Italian Critters, Doom & Gloom

[alexia s.]

How was the food?????

[vrooje]

Well, unfortunately we weren't able to stop in Bologna (we were all afraid that if we ate a big meal we'd fall asleep on the road, since none of us had slept for 30 hours or so by that time).

But the Tuscan food was fabulous. All of it. Even the one restaurant we ate at that was overly touristy and probably not the best in the area, was still better than anything over here.

We also had a cooking class and I was amazed at how simple the recipes were. Since coming home, I have re-made the excellent tomato sauce that just had six ingredients (all fresh, which is the key to the taste). Next I will try to make the biscotti, I think. Or maybe the pesto sauce that uses "black cabbage" instead of basil, just as soon as I can figure out what the American word for black cabbage is.

I believe I spent a good five pages in my travel journal writing about the food. It was just that good!

[Mante]

I really wonder where that place is in Tuscany. Sure, in the countryside you can find lots of little animals and insects but I wouldn't make it soo catastrophic.
Also I wonder about all those strict regulations: they don't even make you wish to start your vacation!! Duh

[Hells Bells]

Vrooje, It's Cavolo Nero in Italian and is known as that here too, so maybe would be in the US (I'm thinking zucchini here as a comparison).

[Ciapolin]

You can make pesto with almost anything - I use wild rocket (it grows like a weed in my garden!) and it's wonderful.

[giofed]

O c'mon! Shake your shoes! You're not in the desert, where scorpions search for humidity in your shoes.... Tuscany is quite cool at night (in the 20sC or 70sF) so scorpions are happy outside or just sleeping on the walls.

They are fairly small 2 inches tale to claws. Their "bite" is as painful as that of a bee. I agree, I don't like them either, it's an atavic fear, but they are immensely helpful in the ecosystem, so try to hush them out, instead of killing them, if you find some...

Good Luck! (ask this guy how he does it)