Merry Christmas

Well these are the people I work with. This first picture is Niri From Japan. He speaks pretty good Italian and not much English but he tries for me. He has the second bedroom in the apt. We share a bath and he is very nice and respectful of my space and cleaning after himself. I like him alot. He is very good in the kitchen. The young Valario, he is 17 years old and does pastry. I liked him until he started blaming all his mistakes on me. I just noticed that he is doing it. I must be getting better at understanding, because when it happened monday I understood what he was doing. I discussed this with the chef and he said ok. I am not sure he cared.
From left to right Nonnie (the grandmother) she is a worker and is very good. She likes me and I like her. Next is Andre he is the grandson, 24 years old and spoiled rotten. Then Paula the wife and daughter-in-law of nonnie. The women cook the risotto and pasta. The asparagus risotto is a secret recipe. They cook other things but they are the only ones cooking "The Secret". Then Gino the son, he is always nice and works the front. He also loves chopping up large pieces of meat or whole rabbits. He sings French songs, and speaks about 50 English words. Next is Georgio, such a nice guy. Right now he is the main chef the real top dog had a heart attack and has not been here since I got here. Everyone says he is also nice. Georgio does not speak English much but tries. He love saying DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON, everytime it is slippery out. Which has been everyday.
On the left is Marco he is a waiter and wine person. He is a super nice guy. Then there is Danielle He is very artistic and loves plating. He feels he is the best of them all but is not the top dog so he has to step back once in awhile. He speaks English but does not understand my accent so it makes him mad. He said I make him feel like he did not learn anything. So does not like talking to me.
This is Georgio again in the kitchen. That is his personality. He likes to keep things light. There is very little confusion or yelling in our kitchen. The only yelling comes from Gino and noone says anything whenhe yells. The waiters sometime yell at each other.

Well I don't have much to say, we have been working alot. We will work Christmas and Christmas Eve. I miss home and will be back soon.
Merry Christmas from Italy,
Yvonne

Great Food, and Looks good too

These are the seared scallops in a bowl of pumpkin (zucca ) puree. There zucca is more like our sweet potato. They do not add much to the zucca, just seasoning no sugar.
Baccala ( dried cod fish) is not one of my favorites but ordered alot. It is served on a bed od mashed potatoes, the baccala is steamed and dressed in parsley, salt, pepper, olive oil. The little cup is baccala mousse with black caviar on top. To each his own????????????????????????????
This is one of my favorites. Fesa, slow cooked pork loin in rosemary and lots of butter. It is sliced and put in vacuum bags and steamed at time of service. It sits on a bed of mashed potatoes,and porcini mushrooms on top with gravy. The potatoes are roasted with butter ans rosemary until browned. The tomato is slow roasted. This dish is a mans dream, potatoes 2 ways.
I have not tried this but it always looks good. Sturgeon, (not sure of spelling ) steamed with fresh tomato thinly sliced with olive oil truffles and basil. They tell me this is a very light dish but tasty. There is never any left over so I don't get to taste.

Well I had some time tuesday and decided to get on a train. The destination was Parma or Brescia. That is where our train goes. I decided on Brescia because it is closer, in my region for my report, and I have been to Parma several times. I was nervous to tackle a new train station but off I went. It was so very cold, (fredo, fredo everyone goes around saying, cold, cold). I looked in windows as I walked to city center. They were all fixed beautiful. The Italians really know how to package a product. People were everywhere. Carrying lots of bags. It was about 4pm and I could tell the streets were decorated but not turned on. In the center square they had a hugh tree and a log cabin with Santa. I hope it was heated it was 20 degrees outside. I found the duomo and a little round church attached to its side. I went in and wished I had brought my camera. I left it so I would not have to carry anything, ( big camera ). The duomo was very beautiful but did not feel very welcoming. I left and went to the little round church. When I walked in it was warm and the organ was playing. I am not sure who was playing it, there was no one around, a ghost of Christmas past. I sat on the back row and looked up at the cross with Jesus suspended in air, OH MY GOD, what can I say more. The warm, the music, and the setting were on of the nicest feeling, I just sat and enjoyed for about 15 minutes. Then some people came in and the magic was broken. I proceded back out in the cold and all the lights were lite. It was white and blue street lights everywhere. The tree in the center was lite in multicolors. I window shopped my way back to the train station and caught the 7:03 train. It was the next to the last train and I did not want to chance being stranded. I got off at Calvisano and walked my way to my room. It was bitter cold. I stopped and picked up a pizza to eat in my room. It was a very good day.

