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This is the blog of Steve Burkett of Italy, Our Italy

Something Completely Different - Flowers

Yes, that’s right…something different. Different from Italy. More like Florida. Or I should say, exactly like Florida.

I had the pleasure of joining a group photo workshop in Florida in March of this year. This was the rescheduling of a trip that was cancelled during the Spring of 2020 because…you can guess why, I’m sure.

This trip was led by Jackie Kramer of Luvblooms.com…click on that link to see why I wanted to attend her workshop…she creates beautiful floral photography and I wanted to learn from the best. She was assisted by friends Linda Torbert and Padma Inguva. Though the first part of our workshop focused on floral photography, we later moved on to butterflies, birds, long-exposure beach sunrises and sunsets, and interior photography of churches and other beautiful buildings. Our trek went from Naples to Sarasota to Gainesville and finally St Augustine.

Along the way, I was amazed at Jackie’s energy. But it was her desire to teach us the art of floral photography that most impressed me. We learned how to approach the flower to find just the right background, how to isolate a flower that would otherwise be lost in clutter, how to do ‘shoot throughs’ to get a softer foreground, and so much more.

Jackie’s mission is to support other photographers, and using photography as a medium, to build relationships and enrich others' lives. I was enriched, and I know from her following that thousands of others are, too. And, my life was changed in a way that is too personal to share with you here…in person will have to do…just ask when you see me next.

Today, I will share with you flower photography, and a smattering of butterflies that like to frequent flowers.

Transformations, but with a different subject

Many of you have told me that your favorite articles here at Italy, Our Italy are the ones where I transform a rather blah snapshot taken in Italy into a fine-art photograph. And, I’ve mentioned in numerous articles that doing this puts me in my happy place. Actually two happy places…one in Italy, and then one in my digital darkroom as I perform my transformations. So today, I share photographs of flowers that I have transformed from ‘just snapshots’ into what I hope you will agree are fine-art photographs.

Just below I give you three examples of the transformation of a typical snapshot of a flower…though not in the detail that I cover in my Italy transformations (to see a complete list of transformations of photos from Italy, click here and scroll way down in the right-hand column to “Italy-Photo Transformations”). Today, you get just a before-and-after view.

Transformation Demo

You will see that the basic transformation involves the creation of what I would call a less weighty, or more ethereal look. The addition of texture is used to downplay a distracting background. Where Jackie has a whole line of Lensbaby optics that she uses to create her magic (which she demonstrates here) all my photos were taken with just a macro lens.

[Please click on the first image of each example to see a full-screen view]

This first transformation is a rather simple one involving a [insert the name of the flower here, as I am embarassed to say that I have no idea what it is].

Here I rely on luminance and texture to soften the background, which gives a more pleasing ethereal look, which is exactly what I was looking for. The original photo has inherited a lightness that I just love in floral photography.

This next transformation relies heavily on texture, for both the background and the subject, which is called a [you guessed it, I have no idea!].

Here I’m going for moody, rather than lightness.

Finally, a bit more complicated transformation, This transformation involves a water lily…yes, it’s called a water lily! Though I know not which variety.

I decided to go beyond just cropping the photo, and I went maybe a bit overboard in my creative transformation. But again, I am no longer satisfied with just a flower snapshot.

Thus ends my transformation demo. The remaining photos just show you the transformation’s resulting image.

The Flower Gallery

[As always, you can click on an image for a larger view]

None of the photos were done in studio…all were as they were found in the Naples Botanical Gardens, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.

Thorns!

And there were a few cacti in the Naples Botanical Garden.

Flutterbys

And now, the flutterbys. You will see that some have their probiscus inserted into a flower…or it might be rolled up like a hose. And those eyes!

If you were expecting information on Italy, my apologies…but I’m happy that you made it this far in today’s diversion. Thank you for hanging in there!

Next time you will see birds, with a smattering of other photos taken during our fabulous workshop. And until then, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Late Night at the Produce Stand

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What if there was a drink that you could enjoy after your Italian meal that would help with digesting that scrumptious experience? There is! At least, these liquids are claimed to accomplish this.

Those are the words that I had planned to start with today, as I was to end my series on Eating in Italy by covering the ‘Digestivi’ of Italy (not sure what that is? Then come back next time to find out). But hey, something came up that will significantly add to the discussion of the aforementioned ‘Digestivi’. So, that discussion will wait just a short while for things to play out. In the meantime, please enjoy my transformation of a produce stand…that sounds strange doesn’t it? To see of what I speak, read on…

“ I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand...only to have his hand slapped”

My goodness, it’s gotten late…and dark. I’ve spent a bit too much time exploring Canareggio this afternoon after returning from a day on the Venetian lagoon-island of Burano, which you can experience here.

