Hi Laureen, thank you so much for your comment. Actually, thank you also for reminding me about Chef! I've been wanting to watch it for a while now so I may as well do it tonight. Also, I just checked out the trailer of The Hundred-Foot Journey and I'm hooked, wonderful suggestion :)
Fantastic, I look forward to enjoying a few glimpses of your beautiful city. Both movies are safely in my list now and I'm about to watch Chef, thanks again for your recommendations. Ciao from Venice 🙋♀️
Funny you should ask, Sinù! We are planning to publish an Andalusian set story in the next few weeks. Waiting for it to get a little colder so that memories of the still warm southern Spain autumn sunshine will help see us through the Northern European cold and dark.
Reading this made Sabrina and I think about the atmospheric meal we had at lunchtime today- not because we ate pasta (we are deep in rural Andalusia right now, so that would be a difficult feat), but because the Asado where we sat surrounded by locals was full of joy and laughter ('abbondante' for sure). A table full of old men argued loudly and good-naturedly about politics and football, school kids just picked up, laughed with their mothers, groups of ladies lunched and gossiped, and a bunch of young guys flirted with the waitress. It was like being part of a show! And the food- massive plates of barbecued meats and salads, was similarly 'abbondante'!
Oh that sounds like a brilliant experience Marco, so glad you're out there traveling and enjoying this beautiful world we live in! Any chance you'll show us a few photos soon??
I haven't watched it in years but I remember enjoying "Big Night" with Stanley Tucci, about the struggle of two brothers from Italy to run a successful restaurant in the US in the 1950s.
That is another great movie. As an Italian it is so fascinating to learn about the migrant experience and how it is portrayed. My grand-parents emigrated to Germany in the '50s but we don't know each other well and I haven't had the chance to ask them about their story. The Italian diaspora to the Americas, however, is well documented that somehow I'm finding it helpful in filling some gaps (I guess?).
One more foodie movie I've enjoyed recently is Haute Cuisine (France), where a talented and intuitive woman become the personal cook of the French President but then something happens and she ends up losing her job.
Perhaps asking them to share a recipe might be a good way to start! I know they've got stories to tell! I hope you are able to learn more someday.
I'll definitely check out "Haute Cuisine" and revisit "Big Night." Two other food films I like are "Chocolat" with Juliet Binoche and "Like Water for Chocolate." As for newer stuff - I also liked "Chef." Otherwise I end up watching lots of food related documentaries and shows like "Salt Fat Acid Heat" with Samin Nosrat or Nadiya Hussain’s "Time To Eat."
Thank you for all the movie ideas, they're all lovely. I haven't got around watching Chef for some reason, so that's next in my list!
You're so right by the way. I keep thinking about visiting my Grandma in Germany before it's too late but with covid and all sorts of limitations it's been impossible. Perhaps a phone call could be a good way to start 😊.
Thank you for your lovely comments, I appreciate :) and look forward to your next newsletter!
Thank you Sinú. I actually just finished watching Tampopo - I can't believe I never watched it before. Definitely a new favorite food movie! I look forward to your next post as well! And I am hopeful you are able to connect with your grandmother!
Can't believe I'm only seeign this now, so sorry! I've never watched Tampopo, thanks for the suggestion and for all your lovely comments, it means a lot to me. Have a lovely day my fellow writer friend!
Regarding olives, the best in the world are the Kalamata olives (though they can also be a bit expensive). They're not quite as salty as your typical olive, but they are extremely tasty. Truly delicious. They tend to be purplish, but I think there are some pink ones too, so you might have used a variety of Kalamata.
Hi Alex, thanks for subscribing 🙏 a glug is the sound of oil coming out of the bottle in intervals of 2 tbsp each circa, I'm sure you've noticed that peculiar sound when pouring oil into a pan! That's a glug of oil!
That pasta sounds delicious; I love simple sauces like yours that really let the ingredients shine. I don’t think I’ve ever added Greek olives, but now I feel like I have to try your recipe ASAP. I agree that abundant plates are the way to go!
