Happy International Womens's Day, again.

International Women's Day

Festa della Donna

(as we say in Italy) 

Yellow Mimosa tree

Another year has come round to the promise of spring and the international day of recognition of roughly half of our planets's inhabitants, women.  

I have written about it a few times over the years and so I won't go into any great detail today, but have added some links below to other articles I have written in the past if you are interested in a bit more information about how it started and what it is all about.  I think perhaps my fascination with this celebration is partially because it is pretty much non existent in American, in spite of the fact that it originated there. I also love the liberal use of yellow mimosa, which I don't remember ever seeing in the states, but reminds me of forsythia which is usually one of the first colorful plants to emerge in the spring and never fails to lift my spirits with the promise of spring and everything emerging after a long winters nap. 

Aside from these pleasant, if not somewhat frivolous points of interest, there is a serious side to this day of reckoning. This is also a day to focus on women's achievements and issues that deserve greater attention. Women have made great strides in getting equal pay for equal work, although there is still much to accomplish, as the western world has done more to advance the equality of women where much of the world not all women enjoy this human right. Women are also still vulnerable to violence, particularly, domestic violence and this is an issue worth speaking out  about so that women will get the helping hand they need to rid themselves of dependency in these situation. Not an easy task for so many, as it isn't easy to walk away when you have children that are at risk and times are not so easy for anyone in this time of economic uncertainty.  Issues of arranged marriages with child brides and women's health, to determine what is right for every women that will definitely navigate through during their lifetime, are worth the scrutiny and effort to find real answers.  No, it is not easy to solve all of these concerns, but together when we shine the light of acknowledgment and search for real answers together, then we all benefit in one way or another. 

So I say, hooray for women and what we bring to this world and to each other. May we celebrate our sameness and differences and always support each other, since you can never have too many sisters, mothers and daughters in your life, even if they are just that in spirit. I feel blessed with all of the different women friends in my life, and say say to you, thank you, for being exactly who you are. Bloom where you are planted. 

xoxo 

Marla

Previous posts on International Women's Day or Festa della Donna

"Bella Baita View": March 8, 2006 Festa Della Donna Mar 8, 2006 ... Funny, it is, I believe, International Women's Day. It was on this day, March 8th, in 1884 that Susan B. Anthony addressed the United States ... bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

"Bella Baita View": Festa della Donna 2009 Mar 7, 2009 ... Do you celebrate International Women's Day where you live? You might also like: International Women's Day 2010 or Festa della Donna. bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

"Bella Baita View": Happy Festa della Donna Mar 9, 2007 ... A Happy International Woman's Day to all of you out there of that ... In the US there is no official celebration of Women's day but Italy still ... bellabaitaview.blogspot.com

Slow Food - Fast Food, What's All the Fuss?

Slow Food Movement…? 

Our Slow food flag flying at Bella Baita

Where to begin?
If you want to learn more about it first hand, you can skip this article and just head over to their very extensive site now, at this Slow Food link. Or you can read on and head over later.This is my take on the Slow Food Movement and some of its many faces. I had such a varied experience this year at the 2014 Salone del Gusto/Terra Madre event, that I though tI would break my story up into a few stories that I experienced for a series of post over the next few days. First a bit of background on Slow Food and next up will be some stories and lots of photos to give you a general feel. I will post some links to past editions of Salone del Gusto that I have attended over the years. 

First up...I live in the Italian region of Piedmont where what is known as the "Slow Food"  movement was born. You may perhaps not be familiar with it, or perhaps you have heard of it and not exactly sure what it means, or you have no idea what in the world I am talking about. Rest assured, you are not alone in any of these categories. However, I suspect you may have heard a reference or two in more recent years as food has become not only a huge source of entertainment, but also quite the talking point for a wide ranging of topics be it our health, our children's health, the health of our source of our food and the condition of the land that produces it. Whew, that's a mouthful. It would be fair to say that food has become political. Actually, it was and always has been political, but I think it would be fair to say that it was usually confined to the realm of food security and hardly concerned about the state of what exactly we are consuming.  Then there is the small matter of the myriad of repercussions of our food choices in that what we consume and its effects that ranges from production, supply, food safety, environmental degradation, and ultimately the economy. So what started as a group of Piemontese Italians reaction to the "fast food" culture that seemed to be taking over Italy and the world, "Slow Food" was born and not too long after it was declared a movement. You can read all about Slow Food's history here. So what exactly is a "movement" you might ask? I know I did.The dictionary describes it as such;

