Ndunderi – Story of an Italian Dumpling

If you have and Italian American background, chances are that your ancestors came from South Italy. If you remember hearing your grandparents or great grandparents talk you know that they did not “speak” Italian, they “sang” it. Italian phrases that I remember from childhood are not distinguishable as individual words. They were a flow of indistinguishable sounds, some highly musical, others peppery expletives. I recall the phrase, “mah’lay-bonz” which I think meant; “you’re a pain in the stomach. ” Similar to this phrase was “doo-zee-pots,” which now, as an adult who speaks Italian, I have come to know is a corruption of “Tu sei pozzo,” “You are crazy.” There was also the phrase spoken to babies, “Doo – zee – pee-zhad,” which meant, “You wet your diaper.” There was also the call “Aye… why-yoh,” that was addressed to any young man. I still have no idea what that means. One of the most curious aspects of the Southern Italian dialect is the way it doubles consonants at the beginning of words. This consonant doubling is not just a question of spelling. Continue reading “Ndunderi – Story of an Italian Dumpling”

The History of Bread Pudding – Part 1

Welcome back to the Italian Desserts. This post is the beginning of another diversion of sorts. Over the new few postings, we will be discussing bread pudding history and some recipes along the way. I am digressing again because my research into the world of Italian desserts has taken me WAY back in time, took me to Sicilian desserts and from there I landed here.

Bread pudding dates back to prehistoric times and has had its place in every era and every country since that time. My research has revealed that bread pudding, both sweet and savory, was first developed by ancient peoples. It seems that there has always been a tendency for frugal cooks to avoid the waste of stale bread and so this confection came into being. Continue reading “The History of Bread Pudding – Part 1”

Quick Healthy Recipes: Dressing Up an Old Standby

Caring for our family and others includes finding ways to give them good nutritional meals and that can be a challenge. What are you to do when they will only eat familiar vegetables from childhood: green beans, peas, corn and potatoes? Green beans were often cooked in bacon grease and laden with bacon pieces. Peas and potatoes may have been swimming in a rich, creamy white sauce and butter. Take away the sauces and you are left with a plain dish that can get old quickly.

Let’s face it, vegetables from the can night after night can be boring at best and not all that nutritious. Personally, I prefer frozen or fresh vegetables; however, time constraints and budget often pull me to the pantry to grab a canned vegetable to heat quickly for dinner. Here are a couple of ways dress up those plain vegetables without adding a lot of calories and fats. Continue reading “Quick Healthy Recipes: Dressing Up an Old Standby”

Excessive Border Collie Licking

I’m sure it happened to go see a friend and as soon as you opened the door a dog came out and started licking your face like crazy. Or maybe you yourself have a dog that has to lick you every time you come home or when you pet him. This is a habit that all breeds have, even border collies. What you must know is that it’s absolutely normal for a border collie to lick, because it’s his way of greeting you, although not everyone thinks the same. That’s why you should never punish him for this.

Border collies use their tongues in order to investigate the environment they live in. That’s the reason why this part of their body is vital to them. They use it to taste food, discover new animals and people and show their love. But, sometimes a border collie licking can be rather annoying when he suddenly comes out of the nowhere and starts showing his affection.

For this reason you should start understanding your border collie licking habit. Most of the times it means that he’s affectionate, but the meaning is not always the same. It could also be the sign of various behaviors. You just have to observe its licking and figure out the cause.

As stated before, a border collie would normally lick because he wants to be affectionate and show his commitment and love. You can realize this because his body is relaxed and he has a happy and joyful mood. The dog could also lick because he’s anxious or stressed. In case he feels unhappy because of a certain problem, he can be obsessive with such behavior. To help him get rid of this habit you can take him out to do more exercise or you can pay him more attention. In some rare cases the dog can also lick people because he’s spoiled.

A border collie licking can also be the cause of some health problems. This may happen because you don’t give him enough water or the food you give him didn’t have enough nutrients. Try to include more vitamins in his diet and always provide him fresh water on a daily basis. He may also have ticks or worms. This often causes skin irritations that make him lick others. To avoid this you have to always give him worming treatments. For some people, not precisely the owners but the visitors or friends, a border collie licking can be quite disgusting. They often think that the dog’s bacteria can easily be transferred to them and thus get certain diseases. That’s why you should try to change his behavior. You cannot stop him from licking, but you can limit this habit. That depends of course, on the reason.

What you can do is come home a little earlier or just find some free moments to give him some play time, grooming and exercise. In case the border collie licks you because he’s happy let him do it and don’t punish him. But,if you really don’t like it you can change your body language and the dog will immediately understand. For example, you can walk away or you can say a “No” command every time he wants to lick you. Be calm, don’t shout and have patience until your border collie finally understands.

So, anytime you get annoyed by your border collie licking, you have to remember that this is their natural behavior. However, if he is licking you much more than the usual try to figure out the reason and then solve the problem.

Source by Nelly Katz

Christmas in America Compared to Christmas in Italy, Two Pleasurable Holiday Destinations!

There are similarities and differences between Christmas in America and Christmas in Italy. The Christmas holiday originated with the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, a day around the shortest day of the year. Therefore, the main reason we celebrate the holiday is to celebrate Christ’s birthday. Another reason for celebrating Christmas includes the changing of the seasons and the days that will become short before becoming long again. The shortest day, not necessarily falling on Christmas, is Winter Solstice which happens also to be a Pagan, agricultural holiday to mark the changes is the seasons. Most simply, we celebrate Christmas across the world as inspiration to imitate ethical behaviors of Christ who unconditionally loved all men and women regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.

