Scoppio del Carro

Easter in Florence is one of my favorite times of the year.  The weather is finally starting to warm up, flowers are popping up all over Tuscany, and there is plenty of Colomba di Pasqua (traditional Easter cake) and large chocolate eggs to eat!

The most dramatic part of Easter celebrations in Florence, however, is the Scoppio del Carro - The Explosion of the Cart. 

This event has been held in front of the Duomo for well over 500 years, and it continues to be an incredible spectacle.

It all started back during the first crusade, in the year 1099, when a Fiorentino by the name of Pazzino de Pazzi was the first to scale the walls of Jerusalem. To reward the young man, Goffredo di Buglione, the Duca della Bassa Lorena, who was leading the crusade, presented him with 3 shards from the Holy Sepulchre. Pazzino returned to Florence with them and the tradition of lighting the Holy Fire on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter) began. Back in those days, the fire would be lit and youth from all of the families of Florence would bring a fecellina (a small torch) to light with the fire and then process through the city, singing hymns and bringing the flame to every home. The fire would be lit by striking the stone fragments of the Holy Sepulchre together, as it continues to be lit today.

Over time, this tradition changed and for awhile the fire was brought to the masses by driving a cart into town with the fire burning on a tripod of coals. Then, at some point, the tradition moved from bearing fire to bearing explosive fireworks. The exact year of this change is not known, but it was sometime in the 14th century. Today, this tradition continues. 

The current Carro (cart) was constructed in the 1490's by the Pazzi family. It has been restored over the years, but it is the same cart as was used more than 500 years ago.

On Easter Sunday, the cart (called "Brindellone" by the Florentines) is paraded through the city, pulled by a team of white oxen, decorated with beautiful spring flowers, and accompanied by around 150 historically costumed guards, musicians, flag bearers, and others. The procession starts at the piazza in Porta a Prato and ends directly in front of the Duomo. The oxen are led away and a wire is affixed to the cart, stretching from the choir within the church. At 11:00, the choir sings "Gloria in excelsies Deo" and a "dove" with a fuse is lit by the fire that was started by the pieces of the Holy Sepulchre. It is released and "flies" down the wire toward the cart, where it ignites a fuse, setting off a spectacular display of firecrackers and fireworks. The "dove" then retreats back into the church on the wire. 

Tradition dictates that a successful ignition of the cart will ensure good crops for the year and success. Indeed, the last time that it failed to ignite was in 1966...and later that year Florence experienced a devastating flood!  Luckily, this year, once again, the dove was successful, so hopefully 2014 will be a great year for all!

Zeppole - La Vita Toscana Blog

La Festa di San Giovanni was this past week (19 March) and to celebrate, I made some delicious zeppole and posted the recipe on my other blog, La Vita Toscana.

Zeppole are not typically Tuscan - they are found more in the southern part of Italy.  However, they are delicious and rather easy to whip together.

Try it for yourself.  You can find the recipe and instructions at http://tuscanlife.blogspot.com

Buon appetito!

Learning the Language

L'italiano...la bella lingua...
Italian...the beautiful language...

There is no doubt about it - Italian is one of the most romantic of the romantic languages.  Just about everyone knows at least a few words in Italian, thanks to Dean Martin music, Godfather films and the love of Italian food.  But what if you want to really learn the language.  Maybe you want to visit Italy and would like to know some basic phrases to get you by a bit easier...maybe you want to learn this romantic language in order to woo a love interest...or perhaps you want to be able to speak to Italian friends or relatives on their level.

Learning a new language can be difficult, but there are a variety of ways that you can help yourself make it a bit easier.

1.  You already know some Italian words.
I know you do.  Really.  If you have listened to a Dean Martin song, watched a tv program or movie with Italian characters, or eaten at an Italian restaurant, you already know some words and/or phrases.  Think about it. Buongiorno (good morning/good day), arrivederci (goodbye), and ciao (hi/bye)...almost everyone knows those words.  See...you already know how to greet people in Italy!

2.  Books
An Italian-English dictionary is an important reference to have. Get a good one to have on hand. (The one I have is the Pocket Oxford Italian Dictionary.) There are tons of language learning books available on the market (and I have quite a few of them now). There are phrase books geared more toward travelers who may want to learn a few key/important phrases, such as: Come stai? (How are you?) Vorrei una pizza con funghi.  (I would like a pizza with mushrooms). Other books can help you learn grammar rules, verb conjugations, vocabulary, etc.