• a group of people with a common ideology, esp a political or religious one

• the organized action of such a group

• a series of organized activities working toward an objective; also : an organized effort to promote or attain an end movement. (example, the civil rights movement)

So for the past 28 years, "Slow Food" has existed as a push back to the "fast food" culture that seems to have globally engulfed traditional foods and culture and in its wake much has been lost or abandoned in the sense of biodiversity as well as culturally. To grasp this movement would be like trying to grab hold onto an ocean of water, which is vast, elusive, ever changing and stubbornly rooted. I have been aware of this movement since nearly it's beginning, and have lived what I think of as a slow food kind of life in a fast food world. I've cooked and baked professionally and yet, after work when I went home I still enjoyed cooking most meals from scratch. I thought that's what most people did, my mom and most people I knew did. I took a degree in horticulture many years ago in college, but found that the agribusiness aspect of it all, off putting and ultimately I knew that I was  more suited to serving up food than growing it. Gardening is fulfilling enough for me. Over the years, I have shopped in farmers markets whenever possible and always tried to seek out ingredients that didn't have too many ingredients that were unpronounceable or chemically sounding.  So my life went.However, until I moved to Italy, and found that the fresh food market was still alive and well in almost every small and large village in Italy, did I find the satisfaction of being able to locally source such a variety of foods.  Not everyone has that luxury in their busy lives, but everyone does deserve food that you can trust that is healthy. I think that is one of the things that has been lost, that closer connection to our food sources, of personally knowing where our food comes from and that it is safe to eat, or that there is a face that stands behind the quality and humane treatment of our food sources. I love being able to put money directly into the sometimes gnarled hands of people that are growing our food. It's nice to have a friendly chat about what we are buying, and what they are selling. Again, not everyone can do that, but we need to bring back that trust of what we are being served up from the industries that we once trusted implicitly. The "Slow Food" movement challenges us to get involved with what we eat, how it is produced and who benefits, amongst a myriad of other concerns also. 

Association of Potato Growers from neighboring Cuneo

Since 1996 the "Salone del Gusto" arrived as a biennial International exhibition of foods "dedicated to artisanal, sustainable food and the small-scale producers that safeguard local traditions and high quality products," it has been evolving ever since. What once was mostly a food fair, has now combined with another Slow Food organization called "Terra Madre" in 2004 whose network " unites food producers, fishers, breeders, chefs, academics, young people, NGOs and representatives of local communities who are working to establish a system of good, clean and fair food from the grassroots level."  The  organizations goal is also designed to  "give a voice and visibility to those around the world whose approach to food production protects the environment and communities." Over the years, I have attended the "Salone del Gusto" mainly taking in the massive food fair and usually finding it mildly overwhelming, always inspiring and vastly educational. I have always discovered foods that I have never heard of and some that are in danger of disappearing from the face of the earth. Mostly these foods are associated with Slow Food's Presidia and Ark of Taste, which are a part of their foundation for "preserving biodiversity" which you can learn more about here.

This year I wanted to take a deeper look beyond the food fair aspect, which I naturally would not entirely abandon, but I just wanted to make sure that I participated in some of the vast array of topics,  speakers, discussions, taste workshops, conferences, movies, and dinners that this 5 day event has to offer. There was an 85 paged handout on all the various events that one could participate in. Some were free and open till the room was filled to overflowing and others had limited amounts of participants and some involved extra payment beyond the entry fee to the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre venues. I barely scratched the surface and even though I have been on numerous occasions, I still wish I had been better organized and prepared to have jumped in even deep er than I did. It truly was wonderful. Because I found this years event more of a discovery of events that I really haven't participated in before, I have decided to share a few posts on the various things that I participated in this year. I also want to make sure I am able to share a goodly amount of my photos from this year as well, so with a couple more posts I should be able to do that. 

Some of my experiences and insights that I will share in the next week or two will be a combination of photos and short stories. 

