Quite a blow

The last week or two have been a bit hectic around here as our first group of artists arrived.  The last minute panic to get things ready gave way to a steady rhythm of activity as the workshop got underway.  It seems, at last, we are beginning to do what we came here to do which is, of course, run painting holidays.  After all the graft that has gone before, this seems somehow incredible to me.  There is still, however, so much to be done that it seems there will be no time for resting on our laurels, at least not in this lifetime. 

The most amazing thing to me was how the studio was transformed by the addition of the students. What they brought to what is, in fact, just a large, light space was all the atmosphere and vibrancy that made the place hum.

The start of the art courses seems to have shaken things up around here and change is definitely in the air, good change.
Despite my being one of those irritating people who appears to suffer from unusually high self-esteem, I have been left reeling from the fact that my eldest daughter, recently and at surprisingly close range, mistook me for one of the builders.  It’s not that I have anything against the builders, but still it was quite a blow.

The last two years of living in rural Italy on what can only be described as a building site seems to have turned me from someone who used to look like a relatively well put together urbanite into, well, let’s be honest, someone who looks like a builder.

A Winter spent huddled by the stufa mainlining Gorgonzola hasn’t helped me much either and after an honest self-appraisal I think I have to call time on this particular look, it’s obviously not working for me anymore.  Spring is here and I need to ‘re-glamourise’. 

This afternoon I quit the building site, donned my Ipod and my running shoes and hit the white roads.  I haven’t been running for a couple of weeks and the first kilometer felt so bad I almost gave up but, after a while, the music got to me and the old euphoria began to kick in.   Anyone who runs regularly will tell you that it’s very addictive, in a good way. I came home on a high with plans for extensive surgery and a whole new wardrobe, or at least to go running regularly from now on and to stop wearing marito’s old clothes in public. 

It occurs to me while writing this that if you ever see a woman in the supermarket, here in Italy, with dusty hair and paint splattered clothes, or a frazzled looking mother covered in cement at the school gates you can be 99 per cent certain she’s not Italian. They just don’t do ‘sloppy’, in fact most of the mothers at the school pick-up could give Victoria Beckham a run for her money.

The best thing I ate;

You would think that given my new regime I would be nibbling on a leaf or something, but actually I’m back on the bruschette.  My latest addiction is bruschetta with cannellini beans and rosemary.  There is something wholesome and comforting about creamy cannellini beans, here they are mashed into a coarse puree and perked up with the pungent oily taste of rosemary, a spritz of balsamic vinegar adds a slightly acid bite and the drizzle of good virgin olive oil transports it to sublime.  Top lunch-time treat of the moment.

Bruschetta with Cannellini beans and Rosemary

1 tin or jar good quality cannellini beans, drained
Large spring rosemary
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
2 cloves Garlic
Coarse country style bread, sliced

First grill your slices of bread. While they are still hot drizzle them with olive oil and rub them with a cut clove of garlic.

Pull all the spikey leaves from the rosemary spring and chop very, very finely until almost a powder.  Fry one clove of chopped garlic in a little olive oil but be careful not to let it colour.  Add the drained beans and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, add the rosemary, a little more oil and season well with salt and pepper and a spritz of balsamic vinegar.  Mash everything together using the back of a wooden spoon until you have a coarse puree.  Heap the beans onto the grilled bread and drizzle with more of the olive oil.  This is delicious with a sharp green salad on the side and a glass of rough red wine to wash it down.

 

Comments

[Jo Masterman]

Have just arrived back from Italy (it seems ages since the wonderful Umbrian Art experience) and decided I NEEDED to find your recipe for THE BEANS! Now all I have to do is locate a can of them somewhere in Beijing!!
Hope your UK holiday was fantastic!

[ladybug]

I wish you all the best with your school. Love your blog and will put it on my daily peep list. LBx

[Sophie]

It's been nearly a month! No posts! I have nothing to inspire me! Give us some news!

[somepinkflowers]

ohohohoho...
i know you are busy
but
here i am checking in
to see how it is all going over there...

