Category Archives: Italian life

COVID19-Insieme ce la faremo

22 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Italia, Italian life

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Coffee? Martina_illustratesWhat a week it has been!  The COVID 19 pandemic has changed life for everyone. Last week, I wrote about COVID 19 and the situation in Italia.  Then the world became emotional watching videos of neighourhoods all over the country singing in solidarity from their balconies and windows.  There was also a collective round of applause at noon for frontline health care workers.  This uplifting show of resilience and community support was much needed. Rainbow paintings by bambini, and the positive messages #iorestoacasa and #andratuttobene spread positivity throughout the country in a show of mass cooperation and unity.

This week in Italia there is discouragement and low morale, with new cases going up daily.  Stats are updated here.  Things are getting worse instead of better. There are now more deaths than in China and the numbers keep rising, despite extreme social distancing measures.  We all saw the morbid images from Bergamo of a convoy of army vehicles transporting coffins elsewhere because there is no room for them.  I feel terrible when I think of all the people dying alone in ICU, without their families, not even given the dignity of a funeral.  It is natural to feel demoralized under the circumstances, and the mental health effects of quarantine and social distancing, but it is important to stay positive and hopeful.

What we all have to remember is that the COVID 19 virus can incubate for 14 days.  Knowing this, it makes sense that measures taken today will take 2 weeks to have an effect, and the increase in cases were mostly infected before the whole country was in quarantine. Now there are even stricter measures in place.

China has had 4 days with no new cases. We also need to remember they are on day 81 (since Jan 1st), while Italia is only at day 32 (Feb 20th there were 3 cases).  If all of this is correct, it should start getting better next week ……  if everyone stays home!  Movement of people will just keep feeding  the virus.

What I do not understand is why other countries are not learning from what is happening in Italia and acting sooner?  It is not if, but when. For example, the UK now has more cases than Italia did at the same point, but they only just closed bars yesterday!  Despite social distancing measures, we see videos of socially and morally irresponsible spring break partying in Florida, and a packed Bondi Beach in Sydney.  The only way to contain this thing is to STAY HOME!  Wake up and smell the cappuccino already! The super strict rules need to be stricter and need to be enforced.  This cartoon sent to me on Facebook shows what is needed to kick COVID 19.  The coronavirus says:  ‘I’m leaving, there is no one here’.

I hope the balcony singing resumes, because music is the universal language and it is so important for social and mental health. Forza!  Insieme ce la faremo-together we will do it!  Stay strong everyone…and unless you are an essential service, STAY AT HOME!  Ciao, Cristina

Image: Coffee? used with permission by Martina Heiduczek IG @martina_illustrates

Coffee? Martina_illustrates

To lighten the mood I am attaching a hilarious video from Rimbamband of ‘Virus Corona’ (pronounced VEE∙roos Corona) to the tune of the 80’s hit My Sharona.  The lyrics are hilarious, but even if you don’t understand Italiano, it is still funny.

 

 

COVID19-Andrà tutto bene

13 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Italia, Italian life

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This is a blog post I did not want to have to write.  A few weeks ago, I was hoping the COVID19 outbreak in Italia would just fizzle out on its own.  That has not happened, and Italia-my other home-has been absolutely devastated.  My family and friends there are all safe, but they are worried and confused, with things changing every day.

Yesterday, I overheard a group discussing the cancellation of NBA and NHL games and how that was ‘drastic, fear-mongering because more people die of the seasonal flu’ and ‘only sick people over 80 are dying’.  Most of you readers may not know this, but my ‘real job’ is at BC Childrens’ Hospital in Vancouver.  As a healthcare professional, I need to discuss the situation and present the facts.

COVID19 stands for ‘Corona Virus Disease 19’ and is in the same family as SARS.   Some of you may remember the SARS outbreak in Asia and Toronto in 2003?  SARS was more deadly (10% mortality), but COVID19 has far more cases and has been spreading like wildfire.  The coronavirus family cause disease in animals.  The genetic code for COVID 19 has been linked to bats.  It originated in Wuhan, China and likely passed to another animal before being passed on to humans.

The death rate for COVID19 about 3.4%, much higher than the seasonal flu. Death is not likely for those under 60 and healthy, but it can be spread to grandparents, parents, friends who are immunosuppressed or have other health issues.  Children do not seem to be affected, but can spread the virus. 20% of cases will develop severe pneumonia and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) needing oxygen therapy and possibly ICU and mechanical ventilation.

The situation in Italia-as of 13 March 2020, there have been 17,660 confirmed cases, 1,266 deaths, and 1,439 recoveries, leaving 14,955 active cases.  This data is updated daily here.

Why are there so many cases in Italia?  There are many reasons, including the fact the government has been transparent about reporting the #’s and facts from the beginning and they have tested over 60,000 people, revealing asymptomatic cases.  There is a large elderly population, the hardest group hit, and also the fact that Italians are probably the world’s most cuddly, affectionate population-which in any other situation is a positive thing.

For those of you who are not aware, restrictions started on Feb 22nd in Lombardia with the ‘red zone’ areas  being quarantined.  On March 4th schools are closed for 2 weeks.  March 8th the red zone is extended to include areas of Veneto and Emilia Romagna, Piemonte and Le Marche.