Champagne's renown pasta of Gragnano 

I will take a look at the vast Italian and International food market.
I want to share a few of the Terra Madre delegates stories as wells their contributions and market offerings to raise attention to what they are working to achieve. 

African delegates and crafts from home

Lavazza coffee and their 2015 "Earth Defenders" calendar initiate to raise money for the "10, 000 Gardens for Africa" project, plays prominently in the visual telling of some of the Terra Madre stories.

I was inspired at the "Cooking to Spread Awareness" seminar, that was a conversation between three of some of the more well known names of people who are trying to do just that. The panel featured, Carlo Petrini, of Italy and founder of Slow Food, Alice Waters of the US and an early voice of eating local foods that are produced lovingly with care and founder and advocate for the Edible Schoolyard project, and Jamie Oliver, from the UK, a celebrity chef and food activist, that has done more to raise the bar and awareness of what our children are being fed, and how that can be improved. 
Then there was a taste workshop featuring "Presidia" beans and lentils as well as a gourmet dinner aptly called, Antonia's vision. 
So stay tuned as these and other of  my stories of my Slow Food journey from last weeks Salone del Gusto/Terra Madre, come spilling out for your reading pleasure over the course of the next week or maybe two, as I digest this latest edition. 

The Ark of Taste Project

For your consideration, "Slow Food", my view
To be continued......

Me - Marla, your guide from my Bella Baita View

Some of my past posts on the Salone del Gusto

"Bella Baita View": Slow Food's Salone del Gusto and Terra ...

Oct 29, 2010

So we start at the grass roots level and every 2 years the "Salone del Gusto", provides a market place open to the public with a reasonable entrance fee, €20, where buyers and sellers can meet and sample all the wondrous ...

http://bellabaitaview.blogspot.com/

"Bella Baita View": Salone del Gusto 2012 -- Come and ...

Nov 27, 2012

Every two years "Slow Food International" puts on a food extravaganza they call "Salone del Gusto", which roughly translates to halls of taste, or an exhibition of flavor. We live in the mountains of Italy's Piedmont region, in the ...

http://bellabaitaview.blogspot.com/

"Bella Baita View": Salone del Gusto & Terra Madre 2008

Nov 03, 2008

A week has come and gone, more guests have come and gone, and yet the buzz of Slow Food's Salone del Gusto 08 still lives on. That is, at least for me, especially when I break out some of the delicious foods and products ...

http://bellabaitaview.blogspot.com/

"Bella Baita View": Slow Food's "Salone del Gusto" and ...

Oct 22, 2008

It's a very exciting time in Torino at the moment that only rolls around every 2 years. Yes, it's the Slow Food 's Salone del Gusto extravaganza. For those of you not familiar with this movement, it was born here Piedmont in the ...

http://bellabaitaview.blogspot.com/

1

Cumiana Celebrates, "Olio é Olive"

Piedmont Italy is known for it's fine wines and oh so delicious cuisine and if most people are familiar with this region that is what first comes to mind when contemplating what this region is famous for. What you don't usually think of is olive oil. Well, at least I don't, knowing that we are on the upper reaches of the olive growing zone. It came as a pleasant surprise a couple of years back to discover that olive production is starting to come back to this area. We were visiting the Castello di Razzano winery, over in neighboring Monferrato  not so long ago and were pleasantly surprised to find that they had just put in about 150 olive trees to replace some of their vineyard that they deemed better suited to olives. I was fascinated to learn that Piedmont use to produce a fair amount of olive oil, but the weather changed and people changed over to grapes from olives as they felt the weather was more conducive to wine production. Now we find as temperatures have increased the olive trees are going back in. 

What a pleasant surprise to find that the lovely little town of Cumiana our neighbor just outside of our valley and hugging the base of the mountains, began a festival a couple of years ago celebrating the local olive oil revival. This is one revival I can get more than a little excited about attending.

Cumiana

Even on a chilly autumn Sunday, there was plenty to see, taste and buy and we weren't alone in our exploration of the festa. In fact I got so carried away with all of the interesting things to check out aside from the wonderful variety of olive oils, that I forgot to even photograph any of the oil tasting tables. Silly me. 

