May 2009

The Tuscany Effect

Issue #12

In This Issue:

• May flowers, Mother’s Day and Slow Food...

• The Art of Valentino is in the Details

• How to Make a Great Frittata

• Serenella's Column in the Examiner.com

• Italian Proverbs

• More Special Villa Offers for June for 25% off

• Questions and Topic Suggestions

• Website and Blog

• Contact Us

May flowers, Mother’s Day and Slow Food...

Aren't the May flowers beautiful? Spring is definitely in the air both here and in Italy. Pause during your day to enjoy all the bright colors of nature. It's free and very gratifying.

We are beginning to see the first signs of beautiful and tasty summer fruit - ruby cherries, fragrant peaches and nectarines, luscious apricots and plums - what a delight. Stop and use all your senses to enjoy what surrounds you at this time of year. Savor each moment. That's the Tuscan way!

I hope all you mothers and grandmothers had a wonderful Mother's Day and were able to relax a bit and pamper yourself. You deserve it! In Italy, Mother's Day is celebrated on the same date as in the U.S. and is called "La Festa della Mamma" (yet another occasion for the family to get together and celebrate over good food and good wine).

Italian mothers are the pillars of the family. I believe they also run the country since every Italian man seems to defer to "Mamma" when there are important decisions to make. There is definitely a tie between the awe of the Madonna, the symbol of perfect motherhood, and the reverence for mothers in Italy.

This reverence and respect extends to La Madre Terra (Mother Earth) as well. Italians have a way of living with nature and observing all its signs. The (mostly organic) farmers still plan their activities around the phases of the moon, the feel of the earth, the smell on the wind and the other many signs Mother Nature provides. Food in Italy always has the freshest of tastes. Wine terroir remains fundamental to the types of grapes grown in Italy. It has, after all, taken thousands of years of traditions to 'get it right.'

Perhaps this is why the Slow Food movement, a world-wide organization for sustainable farming, organic food, respect of nature and green living, began in Italy. This movement is based on a total love for Mother Earth. Here is a quote from their home page:

"Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people's dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable.

Today, we have over 100,000 members in 132 countries."

Imagine that. A movement started in 1989 because an Italian man, upon descending the Spanish Steps in Rome, found himself in front of a MacDonald’s and exclaimed, "Basta" (enough)! An organization that "brings together pleasure and responsibility and makes them inseparable" in a very loving way had to have its origins in Italy.

In the United States Slow Food is headed by chef Alice Waters, a pioneer in getting schools to start sustainable gardens for students. Waters was also a key player in convincing the White House to start a sustainable garden in the premises.

I have been a member of Slow Food for years. They have saved Heritage Turkeys in the U.S. and have played a significant role in helping farmers in developing countries. Check out which restaurants and cities are members of Slow Food. You will be expressing your love for La Madre Terra!

The Art of Valentino is in the Details

My sister and I recently saw the documentary film "Valentino, The Last Emperor," about Valentino Garavani, the last of the great fashion icons. It is currently playing in major markets.

If you love high fashion, celebrity styles and all things Italian, you will be captivated by this film that took over two years to shoot. Valentino is captured in both his professional and creative life, in his fully-tanned glory and in all his moods.

Born Valentino Garavani, Valentino has been in the fashion world for 50 years. His life includes breathtaking villas, fashion runways, yachts and elegant mountain cabins. His atelier is overrun with seamstresses, models and VIP guests. This movie has many messages about creative genius and unconditional love. It also includes a sad commentary about the huge impact "Big Business" is having on the fashion industry through standardized marketing, bottom-line-driven decisions and the crushing blow to passion and creativity.

This same impact has already been felt by the sports and entertainment industries. While I understand the ultimate business motivations, it is sad that Valentino was driven out of the Valentino brand. With him went all the fervor, eccentricity, creativity and minute attention to details that made the great fashion houses what they were.

When you see what Valentino could do with the flourish of a pencil on a piece of scrap paper or with the simple draping of some fabric over a nude model to create a concept, it is astounding. Perhaps even more amazing is the very Italian approach to the minutest attention to details; each stitch of each centimeter of fabric is done by hand, each sparkle is lovingly added, each fold is precise. It is this attention to detail that creates the ultimate breathtaking gown.

Is this type of creativity to be gone forever for the sake of business?

How to Make a Great Frittata

While we are on the subject of details, let me reiterate that details are one of the basics of living life all'Italiana (Italian-style). Making a frittata, or any other kind of food, is a prime example of the basic philosophy that life is in the details.

In Tuscany, the frittata is one of the staples of cooking. It is quick and inexpensive and can be made with new ingredients or by utilizing delicious leftovers.

The classic rules of frittata-making in Italy include using a cast-iron skillet and never washing it. It is meant to be wiped clean with food wrapping paper (similar to brown bag paper in the U.S.), and put away each time to retain the pan's 'seasoning.' A basic frittata includes the freshest eggs, your best olive oil, your favorite seasonal ingredients and a small amount of parmigiano (more than a tablespoon would result in a burned cheese flavor in the finished product). The eggs should be merely blended and not over-beaten as they will become rubbery if you do so. You can use your favorite vegetables or meats plus your favorite herbs to create a frittata. There are many different varieties.

