Florence - A City of Science As Well As Art

It’s not hard to fall in love with Italian men, especially when they are as intelligent and forward-thinking as Galileo Galilei. I have been enamored with Galileo for years – ever since someone described him to me as a polymath. A polymath (a person with significant knowledge of several subjects)! What’s not to love? The man was a genius! There is a great tribute to him - and to science in general - at the Museo Galileo in Florence.

A bust of Galileo in the Florence museum that bears his name.

The Museo Galileo, just behind the Uffizi Gallery, is a repository of scientific instruments ranging from telescopes to thermometers and covering topics ranging from The Science of Equilibrium to The Science of Warfare. The museum says it is “heir to a tradition of five centuries of scientific collecting” and credits the Medici and Lorraine families of Tuscany with emphasizing the importance of such collecting. Indeed, I felt like I was in a toy store for scientists as I wandered the rooms of the museum.

An astrolabe from the 16th century, used to measure the inclined position in the sky of a celestial body.

An astrolabe from the 16th century and a huge armillary sphere are just two of the items on display that help explain how Galileo and other astronomers from centuries ago looked at the heavens.

The giant armillary sphere at the Museo Galileo.

There is plenty of information about Galileo, too. And for the non-squeamish, there is a display of his right-hand index finger and thumb, and one of his teeth. It is said that admirers of the man removed the digits and tooth, as well as a vertebra, from his body as it was being transferred from storage to a tomb in Santa Croce Basilica.

Several telescopes at the Museo Galileo.

Even for visitors who aren’t scientifically inclined, seeing the intricacy of the instruments used so many years ago is fascinating, as is reading about the practical applications of various scientific discoveries.                                                   -post by JG

Museogalileo.it

Cooking Class: Gnocchi

Eva demonstrating the making of gnocchi.

Gnocchi. Getting the Italian pronunciation right gives your tongue a workout - that "gn" sound is a struggle for English speakers (it sounds much like the "ny" in canyon) and don't forget that the final "chi" is a hard sound, like in "key". Gnocchi. 

I've eaten only a few truly good ones, all in Italy. Too often I've had gnocchi that were either gummy or pesante (heavy) and, to make matters worse, served in a sauce that was much, much too rich, making the dish even heavier. To make proper gnocchi - tender little dumplings - is a real test of culinary skill. Luckily it is a skill possessed by Eva, the maestra di cucina (cooking teacher) at Lucca Italian School (LIS).

One of the highlights of my last trip to Italy was a cooking class, sponsored by LIS, that included a hands-on lesson in the art of gnocchi making. The class was held in a fattoria (farmhouse) kitchen in the countryside outside of Lucca, with beautiful views, a great wine cellar, a large kitchen with plenty of space for our group of 10 students, and a wonderful dining room where we all enjoyed the food we had created. Picture us laughing, sipping wine, and chatting away in Italian (with a bit of English as needed) as we prepared a multi-course meal.

The fattoria kitchen, ready for the start of our cooking class.

The ingredients for the gnocchi were simple - potatoes that were boiled, peeled while hot, put through a ricer, and then mixed with flour, egg, and salt. Sounds easy but the magic is in determining just the right amount of flour, which varies with the moisture of the potatoes and must be judged by feel.  Eva recommends about 300 grams (10 ounces) of white flour for every kilo (2.2 pounds) of potatoes along with 1 large egg and some salt. When well mixed, the dough is shaped into a long rope and cut into little pieces (about 1 inch each).

Forming the dough into strands

Shaping the gnocchi

Everyone practices their technique

Then comes the fun part - shaping the gnocchi to create those little ridges that are the key to holding onto the sauce. We used the traditional wooden tool for shaping the gnocchi and everyone had fun learning the technique.

Finished gnocchi, dusted with flour and ready for immersion in boiling water.

To go with the gnocchi we made a traditional ragu, starting with a soffritto (a saute of onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil), to which was added ground meat (beef and pork), a little tomato sauce (the tomato is subtle, not the base of the ragu), some red wine, and spices.

Finished gnocchi topped with ragu.

We started our cena (dinner) with a traditional panzanella salad and then moved on to the star of the meal - the gnocchi. They turned out just right - light and fluffy with the flavorful ragu clinging to the ridges, enhancing but not overwhelming the gnocchi. Topped with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, it was one of the best gnocchi I've eaten, thanks to Eva's great instruction! We followed the gnocchi with a porcini-stuffed chicken breast, an insalata mista (mixed salad), and a dessert of creme caramel, which we made during the class. After dinner, we all took home the recipes for each dish, along with some new Italian cooking terms and a lot of wonderful memories!                      post by JB

Contacts: Lucca Italian School

Porcini filled chicken, ready to saute

Panzanella salad

Creme Caramel with a berry sauce

Happy LIS students sharing a great meal.

Scenes from an Italian Neighborhood

Each time I arrive in Italy, I spend the first couple of days wandering the neighborhoods of whatever town I'm visiting. Still feeling the effects of jet lag, wandering helps me to orient myself, scout places for future exploration and soak up the Italian vibe.

A shop display in Lucca.

Even when I've visited a city before, such as Rome or Florence or Lucca, I enjoy my hours wandering. I am reminded that I am in vacanza (on vacation) with no need for hurrying. Inevitably, I find sights I have not seen before or I capture a new angle on an old favorite.

San Michele Church in Lucca.

Neighbors chat outside a produce store.

The social aspect of Italian life is always on display in some form - finding neighbors chatting or spotting old friends walking arm in arm makes me feel part of the warm culture, even if I'm wandering alone from time to time.

A nun walks toward a sun-splashed area of town.

Kids pedal their way through town.

With no goal in mind, no destination I have to reach, I find myself more relaxed than ever and more in tune with la dolce vita (the sweet life) of Italy.