But we did end up with a great selection of olive oils representing several areas of Italy and with quite . All of the oils we selected were from small producers, organic, cold and some stone pressed. Our selections reflect the varied personalities and flavor profiles of Piedmont, Liguria and Apuglia. We're looking forward to enjoying them over the winter.

Local Pinerolo producer Mimosa, were busy pressing oil all day long.

We enjoyed seeing our friends from Pinasca represented with their wonderful bakery goods. 

 Stefano was doing a brisk business, while papa Angelo was home making all the products to keep the stall well stocked.  I worked for Angelo a few years back when we first arrived and we were getting the B&B on it's feet. I learned a lot about local specialties and of the differences of baking in Europe. It was an enlightening experience and one I wished to have had many years ago when I was starting out as a baker. Little baker's tips and tricks for big scale production. Happily, I love my small scale baking these days. Simply satisfying when I can make it to my tastes and interest.

Liguria was well represented with their light and flavorful olive oils. This man was making fresh pesto to  sample and bring home for later consumption.

 Lots of varieties of cheeses to choose from also.

 Naturally, there was plenty of wine to sample, like from our friends in Frossasco, Dora Vini, who just recently won an award for their wine. It wouldn't be a festa without some vino and delicious vino at that!

 And always a welcome touch to any festival is a bit of music, provided by this young man on his Ghironda or more commonly known to Americans as the hurdy gurdy.

This festival serves as a wonderful warm up for this years Salone del Gusto that begins this week October 21-25. You can read about some of the previous festivals here  and here.

Here's a teaser of Ghironda music in the Occitania style.

Autumn in Pinerolo is Festival Time

I must say that I love all of the seasons here in Italy, but autumn is dear to my heart just because it has so many different festivities it'll make your head spin.  You could say that the celebrations go into overdrive with a sagra or festa for just about anything and absolutely everything. Bread, chestnuts, polenta, wine harvest, donkey races, porcino mushroom extravaganza, music, artists, food, and drink, and, food and, did I say food? Well, I believe you get the picture.  Then the leaves start  to turn and work their golden magic, so, why not get out and sample just as many as you can?
Our big town of Pinerolo, (population around 35,000 with the surrounding frazione/hamlets) which lies at the mouth of our valley has more than their fair share lined up in rapid succession. Each year it seems they just get better with each new edition of the festivities. Over the past month we have been able to enjoy 3 of Pinerolo's offerings. The "Mostra del'Artigianato" is a weekend of various artists displaying their work, with an emphasis on the woodcrafters.

Many of the artisans ply their trade with the more practical elements of woodcraft, adding elaborate decorative elements to the Italian doors that are so fascinating and found everywhere throughout Italy. Often even the most humble looking dwelling will have a distinctive door that just sets it apart and draws one in to admire the craftsmanship. This year the woodcrafters were lined up around the perimeter of the church in the center of the old part of town and busily working on their different chosen specialities.

Whimsical or serious, hand made wood carvings are a thing of wonder to me. I love the ability of someone who is able to bring a piece of wood to life. What a gift and opportunity to see that  transformation occur before your eyes.

Sharing the same weekend as the artisans festival  is a town favorite, "I Concorsi Ippici"or the Equestrian Event. This weekend is an international horse jumping competition with 34 countries represented this year.

Pinerolo was the home of the original Calvary before moving to Bologna about 10 years ago, and so has a long love of horses and tradition of equestrian training and competition. We have a wonderful Calvary museum in town that is free to the public. There is another weekend of national competition the following week, making for a lot of gorgeous horses and competitive jumping to enjoy.

Then our other favorite annual autumn festival is quite a unique and unusual event, and that would be the "La Maschera di Ferro", or the Man in the Iron Mask festival.

 This annual recreation of the arrival of the mysterious "Man in the Iron Mask" starts on the first Saturday night of October with the famous musketeers bringing the masked man to town where he was imprisoned for 11 years before being moved on to another prison up the road in Exilles. This festive period celebration brings out all manner of people in period costumes and street performers carrying on what might have been a typical festival back in the day of his imprisonment, which was 1669.  You can find out some of the history in this Wikipedia entry here. There is a great YouTube video but out by the local association for the festival here.

