Time Out

At the end of the short stay in northern Italy, one day was reserved for a breather, before  tackling the return trip to NY.  I spent it indoors, without even putting my shoes on that day, at the home of one of my maternal cousins, located up in the mountains at the foot of the Italian/Swiss Alps.

The few hours there passed quickly with other visiting relatives and some more good food.  The air was very brisk outside, but one of the family cats found a cozy spot to snooze, on a window sill, in the feeble sunshine of the winter afternoon.  

It was the perfect day for polenta with “tapulocco” , which is shredded beef cooked in wine and spices.

No surprises in food here, while in Albania I forgot to mention previously that I saw and tasted, for the first time in my life, an exotic looking fruit native to the Dajti National Park. Its color is bright red and its size is that of small cherry tomatoes, but with a very fuzzy, however soft, peel that is surprisingly edible. When popped into the moth, its taste is sweet and resembles the one of persimmons.  


When it came time to pack to come back home from Italy, I found that I couldn’t squeeze into my suitcase the additional items received as gifts, and, I had to buy an extra duffle bag at the last moment.  

Among some of the delicacies I received was a tray of “marrons glaces” (very large glazed chestnuts) typical of the holiday season in Italy. I shall enjoy them with friends on Christmas eve.