FREE Taste of Italian Spring in SC and other areas of USA

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I just read this from a fellow "Twitter" pal:

March 20, 2009 from SCnow.com:
The first day of spring is marked with a free Italian ice in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina and other parts of the U.S. Rita’s Italian Ice is giving out a free regular size Italian ice today. Each year hundred of thousands of guests turnout across the U.S. for the First Taste of Spring. This is the 17th year Rita’s giving away the free Italian ice, and this is the first time it’s being held in Florence.

Rita’s also asks everyone who stops by to donate a canned food or non perishable item to the Manna House. The giveaway continues until 10 tonight!

Sounds delicioso! ANDIAMO!

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Have a Gratitude Filled St. Joseph's Day!

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Buona Festa di San Giuseppee !!

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.aAn immense St. Joseph's Day Altar in New Orleans, LA, USA

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On March 18th (today), Italians everywhere celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph. It is a day that involves a lot of food preparation for large dinners. In many Catholic parishes, Italians assemble a St. Joseph's Altar where a variety of foods are laid in thankfulness.
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Here is a link for a virtual St. Joseph's Altar:

http://www.thankevann.com/stjoseph/
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Well the fun and festivities around the globe for St. Patrick's Day have come and gone. And today a very little known feast day is observed among Italians and Italian-Americans. It is a quiet form of tribute, but it is still very meaningful. On this day Italians give thanks for prosperity, fulfilled promises, and/or to simply share with those who are less fortunate. Here is a brief explanatory background of this feast day:

In Italy this day is known as "La Festa di San Giuseppe". St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Sicily and in many American-Italian communities. On this day people show their gratitude to St. Joseph because: In the Middle Ages, there was a servere drought, so the people prayed to St. Joseph for rain with an oath to honor him with a large feast if their prayers were answered. The skies opened up with rain, a famine was prevented, and the people of Sicily kept their promise by preparing a massive banquet for St. Joseph. Everyone participated, including the needy.

The good news does not stop there. On this day, it is still tradition for Italians to give food to the poor and needy, in addition to placing fava beans (the crop that helped prevent starvation during the drought) on altars created for St. Joseph.
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The altar is commonly 3 tiers high to represent the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and is covered with white linen fabric. Flowers, limes, wine, cakes, cookies, breads, candles, and a special Sicilian pastry called "Zeppole" are also placed on the altars. No meats or meat-filled dishes are allowed on the altars or to eat meat during the dinner, because the feast takes place during Lent. Bread crumbs are commonly used in some of the recipes in order to represent saw dust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Many people will wear red.

A very special food made by Italians is called "Cuccadati" which are beautiful bread loaves that are decorated in designs symbolic of a crown of thorns or other spiritual symbols of the Church. These cover latticework known as La Vastedde, along with lemons, limes, oranges, bay leaves, and myrtle branches.

In the United States, St. Joseph is honored in larger metropolitan cities where there is a high population of Italians. . . New Orleans, especially, because it is the port where many Sicilians entered America. Buffalo, NY, New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City also have public and private St. Joseph's altars constructed. A parade also takes place in New Orleans.

Here is a link to a very good discussion and beautiful photos of St. Joseph's Day altars:

http://annachupa.com/StJo/index.html

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Farewell to My "Bella" Horse Friend, "Ace", Death of My Horse

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In Loving Memory of My Beautiful Thoroughbred "Ace" (1985 - 2009)

"Nothing is more sacred as the bond between horse and rider... No other creature can ever become so emotionally close to a human as a horse. When a horse dies, the memory lives on because an enormous part of his owner's heart, soul, very existence dies also... but that can never be laid to rest, it is not meant to be..."

~ Stephanie M. Thorn

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When you look beyond the fenceline and see that I'm not there,

Please remember that I'll never forget how much you really cared.

I appreciate all the love you put into my soul,

Often making me feel as though I was, once again, a newborn foal.

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When you look beyond the fenceline and see an empty space

I'm hoping for thoughts of joy to replaces those tears on your face.

Although our time together was taken away too soon,

I'll always be watching over you through the sun, stars, and moon.

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When you look beyond the fenceline you should not feel all alone.

For a part of you came with me the day I went to God's home.

And although I didn't want to, so soon, to be put to rest

I assure you, dear friend, that my spirit and soul still feel the very best.

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When you look beyond the fenceline and think of me for awhile.

Remember all the fun we shared and those times I made you smile.

Remember how we'd run the fields, but never run away

I'll never forget your gentle touch on my coat of bay.

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So, when you look beyond the fenceline don't think we're far apart

For every time you think of me, I'm right there in your heart.

~ author unknown

Buona Notte, my dear friend. You blessed my life with your gentleness, grace, majesty and beauty. I pray that I see you again in heaven.

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Amore, amore, amore,

~ bella

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Back from AZ and Spring Break: Happy and Sad Events

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Well, it has been a very emotion-filled week for me, lots of highs and lows . . . what life always brings . . . reminding me of simply 'being ALIVE'!  Visiting my mother and father in their golden years was very special; time is precious and flies so quickly by. . . every moment is precious. My father's health is very up and down, with his body being very fragile. . . the mind just as sharp as a pin, but the body just going with age.



Then something happened: I asked my parents to heat up their hot tub so I could just sit in it and enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather and sunshine. Then my mother decided to get in and join me. The next day my father decided to take the plunge and join both my mother and me. My dad started to put his aching bones next to the water jets for an aquatic massage. . . the results of this simple act were, well, simply amazing!



