Cold snap

26th October 2007

Just as I was contemplating a long Indian Summer and mellow Autumn, suddenly, shockingly, it has become Winter.
After a perishing weekend during which temperatures here dropped by 12 degrees and shrieking Arctic winds ripped through the valleys, the last remaining sunflowers have been shredded and the cowering countryside pelted with icy rain. We bundled the girls off to school dressed in as many layers as possible but minus their coats or mittens which I couldn’t find at such short notice. “Don’t worry girls, you’ll be fine, you don’t need mittens. It’s not really winter yet.” I explained.
“But why are you wearing your gloves Mummy?”

Still, now I’ve had a week to get my head around the idea of Winter, I’m beginning to enjoy it. The logs have been lugged up from the wood store, the fire is lit and ‘Ceci’ (chickpea soup) is bubbling on the stove. I’ve found the mittens and packed away the bikinis. A brand new stufa is being fitted today to heat the bedrooms and my mind is filled with pumpkins and bonfires.

Winter in Italy, bring it on. I love it.

The best thing I ate today:
A little red drink.

For years now I have been seduced by the allure of those little red drinks that most Italians seem to have as their aperitivo. These ruby red drinks somehow seem so decadent and glamorous and yet, try as I might, I have never been able to acquire the taste for Campari. I thought I had tried it in every form, with tonic, soda water, orange… always hopeful that one day I would join the throngs of sophisticated pre-dinner drinkers, but always one grimace away from spitting it out all over my flipflops.

Until today. We have some lovely ‘boozy’ friends staying with us and they have introduced me to a drink they had in Venice, rather like an Italian Kir Royale. This mixes a small slug of Campari with a rather larger slug of Prosecco. The taste is light and zingy with a subtle, dry, herbal bite from the Campari and, best of all, it’s red.

Perfetto! You have no idea how much this pleases me...

Where to get it:
From the bar, but what is it called? Help!

Comments

[Valerie]

Around here they call that drink a Campari Cocktail. I like them both, Campari and Aperol, and since Aperol has a lot less alcohol, it's a good choice for a pre-dinner drink. But the taste of Campari is exceptional, I think. Visiting family often tell me "it's an acquired taste," meaning "blech". :)

[red]

Hello there, I just came across your blog through Conortje's.
Like Tracina I prefer my spritzer with Aperol. In Italian it's a 'spritz' with the emphasis on the i sounding like eee.

[tracina]

Hi! I love your blog, my husband and I stayed in Orvieto over the summer and we can't wait to head back next year! While traveling in Italy, I too longed to drink the fun red appertivo drinks, but couldn't stand campari, then in Padova I discovered that they also make drinks with Aperol, similar to Campari, but much better tasting, and it was that Aperol spritzer that we continued to have in Venice (Aperol mixed with Prosecco and a splash of soda water) We just ordered it as a spritzer and everyone seemed to know what we were asking for! But definitely try it!

[Paolo De Paolis]

Sorry to hear it is already winter in Italy, here in Provence we are still enjoying a balmy autumn!!

[Jeni]

Fall in Italy, especially with your fire and ceci soup, sounds so wonderful. I don't know what I do without Campari! Really, when I have an upset stomach before dinner, a little of that with some sparkling water and I am all better. I'll have to try it with Prosecco next time - thanks for the tip.

[Erin]

We just had this at a friends house before dinner. We enjoyed the introduction...but I can't remember what it's called either :)

[Farfallina... Roam 2 Rome]

I personally loved the fireplace! Darn, here we don't have one! But it's still warm outside, though :)

Fall weather has it's upside, doesn't it? Especially with a fireplace :)

[Maryann@FindingLaDolceVita]

haha..I understand your previous aversion to Compari. I was the same way. I found I enjoyed it with a little teaspoon of sugar, orange juice, and soda water.