Whiny About Wine

Prosecco, that wonderful Italian sparkling wine, does not need the likes of wild-child Paris Hilton hawking it. I completely understand why Fulvio Brunetta, president of the wine growers association of Treviso, was so adamant when he said, “Hilton hotels are a sign of quality; Paris Hilton is not.” Hilton is featured in advertising for Rich Prosecco, which is soon to be distributed in the U. S. Canned wine sold by an Austrian company and promoted by the gal who had such a terrible time after her D.U.I. Interesting choice.

On the other hand, if you want some real prosecco, Prosecco by Martellozzo is a good deal for $6.99 at Trader Joe’s and is one of our favorite year-round wines. It’s particularly nice in the summer, and with the addition of peach nectar or peach puree, you can make those wonderful Bellinis. The Bellini originated at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, and uses white peach puree and prosecco. Of course, you’ll find Americanized versions at restaurants like the Olive Garden, but it’s a lot easier as well as cheaper to make your own.

Limoncello for a Liquid Christmas Gift

All of my Christmas gift ideas this year will be unique in some way, and none will be over-the-top expensive.

If you get started today on this first idea, you should have a batch of pretty good limoncello right before Christmas that you can divvy up for your best friends. I am not going into the details since my son and daughter-in-law have posted their limoncello recipe on their Vino e Vittles blog. This wonderful Italian digestivo is nice packaged in little bottles, and Jeff and Natalie give a low-down on where you can get the bottles as well as how to procure and clean the lemons for the best possible product.

Of course, the lemons we find in the U.S. and Canada are quite unlike the huge lemons you see everywhere in Sorrento, but this is the best limoncello recipe out there and comes very close to the limoncello you’d find being made on Italy’s Amalfi Coast in Sorrento.

Somewhere Lovely

I need to be somewhere lovely today.

In my mind it’s about time for a trip to Italy. But as wise readers know, parents of college boys don’t go casually jetting off to the Amalfi Coast like a couple of Hiltons.

So, just for today, I’m wrapping myself in memories stored up from a couple of summers ago when I took this photo on a beautiful, cloudless day in Ravello. High above cliffs overlooking the sea, the Villa Cimbrone is famous for its “Terrace of the Infinite.” Writer Gore Vidal called it the most beautiful panorama in the world and since my travels have been limited, I give him this.

May you find a special and beautiful place to restore your spirit today, if only in your memories.

Random Questions

I had a mammogram this week. You think I ought to ask for half off on the charges? Long time readers will get it.

Why are so many people so blatant in their thievery? I have discovered some fellow CafePress shop owners like my Believe design so much that they have lifted the design. One, copied my language word for word. That takes balls. Another took the image, which I had painted before digitizing, and plopped it down, changing only the ends of the ribbon.

While China “poisons” us with shoddy products, have you stopped to notice where the items in your shopping cart are made? Ever since I bought those pickles from India at the Dollar Tree and worried about eating them (I did), I’ve made it a policy to buy as local or regional as possible, with one exception—Italy is still high on my list of acceptable, and if you have a hunk of Parma ham or Parmigiano-Reggiano I’ll gladly take it off of you.

And yesterday while at the Dollar Tree, I found I could buy greeting cards, 2 for $1, that were nicely designed in this designer’s opinion. So, how come Hallmark and Carlton charge me $3.99 (I paid this for a new baby card before discovering the ones at DT)? In line with my new anti-China policy, the cards at DT are from a Canadian company and are MADE IN THE U.S.A. Woo Hoo!

A Poem in Memory of?

Invincible; no, you only think so.
Immortal. Hardly.
You are the bright promise we old farts hang our stars on.
You are the better day. Funny. So full of life.
Intensely living and learning and growing.
Why did you fall? Why did life cut you down long before life wore you out?


Note: I swear I’m becoming forgetful, because I came across these words today while decluttering and can’t remember for whom they were written. I think maybe I wrote this after the shootings at Virginia Tech. How quickly that story disappeared from the nation’s radar. Now with Scottie going off to college soon, I’m again reminded of how fragile, vulnerable and precious life is. And I don’t claim to be a poet; it was just a case of a tired and sad blogger wondering why.

I took this photo of the grave of an obviously well-loved-and-lost child during a visit to Florence, Italy. Scott is holding the umbrella. It somehow seemed to fit.