My father was able to sleep through the night without pain; he was able to walk without pain the next morning; and he was even able to do 2 1/2 minutes on his glider-exerciser!  My parents said that they hadn't been in that hot tub for THREE YEARS! And in one 15 minute period, my father felt renewed! What a joy to find treatment for one's aches and pains, literally in their own backyard!
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My parents, Italo (Bud) and Retha (Santi) Corieri

at Pane e' Vino Ristorante, Scottsdale, AZ

During my visit I was able to sit and quilt with my mother (often frustrated with the quilting directions provided in the instructions!). And we were able to dine at 3 incredible Italian eateries in the Valley of the Sun.
Although my trip felt short, I knew that I needed to get back home early to my sweetie, W.D., and to just get back into the state of mind for teaching next week again.

The next morning after my return flight, Saturday morning, my wonderful 24 year old Thoroughbred fell extremely ill with colic, and at his age, it was not curable. We put him (Ace) to sleep last night and buried him today.

IT WAS ONE OF THE LOWEST POINTS lately in my life. I grieved and could not pull myself out of it. I'm still hurting, and I know that I will for some time. I just can't even talk or write about it, it hurts that bad.

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Osso Bucco Ravioli con Burra e' Salvia

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Osso Bucco Ravioli con Burra e' Salvia

Here is a photo of a wonderful lunch dish that my mother and I enjoyed, but it was most expensive: $17.00 for 5 ravioli! YIKES! But we had to try it. The restaurant/Italian grocer in Scottsdale, AZ is called Andreoli's. The prices are a bit too high for what you get and the owner is a bit on the snotty side. No reason for it, just no reason for it at all.

This dish is home-made ravioli stuffed with ground osso bucco (and seasoning), drizzled with olive oil, butter, garlic and sage. It was extremely wonderful. All the flavors were perfect together. Now I am going to be on the hunt to try and find and/or create this recipe.

A beautiful round ball-shaped cactus in my parents' backyard

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Mama's Italian Roast Beef with Garlic & Rosemary Potatoes

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It is Spring Break at the university where I teach and I have flown out to visit my parents. After they picked me up at the Phoenix airport, I was warmly greeted by the familiar aroma of garlic and rosemary floating through the air the moment I entered the door! My mother had dinner already prepared and so now I am going to share with you how she makes a stove-top roast.

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My mother entered this herself on the keyboard for me . . . she knows these recipes by heart and like many Italian mamas, she doesn't have her recipes written down anywhere, but rather cooks as she goes, so you'll have to make adjustments to the recipe below, because the amounts are simply approximates.

Italian Roast Beef (Stove-Top)

• Saute minced garlic (lotsa - about 8 LARGE cloves) in olive oil (plus salt & pepper) to get full flavor of the garlic.
• Strain the garlic (and set aside, do not throw out).
• Pour the olive oil (from above) into a heavy roasting pan and heavily brown all sides of a chuck roast.
• When fully browned, add water to de-glaze the pan.
• Add the sauteed garlic (that you had set aside) and minced fresh rosemary to the water mixture.
• Add a beef bouillion cube.
• Cover and cook on low heat until tender (approximately 3 hours, depending on the tenderness of the roast).
• Keep adding water to keep a juice cooking . . . about 1 - 2 inches deep in the bottom of the pan.

Garlic Rosemary Potatoes

• Peel and cut Idaho russet potatoes into 2" cubes or to your preference.
• Dry potatoes in a dish towel.
• Place in a mixing bowl.
• Coat potatoes with a mixture of chopped fresh garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, salt and pepper.
• Place in a baking dish that is greased or oiled
• Bake at 350 to 375 oven until brown and crispy, turning periodically (bake at least one hour).

SERVE with a nice wine . . . we prefer Pinot Noir.

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Salmon with Garlic and Basil (Salmone con Aglio e Basilico)

Dear Amici,

Here is the entree that I prepared over the weekend . . . I will post the recipe after I get home from teaching. First things first!

Salmone con Aglio e Basilico

1/2 whole salmon cut into serving sizes

or

4 boneless salmon filets

Place the salmon in a oven-proof baking dish.

Mix the following in a small bowl and then brush all over the salmon:

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Butter (or use 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil alone, we add butter for fish)

2 Tbsp. Lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

1 tsp. chopped Basil (you can also use Thyme)

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to desired taste level.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes . . . I also broil it for a few minutes to get a nice caramel color such as you see in the photo.

OR GRILL the salmon to preferred doneness (which will color the salmon from the grill flames).

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Serve with vegetables of choice.

I used sweet peas which give a nice balance to the lemon on the fish....if there is more garlic/olive oil/butter mixture left after brushing the salmon, it is very nice added to the peas or your vegetable of choice. A green vegetable looks very complimentary to the salmon.

I also used baked potatoes sliced and buttered with garlic butter.

Serve with a nice Pinot Grigio.

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This is the recipe that I have decided to bring to the Festa Italiana on the "Proud Italian Cook" and/ or "Finding La Dolce Vita" blogs of my new foodie friends . . . here is their event badge shown below. For more information log on to their blogs for February 23rd, 2009 which provide more details.

http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/

http://findingladolcevita.blogspot.com/

Amore' e' Buon Appetito!
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~ bella

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March Snow in Carolinas is "bella"!

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March certainly came in like a lion! The snowfall was "bella"! Plus a snow day for students was really enjoyed by all!
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Have a lovely day wherever you are in the world!
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Amore,
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~ bella

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