3. Online lessons (FREE!)
There are many places online where you can take language lessons.  Many offer some lessons for free, but also have paid "premium" content to which you can subscribe.  www.livemocha.com is where I first started taking lessons.  www.busuu.com is another great site that I use as well.  What is nice about some of these sites is that when you submit your exercises to be reviewed, they are reviewed by native speakers.  You will be asked to review some exercises of other members who are learning your native language.  In this way, it is possible to make friends in other countries and help each other learn.  I have made several friends in this way and I highly recommend it!  Some sites will have a chat function where you can send messages or chat either with text, audio or video.  This is great to help you improve pronunciation.

4. Conversation Exchange
www.conversationexchange.com is a free service to find people to talk to in order to help you learn the language.  You fill out a profile and then you can search for people who speak the language you are learning, who are also learning your native language.  You can become pen-pals and write emails to each other or get on Skype to talk...or even meet for coffee, depending if there is someone in your area looking for an exchange.

Conversing one-on-one is a great way to learn a language.  Skyping with friends that you make via the language learning sites or with a conversation exchange match-up...it's really a great way to learn to listen and speak correctly.  In fact, I would go as far as to say that unless you have some actual conversation, your language skills will not be so great.  Communication is a two way street, so unless you practice at it, you'll only get to be "so good" at the language.

5. Music, Television, and Movies
Another great way to learn how to speak, listen, and understand a new language is to hear it being spoken. Unless you live in an area where there are a lot of people speaking the language, a good way to do so is to listen to radio and music or to watch television programs and movies.

I started listening to Italian music a year before I ever set food in Italy.  I was hooked almost immediately. Radio Italia has online streaming of their shows (http://www.radioitalia.it/player.php) if you would like to hear some music (and conversation by the on-air personalities...and some advertisements).  Radio 24 is a talk-radio station that also has online streaming (http://www.radio24.ilsole24ore.com/player.php?channel=1).

www.rai.it has several television programs available to view on demand online.  They also have an app for the iPad, which is what I use to watch some of my favorite Italian television programs when I am not in Italy. Another television corporation, www.mediaset.it, also has video that you can watch online. You can also try pulling up some shows on YouTube.

Netflix has a few Italian films available to view.  I've watched several there, as well as ones that I have checked out from the library.  Amazon.com has several titles available too, but make sure that you get DVDs that are compatible with the players in your country.

5. Apps
There are tons of apps for smart phones and tablets that will help you practice Italian.  I have several on my iPhone and iPad.  Check the reviews and try them out.  I only get the free apps (because I don't like spending money when I don't have too).  There are a lot of good ones out there, just take a look around the app store.

6. Rosetta Stone (or other similar products)
These can be expensive.  I purchased Rosetta Stone and personally...I think I got more out of the online free courses and conversation exchanges with friends than I did with Rosetta.  However, that's not saying that it won't work for you.  It is definitely a good way to increase your vocabulary.  I actually stopped using it after finishing the first disc.  I may pick it back up again, just for the purpose of practicing.

Learning Italian, or any new language for that matter, takes a lot of time, practice and patience. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, because you will. Luckily, Italians are very quick to help you learn and to speak their language properly. They will not make you feel like an idiot at all, and normally will be very kind and patient.

Keep practicing and before you know it, you'll be able to speak, read, and understand la bella lingua in no time!

Injury in Tuscany

This past December, I had a bit of an accident.  Somehow, it had slipped my mind to write about it, so I will make up for it now.

We were blanketed in a thick fog for quite a large percentage of days in December.  It's not all that unusual, but it really did give me a bit of a case of cabin fever, since I was unable to get out and walk like I had grown accustomed to doing.

I was thrilled when for the second day in a row, it was clear and sunny.  I planned to head out and walk to Sant'Angelo a Lecore, where Simone's shop is located, and get my hair done.  I gleefully emerged from the apartment and started walking along the country roads, taking the same route that I always had before.

It was a gorgeous day.  The sky was blue and the birds were singing.  I took in the gorgeous scenery along the way:  the vineyards, olive trees, cypress...and breathed in the clean Tuscan air.

The sky was gorgeous that morning!

Walking past Villa Castelletti, I watched a vintage Porsche turn down the street next to it.  Gorgeous.

All of a sudden, as I stepped with my right foot, it hit the edge of the road, causing my ankle to roll and I ended up falling on my hands and knees before rolling over onto my back.

Ouch.