Also thank you for sharing the movies! Fall is the time of year when I really enjoy snuggling up in a blanket and watching a good movie, and now I have a great list to choose from when the weather gets cooler ☺️
Hello Kiki, are we ready for the great September come back??
Something we always keep in our fridge greek olives and capers in brine. They add a special touch to most Mediterranean/Italian dishes, especially the summery ones. Non-vegetarians would also recommned anchovies, I think!
This summer was anything but enjoyable for me lol, I'm so looking forward to Fall! Movies, blankies, dinner on the sofa 🛋 😋 👌
You know, I like anchovies, but I made Alison Roman’s Caramelized Shallot Pasta when it was making the rounds and I found the flavor a little too overwhelming. I guess I like anchovies in small doses 🤷🏻♀️ Olives and capers, though...love ‘em!
I so hope that your fall is better than the summer has been. Seeing your posts in my inbox again encourages me that things are on the upswing 💕
“Each olive is a happy thought.” I love that and the way you personalize food so well. This sounds like a beautiful and delicious pasta!
I’m sorry to hear of your injury, Sinù and hope the recovery is going well. Watching food-themed films would provide a welcome distraction. There are many you mention that I haven’t seen and would like to check out. One that’s considered a classic that perhaps you already know is “Babette’s Feast.” I watched it so long ago I need to revisit it.
Dear Ruth, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading the recipe 😀 Babette's Feast is in my to-watch list now, thank you for recommending it! Another one I very much enjoyed is Big Night, with Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub 🍝
Thanks, Sinù! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Babette’s Feast. I believe I may have seen Big Night some years ago, but I will have to watch it again to refresh my memory. So excited to look forward to nights of feasting on these movies!😄
Hello Marg, yes, what a small world. I lived in Melbourne for 9 months before moving on to Cambodia to do some research for my thesis. I was offered a sponsorship to stay longer but I wanted to finish uni before settling down anywhere in the world. Sometimes I wonder what my life would look like if I had decided to stay in Australia.
It's always interesting to think about how different our lives would have been if we had stayed in a certain place. I left London to return to Australia in 1975 because I was expecting a baby and I thought it would be better to be on a low income in a sunny country, rather than a cold and rainy place. I was a single mum. I often wonder what would have happened if I'd stayed. I can't think of any Aussie foodie movies, but I recently saw a great film called "Kitchen Brigade" which I really enjoyed. It was French.
That doesn't sound like an easy decision to take. Well done you for choosing your own path Marg. Have you ever went back to the UK? I'd love to visit friends in Australia, its been ten years almost, why are we so far away!
Just checked the movie you mentioned, it's just the kind of stuff I love. Thank you. And it reminded me of another great French foodie movie I forgot to add to the list: Haute Cusine, 2013, France. Such a beautiful story. Here's the trailer ⤵️
That is a long time indeed, but as they say, it's never too late :)
Let me know if you and your sisters enjoy the movie, I found it touching and loved that the main character is a middle aged woman. More like this please!
Oh, YUM! That sounds wonderfully tasty, and the movie list is a fun one.
Have you seen, Chef? I quite enjoyed it; it's a story of a father, his son, and a food truck. Funny, sweet, and poignant.
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a great story, too, if you haven't seen it.
Hi Laureen, thank you so much for your comment. Actually, thank you also for reminding me about Chef! I've been wanting to watch it for a while now so I may as well do it tonight. Also, I just checked out the trailer of The Hundred-Foot Journey and I'm hooked, wonderful suggestion :)
Chef is such an upbeat and fun movie, plus it doesn't hurt that they stopped off at a few places here in Austin, TX on the journey 😉
I think you might like Hundred-Foot; I found it to be a heartwarming/feel good movie. Hope you enjoy!
Fantastic, I look forward to enjoying a few glimpses of your beautiful city. Both movies are safely in my list now and I'm about to watch Chef, thanks again for your recommendations. Ciao from Venice 🙋♀️
Funny you should ask, Sinù! We are planning to publish an Andalusian set story in the next few weeks. Waiting for it to get a little colder so that memories of the still warm southern Spain autumn sunshine will help see us through the Northern European cold and dark.
