THE UPSIDE OF MAN WOES

When you have been unceremoniously traded in for a newer model, it helps to recount your woes to a loyal female friend who remembers to bring the tissues, especially if you do so over a lunch of pasta and ice cream:

Trofie with cherry tomatoes, rocket and mozzarella

Pineapple and chocolate gelato

Then you play this while your friend, if she is wise, nods in agreement:

Anna Tatangelo - Bastardo



And when you get home, you cuddle your dog:

LUNCH FOR A WORKING GIRL

Lunch out with Gina yesterday to celebrate the publication of some of my articles in Italy Magazine.

It's a while since I visited the Caffè Consorzio and I was pleased to find the cooking better than ever. We both ordered

fresh taglioni with cherry tomatoes and rocket,


shared a basket of good bread


and enjoyed polpette di salsiccia with salad.

A pretty fresh fruit salad for dessert, then coffee, ensured that we left contented.

"But where were all the women workers?" we wondered afterwards, as the popular eaterie had been full of men from the nearby banks and offices. "At home cooking for their husbands and children", sighed Gina.

A 6€ FEAST

The Caffè Consorzio are offering a set weekday lunch menu of a primo or secondo plus a dessert and drink for only 6 euros per head so Irma and I decided to try it today. We were both delighted with their couscous di verdura and beautifully presented coppa di frutta.

LAMB CHOPS, SICILIAN STYLE!

Off out with Irma last night, for serious girl-chat and a lovely meal at the Caffè Consorzio. An autumn menu was in store and I felt I needed it, though it is still "warm" at 19 C in the daytime.

We partook of:
the usual dish of complimentary antipasti
cucuzza [a type of long, green, squash] soup
lamb chops - Irma was good and had roast pumpkin as a contorno, whereas I can never resist patate al forno!
beautifully presented dishes of fruit, with melting lemon ice cream beneath

The fruit and ice cream were offered "on the house" so the price of all these delights came to just €38.50 for the two of us, including drinks.

... AND LUNCH IN ANOTHER

With the temperature nearing 40 C, we were once again glad to sit in the shade of our favourite olive tree at the Caffè Consorzio yesterday lunchtime:

The plate of complimentary antipasti was again stunning to behold, consisting of panelle [chickpea fritters], slices of fritatta [a firm kind of omelette, much beloved of the Sicilians and probably introduced to them by the Spaniards], various breads and, of course, marinated olives. This time, James had the pork medallions [which I am showing you again because the presentation is different to that in a previous photo] accompanied by his favourite fagiolini [green beans - this man would run a marathon in the heat for green beans!] whilst I partook of this wonderful chicken salad. And the way the mango slices were wrapped around the ice cream to create a flower effect just made my day!

HAPPY HOURS

Here are the lovely staff of the Caffè Consorzio along with some photos of the delicious fare they serve:

Today James had chicken fillet wih roasted vegetbles whilst I chose tagliata [a thick cut] of veal with tortino of roasted vegetables. Our usual fruit and ice cream to finish and we were replete.

DAILY DOINGS - 13

This morning a letter arrived by recorded delivery: I opened it to discover that I am "invited" to pay 25 euros to the Azienda Sanitaria for the visit I made to Casualty [ER] in May. It is normal to pay for such a visit here and you also have to pay a nominal sum for outpatient appointments. I should point out that there would be no question of paying a fee if you were rushed to Casualty following an accident or other emergency and / or were subsequently admitted. I have no objection to paying this charge as I am grateful to be covered by the Italian health service at all, but I do wonder how much money is being spent on sending all such letters out by recorded delivery.

On my way out today I did the very thing that drives me crazy when I see the Italians doing it: I queue-jumped, reader! Yes, I ignored the ticket system in the post office and marched up to the counter to ask for a form for a recorded delivery letter of my own. This was duly handed to me despite the customer already at the counter, the notices about respecting customer privacy and all the people sitting waiting for their number to appear on the display boards. No one batted an eyelid but the Brit in me felt ashamed!

As I write, we are waiting for the water lorry yet again. I phoned the Comune to order a refill on Wednesday and I'm sure we are about to run out.

