MOUNTAINGIRL'S PHOTO CHALLENGE - FENCE

It's Friday and time for my friend mountaingirl's Photo Challenge. This week's theme is "fence".

This is the Altro Posto's fence, alongside which I have sat many times, sipping a drink or enjoying lunch in the sun:

As I've mentioned before, I live in a narrow but busy street in which there are no parking spaces for those wishing to use the nearby post office. This "fence" was put up to stop drivers making the street even more difficult to access by parking right up against the wall here. So what do they do? Park right next to the barrier, of course!

Finally, here is part of what was my garden fence in the UK. Nothing in Britain causes more problems between neighbours than a fence! People argue about where the boundary is, whose responsibility it is to put up and maintain a fence on it and what type of fence they should have. Then, when it's up, there are numerous disputes about whose job it is to replace it if it falls down, who is going to pay for any repairs and even about the smell if one neighbour decides to paint their side!

By the way, piglet Claude Cochon came with me to Sicily and now lives happily on the balcony.

TICKET TO RIDE

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I saw Marcello this morning. Very early, I had stopped off at the Edicolè bar for a coffee on my way to meet Rosa at the market and there was Marcello, buying a paper. For newer readers, Marcello is a friend who insists on speaking in an English that consists of lines from Beatles songs!

Me: Ciao, Marcello.
Marcello: Baby, it’s you! You know you look so good! Haha!
Me: Grazie. Ma come stai e Silvia [Marcello’s wife] come sta?
Marcello: I’m feeling blue. She’s got a ticket to ride, haha!
[By now we are seated, having another coffee each.]
Marcello [offering the sugar bowl which also contains sachets of honey]: Do you want a taste of honey? Haha! Ask me why.
Me: No, thanks. I was going to. Why? Where’s she going?
Marcello: Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, haha!
Me: Well, if she’s going to a lovely place like that, I might join her. Where is it?
Marcello: It’s not too far back on the highway, haha! But you can’t do that!
Me [I am hopeless at this game but here I managed]: Tell me why.
Marcello: Try to see it my way….I’ve got every reason on earth to be mad cos I just lost the only girl I ever had. Haha!
Me [managing another one]: If there’s anything I can do…
Marcello: What do I do when my love is away?
Me [getting good at this!]: I’m sure that while she’s away she’ll write home every day…
Marcello: Me, I’m just a lucky kind, haha!
[At this stage I decide all this sob story is nonsence, the “hahas” being a bit of a giveaway, so I change the subject]:
Me [proud of myself!]: It’s 9 o’clock. Here comes the sun.
Marcello: Don’t let the heat overcome you, haha! You know my temperature’s risin’.
Me [now amazed at myself]: There’s a place where I can go.
Marcello: I’d like to be under the sea in an octopus’s garden in the shade, haha!
Me [suddenly seeing Silvia as she enters the bar]: Silvia!
Silvia: Ciao, Pat. Come stai?
Me to Marcello [my best one!]: I saw her standing there!
[Silvia assures me she is not going anywhere.]
Marcello: She’s a woman who loves her man. [Winking at me]: Might win an Oscar, you never can tell.

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QUIZ: SICILIAN PROVERBS - 2

You all seemed to like last week's proverbs quiz so here we go again:

Match the Sicilian proverbs 1 - 6 with their meanings a - f: [Where there is a very similar proverb in English, I have used this as the translation.]

1. Contra furtuna nun vali sapìri

2. Nun mèttiri lu carru davanti li voi.

3. L'amuri è come lu citrolu, 'ncumincia duci e finisci amaru.

4. Donna, focu e mari fannu l'omu piriculari.

5. La podagra è mali di li ricchi.

6. Frati, ciumi e parrini su' tri mali vicini.


a. Love is like the cucumber, it starts off sweet and ends up bitter.

b. Gout is a rich man's illness.

c. Knowledge is no protection against the caprices of fortune.

d. Don't put the cart before the horse.

e. Monks, rivers and priests are three bad neighbours.

f. Women, fire and the sea expose men to danger.

Highlight below for answers:
1c, 2d, 3a, 4f, 5b, 6e.

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ICE CREAM OF THE WEEK

There's been some tough competition but the best ice cream of the past 7 days was this pistacchio and melon one at Donnafugata on Saturday.