Another thing good was I found a spot in my room where my internet key workd. So I rearranged my room so I don't have to sit on my end table to get reception. The room does not look as good but the desk is where the end table was before. I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy. It is good to be able to read my emails again. Steve and I could not skype,
and for some reason he skyped me right after I fixed the problem. It was the best reception we have had the whole time. It was really nice to see him, I am ready to be home.
Have a great holiday, Yvonne

Pictures that did not post

This is the snow I walked a mile in tennis shoes and a sweater.
This is the tray all our customers get when seated
Front doors of restaraunt
The pastry tray

My New Home

I got back from the to US snow. It was beautiful. I had only a heavy sweather and tennis shoes. I collected my luggage got a ticket for the bus and everything was going great. The snow held up the bus and I missed the train I wanted to get so 2 1/2 wait for the next train. It was soooooo cold but the train was 30 minutes early and very warm. The next train was a 5 minute wait and off to Colorno I went. When I arrived in Colorno I was greeted with about, (well you see the picture), snow. I had to walk a mile in the snow without a good coat or good shoes. HA! Ha! Steve came up with that. I collected my luggage and called a cab to go back to the Colorno train station. Now I was dressed warmer and had on better shoes. I was nervous about navigating the train with my big suitcase. The cab was great he carried the suitcase up all of the steps ( about 24) for me, and would not except a tip. Never happen in the US. I waited about 15 minutes and the train was coming. I kept thinking this is going good. Well the train stopped but the doors never opened. I was banging on the door and the train took off. I waited about 2 hours for the next train to Calvisano. I had to call the restaraunt and let them know I would be late. When I got on the train it was dark and I was worried that I would not notice my stop. The train conductor was so nice he told me to sit and he would let me know. Well I have to tell you that conversation was not easy. I don't speak Italian and he spoke no English. When I arrived at Calvisano 2 guys were there to pick me up. I was hurried to dinner with the family and staff. I fely very $$^&**(($!^!!!!!!!!, know what I mean. Then showed to my room, about 7 x 8 feet, with a cot not a single bed. I am longing for my nice bed with my ever so understanding husband, but that is another story. There is another bedroom and a bathroom in the hall. A young manFrom Japan has that, his name is Niri. He speaks fairly good Italian but no English. He is very neat and respectful of the bathroom. We have a refrigerator in the hall and I bought a hot pot for coffee or tea. All the comforts of home, my home for the next 2 months. I work at 9am till 12 we eat together, (family and all) then back to the kitchen until after lunch service and clean up, about 3:00. Then we go home to rest till 6pm prep for dinner and eat at 7 with the family. We finish preping and are there most nights till 11 or 11:30pm. Let me tell you I am tired. My cot even feels good. The people are really nice, but it is hard not getting to speak all day. Sometimes I say something then it is a big deal for everyone to figure it out. One of my chefs speaks English but he can't understand my accent. The family eats with us all our meals except wednesday when we are closed. They have discussions good and bad as if we were part of the family. I would hate to live like that......
This is one of my jobs in the kitchen. When you come to eat and are seated everyone gets one of these plates. The little glass is potato puree with porchetta with olive oil on top (YUM YUM). The spoon is a muscle confit and also very good. The toast points are topped with duck speck (I have to slice it and often take a slice or two for myself). They encourage me to taste and try the food. Gino the owner is always telling me, " This is a quality ristorante". He knows about 50 English words. He seams more French than Italian, but he is 100 percent Italian.
Taken from inside the ristorante the doors and glasswear. It is very pretty and well done. The wine glasses are beautiful and a very fine crystle. They don't care if you get a 20 or more dollar bottle, you get served as if you were spending a 100.
This is another job of mine, the pastry tray. The waiters will say a cona for dua. I fix two cones They are about 2 1/2 inches tall with lemon mousse and a candied lemon piece on top. Then I fix this tray. A pistacchi crema burlee, in the jigger is almond cookie crumbles with rum on the bottom pear sauce in the middle and chocolate on top, The next tray is a pastry filled with pastry cream, and a fruit covered with chocolate. I don't know the name only that it is exotic. I take the outside and twist it to make a stem then dip and cool.