 It is by far one of my favorite festivals. I love the costumes and activities that bring this period to life. The town really comes into its own at night with the campfires, torches, music, jugglers, flag throwers, and the marching corps with lords and ladies all parading around town in their finery, while the peasants roast chestnuts, cook up some stew, slice off juicy pieces of pork from a slow roasting pig on a spit and dance a jig or two.

The next day the festivities continue while everyone enjoys some of the games on offer and a chance to get a good look at the prisoner and try to guess his identity. They always have an Italian celebrity every year and unlike the real mysterious prisoner, the identity is revealed at the close of the festival Sunday afternoon and a collective gasp of surprise usually arises from the crowd.

It is a great time all weekend long, so you might want to consider making plans to come and visit us during this festival to feel like you've stepped back in time and privy to a mystery still unsolved to this day.
Last year during the festival we had the pleasure of hosting travel and educational film makers, Sid and Mary Lee Nolan, as our guests during this festival as they wanted to film the festival, to add some flavor to short film they are making about Italian wine regions. What a wonderful time we had showing them not only the festival but also our local treasures and introducing them to a few of our wine producers as they filmed away.

We enjoyed their many stories about their varied travels as they have been filming exotic location for over 35 years. Mary is a professor of geography and thought that filming many of the locations that she taught about would be not only interesting but a lot of fun as well as a means to travel to just about any location in the world you might or might not be interested in visiting. As one of our other guests remarked, "Every time they open their mouth, we're in a new country." They have produced an extensive selection of short, travel and geographic films and when they are not globe trotting or still busy teaching, they enjoy presenting their films to a wide range of audiences. They are always keen to find a new project that will launch them on to their next adventure. I can't say I don't blame them. You can find out more about them and sample some of the work on their site Academic Media Network / Globe Scope Travel Productions. I don't think they have finished their Italian wine regions project just yet, but when they do I will certainly put a post and update about it here when they do.

You can read about previous Maschera di Ferro celebrations here.  You can follow us around last year when we brought them around to a few of our favorite places and introduced them to some of our wine makers in my post, Vendemmia in Val Chisone.

Occitan Dancing at Usseaux Festa

Playing the Ghironda and fishamonica

This time of the year we are starting to have the local sagre and feste for everything under the sun that is harvested or gathered in the woods. We have the Porcino, the polenta, chestnut, truffle, potato, honey, apples, and, and, well, you get the idea. However it is just starting to get into gear and I still have one fun summer festival that I didn't quite get posted before we officially went to autumn harvest festivals, so I'm putting it in here to tantalize.

All join in

All of you that enjoy folk music and dancing do put it in your diary to make plans to join us next August for a bit of dancing in the high alps of Val Chisone.

Town ovens and wash basins looking up towards Ossiera Park

This particular village festival of Usseaux, that we found ourselves kicking our heels up and joining in on a bit of two stepping and twirling around the village piazza, is in upper Chisone valley, just up the road from us.  I've written about Usseaux on more than one occassion as it is one of my all time favorite villages. You can read those posts here and here. Chisone valley has a rich and varied history being known as one of the Valdesian or Waldensen valleys, where the first Protestants, long before the reformation,  ended up in to avoid persecution back in the 11th century. These valleys were then part of France and the Savoy kingdom, and later became known as part of Italy's alps. They were, and still are, the western most edge of what was known as Occitania. Most people, if they are familiar with Occitania, think of it as a language particular to France, but it seems that it is a dialect of Catalonia. There are so many dialects in this area, that it is hard to keep up, especially as I struggle along in my grasp of Italian. Fabrizio, who also speaks French, understands Occitan, but doesn't speak it, although there are people here who do. Our friend Enrico Bernard, of "Bernard Elixirs" , who lives across the Chisone river from us and whose family are Valdesian, speaks a Patois dialect in their family and also speaks Occitan. See what I mean about a lot of dialects going on? Sheesh!  Mountain people seems to have a strong affinity with the essence of Occitan  and it's history. It seems to represent a sort of special designation of pride, independence and fierce individualism that strikes a cord with many people and very much so with the mountain dwellers.  