I laid there for a moment, wishing that I could just stay there for awhile, but knowing that there would be cars around, I didn't want anyone to think I was dead at the side of the road, so I pulled myself up.  I noticed first that the knees of my jeans were torn (which really irritated me, since that was the pair that actually fit me well).  Then I noticed that 4 cars had stopped and people were getting out to assist me.  This blew my mind. Coming from where I do in the US, if you're lucky, maybe one person would stop.  Maybe.  Here - everyone who saw it immediately stopped and came to my aid.  A young couple on their way home from the supermarket were the first to reach me.  They asked if I was ok, what happened, and where I was going. Surprisingly, I actually understood them (since my Italian skills are not that great) and I was able to communicate back with them as well!  They offered to take me to the hospital, but I told them that I was fine and so they drove me to Simone's shop instead.

I sent an SMS text to Simone when I was on the way, telling him about the accident.  When I arrived at the shop, I thanked the couple profusely and crossed the street to wait for Simone to arrive.  Once more, they asked me if I was ok and that they would be happy to take me to the hospital, but I said no and thanked them again.

I stood at the door to the shop, which was locked, and called Simone.  He said he was 2 minutes away and would be there soon.  I was fine standing there.  My ankle hurt quite a bit, but I felt ok for the most part. Once Simone arrived, however, that quickly changed.  He pulled in and as soon as I saw his face looking at me with concern, I started to break out into a cold sweat.  I began to feel nauseous and could barely function.  Simone jumped out of his car and asked me what happened.  All I could manage to say was that I needed to sit.  At that point, I was afraid that I was going to be sick and I didn't want to open my eyes or talk.  Simone opened the door and sat me in a chair.  He grabbed his first aid kit and told me that he was going to run out to his car to get his phone, since he left it there.  While he was gone, I realized that I was going into shock, so I lowered myself onto the floor and elevated my legs on a chair.  I almost immediately started to feel better.  Simone came back inside and was rather surprised that I was lying there.  He put a cold compress onto my ankle and I told him what happened.

My view from the floor.  It hurt.

By that time, my ankle had started to swell.  Simone kept saying, "it's BIG!" and that I should go to the hospital.

Now, being an American and having worked as a nurse, I am used to how the US healthcare system works. A trip in an ambulance can cost about $1000.  If you have insurance, you will probably be charged somewhere around $150 (depending on your policy) as a co-pay for simply walking into the Emergency Room.  Tests, medications, etc, will cost you even more. If you don't have insurance, an ER bill will be incredibly high (well over $1000 for a minor problem, going higher and higher as the severity of problems increase).  Knowing how it is in the US, and knowing that I didn't have insurance, I couldn't imagine how much a trip to the ER in Italy would cost me.

Simone said he would go and ask the misericordia and ask them for advice.  He was gone a few minutes and when he came back, I asked them what they said.  He said that we just had to wait until the ambulance arrived.  I panicked.  How would I be able to afford this?  I started to cry.  Simone knelt down beside me and told me to not think of the money at all.  I was more important than money and I needed to go and have a doctor look at it.  He told me that the ambulance service was free, so not to worry about that at all.  I started to feel a little better after he told me that, plus my ankle REALLY hurt a lot and I was worried that it might be broken.

Simone (on the right) talking to one of the medics.

Before much longer, we heard the ambulance approaching.  It pulled in and the medics walked into the shop. One of them took a look at my ankle and said that he was almost certain that it was just sprained, but that it would be best if they take me to the hospital for an x-ray.  Simone talked to them, gave them all of my information and they placed a immobilizer around my ankle and lower leg.  When we were ready to go, they put me onto a stretcher, carried me out of the shop and placed the stretcher onto a cart and loaded me into the back of the ambulance.  Two of the medics sat in the back with me and Simone told me that he was going to follow the ambulance to the hospital in his car.  We drove to the Pronto Soccorso (Emergency Room) at the Ospedale Careggi (Careggi Hospital) in Florence, which was about 30 minutes away.  The medics were very nice.  One sitting next to me covered me with a blanket to keep me warm and patted me on the arm and told me to rest.  None of the medics spoke English, but the two in the back chatted with me a little and asked me about the US and if I liked Florence, etc.

Simone opening the door for one of the medics

We finally arrived at the hospital and they wheeled me in.  A doctor walked up and looked at my ankle and asked if I was in pain (I was).  They had me move from the cart to a wheelchair and wheeled me into a smaller room where a nurse sat behind a desk to get my information.  One of the medics told him what happened and gave him my information.  While we were there, I saw out the window facing the waiting room that Simone had just arrived.  The nurse was finished getting my information and wheeled me out into the waiting room and told Simone that they would call for me when they had a room available.

