Wine Bars Italian Style
Wine
by the glass posted daily on the chalkboards; a really nice way of
tasting without having to buy the bottle. This is one of the places we
can wander into and have a glass with a taste of local salami and such
as well as, the place we go when the "gang" gets together for a group
dinner of Bagna Cauda, or Beef Bourgogne. So
what is next on Snow White's menu? With these days indoors, she is
working on some super duper special cheese tartlets from the Alps.
Musing over...
She looks down to the floor at the
gray furry friend she has staring at her with his big orange eyes, she
knows the only reason he is looking at her is not for affection; she has
supermarket written across her body and hands! Yes, that is all he
wants, any and all food either from her hands or plate!
She is
sitting at her computer with the view facing the lake watching the
weather change from sunny to a mix of overcast, windy hot gunk and
eating a piece of Parmigiano cheese making sure she sliced a few smaller
pieces for the beast
at her feet (why she bothers to cut them into small pieces she wonders,
he throws any size down when it comes to cheese)! Thank god he does not
like wine and at his age, she would give him anything he wants as long
as it does not contain gluten. Hum, he seems to be eating more of her
cheese than she, a bite for her and two for his little skinny body.
Hell,
he is good company even though he couldn’t give a rat’s ass about her,
at least he is a snoring, breathing living body who shares her meals and
wakes her up a few times in the night with his toys. She knows he
listens to her when she talks to him because his tail whips back and
forth so fast slapping the floor or the furniture he is near. We still
have not graduated to purring and after having a great home for 14 years
then torn from what he knew as home, she cannot blame him at all for
not being ready to take on a new boss. The nice thing about him is that
after a ½ inch of cheese he’s ready for a nap and so he high-tails it to
his blanket on her bed or to his basket in front of the toilet (yeah I
know, great place but he was used to that before so I cannot break his
habits). Nothing like having company when you go need to visit the porcelain god!
The
bells from the church on the island are so close she feels as if they
are right in her back yard particularly if the wind is right. She hears
the sounds of the trains as they pass below her nest, gliding over the
tracks reminding her there is a world in constant movement even though
here looking at this idyllic view one would think otherwise. The sounds
of the occasional Ferrari or super sports car as they wind around the
roads float to her open window as well as those idiotic motorcycles
screaming over the road by the shore.
The azaleas are in full
bloom leaving massive bright color blotches all around the area and in
the towns. She decides to finish a few postcards and get those ready to
post the next day and look over some tourist ideas for the next day as
well, trying to decide on museums or a drive; reality seeming so far
away just like the villas on the other side of the shore.
Actually, she thinks this is the perfect kind of weather to go to town, sit at a table outside
with her marocchino and begin planning the course of her book, the cast
of characters, the overall flavor and tone and begin a rough outline.
Of course, it would not be all work because she loves nothing better
than to people watch and soak up the sounds and flavors of the towns
while sitting in the piazzas or along the shores or ridges or whatever
it is in that particular spot.
She gathered her belongings, packed her little tote bag and went to fire up 
the big beast and point it towards town, time for a dose of life, coffee or maybe a glass of wine. As she closes
the door she hears her furry friend snoring up a storm; that’s good she
thinks, at least he is satisfied and happy on his full cheese belly. A
dopo!
(Sometime in May 2008 - Stresa, Italy)
Erba Luce” come on down!
Who
can pass up an invitation to pass a few hours chilling at Isola dei
Pescatori on a summer afternoon? Certainly, not this creature! The
weather was humid with cloud cover tingeing the lake a dead, gray hue. Nonetheless, Lago Maggiore is always beautiful; so peaceful watching the sail
boats, the birds and hearing the water lap against the rocks. Having
scoped out the island, we realized the far side is always the least
traveled and so we chose a little wine bar with a terrace, La Malghera
to help us pass the time. Mr "Piglet" presented lil’ Miss SnowWhite a
nice refreshing white wine that would be perfect to offer at parties as
cocktail wine. This white was called Erbaluce (err-bah-loo-chay) and
originates north of Torino (part of the Piemontese region), and needs to
be consumed within three years from harvest; in other words, drink up
and do not age. ;-)This
wine packs a whopping 13% vol. so make sure when drinking you are
eating as well, something we managed to do quite well. Ordering a
"cutting board" of cheese and sliced meats, we cleverly whiled away a few
hours; how much better can it get? There were samples of prosciutto
della Val Vigezzo, Bresaola, Pancetta Coppata, a dark prosciutto like
bresaola seasoned with porcini mushrooms and spices, little tiny
cacciatore salami, various cheeses, toma, and one type encrusted with
fennel and other herbs. Who said we were taking the ferry back to the
mainland? Nope we were going to have to swim after that feast!
(July 23, 2008)
at her feet (why she bothers to cut them into small pieces she wonders,
he throws any size down when it comes to cheese)! Thank god he does not
like wine and at his age, she would give him anything he wants as long
as it does not contain gluten. Hum, he seems to be eating more of her
cheese than she, a bite for her and two for his little skinny body.
the big beast and point it towards town, time for a dose of life, coffee or maybe a glass of wine. As she closes
the door she hears her furry friend snoring up a storm; that’s good she
thinks, at least he is satisfied and happy on his full cheese belly. A
dopo!
Who
can pass up an invitation to pass a few hours chilling at Isola dei
Pescatori on a summer afternoon? Certainly, not this creature! The
weather was humid with cloud cover tingeing the lake a dead, gray hue. Nonetheless, Lago Maggiore is always beautiful; so peaceful watching the sail
boats, the birds and hearing the water lap against the rocks. Having
scoped out the island, we realized the far side is always the least
traveled and so we chose a little wine bar with a terrace, La Malghera
to help us pass the time. Mr "Piglet" presented lil’ Miss SnowWhite a
nice refreshing white wine that would be perfect to offer at parties as
cocktail wine. This white was called Erbaluce (err-bah-loo-chay) and
originates north of Torino (part of the Piemontese region), and needs to
be consumed within three years from harvest; in other words, drink up
and do not age. ;-)This
wine packs a whopping 13% vol. so make sure when drinking you are
eating as well, something we managed to do quite well. Ordering a
"cutting board" of cheese and sliced meats, we cleverly whiled away a few
hours; how much better can it get? There were samples of prosciutto
della Val Vigezzo, Bresaola, Pancetta Coppata, a dark prosciutto like
bresaola seasoned with porcini mushrooms and spices, little tiny
cacciatore salami, various cheeses, toma, and one type encrusted with
fennel and other herbs. Who said we were taking the ferry back to the
mainland? Nope we were going to have to swim after that feast! 