March 9th the whole country is declared a red zone. 60 million people are in quarantine until April 3rd-including travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings.  The hashtag #iorestoacasa (I am staying home) is started to encourage limited movement and social distancing. Travel between towns requires printing an online ‘autodeclaration’ form stating the reason-medical appointment/going to work/family emergency.  Everyone has to stay 1 m apart and bars and restaurant close at 6pm.  Meanwhile, cases continue to climb. ‘Smartworking’ is the buzz word for those able to work from home.

March 11 Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extends the restrictions to what is basically a complete shutdown.  Only essential services are allowed to stay open –pharmacies and stores selling food and other essential items. In his words:

Rimaniamo distanti oggi, per abbracciarci con piu calore e per correre insieme piu veloci domani/Let’s keep our distance today, to hug each other stronger tomorrow.

March 11 the WHO declares a pandemic.  A pandemic is ‘the sustained and continuous transmission of a disease in 3 or more different geographical regions at the same time’.  This does not necessarily refer to how lethal the disease is.  In less than 2 months COVID19 has spread to 116 countries.

At the macelleria (butcher/meat shop) in Orsara di Puglia, my Zia reports that only 1 person is allowed to enter at a time and everyone else has to stand in line outside, 1m apart from each other.  Many shops have attached tape lines on the floor 1m apart. Below is a photo from my cousin’s store selling cleaning products.  They have sold out of hand sanitizer, alcohol and mascherine-facemasks, but have lots of toilet paper left.

The containment measures may seem drastic, and I guess they are, especially since it has  been only 20 days-but it is the only way to stop cross contamination.  Without hosts, the virus cannot spread.  It will be contained if people are isolated. In epidemiology lingo, intervening to try and slow the spread and prevent the # of severe cases is called ‘flattening the curve’.  This is also to prevent system overload and ensure that health care resources can keep up.  20% of cases will develop severe respiratory distress, possibly needing ICU and ventilation.  This is not the seasonal flu and will overwhelm the system.  In Italia on March 10th there were 600 people in 55 ICU’s.  The median age is 65, meaning that there are younger people in ICU too.  An ICU physician in Lombardia calls it ‘worse than a bomb’. ICU beds in the north are full and doctors have to make decisions about resource allocation.

Many other countries are now where Italia was on February 22nd and need to follow her example and implement measures early.  Today in Canada, our Prime Minister is in isolation as his wife has come back from the UK and tested positive. This is unfortunate, but has got people listening.  There needs to be a balance between staying calm to avoid panic and hysteria, but also being proactive and prepared.

COVID19 is not an airborne disease.  It is spread by droplet and close contact with an infected person. Respiratory droplets are produced by a sneeze or cough.  They can travel up to 1.8m (6ft) and directly enter the body through the eyes, mouth or nose.  Contact refers to touching an infected person or object such as doorknob or railings directly.  Unwashed hands contaminated with COVID 19 can introduce the virus into the body when touching eyes, mouth and nose.  With these facts in mind, here are the most important things to help prevent the spread of the COVID19:

  • Wash hands! Soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitizers are both effective.
  • Avoid touching the face
  • Keep 2m away from sick people
  • Cough and sneeze into sleeve/elbow
  • If you are sick, stay home! There is no treatment for viruses-stay home, rest and drink fluids.
  • Go to the Dr or emergency department only if you are truly unwell. Call your local public health service first to ask what to do/where to go
  • Only wear a mask if you are sick. Masks will not prevent getting sick. They provide a false sense of security and may even increase chances of getting sick since you are more likely to touch face.  Do not stockpile masks and hand sanitizer-they are needed by hospitals.
  • Depending on your location and the number of cases, follow the recommendations of the local health department re social distancing, travel, etc.
  • Make sure you have 2 months supply of any medications.  There is no need to stockpile other food and supplies-and especially not toilet paper!

Autoritratto con mascherinaShort term pain for long-term gain.  There will definitely be short term repercussions to the economy, but health and safety have to come first.

Let’s hope that things settle down in a few weeks to a month.  Today, Friday the 13th at 6pm in Roma, Firenze and several other cities, balcony flash mobs occurred, with everyone banging pots and pans and singing out on their balconies!   Warmer weather creates a less friendly climate for viruses, so bring on the sun! These will be happening all weekend. Once this is all over, those of you who had to cancel trips to Italia will be able to rebook.  The economy will need you.  Remember #andràtuttobene-everything will be all right.  Forza Italia/Stay strong Italia!  Grazie mille to all of the front line health care workers!  Please read the next post: COVID19-Insieme ce la Faremo  Ciao, Cristina

Il Zampognaro

22 Sunday Dec 2019

Posted by in Feste, Italian life, Parole piacevoli

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Zampognaro-traditional Abruzzese bagpipe playing shepherd Il Zampognaro (zahm•poh•NYAH•roh) is a part of most Italian Presepi or Nativity scenes.  Zampognari are traditional Abruzzese shepherds, playing bagpipes known as zampogne (zahm•POH•nyeh). I have wanted one for a long time, and wrote about it in Il Presepio and Il Presepio di Mamma. Last year in Napoli’s  Via San Gregorio Armeno I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to look for one!