Enough for today. I will have to go outside to publish this blog. Every leg of this trip my internet has gotten worse. I bought a key for high speed but with no windows in the room, no reception. I was very excited about the key because I thought I will finally have good internet. Steve and I cannot even skype.
PS. I WILL NEVER OPEN A RESTARAUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yvonne

Home For The Hoildays

Well I got really lucky. My stage started late and I went home for Thanksgiving. This is my all time favorite holiday. The food, the people, and no rushing for gifts, just great fellowship with the people you love. I am in the airport in New York waiting for my flight and decided to blog. I am sorry it has been awhile but my internet went down then I got to go home. The week before I finished school my mother and my sister came to see me. It was GREAT. I was alittle homesick and it was perfect. We did not do much but the quality visit was so worth it to me. Then I found out I could come home. I saw my girls and celebrated their birthdays. That was worth the expense and travel time. They were very happy to see me. As a parent you wonder if you will ever get to a stage with your children that they will be happy to have you around. I guess I hit the jackpot with mine because they dropped everything and spent the time with me. My Steve was also very happy to have me for a short time. I felt like a very important person. I was so ready for turkey and dressing. In Italy they eat only Italian Food. We tried to get our Chef to let us do turkey and dressing, their idea is different then ours. First he deboned the turkey, Second the dressing was chicken, sausage, bread, dried fruits and seasonings. It tasted like potted meat. The gravy was, I AM NOT SURE. Not any gravy I ever had before. Then when no one ate much they said it was not Italian. It was not American either. The turkey was good, I don't think you can screw up a turkey. So when I was home I had, fish, steak sandwich, french fries, hamburger on the grill, fried chicken, and GOOD OLD ICE TEA. There is something about home cooking, comfort foods at their best. Well my time is up on the computer, people are waiting to use the computers. When I get my internet set up at my stage I will blog again with pictures.
Bye from the New York Admerials Club, ( such a nice place to wait for a plane.)
Yvonne

Pictures That would not post

This is the chestnut bread. It is really dark brown but very pretty looking
This is scorfano ( red scorpion fish) this was done as a demo. There were two fish cooked whole with the insides and gills removed. The inside seasoned with salt and pepper and herbs some sea water, This was very good. This fish is about 30 years old. They grow slow and cannot reproduce until they are about 25-30 years.

This is another demo. It is a very ugly Polpo ( octopus). We were told they are supposed to be tough because people like to chew on this type thing sometimes. When in the mood. I WILL NEVER BE IN THE MOOD.
This is the polpo when finished. It does not look bad BUT..... Oh WOW I am glad that is over.
Read the next blog. these are just the pictures.
Yvonne

Looking for Mushrooms and Chestnuts

This week in our demo the Chef made Chestnut Bread. It was easy and very tasty. If this bread had salt on the top it would taste like a pretzel. The outside is dark and crusty and the inside very soft and dense. For those of you who want to try your hand at a simple bread recipe, here it goes.
Chestnut Bread

1. 700g semolina flour
2. 300g chestnut flour
3. 20g brewers yeast
4. 20g salt
5. 100g pork fat, lard
6. 450g luke warm water
7. Mix everything together ( do not knead much)
8. Put in a oiled bowl, rub top with a little evoo, cover with plastic wrap let it rise for about 2 hours in a warm place
9. After 2 hours shape in 2 loaves and let rise 25 mor minuyes
10. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes ( because of the chestnut flour it will be a dark brown)
11. Turn oven to 375 degrees and bake another 20 minutes

I think you will enjoy. For all of us small town people you may have to order your flour and yeast. It will be worth it.

On sunday we went in search of mushrooms and chestnuts. My Italian teacher took us to her family land about 1 1/2 hours from Colorno. We started our adventure by trying to rent a car. Automatics are hard to come by here. Well we got a minivan and was surprised when 8 people actually got up to go, 6 in the van two in the teacher's car. Our first stop was caffe' and something to eat. Nothing is done in Italy without a Caffe'. Then on to the food shop for a picnic lunch. We were prepared and ready to go. Next stop the mountain, a pretty scary ride. Irene,( who was driving) told us later it was even scarier for her, narrow roads, cars passing on hairpin turns, and a minivan. Well we were alive and ready to climb the mountain in search of mushrooms and chestnuts. No more than 40 yards and the bottom fell out. Again another weather forecast that was WRONG. We decided to continue with our adventure wet or dry. All along our walk straight up the mountain we picked up chestnuts, chestnuts and more chestnuts. No mushrooms to be found but trumpet mushrooms. We were told they were not very good. We reached the point to turn around and meet up with Irene and Kathleen for lunch. Still raining puddles in the path. I am sure glad Steve water proofed my hiking boots before I left. The ground being so wet we stood in the rain and ate our very good lunch. We checked this lower area for mushrooms but still none, lots more chestnuts. Back to the car and tea at Guilia's house. Her mother made apple strudel, crazy bread with fruit,( good but not sure how to describe it), fresh bread with homemade plum jam, nougat candy, shortbread cookies, and rose tea. What a nice way to finish our adventure. Now nice and dry, we continue back to Colorno discussing what we should do with all those chestnuts.

I have been trying to publish pictures to this blog but again the internet does not have a strong enough signal. I will try them alone like I have done before.

Having a wet time in Italy, Yvonne