Bench mark

Every week we seem to have a new idea about how we want our living space...the furniture gets moved around...again, we discover we desperately need something to fill the space we've just created, I can't say I surprised this has become part of my adult life, ask my parents and they will say I was forever moving my room around and wanting to redecorate even at a very young age, my personal space & what I fill it with & how I live it in has always been incredible important.

This weekend however we were a little hesitant...somehow (all be it unknown to us) we had ordered two benches to be made for our new table...I have a recollection about asking for a quote, but beyond that nothing...no measurements or specifics were passed, the only thing we received was a phone call saying our benches were ready for collection...

They're not exactly what we would have asked for, but they function and we no longer feel like hobbits sat at our table (it's not an average height) to help them blend in some more I finally have a use for these lovely linen feed sacks, that fit perfectly. All be it we should have caused more of a fuss over the order,  we now have a dining space that we love even more and the excuse to have our friends over for more often.

Trying out the new benches

November Pick-Me-Ups

With the denial that Christmas is just around the corner, I decided the Christmas Pick-Me-Ups can wait and we can still enjoy the Autumn before really cosying up for the much colder months.

1. Roots  - enjoying the seasonal vegetables
2. Extension cord  - make visable & love your cords
3. Margaret Howell - does it again, a favorite of mine in the garden on the bike a Cornish Smock
4. Bourbon - a new winter warmer Bourbon & Ginger Beer
5. Panniers  - out and about on the bike LOVE I need these.
6. Autumnal wedges - I can live without them...but...

Friends Gathering

We headed down to NYC not sure what we'd find in the wake of Sandy, knowing that many of our friends were still without power and access to Manhattan was pretty difficult, thankfully we missed all the chaos and headed straight into Brooklyn.
We were invited to stay with our friends Karuna & Vipal who have a beautiful home in Crown Heights, I love their home, from the first moment I stepped inside just over a year ago before all the hard work and before moving in, it felt like their home and their hearts, warm, peaceful & welcoming.
We spent our time with wonderful friends hanging out, eating, movie watching, sofa lounging, walking, record shop perusing for the boy - contentment for all.

jimmys diner brooklyn  - great wholesome breakfast

friend of a farmer - we stopped off for pie, peacon, cherry & pumpkin

wythe hotel - we had a nosey around this new hotel, the view of Manhatten from some of the rooms is pretty cool!

cheryls global soul - stopped off for hot apple cider, black bean soup & a sandwich

Powerless

Wakefield MA

My husband and I have just got back from our first trip together to the USA...I loved being there with him rather than always with work,  and it was just the break that we needed. 

It was a little touch & go if we'd make it, due to the mega storm Sandy that hit 2 days before our departure, thankfully Boston missed out on the full extent of the rage so we landed to relative calm. A couple of days spent with my family, enjoying much needed niece time, which included pumpkin carving out on the porch in preparation for that evenings halloween activities.

It was a really short trip with my family, but we'll be back again in the Spring...

Rockport MA

Favorites

Pumpkin Carving

Curry, wine and pumpkin carving with friends...

Lago

I love the slower pace that comes at the end of summer, the shorter days and colder nights, time to put an extra blanket on the bed and snuggle down with a good book, it also means we can once again enjoy our nearby lake, the tourists have gone, shops shut up shop for the winter and there is a calm on the lake that you don't see for 7 months of the year. The colours are vibrant set against the stark mountains with a winter haze lazying over the water. Still warm enough to enjoy an ice cream, but wrapped up in woolens, you see the locals enjoying an aperitivo, socialising in the piazzas once again, and out on the lake with their boats fishing.

Autumn season...

If I hadn't noticed it at the allotment, which has been stripped of our summers work, I noticed it at the Farmers Market the late summer veg season is well and truly over, as I walk into the market I am greeted by a giant pumpkin reminding me that Halloween is upon us, but with a walk through the market I'm so excited to see the return of some of my favorites: pomegranite, raddichio rosso, fennel, inspiration for the upcoming months.

Living in Italy offer us a very natural approach to food and if you choose makes it very easy to align yourself with nature and eat in season, which I believe can only have very positive health benefits.

This year has been a massive step forward for us, with moving to the country, starting an allotment and having access to wonderful local people, who inspire, encourage and lend a helping hand.

Had a lovely surprise on our doorstep last night with two fresh pomegranate...

Fig & Mascarpone bomb!

