Langhe", a marvellous place rich in hills covered by vineyards and hazel groves.

In this spring days it's fantastic to walk around in the fields and through the villages because everything's full in bloom and flowers seems to wait for your shoots.

And don't forget to taste the specialties of the local cooking and the good wines! I'll post in the next weeks some of the traditional recipes of this region.

Now only a simple and quick way we use to taste peppers:

Put the entire peppers in the oven and let them roast for a few time; they're ready when you can peel them easily. Let them cool down then remove the white peel and seeds inside; slice them in four-five pieces and put them in a plate; garnish with olive oil, anchovies and garlic slices on top!

Coming soon some more pictures of this recipe and different versions.

Black&White

2009-04-30T13:29:00.010+02:00

Inspired by Polly with her post "Some things are better in black and white" I wondered that this is valid for pictures too. For this very reason I looked for some b&w shoots in my archives for today's post. Thanks Polly :)

"Fil Rouge"

2009-04-29T22:14:00.003+02:00

This is an “ongoing” project....
It started with a small exposition in a nice bookshop;
now I decided to work again on it adding some new red pictures.
In the meantime... here comes a preview for you.

I’ll keep you informed about it !

Dilemma 1

2009-04-28T18:42:00.007+02:00

What is driving you through everyday choices ?

Rationality...

...or creativity?

Travel's chronicles: Lucca

2009-04-27T14:43:00.013+02:00

Lucca is a marvellous small city in Tuscany. During Christmas holidays we went there for a quick tour and we re-discovered its beauties!

Here follows the fotostory of that special day.

A special place for this original Christmas Tree made of coloured glass tubes!!

Let's cook!!

2009-04-27T10:48:00.006+02:00

Here a funny and tasting recipe!! Those are miniquiche, little cakes stuffed with Tyrol smoked ham and radicchio salad.

In a bowl whip 2 eggs with cream (125ml), salt, pepper, nutmeg and grated Parmigiano cheese (a rich portion, about 20-25gr). In a non-stick frying pan brown a chopped onion with a little olive oil, then add in the radicchio cut into little strips then cook gently for about 10 minutes. Add in salt. Cover 4 little jam tart moulds with flaky pastry cut into circles of 12-13cm diameter (I buy the pastry into rolls; with one roll I do 4 cakes). If the mould are not non-stick cover them with oven paper.

Put on the flaky pastry little slices of Tyrol smoked ham, till you cover the bottom, put on the ham 2 table spoons of radicchio e cover all with the cream you have prepared before.

Put the moulds into hot oven (200-220°C) for 15-20 minutes. Serve them lukewarm.

... so difficult to translate recipes... if you find something completely wrong, in terms or idiom, please let me know! I try to put here the recipes I've in the italian blog; it takes me a little time and a little patience from you :)

Thank you.

Chiara

Things I like most...

2009-04-27T00:06:00.008+02:00

I often think about the sea,
at least once a day

... I feel good

Once upon a time the "soma d'aj"!

2009-04-26T22:26:00.016+02:00

A few days ago I was looking at food photographer blogs and my 9 years old son appeared and stayed a while with me looking pictures. Suddenly he asked: "... but did he shoot the "soma d'aj"?... and disappeared..

Well... "soma d'aj" is a tipical piedmontese bruschetta. To prepare il you will take some bread...

...and rub a garlic clove on top.

Then you can slice it...

and garnish with some olive oil.

This is the simple traditional recipe, but many other versions came up during the years: with tomato, lard and other ingredients. My son's favourite one is with gorgonzola cheese!

Any other creative choice will surely be a success and the long story of "soma d'aj" will have a new chapter!

Try it as an appetizer with a good Barbera wine.
Buon appetito!!!

For foreign friends...

2009-04-26T16:32:00.008+02:00

As I like to meet people from all over the world I opened an english version of my italian blog "Cronache Minime". In this way I can share my own world, my passions, my photographs and my recipes with anyone who doesn't speak my language.

And, at least, I can improve my (poor) english!!!

For all these reasons all your comments, critiques and suggestions are welcome :)

Enjoy yourself!