Festa di Sant' Antonio
Today, Ettore and I resumed our normal routine. As I'm starting this blog, I realize that I will go downstairs in just a bit to check on him. Sometimes we get together in the afternoon, and the girls are off school now; they may join us. They attend a program called CREST. I believe it's only for part of the day. I remember sending my kids to a Lutheran vacation bible school in town, although I had not even a remote affiliation with the church. The kids were bored without their structured school routine and liked the activities (e.g., a visiting animal farm), and I got all of my chores done while they were gone for the morning. Maybe CREST serves the same dual purpose.
I caught up on some news, mainly the weekend Pride festivities in Rome. I read a bit more about the January 6th insurgence hearings. The dystopian universe is increasingly difficult to explain overseas.
After Ettore left to have lunch, I cleaned the apartment again (seeing where I missed after the post pigeon party clean-up), and wrote an email to Everett. Joe's daughter Laura had sent a group text, saying that Everett's spirits have (understandably) hit a brick wall, so we are sending any light/funny/cute stories to him. When Joe gets back, I want to find a fun spot and do a little video clip; nothing really at all to do with being here, but perhaps there is something he will think is funny or odd and we can play off of that. My email to him was the story about finding four pigeons in the apartment!
My phone was charging while I wrote this on my laptop, so I went to check it. I saw I had missed some messages from my friend Davide, who lives in the Naples (Italy, not Florida) area. He's always super busy, so I was surprised when there was a text saying he's free; can I call?
He's working, but driving almost six hours to pick up clients in Tuscany. He will stay overnight and drive them to Naples and on to the Amalfi Coast tomorrow. So, just as I am for my sister and my kids, I was the time-kill call while he was driving. And here's the thing with Davide and our crazy wonderful bizarre friendship: We induce in each other that from-the-gut deep down laughter; the kind that brings tears to your eyes. Oh; and he and I love to eat the incredible food here. He has taken me on whirlwind food tours, knowing where to find the best of something to eat, be it on a roadside at 2:00 am or in the middle of a sheep town. He laughed, saying that the 2-year-old has definitely helped improve my language fluency.
Best of all, this dear friend said that he would ask for a couple of days off, and drive me to Ripabottoni, to help me work with the clerks at the Comune!!! So I must plan a trip to the mainland, and I must also arrange to have a weekday off of work.
But for today, everything is about Sant'Antonio. He is best known as the patron saint of lost things, and today's world literally petitions to him for stuff. But, his work as a Franciscan monk included guiding back lost souls. He lived peacefully with animals and all creatures, and protected them with great love. He is often depicted holding a lamb, birds, or other small animals.
Throughout Biancavilla, the panetterie sell a special bread in honor of the saint. It is good. I ate mine before I could get a picture of it. The outside has a smooth finish, sort of like a challah, but the texture and interior are definitely an Italian artisan bread, quite reminiscent of the kind my grandma made.
Once the sun began to set, there were fireworks. Every time I thought I caught the finale, I'd hear more of them start up! Since a lot of my friends love fireworks, I'll post my clips of the action from my window:
Lilliana, Elena's sister called, and said she will take Friday to bring Joe and his daughter/'s family on an excursion (super generous, Lilliana). She made the excursion last weekend with her kids and some friends and their kids. A friend of hers is an entrepreneur and has purchased something between a raft and a boat (I'm not nautically inclined, and have no idea what this thing is called; Elena is in... the same boat... as me. No idea of the word in Italian).
The excursion begins in the best Sicilian way: Granita for breakfast! Then there is the 'chiazetta,' the half-hour walk on a switchback trail from the top of town down to the sea. Joe and I walked this trail back in December or January. It should be beautiful now, with everything lush and green and in bloom. Once onboard the craft, one can see the "Aci" from the sea (Aci Castello, Aci Trezza), going past the faraglioni rocks (where the cyclops of ancient lore hung out), and take dives into the sea for a brisk swim. When the seafaring section of the trip is finished, it's off to a seaside restaurant for a beautiful seafood lunch. Joe and I recently spent a weekend in Aci Castello, and had some of the best fish and squid we'd ever tasted. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then, as the finale, up up up the volcano! Rejy, Lilliana's companion, is an Etna tour guide, and he will lead the trek to see the crater and perhaps some of the lava rivers and caves.
