September

for some reason, always a sign of fall for me

Wow, it's already September!

I know, smart observation. Round of applause for me!

But apart from the big 9 in the calendar, there are some unmistakable signs creeping up, that fall is close.

fruit & vegetables

When I went shopping yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the highly visible change in the produce offered. Instead of cherries and strawberries, there were plums, pears, cabbage and grapes. And they all seemed to scream at me: Ya, summer is over, you sun-addict! Kind of scary. And before you all start to wonder now what the heck I must 've been doing before I went in the store to see blabbering fruit: relax! I have just been really busy the last couple days / weeks, so it came as a surprise to see the first signs of fall in the stores.

temperatures

For me, summer started when I came back from Denmark at the end of May. The weather in this northern kingdom was nice and sunny, but obviously nothing compared to the temperatures in the northern part of Italy. To make a boring weather report short, it just got really hot here in the middle of August and after about 3 darned hot weeks, there was some some rain recently and the temps fell significantly.

Funny enough, I was jealous the whole time when my man was in Canada and told me about the boiling hot weather ( he hates it). I thought it wasn't fair that the summer in North America should be warmer than in Italy, but being a nice person, I thought that at least he would be more comfortable when he finally came here. Guess what, few days before his arrival, summer heat got here, too.

view

We're lucky enough to live surrounded by mountains. Every year, usually in the end of August or the beginning of September, it rains for a day or two and the view over the mountains becomes much clearer. It almost seems as if they would have come closer. Im sure, there's some scientifical explanation for that phenomenon. Feel free to enlighten me, if you know!

view from my balcony today

Obviously, there are many many more signs of fall to come and to write about. And we will, as for example about the wine culture in this region, the ongoing harvesting, fall recipes and what kind of weird tradition"Törggelen" is.

What's a sign of fall for you?

5 things from Canada

last week I got 5 "things" from Canada which I love:

50 % of The mashup mission

...have been in Canada and the USA for the last 2 weeks. Stay tuned for her stories

the man

...FINALLY came after a long time of training in his home country. 

maple syrup

...of course! But not just any maple syrup, it's a special kind made on a Mennonite farm in Elmira, Ontario. Organic, amber and delicious!

Crabtree & Evelyn cosmetics

For the skin care products the firm with its holding company in Kuala Lumpur and day-to-day-operations based in the US and UK uses, according to the information on the website, more than 160 "natural botanical ingredients". I don't know if that is true, but I love the smell of the products and how soft they make my skin.

Reese's

It doesn't matter if you go for the traditional Peanut Butter Cups, the Reese's Pieces, which were even mentioned in the movie E.T. or the smaller Reese minis, they all are a dream of peanut butter and chocolate.

summer in Northern Italy

... is fresh fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes in all shapes and shades of red, herbs, juicy peaches, sweet and dark cherries - the assortment is vast and everything tastes like sunshine and summer rain

market in Bozen

... is taking it easy around lunchtime, it's simply too hot to move much!!

...is enjoying long summer nights outside, sitting on the piazze with some vino

...the smell of drying hay in the sunshine and the sound of ringing bells around the cows' necks on the mountain pastures

...long dinners with family and friends outside

... gelato

...empty, idyllic paradise beaches as much as party beach spots with malls and bars

Sardegna beaches

Rimini

...summer festivals, outdoor concerts, mountain parties and traditional festivities

...sticky and sweltering heat in the cities during daytime, leading to sticky and sweating people

...Italian summer fashion

...Italian eyewear

against firm beliefs...

This won't be the only post about Dirndl.

Because

1. 50 % of The mashup mission is right now on a trip to Canada and New York City. With her Dirndl and she's commited to wear it. We'll see the pictures soon!
2. We live in South Tyrol and I grew up in Munich. Even though - against kept firm beliefs abroad - we're not wearing a Dirndl everyday, we do own and wear them on a regular basis. Mountain parties, traditional festivities, Oktoberfest and other suitable events call for the traditional dress.
3. A friend from Munich is a Dirndl & Accessoire Designer and she's awesome. In fact I love her creative designs so much, that I'm planning a whole post just about her. And no, she's not paying for it. (Her creations were in InStyle and on official Oktoberfest pages.)
4. It's "interesting" to see, what idea North Americans usually have, when they think about a Dirndl. Halloween is all I'm saying.
5. Oktoberfest-season is coming up and we should all be well prepared :)

here's a little sneak peek:

[from] 

and here the shocker
from a Canadian costumes onlineshop, linked on a
 Canadian "quality Oktoberfest costumes" page...

seriously?? [from]

***

palatable pesto

pesto - another delicious and simple delicacy of the Italian cuisine.

