Gala Placidia's activity

Questions Asked

We all have cooking tips and techniques learnt through personal experience or because someone else was kind enough to tell us.

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 05:07

 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. 

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.  

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

Answer to: ITALIAN ELECTION
Sun, 02/24/2013 - 16:37
  • I would also think that a Bersani/Monti coalition may be a sensible solution; however, Grillo is a wild card -and people feel frustrated and may vote for his group as a protest - and Berlusconi may still surprise us. I do not think that there would be a safe bet on this issue as results are highly unpredictable. 
Sun, 02/24/2013 - 13:31

Yes, you are right Karen. "Intonaco" is the plaster layer that will be applied.

Sun, 02/24/2013 - 10:00

Rendo, proper insulation is most important, both in summer and in winter. Insulation is not only for the roof, duble-glazed PVC windows are fabulous. Expensive, yes, but they would save you money in the long run. Study your house and have a close look at those areas that will loose energy due to lack of insulation, drafts and other incidentals. Also Googlr "isolamento termico sottotetto" and you will find plenty of information and names of specialists. Our house dates back to the 17th C, has thick stone walls and a tiled roof and it is located directly over a river. We have managed to make it energy efficient. Our mains gas central heating warms it up in only 20 minutes. OUr energy bills are very reasonable and the house is cool in summer. You can install the best heating system in the world and the most appropriate for your house; however, without proper insulation, you are only wasting energy.

Answer to: pet microchip
Sat, 02/23/2013 - 17:27

Yes, there is a register. your local vet would be able to help.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 05:45

Thank you, Ram, for the information.

Answer to: Buying furniture
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 08:58

Perhapsnit is not as easy to find furniture shops in some areas of Italy; however, there is an increasing number of online stores that deliver throughout Italy, such as You can also Google "mobili online" and you will find plenty of offers. I have not used any of these companies, but perhaps others have done it and may give personal advice.

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 18:00

Rendo, whichever system you finally choose, remember that proper insulation is vital to ensure efficiency and make your house confortable throughout the year. Yoou will find that heating with gas bottles is extremely expensive and inconvenient.

Mon, 02/18/2013 - 19:00

Hello and welcome! The Garfagnana area is beautiful. We are in Bagni di Lucca, although we do not live permanently there. Best wishes regarding your renovations. Generally, it is a lot of work, but a very rewarding one.

Fri, 02/15/2013 - 17:26

You have done a wonderful thing for those puppies. Here is a link where you may be able to get some help Best wishes

Tue, 02/12/2013 - 20:06

Well done! Hopefully, Maremma will get used to it. Keep us posted.