Happy New Year! Buon Anno!

Surprisingly today the weather was almost spring-like, if it hadn't been for the chilly wind it would have been like summer, that's how strong the sun was. Considering the wind we've had these days I didn't want to take any chances so I wore my wind jackets, hood and all. The red one belongs to my daughter but she doesn't like it so I took it. 

Happy New Year to you all!  Buon Anno a tutti, tanti auguri!

We are having a wind wave

These past few days the wind has been blowing like there's no tomorrow! It's so strong that even the garbage cans are flying away. I was going shopping with my trolley and when I let it go for a second, it just started rolling down the block and into the street, I had to run after it to get it back. The wind at times was as strong as 67 kms per hour! 

During the Black Friday sale (yes it has taken hold in Sicily too), I got this pretty little pink jacket with a hood, perfect to wear on these windy days. It's from Jennyfer fashion Actually it's my daughter who bought this jacket, for herself, I just ...borrowed it. 

The jacket is light but very warm, and it is padded inside. It has two pockets which you can button. 

Torta di Biscotti... Sicilian cookie cake

This is a very simple cake to make, and it requires just a few ingredients:  rectangular  cookies (or biscuits as they say in the UK) such as Petit Beurre, coffee, chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding, preferably homemade, and some hundreds and thousands for decoration.

Dip the cookies in coffee, then place them on a dish. Spread the chocolate pudding over them, then add more cookies and spread with vanilla pudding. Continue alternatively until you finish the cookies. Sprinkle the hundreds and thousands on top of the last layer.

An Italian Christmas icon: the PANETTONE

The classic Italian Christmas cake is the Panettone. It is not so easy to make at home, but with a bit of patience and determination, I finally managed to create a Panettone that can compete with the standard Motta or Alemagna sold in shops at Christmas time.  

I got the recipe from Ricette della Nonna and I will now share with you the whole procedure. 

Mix 10 grams of yeast,  75 grams of flour and a little warm milk into a ball and let it rise for 30 minutes. 

When it has risen, add 250 g. flour, 2 eggs, 2 grams of yeast. Mix well, then add 100 grams of sugar. Mix again, then add 60 g. of soft butter. 

After about 2-3 hours it should look like this 

Now put it in the mixer and add 2 whole eggs, and 3 egg yolks, together with about 250 grams of flour. Mix well, then add 100 grams of sugar, mix again then add 100 grams of butter. Finally add 150 grams of raisins and about 100 grams candied peel, a teaspoon of grated lemon rind and a pinch of vanilla.  Let it rise for 2 or 3 more hours.

It should then look like this. 

Now place it in the paper container and let it rise again for 2 or 3 hours. 

When it has risen well, bake it at 200° C for 5 minutes, make a cross on top, add a tablespoon of butter and cook for 10 more minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180°C and cook for 45 minutes. 

A classic Italian breakfast....cappuccino and panettone!

Cafè Vultaggio in Fulgatore, Sicily

If you come to North-Western Sicily you must stop at this cafè, they have the most delicious Sicilian sweets and humongous cannoli. Bar Vultaggio is located in the town of Fulgatore.

Thanksgiving sales in Sicily

Guess what? Black Friday is popular in Sicily too. Not only Black Friday but Black Days, Black Week and  Black Month!!! With all these sales it was impossible to resist shopping. Prices were as much as 50% off so there were plenty of good deals. Here are some items I got : a cap, a neckwarmer and a scarf... all things needed for the cold weather. All from a cute little shop which recently opened  in town, Capricci tp.

At Cafè-Cucina Fronte Villa

At Tiffany's Bar

At Bar della Rotonda

AN AMERICAN ICON CONQUERS ITALY / UN'ICONA AMERICANA CONQUISTA L'ITALIA

Up until recently bagels were relatively unknown in Italy.   When I lived in New York, almost everyday after work, I used to stop by a delicatessen on Fordham Road in the Bronx and get a fabulous bagel and cream cheese. I am a bagel addict so I really miss them.  A few years ago Dunkin' Donuts opened in Rome but, much to mine and my daughter's disappointment, closed down after about a year or so. Now it seems that bagels are becoming popular in Italy . They can be found in Milan:  The Bagel Factory;   Bologna: Zoo;  and Rome: Haus Garten.  The best ones however, are the homemade ones.  Here is how to make them.

