Everybody aged 40+ rode one in their teens. It was born in the Sixties and since then it has become a symbol of freedom and nonconformity. Continue reading
Category Archives: Kitchen Tales
Italian Stories, Legends & Folktales…
Letters’ Anniversary 2016
Words don’t come easy, an old 80’s tune said. Not for us here at Appetibilis. Words come far too easy because – I soon realised – when I devised the idea of this Appetibilis column, it was no use following the draft I had written. Suggestions, ideas, hints, tips arrived from everything and everyone and … Continue reading
The Touring Mask of “Pulgenelle” (Pulcinella)
Every year during the Carnival week Castiglione Messer Marino, a tiny village in the province of Chieti, hosts “La mascra” (i.e. the mask). On Sunday before Mardi Gras people – only men – dress up and parade along the village streets and drag everybody into the hectic and wild Carnival atmosphere. The parade is led … Continue reading
Letter “P” :: Panettone or Pandoro?
In Italy, the holiday season brings – along with the huge amount of to-dos everybody knows – the Hamletic doubt: panettone or pandoro. Italians, from icy Alto Adige to warm Sicily, split into two parties: Panettone supporters and Pandoro fans. The only thing both parties agree on is that both cakes are meant to be … Continue reading
Letter “S” & “B” :: Stoccafisso vs Ba(c)calà
“Bacalà (one “c”) alla vicentina” is one of the signature dishes of Italian cooking heritage. The funny thing about it is that the main ingredient – “bacalà” – is not what people usually mean i.e. salted codfish, but Stockfish – i.e. dried cod. This misunderstanding started in XV century with Venetian merchant Messer Piero Querini, … Continue reading
Letter “C” :: Cavoli (a merenda)
“Cavolo” (stress on the “a”) i.e. cabbage is a common and healthy ingredient in many recipes of the Italian cuisine. It is included in the cancer prevention diet, and despite the bad smell it releases, due to the presence of sulphur compounds, it’s employed as a side dish, in potages, in vegetable pies and so … Continue reading