Occitan flag with Usseaux' cow bell awards collection displayed in the town library.

We took a friend along with us that was keen to check out the festivities. We did our favorite Usseaux tour, that commences with a stroll around the utterly charming hamlet. Tiny though Usseaux may be, a meander  though the village over  the well maintained gray stone streets, will be rewarding indeed whilst taking in  the various hand painted murals and vertical meridians that decorate the mostly all restored buildings. The large slate roofs are extremely impressive espcially when you consider the cost of restoring them, let alone the fact that if you are restoring an exisiting roof and trying to match or patch, the stones must be hand cut to fit in place. We observed on older artisan plying his craft one day as he worked to replace part of the roof on the local church. Hard work indeed. The mural painting is an old tradition that has only more recently been revived though out our valleys. You get a sense of Usseaux's former prominence in the valley before most people drifted away due to the myriad of reasons small towns shrink and sometimes disappear. This years celebration honored the local mayor that has made it her legacy to see Usseaux bulidings restored and not left to completely decay. The windows are filled with overflowing flower boxes, that compliments the prolific murals scattered through out the village walls.

We also made sure to have a snack on the sunny patio of the traditional trattoria "La Placette" that has been serving up polenta with wild game stews in addition to an excelent selection of the hearty local cheeses and tempting creamy desserts, just to name a few of their offerings, for the past 30 years. Mountain air brings on a hunger and thirst that will be readily satisfied by this family's friendly care.

And of course we had to have a nosey into the local cheese shop that if you aren't persistent, you might just miss if you don't ring their doorbell. This lovely old cantina, which was a barn in previous lifetimes, stores and doubles as a selling point for the family's hand crafted cheeses, in which Toma and Plaisintif are the main stars.

Hmm,  choices, choices.

Then on to the music and dancing. The music was provided by two musicians who with 4 other musicians make up the group, Airondassa, but for this day they brought their fisharmonica, ghironda and oboe and kept us breathless for a few hours. I love this kind of dancing because all can join in even if you don't know all the steps and there is always some willing to help you twirl around the dance floor. It was such fun. I captured a small bit of their traditional Occitan music and will leave you with a small taste of the fun. But don't just take my word for it. Come and join in the fun sometime. We'll help you find your way.

Gofri and Il Mercatino delle Pulci

Everyone loves a bargain and Italians are no different. Towards the end of the Italian holidays in August, our neighbors in Perosa Argentina host an annual flea market every year. It's quite a large collection of vendors that meander through the town park and the town's side streets.

Everybody has something to sell of value or not, but certainly plenty to keep you interested and entertained for the day.

Something for all members of the family.

and budgets.

In a beautiful mountain setting it's hard to go wrong. They set up a large area for the kids to finger paint. If you wanted you could even work on your tan as well, just in case you didn't quite make it to the seaside, you don't have to be deprived while you are on your mountain holiday, especially this summer. It's been quite a scorcher a good portion of the summer. For those of you not in the know getting bronze is one of the favorite Italian past times of the summer and your Italian-ness and worth is totally measure by your bronze-ness factor. Woe is me, of the fair Irish coloring variety. I stick out like a...., yes you can fill in the rest of the saying.

And like any type of town celebration, it wouldn't be complete with out some type of festival fare, with the men folk showing off their cooking prowess like this good looking bunch shown here. (They asked me what television channel they were going to be on that night, little did they realize that they would go round the world, not merely the local nightly news!)
Our Chisone valley specialty is called Gofri (pronounced go-free). It's a crispy thin style waffle that is served hot off the irons, savory or sweet. The savory varieties usually include ham of the cooked or cured persuasion or local Toma cheeses and the sweet ones are slathered with marmalade or the perennial hands down favorite, Nutella. It is a delight not to be missed.
Recipe to follow shortly with a few more photos.

25th April Liberation Day

April 25, is when Italians celebrate their liberation during WWII. I have remarked on more than one occasion, that the collective memory of the war, or perhaps more aptly put, war in general, is never very far from ones awareness here in Italy. There are many memorials and even more commemorations of all the reasons that war is never glorious, just wrenching. So on this bank holiday every year, there are parades and speeches and picnics and outings etc etc., oftentimes a trip to the cemetery, and as is usually the case in Italy, a meal somewhere along the line on your outing. I find it is much like Memorial day in America.

