We all have cooking tips and techniques learnt through personal experience or because someone else was kind enough to tell us.
Gala Placidia's activity
Questions Asked
 A fairly comprehensive list of words related to food and wine has been prepared by a few of us. It still needs revision, corrections, additions and you may be able to help as it is a Wiki.
Tue, 06/30/2009 - 04:31
 It is official, the old Casino in Bagni di Lucca is reopening its doors after many years; however, it is going to be a modern version, more "little Las Vegas" style than its elegant and exclusive predecessor.
Mon, 06/29/2009 - 09:04
A few weeks ago I started a thread in the old forum about this topic. I still think that it would be great if we could all share our favourite recipes which our families and friends enjoy.
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 05:29
 I think that there are quite a few members who have married overseas an ½ûÂþÌìÌà citizen; however, I am not quite certain whether they have registered their certificate of marriage before the nearest ½ûÂþÌìÌà Consulate.It is advisable to do this an
Tue, 06/16/2009 - 03:43
 It is most important, if you own a property, to have a clear description for it. That is possible through the "visura catastale" which gives you and confirms many facts regarding your title.
Sun, 06/14/2009 - 05:21
 Polenta is one of those ½ûÂþÌìÌà dishes that you either love or hate. Considered in the past as the poor people's staple diet it is nowadays served in the best restaurants.Â
Sat, 06/13/2009 - 17:53
I have just seen on TV some images regarding the Treviso tornado. I sincerely hope that any members in the area have not suffered from this disaster. Â
Sun, 06/07/2009 - 16:44
 The base for many ½ûÂþÌìÌà sauces and dishes is the "soffritto" (sofrit in French, sofrito in Spanish), a mixture of some diced vegetables which are cooked in a heavy pan with three tablespoons of olive oil (although some other kinds of oil and fa
Sat, 06/06/2009 - 05:37
 Hi everyone, this is a warm invitation to joint this group and discuss ½ûÂþÌìÌà food, wine, regional cooking, recipes, tips, cooking utensils, history of cooking and any related subject you may wish to talk about.And welcome, Mimosa, glad to see t
Fri, 06/05/2009 - 08:28
Comments posted
Hello, Romilly and welcome. Liguria is a beautiful place. We had a look at properties around your area when we were searching for a house, but there was nothing suitable at the time, so we ended up in Northern Tuscany, however, we always spend time there as well. Best wishes regarding your future plans.
I also thank you, Andrew. I have used their products in the past, particularly artichokes and aubergines, but I never tried the garlic cloves although I buy a similar product in Spain. I recognised the jars when I saw the photos. I also had a look at the description and I can see that they put some additives, which certainly protect from the dangers of botulism... providing you don´t keep the product too long once it has been opened and always in the fridge.
It would be great if the whole Bagnone community could benefit in some way of the 138 million prize. I am sure that everyone knows who is the winner, but they are not telling....
Great practical advice, Sparky. Thank you. We had the house inspected by an electrician when we bought it, but your simple and easy test will help many buyers. Safety is most important.
I have seen it installed in a house I inspected a couple of years ago. It has stone walls and the cable was used and added to the decoration. It was very beautiful. The wires were covered in a sort of a cord with some texture and the colour I saw was a dark brown. Later on I saw some small packets of precut wire in the local Brico shop. I have also seen photos of similar installations in some ½ûÂþÌìÌà Interior Decor magazines. Talk to your electrician. Good luck!
You are right, Sprat, some herbs tend to loose flavour; however, it is always good to have them at hand if we don´t have any fresh ones available. Marinating in oil and vinegar is a very ancient method to preserve food and it is delicious. You can also add the liquids to cooking as they are very nicely flavoured. Â
A very warm welcome. You may wish to join our Cooking group "Il Buongustaio" Circle and our Gardening Group. They are open to anyone who shares our interests. Enjoy the Community!
There are some excellent preparations not only with garlic cloves but also with mushrooms, peppers and other vegetables. I would only keep those home made preparations in the fridge, for a limited time and as long as the garlic and vegetables are completely covered in liquid. This is particularly the case if oil is used. If you only preserve them "sott' aceti" (in vinegar), they may keep longer, but always in the fridge. It is also a good idea to sterilize jars before and after they have been filled. You do this in a "bain-marie" in the oven at 90ªC for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can also use a slow cooker if you have one.
There are some special storage bins and baskets for potatoes and onions, but a cool, dry and dark "cantina" is essential.
Don´t leave, Serge. This is a very interesting debate. I haven´t given you my opinion as yet. I was too interested in reading all the posts.... Please.....