Many of the shops of the day turn out to not be shops of the night. However, the neighborhood produce stand is still open. There, I see a woman asking about the produce…and she is in the process of getting a reply from the purveyor.

It’s late afternoon and what I see is not that interesting, so as I process my photos, I want to give this image more a late-night look. And, I want a more intimate repartee between the buyer and the seller. So, I’ve got work to do! Let’s get started.

The Basic Snapshot

As usual, I present to you the original snapshot. There’s a bit too much illumination for what I want to create. So, I’ll create a scene that would occur later in the evening. And do you see intimacy I’m looking for here? No, I don’t either.

Let There Be Dark!

I’ve now made this woman’s stop to purchase her supper a bit later…I hope I haven’t spoiled her evening.

Let There Be Two!

Four persons in the photo don’t lend the image the sense of intimacy that I’m searching for. The other two characters in this tableau have to go. Those who were walking in the background have now mysteriously disappeared…poof!

Now, 2 are gone…and 2 remain.

Exposure Adjustment

It’s time to adjust the lighting in certain parts of the image. You’ll notice above that the highlights are much too bright. We call that being ‘blown out’ in the digital darkroom. I’ll make some adjustments to the lighting, now.

Convert to Black & White

An old photographic axiom is that when colors are not essential to the scene, convert to black and white. I’m invoking that axiom now.

When we say ‘black and white’ in the photographic world, we rarely actually mean that. A photo that has only pure black and pure white would be an extremely high-contrast photo, wouldn’t you agree? That has a place in photography, but not here. To illustrate that point, I’ll show you a version of the photo above which has only pure black and pure white.

Ouch! That doesn’t do much for the intimate mood I’m after…more like a harsh encounter.

Below, we now have a grayscale image that has almost completely black in the shadows, to almost white in the lights of the produce stand. Looking at this image below, you may think that there are portions that are pure black and maybe some that are pure white…but there aren’t. My software says ‘No’, and it doesn’t lie. So, we now have an image with a nice gradation of grays, or greys, if you prefer.

The Final Photo

OK, here it is. I’ve cropped it to a more intimate scene. There appears to be a good interchange between the late-night shopper and the fruit vendor. I’m happy with this final version of “Late Night at the Produce Stand”.

The final version of ‘Late Night at the Produce Stand’

Can you tell what he is showing his customer? He is demonstrating the quality of a large mushroom…probably a portabella by the looks of it on closer examination.

By the Way, What Does That Sign Say?

There’s a sign occupying the center of the photo. I was going to remove it, but I think it relates an important point to you, our Venetian-produce-shopper-of-the-future.

The sign shows a hand reaching out with a “nope, don’t do it” symbol overlaid. And the words, “Por favor, no toque”. Translated it says, “Please, don’t touch”…and this particular sign is in Spanish, by the way, not Italian. There is also a “Bitte nicht beruhren” for the German shoppers. And, there’s even a “Please, don’t touch!” sign for us English speakers, or I should say, readers. You can see those other two signs in the original photo at the top of this page. Why is there not a sign like these written in Italian? Because, they know better.

This is typical of the Italian produce market, and much different than the markets in the US, where one can touch the produce to your hearts content. I’ve seen my friend Mike reaching to test the ripeness of a fig at a produce stand on Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo (that’s Saints John and Paul, but they’re not who you think they are, but that’s another story) only to have his hand slapped with a harsh, “Non toccare!” So, Mike was relegated to pointing out the figs he wanted, without the benefit of giving them just a little bit of a squeeze to see if they were ripe. So, ‘buyer beware’, and ‘as is’, is the way of the day.

Thus ends another transformation. This one was a bit gentle, with no major changes in construction of buildings, boats, doors, windows, and such.

There will be a time when you might see me at a produce stand in Venice, as I try to sneak a gentle fruit-squeeze to test the ripeness of a chosen delicacy. Maybe we can work together, as you divert the seller’s attention, perhaps asking, “How do I get to Piazza San Marco?”. Let’s do it! But, until then, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

p.s. Mike’s figs were ripe and tasty!

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Eating in Italy - Dolci

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You saved room…right?! I always do.