We waited for probably 20 minutes before they came out for me.  The nurse wheeled me back and Simone stayed in the waiting room.  I sat in the wheelchair in an examination room for a couple minutes before the doctor came in and introduced himself as Lorenzo and asked me what happened.  He spoke perfect English, which made things easier for me.  He examined my ankle and said that he was positive that it was just a bad sprain, but wanted to make sure by taking a couple x-rays.

I spent quite some time sitting out in the hall next to the x-ray room.  While I was waiting, I watched patients being wheeled in and out.  One patient was brought in obviously from a calcio (soccer) match, as he was in uniform.  (He ended up having a broken arm and a few other issues, from what I gathered.) Eventually the x-ray technician wheeled me in and had me get onto the table.  When I got up, my ankle really hurt.  It had been ok while I was just sitting, but standing was a whole other story.  I almost cried when I had to move my leg for the second x-ray.

After it was over, I got back into the wheelchair and was taken back into the hallway.  I sat there for several minutes when finally a nurse came and wheeled me into another room.  He introduced himself as Fabrizio and told me that my ankle was not broken, but it was a bad sprain.  He told me that I should keep off of it for a week, keep it elevated, put ice on it for 10 minutes/4 times a day, and then follow up with my doctor.  He had a prescription for some medication that I could take for pain. Then he showed me my bill.

77 euros.

That equated to about $105 in US dollars.  I was practically giddy.  Fabrizio told me that since I was a foreigner that they had to charge me the full amount.  I kept my glee to myself as best I could.  If my ankle wasn't causing me so much pain, I may have leapt up and danced!  $105 for an ER visit, 2 x-rays, a diagnosis...I just couldn't believe it.

Fabrizio helped me onto the table and proceeded to clean and wrap my ankle with a plaster bandage. He cleaned the wound on my left knee and bandaged that as well.  Then he helped me back into the wheelchair and brought me back out to Simone.

I gave the paperwork to Simone and he went out to bring the car around.  He wheeled me out to the car and helped me get in.  That was an experience.  My ankle hurt even more than before.  We drove back to the apartment and then it got really interesting - I couldn't put any weight on my right foot at all.  We somehow made it up the 4 steps into the house and he helped me to the bedroom where I collapsed on the bed.  He made an ice pack for my ankle, fixed dinner and helped me eat it in bed.  Later, he carried me to the bathroom.  He really did take very good care of me.

My hugely swollen ankle, the day after the accident

Now here it is, a little over a month later and I am finally able to walk without too much of a limp.  For awhile, I had to use a cane to get around.  It hurt terribly for the first 2 weeks.  It's still a bit swollen and bruised, but it feels better each day.  I still have to take it easy, but I can at least walk around the grocery store and go here and there.  Hopefully in another month I will be well enough to take long walks again for exercise.

When Nurse Fabrizio was bandaging me up, he asked me what the differences were between healthcare in the US and healthcare in Italy.  I told him, honestly, I thought it was much better in Italy.  He was surprised, but I explained to him about how expensive it is and that a lot of people won't go to the doctor or the hospital because they can't afford it.  I received some of the best care that I have ever had at this hospital. They all were very kind and did a thorough job.

I had heard horror stories of tourists getting hurt or sick while in a foreign country.  Perhaps in other areas it is a problem, but here...it is not a problem at all.  You will get the best care and will not have to pay very much at all, compared to what you would have to pay in the US.

Sister Blog - La Vita Toscana

Ciao!  I wanted to let you all know about my other blog, which I'm calling a sister blog to this one, called La Vita Toscana.  

I do love blogging about my adventures in and around Italy, but I wanted to have another venue to be able to help people to learn how to adopt some facets of the Tuscan lifestyle into their own.  Not everyone can live in Tuscany, but I believe everyone can learn something from the Tuscans and use that knowledge to enrich their lives!

So, La Vita Toscana was born.  If you would like to learn more about the Tuscan way of life...recipes, traditions, etc., then please take a look at http://tuscanlife.blogspot.com/.  You can sign up for email updates, follow the blog through Google+ or Blogger, share posts with friends via email, Facebook, or Twitter, and much more.  