We're going to need that soon!
Reading this made Sabrina and I think about the atmospheric meal we had at lunchtime today- not because we ate pasta (we are deep in rural Andalusia right now, so that would be a difficult feat), but because the Asado where we sat surrounded by locals was full of joy and laughter ('abbondante' for sure). A table full of old men argued loudly and good-naturedly about politics and football, school kids just picked up, laughed with their mothers, groups of ladies lunched and gossiped, and a bunch of young guys flirted with the waitress. It was like being part of a show! And the food- massive plates of barbecued meats and salads, was similarly 'abbondante'!
Oh that sounds like a brilliant experience Marco, so glad you're out there traveling and enjoying this beautiful world we live in! Any chance you'll show us a few photos soon??
I haven't watched it in years but I remember enjoying "Big Night" with Stanley Tucci, about the struggle of two brothers from Italy to run a successful restaurant in the US in the 1950s.
That is another great movie. As an Italian it is so fascinating to learn about the migrant experience and how it is portrayed. My grand-parents emigrated to Germany in the '50s but we don't know each other well and I haven't had the chance to ask them about their story. The Italian diaspora to the Americas, however, is well documented that somehow I'm finding it helpful in filling some gaps (I guess?).
One more foodie movie I've enjoyed recently is Haute Cuisine (France), where a talented and intuitive woman become the personal cook of the French President but then something happens and she ends up losing her job.
Perhaps asking them to share a recipe might be a good way to start! I know they've got stories to tell! I hope you are able to learn more someday.
I'll definitely check out "Haute Cuisine" and revisit "Big Night." Two other food films I like are "Chocolat" with Juliet Binoche and "Like Water for Chocolate." As for newer stuff - I also liked "Chef." Otherwise I end up watching lots of food related documentaries and shows like "Salt Fat Acid Heat" with Samin Nosrat or Nadiya Hussain’s "Time To Eat."
Thank you for all the movie ideas, they're all lovely. I haven't got around watching Chef for some reason, so that's next in my list!
You're so right by the way. I keep thinking about visiting my Grandma in Germany before it's too late but with covid and all sorts of limitations it's been impossible. Perhaps a phone call could be a good way to start 😊.
Thank you for your lovely comments, I appreciate :) and look forward to your next newsletter!
Thank you Sinú. I actually just finished watching Tampopo - I can't believe I never watched it before. Definitely a new favorite food movie! I look forward to your next post as well! And I am hopeful you are able to connect with your grandmother!
Can't believe I'm only seeign this now, so sorry! I've never watched Tampopo, thanks for the suggestion and for all your lovely comments, it means a lot to me. Have a lovely day my fellow writer friend!
One question: what do you mean by 'glugs'?
Regarding olives, the best in the world are the Kalamata olives (though they can also be a bit expensive). They're not quite as salty as your typical olive, but they are extremely tasty. Truly delicious. They tend to be purplish, but I think there are some pink ones too, so you might have used a variety of Kalamata.
Will have to try your recipe ;) I love pasta.
Hi Alex, thanks for subscribing 🙏 a glug is the sound of oil coming out of the bottle in intervals of 2 tbsp each circa, I'm sure you've noticed that peculiar sound when pouring oil into a pan! That's a glug of oil!
Oh! That makes sense. Thanks ;)
😁
So glad to have you back, Sinù! 💕
That pasta sounds delicious; I love simple sauces like yours that really let the ingredients shine. I don’t think I’ve ever added Greek olives, but now I feel like I have to try your recipe ASAP. I agree that abundant plates are the way to go!
Also thank you for sharing the movies! Fall is the time of year when I really enjoy snuggling up in a blanket and watching a good movie, and now I have a great list to choose from when the weather gets cooler ☺️
Hello Kiki, are we ready for the great September come back??
Something we always keep in our fridge greek olives and capers in brine. They add a special touch to most Mediterranean/Italian dishes, especially the summery ones. Non-vegetarians would also recommned anchovies, I think!