Desert (the hot and dry place) is spelled with one ‘S’. Dessert (that sweet stuff) is spelled with two ‘S’s. My sister helped me with that, saying that Mom used to say, “…dessert has two s’s, because it’s super sweet”. I have to admit that I had problems with that until about 3 years ago. Enough etymology, let’s eat!!!

“Ellen did not eat that soufflé all by herself”

Today’s article is the last of the ‘Eating in Italy’ series, as far as solid food goes. There will be one more surprise article in the next couple of weeks…yes, there is one more oft used course in the Italian meal.

The Dolci (Dessert)

In the gastronomical dessert battle, those Frenchies seem to come out on top time after time. However, their close neighbor has a few tricks up their sleeve, too. Over the last decade, Italian dolci (sweets or desserts) have come a long way…and often right down to my tummy.

Typical of the dolci menu is tiramisu, panna cotta, zabaglione and grandma’s cake (torta di nonna). I’m pleased to say that I have had each of these offerings in during 2022…though sadly, not in Italy, itself.

As this isn’t a cooking class, I will jump right into the typical offerings of the Italian menu itself, rather than handing out recipes. What follows are actual offerings from Italian menus…real Italian menus…from Italy. Sorry, but I wanted you to get the point.

And, those photos you see to the right (or who knows where on a mobile device) are photos of our actual dolci experiences within Italy. Enjoy!

Dolci Menu Offerings

Crostata

A crostata is a baked tart filled with…you’ll see just below…

Cioccolato e Caffe’ (chocolae, crema, and a chocolate streusel)
Mele e Albicocca (apples, apricots)
Mandorla e Amarena (almond, pastry cream, and Fabbri amarena cherries…one of our favorites)

Classics

Tiramisu (espresso soaked biscuits, tiramisu cream and cocoa powder)
Limoncello Profiteroles
Afogato (espresso poured over gelato)
Zabaglione (egg custard and sweet spumoni wine)
Torta di Nonna (sweet crusted tart with custard and a fruit filling)

Other Desserts

Chocolate variation (a variation of exactly what, I know not)

Crunchy puff pastry, pumpkin and chestnut cream, almond milk, pomegranate, sour cream gelato, salted caramel, and kitchen sink…just kidding.
Mountain panna cotta
Caprese cake
A patisserie mignon
Millefeuille with chantilly cream, orange sauce
Warm Zabaglione with De Bartoli reserve marsala and panettone
Babà with rhum and whipped cream
Kiss of cream meringue and dark chocolate flakes
Warm Chocolate cake made with rhum with coconut gramble and blackberries sorbet
Variation of coconut, banana and lime
Rhubarb gel with hazelnut creams and sponges
Ricotta cream with marzipan, soft pistachio and sorbet of candied oranges
Consistencies of dark chocolate, cocoa grué snow and hemp [I have no idea, don’t ask]
Slice of homemade cake
Crêpes à la crème
Fete Biscottate Homemade
Cremoso al Rosmarino
Marmellata di Fragole e Rabarbaro
Honey mousse
chamomile pannacotta
Florus-flavored tiramisu (Florus? Obviously a Banfi menu item…and tasty)
Paffpastry cannolo, custard and plum jam ice cream
Tuscan biscotti parfait with vanilla ice cream
Mascarpone cheese mousse, hazelnuts praline cream, crunchy chocolate, coffee gelato
Rhubarb sphere, vermouth cream, beetroot macaron, raspberry sorbet
The Fregolona (a crumbly dessert made from butter, flour, sugar, almonds and yellow flour)

Fruit as Dessert

Boring? A Little, but then again, it is healthy

Fruit tarts
Sliced fresh fruit
Fruit Plate
Fresh fruit salad with vanilla ice cream

Gelato, Sorbet & Ice Cream

Cassis sorbet, coconut milk-flavored winter salad
Lemon sorbet, apple and celery, first pressed oil, timur berries

Millefouille with vanilla cream
Tofu soft cream, tangerine sorbet, citrus fruits, ginger, kale chips
Lemon sorbet with grated licorice
Vanilla ice cream with gelè of smoked whiskey
Selection of housemade sorbets and ice creams
Gelato al Pane
Pollen ice cream [you didn’t know that bees can make ice cream, did you?]
Homemade crema gelato, raisins and Moscato Romano Levi grappa
An ice cream made with the collaboration of Marco (Ricotta Ice Cream w/ Amarone Grappa)

Cheese As Dessert

Yes, I’ve had cheese for dessert…and then I order an actual, real, traditional, sweet, and pleasing dessert! Listed here are just a few Italian cheeses you might order from the dolci menu:

Caprino
Morlacco
Gorgonzola naturale
And many other Italian cheeses

Other Ways to Get Dolci

Wow, so many tasty sounding variations of dolci. And, I can’t leave off just plain, old gelato…scooped up at that “best gelato in all of Italy” place around the corner from wherever you happen to be in Italy. And, if your friend hears you are going to Italy and says, “You’ve just got to go to this gelato place…it’s the best ever…it’s just a 45 minute walk from the places you will be!”, don’t fall for it…find the one that’s handy and go for it!

