The festive season cannot end without my showing you what I ate on Christmas Day, can it? I was very happy to be spending the day with friends and to partake of focacce, grilled meat, fruit and perfect crème caramel prepared by Neapolitan chef Pino Mainolfi [on the left in the pictue] whom I enjoyed meeting. His blog [in Romanian] is here. I made and took along my second Christmas cake of the season:
I spent New Year's Eve at home because I was worried about the effect the inevitable fireworks would have on Bertie-Pierrine, whose first Christmas with me this was. She didn't seem overly peturbed - I was probably more frightened than she was, for Italians do not do things by halves - but I was glad I was here with her.
A lot of town councils all over Italy had banned New Year fireworks out of respect for the environment and animals and thus it was in Palermo, Catania, Siracusa and Ragusa, but not Modica. Nevertheless, a nine-year-old child in Palermo Province had to have his hand amputated after an accident with a firecracker and there were 190 firework-related injuries in Italy as a whole on New Year's Eve. Is it worth it?
If I sound like Scrooge here I would just like to say that I am outclassed in that respect by Telecom Italia, who managed to send their email bills out on Christmas Day. Now, that should be illegal as well!
6 comments:
I love Creme Caramel...and I love Creme Brulee. I made many of them when I was cooking for a living; but I've never gotten tired of eating them. They're a wonderful dessert.
Funny you should mention your email bill. Only a couple of days ago I realised I'd not received my phone/internet bill. It usually comes out towards the end of the second last week of each month. I always pay them as soon as I receive them (online - not hard copy) and suddenly I realised it was early January...and no bill had arrived.
Upon going online and into my account I discovered payment was due within a couple of days of my discovering the bill's non-arrival. I paid it immediately. Christmas must have confused Telstra. But all is well...I still wasn't overdue.
I spent New Year's Eve at home with Remy and Shama. I'm not one for New Year's Eve parties if I can escape going to them. I've always found them to be forced...I prefer the spontaneous. I hope you and Bertie have a wonderful 2016, Pat. :)
Hi, Lee. I don't usually like them but this one was superb!
Glad you got your bill sorted out.
I'm not one for New Year's Eve parties either - much prefer top be at home.
HNY to you from Bertie and me. xx
You do not sound like Scrooge and it is NOT worth it...especially when injuries involve young children! I only ever allowed my young son to handle sparklers - nothing more.
Telecom-Tim surprised me with one small detail on the bill for this month...an extra 2.50€ for the phone book....of 2015!
Hi, Rowena and HNY to you. I totally agree with you re. foreworls. I'll have to check my bill for that €2,50!
"A lot of town councils all over Italy had banned New Year fireworks"
What a bunch of spoilsports.
I guess you'll all have to go back to throwing old crockery out of the windows, then.
What could possibly go wrong?
What indeed, WY?
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