epossums

Some random thoughts from Florence

… well, as many of the thoughts I have been thinking whilst in Florence as I can fit in in my 15 minute internet session right now:

1. I am surrounded! Everywhere I look I see a stone penis.

We took the children to a fresco painting lesson at the Palazza Vecchio in Florence. After a lesson on the art, we were able to paint our own on a rectangular tile. We all sat there, each confronted with a blank tile, freshly plastered and awaiting the touch of our brush. What to paint? You could use a stencil, copies of small motifs from the walls of the Palazzo Vecchio, commissioned by the Medici family or make up your own. I’m doing an angel, said Kathleen, who is quite an artist. I’m going to copy the Capricorn, said Emma. I said, well I think I might make up my own - I’m going to do a penis!

Well, I did laugh at the expressions on my daughter’s faces!

They, on the other hand all agreed that I was too embarrasing.

2. I wonder if the baffalo mozarella and the rosemary and sage olive oil will go well together?

Our Tuscan cooking lesson out at our villa, was a roaring success. So much so that my friend Jess and I decided to repeat some of the dishes whilst shopping for our next weeks supplies at the local Ipercoop. The Ipercoop is a cross between a fresh food market and a supermarket, with a wide selection of delicious deli items. Jess and I always leap for joy behind our trolleys when we enter. On this particular occasion, we found zucchini flowers. A repeat of the flowers stuffed with anchovy and buffalo mozarella, cooked in a light beer batter was in order. The six children and four adults we cooked for woofed them down as before when we made them with our tutors. Our second attempt without help was therefore deemed successful! We used up all of the anchovies but had over half of the mozarella left. The buffalo mozarella was very creamy, and quite delicious…

The following day we toured the Chianti region, and found a beautiful vinyard where we tasted chianti among a few other varieties of wine, and first pressed olive oil flavoured with different herbs or spices. We bought samples of everything and then had a picnic under an olive tree on the vinyard overlooking a valley sparsely dotted with magnificent villas, and coloured in with rows and rows of grape vines and olive groves. Upon reading the brochure we were given in the tasting room, we were astounded to discover that in 1479 at this vinyard, called Vinamaggio, the Mona Lisa was born!

During pre dinner drinks that night with our friends Jess and John we found out that the sage and rosemary olive oil I purchased at the vineyard perfectly complimented the left over mozarella - served on Ipercoop crackers.

3. Am I too old for a bikini?

Well, if I am its too late for advice on this one, because I purchased a little cheeky number from the local Ipercoop for a very resonable price which I have been using whilst supervising the children in the pool. I am now pleased to report that I have a tan to be proud of (even on my tummy, that hasn’t seen the light of day for a very long time).

Italy is affecting me, Possums!