Devour

Not even I

It's 3am on Saturday morning.  I just got home from my second job.  Of course, I'm unable to just lie down and go to bed, but I'm so damn tired. 
I've been back in Denver since late Tuesday night... and I haven't really been home much.  I've been working long hours and trying to maintain the schedule of going to bed early, and getting up early, (that gets shot to hell when you work at a bar on the weekends) and hitting the gym before work.  So I get home later than usual from my day job and just go to bed.  I haven't unpacked, gone shopping for FOOD, or even looked at the rest of my pictures.  I don't anticipate finding the time to do that until sometime after the weekend.  I guess it's a small price to pay to have the opportunity to travel once in a while.   I will try to get the rest of the pictures up before the middle of the week. 

Stuck

Stuck in Roma another day.  I got bumped off my flight this morning and had to come back to the city to find a place to lay my head.  I am scheduled to fly out tomorrow morning, I really just want to get home. 

I woke up this morning to a dreary day, but was working at a relaxed pace to get to the airport as my flight wasn't until almost 1pm.  There were long lines at the airport, but I had plenty of time.  I ate a crappy airport meal and was sweating buckets, but I was content... I was going home. 

At the gate, the man running the show was a complete prick.  He could have at least been courteous.  I am not sure what I did to him, he was American so there was no lanuage barrier.  I have a feeling it had nothing to do with me.  In any case, he was somewhat apologetic when he realized how let down I was, but still was pretty cold to my situation.  I looked out the window and the drizzle had turned into the kind of rain that drives sideways and seems to powerwash the windows. 

When I picked up my bag off the baggage claim, I was happy to see it, but it was soaked.  The pad that goes against my back is like a sponge, and the water ran down my back and legs when I put it on. 

It's still raining.  Seems like it won't stop for a long time. 

Positano

Quick post...

• We spent the day today at possibly the most beautiful beach I have ever been to.  I will post pictures at a different time, this Internet cafe is not conducive to that.  I can't believe it is not more crowded here.  Wait until you see the pictures!
• Carolyn was showering today and I was watching CNN.  Maybe I didn't see enough of the broadcast, but the lunatic also known as Hugo Chavez was making perfect sense to me.  I think George Bush might be the devil, too.  Call me crazy, or call me a lunatic.  Crazy people make sense sometimes, I guess. 
• My burn is peeling off.  It's gross. 
• I got a massage on the beach today from a stocky Asian woman with very strong hands.  I am very relaxed, but she used oil on me, even though she made it clear to me that she understood me when I said "No olio".  I wonder what I said?

More Italy

    Deviated from "the plan"... we were about to get on a train to Naples, but we were going to get there much later than we wanted to and couldn't get in touch with any hotel we wanted.  So, we decided to go to Siena for the night.  It, of course, if very beautiful here.  I don' think there's anything here that isn't beautiful.
In any case... there are pictures now from Montalcino.  Again, unedited and unsorted.
I am also experimenting for the first time with YouTube.  Lemme know what you think.  The video is of the main square in Siena.  It is called Il Campo.  We still haven't had dinner, and it is already 10pm.  Nice.  Catching the first train in the morning, to eventually end up in Naples and then on to Sorrento or Amalfi right away.
Hi Mom!

Montalcino

I have a couple extra minutes this morning to jot some notes... we are in Montalcino at the moment.  It is about 9am, I've been up wandering around for about an hour. 

Yesterday was a nauseating bus ride from Siena to Montalcino, it took us about an hour or two to come back to our natural colors from green.  Lesson learned: sit as close to the front of the bus as possible. 

The train ride from Florence to Siena was uneventful.  The world was looking after us, we were not sure how we were going to get from Siena to Montalcino, but a bus pulled up after we finished our cafe after the train ride.  It was too perfect. 

The picture of my arm is a nice little burn I have.  It is the result of me insisting that I was capable of carrying a tray of breakfast food and very hot caffelattes down two flights of stairs instead of using the elevator.  I did not see one of the steps after the landing and managed to cover myself in really hot espresso and steamed milk.  The burn is now smaller but blue.  I think that will peel off soon and leave me with a nice nasty scar.  Lesson learned: when someone offers to help, indulge them. 

Today we are going to walk around a bit, and maybe see a vineyard.  The Brunello de Montalcino wine which put this town on the map is amazing.  Brunello is their word for Sangiovese... and even the glasses of their 2 star vintages that we've tried are great.  Of course, we had a lot of it last night with a fantastic meal which will get its own post. 

Tonight we are heading south to Amalfi or Positano before heading to Rome on Thursday night. 

Hope everyone is well!