(In other news, I'm attempting to update the toflorencewithlove.com with new features, but I've hit a snag and the whole site is currently down.  Simone and I are working on trying to get it back up and running (and improved!), so hopefully it will be back up again soon.  I'll post about that when we get it working again!)

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable holiday season and that 2014 will bring lots of luck, love and good fortune to you all!  Auguri!

Epifania e La Cavalcata dei Magi

January 6th marks the 12th day of Christmas, otherwise known as Epiphany.  In Florence, this holiday (yes, it is a national holiday in Italy!) is celebrated with an amazingly HUGE historical parade called La Cavalcata dei Magi, the Cavalcade of the Magi, which recalls the arrival of the Magi (or the 3 Wise Men) visiting the infant Jesus. This grand parade was resurrected in 1997 during the 700th anniversary of the laying of the foundation of the Duomo.  The parade first appeared in the early 1400's (the earliest written evidence of this was in 1417) and ran every 3 years (every 5 years after 1447).  Today, it runs every year, so you can plan to see the parade if you happen to be in town this time of the year.

The parade route begins at Palazzo Pitti, continues up Via Guicciardini, crosses the Arno River via the Ponte Vecchio, then winds around a bit before finally ending in Piazza del Duomo.  There is a live nativity at a little stable next to the front of the church (which contains a large presepe - nativity scene - of terra cotta figures throughout the Christmas season), and this is where the "magi" end their procession through town and finally present the baby Jesus with their gifts.  Live animals are present, usually fenced in next to the stable.

An adorable lamb being shown before the parade arrives at the Duomo

Miniature horse being shown to the crowd awaiting the parade's arrival

In front of the Duomo, on the steps, is where the dignitaries sit.  Both church and government officials view the parade together from this vantage point.  Some speak to those gathered prior to and after the parade.  A children's choir sings from the steps before the parade arrives.

A children's choir performs for the crowd

Over 500 people from Florence and across Tuscany participate in the parade, all of which are in historical costume.  Musicians, sbandieratori (flag bearers), and representatives from towns across the province of Florence take part in the procession.

2 of the 3 Magi

Another participant in the parade is Befana!  Befana is the traditional Epiphany figure in Italy.  She is depicted as an old woman with a broom, much like a witch.  Tradition is that she flies around on her broomstick and visits children at night, leaving good little boys and girls candy, sweets and small toys.  Bad children are given coal.  The story goes that Befana was an old woman who was approached by the Magi when they were on their way to find the Christ child.  She provided them with directions and shelter for the night, but did not accompany them on their journey due to having "too much housework" to do.  Of course, later, she regretted her decision and changed her mind, so she went off on her own to try to find the Magi and the baby Jesus, but could not find them.  So, to this day she wanders around searching still.

Befana arrives!

After everyone arrives at the Piazza, singing and cheering on of city pride commences and then finally balloons are released into the air, concluding the festivities.

Witnessing the Cavalcata is a lot of fun.  It can get a bit chilly standing on the stones, so if you go, I suggest wearing warm socks under your shoes!  My toes were like ice last year when we went!  

Foggy Days

For the past 4 or 5 days, I have been in a fog.  Of course, I'm not the only one in a fog around here, because the entire area has been under a thick blanket of fog!

Fog tends to happen quite a bit in the wintertime here.  I remember last winter that we had several days of dense fog and the trend continues.  Usually, it's not too bad and will clear up around midday, but sometimes it will last from dawn until dusk without a reprieve!  That's the way it's been lately around here.  The other day, even the airport was closed due to the extreme fog!

Fog on Saturday, 7 December, 2013...

...compared to a clear, sunny day on Thursday, 5 December, 2013

I was able to get out on Saturday for a little while despite the fog.  I took a walk out to the cemetery in Signa, which is about a 15 minute or so walk from where I'm staying.

Memorial to those who fell during WWI

The cemetery was extra eerie with all the fog.  I always notice how quiet cemeteries are, but with this heavy fog, it seemed extra silent.  At one point a flock of birds flew overhead and I could hear - quiet loudly - the sound of their flapping wings.

 I did get some neat pictures out of the visit, though!

Walkway along the top of the cemetery wall

Stained glass window at the back of a family crypt

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

In about a week and a half, I'll be back home in Italy.  My time spent back in the US has been fun, and actually has gone by fairly quickly this time!  I've made some new friends and I've even learned a thing or two.  The weather here hasn't been too terrible, but it is starting to get colder, so I am definitely eager to get back to the Mediterranean before winter really hits!

