I cleared out the kitchen cupboard this morning. Everything that I can't eat (but my boyfriend can) has been moved to a higher shelf so that they are out of my direct eyeline when I am looking for ingredients. Seeing how bare my section had become, I went to the supermarket. It took me an … Continue reading Day 1 of the Low FODMAP Diet
I've been struggling with my gut over the last few months. What I thought was a relatively straightforward lactose intolerance seems, actually, to be more complicated. Certain foods will trigger unsavoury reactions - sometimes immediately, other times within a half hour. There's no simply identifiable pattern. Cheap bottled beers can provoke a sudden reaction, or … Continue reading Starting a Low FODMAP Diet
Since my last blog post just short of three weeks ago, I've barely been home. I've been to Florence, London, Milan and today I'm packing my bag again for a whirlwind weekend to Piedmont. I don't mean to show-off; I know I'm lucky to travel so much but when you're in a place for a … Continue reading Playing With Porridge Oats
Yesterday was a beautiful, bright sunny day that had me thinking that spring might be just around the corner. It was one of those days when being outside in the sunshine was a million times better than being inside, stuck in front of a computer.
After the month-long festivities to celebrate Santa Lucia, then Christmas, New Year's Eve and finally la Befana (don't know who La Befana is? click here and read my last blog post) you would probably expect me to say that things were starting to quieten down and for this frigid winter to be tightening its icy grip. … Continue reading Frittelle for Carnevale
Happy New Year's Eve! Or "la notte di San Silvestro" in Italian. Whether it's out partying or staying in wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, I hope you're spending the last few hours of 2017 exactly as you want to spend them. I'm personally not much of a fan of New Year's Eve. … Continue reading New Year’s Eve in Italy… and the importance of lentils!
The final days of November always feel strange to me. It's this weird time of year when you're in limbo. My American friends have already made me hungry for turkey but yet it's still too early to really start the Christmas countdown: mince pies, festive music and twinkling lights. I don't recognise the Thanksgiving holiday … Continue reading Waiting for Advent
You would have thought that after two months of vendemmia (grape harvest) that the work would be coming to an end by now. It's far from true! Towards the end of October, in this area of the Veneto, all the local farmers stand on the side of the road, peering up into an olive tree. Yep, it's … Continue reading The Olive Harvest
Mother Nature has changed direction. After the balmy summer nights of July and August, September has arrived. The crisp, damp mornings. Even though now it is accompanied by the sound of tractors heading off to the vineyards and the smell of wine fermenting in the town's cooperative, it still vividly reminds me of pulling up … Continue reading A Perfect Autumnal Plum Pie
The second Sunday in September will go down as the day in which both the oven and the dishwasher broke down. Of course, an oven never fails when you're not trying to use it. I had made a plum pie (see here) and was halfway through cooking the roast chicken and potatoes when it conked … Continue reading The Second Sunday in September
The Burnt Cream Blog 