Via San Gregorio Armeni Napoli, Antonio Pepe, www.unpodipepe.ca

‘Lavorazioni di Pastori e Scenografie Presepiati Antonio Pepe’, Via San Gregorio Armeno, Napoli (no relation!)

This year, I spent a few days in Lecce before going to Napoli.  Lecce is known for cartapesta-papier maché and I saw Nativity figures, so I searched and found my  hand made glazed terra cotta zampognaro.  He is smaller and does not look like the other figures, but he has so much character with his puffy cheeks, I can almost hear him playing Tu Scende dalle Stelle….

Are you wondering why Abruzzese bagpiping shepherds are in Italian presepi?  It has to do with la transumanza, the migration of animals along tratturi-established paths in use since pre Roman times that were protected by royal decree.  Pastori-shepherds moved their animals from the mountains of Abruzzo and Molise where they grazed in the summer, to la pianura, the lowlands of Puglia.  They did this to escape the snow, and in spring the sheep and goats were herded back to Abruzzo. The tratturi were used into the 1960’s, then trucks replaced the crossing by foot.view-from-hotel-certosa

During le feste Natalizie, December 8th to January 5th, zampognari in traditional dress would go to the villages to play for extra money or food, thus the zampognaro became symbolic of Christmas in Italia and earned a place in the Presepio.

La Transumanza: Cammino Reale/Royal Shepherd’s Track has been on the  tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites since 2006.  On December 11, 2019, it received UNESCO designation as ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity’! Auguri zampognari!  Do any of you have un zampognaro?Presepio 2019

Cari lettori di Un po’ di pepe, Vi augura un Buonissimo Natale e un meraviglioso 2020 piena di gioia e salute!

Dear readers of Un po’ di pepe, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a marvelous 2020 filled with health and joy!

Ciao, Cristina

Olio d’Oliva

15 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by in Italian life, Mangiamo!

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Olive oil section of supermercatoOlio d’oliva-olive oil has been essential to Mediterranean life for over 4,000 years.   It has been a major trading resource, is one of the main nutritional components of the Mediterranean diet and the healthiest source of fat, produced without the use of chemicals or industrial refining. Olive oil has also been used as a medication, soap, moisturizer and terra cotta lamp fuel.Pouring Famiglia Creanza Extra virgin olive oil

15 ml (1 tablespoon) of olive oil has 120 calories, 14g fat and no cholesterol. 75% of the fat is monounsaturated (MUFA-the good kind), 11% polyunsaturated (PUFA), 14% vegetable saturated fat and 0% trans fats.

Extra Virgin olive oil EVOO may be the healthiest thing in the kitchen. It has been associated with health benefits including protection from heart and blood vessel disease, decreased blood clotting, decreased risk of chronic diseases, improvement in bone and digestive health, stabilizing blood sugar and improved brain function.  These benefits are due to 2 main properties: Oleic acid and antioxidants.  Oleic acid, the main fat in olive oil is a MUFA with cholesterol lowering and antiinflammatory effects.La raccolta delle olive www.unpodipepe.ca

EVOO contains large amounts of antioxidants including tocopherols (vitamin E) and polyphenols (tyrosol, hydrotyrosol and oleocanthal) which protect against oxidation and spoilage in the oil—and also in the body ingesting the oil! That means you!  Antioxidants decrease oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which are believed to cause cell damage and contribute to cancer. Antioxidants also have antiinflammatory properties, especially oleocanthal which is nature’s ibuprofen.Olive, Casa Berti www.unpodipepe.ca

La Raccolta delle olive, the olive harvest is late October to early November, before the first frost. To produce the best quality oil, the olives are taken to il frantoio, the olive mill, within 24 hours of harvest.  My previous post La Raccolta delle Olive has a detailed explanation and photos of the entire harvest process, including the italian words for all of the steps.

The terms ‘first press’ and ‘cold pressed’ are outdated, and mainly used for marketing, since hydraulic presses are no longer used. Olives are crushed or ground-only once, then oil and water are separated from the olive paste using a centrifuge.  The colour of the oil ranges from grassy green to yellow gold, depending on the ripeness and type of olives and the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves. Oil is stored in stainless steel vats until it is bottled, to preserve nutrients, colour and flavour.

This fresh, pure olive juice is ‘virgin olive oil’ as it has not been refined or extracted using chemicals or heat. It can be considered ‘extra virgin olive oil’ if the acidity is less than 0.8%, with superior taste and aroma.  This is mostly related to the quality and freshness of the olives.

‘Pure’ ‘Fino’ or ‘Light’ are marketing terms for refined olive oil-not calorie or fat reduced oil. It is refined using solvents and high heat to neutralize the taste of the oil.  A small amount of EVOO is added for taste.  This allows the use of lower quality olives and blending oils from many sources, possibly increasing the shelf life and smoke point. Refining and heating destroys the antioxidants and vitamins in the oil, but it is still high in MUFA’s and has no trans fats.