HERBED RISOTTO "CAKE"

I keep saying it: there is really no "secret" to making a good risotto. You just need to make sure that you have the right kind of rice and a wide, non-stick pan. You may need a little "pazienza", it is true, and don't be afraid to use your own judgement as to how much stock or water you need to add and when; the person who has written the recipe is not in your kitchen, so they cannot know how fast your hob is or see the rate of absorption, can they? My advice would be to start with half the quantity of liquid given, and when the rice has absorbed that much, add the rest a little at a time. Keep stirring!

OK, here's a risotto "cake" which you can serve hot or cold:

2 tablesp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pint vegetable stock
12 oz arborio rice
4 oz grated caciocavallo cheese
grated rind of 1 lemon plus lemon slices to garnish
about 2 handfuls chopped, fresh herbs [I used sage, basil, chives, rosemary, thyme and parsley]
a teasp dried oregano
seasalt and freshly ground black pepper

In a wide, non-stick pan, cook the onion in the olive oil until softened [not browned]. Add the rice and half the liquid. Cook, stirring, until this liquid is absorbed. Then add the rest little by little, stirring constantly, until it is all absorbed. [On my hob this takes under 10 minutes.] Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheese, lemon rind and herbs. Season well. Lightly oil an 8" ceramic baking dish and spoon the rice mixture into it.

If at this stage you are thinking, "Hmmm... that looks like a nice risotto as it is", well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and serve it now! If you want to continue with the "cake", cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven at 180 C for 30 mins. Then remove the foil and give it another 10 mins. If you like, garnish with lemon slices and basil. The "cake" should cut into fairly firm slices to serve.

A VISIT TO DONNAFUGATA - 2

To my delight, there were three traditional carretti siciliani on display at Donnafugata and I was able to photograph these to my heart's content. The following paragraph about Sicilian carts is from a previous post of mine, so regular readers may like to skip it:

The Ancient Greeks brought the concept of a cart shaped in this way to the island but the painting of the vehicles did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century, the purpose being to protect the wood from the sun and rain. The tradition continued into the early twentieth century and the painting became more and more ornate so that even when the carts were used by farm labourers, they showed off the wealth of the landowner. Scenes from folklore and legend were most often depicted and the red and yellow colours of Palermo's flag were frequently used. Sadly, nowadays the carts are found only in museums and, sadder still, the last traditional cart painter in Sicily may very soon be forced to give up his work. The various parts of the carts are now collectors' pieces, especially the plaque underneath the cart bearing the painter's name.

This is my first attempt at a slideshow!

A VISIT TO DONNAFUGATA

The last time I visited Donnafugata the Castle was being restored and the grounds were also a mess so I was very happy to spend some time there today with Rosa and her husband.

I should explain that this is not the Donnafugata made famous by the film Il Gattopardo - that is in the Province of Agrigento. "Our" Donnafugata is here in the Province of Ragusa.

Disappointingly, perhaps, the Castle's name does not mean "The woman who fled" but is the result of a linguistic corruption: the 10th - 11th century Arabs, finding a fresh water fountain on the site, first built there and named it "Ayn As Jafat" ["Fountain of health"] and this became "Ronnafuata" in dialect and later "Donnafugata." However, there are romantics who still insist that Queen Blanche of Navarre ran away from a loveless marriage and was later imprisoned there, so you may believe whichever version you prefer.

The Castle that we see today is largely due to the work and imagination of the 19th century politician, Barone Corrado Arezzo de Spuches [1824-95] and, with its mixture of architectural and landscaping styles, is a fine example of that era's eclecticism. I think Corrado must have been rather a jolly baron!

Visitors are understandably not allowed to take photographs inside the Castle but you can see some images of the rooms here while this model gives an idea of the overall structure:



Now I'll let you enjoy some of the exterior views and some shots of the grounds [and us!]




The leaves from the fig tree above were used as postcards in the Baron's time!


Above: views of the "French garden". The scent of rosemary here is sublime.

Above: terrace views. I think Rosa should have appeared in yesterday's "finery" post, don't you? The picture immediately above was taken from the terrace.

Above: Rosa and hubby on the steps.

Immediately above: a "coffee house" in the grounds for the Baron's guests.
Below: grotto and behind it a small "temple" in the grounds.

Below: side and rear views of the Castle.

I hope you have enjoyed this first visit to Donnafugata. There will be more photos later today or tomorrow.

SABATO MUSICALE

Food fun from two of the greatest:

Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers - Bangers and Mash

And I've unashamedly stolen this one from my friend M, who was among my first commenters on this blog and who still encourages me. Do pay her a visit. This is so cute I just have to post it!

Andrea Bocelli e Elmo - Time to Say Goodnight



Happy Independence Day from Simi and me to M and all our American readers!