...and what is pesto? It's a creamy yet flakey green paste, which does not only make an excellent pasta sauce but also refines meat, fish, salad, vegetables and caprese. The best part is: it's easily made of basic ingredients.

You need:

200 gram ( 7,14 oz) fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons pignolia (pine nuts)
3 garlic cloves

100 gram (3,57 oz) Parmesan cheese

                 or 50 gram Parmesan and 50 gram sheep cheese
salt to taste
1 tablespoon pepper (corn)
100 milliliter high quality olive oil

Cut the fresh basil and use mortar and pestle on everything except the oil until you have little flakes. Add the olive oil for a creamy consistence.

Please keep in mind that the fresher and better the ingredients you use, the more delicious your result!

ingredients

[from]

[from]

pesto chicken

caprese

variations like tomatoe pesto soon to be posted, stay tuned!

***

5 souvenirs to bring from Italy

1. A bottle of wine – Of course! If you prefer red wine get a bottle of Tuscan Brunello di Montalcino (there is a vast selection: the producer Tenuta la Fuga offers a cheaper possibility to get a multi-award winning bottle) and if you like white wine better, a Pinot blanc from South Tyrol (Alois Lageder or Stroblhof are great producers) should do it.
2. Parmesan – Original, matured Parmesan is something wonderful – some flakes in the salad, pure with some chutney or grated over pasta, it's simply delicious. Never get the pre-grated stuff, it's normally made from the rind of the cheese.
3. Cured meats – Salami, Parma ham, Speck...yummy!! Careful though: customs wont let you take it into Canada if you declare it. So it might be better, if you just eat as much of it as you can get, while you're in Italy.
4. An original pasta recipe – Make sure you ask an Italian for a original pasta recipe. It's not only nice to have, but if you write it down on a nice piece of paper and combine it with an original bottle of olive oil, it makes a great, personal gift!
5. A tan – No matter what you're doing – hardcore sightseeing or a gastronomic tour, make sure you take the time to sit in the sun at least once a day and drink one of those wonderful coffees: a macchiato, a cappuccino or an espresso. Cause only then, you will be able to experience, what the Italian way of life is really about.

:-[===0

10 random mashup challenges to begin with

    challenge n°6 and 7: cold breath & purple yams

   Who would’ve thought, that you tell people, asking about cultural differences, about your experiences in supermarkets? Seriously every time I come to Canada in the summer I catch a cold, because I forget to bring a sweater when I go shopping. It’s freeeeezing in the grocery stores! But then I return to Italy and get all grossed out when people behind me in the line literally stand so close, that I can feel their breath. And of course smell them. Ugh! Luckily all the fresh food and veggies make up for it..

   

   Which would be the next random difference between the cultures: fresh and home cooked food. Yes, you heard right, meals made from scratch! Once, when we were living in Denmark I made pasta and my man's Canadian buddy couldnt. freaking. believe. that I made it with real tomatoes and onions and all. In Italy you have a vast assortment of fresh fruit and veggies from early springtime to late fall and I`d say, 19 out of 20 people know, how to cook at least 5 meals with fresh ingredients. In Germany, most people take pride in theoretically being able to cook to some degree and not wasting too much time on it on workdays. In Canadian supermarkets you find EVERYTHING canned and ready to be popped in the microwave. That might be convenient on the one hand but on the other it’s a pity in terms of taste and health benefits. (I helped one of the Canadian wifes to make Thanksgiving dinner last year and on a sidemark: there's no canned pumpkin in any store around here and mashed yams is not supposed to be purple, even if it tastes the same. The guys won't eat it.)  Then again, great fresh and local produce are offered on the farmer’s markets and lots of Canadians are very health-conscious when it comes to nutrition.