Pickling and preserving

As well as making jars and jars of passata, this is the time of the year for some serious pickling here at Casa Margherita HQ. We are pickling onions, chillies and garlic.

Can't wait for the taste of the pickled onions with some porchetta. Wow. Luckily our friends brought us some mature cheddar which will be very nice as well.

Riprendiamo il ritmo

We recently celebrated the birthday of L'Artista with some lovely peach blinis.

This week has seen Italy return to work after the traditional two week summer break. We too are getting back to work after taking time off whilst we had some friends to stay. Rachel is back in the studio and I am working to publicise the cookbook - Cuoco.

The rural life

Leaving the house last night to see a choir in Trevi in the trusty Panda and got beached on our very rutted track about 20 metros from the house.

Few choice words and then back to the house to change, and get the other car and tow/prise free the Panda free.

Job done. As you were. It was never like this in London.

A sounder of wild boars (cinghiali)

We have seen wild boar here before but not for some time. So it was a shock this morning to see a large group (sounder) of wild boars walking in file down the track passing below through the groves below the house. It was even odder it that there was a large number and it was broad daylight (09:00) and  they are nocturnal animals.

Luckily our dogs decided not to chase them.

A palindromic day

The 12.8.12. But the big done will be 20.12.2012 and the last of the century.

Today we went to Bevagna to have a stroll , take some photos and sell in the recipe book.  A couple of shops took it which was great. On leaving we bought a loaf of bread and without doubt it was the tastiest loaf we have had since moving here. So tasty I just had to have a slice of toast and marmite. How English.

Voodoo night

We are currently in the middle of Trevi's summer music festival so tonight we are going to see Denise King and the Olivier Hutman quartet. This will be outside at Villa Fabri which has a wonderful view down the valley towards Spoleto after a geat pizza at the Casareccia. I fever you come to Trevi you must have a pizza here . They are great.

The Casa Margherita Cookbook - Cuoco

Filled with great recipes both traditional and inspired by the food of Umbria. Its full of evocative images that give the reader a real feeling of life here in Umbria and a taste of its cuisine. Avaliable at www.casa-margherita.com for only €10.00 and throughout Umbria.

It's passata time

Not quite as we intended as what were sold as being San Marzano have turned out not to be 100% SM but Cuore di Bue and another unidentifiable type. One of our neighbors had the same problem and went back to the nursery to complain!

Anyway there is passata to be made. Very simple no onion no garlic just olive oil, chopped tomatoes and salt. Bring them to the boil and then simmer away for an hour or until you have a thick tomato sauce. The bottle in sterilised bottles.