Little Italy 23

[BananaGio]

Siamo qua!

mmmmm sounds delicious Bucharest... ah the joys of mediterranean cooking . It is very difficult to find nice tasting materie prime in Milan, while when I go to le marche or sicily fruit, vegetables etc etc all taste much better.

It is sunny but chilly here, everyone saying we'll have a cold winter. Boh!

I have posted about my lack of knowledge on schools - I am however asking other mums about primary schools and they all say it depends on which maestra you get anyway a group of mums ( me included) are going to do the rounds of all the schools when they have the open afternoons and then meet for a debate over coffee and pool thoughts. This will all be in a years time however so who knows what will change before then.
Its cold here as well but beautiful sunshine .
Happy Birthday Banana Gio .
BUch I think I will leave the olives to you I like Olives but am certainly not mad on them !

Of course! Happy birthday Gio

Rosa, indeed, sounds like a good plan re open days and chat afterwards... another good recommendation I had from a friend, who's a teacher: mums grapewine can be misleading...

I know every mum has a different idea about each school hence I think we have to wait and see until we get to the deciding time and then gain as much info as possible and then decide . I know that often schools have the open afternoons on the same days but in different sestriere hence the pooling sessions.

Indeed - another problem is that your children maybe different from you - both DH and I did best in very competitive academic environments (we tend to coast otherwise). But DC may be different from you so you literally have to "replace your head" when you go and see schools.

Olive dolci sounds interesting... Never seen them here though!

Happy Birthday gio!

I have to try Olive Dolci! Never tried it before. i'll put some aside and try it. Do you have the recipe!
I have friends coming to 'help' with picking olives this weekend and was going to do fish for them.

It's a nice bright day in London but missing family more than normal lately. I really have to make 'THE DECISION'. Too much of a coward.

Minerva

West Dulwich has some really good schools, i think Clapham too. Good luck! I know how tough this is. Children learn dofferently and I can attest by looking at my two.

Happy Birthday Gio!

thanks for birthday wishes all! Just popping in with quick question. FIL has it in his head he would like to get me a pressure cooker for my birthday. Worth it or not? (he is a big one for useful gifts...)

I am a convert .... I do minestrone , spezzatino and when I need veg in a rush and I know mircowave is in use then I use it. Mind you I did use it loads when I was weaning the dds with brodo vegetale and vege etc so it might be useful in the future .
My Ils one year gave me fantastic gold earrings . Then next year a hoover things went downhill from there !

My in laws only give money never gifts. They find it overwelhming that i give them gifts at Christmas and Birthdays.

Gio! I would have a Pressure cooker if it was given to me. Definitley!

Oh yes, my mother and my MIL make the most amazing things in the pressure cooker, Mil even makes risotto!

Totally agree that children are different from us parents and from one another. Mind you, when I grew up, I don't think parents spent much time thinking which school would have been ideal until it was time to choose superiori. Thankfully I was academic enough to attend liceo classico, where I met lots of like minded people

The point is also, that I don't think there is an "ideal" school for everyone in the Italian current system. Not even among private schools.
Ds, for instance, would love a mix of a school that gives lots of importance to maths and science and Steiner school with all that digging and carving stuff

Re pressure cooker, my first thought would be whether I had anywhere to put it and decide I hadn't, but I am generally allergic to kitchen gadgetry, so probably in a minority. I would prefer some le creuset if someone was offering something kitcheny.

Apparently sughi are so wonderful when made in a lecreuset...

One of these days I'll get my hands on some and find put!

I agree re le crueset! I use0mine0fot a lot of my cooing. If I had to choose between a pressure cooker and a cast iron le crueset, I would choose le crueset.

Okay, let's try that again.
I agree re le creuset. I use mine a lot for my cooking. If I had to choose between le creuset and pressure cooker.......
But is he offering that u choose what u want?

Okay, let's try that again.
I agree re le creuset. I use mine a lot for my cooking. If I had to choose between le creuset and pressure cooker.......
But is he offering that u choose what u want?

Pressure cooker for me I am afraid - risotto, soups, brasato, purè, vitello tonnato... Le creuset looks great but does it go in the dishwasher? (that would be a dealbreaker for me).

Very sunny here today, and I have a view over the snowcapped Dolomites from my office... Fab.

Is anyone doing anything special for Halloween? We are going to carve the pumpkin and make spider cakes, but any more ideas?

Not being offered a choice EC. It's either that or money (and a lengthy huff no doubt as have rejected his thoughtful idea). Think will go for it, especially now I know you can do risotto in it. Risotto doesnt happen very often in our house mainly because I have to cook things that will let me do 100 other things at the same time and the standing and stirring of risotto doesnt permit.
Went to Ikea for my birthday (insert sad, pathetic emoticon). Bought the imitation le creuset casserole and a winter duvet for ds. What a lovely way to spend a birthday .
Minerva I want your view . Re Halloween we have a costume and will do a pumpkin. Think we are going trick or treating with some Amerian friends although rain is forecast on Sunday at the moment

Oh Ikea has a lot to answer for!

Minerva that view sounds ideal. I have buildings and a grey sky.
Le crueset goes in Dishwasher, well I put mine in. It still in very good condition. I have one my mum handed down to me which is about 20yrs old and the others i got as wedding pressies. No one told me not to so, in the dishwasher they go.

I'm in 2 minds about haloween. Don't like it but feel bad that dc may want to or are losing out on some fun. They don't seem bothered though. If we do something it will be improvised.

DS has a Halloween party today at nursery, I tried and failed to make him a witches hat so he is dressed head to toe in orange so he is a pumpkin. That in itself is an achievement as he will normally only countenance wearing one of his 4 favourite ls t-shirts (makes washing a problem). Will be going to pick him up a little early as they will be singing some halloween songs for the parents, don't let me forget the tissues.

Yes my Mum has some le creuset she must have had over 30 years, uses it all the time.
You can actually have children's parties in the restaurant in Ikea now. Love it though I do, even for me that is a step too far...

My mums Lecruset is over 40 yrs old and its mine when she has finished with it !
Halloween - think we will just do some cakes or soemthing as dh is at work and I don't think dd will really miind. I did get some little decs from the Euro shop and she seems happy with them. Don't think they will be celebrating in any way at dd nursery seeing as its suore and domani the patriaca is coming ...... We have been told grembule are obligo - DD has 2 and I am not getting her clean one out just for a Friday !

I think ds's class is going trick or treating around the school during the short break, as part of their English course.
We'll be at the inlaws for the ponte dei morti, the dc will probably want to carve the pumpkin. They also enjoy going with mil to the cimitero during the giorno dei morti...

I agree, children's party at Ikea is a step too far for me too