-post by JG

Fagiolini Verde

I admit it, I'm a food nerd. I love reading recipes. I find mountains of purple artichokes or eggplant stunningly beautiful. The scent of good (some might say stinky) cheese is like perfume to me. And the first salty bite of a fresh focaccia is a sensual delight. Yes, I'm a food nerd.

One of the things I love most about Italy is that it is heaven on earth for food nerds like me. The "slow food" atmosphere, the focus on quality over shelf life, the regional specialties, the artisanal bakers, cheese makers, and producers of salumi -  all these things contribute to the fact that I love shopping, cooking, and dining here. It's also one of the reasons I like to have an apartment - apartments come with kitchens and kitchens are the pathway to experimenting with the use of local ingredients to make simple, seasonal, and tasty dishes. 

Colorful eggplant at the Ortofrutta.

My favorite place to buy fruits and vegetables in Lucca is the Ortofrutta in Piazza Salvatore. I love the eye-catching colors of the produce, the artful way they are arranged, the changing selection based on season and freshness, the friendly staff, and the whole process of purchasing here - pick out the fruits and veggies, put them in little paper bags, bring them to the counter to be weighed and priced, and then take your receipt to the cassa  (cash register) to pay. No grocery store can compare!

Another view of the Ortofrutta, so much more charming than my local grocery store at home!

In addition to produce, the Ortofrutta has flavorful foods to go (think homemade pesto and other sauces, cooked spinach, little trays of lasagna, olives), along with basics - milk, eggs, dried pasta, jams, olive oils, canned tuna, wine.

Prepared foods to go.

Recently I went to the Ortofrutta without a clear idea of what I wanted to cook. I found beautiful, tiny fagiolini verde (the kind of green beans we would call by their French name, haricot vert) and pretty lemons. Together, they inspired me to make marinated green beans - a perfect accompaniment to the chicken I roasted for dinner. 

Here's how I prepared them (amounts are approximate and based on kitchen spoons, not measuring spoons).  Experiment! 

Simple ingredients for the marinade.

Marinated Green Beans

Start with 2 big handfuls of fagiolini verde (using tiny green beans is key), cooked in boiling water until just fork tender (about 6 - 7 minutes). Rinse in cold water, let cool a few minutes, and then toss with marinade while beans are still warm. 

Marinade:  

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard  (use more or less to taste)

Juice of 1/2 medium lemon

A few shakes of good sea salt and black pepper (taste finished marinade and correct to taste)

Whisk well and slowly drizzle in about 4 tablespoons of good olive oil, whisking to emulsify

Pour half of the marinade over the cooked green beans, toss, and let sit at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours. Toss again before serving. 

Finished marinated green beans.

Save the other half of the marinade to use on a salad or to pour over steamed asparagus - that's what I did a couple of days later when I found beautiful asparagus at the market.

Same marinade, different veggie.

That's it!  When you start with great ingredients and blend in a little creativity, you end with great taste.  

-post by JB                          

Italy Remembers

One of the banners carried in the Liberation Day Ceremony, Lucca.

When I visit Europe I am always reminded of the deep and lasting effects of the Second World War. From hedgerows in France, to the bombed cities of England, Italy, and Germany, the landscape here still echoes of a war that ended 72 years ago. Somehow, war feels closer here. One important benefit of travel is learning about the history, causes, and effects of conflicts, as well as standing in places touched by war. I feel fortunate to have visited war-damaged cathedrals in London, the American Cemetery in Normandy (where I searched for the name of my father's childhood friend, killed on D-Day), the outstanding Peace Museum in Caen, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and the site of the Nuremberg trials. All were emotional experiences; all taught me something. 

Wall of remembrance, Bologna.

Because I love Italy, I'm especially interested in the Italian war experience. In Pienza, I've visited an Etruscan cave, later a hermitage, and later still a hideout for the partigiani (Italian partisans or resistance fighters). Twenty years ago I stumbled across a still war-damaged building in a small village near Milan, overgrown with the most beautiful hydrangeas.

Vizzola Ticino, 1996

I was moved by Iris Origo's diary War in the Val D'Orcia and a visit to La Foce, where she lived during the war. I've walked along the river Serchio, of strategic importance during the war. I was horrified to learn aboug the massacre at Sant'Anna Stazzema near the end of the war, and pleased to know the story of the American Buffalo soldiers who participated in the Liberation of Lucca. I've been inspired by accounts of the partigiani and their role in fighting for, and liberating, the country they loved. These are fascinating and important pieces of the story of WWII in Italy. Though I've absorbed these experiences, the war is not my story - it belongs to the people here who lived it or have lived in its aftermath. To them it is both history and a part of daily culture.

Liberation Day ceremony, Lucca.

Ceremony honoring the liberation of Bologna.

Wreath laying ceremony, Lucca.

This year I was able to experience the Liberation Day celebration twice. First, in Bologna where a ceremony takes place on April 21, the day the partigiani liberated the city, and again in Lucca on April 25, the national holiday. Both cities had moving ceremonies, of remembrance and celebration. In Lucca there was a procession with representation from military, civilian, and civic groups; there were school children waving Italian flags, a band, speeches, and a solemn wreath laying ceremony.

I am thankful that my language skills have improved enough to allow me to understand much of the ceremonies - the sacrifices of the partisans, the hardship of the people of Italy, the abject poverty during the war, the terrible damage to infrastructure and industry, and the value placed on freedom and peace. The celebrations focused not only on the past, but also on the present and future. The people here remember, it's in their DNA, and they continue to honor those who fought, those who died, those who suffered, those who liberated Italy, and those who work today to maintain peace and prosperity.                                                                                     post by JB

Children gather in Piazza San Michele, Lucca, for the Liberation Day ceremony.