Here's a few pictures from previous flights I've taken this year:

Dulles Airport, Washington DC,  April 2013

Munich Airport, January 2013

Waiting to take off on Lufthansa

Lufthansa dinner, April 2013

Flying above the Alps, July 2013

Over Germany, July 2013

Air Dolomiti, Munich Airport, July 2013

Air Dolomiti, Munich Airport, July 2013

And...I couldn't resist to post a couple songs that I always think of when I get ready to fly:

Stay tuned!  See you in a couple weeks!

My Tuscan Transformation

For most of this blog, I've written about places I've gone in Italy, things I've seen, recipes I've gathered, but today I'm writing about something very personal.

Simone at the Vatican Museums this past July

I met my Tuscan, Simone, 3 years ago this month. When we first met, I was intrigued by him. The way he spoke seemed almost poetic. His point of view and way of thinking was quite different from anyone I had ever encountered before. His cheeky sense of humor was incredibly appealing and his playful nature drew me in. Within the first couple weeks of our initial daily conversations, I realized that talking to him was the highlight of my day, and that I was looking forward to hearing from him each afternoon. When he declared to me on an afternoon in late November that he had fallen in love with me, it was one of the best days of my life. I had fallen in love – really and truly in love – for the first time in my life. Any “love” I had experienced before fell very short of what I felt (and continue to feel) for Simone.

Simone and I on the beach this past June

Many people have told me that they see my life as an incredible story...that I should write a book about it.  They see the romance, but despite the romantic part, our relationship has not been easy. The extremely long-distance between us, the 6 hour time difference, the language and cultural differences have been hurdles that we have had to face and overcome. Spending time with him in his country made me realize how different our backgrounds actually are. He has taught me a lot over the last 3 years, and he has learned a bit from me too. Sharing our cultures – the good and the bad...accepting and adapting as we have needed to do...has helped us stay together and as our understanding of each other has deepened, so has our love.

Simone and I under an olive tree

During my time spent in Tuscany, I noticed that I have undergone a transformation of sorts. I had never thought of myself as a “spoiled American”, but I was. In some ways, I still can exhibit signs of being spoiled, but I try to squash those tendencies when I recognize them rearing their ugly head. Now, I must clarify – no one ever told me that I was spoiled or anything along those lines. I came to realize it completely on my own. It's true, my ethnocentrism was not that bad, but it was there. It would show up every so often and make me behave like a spoiled brat at times. When I think about those times, I'm surprised Simone didn't shove me on a plane back to America and tell me not to come back!

I'm not sure what happened to cause me to finally “get it” about my Tuscan's culture and his ways, but it finally happened this summer. I “got it” and I accepted it. Finally.

I'm a lucky gal.  I've got a great man who loves me and I get to spend time in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  The last 3 years have been amazing...and I'm excited to see what the years to come will bring!

Ribollita

Now that it's officially autumn and the temperatures are finally getting to be cooler, it's time to start making those warm, delicious, hearty, comfort foods again.  Yay!  I absolutely love the heartier foods that are made in Tuscany and I look forward each year to be able to whip up all the yummy soups, stews, and roasts that come to mind around this time!  One of my favorite dishes (and a favorite of my Toscano) is ribollita.

Ribollita is "peasant food" at its best.  The name comes from the fact that originally it was basically minestrone soup that was "re-boiled" the next day with the addition of leftover bread.  Today's recipes for ribollita rarely call for it to be "re-boiled", but it is still a very inexpensive, yet hearty and delicious meal!

To make ribollita, you need a big pot, a lot of vegetables and some bread.

Start out by chopping up your vegetables.  You'll need some onions (I used red onions here, but you can use yellow onions if you prefer), garlic, carrots, celery and parsley at this point.

After you get done chopping these vegetables, pour some extra-virgin olive oil in a big, deep pot and add your chopped veggies.  Stir them around so they don't stick and season with some salt and pepper.  

Let it cook for 20 minutes and be sure to stir it often.  You really don't want this to stick to the bottom of your pan.  (If you need to, add a little water.)

Your vegetables are going to end up nice and soft with a slight golden color.

At this point, you'll need to add some crushed tomatoes.

Did I mention that this is going to start smelling amazing?  Mmmm!  

Stir the tomatoes in and let them cook for about 5 minutes or so.  They just need to lose that "raw tomato" scent.

