There are days where I miss Rome so much it almost hurts. The old streets. The fresh food to be made each night and sourced from the nearest market. The shoes. Ah, the shoes. The sense that life should be celebrated every day. Also, did I mention the wine?
After days like yesterday where we were tromping around the backwoods of South Carolina the previous day for Jr Ranger insanity (more on this later), I have to fight the urge to drive straight to the airport, purchase tickets at the counter (can you do that any more?), and simply get on the plane. No packing necessary because I can simply get a new wardrobe there. My phone is with me. My passport is with me for just these emergencies. However, next week is a crucial week for cresting the ridge of being fully caught up and even, just maybe able to achieve a mode of proactivity. I'd hate to lose such momentum, so Rome was tearfully abandoned (for the moment) and replaced with "an Italian day".
Select a waistcoat and shoes that would have been perfect in any European city.
Open a bottle of prosecco on the front porch and pretend that the street in front of you is several centuries old. Eat salad for brunch with it.
Read an anthology about butterflies printed in 1945.
Ramble to tea house downtown and write a professional blog post, enjoying "memories of Prague" tea service that involves black Assam, honey, and almond milk.
Enjoy a limoncello cocktail with a panini while killing a whole lot of monsters online (ok this may not be terribly Italian).
Transition to a perfect evening around 8p with Barber of Seville blasting the house, a Tuscan Rosso poured, and risotto started.
Not stupid risotto. Proper risotto.
Not the horrendous way that I once read in an American cookbook that said "pour in arborio rice, a crap tonne of liquid, and hope for the best ... should be done in 15 minutes" .....
No no.
A beautiful blending of flavours with butter and onions, followed by wine and arborio rice until the rice is sufficiently loved and shiny .... THEN, and ONLY then, can stock be added with whatever pairing of veg that you wish. And for god's sake, don't complicate it. Two things. You only need two complimentary veg added to the base. My preference is leeks and shrooms.
After that? Simply add bits of stock (cup at a time perhaps) to allow the veg and rice to eat up the existing stock, watching the arborio expand over 30-40 minutes. Then chuck in some butter and mix in some FRESHLY shaved parmesan, and ....
ambrosia.
Thus, my Italian day.
