November 2015 Newsletter from Elizabeth Minchilli

november 2015 newsletter

Happy Birthday to me! Not my real birthday (which seems to come faster each year) but my blog birthday. I find it very difficult to believe that six years ago this week I sent my first blog post out into the world. When I started the blog I didn’t really have a fixed idea what it could be about or where it would lead to. The publishing world had gone topsy turvy, and writing a blog seemed like a good idea since I loved writing, and magazines and newspapers were in a full fledged tailspin that meant making a living as a journalist was a thing of the past. So I wrote. And wrote and wrote and wrote. And now, almost 1000 posts later, here I am.

It’s kind of fun, but also somewhat humiliating, to look back at my first posts. I’m still proud of my words, but man, was I a mediocre photographer. Blurred, washed out photographs of hand made soap? Photos so dark you can’t quite tell if it’s a piece of cheese or a slice of crostata? It’s all there, and more. One of the great things about looking back, though, is the chance to see how far I’ve come. Not only has the blog pushed me to become a better photographer, the platform has also allowed me to jump into things like video. And more than anything, the discipline of posting three times a week, for six years, has made me - I hope - a better writer and story teller.

So, although it’s my blog’s birthday, I feel like some sort of gift is due to you. Because it’s truly the community that has grown up around my blog that has allowed it, and me, to flourish. It’s thanks to you, your feedback and your encouragement that I not only go on, but also continue to grow (and I’m not just talking about my waistline). So thank you! And Tanti Auguri to you too!!
*|FACEBOOK:LIKE|*

what's new

Sophie and I are just putting the finishing touches on a new space we will be test driving over the next few months. So many of you have asked us about cooking classes that we decided it was about time to start offering them. We’ll be conducting private cooking classes in 2016, as well as small private meals. It’s all still in the planning stages, but we have lots of great ideas already. We’re thinking of offering pasta making classes for sure, as well as how to make Bonci-type pizza in the comfort of your own kitchen. But we’re also looking for ideas from you. What do you think we should be doing? I’d love to hear your ideas. Just hit reply to this email to let me know.

As ever, I spend a good portion of every week keeping my app, Eat Italy, updated. I'm always re-visiting restaurants and test driving new ones. I've recently added a pizzeria in Umbria and a cozy trattoria in Rome. Eat Italy is a free app, and you'll find guides for eating your way through Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan and Umbria available as in-app purchases.

Just when it seems like there couldn’t possibly be room for any more types of social media out there…..I’ve entered the world of Snapchat. You may have heard of Snapchat as the way your children (or grandchildren) send messages that disappear as soon as they are read. But it’s moved on from there, to enable people like me to create live stories over the course of a day. It’s a lot of fun, and I’ve been playing around with it a lot over the last few weeks. Actually, I’ve become a bit obsessed with it. Why? It enables me to create mini-movies on the spur of the moment. They only stay up for 24 hours, and then poof, they’re gone. So much less pressure and work, and more spontaneous, than regular videos. If you’d like to follow along and see what I’m talking about download Snapchat to your iPhone and add me: eminchilli. See you there, I hope. *|FACEBOOK:LIKE|*

travels

I stuck pretty close to home in October. We made it up to Umbria a couple of times. It’s my favorite time of year up there. Not too hot, but enough sun. Not too cold, but crisp enough to light the fireplace. What I really love are the colors. After a parched summer, when everything turns brown, I welcome the bright green that returns to our vegetable garden, as well as the spots of vermillion, orange and yellow of the trees as they turn. I also love cooking with things like grapes, quince and butternut squash.

I did make it out of town for one fun-packed day. My friend Stefano took Nicolee and I for a whirlwind visit to some of the private villas, castles and gardens around northern Lazio. He happens to own one of them. In fact, most of these monuments are owned privately. It was to highlight this situation - where private individuals are not responsible for the upkeep of national treasures - that he organized the first even Giornate Farnesiane. You can read all about it here

videos

Like I said, I’ve been doing a lot of Snapchatting lately. Which is actually video. So does that count? If you’re curious, head over to snapchat where I'll be continuing to snap away.

I did actually make a real video about the pasta I learned to make while in Sicily. I visited a flour mill and not only saw the grain being milled, but then used that grain to make pasta which we ate right there, in the middle of the mill. Pretty cool.

Although this is a TV show and not a video, I’m very proud of my friend Eleonora Baldwin who is making her debut on Gambero Rosso (the Italian equivalent of The Food Network) with her new show A,B, Cheese. Here’s the trailer, which is really fun.

If you have a teenage girl, you’ll love this video as much as I did.

This video made me weepy while on the treadmill at the gym. I'm not proud of it. I'm a sucker for Italian pop music. What can I say.

what I'm reading

Very happy to hear that the a new law has been passed that will allow markets in Rome to stay open at night.

Battling for feminist issues is not as easy as simply leaning in

Using pamesan rinds for broth turns out to be the secret ingredient for everything.

10 mammas open their doors in a small town in Puglia to run the first 'ristorante diffuso' in Italy. You buy a ticket, then go door to door, for your next course. Fantastic right???!!!

Christo is wrapping a lake in northern Italy in June. I'm going. Are you?

Is anyone looking for a technicolor house in Italy? This one's for sale.

and finally....

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Here in Italy it’s a bit of a non event. Some years I go all out. And others it’s just another Thursday. But this year we’re heading up to Todi and Emma is coming with her friends. So I’ve already ordered my turkey and am thinking of the sides. If you are too, here are some suggestions. And you'll find more on my Italian Thanksgiving Pinterest board.

Cavolo Nero Tart
Pumpkin Risotto
Pomegranate Cocktail
Butternut Squash and Farro Soup
Butternut Squash Gnudi
Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Pesto

x,Elizabeth

Rent a cute apartment in Rome.

Rent a beautiful villa in Umbria.