Today is the last day of the year (I'm the queen of the useful and surprising statements), it's time for celebratory/memorial and summary posts.
This 2011 brought me a degree, but no job (rather, it brought me discontinuous jobs and not even one of them minimally connected and worthy of that degree .. oh well), it took away something from me (and only time will tell if this was bad or good), but it brought me new things and people, it allowed me to strengthen relationships, it made me rediscover the value of friendship, of sharing, of joy for others' happiness.
The year 2011 brought me this blog (well, it didn't brought it to me, but don't be too literal) and, with it, recipes, laughter, new friends, exchange and follies (I won't forget my panettone at 1 AM as long as I live).
Until yesterday I would have said goodbye to 2011 with a nice FUCK YOU (I would have screamed that), for those things that have been taken from me, for the lost opportunities, for the dissatisfactions and the defeats. But then, with a more lucid thinking, I thought about the fact that, as a friend of mine says, the glass is always half full, maybe half full with air, but still half full .. and so I say goodbye to 2011 with a more serene SCREW YOU (were you expecting a "thank you and goodbye"?! I haven't softened to this point), asking politely (they say that good manners help) to 2012, if it can, to be at least a bit better. Thank you.
But, to say a proper goodbye to the past year, which coincides with almost 12 months of blogging, I leave you a picture and a recipe for each month (well, since I didn't have January, I chose two recipe from March .. but changing the order of the addends, the result remains the same, uh?!), leaving you some sort of illustrated calendar (if you do not like, though, next year I could make a pornographic calendar of my dog, so you'll learn your lesson!)
February
Babà rustico –> my first recipe with an ode to friendship, a value that I rediscovered and I invite you to rediscover, to enjoy every year of your life. Well, also enjoying the babà rustico (also perfect for the New Year's Eve dinner) is not so bad!
picture from Siamodonne
March
Bonet –> a Piedmontese classic, for dinner parties or to give a proper end to an important dinner. A dive in the great Piedmontese tradition, in my roots.
picture from Siamodonne
'Nduja and smoked scamorza risotto –> a dish that joins north and south Italy: northern risotto and southern 'nduja and smoked scamorza. A dish that everybody agrees on, a dish that impresses for its strong and well-balanced flavors.
April
Strascinati with cherry tomatoes and hard hoax ricotta cheese –> my first attempt with fresh pasta, which I love beyond all reasonable doubts and a dive in my Apulian roots. A fresh sauce, enriched by the hoax ricotta cheese, for a main course simple and amazing.
May
Buckwheat tart with raspberry jam –> a tart with sour and pungent tones from buckwheat and raspberry jam, a not too sweet, not cloying cake , very suitable for breakfast, snack, but also for dessert.
June
Brownies –> gluttony in a sweet: a riot of chocolate that will melt even the hardest hearts. A true and absolute delicacy!
July
Mediterranean riz rouge de Camargue salad –> a red rice salad with a delicate taste and Mediterranean flavors, perfect for a cold dinner with friends.
August
Stuffed peppers –> bell peppers are back in my life with a fabulous recipe, so simple, tasty and complete.
September
Lemon and poppy seeds muffins –> simple and tasty sweets, with a great balance of flavors and textures. A true classic of made in the USA muffins !
October
Meliga pastries –> my second attempt with meliga pastries, this time succeeded to perfection (thanks to a great recipe). A buttery whipped short pastry that melts in your mouth, leaving the light crunch of the corn flour. An unmissable Piedmontese classic.
November
Cugnà –> Another month, another "Made in Piedmont" specialty, this time a little less known one, but it would be worthwhile to know (and love) it. A mustard made with must and enriched with fresh and dried fruit, perfect to serve with cheeses (and a perfect gift for gourmet friends).
Dicember
Panettone –> Dicember = Christmas; Christmas = panettone. A delicious panettone, which requires a little patience and a little care, but achievable. So you can impress anyone with this delicacy, saying "I did it" .. You'll knock everybody down!
With this photo gallery and this recipes-gallery I close this 2011 blogging year, and I hope I'll see you here again next year!
And, as we say in Italy, BUONA FINE E BUON INIZIO (happy ending and happy starting)!
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