She got to Rome as Joe and everyone were leaving, and it was a shame they couldn't connect there. Nobody had any idea they'd all be in Sorrento together at the same time! Sorrento will do that to you. A couple of years ago, when my family was in Sorrento, we heard someone from across the piazza yell, "Is that Doug Schubert?!!" (my brother-in-law). And indeed, friends from back home connected with him right there on the street! I am beyond happy that this absurdly wonderful thing happened, and that the cousins could get together in Italy. When Lucy and I had been talking before her trip, I was hoping I could be in Italy with her. I guess, technically, we both are in Italy right now, just not in the same place. Darn it! I love that gal.
On and off throughout all this, I had gone to the market for a couple of things, wanting to round out what I could make from my cornucopia of things that Elena brought yesterday. I asked Mariella if she had a good recipe for pasta e zucchine.
Incidentally, I was today year's old when I was embarassed to learn that there is no such word as zucchini. Knowing that an "-i" ending is, in most cases, the plural for an "-o" ending, and I had only one of this vegetable, I said I had a zucchino. Elena thought I'd gone mad. "You mean a zucchinA," she said. "Ma, zucchinI e plurale, allora--non zucchinO e' singolare?" "No. ZucchinA, ZucchinE. This word with the -i on the end is an American thing". Duly noted. Continue reading to learn that this will not be my most embarrassing moment of the day.
Of course Mariella had a recipe. The success of it depends on the cipolla, in my opinion. I have not seen these at home. They are onions, sort of like ramps, not quite shallots. They cook and become candy. A sweet yellow onion sliced very thin, or ramps, may be the best facsimile for preparing this recipe back home.
Set a pot of pasta water to boil, then add salt and farfalle or fusilli corti, cook until al dente.
Slice thin, thin, thin, the zucchina or zucchine (FYI ratio is one to one for the zucchina and the cipolla). I used the light green Sicilian zucchina. Now, slice or dice the onion/cipolla.
Optional, add smoked pancetta and/or a few cherry tomatoes, halved.
In a little bit of olive oil, start the zucchine. Cook until one side just begins to brown, flip over, add onions (and pancetta, if using) and continue cooking until the zucchine are soft and almost brown and the onions are transparent. Add the tomatoes, if using.
By now, the pasta is cooking and the "foam" is on the water. Ladle some of this foam into the zucchine pan, to make the mixture creamy. When pasta is al dente, use a spider and transfer the pasta to the pan. Add more water if needed; heat through.
That's it. Add grated parm if you want, but it doesn't need it. Trust me.
While Mariella told me all this, she was cooking cavolino, or little cavolo--cabbage. The cavolino are about the size of a grapefruit. She sliced this into shreds, along with some cipolla. Start with a little bit of diced pancetta and no olive oil, or, if not using pancetta, add a small bit of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cabbage and a small bit of red wine--not enough to make it soupy; just to dampen. Cook down until soft.
She also made a vegetable mixture in this manner, in a separate pan, but added a teeny tiny bit of vinegar at the end.
Mariella, explaining the cavolino recipe.
Zucchine in its various stages to becoming tonight’s pasta dish. (I didn’t have farfalle or fusilli corti).
Mariella's vegetables and cavolino
Salad of fresh fennel, lettuce from my cornucopia, tomatoes
I was absolutely stuffed, and the hour is late, again. I washed the dishes, put away the food, did a final sweep, then washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on my almost see-through, boob baring pajamas (it's hot tonight). As I grabbed my water bottle to head to bed, I remembered -- the garbage needs to go out. Tomorrow is plastics pick up. Ugh; I didn't want to get redressed and all. The house is dead quiet, and there is no noise or activity from the street. I ran the garbage down, leaving the main building door ajar as I set it on the hook.
It was then that I heard a few footsteps and, "Kah-ren?"
It's someone I haven't seen in quite a while. Father Giuseppe.✝️
'Notte.
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