Shira, Etc.

Favorite CD of the Moment

t2_vivere_cover_.jpgFor Christmas, our old neighbors, The Bennetts, gave me Andrea Bocelli’s CD Vivere.  It’s fantastic.  My favorite CD of the moment.  My parents liked it so much that they burned a copy of it before I left.  There’s really something for everyone in this compilation of Bocelli’s best works–it’s opera-y but not too opera-ish, most of the songs are in Italian, but lots of them are duets with the woman singing in English (but these duets are well done.  Often times when artists start mixing languages, it’s a big mess, but this is not the case here).  Some of the songs are modern, some more romantic…if you like going to the theater, you’ll like this cd because it’s full of drama and passion: providing plenty of new material for your private operatic auditions.  Kenny G, Sarah Brightman and Celine Dion are a few of the artists that collaborate.  Listen to clips here. 

PJ Issues

bed.jpgWhat is up with the world’s female pajama situation? I’m sorry but it is way too difficult to find a decent pair of pajamas these days. They’re either super sexy with fake red fur attached wherever possible or the dorkiest piece of clothing you’ve ever seen in your life. Can’t someone come up with an attractive, sensible pajama for women?

We went skiing this weekend with Claudia and Fabrizio (the architects from Torino) and stayed in Claudia’s condo in Saux d’Oux. The condo was small so the four of us slept in the same room (in two different beds). I was sporting my new nightshirt from Sarah Jessica Parker’s line Bitten (which I picked out myself with a gift certificate from Mom and Dad, thinking that this could be the answer to my pajama problems.) I had chosen a not-so-attractive pair of pastel green capri style pajama pants from my old collection to go with the nightshirt, seeing as how we would all be sleeping in the same tight quarters.

Well, there I was, in my part-new part-old pj’s ready for bed, when Claudia comes out of the bathroom in what was decidedly not your average slumber party sleeping attire. (Unless you’re into the slumber parties that are often held at the Playboy Mansion). It was a black bra with three rows of (what I’m sure was the best French lace) and a pair of matching short-style underpants. She had a sheer tie-on wrap over the whole thing, but still, I have to say it kind of burst my pj balloon. So much for the idea that I had passed from old granny to attractive but sensible pajama realm. Definitely still old granny.

Not An Undershirty Girl

When Luca’s Mom started giving me undershirts, I was worried.  Undershirts?  Even when I was little I wasn’t the undershirt type.  (…Or was I, Mom?) I don’t have memories of prancing around in little duck-patterned underthings like some of my friends did.  Undershirts for me have always been one of those nonsensical garmets that I’m happy to be without.  

Needless to say, when I moved to Italy and started hearing other girls my age talk about how they never go without an undershirt (not even in the summer!) I started wondering if I hadn’t made a big mistake by moving to a country populated with sissy, undershirt-wearing women.  When I overheard older generations lamenting about getting sick after having their stomach unexpectedly exposed to the cold, I REALLY started worrying. 

So, it was with a  somewhat prepared but skeptical heart that I accepted the new undershirts from Rosanna.  (The Italians have yet to convince me that getting a cool draft down your neck or being unexpectedly exposed to cold air is a sure fire way to come down with a cold — or wose: the flu!  These wives’ tales and home remedies for illness prevention are intriuging me but undubitally reek of outdated old-fashionedness to me…I wish I could respect these beliefs more, especially since it’s me versus the entire sex of a nation and my lack of agreement on this matter surely hasn’t helped my assimilation into local society.) 

I started wearing the undershirts when the weather turned bitterly cold here and the thermostat at work bit the big one.  (I was also somewhat motivated by the fact that they are pretty undershirts–creme colored with a small quanitity of sensible lace, and soft (only the best quality wool for me–thank goodness Rosanna has good taste!). 

And now I’m addicted.  I can’t stop wearing them; if I don’t have one on, I feel naked and just generally miserable.  They keep you so warm and cozy.  I feel protected when I wear my new undershirts.

In addition, I would just like to point out that undershirts can double as pajama tops, triple as a going out shirt or an under-the-business-jacket blouse in a pinch,
and they really do keep you warmer.

