Monday, November 19, 2018

Guazzetto or....Stew's the Word

My Italian lesson for the day.

"Isabella, if I say 'tu" when I am addressing you, why does one say 'te adoro?'

"It's a kind of dialect"

Good grief, now I have to learn not only proper Italian but also dialect.  I just recently nailed down  "essere" which is the to-be verb.  Between that and the to-have, "avere", I have very little and io sono trying very hard to enhance my language skills.  I do better with each trip here but will never, ever be fluent and will always remain totally lost when listening to fast- paced Italians.  Piano (slow) piano, I beg.

So, that brings me to Italian T.V.

I rarely watch network television when at home.  I'm a PBS person and that reminds me, I'm way behind on Poldark!!  Re-runs will have a new meaning in my life.  But, I'm alone most evenings here and have succumbed to the habit of using the tube as company.  After several evenings of trying my patience (same commercials over and over just as in the States), I landed on ALICE (pronounced ALeeeechee), the food network.  Okay, so I don't always know what the cooks are saying, but I can watch them and figure it out.  These people have become my dearest friends and they always work in pairs, one cooking, the other entertaining and, most of the young men are quite hunky, making me wonder if they started as chefs or became chefs for the sake of attracting an audience.  Hmmmm.

Simone Rugiati hosts "Rugiati Code' during which he unveils the "codes" of a new kitchen, freewheeling between cuisine and entertainment (they all do, for that matter).  Picture Sting, in the kitchen.  Sort of.

Then, there's Mattia Poggi, adorable host of "La Gola Il Gusto".  Mattia cooks in a different region each show, using different local products to create unusual and new dishes.  Not your mamma's lasagne!

Marco Valletta and his chatty sidekick, Franca Rizzi, host "Casa Alice".  She is demonstrative and amusing in that she is so focused on the camera during their show.  She's like the friend you hate to love.

And then, there's my T.V. friend, Patrizia.  Her show, "Fish Dynasty" is a blend of a short cooking demo by a talented young man who produces the most unusual and easy recipes for the fish that she sells in her shop, located in the heart of Rome.  The show shows us day to day life of a fishmonger from the arrival of the fish to customer service.  We're introduced to friends and family, often getting a glimpse of family celebrations at the home of Patrizia and her husband with whom she appears to be totally in love.  I suppose that's why the show is called "Fish Dynasty". There are lots of family members involved in this production and Patrizia is the "star" of her show. Oh, and the "Dynasty" theme music makes it even more appealing.


Hey, food is a way that we all connect.  Just sitting here this morning, I've been collecting recipes from Isabella and I've gotta say, I'm ready for the market and for making of the ragu!

Te adore Isabella.  In other words, Love YA!








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