This summer was anything but enjoyable for me lol, I'm so looking forward to Fall! Movies, blankies, dinner on the sofa 🛋 😋 👌
Soooo ready for the come back!!
You know, I like anchovies, but I made Alison Roman’s Caramelized Shallot Pasta when it was making the rounds and I found the flavor a little too overwhelming. I guess I like anchovies in small doses 🤷🏻♀️ Olives and capers, though...love ‘em!
I so hope that your fall is better than the summer has been. Seeing your posts in my inbox again encourages me that things are on the upswing 💕
I ate an anchovy by mistake and hated it lol, the fishiness! (it was hidden in a dish that was supposed to be vegetarian).
I'm feeling better, thank you, not long now before I'm back on my feet! I trust September will be a good month 😌 🙏
Have a lovely weekend 😘
Oh nooo that’s the worst! I’m sorry that something non-vegetarian made it into one of your meals 😒
I’m so happy that you’re feeling better. Here’s to a great September! 🥰
🥂🥂🥂🥂
“Each olive is a happy thought.” I love that and the way you personalize food so well. This sounds like a beautiful and delicious pasta!
I’m sorry to hear of your injury, Sinù and hope the recovery is going well. Watching food-themed films would provide a welcome distraction. There are many you mention that I haven’t seen and would like to check out. One that’s considered a classic that perhaps you already know is “Babette’s Feast.” I watched it so long ago I need to revisit it.
Dear Ruth, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading the recipe 😀 Babette's Feast is in my to-watch list now, thank you for recommending it! Another one I very much enjoyed is Big Night, with Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub 🍝
Thanks, Sinù! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Babette’s Feast. I believe I may have seen Big Night some years ago, but I will have to watch it again to refresh my memory. So excited to look forward to nights of feasting on these movies!😄
“If you do like overcooked pasta, please, never let me know.“ 🙌🏼😂
I hope you are on the mend!
😂 I'm no pasta police but...
I can walk now, so definitely improving here 😁 hope you're enjoying Venice, I'm living vicariously through your Instagram stories at the moment 😘 xx
I didn't know you had lived in Australia. What a small world!
Sorry to year about your back, but I did enjoy the list of foodie movies.
Hello Marg, yes, what a small world. I lived in Melbourne for 9 months before moving on to Cambodia to do some research for my thesis. I was offered a sponsorship to stay longer but I wanted to finish uni before settling down anywhere in the world. Sometimes I wonder what my life would look like if I had decided to stay in Australia.
Any Aussie foodie movies that you're aware of?
It's always interesting to think about how different our lives would have been if we had stayed in a certain place. I left London to return to Australia in 1975 because I was expecting a baby and I thought it would be better to be on a low income in a sunny country, rather than a cold and rainy place. I was a single mum. I often wonder what would have happened if I'd stayed. I can't think of any Aussie foodie movies, but I recently saw a great film called "Kitchen Brigade" which I really enjoyed. It was French.
That doesn't sound like an easy decision to take. Well done you for choosing your own path Marg. Have you ever went back to the UK? I'd love to visit friends in Australia, its been ten years almost, why are we so far away!
Just checked the movie you mentioned, it's just the kind of stuff I love. Thank you. And it reminded me of another great French foodie movie I forgot to add to the list: Haute Cusine, 2013, France. Such a beautiful story. Here's the trailer ⤵️
https://youtu.be/ls_qn38kmEY
I went back to London a few years ago for my niece's wedding. After a gap of 45 years, quite a lot had changed!
That movie looks great. I'll see if I can find it on a streaming service here. My sisters would love it too. They are both excellent cooks.
That is a long time indeed, but as they say, it's never too late :)
Let me know if you and your sisters enjoy the movie, I found it touching and loved that the main character is a middle aged woman. More like this please!
Sounds tasty!
It really is, and so simple to make :)
A big ‘YES!’ to abbondante! 🍝
That's the spirit! 🙌
I’ve just had a big lunch but this has made me hungry again!
Thank you so much Liam, your words make me happy!
I loved reading your newsletter today, looking forward to the next one already 👌