While that's cooking, drain your cannellini beans.  Take 1 cup of the beans and set them aside.  When the your 5 minutes are up after adding the tomatoes, dump in the beans (minus the cup you set aside).  

Give them a stir and while they start cooking, place into a food processor the 1 cup of beans that you saved, along with 1 cup of water.  

Whiz them around until it becomes nice and smooth.  

Then add it to your soup, along with a couple liters/quarts of water, and stir it up.  

Next, it's time for the cavolo nero.  Cavolo nero is an Italian variety of kale.  In the US, look for an "Italian kale" or "Lacinato kale".  You'll want to cut out the stems and then chop up the leaves.

Stir in the chopped kale and bring the soup to a boil.  Next, stir in about 1/2 pound of crumbled up bread.  (Please, please, PLEASE do not even THINK about using a soft sandwich bread for this!  You need to find a good Tuscan bread or a hearty, dense, rustic type loaf.)  Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for about 2-3 hours.  Stir it every once in awhile and monitor the consistency (which should be thick, but not dry...sort of like a porridge).  You may need to add more water along the way, or - if it's looking too thin and runny - you may need to remove the lid and let it cook until it thickens up.  

This was taken right after the bread was added.  The finished
product will be very thick. (I forgot to take a picture of the finished
product...I got too hungry!)

Serve the ribollita hot, drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil.  

Ribollita

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 

2-3 red onions or (3-4 medium yellow onions), minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup minced parsley

2 large carrots, minced

2 large celery stalks, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

2 cans cannellini beans, drained

8 cups (2 quarts or almost 2 liters) water

2 bunches (about a pound or 1/2 kg) cavolo nero (Lacinato kale), stems removed, leaves chopped

1/2 pound (about 1/2 kg) bread, crumbled (day-old bread is best)

Place 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil into a deep pot.  Add the onions, garlic, parsley, carrots and celery.  Stir.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Add a little water if needed, to prevent sticking.  When vegetables are soft, add the tomatoes and stir.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  

Reserve 1 cup of the beans, and stir the rest into the soup.  Puree the 1 cup of beans with 1 cup of water in a food processor or blender until smooth, then add to the soup, along with the 8 cups water.  Stir well.  Add in the cavolo nero and bring to a boil.  Stir in the bread, cover and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring every so often.  Add a little water if needed in order to maintain the porridge-like consistency.  If the soup is too thin, remove the lid and cook until it is thickened.  

Adjust the seasoning before serving and drizzle each bowl of ribollita with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Estate 2012 (Summer 2012)

I realize that it's September now, but it still feels like summer to me!  Temperatures in Italy are still quite hot (today it hit up to 93 degrees in Signa), so I thought that it would be a good time to do a summertime wrap-up post.

MUSICA (Music)

As usual, summertime provided us with some great music to use as a seasonal soundtrack.  Here are some of the ones that I gravitated towards:

JOVANOTTI - Ti Porto Via Con Me

I absolutely love this song.  Every time I hear it, it reminds me of all the little trips that Simone and I took this summer.  "Ti porto via con me", translates into "I'll take you away with me".  We heard it a lot this summer and it continues to put a smile on my face every time I hear it.  Jovanotti tends to have that effect on me though!

JOVANOTTI - Estate

Yep, another one from Jovanotti.  I can't help it!  His songs are usually so cheerful, and "Estate" doesn't disappoint!  "Estate" is Italian for "Summer", and  you can definitely get the "summer" feel from this song.

MAX GAZZE' - Sotto Casa

I can never not like a Max Gazze' song.  I think it's impossible.  He was the first Italian artist that I really started to follow more than 3 years ago.  His "Sotto Casa" is such a catchy, up-beat tune.  It was a no-brainer to include this in my personal summertime soundtrack!

CHIARA (Feat. FIORELLA MANNOIA) - Passi

Two of my favorite female artists in one song.  "Passi" was one of my 'chill out' songs of the summer.  (Note, this isn't an official video, but one I found on YouTube.)

CIBO (Food)

Summertime is when we enjoy fresh, in-season vegetables as much as possible, and foods that are not so "heavy".

PANZANELLA

Nothing says summer to me more than a nice, cool salad.  In Italy, that means panzanella.  Tuscan bread, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, white wine vinegar, and olive oil combine to make an amazingly refreshing lunch!