Saturdays seem to be Caffè Consorzio day, so yet another relaxing lunch was enjoyed there: interesting antipasti, a salad of radicchio, rocket, pear and grana cheese plus this beautifully presented ice cream:

Finally, there are worse places to be on a Saturday afternoon than sitting under a palm tree waiting for a friend. [A shame about the graffiti but you can't have everything.]

CAFFE DELLA NOSTALGIA

A wonderful lunch at the Caffè Consorzio again today and without further ado, I will tell you about the food: a very welcome plate of prettily displayed antipasti, polpettine di salsiccia [most delicately cooked] with patatae al forno and, to finish, this delectable dish of artistically presented fruit and ice cream.

They must have known we were coming today, for the music that wafted across to us, ensconced as we were in the shade of our favourite olive tree, consisted of British hits of the late 1950s and early 60s. As I sat there, watching white butterflies darting in and out of the lavender bushes I pondered upon the passage of time. Later I got some of my vinyl discs out and reflected that one minute you are 12 or 13, listening to these records [as we used to call them] with your life, hopes and dreams ahead of you; in the twinkling of an eye, it seems, you are nearly 60 and there you are listening again and really feeling no different in your heart of hearts. And that, my Dad used to say, is the great secret of growing old.

SATURDAY LUNCH

A lovely, leisurely, lazy lunch at the Caffè Consorzio today: antipasti, veal fillet with patate al forno and a glass of ice cream decorated with the juiciest plums and bay leaves picked fresh from the tree. Cincin and buona domenica a tutti.

MEDITERRANEAN MAGIC

40 C again today so for once we forsook the robust cooking and the crowd at the Altro Posto and wandered down to the Caffè Consorzio to sit under an olive tree and partake of a more refined Mediterranean menu:

First, these beautifully presented antipasti were offered. [The bowl contained couscous with vegetables.] Then James chose noce di vitello [veal] whilst I went for the medaglie di maiale con salsa di pomodorini arrosti [medallions of pork in a sauce of the freshest, tiniest Modican tomatoes]. We both had roasted vegetables as a contorno.

Finally, a gelato misto for each of us, topped with fresh plums.

All this plus drinks, the breeze, the calm and the atmosphere for 31 euros [for the two of us]. What more could anyone want? Coffee, by the way, was on the house.

James gives his impressions here.

ANOTHER REOPENING

Today I decided to have lunch at the Caffè Consorzio, as I had not been there since its August closure. Everything was beautifully presented and the chef was certainly on form! The plate of antipasti was complimentary, as was the strawberry, lemon and amarena ice cream so the €19.50 I paid bought me a primo of bresaola with grana cheese and rocket, a secondo of noce [best end] of veal with this little tortino of vegetables, all drizzled prettily with balsamic vinegar, bread, breadsticks, 2 gin and tonics and a mineral water - plus superb service and beautiful surroundings.

Looking at the olive tree in their garden , I realised that the olive harvest will soon be upon us.

UN'INSALATA SEMPLICE

"Just a simple salad" was what I asked for at the Caffè Consorzio at lunchtime but how beautifully presented it was. Then an ice cream of mandarin, amarena [sour cherry] and coffee flavours.

Next week I shall atone for these outings, shutting myself indoors with dog, blog and books as everything will be closed for the week.

A CHANGE OF LOYALTY

Let's have a food post after all that!

The Altro Posto being closed for a fortnight, I have transferred my patronage to the Caffè Consorzio for this week. It is so peaceful there on the patio: you'd never think you were in the middle of town. Yesterday lunchtime I was served this pretty complimentary platter of bites with my aperitivo, then this maiale in agrodolce [pork which has been cooked in oil and balsamic vinegar] with salad. The pot of chips just appeared with it and who was I to argue? I remain firmly convinced that the calories from chips do not count when you are out. Italian bars and restaurants are generous with the bread and this is served so prettily here with the packets of breadsticks around the edge of the basket. [I cannot stand those British establishments where you are offered one roll or else charged for any bread you order.] A gelato misto of lemon, strawberry and peach flavours to finish and the bill came to €17.50 including drinks.

But even this oasis will be closed all of next week, because of the crazy Ferragosto disappearance of everyone and everything. I still think you have got to be seriously mad to have a bar or restaurant and close it in the middle of the tourist season but..... pazienza!