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Gras but in no way Mardi
Mar. 8th, 2011 09:06 amIt's strange to cook in a kitchen that hasn't got all of the implements and ingredients that you take for granted in your own. The knives in this flat are so blunt it's like trying to cut things with a spoon... and there is no steel. Similarly we keep looking in vain for things like a sieve or a flat spatula... but then again we did just turn up an unexpected food processor circa 1972 (in the ubiquitous dark orange shade that all kitchen gadgets were back then).
Another oddity in Venice is that we can't get fresh chillies anywhere. Several supermarkets and the whole of Rialto fruit & veg market - and no chillies. I thought maybe it was a seasonal thing, except that there is no shortage of bell peppers and other capsicums. Having found a Venetian cookbook in the flat, I'm wondering if Venetians might favour dried chillies in cooking... the ony time heat gets a mention is when it is time to "crumble in hot red chillies to taste".
Are you all celebrating Mardi Gras? Right now G is making pancakes for breakfast, using 00 flour... (insert tummy rumble here)
Later today I think we will visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection of early 20th century art. We've been more or less hiding from the carnival mania until tonight, when the big finale happens. Apparently this will involve a procession of 19th century boats floating at midnight down the Grand Canal, all lit by candlelight. If I can get close enough I'd like to see that.
It's such a different experience staying in an apartment, rather than a hotel. I could really get used to this - am not sure I will ever revert to hotels. A few moments ago I glanced out of the window with a towel on my head and saw a boat load of Japanese tourists grinning and waving at me from a gondola. I'm a little fond of Japanese tourists - I think they might be the most polite people in the world. :-)
Yesterday I accidentally bought two balls of Italian yarn in (surNOTprise!) grey! It's a disease, I probably now have enough grey yarn, of varying fibre, to knit myself a pack of life-sized huskies. Someone really needs to tie me up, Odysseus style, whenever I get near a yarn shop. The woman who owned the shop was having a fag outside in such a beliigerent style that she did all possible to block me from entry. But she cheered up considerably when she spotted me walking past the 'fun fibres' and heading straight for the cashmere...
Ooh, that's my pancakes ready...
Have a fun day fiends!
Another oddity in Venice is that we can't get fresh chillies anywhere. Several supermarkets and the whole of Rialto fruit & veg market - and no chillies. I thought maybe it was a seasonal thing, except that there is no shortage of bell peppers and other capsicums. Having found a Venetian cookbook in the flat, I'm wondering if Venetians might favour dried chillies in cooking... the ony time heat gets a mention is when it is time to "crumble in hot red chillies to taste".
Are you all celebrating Mardi Gras? Right now G is making pancakes for breakfast, using 00 flour... (insert tummy rumble here)
Later today I think we will visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection of early 20th century art. We've been more or less hiding from the carnival mania until tonight, when the big finale happens. Apparently this will involve a procession of 19th century boats floating at midnight down the Grand Canal, all lit by candlelight. If I can get close enough I'd like to see that.
It's such a different experience staying in an apartment, rather than a hotel. I could really get used to this - am not sure I will ever revert to hotels. A few moments ago I glanced out of the window with a towel on my head and saw a boat load of Japanese tourists grinning and waving at me from a gondola. I'm a little fond of Japanese tourists - I think they might be the most polite people in the world. :-)
Yesterday I accidentally bought two balls of Italian yarn in (surNOTprise!) grey! It's a disease, I probably now have enough grey yarn, of varying fibre, to knit myself a pack of life-sized huskies. Someone really needs to tie me up, Odysseus style, whenever I get near a yarn shop. The woman who owned the shop was having a fag outside in such a beliigerent style that she did all possible to block me from entry. But she cheered up considerably when she spotted me walking past the 'fun fibres' and heading straight for the cashmere...
Ooh, that's my pancakes ready...
Have a fun day fiends!