Of course not everyone (even in Italy) still adheres to all of these rules. For the most part, modern (non stick) skillets are simplifying the art of frittata-making. Even so, you should know the authentic story. Once you learn the basics of frittata-making, it actually becomes easy.

Last week my husband and I went to the local Farmer's market where we purchased many types of organic fruits and vegetables, including spring onions. They are so fresh and fragrant at this time of year.

I decided to make one of my favorite and most delicious frittate (plural) using these onions. Here is how I did it:

• 8 very fresh, organic eggs

• 3 spring onions. Thinly sliced

• Extra virgin olive oil (about 2T plus ½ T)

• 1T grated Parmigiano Reggiano

• 1t fresh thyme

• Salt and pepper to taste

(I cheated and used a large, non-stick skillet). I like my frittata on the thin side (Tuscan-style) while some people prefer the thicker version. This is up to you so vary the skillet size accordingly.

Coat the skillet with the olive oil. Add the onions and cook on medium heat. Continue cooking and stir often until the onions are transparent. Make sure to not burn the onions as this would give them a bitter (rather than sweet) taste. When they look ready, add the thyme and stir a couple of minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, crack the eggs and place the contents in a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Discard the shells. Add the remaining ½ t olive oil, the parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well (Italians typically use a fork), until blended together smoothly. Do not over-beat.

Carefully add the egg mixture to the cooked onions. Quickly move the ingredients around gently with a wooden spoon until the onions are spread evenly throughout the egg mixture then stop stirring. Make sure the heat is not too high. Cook until the eggs are almost totally firm but are still a bit liquid on top. Occasionally shake the pan on the stove top to make sure the frittata does not stick. Do not overcook or burn the frittata (your nose should guide you as you don’t want anything to smell burned). You can also use a rubber spatula to peek at the underside of the frittata to see if it looks done.

At this point, if you are a skilled chef, you can demonstrate your best frittata-flipping skills. If you are not up to that, you have two easier choices:

1. Place the frittata in a 375 ° oven until firm, golden on top and cooked.

2. Take a large dinner plate, place it upside-down on top of the skillet.

Take everything to the kitchen sink and turn the frittata over onto the plate over the sink (so you don't make any mess). It should be golden on the cooked side. Slide the frittata back into the skillet to finish cooking the other side. This will take only a few minutes. Both sides should be golden, not burned.

Serve your frittata on a lovely plate. It can be eaten warm or at room temperature, cut up as an appetizer or enjoyed as a main course.

The most common types of frittata include: Onion, spinach, mushroom, asparagus, zucchini, sausage and sometimes even leftover pasta. Experiment and find your own favorite. Always pay attention to each detail along the way and enjoy the process. Your frittata will be deliziosa!

Buon Appetito!

Serenella's Column in the Examiner.com

Thanks to all of you who have been reading my column in the examiner.com. I hope you will keep dropping in to read the articles. Below are some recent additions.

Grazie!

• The 4th Sicilian Film Festival announces its winners

• Roberto Benigni brings 'Tuttodante' world tour to the U.S. and Canada

• Recent Italy quake in L'Aquila brings earthquake preparedness to the foreground

• Angels and Demons - Location shoots in Italy and elsewhere

Extra Examiner Feature: Serenella interviewed by Debbie Gisonni, Health and Happiness Examiner:

• Why is the Italian lifestyle so good for you and you can you duplicate it?

Enjoy your reading!

Italian Proverbs

The best way to learn about a country and its language is through popular sayings or proverbs. Here are a few more for you to ponder:

• Lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore.
  (Far from the eyes, far from the heart.)
  - Out of sight, out of mind.

• L'abito non fa il monaco.
  (The habit does not make a monk.)
  - Clothes don't make the man.

• Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani.
  (Better an egg today than a chicken tomorrow.)
  - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

• Non fare il passo piu lungo della gamba.
  (Don't take a step longer than your leg.)
  - Don't bite off more than you can chew.

• Dimmi con chi vai chi ti diro chi sei.
  (Tell me with whom you spend time and I'll tell you who you are.)
  - A man is known by the company he keeps.

• Chi cerca trova
  (Those who search, find.)
  - Seek and ye shall find.

• Non si puo avere la botte piena è la moglie ubriaca.
  (You can't have a full bottle and a drunken wife.)
  - You can't have your cake and eat it too.

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More Special Villa Offers for June for 25% off

This just in: June special are offered on any available properties in the grouping “Luxury Villa Rentals” on the Toscana Mia site.

A gorgeous group of villas in the most idyllic Italian locations (Tuscany, Liguria, Sardinia, Venice) are currently on special offer. If you go to the Toscana Mia website and proceed to the villa rental search page, you will see a large number of villas listed under the title “Luxury Villa Rentals.” These properties are offered at a special discount for June.

Over the last 6 years, these properties have never been discounted so this is a great time to take your dream trip while paying less for a beautiful villa!

This offer is first come, first served and based on availability.

Need more information about traveling to Tuscany?

Please contact Serenella Leoni, your Tuscany Lifestyle Expert, to reserve your place and to answer your questions.

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