Pomace olive oil is made from the pits, skin and sediment and removed using chemicals. It should not be eaten and is only used for deep frying or polishing furniture.

Fresh EVOO should taste clean, fresh and peppery and smell of olives, with a spicy/bitter ‘bite’ when it hits the back of the throat. This spiciness is the polyphenols!  Old or refined olive oil will not have this sensation.Ricotta fatta in casa

EVOO is used for pouring and drizzling directly on food crudo –raw, and for salads, vegetables, sauces, pasta, bread, soups.  There seems to be a notion-mostly in North America, that you cannot cook with olive oil.  This is not true!  Like most Mediterranean cooks, I use it almost exclusively.  In fact, I don’t think I knew other oils existed until I was in my 20’s!  The smoke point of olive oil is about 200°C (375-400°F) which is great for sautéing or shallow frying. Vegetables cooked in olive oil absorb the polyphenols from the oil, making them double antioxidanted!  Excessive heating such as deep frying destroys the antioxidant benefits, so only use older or lower quality olive oil. I have several different olive oils in my kitchen; a few decent ones for cooking and baking and a really good quality one for salads and drizzling.

Is your bottle of EVOO 100% real?  Unlike Europe, North American regulations do not require strict labeling of olive oil.  A 2010 report called ‘Oil Imposters’ from the UC Davis Olive Center stated that 69% of imported oil labeled as ‘Extra Virgin’ in California failed IOC standards.  Their lab found:

Poor quality oil-made with poor quality or improperly stored/processed olives

Oxidation- oil exposed to too much heat, light or age

Adulteration-oil cut with cheaper refined olive oil and soybean or canola oil

Tim Mueller discusses fraud in the olive oil market in his 2012 book Extra Virginity: The sublime and scandalous world of olive oil. I believe there has been a lot of improvement since 2012, but olive oil fraud still happens. It probably started in 4000 BC! In addition to the labeling, another problem is that most North American consumers do not know what real, fresh EVOO tastes like, and are used to poor quality oil.

How can you tell if your EVOO is the real? Here are some tips:

  • Taste-The oil should taste fruity, like olives and be peppery with a slight burn when it hits the back of the throat. The bitterness/spiciness is the polyphenols! This sensation decreases as the oil gets older or exposed to air and light.  Bitter is better!
  • Aroma. The oil should smell like olives or fruity. It should not smell moldy, or like hay, vinegar, sweaty gym socks or old salame.
  • Best before date and harvest date. Oxidation starts when the oil is produced. It is usually good for 18-24 months after extraction, if stored properly. Buy only amounts that will be consumed in a few months. Like wine, half full bottles of oil spoil faster. Unlike wine, olive oil does not age well! Keep bottles tightly capped.
  • Origins (same country, region, estate) ‘packaged in’ or ‘bottled in’ means the olives are not grown in that country. By the time of bottling and importing, the olives or oil is likely already 4-6 months old.
  • Marketing-Avoid products labelled ‘pure’, ‘fino’ or ‘light’.
  • Packaging Olive oil should be packaged in dark glass bottles or large tins which block UV light. Do not buy olive oil in plastic bottles.
  • Cost-EVOO should not be cheap. Producing quality oil takes time, labour and expense. 1L of olive oil requires 2,000 olives!
  • Buy from the farmer, or from someone who buys from the farmer. This is not easy outside of Mediterranean countries, California or Australia, but it is possible to find good quality olive oil. For example, here in Vancouver I know of 2 vendors who import oil directly from their family olive groves in Italia.

Olive oil limoncello cakePs If you love EVOO, try my Olive Oil Limoncello Cake

Ciao e buon appetito, Cristina

In my Kitchen in Puglia, 2019

07 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by in Italian life, Mangiamo!, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

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August is always a busy month.  I am usually in Orsara di Puglia for at least half of it, and there is a lot of activity in my kitchen.  Here are just a few of the things my family and I were up to in our tiny but functional summer kitchen in Puglia.

Starting with the space itself, the whole casa is 40m² (about 450 square feet) including a bedroom and bathroom.  The room with the cucina is also the living room, guest room (aka my room) and art studio. The highlight of the room is the barrel vaulted stone ceiling. It is hard to get a photo of the whole thing, but this one gives you an idea what it looks like. Amazing, isn’t it?

August 5th is a feast day in Orsara.  It is la festa della Madonna della Neve which you can read about here.  My parents and I invited 7 family members over for pranzo, the 1pm meal.  Luckily we have a total of 10 chairs!

I had recently bought a spianatoia, although I only knew what is was called in dialetto.  It is a pasta rolling board with a lip on one end so it stays put on the table.  This one also has a handy carrying handle.  Cavatelli www.unpodipepe.caMamma and I decided to make orecchiette and cavatelli, even though both of us were out of practice. These are the most typical pasta shapes found in Puglia.Orecchiette www.unpodipepe.ca  Sugo con braciole They was served with sugo made with braciole which are thin cuts of meat rolled with prosciutto, parmigiano, parsley and garlic. Orecchiette con sugo

There are no fancy appliances in this kitchen.  I was given a bouquet of basilico and garlic from a friend’s garden and we made pesto ‘old school’ with her ancient and very heavy stone mortaio-mortar.Pesto made with old stone mortar/mortaio

Vino is plentiful in Puglia.  Nero di Troia is a nice, full-bodied local wine.  Read more about it in Vini di Puglia, the first of a 3 part blog series.  It is available at the grocery store in a 3L plastic container for less than €6!  It is very good!  We bring it home and Papà transfers it to 4 750ml glass bottles.  Sure, you can spend more money, but even the inexpensive vino is good.  I love to drink pesche in vino -peaches in wine with pranzo.  Yum! In summer red wine is often served chilled.