And then there is what you find along the way as you stroll the calle of Italy, like cookies, candies, and such. It’s hard not to run across these hand-held treats…except when you are actively looking for them, of course.

Below are photos of tasty treats you might find whilst in Italy.

A Short Anecdote

When we were in Amalfi, we had a nice meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant called Ristorante La Caravella. It was a lovely dining experience.

On the menu for dolci, we eyed an item called Soufflè al limone d'Amalfi, or lemon soufflé, made with those huge Amalfi lemons.

I’ll forgo telling you more about the dessert…I’ll let you see what happened to it. Ellen will demonstrate. Nough said, right?

If you need to catch up on the earlier installments of Eating in Italy, here are the links:

Eating in Italy — The Courses and Apertivo [the types of dining establishments, the menu, and a sip of an apertivo — a good place to start your dining journey]
Eating in Italy — Antipasto
Eating in Italy — Primi
Eating in Italy — Secondi

Thank you for joining me today as we discover that sweetest of Italian meal courses, the dolci course. If your sweet tooth has been activated, get yourself to Italy. If we are there with you, we will help you get your just desserts! Until that happens, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

p.s. Before you ask, I’ll answer your question: No, Ellen did not eat that soufflé all by herself. I had a hand in that task, also.

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Transforming a Door with Garden Above

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Let’s take a break from eating Italian style for a quick photo transformation. Working to transform a blah snapshot into a fine art image is where I find myself in my happy place. I like being happy, and I hope that you do, too.

The Starting Snapshot

“That lock now raises an interesting dilemma”

Today’s starting snapshot comes from Venice. I had visited the Rialto Market early this morning, as one must do in order to see all of the fresh seafood produce displayed. The Rialto Market is in the San Polo sestierie of Venice. Now, I am venturing into new territory to the northwest of the Rialto, and here I came across a rather unusual façade, as you can see in this snapshot.

As usual, things are a bit wonky before the photo editing begins. First of all, the photo has been saved as a RAW image by my camera, rather than the ubiquitous JPEG format of 99.9% of cameras, like the one on your telefonino (mobile phone). If you want to know more about RAW vs JPEG, my previous article here will explain all.

[If you click on an image, you will get a full-screen view]

So, this first image has no contrast, saturation, or sharpening applied before it is saved…so it looks rather flat…not to mention distorted. A JPEG would look a lot better, initially. Using my digital darkroom tools of Adobe’s Lightroom and Photoshop, I can fix all to my satisfaction. So, let’s get started on that.

Step 1 - Distortion

My first action is to get rid of the distortion caused by a wide-angle lens as it is aimed up just a bit.

The distortion has now be resolved.

Step 2 - New-World Distractions

I don’t want to present to you an Italy of today, with its modern distractions, like the electrical conduits and house numbers you see above. I explain more about this in my previous, almost ancient, article titled ‘The Venice That Isn’t There’. I want you to see the old Italy…the Italy of 600 years ago. I’m going to get rid of these modern distractions.

Done. No more electrical conduit or house number.

Step 3 - Saturation, Contrast & Sharpening

Now I will do what your camera does when it saves your images…I’ll add just a bit of saturation, contrast and sharpening.

Saturation, contrast and sharpening is done

Mission accomplished.

Step 4 - That New-World Security Grating

The metal grating to the right of the photo is grating on me…it doesn’t elicit the old-world charm that I am working toward. It has to go.

Gone. It took awhile because there is a shortage of ancient-looking brick in Venice at the moment. They said it has something to do with Covid. After keeping at it, I was able to find the materials and laborers (me, by the way), to get the job done.

Step 5 - Let’s Work on the Door

That door is just a tad too old world…Or just battered and faded. I’m going to give it a quick paint job.