Finalmente i Bagels invadono l'Italia. Quando abitavo a New York li compravo praticamente ogni giorno in una delicatessen nel Bronx. Alcuni anni fa Dunkin' Donuts, dove si mangiano i migliori doughnuts e bagels, aveva aperto a Roma, ma chiuse praticamente subito. Che delusione per me e mia figlia. Adesso invece i bagels si possono trovare a Milano dalla Bagel Factory, a Bologna allo Zoo, e a Roma a Haus Garten. Comunque i migliori sono quelli fatti in casa.  Ecco come:

Ingredienti:  500 g. di farina, 1 cucchiaino di lievito in polvere,  circa 260 ml. di acqua tiepida, 1 cucchiaio di melassa.

Mescolate la farina, lievito e acqua. Fate lievitare a temperatura ambiente per almeno un'ora. Formate delle ciambelle e fate riposare per 20 minuti. Nel frattempo bollite dell'acqua in una pentola grande, aggiungete la melassa. Fate bollire i bagels per 1 minuto circa per lato. Disponeteli sulla teglia con carta da forno e infornate a 220 gradi. Cuocete per 10 minuti, abbassate la fiamma a 180 gradi e cuocete per altri 20 minuti.

Freddie of Pinewood and Pretty Parcel

It's been raining for the last week but today the sun came out and it feels as if summer has come back .... if it werent't for the cold gales. The wind is blowing like there's no tomorrow, at about 40 kms. an hour. I was going shopping with my trolley and when I let it go for just a second, the wind blew it away, I had to run after it. 

Anyway, it was warm enough to wear summer clothes so I took the chance. In between photoshoots of course I wore my woolie hoodie.

The yellow saddle top is by Freddies of Pinewood, the color is beautiful and it suits me just right. I love this online shop, I have tops and jeans by them.

The cute fast food skirt is by Pretty Parcel of Australia. It's the perfect skirt for foodies.

Get slim with FeelinGirl

Summer is almost over and if you put on some weight by all the parties, happy hours and just lazily lying around the beach the whole day long, then I have the solution. You can visit the online shop FeelinGirl , offering all kinds of shape wear, and choose a shape wear  that is suitable for you. They have so many products that you will be lost for choice. The wide variety of shape wear they offer will make it difficult for you to choose an item. In fact I am sure you will want to try out one, two or maybe more of their items. They have gorgeous fitness leggings, sport bras, shorts, yoga pants, high waist butt enhancer, thigh and arm trimmers, and many other useful items to help you achieve your perfect fit. By the way, they even sell men's items. I suggest you visit FeelinGirl online shop as soon as possible to take advantage of their discounts. They are offering 50%, 60% and 70% discount on various items. 

What attracted me the most were the waist cinchers. They can be used not only for workouts but even on an evening out, when you want to look your best.

Waist cinchers are normally made from a latex material which increases thermal activity in the body, thus producing sweat. A cincher tightens and compresses the midsection of the wearer and during a heavy workout sweat will accumulate on the targeted area and cause weight loss. Here you can find  some examples of  

cheap waist cincher from feelingirl

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Dopo le grandi abbuffate, aperitivi, pizze e gelati dell'estate, adesso è tempo per pensare a perdere quei chili in più. Come fare? Iscrivetevi in palestra e usate le cinture dimagranti, chiamate anche corsetti. Basta metterle intorno alla vita e cominciare un tenace allenamento, dovete sudare! Più l'allenamento è forte, più suderete e più peso perderete. Attenzione però, non aspettatevi miracoli. Dovete stare attente anche alla dieta, una dieta bilanciata insieme alle cinture dimagranti vi aiuterà a perdere il peso che volete. Non solo a perdere il peso, ma anche a farvi sentire sexy ed avere un fisico tonico. L'ideale sarebbe ottenerlo con la dieta e un programma personalizzato in palestra. In mancanza di ciò, indossate un bel corsetto stringivita ... ma mi raccomando, toglietelo prima di andare a dormire.

Ecco alcuni dei loro prodotti. Sono ben forniti e spediscono in ogni parte del mondo. 

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Corset Trimmer Belt Body Shaper Zipper

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FeelinGirl 4 Bone High Power Embossing Waist Shaper

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FeelinGirl Neoprene Blue Control Body Shapewear Side Zipper Vest

FeelinGirl  Women's Sports Bras With Removable Padded High Impact Support