above: prosciutto and salumi, Macelleria Falorni, Greve del Chianti, Tuscany In late July, we took a brief trip through the Chianti area, visiting our friends Rita and Lino. They live near Greve, so we visited that charming town (touristy, but tastefully so) and the famous Macelleria (butcher)Falorni. Falorni make their own insaccati (preserved meats), such… Continue reading Macelleria Falorni: A Long-Standing Tradition in Greve del Chianti
Category: Italian food
Birthday Lunch at Lanterna Verde
Last Saturday we went to La Lanterna Verde, one of our favorite restaurants in the world, for the now-traditional celebration of Ross’ and Alice’s birthdays. Last year there were 11 of us, this year 10. The owners have become fond of us, though they’d like to see us more often! Most of us had set… Continue reading Birthday Lunch at Lanterna Verde
Italian Recipes: Pasta with Red Bell Peppers
I love to cook, but I hate having to decide what to cook, so I usually make meals based on whatever I happen to have around that needs to be used, or whatever looks good at the fruttivendolo (greengrocer), butcher, supermarket, etc. that day. Last night I hadn’t done much shopping, but had on hand: one sweet… Continue reading Italian Recipes: Pasta with Red Bell Peppers
The Family That Eats Together
The other night I attended a party of Americans, with their Italian significant others and families. One American remarked that the kids present were amazingly polite, well-spoken, and self-possessed, compared with American kids of the same ages. He was right, but I hadn’t particularly noticed, because it’s what I’ve grown to expect. I have written… Continue reading The Family That Eats Together
Eating Cheaply in Italy
Someone asked in one of the travel forums about how to eat cheaply in Italy, and whether it’s possible to take a "doggie bag" from a restaurant. To answer the second question first: I’ve only once taken away the remains of a meal from a restaurant in Italy (a steak that was larger than anticipated).… Continue reading Eating Cheaply in Italy