My fig obsession continues...solely because I'm still finding them deliciously fresh in the market with origin Italia, so we're still in season.

Last minute dinner plans with friends Saturday night was the only excuse I needed to try out this recipe.
In Italy trifle is called Zuppa Inglese, although don't expect English trifle to arrive on your plate, and I am yet to taste one that rivals British trifle or stands up to the expectations I have of Italian food, however this recipe embodies everything that an Italian trifle should be...

:: Trifle ::

8oz Cantuccini Biscotti

8 Figs quartered

1/2 cup Fabbri amarene cherries

 1/2 cup Vin Santo

1 lb Mascarpone
 1/3 cup sugar

 2 cups Heavy whipping cream

2 squares white chocolate

1/2 cup Almond flakes

Place the biscotto in the bowl and pour the Vin Santo over the top, layer in the figs & cherries.

In a separate bowl add the cream whisk until thickened, add the sugar & mascarpone, combine together.

Layer onto Figs & cherries

Using a vegetable peeler, peel white chocolate flakes ontop & sprinkle the almonds.

Finish with a cluster of figs on top.

Place in fridge until needed.

ATTENTION...this is a dessert bomb, small portions only!

Monday night supper

Easy, light & delicious!

:: Sweet & Savory Fig & Prosciutto Tart ::

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2  tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2oz thinly sliced prosciutto

4 ripe figs cut into wedges

2 eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tbsp extra virgin oil

1 tbsp butter

1/3 red onion

Preheat oven 175

Line dish with parchment paper & spray with veg oil.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & nutmeg.

Stir well. Add the eggs & milk, butter oil and stir until it has reached a thick consistency.

Mix in chopped prosciutto, pressinto lined pan. Layer in the fig wedges, press gently into the base. Arrange the onions around the pan. Drizzle tbsp EVO. Bake for 35-40 min

Grape Jelly

The vendemmia has finished and one of the perks of living in a working vineyard is...extra grapes.

I didn't like the thought of them going to waste, or my husband eating so many he turns into          Violet Beauregarde (from Willy Wonka)...so with my obsession for preserving and jars the obvious choice to try out a very simple recipe Grape Jelly recipe this one I found on BBC food website.

::GRAPE JELLY::

1 kg Grapes - preferably with seeds(striped from stalks)

450g Jam Sugar (with pectin)

Juice of 1 lemon

Tip the grapes into a large saucepan set over a low heat, then cover and leave to gently cook for 5 mins until the juices start to run. Take a potato masher or fork and mash up the grapes. Leave to cook for about 10 mins more, mashing every now and again until the grapes are falling apart. Place a clean tea towel or kitchen cloth in a sieve set over a bowl, then pour the grape mixture into this. Let the mixture drip through for at least 1 hr or preferably overnight

Measure out the juice (you should have about 600ml) and pour it into a pan along with the sugar and lemon juice. Set the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Skimming any scum as it boils, let the mixture bubble until the temperature reaches 105C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have one, put a small plate in the freezer for 5 mins, then pour a little of the juice onto the cold saucer. After 1 min, run your finger through; if the jam wrinkles slightly, it's ready. Pour the hot jam into a sterilised jar. Will keep unopened for up to 3 months.

Busy Bees

The best thing about waking up where we live now is the peace and quiet, rather than the Vespas  chasing down our street at whats seems like 100miles an hour,  now I wake up every morning peek through the window and see whats going on in the hills of the Valpolicella. The weekend is obviously our precious time in our home and trying to get all the projects done we don't have a chance to do during the working week...

The allotment was in need of some tender loving care so we packed ourselves off to do some digging and planting for a couple of hours...a couple of hours pass in a shot when we amongst all the tomato plants, soil and picking the newly ripened. There was great excited around my beautiful runner beans I'd planted back in May, it grew into an amazing sight of twisting and winding shoots, flowering for the second time and this time we have our first crop, I'd almost given up.

::Saturdays crop::

English runner beans

French beans

Potatoes

Chard 
Green Peppers 

Onions

Plum tomatoes
Cabbage
White onions

Field to table

We had a great morning out on our bikes heading to Pescantina for breakfast along the river.

Finding some great secret corners just 5-10 mins from our house once you're out of the car and either on foot or biking it...

Autumn Roast

...things have been steadily busy over the last couple of weeks, we had my husbands parents come and stay for 10 days...the house has never been so clean, pressed & tidy...and all those odd jobs that needed attention Mr C Senior has so kindly taken care of.

