There was a huge festival in Viterbo, Italy, last night (Sept 3) … La Macchina di Santa Rosa (literally translated: Saint Rosa’s machine). Mere words will not do it justice. You may be wondering how a patron saint can have a “machine” and — “What in the world is it?” The “machine” is an over …
“Beyond the Pasta” Trailer~
Below is the latest trailer for my book Beyond the Pasta: Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family. RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2010 by Gemelli Press, LLC. The finishing touches are being done and soon this two year process from first keystroke to published book will be complete. Stupefacente! When I started …
This ain’t no rabbit food…
See and download the full gallery on posterous and Mr. McGregor isn’t going to run me off~ For the longest time, I always wondered why Europeans had their salad course AFTER their main/meat course. In America, we eat our salad course first, almost as an appetizer. I am not sure why there is a …
There’s a fungus among us~
Funghi…Mushrooms~ “Hey, you sure are a fun-guy,” my sixth-grade science teacher would say, trying to get us all to laugh at the lame twist of pronunciation on the word “fungi.” “I think there is a fungus “among-gus,” he’d continue, as the brown-nosers in the front row would giggle and titter, while the rest of …
Buona festa della madre
Happy Mother’s Day~ My very first trip to Italy was in 2001. Richard and I took our mothers with us for a 10-day trip in Tuscany—Siena, Florence, Cortona, Montalcino, Rome, and many other little towns along the way. It was the trip of a lifetime; so much so in fact, that I talk …
Let’s get cookin’!
Sugo…a.k.a. Pasta Sauce~ Ciao Tutti! I thought I’d post a little online cooking tutorial for you to enjoy. It is broken into two parts—the original recording was too big to load it all as one. The recipe is from my soon-to-be released book Beyond the Pasta: Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family, …
Le Parole del Giorno~ The Words of the Day~
See and download the full gallery on posterous MOSCA e ZANZARA~ The weather has been absolutely perfect this past week here in the Deep South. Warm, non-humid days and cool, crisp evenings have made it perfect for opening the windows and doors and eating meals outside, al fresco. And besides the blossoming azaleas, dogwoods, and …
I’m ready for my close up~
Nonna at her finest~ Here is the last of the three videos I filmed with the Stefani family in Viterbo. I think this one really shows her spirit. She makes me laugh—a lot. The month I lived with them in 2005 was filled with laughter. The entire family is very humorous and they all know …
Waiting is the hardest part~
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley~ Standing on a platform waiting for a train in Rome can be a nerve wracking experience, especially when you are alone and don’t speak the language. When I first traveled to Viterbo, Italy in August 2005, I had to change trains in the outskirts of Rome in order to …
Lesson Number 2~
Nonna cooks Pollo con Limone~ Recently, I received an e-mail from Alessandra filling me in on all the happenings back in Viterbo. I mailed the Feb House Beautiful with the article on our house (http://www.mark-leslie.net/2010-starts-with-a-bang) to them back in early January and, when I hadn’t heard from them, I sent an e-mail making sure that …