Ouch! It looks more psychedelic than old, like it is from the 70s (the 1970s, not the 1470s). Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’ll have to tone it down a whole lot. Now, what color do I want to end up with? Hmmm…

Step 6 - A More Subtle Door Painting

Mi dispiace (I’m sorry). That paint job was horrible. I’ve removed that garishness and I’ve decided to spruce it up with a nice red…not too jazzy…but just right…like the color of a nice glass of Banfi Brunello.

OK, I know…you’re saying, ‘Hey Steve, you left a modern convenience on the door’. You saw that lock, didn’t you? It’s dead-center in the photo to the right. I didn’t see it until I was putting on that horrible paint. I’ve now removed it.

That lock now raises an interesting dilemma. It looks as though the door is in two parts…basically a double door. So, what is the lock doing over to the side of one of those doors, rather than at the middle, to secure the two doors together. A mystery what we won’t be able to unravel at this time. A great excuse for going back to Venice, right? But that’s nothing folks. Some of you may remember a door that had at least six locking mechanisms on it. Refresh your memory, or create a new memory, by checking out this very, very secure entrance door.

Enough talk, I need to get painting.

The painting has been resolved.

Step 7 - The Patina

Those of you who have been around for a bit know that I always like to finish with the nice patina of old Italy. So, that’s what I’m going to apply, now.

I hope that you have enjoyed the after-my-journey-in-Venice digital-journey-of-transformation that I’ve produced for you today. We’ve taken a very blah snapshot of an unusual façade, and we’ve transformed it into a fine-art photo.

It was a pleasure to have you beside me on this journey. But, better still, let’s do this…rather than a digital journey into the vast intrigue of Venice, let’s do it together…in person. Oh, I do hope we can do that together some day. But until then, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Eating in Italy - Secondi

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Elizabete presents our branzino tableside at La Terrazza on the rooftop of the Hotel Danieli in Venice

Thus far in our Italian dining journey, we’ve sipped an apertivo (my, oh my, that Campari and soda took my breath away!), had some tasty bites of antipasti, and we’ve gorged ourselves on a nice primi.

By the way, how was your “Lasagnette with Pierina's traditional ragu sauce”? Pierina is famous for her ragu at her Trattoria Caprini. I had the “Ravioli filled with goat cheese, and with “datterino” tomatoes and basil”, and I’m glad I did! Those little datterino tomatoes (the size and shape of a ‘date’…’il dattero’ in Italian) were bursting with flavor.

But, as we knew that we would be dining Italian-style, we’ve left room for a secondi, or second main course. Will we have room for the dolci? We’ll see.

So, let’s see what that second main course is all about…

WHAT TO EXPECT OF A SECONDI

When we think of the secondi course, we should be thinking about flesh…whether it be the flesh of the fish (il pesce), or flesh of a mammal like beef of a mature cow (manzo), veal (vitello), lamb (agnello), pig (maiale), or the wild boar (cinghiale). Are you wondering where chicken (pollo) fits in, it is occasionally on the menu, though not as often as even wild boar, it seems.

I want to expand a bit on the fishy part of secondi. In Italy, it is done superbly. Typically, the fish is prepared whole. It is brought out for you to see and admire (yes, be sure to ooh and ahh over it as we did when Elizabete made her presentation to us as seen in the photo, above). It is de-boned on a small cart near your table. It is then placed on your plate and set before you. And then, you’d better eat it before I eat it for you! The flesh of the fish is moist and oh, so tasty. And buttery? Yes! Expect at least one contorno (side dish), like roasted potato, and maybe a green vegetable, like broccolini. Want to see the whole process from presentation to dining? Relive our experience at Da Gemma in Amalfi, here.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Click the image to see a real-life Italian secondi menu…this one from Ristorante Verbano on Lake Maggiore

Just as I did with the primi, I will share with you below actual excerpts from menus of places where we’ve dined…from ristorante, to trattoria, to osteria. If you want to know more about those three categories of dining establishments, as well as four more, then click here.

Please note that the number of menu items in each of the three categories below of seafood, meat and poultry, indicates that actual prevalence of those types of items on the Italian menu; i.e. lots of seafood, a good bit of meat, and not much poultry.

So, here are menu items taken word-for-word from actual, real-life, we’ve-actually-been-there, dining places in Italy. Along with photos, of course.