The Autumn cozy bug has hit our home...the duvet hasn't quite made it onto the bed but the flannel PJ's

are out aswell as the sheepskin slippers. I'm not so excited about the longer winter nights that will soon be upon us, but staying home and resting over the winter months preparing for what Spring has in store, this is our bodies hibernation and brings me a sense of calm.

Saturday was a real British weather day here in Italy, it was wellies and waterproofs for the allotment, I loved it! (made me feel really at home) the smell of slightly rotting vegetables and damp grass, bringing an end to our first season at the allotment...what will the winter months bring to our kitchen.

Sunday was spent roasting Autumn fair...I love roast dinners cozied up at home with great company and a couple sneaky glasses of wine.

:: Sunday Roast ::

Valdobbiadene Prosecco

Cheese selection with home made fig jam & honey

....

Prestige St.Gervais 

Roast Beef

Roast Potatoes

Roasted carrots, butternut squash, red onion, & pumpkin

Red cabbage with balsamico & pine nuts

....

Homemade plum cobbler with cream & ice cream

...followed by a long walk through the vineyards,

Anniversary

One year ago...

...we were blessed to have all our friends and family here, in Italy to share in alot of love,  our wedding day was made by their love and this is our greatest memory.

Autumn

It's not quite here, the days are still hot and bright but the evenings are cooler and the daylight is slipping away from us, I know it's not far off...the allotment is looking a little dischevelled and is pretty much done with the summer crop, the pull towards sweaters & socks is becoming harder to resist...we've got the vineyard harvest 'vendemmia' upon us now then it's straight into Autumn.
But we've still got a couple of weeks yet and plenty on our to do list:
Batch of Passata
Make Grandma Smails Piccalilli
Project Dog & Bone (more on that later)
Chair & stool flea market search

Plus we have our newest purchase to make the most of and enjoy our 8ft dining room table (spending some of our wedding gift money) hence the search for new chairs & stools...

Family time

After a week of shopping and friends I was so excited to head to Wakefield for some much needed family time...obsessed with my 31/2 year old niece who had me wrapped around her finger with the simple words 'Auntie Faye' my heart melts and now it aches missing then dearly nothing like the love of a big brother, and girl time with an angel.

NYC & beyond..

I feel as though I've been swept up in a tornedo visited Oz and come back down to earth with a bump! My sleep pattern is all over the place and I'm home sick for friends & family.

The first part of my trip was in NYC, after cramming in days of shopping (work related) the evenings were spent chilling with friends. 

I met the newest addition little Dottie Rose, who sensed my fear of holding little ones! She was briskly returned to Mamma - she is perfect.

A couple lovely surprises along the way and New York held it's own as always I can't wait to return (soon) with my husband in tow.

Normally I've got new restaurants to recommend but this trip was inspired by friends beautiful homes and a very warm welcome.

tinys giant nyc - nice lunch spot lower east side

the bowery hotel - hotel lower eastside

peels nyc - nice for late lunch

the smile nyc - breakfast, lunch dinner

Grilling out in Connecticut

With a drive to Boston and a quick lunch stop in Cape Cod for another warm welcome with friends.

We headed out of the city to Brimsfield for the giant trunk show, if only I had a container to ship back all the wonderful treasures there, but was super content with a few selective pieces.

Lobster Bisque a favorite when in New England

Fig Jam

As discussed in an earlier post it's Fig season, and what better way to celebrate that than to make some Fig Jam.

I'd heard many good things about my husbands Zia's Fig Jam, unfortunately she passed before I got the opportunity to meet her, but the care of the Fig Jam is now in the safe hands of Zio Enrico.

It's not complicated there are no secret ingredients just a simple Jam made from a sweet delicious fruit.

:: Zia Leda's Fig Jam ::

300gms sugar to 1kg figs

Wash and take stalks off and peel figs if the skin is tough (optional)

Put figs in a thick pan with the sugar and cook gently - aprox. 15 to 20 mins.

Stir frequently to stop jam sticking.

After 15 mins put a teaspoon of jam on a cold plate, push the jam with a spoon, if it  wrinkles up it is ready, if not continue is a matter of trial and error.

Zio Enrico suggests making a small batch to try out.

Sterilize by filling jars with boiling water then dry off in oven.

Fill the jars to the top, cover but do not seal until cool. 

I made half measures of the quantities above and came out to 3 little jars of Jam. Just right for a first trial, just have to wait to taste now.