I Miss the Toaster

bagel.jpgWe don’t have a toaster.  They do exist in Italy.  We just haven’t got around to purchasing one yet, mostly because we don’t know where to keep it.  It’s a pain to have to put a mini-appliance away and then take it out only when you need it; you end up not using it as much as you would if its home was permanently on the kitchen counter.  But I’m on the verge of missing toasted goodness enough to bite the bullet and get one…

When I was at home last month my Dad totally hooked me up with a continual bagel fiesta.  (Thanks, Dad!)  Brueggers for breakfast everyday, baby yeah!  He even furnished the household with corresponding cream cheeses (family favorites include Chive Onion and Honey Walnut).  In addition to the toaster, we own the original Bagel Biter, which slices through bagels like a Chef Tony knife through butter.  It makes the morning bagel ritual quite enjoyable, less messy and quick as a jiff.

In other news, I’ve been going crazy with the Bon Appetit recipes lately.  For Christmas dinner I made their “Dessert of the Year,” a bittersweet chocolate pudding pie with crème fraiche topping.  Yum.  It was great, but move over Macaulay Culkin, but this dessert is richer than richy rich! 

My only complaints, other than the fact that you can only eat a tiny little piece before sinking into a slothen chocolately state, is that the crust was a little too crumbly–add some more butter if you make this recipe.  Also, there wasn’t quite enough chocolate to cover the entire crust; another ounce or so would have been better.  And last, but not least, it’s pretty stupid if you’re at all culinary inclined to just melt the chocolate and then have to wait for hours until it hardens. Depending on your culinary expertise & velocity, you might be better off tempering it. 

luca_cauli.jpgIf you can’t find crème fraiche, use my Mom’s great recipe that works like a charm (thanks, Mom!).  For 1 cup of crème fraiche, combine 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt and 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a bowl.  Leave out at room temperature for a few hours.  Sweeten as desired.  Ding!

cauliflower.jpgTonight I made the Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Puree.  Kind of a pain recipe for a weeknight, but now that I’ve made it and tasted, I would say it’s worth the effort.  (Next time I’ll just make the steaks.)  They were both great!  The puree was extremely delicate, and the steaks were like real steaks–something about searing them and then finishing them off in the forno (oven) gives them a truely meaty consistency and intense flavor to boot.  I skipped the step of drying the florets for the puree in the oven.  Sorry, but you’re already making me dirty two pots and all the blender parts people.  I do not need to be washing a sheet pan on top of it!  Enough is enough.  The puree came out fine anyways, I just didn’t add the extra cooking liquid the recipe called for.  I recommend searing the cauliflower steaks in a pan one at a time, otherwise there’s not enough room and they don’t brown properly.  A big hit–we’ll definitely be making this one again.

Vacation

shower.jpgWell, I got back from vacation last Thursday, but it’s only today that the dreamy vacation haze is noticably starting to wear off.  Vacation is great.  Real life is…not?  One must acknowledge that real life is different from vacation–in several significant ways:

1.  In real life you can’t just get out of bed at any hour you feel like and it’s generally not reccomended to let your brain keep sleeping for another couple of hours.

2.  In real life, showers are not optional and neither is wearing your pajamas for three days straight.

3.  It’s generally acceptable to eat whatever you like whenever you like when you’re on vacation.

I’m looking forward to my next vacation. 

Veggies

veggies.jpgToday I ate vegetables for lunch for what may have been the first time in my life.  Instead of looking at the new diet as “what I can’t eat”  I’m trying it out from the point of view, ” look at all the great things I can eat!”  I made the Cannelini bean and balsamic vinegar puree in this month’s Bon Appetit (it’s pretty easy folks, blend 1 can of cannelini beans, 1 big spoonful of balsamic vinegar and 1-2 big spoonfuls of olive oil (from a jar of sundried tomatoes if you’ve got them) in a blender.  Season with salt and pepper and Voilà!).  The dip was surprisingly tasty and delicious for basically being blended beans.  I cut up some cruditès (really good with red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes) and brought that to work with a couple whole grain rice cakes (not so tasty) and a little yogurt.  Tasty treat!  And “Vai!” (go!) the lifestyle changes begin…

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