Summer used to mean vacation time and fun. More recently, it’s become a race for survival. Being retired, luckily, I don’t have to walk around in this heat.
We get out early to shop; I’ll pick up something for lunch, and when the kitchen cools down, do some cooking. Then I hide out in my room with the A/C and a fan to bring down my temperature! For years, my Italian husband wouldn’t buy either. First we got the fan, which helps me sleep, then a couple of years ago, when these insane heat waves hit, we bought a “penguino”, a free-standing A/C unit with a tube, which you need to have a whole cut into your window and attach the tube. Our house is made of stone and has very thick walls.
August is when most of Italy shuts down in the summer for holidays at the larger companies, which then trickles down to the smaller companies that supply the larger companies.
More recently, there are more international companies in Italy, rather than family-owned businesses, and more and more places are open all August or only closed for two weeks.
August 10 is San Lorenzo, the night of the falling stars. If you can get out of the city and see the sky, it is when there are the most falling stars, this year the best days are the 12th and the 13th. (On the 12th, there will be a total eclipse visible in Spain).
In Florence, on the 10th is a large party celebrating San Lorenzo, the Patron Saint of the Mercato San Lorenzo. In front of the church of San Lorenzo, they give away pasta with ragu and watermelon.
Ferragosto- The Assumption
Originally a Roman pagan holiday, celebrating the harvest, the catholic church celebrates the Assumption of Mary into heaven.
This is one of the biggest holidays in summer. If you are only taking 2 weeks of vacation, it starts or finishes around the 15th.
Locals are mostly at the sea or in the mountains. That is where you will find more of the festivals and sagras happening.
I did actually turn on my oven to make this recipe. That’s how much I love you!
I had discovered a wonderful recipe using zucchini from the Tuscan Coast, two different versions, one sweet and one savory.
Scarpaccia.
Viareggio and Carrara are famous for their different versions.
Here is the recipe I originally researched. Both the savory and the sweet version.
This year, I found yet another version from the mountains above the coast,in an area called the Lunigiana.
It is a very forgiving recipe, typical of the Cucina Povera.I really liked this version with ricotta and cornmeal added.
In this version, you don’t salt the vegetables.
I used two zucchini, two small red onions, and a few zucchini blossoms.
Then I added abour 3/4 cup of fresh ricotta and mixed in some grated parmigiano.
I added 3/4 cup of polenta.
Stir well to blend it all together and if needed to spread the batter better, you can add a little milk.
In a 9x12 pan, I generously covered the bottom with olive oil. Spread the batter and drizzle more oil on top before baking.
40 minutes at 300.
Turn to brown evenly.
You can also make Scarpaccia with just onions or zucchini blossoms.
Nice for eggless recipes, and you can make it gluten-free by using chickpea flour or rice flour and cornmeal.
This month, I will be posting recipes for using the seasonal glut from the garden.
Tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant recipes.
If you have any questions, drop me a note.
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