Monday, January 9, 2012

Let the Adventure Begin



I ask all blessings,
I ask them with reverence,
of my mother earth,
of the sky, moon, and sun my father.

I am old age: the essence of life,
I am the source of all happiness.

All is peaceful, all in beauty,
all in harmony, all in joy.

~Anonymous Navajo


San Luis Obispo 2011
Pastel on Wallace with watercolor underpainting



Can you believe it? We are already a week into 2012! For the most part, I just finished cleaning up the last days of 2011!

I returned from spending the New Year with friends in San Diego, to emptying the hall closet for plumbing work, in the midst of yet unpacked luggage and Christmas ornaments. I pretty much have it all under control now and am feeling ready to get going with the new adventure of 2012.

My friend Karen, from Italian class, and I have decided to broaden our culinary repertoires this year so we began that little adventure Friday night. I had purchased a cookbook for my niece Rachel (Italian Country Cooking by Loukie Werle) for Christmas, which it turns out she already had, so I kept the book and this was the result ...

Guazzetto di pesce e fagioli

3 tablespoons evoo
2 large cloves of garlic (I used 3 and we halved the recipe!)
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 pd cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup dried cannellini or great northern beans, cooked
good handful flat-leafed parsley coarsely chopped
4 white fish fillets, about 6 oz each (we used cod) cut into 2 inch pieces or left whole
lemon wedges and grilled bread (it was so yummy we didn't used the lemon)

So easy! (And better than it looks) Basically you are heating olive oil, throwing in garlic, a small amount of red pepper flakes, the white wine and halved cherry tomatoes over a medium heat. After that gets warmed up and the tomatoes soft, you throw in cooked cannellini beans and chopped parsley and cook another 5 minutes. Lay the fish on top and season with salt. Put the lid on and cook for about 10 minutes.

We started eye -balling everything because we used canned beans and they were absorbing the liquid so we added more wine (before adding the fish) and of course, as always, I more than doubled the garlic.

mmmm ... The recipe is definitely a keeper! It was delicious!!!


That night we watched a very entertaining documentary about an Italian guy in Rome, who put together a multi-ethnic orchestra of immigrants living in the Piazza Vittorio area. It was great seeing these musicians come together from different backgrounds and religions and create wonderful, fun music together.

At first the main guy has trouble finding musicians. When he asks around the neighborhood, if anyone knows anyone who plays, you'll see in the trailer, everyone shaking their heads no. The documentary is subtitled in English. Unfortunately, the trailer isn't, but you don't really need it. :)

Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio



Let brotherly love continue.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13.2


Hope your 2012 is off to a great start!
Blessings and light!


19 comments:

Mary said...

The poem brings tears to my eyes. Nature IS the source of all happiness. Your pastel is lovely, and the recipe looks absolutely yummy. I can nearly taste it! The scent of it is wafting up the Left Coast to me. :) Blessings and Light right back to you..

Joyce said...

The poem is beautiful. I love Navajo poems. The recipe does sound like a keeper. I'm going to try it. xo

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Beautiful words,beautiful painting...and dayum girl, dinner looks pretty beautiful, too!

Victoria said...

Yay! Super beautiful post...gorgeous poetry..recipe..
photos..vidoes..you rock!
Shine on kindred..wishing you a fabulous 2012!
Victoria

Laura said...

Great post!

Don said...

You got the poem, you got the painting, you got the good eats, you got the movie about the music, you got the quote and now we do too! Thanks for the mix.

Loree said...

I think I will have to try this wonderful recipe. We have just got back from visiting my husband's family in St Louis. The house is still in disorder but I can't stay away from blogging any longer. Have a wonderful new year :)

Parisbreakfasts said...

I tackled a closet yesterday..
Today I must put stuff back.
The movie looks terrific.
Perfect accompaniment to your meal

Wave Wanderer said...

Love that verse. Very lovely.



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shopgirl said...

the recipe sounds delicious! are you taking italian language lessons? any advice...i'm trying to self-teach myself but it's so hard. I haven't touched a book since last spring.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year!
xo Reese

http://rambleswithreese.blogspot.com
http://rambleswithreese.etsy.com

jane said...

now i want to see that! it looks great. :)
and your painting... i actually said "oh" when the page opened. beautiful!
x

Tammie Lee said...

oh yum yum yum! and your pastel is gorgeous, dreamy and brings memories alive.

Emily said...

Oh, wow! That looks delicious! It's the perfect dish to go with a good documentary.

And I love your newest painting! It reminds me of Sicily.

GraficWorld said...

Good day :)
Gio'

Jo Potter said...

The Navajo poem is perfect for the New Year with just a few things we need to remember to have a harmonious life!
I'm glad to hear your trip went well to San Diego. It sounds like you had a great Christmas and New Year.
I did some spring cleaning and sorting things out for 2012 as well and like you, I want to start the year in a positive way and do some new classes.
Thanks for sharing the Italian recipe, it does look delicious and the plate makes the dish look very colourful... I also enjoy visiting you here for a bit of Italian culture. ;-)

All best wishes,
Jo. xx

Marisa said...

Love your beautiful pastel, and the recipe had me hunting through my bookshelves for my copy of Loukie Werle's 'The Trattoria Table'. I look forward to trying out the guazzetto.

donna baker said...

Wonderful Lucinda, as always I live vicariously through you.

Ruthie Redden said...

Wonderful words for a whole new year. It sounds as though your trip was full of loveliness. I love the feel of your pastel, so atmospheric. Wishing you very belated Happy New Year treasure x x

Cobalt Violet said...

Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful comments!
Gratitude always!! You guys are the best!