Americans and Italians provide countless, special holiday games and activities for their children both at home and at school. Santa Claus, who is “Babbo Natale” in Italy, brings children surprises on Christmas Day. Almost every child receives some gifts on Christmas Eve and/or on Christmas Day. Children open up their packages or empty their stockings as family members enjoy watching them be joyful about the surprises. Children’s gifts range from candy to stuffed animals to other more sophisticated toys. Continue reading “Christmas in America Compared to Christmas in Italy, Two Pleasurable Holiday Destinations!”

Farfatelle, Wandi, Guanti – Different Names, But Same Delicious Treat

We’re walking down sidewalks of Biscotti, along streets lined with Cannoli through neighborhoods with rows and rows of Tiramisu – now we notice the lovely clumps of Farfatelle that dot the lawns in the neighborhoods. Though a simple dessert, these delightful love knot / bow tie shaped cookies make such pretty arrangements. The sugar sprinkled on top of them appears as a light dusting of new fallen snow or even the sparkle seen after heavy dew in the early morning sun. What a lovely sight to behold!

The next stop on our tour of Italian Desserts… Farfatelle… required a fair amount of research. If you search out the term “Farfatelle”, it will likely bring pasta results as this appears to be the Italian name for the popular bow tie pasta we use in so many recipes today. Well, far be it from me to stop there, being the tenacious person that I am! As I kept digging, the illusive “Farfatelle” continued to confound me. Finally! Something came up that lead me to some sparse history on this Italian Dessert. It seems the original name for this cookie was Wandi, which I soon realized is an Americanized term for Guanti, as there is no “w” in the Italian language. The word, Guanti, translates to “gloves” and was so named because the cookie resembles two hands clasped together…hence the OTHER name for this cookie…Italian Love Knot Cookies. Continue reading “Farfatelle, Wandi, Guanti – Different Names, But Same Delicious Treat”

Vegetable Medley

Summer is the best time of the year to eat fresh vegetables. I like to mix a variety of vegetables together to make a vegetable medley. I prefer leafy greens, but I love carrots, squash and zucchini. Zucchini and squash are great alone or paired together making a lovely arrangement of colors. As a matter of fact, I love most all vegetables; my favorite being asparagus.

I am such a fan of garlic that is why I use plenty of it in my recipes. Of course, you can always adjust the amounts of any of the ingredients. Since it is just me and my daughter to cook for, I don’t have to prepare a lot of food unless I plan on freezing it. Most of the time, I fix enough to last for leftovers the next day. Here is a favorite late summer early fall recipe I would like to share with you.

Ingredients

1 to 2 zucchini

1 to 2 squash

1 cup grape/cherry tomatoes Continue reading “Vegetable Medley”

Marcilio Ficino’s Italian Renaissance Did Not Include Da Vinci’s Theory of Knowledge

The idea that the world is approaching a crisis is now widespread. Fossil fuel dependency, a shortage of drinking water and available food supplies for an overpopulated planet, together with a desire to acquire more efficient weapons of mass destruction are summarised by the Darwinian concept that nature is now preparing to cull out those unfit to survive. However, in his second book on evolution, ‘The Accent of Man’, Darwin notes that humanity’s feelings of compassion for underprivileged impoverished people, is so pronounced that it surely must somehow play an important role in human evolution.

Scientists, such as Jacob Bronowski, commenting on the ‘Assent of Man’, argues that human ethical consideration can actually alter the existing environmental reality and in doing explains the evolutionary functioning of ethical thought. Conversly, if the reader considers that a ruthless culling of humanity is a despairing natural law, then the reader cannot be blamed. Lord Bertrand Russell won a Nobel Prize for advising us to worship that law, because Albert Einstein considered that such a law governed everything. Einstein’s accepted that this heat death law, developed to explain the mechanical reality of the functioning of a steam engine, was in fact the premier law of all of science. Russell was not a devout Christian but advocated that we must worship that law, Sir Arthur Eddington, Einstein’s close colleague, was a devote Christian and he also he agreed with Russell that we should worship the universal heat death law, as God’s supreme law.

Continue reading “Marcilio Ficino’s Italian Renaissance Did Not Include Da Vinci’s Theory of Knowledge”

Three Great Greek Vegetarian ‘Mezes’ (Little Dishes)

When I first met my American Greek husband, he had his American food lover head on: (excuse my punctuation – I’m used to writing recipes).

Sandwiches with thick slices of meat between thick slices of crusty white bread
Lots of crab, other shellfish and fish
Salads
Barbecues
Italian food
Of course Greek food – his Mom’s cooking and his Yia Yia’s cooking
Beer – usually Bud
Ice cream – usually vanilla and chocolate chip

Continue reading “Three Great Greek Vegetarian ‘Mezes’ (Little Dishes)”

Playful Attraction Gambits That Work Every Time When Picking Up Girls

If you can get a girl to laugh, then you’re doing pretty good. Unless, of course, she’s laughing AT you with her friends at your completely lame pick up attempts. But we’re talking about good laughs, the kind that get you closer and closer to slipping in between her sheets and blowing her mind again and again.

The strategies herein are based on a little bit of rapport. You don’t know her that well, but you feel comfortable enough talking to her about common, every day things. You can use these on a first date or in a first conversation.

What you do is find out stuff about her, basic stuff. Not politics or religion or her economic slant on how to fix the world economy. Those discussions are better left until after you’re married and hate each other.

For example, you start talking about what kind of food she likes. Say she likes Italian food. You ask her what kind. Let’s say she says Lasagna. You say something lame like, “Wow, really? I like Lasagna too! What’s your favorite sauce?” Now, at this point, you sound like any other lame goofball trying to agree your way into her pants.

Continue reading “Playful Attraction Gambits That Work Every Time When Picking Up Girls”