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Song by Roby Santini Here is a very funny video about a typical Italian married couple... I've included the lyrics translated into English down below. Enjoy. http://lyricstranslate.com/en/giovanna-e-angiolino-giovanna-and-angiolino.html#ixzz3ykRhnCSB
Giovanna and Angiolino Giovanna wakes up early everyday Queen of the house, of cookers and lasagna She prepares a rich lunch for her men Then wash, iron and arrange blouses and trousers And after spending all day at work Now it's also time to take a rest A good cigarette, next to the fireplace But suddenly her husband comes back home -What the fuck are you doing? Have you started smoking too?- -Fuck you, your parents and your brother! You're so ignorant, unemotional and arrogant! He wakes up early everyday in the morning The king of countryside, his name is Angiolino Farmer of vineyards, of garden and olive groves And with the DIY does everything you ask him. And after spending all day at work Now is also time to take a rest A nice nap in front of the television But at the best moment that he gets yanked... -What the fuck are you doing? You have to bring me to the grocery's- -Fuck you, your parents and your sister! You're so ignorant, annoying and arrogant!- And between "Fuck you and your parents" and "You don't even care" There's always a big mess between Giovanna and Angiolino There's always a big mess between Giovanna and Angiolino They love each other so much, tough Hooray Giovanna and Angiolino!  Ok, so this isn't exactly an Italian sweet treat, but believe me, these are just as comforting as the filled donuts made on St. Joseph's day, filled zeppole or Sfingi. Ebelskivers in Danish translates as "apple slices", and though you might want to put cooked apples inside a few, they are not a required ingredient. They also fit right into the Italian concept of colazione (breakfast).... a couple of sweet breads or cakes with your espresso and you're buona per andare (good to go) . In our home, Lisa makes Ebelskivers several times a year as a Sunday breakfast treat. Lucas feels the Love that Mom puts into this recipe after he's put in a special request--usually for his birthday or another holiday. Many say that these are round pancakes, but I think the recipe is more like a scrumptious filled donut. The fillings can be anything your imagination comes up with: jams, Nutella (Lucas' favorite), applesauce (homemade is best), raisins, chocolate chips, a butter/cinnamon filling, fresh blueberries, peanut butter & jelly, or even a sweetened ricotta. Many people simply make them plain and use fresh fruit compotes as dips. Of course, topping them with powdered sugar or a cinnamon-sugar or drizzling with honey or maple syrup works well, too. Before making Ebelskivers, you need a special pan. You can get one from Norpro on Amazon HERE. Here's a photo of one in use:  As you can see in the photo, the trick to making them is to pour batter into each of the seven compartments, place in the filling of your choice and then, after the first side is golden brown, turn them over carefully using wooden skewers. Here's the recipe Lisa uses: Ingredients
Directions Before starting the batter, do a mise en place (put in place) for your fillings. When Lisa makes Ebelskivers, she typically uses three different fillings at a time and lays them out in little prep bowls close to her pan, each with a small spoon as a scoop. The Ebelskivers cook fairly fast, so you really need to have everything close by and ready to go. Remember, these aren't like crepes or donuts which you fill afterwards... these are filled as they are being cooked. Lisa tends to make each batch (7 per pan) with the same filling to speed things along. For the batter:
Lisa typically gets about three pans worth from this recipe--about 21 Ebelskivers. Of course, Lisa's prerequisite for this breakfast is putting starting the espresso in her Mokka pot first.
Now, if you really want to make these Italian, try adding lemon zest from 2 large lemons into the batter, and then filling them with lemon curd. Presto... Amalfi-skivers! If you want to make savory Ebelskivers, try using a bit less sugar (half teaspoon, total) and a tad more salt (1 teaspoon, total) in the batter. You can also add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into the batter. Fillings can be ham or prosciutto and cheese, peppers and ham, or even a bit of bolognese. Serve these with a marinara dip and you now have a righteous, Italian recipe (and haven't broken any rules).