The cheese products in Puglia and Campania are drool-worthy!  Orsara has its own DOP cheese called cacioricotta, a goat cheese, but it never stays around long enough to be photographed!  Here is a lovely white on white trio of burrata, ricotta and mozzarella di bufala.Burrata, ricotta e mozzarella di bufala

Fiori di zucca are one of my favourite summer foods.  Luckily they are readily available here.  These ones were grown by a friend.  They are stuffed with caciocavallo and basilico, ready to be baked or grilled.  More recipe and harvesting tips can be found in the post Fiori di zucca.  I grow them in my garden in Vancouver as well, but they are not that plentiful. Fiori di zucca

Cucina povera, literally ‘food of the poor’, is what you will find in Puglia.  Simple foods made with fresh local ingredients.  My favourite comfort food, very typical of Orsara di Puglia is pancotto e patate.  It is made with stale bread, boiled potatoes, oil and garlic.  Beans and rucola or other greens can also be added.  I will have to write a post on how to make it!Pancotto, patate e rucolaI took the train down to Lecce and Nardò for a few days and found this cute ceramic gratta aglio, a garlic grater.  Of course the peperoncini attracted me! Gratta aglioI hope this post has made you either hungry and drooling or wishing you could visit Puglia yourself.  Maybe it has done both? Buon appetito e buon viaggio, CristinaThanks Sherry from Australia for hosting the monthly food blogging event, In My Kitchen (IMK). Read about other world kitchens by clicking the link to Sherry’s Pickings . Buon appetito, Cristina

Ferragosto

15 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in Feste, Italia, Italian life

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Ferragosto refers to August 15th and up to a week before and after. August 15th is a national holiday, celebrating l’Assunzione di Maria-the Assumption of the Virgin Mary to Heaven at the end of her life on earth. If you know anyone named Maria Assunta, she was probably born on August 15th!

Most Italiani take their holidays at this time, heading to the mountains or seaside for cooler weather. At the very least, most are away for ‘il ponte di Ferragosto’ the long weekend around August 15th.

Ferragosto goes way back….the name comes from the Latin Feriae Augusti or holidays of the Emperor Octavius Augustus, started in 31 BC. There were already several other Roman festivals the same month, such as Consualia, celebrating the harvest. They were combined into a longer rest and feasting period after months of heavy labour in the fields. The celebration originally included horse races. Il Palio dell’Assunta in Siena every August 16th still keeps this tradition going. Taking a trip mid-August became popular in the 1920’s. The fascist government set up discounted trains for Ferragosto Aug 13-15 to give the less well off an opportunity to see other Italian cities. In the 1960’s it became common for factories and large businesses in the bigger cities such as Torino and Milano to shut down for 2 weeks in August, or sometimes even the entire month.

This gave workers from the south or small villages the opportunity to return home and spend time with family, and also to get away from the summer heat in the city. This tradition continues, although not as much as in previous years. It is common to see Chiuso per ferie signs for 2 weeks in August, but many small businesses now close in June or September instead.

     

I am often asked why small, independent businesses shut down for 2 weeks instead of having more staff and staying open. The main reason is that in Italia it is very expensive to have dipendenti-employees.  It often makes more financial sense for a local, family run place to simply close for a few weeks. Spending time with family is also valued more than in some cultures, so shutting down to be with family is an accepted, even encouraged practice.

2 weeks ago I was in Napoli and tried to go to the popular Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo. The lineup was ridiculously long, so I went somewhere else and had a delicious pizza Margherita. Last year on August 17th, the sign pictured above was on the door of the same place. They were closed for 3 weeks and their other location near the harbour was open.

Should you avoid going to Italia in August? Absolutely not! If that is when you are able to go-then do it! Just do not attempt to travel on August 15th, as public transportation will be greatly reduced and nearly everything will be closed. Museums and cultural sites will be open though. Roma, for example, will be empty of Romans for the week, so it will be less crowded with fewer cars on the road. It is a great time to visit air-conditioned museums and cool stone churches. There will be more than enough restaurants open that nobody will starve.

I usually go to Italia in August as this is the best time of year to go to my small mountain village. There are feste and concerts all month, my friends and relatives have time off and those who have moved away for work come back to visit.

What are you doing for Ferragosto?

Buon Ferragosto, Cristina

This post is written as part of the monthly blogging linkup Dolce Vita Bloggers  hosted by Kelly , Jasmine and Kristy.