On our visit to the market I noticed numerous Italian flags adorning balconies and lawns and all the vendors had these little flags to commemorate the day. Viva the 25th of April. I imagine the Commune passed them out as they checked to make sure everyone's vending license was paid up as well.

We noticed this decorated war veteran and asked if he minded me taking his picture.
He was doing a little shopping before heading over to the commemoration.
He cut a fine figure on this Liberation day, don't you think?

Gift Idea and Acciughe al Verde for the Seven Fishes Feast

Just reminder if you need a last minute gift that you don't have to wrap and ship and will make a difference in someones' life be sure and have a look at Mercy Corps' Mercy Kits!
Choose between food, health, or garden kits and others that help people help themselves. Today the 18th is the last day to insure a gift card arrives in time for the holidays, but you can choose this option all year long. You choose the amount you want to spend and the gift will keep on giving long after the holiday season.

On another note,
I hate to miss a party, so even though I am down to the deadline with little time to spare, I did put a little something together for Maryann of Finding la Dolce Vita, and Joe of Italyville's, Seven Fishes Feast. Do head over and sample all the delectable dishes there and pick up a few ideas and recipes for your holiday celebrations!

The Feast of the Seven Fishes isn't generally celebrated up here in landlocked Piedmont, although fish is an important part of the Piemontese cuisine, especially anchovies. They are so very fond of them, fresh, marinate, fried and cooked in all sorts of dishes as that little subtle, or not, "je ne sais quois" element to the dish.
I found it peculiar that anchovies were such a frequent ingredient in so many of their regional dishes, especially as it it he main ingredient of the much beloved and somewhat revered, Bagna Cauda. We are 3 hours away form the coast, which is a heck of a lot closer to the coast than where I grew up, but I still was surprised by its popularity. When I came across the tale of salted anchovies arriving over the alps via the salt trail, it shed some historical light on the ardor of the locals for these small salty fish. As the tale goes, large barrels of generously salted anchovies were in actuality a lot more salt than anchovy. Salt was a such precious commodity back in the day and was quite heavily taxed by the state, that in true Italian fashion, clever people found a way to get more salt for less taxes paid. With an abundance of anchovy the addition of anchovy to many dishes came to be the norm. At least that is how the story was told to me.

Acciughe al Verde doesn't really go by a firm recipe, but there are a few tips.
You must use the best quality of anchovy that you can find. My in-laws, insist that it can only be salted anchovy. They are not fans of anchovy in jars, as they they say they aren't the true anchovy. They will use them in sauces where they will need to break down completely in the cooking, but not if they are going to retain their texture. I have to admit after having had my palate educated, I do agree with them as well. High quality, salted anchovy are a far cry from anything I have ever had that you buy in oil. I was never an anchovy fan until moving to Italy. I wrinkled my nose up as well, but once you have some done well, especially fresh ones, I think you might change your mind about this much maligned fish. Give them a go.

Acciughe al Verde

6 salted whole anchovies,
figure 1 -3 per person depending on your crowds ardour for them
2-3 garlic cloves, more if everyone is having them and loves garlic
fresh parsely, maybe a whole bunch
Extra virgin olive oil, a flavorful is nice

First clean your anchovies, by pulling the tail off and then run your knife or finger down the inside of the center of the fish pulling out the spine, keeping the two sides intact.

Place all of the fillets in a bowl and rinse a few times, ridding the rest of the odd bone or two left.
Let the fillets soak about an hour and rinse. If you let them soak too much or rinse them too thoroughly you lose some of the salty flavor that you want to keep.
Now place rinsed dry anchovies in a bowl.
Grate on a micro plane or mince very fine, you garlic into the anchovies.
Chop the parsley very fine and add.
Cover all with oil to make a nice saucy green mixture.
Adjust amounts as needed.
Cover and let sit overnight or up to three days.
Serve at room temperature, making sure to adjust garlic, parsley or salt as needed.
This sauce usually has a big garlic bite to it.
Best if everyone enjoys some at your dinner party for every one's sake!