GMB isn't a name that gives me hope of finding delectable cakes, tarts and other good things. GMB to me sounds more like something participants in the annual Tour de France use to find some extra pedalpower, or it sounds like a builder of offroad motorbikes. However I...
Moretti beer and pizzas
After having finished my pizza in our favourite neighbourhood pizza joint, it took some time before I got the message on the plate in front of me. I had never seen a plate like that. It was a Moretti beer advert on a plate. Maybe up to this point not so special but...
Nose to tail the Italian way
As every year around this time the neighbours had their pig brought to their house to cut it up and transform it into salumi, sausages, capocollo, pancetta, ribs and chops. Not because they jumped on the nose-to-tail bandwagon but...
Cioccolataio
So we had peracottaio and today we give you cioccolataio. A cioccolataio is someone who makes and sells chocolate. 'Fare una figura da cioccolataio' means leaving a bad impression (fare brutta figura). There is a nice story attached to this. A cioccolataio had done...
Our vegetable garden Italian or Dutch?
We have had some fantastic weather here, lots of sunshine and this combined with the fact that I found some tomato seeds in the mailbox alters thinking capacity. So out comes the heated propagator and in go the seeds. No...
Last supper
The wildboar hunting season has ended, so time for the annual final wildboar hunters dinner. The hunters' cabin is in an old bongo type building and can only be reached by driving quite some distance over an unaspahalted bendy road. The welcome was warm as ever. Funny...
Italian delicacy, capone.
I can have a good time by just reading the flyers from all the shops surrounding us. This caught my eyes for several reasons: First of all it was the frontpage. Yes it really was. Secondly the absurdly low price. Thirdly, how many countries do they still have capons...
Kaki Umbria
As usual around this time of the year free wine, seasonal fruits (kaki's) and grappa are flowing through the door of our house courtesy of our beloved amici and conoscenti. I love this ritual and am amazed what they produce in the surrounding countryside. From a...
The story of the fat Chianina
In the middle of Italy and especially the south of Tuscany and in Umbria you'll find a type of cow called Chianina. In the older days these impressive and good looking beasts served as draught animals pulling carts and plows over the hilly landscape. When the animals...
Breakfast tea in Foligno
Breakfast after lunch? This afternoon we visited Foligno with some friends. After having enjoyed a nice lunch, about which more later, we went to a bar to have a drink. Our friend ordered a 'te inglese', english tea. The waiter responded 'breakfast?' Rather...





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