Buon Natale~Il Presepio di Mamma

24 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Feste, Italian life

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It is probably obvious from my photos that I love le feste Natalizie-the Christmas season.  Festive décor, lights, music and baking help me get through the early darkness and awful weather at this time of year.  I decorate every room in my house, but my favourite piece of Christmas is definitely the Presepio.  A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about the history of Il Presepio and have included photos of mine in previous December posts.

My Presepio has grown over the years, but includes mostly the ‘main players’.  My Mamma’s Presepio also started out this way, but is now a whole village.  It was originally placed under the tree, since l’albero di Natale was a new tradition for most new italocanadesi.  It was eventually moved to the fireplace hearth, and then to a table.  The stable was originally ‘rustic’, made with one of those large paper grocery bags, with the rim folded down many times and a window cut out the back for a light, or a mandarin orange box covered in brown butcher paper. The figures were the Holy Family, an angel, and ox and donkey, a shepherd with a few sheep and the 3 Wise Men. The manger is empty in the photo, as Baby Gesù does not get placed there until tonight, la Vigilia di Natale.www.unpodipepe.caThe 3 Wise Men or Rè Magi are far off in the hills since they do not arrive in Bethlehem until the l’Epifania, January 6th. Trailing behind is La Befana trying to catch up to them.  www.unpodipepe.ca

Presepio figures are not easy to find in Vancouver, but she slowly acquired village people, more shepherds, camels and lots of other animals.  Various pieces were purchased in Assisi, the Vatican and Mexico, even a napkin holder from Venezuela doubles as il forno.  The beautiful starry sky was brought by a friend from Roma. In August I went to Via San Gregorio Armeno in Napoli, the street famous for Presepio making artigiani.

Via San Gregorio Armeni Napoli, Antonio Pepe, www.unpodipepe.ca

‘Lavorazioni di Pastori e Scenografie Presepiati Antonio Pepe’, Via San Gregorio Armeno, Napoli (no relation!)

The Presepio inventory is low in summer, but I bought a terra cotta prosciutto, capicollo and cacciotta and a cestino of eggs which you can see in the photo below. I also bought 2 tiny chairs just like the ones we have in Orsara. I forgot to buy a zampognaro-an Abruzzese bagpiping shepherd-so I will have to go back to Napoli!

Mamma gets very detailed and creative with her Presepio. She starts working on it mid November and really enjoys putting it together. I am often asked to help create accessories.  The cutest detail is the tiny loaves of bread, panini and focaccia Pugliese that she bakes for the forno.Presepio

It is interesting to note that San Francesco d’Assisi created the first Presepio in 1223 in an attempt to return to the true meaning of Christmas and take the focus off of gift-giving.  So Charlie Brown was not the first to search for ‘the true meaning of Christmas’! If any of you have a Presepio, I would love to hear about it!

Cari lettori di Un po’ di pepe, Vi augura un Buonissimo Natale e un meraviglioso 2019 piena di gioia e salute!

Dear readers of Un po’ di pepe, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a marvelous 2019 filled with health and joy!

Ciao, Cristina

L’Albero di Natale

09 Sunday Dec 2018

Posted by in Feste, Italian life

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L’albero di Natale, my Christmas tree is now up and decorated.  I usually have it all done by now, but I am behind this year.  It was not planned, but I did the Italian thing this year!  December 8th is l’Immacolata Concezione, the festa celebrating the conception of the Vergine Maria.  It is a national holiday in Italia and the official start of le feste Natalizie-the Christmas season.  It is also the day most Italiani put up and decorate their albero di Natale and presepio. The Christmas decorations-addobbi Natalizie stay up until January 6th, la festa del Epifania-after a visit from La Befana. Earlybirds decorate on December 6th the festa di San Nicola.L’albero di Natale is long standing tradition in Northern European countries, but a much newer custom in Italia.  Alberi sempervivi-evergreen trees, have symbolized life, regeneration and immortality.  The Celts, Vikings and pre-Christian Germanic tribes decorated evergreens during Solstice celebrations.  In the harsh northern winters evergreen trees, holly and mistletoe were the only things that stayed green, so they were thought to have magical powers. Wreaths and evergreen branches were hung over doors as a defense against evil spirits and a symbolic defense against the harsh winter.  I can totally relate to this last one.  My addobbi Natalizie help me get through the winter!  ‘Modern’ use of l’albero di Natale started in the 13th Century and became a custom in Northern Europe.  In Southern Europe, it was seen as more of a Protestant custom and did not catch on.  In 1848, when Prince Albert of Germany married Queen Victoria, he brought the Christmas tree custom with him, which spread through the British Empire. Vancouver Club tree 2018Regina Margherita di Savoia-yes she of pizza fame-was the first to decorate un albero di Natale in Italia in the late 1800’s at the Palazzo Quirinale.  The custom spread slowly, but grew in popularity after WWII.  In 1982, Pope Giovanni Paolo II first introduced a tree in Piazza San Pietro. Now most families have un albero di Natale, and the presepio is often placed under the tree.  Is your albero di Natale up yet?  Buon Natale, Cristina

La Raccolta delle Olive

22 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in Italia, Italian life, Orsara di Puglia, Photography