GRILLED FOOD

Hot summers mean grilling meat in most parts of the world.  Italy is no exception!  Steak, fish, chicken, vegetables and pork all make an appearance on local grills.  We grilled some lovely pork chops earlier this summer, rubbed with fresh sage and rosemary, and accompanied with fresh asparagus cooked in a wonderful olive oil and some cooked apples.  Our neighbors asked what it was we were cooking because it all smelled so delicious!

SAGRE (Food Festivals)

Summertime sagre are everywhere in Italy.  Not a weekend goes by without at least two or three being held somewhere within an hour's drive.  We visited a few this summer: chinghiale (wild boar), porcini (mushrooms), and ranocchi (frog legs).

Fried ranocchi!  Delicious!

FRUTTI DI MARE (Seafood)

Summer means lighter foods, which in my book means fish and seafood.  We at a LOT of mussels this summer.  We would buy them at the supermarket which had them for less than 4 euro per kilogram.  We'd get a kilogram and split them between two meals.  They were super delicious and a great bargain!  We got several different fish over the course of the summer as well, frying some and poaching others.  

GELATO

It's not summer (or fall, or winter, or spring) without gelato!  We enjoy eating gelato year-round (obviously), but in the summer, it's extra fabulous.  Whether visiting a gelateria or buying a tub at the supermarket and eating it at home, it's a summertime staple.

caffè, fior di latte e nocciola gelato
coffee, sweet cream and hazelnut ice cream

VIAGGI (Travels)

It wouldn't be summer without taking a few day-trips!  We hit the road several times this summer.  Here are a few of the places we visited:

LA SPIAGGIA (The Beach)

The summer started out rather cool, but by mid to late June, it was getting rather warm, so we hit the beach.  The Mediterranean is absolutely gorgeous.  I'm not a real beach-lover, but even I really enjoyed digging my feet in the sand or wading out a little and letting the waves lap up against my legs.  The beaches we have gone to have all been extremely clean...and free!  Crowded, but not too bad.  If we lived closer, I'm sure we would have gone more often!

SIENA

We visited Siena twice this summer.  We both really love that town and enjoy spending time wandering around it's ancient streets.  The folks there are friendly and there is a real sense of community there.  The hilly streets can be a bit of a challenge on super-hot summer days though!

ROMA

This was the first time that either of us had ever been to Rome!  It was a short, whirlwind trip, but we saw a lot of really great things.  Unfortunately, not nearly as much as we had hoped to see.  Guess that means we'll need to go down again and see the things we missed!  Next time, I think we will try to go when it isn't the busy summer tourist season.  There were a LOT of tourists there!

LE MONTAGNE (The Mountains)

Another good way to beat the heat is to take a drive up to the mountains!  We visited Abetone once and climbed up to the top of the mountain, which rewarded us with spectacular views.  We visited lower mountains near Pistoia on several occasions.  The temperatures are cool and refreshing...and the views are amazing.

The mountains of Pistoia

FESTE (Festivals)

Italy knows how to put on a great festival!  There always seem to be some sort of festival going on every weekend & I've not been disappointed yet!

FESTA MEDIOEVALE MALMANTILE (Medieval Festival in Malmantile)

A medieval festival in an actual fortified medieval village.  It doesn't get much better than this!  Craftsmen demonstrating their skills, vendors displaying their wares, medieval goodies and treats...and did I mention that people still actually LIVE in this castle-like village?

Candle making demonstration at Malmantile

LA FESTA DI SAN GIOVANNI (The Feast of St. John the Baptist)

St. John the Baptist is a pretty big deal in Florence, since he is the city's patron saint.  So what else do they do but throw a huge bash on his birthday!  The day starts with mass, continues with the final of the Calcio Storico (except for this year...it was postponed due to a thunderstorm that passed through the area in the afternoon), and ends with a spectacular fireworks display over the Arno.

FESTA DEL PANE DI PRATO (Festival of the Bread of Prato)

Prato's Piazza del Duomo transformed into a carb-lover's dream this past June with it's Bread Festival!  They put up some ovens and baked fresh schiacciata (and handed out pieces for free).  There were several booths from bakeries and flour mills present, selling and displaying their wares.  I tried so many baked goodies, I ended up skipping lunch!

These are just a handful of things that we did this summer.  Of course, we did more than just the above.  We spent a lot of time walking in Cascine or around other parks and areas around the neighborhood.  We enjoyed the good weather and tried to avoid the bad weather (one day when it was raining buckets in the Florence area, we headed down to Empoli and Vinci just because it wasn't raining there!).  We worked a lot and we played a lot.  That's what I love about Italy!  There is always something exciting going on!