Far too late!
I should be in bed, but I’ve been exchanging emails with an American web entrepreneur who is coming over to Milan shortly, and thinking about how I’m going to have a go at helping out an interesting German sculptor, one Jochen Kitzbihler, who is a friend of Gianpietro Carlesso’s, incidentally.
Very interesting times. Life sure is moving me in some fascinating directions at the moment!
Still busyish, but managed to find the time to brunch
Well, I managed to pay my taxes. The on-line system finally got itself together and let me make my advance donation to the Italian government. At least I won’t have to pay any fine. Now all I need is for someone to get round to paying me. Oh well, such is self-employed life.
At least last weekend I managed to get (lots of ‘gets’ in this post…) on down to the 442 for a full English brunch last Saturday, and it was good. I really had forgotten just how much I missed this tasty plate of unhealthy goodness.
On Sunday we went out with a group of our son’s school friends’ parents, and assorted kids for, wait for it. Yep, another ‘brunch’, except this time the brunch in question was nothing like the English breakfast, nor was it one of these imitation American brunches either. It was more like a buffet, in fact it was a buffet. Although only a brunch by name, it was not at all bad, but at €22 a head for growed-ups and €12 per little one, it was not exactly cheap.
The venue was the UTZ (info in Italian) restaurant in Via Solferino, which is slap bang in the middle of the posh, and pricey, part of Milan. Despite the highish price, I’d still recommend checking out this brunchy sort of meal. The buffet was excellent, and worthy of particular note was the asparagus mousse I tried, which was delicious. The best, as they say, was yet to come, for there was also a dessert buffet, and boy was it good. About ten different puddings to tuck into, and this being a buffet, it was OK to go for seconds, which I did. Diet on hold. Well, it was the weekend.
If you do decide to wander on over there, then try to book a table downstairs. This area is very attractive, it being a converted cellar, and you will be a couple of steps away from the buffets. This means that you can stuff yourself to your heart’s content. Oh, and there is also an area where you can leave the little ones, who will be looked after and kept occupied, thus enabling mum and dad to have a moment’s peace. In all, not a bad place.
Other things to report? Not really, apart from the continuing sausage saga. I now appear to have a regular Wednesday afternoon appointment to supervise sausage production, although I don’t really think I need to be there. However, I have noticed that the, very nice, chap who has been assigned to banger making has a tendency to make the said sausages a little bit on the long side, so my presence is required to curb his enthusiasm. I think he thinks he’s making Italian bangers, which are a little longer than the British variety. I dare say I shall manage to overcome this slight hiccup.
And guess what everyone is going to get for Christmas from me? Yep, that’s right, a kilo or so of finest English-style bangers! Although the portions of sausages will be presented in a festive fashion - read mini-hamper. Can’t wait to see the reactions.
Sausages!
Above there is a picture of the sausages that participated in the official sausage tasting at the 442 last night. The general consensus of opinion was that they weren’t half bad. This reaction supplied me with a certain amount of sausage satisfaction, I have to say.
The English/Irish/American contingent, represented by Chris, Alison, Gordon and another Chris gave the sausages their collective thumbs up. As did, more importantly for me, the Italian sausage samplers. Alessandro, the guy who runs the 442 was happy too, and wants to sort out a regular supply of the these succulent sizzlers.
And me? Well, I have to say that the flavour was excellent, although there were a few teething troubles - many of the bangers burst, which was possibly down to the cooking method or time, and maybe the casings. I shall check this out with my sausage expert, and make sure that the next batch cooks better.
Guess what I had for lunch today? Yep, bangers, with Italian mash aka purè. Not at all bad. Now, all I need is some nice baked beans and I will be a happy bunny.
Oh, and a big thanks to all those who turned out to sample the subject sausages, and to those adventurous Italian patrons of the 442 who tasted a few of these titillating tubes of delight.
If you are an ex-pat Brit who loves the Living Museum, but longs for the good old British banger, then I believe that English style sausages will soon be on general release. Well, that’s the idea anyway.
Watch this space for more spicy sausage related stories.
Ah, home sweet home
Blog from Italy’s new home has been discovered. Only the intrepid explorers are not sausage hunters or those interested in reading about things Italian. Nope, they are my old friends the spammers. The spammer who labels comments with odd names of Greek origin is back to challenge the spam system, and a certain Daniel has joined the spam team, and he seems to have an interesting bot that can collect parts of my posts, and, almost, fool me into thinking the comments are legitimate. Then there is the spammer who was looking for places in New York that sell car tyres, or should that be ‘tires’. Heaven knows what that particular individual was trying to achieve sending spam to a site in and about Italy. And yet another spammer seems to be coming from a site about the American elections.
I suppose spam bots are not that intelligent, with the possible exception of Daniel’s who seem to be able to ‘read’. Well, that’s spammers for you - not particularly worthwhile people who make money out of annoying others. Oh well, such is life.
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