Sunday, August 23, 2009

UNA DOMENICA D'ESTATE


A lovely, relaxing Sunday at the sea today, with friends Marco and Giovanna who have a house at Sampieri.

As soon as I arrived, Giovanna put a dish of pineapple ice cream, which she had just made in a bimby [I want one!] into my hand. It was delicious and I think I had about five helpings at various points during the day.




The whole family were at home and that includes four lads and two grandmothers. "Insomma .... siamo qua" sighed the grandmothers when I asked how they were. If you are going to say "Insomma" ["in brief"] in this context, reader, you have to precede and follow it by long sighs to indicate that you are dealing with life's burdens as best you can and then you must say,"We're here" as resignedly as possible, rather in the way in which Welsh people say, "There we are, then". I've only ever heard these responses in Sicily.

After quite a long morning dip Giovanna and I stopped off at the house of several of Giovanna's many cousins and there we were served antipasti of focacce and various savoury pastries.

Back at Giovanna's there was pasta al pesto to start. An interesting variation was that the pesto contained some tomato and this transformed it into pesto trapanese:




Next came cotolette di pollo and polpettone which Giovanna had filled with a ham and onion mixture:





Then there was more ice cream, anguria [watermelon] and finally this gel alla cannella [cinnamon gel].




When we could move after that lot, Giovanna and I sauntered down to a little market which has sprung up near the piazza and I found a cotton dress for 15 euros. [I do hope Rosa will approve when she returns tomorrow. She inspects the workwomanship on all my clothes very carefully and makes any necessary adjustments or reinforcements.]

Later we ventured into the sea again and I was introduced to yet another hairdresser! I do find it quite incongruous to be standing in the waves in next-to-nothing whilst greeting a new acquaintance with a [wet] handshake accompanied by all the formal forms of address and pleasantries that such an occasion calls for in Italian. "Oh," said he, giving me a professional once-over: "I knew you weren't Italian because you're so fair and you've got some red in amongst the blonde". Oh, well, in my opinion a woman can never be on friendly terms with too many hairdressers!

Here are some views of Sampieri for you to enjoy:





And, as I didn't post a "sabato musicale" yesterday [ what with all the excitement of Simi's new coat] I'll leave you with this tonight:

Seba - Domenica d'estate


10 comments:

Devonshire Dumpling said...

Blue sky, sunshine, heat, decent food.......it's no good I really am going to pack my holiday bags.

How do you stay so slim?

Whispering Walls said...

Was the pineapple ice cream made with fresh or tinned pineapple?

James Higham said...

How did that cameraman find that girl in the audience to zoom in on?

Sally said...

Welll - that wonderful Sunday spread must have set you up for the week and how lovely to be beside (and in!) the sea. Insomma............ etc, also much favoured by elderly Venetians of my acquaintance!
Rather die for a watermelon and peaches and nectarines that are tree ripe, though having just picked 10 lbs of tomatoes and 34 lbs of Victoria plums what am I moaning about?

CherryPie said...

So much delicious food to tempt and here is me on a diet!!!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, DD. You will have to. The answer to your question is with difficulty! Ciao, WW. Fresh. No idea, James.Hi, Sally. Interesting to know that the expressions are used among the Venetians, too. That's quite a yield you've got there! Sorry, Cherie!

Rowena said...

Always a feast whenever you share your Sunday lunches. I'll try adding some tomato the next time I make pasta al pesto...with the tomatoes in full harvest mode I am up to my ears with pomodori!

sally in norfolk said...

sounds like a perfect Sunday to me :-)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Rowena. Let me know how the pesto turns out. What are you going to do with all the rest of the tomatoes?! Hi, Sally. It was!

jmb said...

Another wonderful outing to the seaside and good food as well. Perfect day.

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