If you are Italian or know Italians, you may be familiar with an “Italian minute,” which typically is nothing that resembles a minute, it’s more like 20 minutes or maybe even up to an hour. I remember as a kid whenever we visited relatives the “goodbyes” could last an hour and that was only saying goodbye to a few people.
When in Rome a few years ago we stopped at a quaint sidewalk Trattoria for lunch. We had ordered a liter of wine and the waiter wanted to take our order before we had our first sip. (I’m sure he thought we were “typical Americans.”) I asked him in my best Italian to come back in cinque minuti (five minutes). He asked if that was an Italian five minutes. I said yes! Well, he went into a whole dialogue about how he would have time to go home, take a shower, watch a little soccer, and then come back to the restaurant and take our order. I agreed – which made him laugh. After all, we wanted time to sit, relax, drink our wine, and people watch before enjoying a wonderful Italian lunch. We enjoyed Mimo (the waiter) so much, we had several more meals at that Trattoria while in Rome.
Today is my monthly post of five things I like to share that I think will interest you as much as they did me. If you missed the tips and favorite things from past blogs, here are a few of the links: A Little Sage Advice, Fiddler On The Roof, Handy Dandy Tips & Resources, A Little Bit of This, A Few Favorite Things.
Food & Drink Museums. If you follow this blog, more than likely you are a “foodie” or at least enjoy cooking or learning more about food. This website is an opportunity to virtually visit nine food and drink museums I’ll bet you didn’t know existed.
Costco Rotisserie Chicken. Many people across the country (and the world) are familiar with the membership warehouse Costco. I’ve personally visited Costco in Mexico and South Korea. Of course, the items they stock in other countries and even other areas of the United States are different. In South Korea, we were amazed at the selection of fish (most types we didn’t recognize) featured at that Costco. A familiar item we did find was Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal. When we buy a Costco rotisserie chicken we make several meals out of it, as well as using the carcass for chicken stock. This website has 25 recipes using a cooked rotisserie chicken.
Chickpeas. Garbanzo beans aka chickpeas have so much to offer the culinary world. High in protein and versatility in use are its assets. Recipes to feed your family for a week using chickpeas include taco bowls, pasta additive, veggie burgers and more. And of course, there is always yummy hummus.
Smoothies. Spring is here and summer is approaching which may put visions of smoothies in your head. Smoothies are a healthy supplement to a day’s meals. Seasonal fruits and vegetables lend themselves well to spring and summer smoothies. Try a few of these for a mid-morning snack or afternoon pick-me-up.
Spring Farmhouse Home Tours. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s a little early to participate in garden tours, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a virtual tour through some beautiful spring farmhouses. Whether farmhouse decor is your “thing” or not, the houses featured in the tour are just pretty to look at. Maybe not what you might imagine as “farmhouse” decor, these houses are fresh, light, and for me at least, have a calming appearance. I just want to cozy up in one of these rooms with a cup of tea and a good book.