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.