It is New Years Eve, 2013 and we are in Northern Italy. No, we didn’t splurge on plane tickets, we invited friends for a communal Italian feast. The dining room is awash in candlelight and we are beautiful. After a Milanaise aperativo of prosecco and chunks of parmegiano reggiano to wake our taste buds, we sit down to a Milanaise risotto. Knowing that more dishes are to follow doesn’t stop most of us from helping ourselves to seconds.
Saltimbocca is next. It means ‘jump in the mouth’ and the combination of fresh sage, prosciutto and thinly pounded chicken breast does just that when topped with a buttery, winey, sagey sauce. With the saltimbocca comes a sauté of baby spinach blended with plumped golden raisons, garlic and toasted slivered almonds. A colorful mixed salad refreshes our palates and prepares us for our dolce – a dense chocolate Torta Barozzi from Modena, topped with a scoop of homemade hazelnut gelato and drizzled with bittersweet chocolate sauce. We are slowing down but there is still room for coffee, chocolates, homemade biscotti and a local ice wine – or grappa for the more courageous.
Throughout our feast, the conversation is most often of foreign adventures. Lisa and Duke recount the disappearance of Lisa’s 83 year old mother from their hotel on her first night in Naples. Michael follows with a classic tale of Neapolitan robbery of the Volkswagon van (shades of Alte Liebe) that was home during six months in Europe. Marc has memories of summers spent working at the Milan consulate. I describe the experience of landing aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington in the company of the mayor of Milan and assorted generals. Mark recollects the weekly Swedish auctions where Venetian glass chandeliers, such as the one in our dining room, were put up for bid by Swedes whose modernist tastes excluded extravagant flowery shapes.
Without leaving home, we have shared one of the great pleasures of wanderlust – the tastes created by another culture. Without leaving home our stories have taken friends to places they have never been. We are nourished by both.
May Foreign Writes provide nourishment for your wanderlust in 2014.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wish we could have been with you. Unfortunately I tried to enlarge the picute of you and dinner gu ests and it came out upside down. I tried to turn it but it would not work. So I now have a stiff neck but at least I can saw you. Mark, son looks to handsome. Peter does not remember the restaurant in Rome.
Wishing all of you a happy 2014. Hope y ou are following the latest in politics Italian style. The only h ope f or this beautiful country is Renzi,the middle class Italian Kennedy. He has it all. Most intelligentItalians are starting to realize how good he is. HOpe he will have a change to be the Prime Minister. Letta is intelligent but lacks charisma. Today the Corsair interviewed Secchia on the Fiat purchase of Chrysler. Another good thing for Italy. There are so few positives here these days that we have to cling to the few good ones. Your reporter from Milan, Carol
Happy New Year – David and Carol – Sorry about the photo – we couldn’t figure out how to enlarge it right side up. I try to follow Italian politics, but haven’t read much about Renzi. Of course most of the articles here are about Burlesconi antics. Sharon
Sharon, your adventures are amazing for the quiet girl you seemed to be in Class LOL, Just hit number 72 on New Yrs Eve who would have thought, I am pursuing my Music (should have study better in my younger days However I will make it. Practice is all it takes I think. I am learning the Pedal steel (Nashville stile)I used to play a lap steel when younger this is totally different /harder, I just invested 1500 bucks in a new guitar and amp, Maybe ready for 55 class reunion. If you check out you tube 2 guys stand out One is a David Hartley /and the other Jeff Neuman(deceased)Joe Wright.another this will give you a smple of what I hope to be playing. Got 2 Grandkids heade for studing abroad Emma Stolen heading for Dublin for 4 months, and Connor short stint in Haiti , All for now /Your Classmate Bob
Happy New Year, Bob. So glad your grandchildren will be studying in Dublin and Haiti. A great time to catch wanderlust. Would love to hear you on your new guitar. Keep it up! sharon
Sharon,
What a pleasant surprise to read your latest blog recounting our lovely evening! But I don’t think you quite gave your home made hazelnut gelato enough press. Since I am not a writer I cannot begin to describe the joy which that brought to my year’s end. E stato perfetto!!!! -Lisa
Lisa – Many thanks. It was a terrific evening, one we will remember for a long time. Sharon.