THE ITALIAN ADVENTURE BEGINS
"Don't keep Campari in the 'fridge."
It was a gentle reprimand, and I could see a twinkle in my husband's eye as he passed me, sailing out of the kitchen waving an icy glass filled with Campari and Sicilian Blood Orange Juice.
Neither of us really could be cross today, because today, after an agonizing wait, our offer had been accepted on a magical new home in Italy: the wing of a 17th century palazzo.
The phone call came just as I stepped out of the shower. I had a tension headache from the stress of waiting all day, and I was dripping profusely when I grabbed my mobile, which I had put at arm's length outside the shower stall. There was excited squealing on the other end of the line, cut up with line interference on this international call. Our estate agent had just been on a nightmare journey to Venice for her birthday and had been stuck in a rail tunnel for ages with low battery and no air con. She had now arrived at her birthday destination, and was greeted with gondolas and a commission on my house purchase.
My habit of refrigerating everything comes from a childhood upbringing in Southern California, where long hot summers meant melted butter, and ants, and sticky chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar. My husband, having been raised in Kent and also The West Country, was used to war-time economy, Bakelite, and limited space in the ice-box.
ABOUT ME
I am a caterer and food writer. I will divide my time between our new Lazio home, and Wiltshire, in England. My business, Moveable Feast Catering Company (www.moveablefeastcateringcompany.com ), is now just that: I write, and cook, in two countries.
I'd like to say that my culinary influences include such luminaries as Gordon Ramsey and Hester Blumenthal, but in fact, I have been most affected by firstly, my natural impatience, and secondly, raising my two sons, who are fussy eaters.
I'm not terribly interested in complex sauces and elaborate 12-step recipes. I love to buy great quality ingredients and dress them as simply as possible , to let the natural flavours shine through. This is entirely in step with Italian cuisine, which is probably what draws me to it time and time again. I just love it when a great steak, or roast, or pasta appears, and the flavours just 'ping' on your tongue, and you can tell exactly what's in the preparation , but that in no way diminishes from the sheer magic of the dish.
My family used to play a game in the car: "Where shall we go on our holidays?"
DAD: Well, I've always wanted to go to Austrailia.
ELDEST SON: Uuuuummmm......
YOUNGEST SON: I like pancakes. We should go to Portugal.
DAD: Pancakes aren't really a national dish in Portugal, sweetheart, that was an international hotel we were staying at.
YOUNGEST SON: PANCAKES!!! PORTUGAL!!!
ME (always): Italy.
ITALIAN REGIONAL CUISINE
We've been to Italy about eight times now, all over the country, and no two trips have been the same. I hear this alot about the country, that each region is incredibly diverse, and impacted by very different influences. Apart from gelato, which seems to be a national treasure, the chunky unsalted breads of Tuscany seem worlds apart from the silky risottos of Pisa, the thirst-quenching lemons of Amalfi, and the subtle richness of truffles in Lazio.
Before air-miles became a political and ecological issue I used to love to cook with exotic ingredients from far-flung countries. Now I abide by the common-sense theory that: "Foods that grow together taste best together". I know that sounds incredibly simplistic but it's actually true. The melting richness of a Caprese salad confirms that the freshest basil, the plumpest plum tomatoes, and the greenest extra virgin olive oil are enhanced with the softness of local mozzarella from the Milk Mountain region of Amalfi and Campagnia.
THE JOURNEY
And so our journey begins: we are buying a new home in Italy, and then writing and dining our way across the country. When we're in the U.K. I'll be offering courses on my culinary cooking and Italian travels. Follow us for more news and views about Italy and its cuisines. I value your comments so please give us feedback in the space provided.
Ciao!
MARCIE LAYTON, owner
Moveable Feast Catering Company
and author of
ITALY FOOD TRAVELLER
and
THE MOVEABLE FEAST BLOG
These opinions are entirely my own; I am not sponsored by any business, product, or organization.
It was a gentle reprimand, and I could see a twinkle in my husband's eye as he passed me, sailing out of the kitchen waving an icy glass filled with Campari and Sicilian Blood Orange Juice.
Neither of us really could be cross today, because today, after an agonizing wait, our offer had been accepted on a magical new home in Italy: the wing of a 17th century palazzo.
The phone call came just as I stepped out of the shower. I had a tension headache from the stress of waiting all day, and I was dripping profusely when I grabbed my mobile, which I had put at arm's length outside the shower stall. There was excited squealing on the other end of the line, cut up with line interference on this international call. Our estate agent had just been on a nightmare journey to Venice for her birthday and had been stuck in a rail tunnel for ages with low battery and no air con. She had now arrived at her birthday destination, and was greeted with gondolas and a commission on my house purchase.
My habit of refrigerating everything comes from a childhood upbringing in Southern California, where long hot summers meant melted butter, and ants, and sticky chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar. My husband, having been raised in Kent and also The West Country, was used to war-time economy, Bakelite, and limited space in the ice-box.
ABOUT ME
I am a caterer and food writer. I will divide my time between our new Lazio home, and Wiltshire, in England. My business, Moveable Feast Catering Company (www.moveablefeastcateringcompany.com ), is now just that: I write, and cook, in two countries.
I'd like to say that my culinary influences include such luminaries as Gordon Ramsey and Hester Blumenthal, but in fact, I have been most affected by firstly, my natural impatience, and secondly, raising my two sons, who are fussy eaters.
I'm not terribly interested in complex sauces and elaborate 12-step recipes. I love to buy great quality ingredients and dress them as simply as possible , to let the natural flavours shine through. This is entirely in step with Italian cuisine, which is probably what draws me to it time and time again. I just love it when a great steak, or roast, or pasta appears, and the flavours just 'ping' on your tongue, and you can tell exactly what's in the preparation , but that in no way diminishes from the sheer magic of the dish.
My family used to play a game in the car: "Where shall we go on our holidays?"
DAD: Well, I've always wanted to go to Austrailia.
ELDEST SON: Uuuuummmm......
YOUNGEST SON: I like pancakes. We should go to Portugal.
DAD: Pancakes aren't really a national dish in Portugal, sweetheart, that was an international hotel we were staying at.
YOUNGEST SON: PANCAKES!!! PORTUGAL!!!
ME (always): Italy.
ITALIAN REGIONAL CUISINE
We've been to Italy about eight times now, all over the country, and no two trips have been the same. I hear this alot about the country, that each region is incredibly diverse, and impacted by very different influences. Apart from gelato, which seems to be a national treasure, the chunky unsalted breads of Tuscany seem worlds apart from the silky risottos of Pisa, the thirst-quenching lemons of Amalfi, and the subtle richness of truffles in Lazio.
Before air-miles became a political and ecological issue I used to love to cook with exotic ingredients from far-flung countries. Now I abide by the common-sense theory that: "Foods that grow together taste best together". I know that sounds incredibly simplistic but it's actually true. The melting richness of a Caprese salad confirms that the freshest basil, the plumpest plum tomatoes, and the greenest extra virgin olive oil are enhanced with the softness of local mozzarella from the Milk Mountain region of Amalfi and Campagnia.
THE JOURNEY
And so our journey begins: we are buying a new home in Italy, and then writing and dining our way across the country. When we're in the U.K. I'll be offering courses on my culinary cooking and Italian travels. Follow us for more news and views about Italy and its cuisines. I value your comments so please give us feedback in the space provided.
Ciao!
MARCIE LAYTON, owner
Moveable Feast Catering Company
and author of
ITALY FOOD TRAVELLER
and
THE MOVEABLE FEAST BLOG
These opinions are entirely my own; I am not sponsored by any business, product, or organization.
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