Frutti di Mare (Seafood)

Fillet of sea bass, grilled fennel and pistachio cream
Turbot with winter scents [yes, just the scent!]
Baked squid gratinated
Mix of fried selection of seafood from the Rialto market
Deep fried soft-shell crabs
Imperial Shrimp with seven spices, shiitake mushroom and red rice
Wild seabass fillet cooked in the oven, on a mirror [what?!] of bread, potato sauce and chicory
Crispy Octopus with cream beans from Lamon and celery sauce
Sea bass melted “Acquerello” rice risotto, lightly smoked, citrus hint, raw scallops
Seafood paccheri, late Treviso radicchio, tomatoes confit, glasswort
John Dory fillet "Antico Martini" style
Turbot fillet, braised Jerusalem artichokes, fresh horseradish, clam sauce -
Seared cuttlefish, its cream and liver, fennel seed sponge, parsley and baccalà sauces
Daily fresh fish from the Rialto market, grilled
Nordic cod confit, “acqua pazza”, kale, nori seaweed flavored potatoes
Turbot fillet, braised Jerusalem artichokes, fresh horseradish, clam sauce
Giant scampi grilled with fried zucchini
Steamed fish flavored with herbs and ginger
Scampi with curry sauce and Pilaf rice
Fried fish from the Adriatic sea
Fillet of sea bass with lime and cumin carrots
Roasted wild eel with honey, bitter orange marmalade, beer, celery cream and mashed potatoes

I can’t move on until I’ve commented on the last item in the frutti di mare category…the eel, or anguilla. Here’s my comment: “Yuck!!!” Though we’ve often seen them on menus (mostly in Venice), we’ve never gotten up the nerve, or insanity, to try them. The sign in the first photo lets us know that these eel were caught in ‘our own lagoon’. The eels in the second photo are alive and squirmy…I’m not even sure how you would hold onto them to dispatch them, nor how one would clean them. Sorry to belabor the point, but they give me the creeps.

Here are photos of more palatable eats in the frutti di mare category.

Just two more seafood photos…these of a lobster that we consumed on the Isle of Capri. Here it is as Ellen selected it right from the tank, and then as it appeared on our plates…one-half for each of us. I must say that this was One Fine Day! on the Amalfi coast, which you can read about here.

Carne (Meat)

Lamb with offal sauce [an acquired taste, yes?], scent of fennel flower heads, and wild herbs
Fillet of veal with broccoli and cabbage
Slow-cooked beef in Valpolicella wine
Venetian-style veal liver with white polenta and new onion
Jowl braised veal with Valpolicella Ripasso and mashed potato
"Antico Martini" veal petals
Sliced beef Angus with rosemary
Chateaubriand, Béarnaise sauce, grilled vegetables, ratte potatoes
Venetian-style veal liver, polenta in two consistencies
Fillet of beef with Norcia black truffle sauce
The "Florentine" of Sorana T-bone steak (45 days of maturing)
Sorana rib steak (45 days of maturing)
Juniper-flavored venison loin, cranberry jam, pine needle powder, rye and tapioca brittle
Grilled lamb chops with ginger baby carrots and mashed potatoes
Veal liver "Venetian style" with polenta

Pollame (Poultry)

Pigeon with black salsifies in cooked must [maybe a bit of discussion is required here…for ’pigeon’, think quail; for ‘salsifie's’, think a tuber from a plant in the daisy family; and, for ‘must’, think about grape juice, before it is fermented into wine…ok, please continue without further interruption on my part]
Free-range chicken terrine, plum and “pevarada” sauce, three potato pavé
Chicken supreme with "malga" butter emulsion and sage
Duck breast served with honey sauce and Recioto wine [it was soooo good…sorry, I wasn’t going to interrupt]

Not many photos in the poultry category, as it is not very prevelent on the Italian menu. The first photo is duck breast described just above. This was from the fabulous Enoteca della Valpolicella, which you can read about here.

Is your mouth watering? Mine sure is. I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the typical menu items in the secondi category, as well as photos that we’ve taken over the years…just before devouring the secondi.

In the next installment of Eating in Italy, I’ll be covering the dolci, or dessert. In the meantime, if you need to catchup on the earlier installments of Eating in Italy, here are the links:

Eating in Italy — The Courses and Apertivo [the types of dining establishments, the menu, and a sip of an apertivo]
Eating in Italy — Antipasto
Eating in Italy — Primi
Eating in Italy — Secondi [you don’t need a link, just scroll to the top of the page!]

OK, here’s the deal. Tomorrow it will be St Patrick’s Day. I found a four-leaf clover, which means that I get a wish on that day. I’ll tell you what that wish is (will it still be granted if I divulge it? I certainly hope so). My wish is that I will get to have each course of a meal in Italy with you. That’s it. Let’s work toward that. Until that happens, I say…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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