Pure fantasy. I found a great broccolo at a farmers market and was about to just steam it and enjoy it's fresh flavor. Nevertheless because I enjoy cooking, I decided to make classic aglio, olio e peperoncino with added broccoli spears. To close the dish, I sprinkled muddica atturrata or toasted breadcrumbs. The result was a very tasty and sort of off the wall dish. Go figure.

Well so much for sunny Italy. A bride running for cover during a rain delayed photo session In Orta, Piedmont, Italy. Of course this image was shot in April so it was sunny one minute and pouring the next.

Spaghetti with broccoli, pancetta and a few almonds for a tangy-er flavor. A different take on a popular dish.  

 I love this image of these Venetian locals, two women coming from shopping and having a chat atop a bridge. Both dressed in that understated elegance typical of Italians. Sadly this is becoming a rarity because Venice is losing population due to the high cost of living. All the crowds one sees on main streets and piazze are of tourists while most Italians one sees are people engaging in trade or support services. Every morning throngs arrive from Mestre on the mainland where mot Veneziani live. Too bad. However there's no place on Earth like Venice znd the food is really out of this world.

 Eating in Sicily. From the obvious paper plate it's obvious that this a classic and hurriedly put together dish. When people arrive unexpected, we Italians must prepare something to eat. Here a dish put together with the out most simplicity and speed but delicious nevertheless. Linguine prepared with a few Sicilian anchovies, a little tomato, basil and the famed muddica atturrata, toasted breadcrumbs. The olive oil was from the olives of a neighbor. As for the flavor, it was fabulous and everybody left happy. The simple things that make life beautiful.

 A panorama of the Mediterranean sea looking north east toward San Vito lo Capo that lies just beyond the mountain on the upper right of the image. The colors are real. The shot was taken from Erice, the well known medieval town above Trapani, on the north west corner of Sicily. Besides being a tourist destination, Erice is well known for the many important conferences held there. Of course the food is legendary.

 A classic panino  [in the States it's a panini, but it's the plural in Italian]. Made on very crisp bread bought at a farmers market and prepared with imported Italian mortadella, sliced tomato, basil leaves, a dusting of black pepper and Sicilian olive oil direct from the grower as a special favor. Needless to say the result was spectacular.