:-)

came back for more --->
Bruschetta with Cannellini beans and Rosemary
and to see about
the classes.

will be back...

[Claudia]

You know - I write at home - and this has not been good for my outward appearance. I change from sweats to sweats. And now the gardening season kicks in. Uh oh. But I'm really writing to let you know of your wonderful bruschetta. I love all the ingredients and have done something similar so must try yours.

[Antonina]

Bouna Pasqua e tutti!

[Anne A]

Oh I left a comment and its not on here :-(

Just wanted to say what a fantatic space, how amazing it looks ...yes would be great to see students at work :-)

[rosaria]

I wonder if the catastrophic events of the past 2 days have affected your first intake of students.

Our thoughts are with Italians as they deal with the terrible toll the quake has taken.

Wishing you great success for the launch of your venture.

I remember Greek women would be manicured, coiffed and fully made up just to go to the markets for fruit and vege, and to pick up the kids at school. I invariably arrived in jeans and sports shoes, tut tut, always looking as though I had been in the garden.

[Cherrye at My Bella Vita]

That is funny about your daughter inspiring you to run. Are you sore, yet? And I *def* agree with you on how Italian women never look sloppy. How do they manage that??

[nyc/caribbean ragazza]

The studio looks incredible (as does that bruschetta).

I hear you on getting back into shape this Spring. I don't even have the excuse of doing construction. ha

[Antonina]

Amanda, I know just how you feel, generally when shelpping about the house I am in my husbands pj's cause they have pockets, haven't a clue why but they do, come in handy when finding innocuous things about the house.
Hair in an elastic scrungie and oversize runners T shirt that says I ran the Winter bathing suit run for Sick Children's Hospital, also my Husbands he runs Marathons every spare moment he gets{ literally}!
We all have our moments, buts lest we forget we are the type of women when need be , can transform in the blink of an eye in to the urethral creatures like we preserve in our minds eye and knock them dead.
pss Victoria Beckham is a generic stick person of celebrity we see to often.
Real women are built for comfort not as clothes racks.Have another Bruschetta, I know I would.

[erin :: the olive notes]

WOW! I can't believe how wonderful that studio looks...what a difference. (well, actually I CAN believe it...I mean, look at all the other things you guys have accomplished). Can't wait to hear how the classes are going.

...and the bruschetta makes me remember a lovely lunch under your tree. :)

[ali]

Ciao bella, am so very pleased for you all that your first group went so well, bravo. However the builder senario is somewhat unfortunate but then I seem to remember some of your builders were quite cute.......... did she at least offer to make you a nice cuppa?? xxxx

[janie]

Love your bruschetta! I can only imagine how much work you've done over months and months-how wonderful to have guests there to reap the rewards of all your hard work.

[Sophie]

I cannot wait to taste some of your delights! My mouth waters everytime I read your posts on food....yum.

[maryann]

Come on Amanda! So many women have the Victoria Beckham thing down! It's boring! Blaze a new trail, you awesome lady!
(the bruschetta looks wonderful)

[Deco]

If this is your day-to-day reality, then I can only say you clean up good. But that bruschetta will do you no good at all! Better eat broccoli. It will leave the shops for 6 months soon, and meantime it has no calories.

[casalba]

You're back! Sounds as though it went really well. You're right about the Italians not doing "sloppy". They're all chic in the village shop too! I'm always excusing myself by saying I've been gardening/cleaning whatever.

[[email protected]]

(screaming into computer) I HEAR YOU SISTAH. (ok, I have regained my composure).

Love the space for the artists. I laughed at your old brick shelving unit.... well not at it but with it. If you would see my kitchen shelves, or the built in desk in one of our guest rooms you would feel the urge to laugh as well.

I had coffee with a friend last week and we were both so happy just to have coffee in a cafe. To remind ourselves of who we were before workboots and scruffy clothes. However, it was embarrassing when I looked down and saw a clump of mud on what I consider to be my good jeans.

Keep on keepin' on.....

[Donna in SF]

That looks delis - I will be making it really soon.

And the studio looks wonderful. I'd love to see a photo with the students to see the transformation you describe.