Buon colazione! --Jerry Finzi If you enjoyed this article, please SHARE it and LIKE it on your favorite social media site. And don't forget to tell your friends about our blog... Ciao! We also have pages on: Google+ StumbleUpon In contrast to the overindulgent, overly crowded Carnevale in Venice, the one held in nearby Treviso is a family friendly affair, with big headed cartoon characters, political satire, clowns and monsters... all to delight both young and old. The magnificent floats are paraded throughout the town on February 9th at 2pm. Treviso, having once been part of Venice, also has canals and waterways weaving their way through the town. It is also used by many as a hub when attending Carnevale events within Venice... a quick train ride runs the 20 miles into Venice from Treviso. Regional airfares are also cheaper when flying in and out of Treviso's airport. Another great alternate Carnevale is the one held in Verona. This is also a place to see magnificent costumes and processions and parades with huge paper-mache floats. Of course, Verona is also the place where Juliette was wooed by Romeo on that famous balcony. --Jerry Finzi
If you enjoyed this article, please SHARE it and LIKE it on your favorite social media site. And don't forget to tell your friends about our blog... Ciao! We also have pages on: Google+ StumbleUpon  Kick the slush off your boots and head to Venice for a colorful experience... From January 23 - February 9, 2016, Venice will come alive with Carnevale. What could be better than a surreal city in the sea... islands, canals, masked party-goers, dance, music, food and drink? While not for everyone, this mega-party is for people who love the crush of other people. It can be so over-crowded that the local Venice tourist board doesn't even bother promoting it any longer, and the local police would rather not add to the crowds already attending. It is a very intense experience with hotels and prices in restaurants priced sky high for this special event. One way to save some cash is to fly into Treviso and use that as your hub, then take the train to Venice for the events... unless there is an inconveniently timed train workers strike, that is. It can be a very expensive affair to attend, although there is much to do that won't suck all the Euros out of your damp pockets: daily processions along the water front ending up in St Mark's Square on both weekends; a procession of gondolas up the Grand Canal; and there are the fireworks displays. In general, people go not only to people watch, but to take part in the dressing up...   Keep in mind that if you want to see the abundance and excess of Carnevale, plan on going for the weekends with the final weekend being the biggest ever. Weekdays can be a bit slower with fewer events planned. There is a stage erected in St. Marks Square for costumed attendees to show off their finery and perhaps be noticed in the search for the year's Best Costume. Each day a Best Costume is selected--twice a day. The big event is on February 9th where the Best Costume in the Festival is selected.  On January 31st, the Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angel) is held, when a beauty pageant winner flies a zipline from the campanile in St Mark’s square. In case of seasonal flooding (a common thing in winter) don't forget to bring your booties. This is by far one of the busiest and crowded of all events. There are also special events held inside the Arsenale, Venice’s magnificent historic shipyard. Imagine a huge disco space, with lasers and disco lighting effects, smoke and more... some events are on the water, some have live music, others entertain with all types of street artists. There is even a Kid's Carnevale there.  Of course, if you'd like to rub feathered elbows with masked celebrities galore, and have about 1000 bucks U.S. per person to spare, there are the balls. Perhaps one of the most extravagant is the Valentine's Grand Masquerade Ball on February 6 at the Palazzo Flangini.  Before you enter the costumed fray, you'll need some supplies... in the least, a cloak and mask. Remember, this is not an event to stand on the sidelines and watch. This is one to become part of... to saturate yourself with the experience of getting dolled up in magnificent eccentricity.
Some say there are more mask shops than there are alimentari in Venice. You can go one of two ways... a wild, custom painted, feathered and glittered creation or the simplicity of the plain white Volto mask. If you want a piece of craftsmanship by true artisans, you need a Mascarei (Master Mask-maker): Ca’ Macanà (Calle delle Botteghe 3172, Dorsoduro 0039 041 277 6142; camacana.com) Tragicomica (Calle dei Nomboli 2800, San Polo, 0039 041 721 102; tragicomica.it) Papier Maché (Calle lunga Santa Maria Formosa 5174B, Castello, 0039 041 522 9995). Of course, to keep you warm (especially if wearing a skimpy, sexy outfit) you need a Tabarro--the long, flowing cape that Venetians wrap themselves in. Here are a few of the best costume shops: Monica (Calle Scaleter 2235, San Polo, 0039 041 524 6242; monicadaniele.com) Atelier Pietro Longhi (Ramo secondo Saoner 2671, San Polo, 0039 041 714 478; pietrolonghi.com) Banco Lotto N°10 (Salizada Sant’Antonin 3478B, Castello; 0039 041 522 1439; ilcerchiovenezia.it) There are also other events in the Veneto region during Carnevale season in case Venice is a bit too much for you to take. For example, in nearby Treviso, there is a parade of wonderfully decorated, paper-mâché floats during the last Carnevale weekend. The Treviso Carnevale is much more family friendly if you are traveling with kids. There is also another, older Carnevale in Verona that has been in existence since 1531 when the locals celebrated the end to long years of starvation and plague--by eating gnocchi! A grand parade of masks and the traditional distribution of gnocchi (potato dumplings) is the signature of Verona Carnival. Papa Gnocchi, an old bearded carrying a big fork as a scepter is the carnival's main character. See carnevale.venezia.it for more details about the Carnevale. --Jerry Finzi If you enjoyed this article, please SHARE it and LIKE it on your favorite social media site. And don't forget to stop back soon... Ciao! We also have pages on: Google+ StumbleUpon  Inverno a Casa  A snow blown Bocca della Veritas on our big spruce In the end, the Blizzard called Jonas dumped exactly 24"--2 feet--of powdery snow on our home. It took the three of us 4 hours to dig out on the first day, then over the next three days, I had two more sessions of about an hour each to clear our second circular driveway and the paths around our house. It was way to thick for sledding, so I used the show-thrower to cut a double wide path up the hill where we usually do our sledding... leaving about 4-5" of snow for a sledding track. Snow always gives us cravings for hearty meals... so one night it was home made meatballs and pasta, and the next night it was my special French Onion Soup recipe, based on the one from Julia Child. It was very late for snow this year but I have a feeling it won't be the last storm... --Jerry Finzi  Our home, Buddleside, with two feet of snow  Blowing a path to the snow covered cars |
Felice primavera, Tutti!
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