Perugia 20060915

Imagine walking into a church square in an early Etruscan-esque hilltop village at about one am... you find yourself surrounded by a few hundred, maybe a thousand 20 to 30 something, presumably Italian, people.  They are playing drums, drinking beer and wine, dancing, sitting on the cathedral steps smoking, talking, eating... DEVOURING life.  There is a large fountain which creates the familiar hum of splashing liquid, like a mountain stream in late spring.  There is a festival tomorrow so there is a stage set up and scaffolding with lighting on the opposing side of the square.  On top of the scaffolding are projectors, placing modern images on the 3 facing walls of the square... on huge marble slabs that are the exterior walls of ancient cathedrals and public buildings.  Dogs are mating, the energy is amazing.  That was the end of my night last night.  Perugia.  Wow.

Italy Photos

It has been a while since I have been able to get in front of a computer... in Florence now.  Just a quick post or two.  I am hoping this link will allow you to see the first batch of pictures.  Scenery includes, San Lorenzo, where I stayed the first couple of nights, Piazza San Giovanni in Rome, Carolyn on the train to Perugia, one night in Perugia, and half of today in Florence.  These photos are unedited and unsorted and untitled... will work on that once I get back stateside.

Here

Arrived in Rome about 8 hours ago, but my bags never made it.  I had enough forethought to stick an extra pair of undies in my carry-on, but I had to buy soap, a toothbrush, deodorant, and a shirt.  For some reason, no one is even selling shorts... but I suspect it's the season, because plenty of people are wearing them. 

The city is a little overwhelming since I don't have anything that even resembles a command of the language.  I had a great Pizza, and lots of great coffee.  I spent my entire evening trying to find a shirt, settled on one that I wouldn't even allow anyone to take a picture of me in.

crap, time on my account is up.  gotta cut this post short.

ciao!

Grilled Figs

We love dessert.  This one is full of authentic flavor without any added sugar.  (Taken from Weber's Real Grilling... our liberties are with doubling the coconut.  I've recently had the priveledge of sampling numerous recipes from this book, and it's well worth adding to your library.  You'll believe me when you try this recipe.)

"Grilled Figs with Cherry Sauce and Toasted Coconut

2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup cherry jam
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large, ripe black figs, cut in half lengthwise
4 fresh mint sprigs

1.  In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream and cherry jam and whisk to break up the jam.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until 1/2 cup liquid remains, 5 - 8 minutes, whisking often.  Add the lemon juice.  Pour the sauce through a sieve into a small saucepan. 

2.  In a large skillet over medium heat, spread the coconut in a single layer and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Pour the cocount in to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

3.  In a [the same] large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the figs to the skillet and coat them in the butter.  Grill the figs, cut side down, over DIRECT MEDIUM heat until well marked and tender, 2 - 4 minutes.  [You gotta know your grill for this one.]   Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over low heat.

4.  Spoon the sauce on the plates.  Arrange the figs on top.  Sprinkle heap the coconut over the figs.  Garnish with the mint.  Serve warm."

5.  Devour.

Summer's Over already?

So, I'm at the office on a Saturday, and it's supposed to be a holiday weekend.  I can't complain, I get to take off for a few weeks starting Friday, I'm going to Chicago for a couple days and then Italy for a couple weeks.  I feel I need to get some things done before I take off.  It's crappy outside anyway.  Monday's gonna be harder on me.  In any case, I'm taking a break right now to throw up a post.
I can't believe that summer's already about over.  Denver is usually pretty nice through October, but a friend who spoke with a Sioux Indian chief told me that he said winter is coming early and it's going to be harsh.  I believe him, because he comes from a culture that is more in touch with the Earth than I could ever imagine being.  Something to strive for. 
The forecast doesn't call for a summer-like warm up for at least the next 5 days.  Today it feels like fall outside, and I actually had to cover the garden last night and will again tonight.  It's not supposed to freeze, but tomatoes and some other tender plants don't like the cold. 
As the summer winds down, I think of what I spent most of my time on, and other than working... it's been my garden.  I feel good when I'm in the garden, whether I'm doing things for upkeep, or just sitting there allowing my senses to reap the harvest of my hard work. 
Can I brag a little?  Don't answer that, because it doesn't matter what you say.  Here's some pics of what I accomplished this summer.

I don't know if I'll actually find the time to post again before my departure, but I plan to use my blog to share a little of my trip with friends, if I can.  Loosely:

Rome ->Florence->Sienna/Orvietto/Montalcino->Matera->Amalfi Coast->Naples/Sorrento->Rome

I'd planned a gazpacho post, but haven't had the time to make it and don't want to just throw up the recipe without pictures.  The recipe is still on my kitchen counter, though... so maybe it'll happen? 

Happy Labor Day.