“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.” ~ Andre Simon
Heather Kleim had just moved to Florence, Italy and even though she knew a bit of Italian, she found out the hard way how literal translations can go awry. As she tells it,
“See you later!” is a very common saying in English and is often used very casually and not meant literally. Well, I learned that the hard way during my first days in Florence. After saying good bye to a friend of mine, I threw in a “Ci vediamo dopo!” and headed home for the day. Later that night, I received a phone call from my friend who was a little irritated. “You said you’d see me later! Where are you?” Oops. Lesson learned. “Ci vediamo” (minus the ‘dopo’ meaning ‘later’) would have worked AND prevented insulting anyone.
Heather’s roommate Laura was a wonderful cook from Dublin. The two of them worked long days and sometimes on a cold winter night, Laura would cook them a pot of Spezzatino and they would hunker down to a comfortable evening of watching English DVDs. A comfortable friend in a comfortable place with comfortable food and a comfortable language. So good for the soul.
Heather has since moved back to Canada and set up a thriving home staging business in Vancouver. http://www.epicempiredesigns.ca/ The Olympics with all its wonders and enthusiasm has taken over her city. While it has significantly altered life and business in the city, Canada has been profiled to the world in a whole new way. “Believe.”
Spezzatino is a Tuscan stew of minced or diced meat. It can be found in almost every restaurant and deli throughout Florence, but is not as common outside of Tuscany. Heather says, “Spezzatino is stew at its finest. Throw this into a pot and let the simmering do its magic!”
Spezzatino
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into large pieces
2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes (900g)
1/2 cup of olive oil (120ml)
3 cups of red wine (710ml)
1/2 cup tomato purée (120ml)
salt and fresh black pepper to season
In a large stewing pot, heat extra virgin olive oil and sear beef for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove beef from the pot and add carrots, celery, and onions. Cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables have become soft.
Add 1 cup of red wine and let reduce.
(I chopped the veggies really fine. Note the change in colour once the wine is added.)
Add the potatoes to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
Throw the seared beef back into the pot then add tomato pure and the remaining wine.
Let the liquid come to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for an hour and a half.
Serves 4 people
Carla’s note:
As I type this post, I feel a surge of excitement. Meeting Heather and getting her recipe was timely, because in two weeks, we are taking our daughter to Italy and we will be spending some time in Florence. We have never been there and are full of anticipation. We love to travel and are looking forward to our adventure, yet we also predict we will be tripping over the language.
Several years ago, before we became parents, my husband and I spent a month back-packing through Venezuela. We loved seeing the country, meeting the people and learning Spanish. Along the way, I enjoyed my fair share of bloopers. A lot of people in Venezuela speak English, so every time I walked into a store or hotel, I always asked – in Spanish – if they spoke English, but I noticed that everytime the clerks would pause before answering “si” or “no.”
It was only when I got home that I realized my glitch. In Spanish, the phrase “Do you speak English?” is “¿Habla Inglés?” I had been asking “¿Hablo Inglés?” The reason the clerks all over Venezuela paused before they answered is because a perky, gangly gringa had just walked into their store and said, “Hello! Do I speak English?”
See you later!
As the story goes, Mr. Jack arrived at work early one morning and tried to open the safe in his office. Thing is, he couldn’t recall the combination. In his frustration, he gave that safe a good, solid kick. The blow broke his toe and infection set in, leading to the blood poisoning that would take his life in 1911. Some people say Jack Daniel not only left his Tennessee Whiskey behind, he left us all a valuable lesson as well: Don’t go to work early.” ~ from the Jack Daniel’s website 
When he was 6 years old, he would run home from school excited to watch TV. While his friends enjoyed watching “Batman” and “Gilligan’s Island”, Ted Reader couldn’t wait to watch “The Galloping Gourmet” and “Julia Child.” He loved food and cooking very early in life. As he watched the cooking shows, he would choose his favourite recipes, make a shopping list and then head to the grocery store with his mom. He loved preparing special dishes and being actively involved in bringing people together at the dinner table.
Before he was 30, Ted was the executive chef at the Skydome Hotel in Toronto and that was followed by a position as the executive chef at President’s Choice where he developed chicken wings, “PC Thick and Cheesy Burgers” and other products that continue to be summer favourites on BBQs today.
of food – the only exception being brussel sprouts. He calls them “green golf balls”!
Twinkies
Nutella
Oreos
Chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows
Caramel pieces
Jack Daniel’s whiskey
Take a Canadian girl, add a Scottish guy, mix with some Chinese flavours and stir in an American beer. What do you get? A great Indian Curry! 
Marriage requires compromises and blending two cultures certainly doesn’t make it easier. Richard graciously gave up his life in the UK and came to Canada because he loved Jenni dearly. That was never lost on her, and there was one special thing she wanted to do for him. 
It may have been a moment of desperation or just a lark, but the day Jenni added Budweiser beer was the ticket! An American light beer did it. She had not seen that coming. She had finally found the right combination and Richard found some Scottish – well… Scottish-Indian-Chinese – comfort in his new homeland. 
If the siren of his ambulance doesn’t charm the students, his accent certainly does. 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red peppers
(or switch one up for a different colour if you want to
live on the wild side), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 375 g block paneer cheese cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons madras curry paste (I like Pataks)
1 tablespoon good quality soy sauce
½ bottle Budweiser or any lightish beer
(other half of bottle to be enjoyed while you finish cooking)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 (125 ml) cup cold water
2 green onions, finely chopped
Wash 2 cups of basmati rice. Then wash it again. And again. I hate mushy rice! 
Spoon in curry paste and stir until everything in the pan is coated. Add the soy sauce and the beer and stir. Let everything bubble away for a few minutes. 
“Champagne makes you feel like it’s Sunday and better days are just around the corner.” Marlene Deitrich