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The olive tree has been essential to Mediterranean life for over 4,000 years. In addition to being a staple ingredient of the Mediterranean diet and an ancient trading commodity, olive oil has been used as a medication, soap, hair and skin moisturizer, terra cotta lamp fuel, furniture polish, and for cleaning and waterproofing leather.  Olive trees have a strong root system and can live for centuries. It takes up to 8 years before a tree produces its first olives. They grow well in lime and stony, poorly aerated soil, in areas with rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Olive trees have been considered sacred and symbolic. The olive branch has been a symbol of peace and the endurance of life since Genesis 8:11 ‘the dove came back to him in the evening; and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf: so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth’. The shape and form of olive trees has always captivated me. I still have not mastered their tangled growth of trunks and leaves with a silvery green underside, but they are frequent subjects in my sketchbook. While in Italia last November, I encountered a lot of olives.  Seeing the trees heavy with ripe black and purple olives was new for me, as I had only ever seen them in their small green state! Every road near Orsara di Puglia was full of parked cars where families were harvesting their olives.  Unfortunately, I missed my family’s olive harvest by one day, but I was in Gugliano near Lucca during their harvest.  I used Casa Berti’s fresh olio nuovo to make Olive Oil Limoncello Cake.

La Raccolta delle olive-the olive harvest, is usually in late October/early November before the first frost. Nylon nets with a split down the middle are spread under trees and wrapped tightly around trunks to catch falling olives. On sloping hills, the edges of the nets are supported with sticks so olives do not go rolling away.Olive harvesting does not go well with mechanization. The more gently olives are picked, handled and stored, the better the quality of the oil they produce. Olives are harvested using a combination of the following methods:

Brucatura (broo·ca·TOO·rah) is picking olives by hand and putting them straight into un cestino-a basket, or a bucket.  This preserves the integrity of the olives and does not damage the tree or branches.  Ladders are used for the higher, hard to reach branches.  This method is slow, with a lower yield, but produces the best oil, with the least acidity.  Olive, Casa Berti www.unpodipepe.ca

Pettinatura (pet·teen·ah·TOO·rah) is ‘combing’ olives off the branches with long handled combs/rakes and collecting them into buckets or nets.  Families producing olive oil for their own consumption harvest mainly by brucatura and pettinatura.

Bacchiatura (bahk·kee·ah·TOO·rah) is beating fruit off trees with long poles so they fall into the nets. A long-handled electric version for higher branches looks like 2 rakes facing each other that vibrate in opposite directions. If not done carefully, bacchiatura can cause bruising to the olives and damage to twigs and branches.

Raccattatura (rak·kat·tah·TOO·rah) is collecting ripe olives that fall spontaneously into nets. If not gathered right away, the olives can be rotting, with mold or bacteria, especially if it is damp or rainy.  Raccattatura produces oil with increased acidity

Scrollatura (scrol·lah·TOO·rah) A mechanical arm attached to a tractor wraps around the trunk and shakes the tree until all of the olives fall off into nets.  This method is efficient for large olive groves, but damaging to the tree and can produce inferior oil.  Luckily this method is not possible on terraced land or if there is not enough space between trees for a tractor.

Olives are stored briefly in crates to get warm and release oil more easily. Then they are taken to the frantoio, the olive mill.  Extracting  within 24 hours of harvest produces the best quality oil with the lowest acidity.La raccolta delle olive www.unpodipepe.ca

One evening while I was in Orsara di Puglia, I was lured by the divine smell of olives. It was the frantoio, which of course is closed the rest of the year.  During la raccolta delle olive, it is open all the time and is a busy, social place. The frantoio is as cold as outside, since cold prevents oxidation and preserves the nutrients, colour and flavour of olive oil.  I was curious to see the olive oil extraction process.

The olives are separated from branches, leaves and debris then weighed, rinsed in cold water and passed along a conveyor belt between rollers. Then they go into a vat with blades that mash or grind the olives into a paste- including the pits!  This used to be done with stone or granite wheels like a giant mortar and pestle. The olive paste is spread evenly over pressing discs/mats, which are stacked onto a press plate to evenly distribute the pressure.  The paste is not heated to extract oil, as cold prevents oxidation.  Oil and water are separated and sediment removed using a centrifuge, then precious liquid gold, unfiltered olive oil pours out a spout draining into a steel basin.The colour of olive oil can range from grassy green to bright yellow gold, depending on the ripeness and type of olives and the level of chlorophyll in leaves. The fresh oil is stored in stainless steel vats until it is bottled.

The yield of oil per quintale (100kg/ 220lbs) of olives varies each year. It takes approximately 2,000 olives or 1 tree to produce 1L of olive oil! No wonder it is expensive!

The fresh oil is virgin olive oil.  It can be designated as ‘extra virgin’ only if the % acidity is less than 0.8% and it has superior taste and aroma.  For more on olive oil terms, read the post Olio d’Oliva.

Photos featured in this post were taken at Frantoio Oleario di Nico Manna in Orsara di Puglia, my family’s olive grove in frazione La Cupa, Orsara di Puglia, and Casa Berti in Gugliano, Lucca.

Ciao from my amaca under the olive trees, Cristina

Aria Pericolosa!

08 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Italian Folklore, Italian language, Italian life

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C2550C42-73D9-4AC4-A015-1FD60DAF0E24‘Culture Shock’ is this month’s topic for the Dolce Vita Bloggers group. I was born in Italia, grew up in an Italian family in an italian/multicultural neighbourhood and have been travelling  to Italia my whole life.  There isn’t much culture shock going on for me to write about.

However……because in my ‘real job’, I work as a health care professional, there are a few malattie…illness related things that just drive me pazza! Repeat after me ….. illnesses are caused by viruses!  Le malattie sono causate dai virus (pronounced VEE•roos).

A unique category of illnesses exists exclusively in Italia, caused by wind, cold, sweat and wet hair! The thing they all have in common is sudden changes in temperature or extreme temperature fluctuations. Anyone who is from an Italian family will instantly relate to all of these.  My title Aria Pericolosa! means ‘dangerous air’.  We now know malaria is caused by mosquitoes, but in the past this was not known.  The word mal aria actually means ‘bad air’! These health beliefs are generally left over or adapted from times when we did not know the cause of disease.

54544A2F-D29B-4F76-82F6-EF0451394D02Colpo d’aria means literally a smack, strike or big hit of air.  An example of this is going from outside on a hot day into a shopping mall blasted with air conditioning.  Someone who has cold symptoms or a sore back, headache, earache or even indigestion might say ‘ho preso un colpo d’aria’.  Italians are somewhat distrustful of air conditioning, using it only when really necessary- in sharp contrast to the North American obsession with it. Severe back spasm is often called ‘colpo della strega’- Strike of the witch. 

Un colpo d’aria can also come from ‘la corrente’ which is an air current or a draft.  Walking or sitting in a corrente is thought to cause illness.  A draft caused by 2 open windows or doors directly opposite each other is considered bad luck in Feng Shui, because the good Chi goes in one window and out the other, however… winds and drafts do not carry disease! I’ve had many meals in a place as hot as a sauna because they refused to open both windows or doors at the same time-only one or the other! Mannaggia!

4D18D924-1F65-48E3-8AD5-55D051B16C11.jpegLa cervicale is another classic condition related to colpo d’aria.  This is a stiff neck cause by the neck being exposed to cold.  And you thought everyone wore scarves just to be fashionable!Calciodistrada2015

Running around sudato -with a sweaty body is also thought to cause illness. I suppose hot and sweaty are 2 temperature fluctuations! This is especially applicable to bambini, running around playing, and also wearing sweaty clothes. You may here ‘è sudato!’ exclaimed on the playground by many an Italian Mamma.  Italian bambini are always provided with multiple changes of clothes for when they get sweaty, even at the beach! They wear canottiere, undershirts made of wool in winter and cotton in summer to absorb sudore.  These are sometimes referred to as a ‘maglietta della salute’/health shirts. Being sudato then sitting in a corrente—you are doomed to illness!

Let’s not forget capelli bagnati! Going outside with wet hair is thought to cause illness, even pneumonia….even death!  I always air dry my hair, as it takes too long to blowdry.  I compare this to drying the dishes.  Why dry the dishes when nature will dry them on their own?  If I leave the house with wet hair in Italia, I inevitably will get asked the obvious ‘ma c’hai i capelli bagnati?’ Being in a corrente while sweaty with wet hair and senza giacca -without a jacket….you might as well call the funeral home!

Swimming within 3 hours after eating is thought to cause cramps and this will cause you to drown. In Italia, the main meal is usually pranzo, around 1pm.  Yes, even on the beach it is often a full on meal and not just a panino.  This means the meal is heavier while at the beach, but it certainly doesn’t take 3 hours to digest the food.  I am ready for my next gelato by this time.  Noon until 3 pm is also the hottest time of the day, so it is not such a bad thing to be in the shade under an ombrellone at this time, it is the reasoning that drives me nuts.   One of my colleagues is from India, and she tells me her family says the same thing, so this one  m ay not beexclusive to italia. Perhaps it was originally related to eating questionable food before refrigeration was available? Still, I have yet to hear about someone drowning because they went swimming on a full stomach!

I could go on and on, but I need to go back out and enjoy the Pugliese sunshine.  All of these malattie might lead you to believe Italia is a uniquely immunocompromised country, but Italians are generally in very good health!  I try to explain that these ailments exist exclusively in Italia, but I give up! None of these are harmful, but they can get annoying, especially to a health care professional. Remember….. Le malattie sono causate dai virus!  You can still follow Nonna Mari’s advice and  ‘metti la giacca!’

This post is written as part of the monthly #dolcevitabloggers linkup, hosted by Jasmine of Questa Dolce Vita, Kelly of Italian at Heart and Kristie of Mamma Prada the 7th -14th of every month.

Note-I will be Chiuso per Ferie without a computer, so may not be able to link this post to the other ‘Culture Shock’ posts until I get home. If the links do not work, check back later.

FYI ‘Aria pericolosa‘ can also refer to the lingering smell that keeps on giving after a smelly fart!

Ciao, Cristina….e metti la giacca!