2015/03/06
Making wine at school is fun!
Making wine at school is fun! (Enhanced) from nichita on Vimeo.
Making wine can be both fun and rewarding. In most areas, it is legal to make as long as you don't sell it. The girls from our team wanted to make white wine. So, Ana-Maria, Andreea and Christina worked a lot...Mihai and Alex helped them a lot. We have learned that the basic concept behind winemaking is very simple, but the process can vary greatly depending on who makes the wine and what techniques they prefer to use. White wine can be made with either white or red grapes. The major difference between white and red wine is that white wines are fermented without the grape skins. First the grapes are pressed off the skins and the sweet grape juice is collected in vats to be fermented into wine.
Our girls red a guide
to see how the white wine is made (http://www.morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wwhiw.pdf)
and tell to therest of team what did they understood from thi sreading.
Making wine is actually
pretty idiot proof, with the right stuff, equipment, and sanitizing again and
again.
2015/03/05
2015/03/02
2015/03/01
2015/02/27
Our guide to EXPO 2015 (I)
Day 1
Biodiversity Park
We need a day for...1000 plants, crops, orchards, gardens, installations, digital interaction, applications, games, performances; this theme unfolds 8,000 square meters of parkland and eight large greenhouses. Making food available for all without compromising the overall health of the ecosystem is an attainable goal. We will try to give answers to fondamental question: what kind of future do we want? We will have in this sections some guidance all the time, because it is very important that we learn something from this visit. Maybe, some meeting with the researchers who contribute to organise this area.
We need a day for...1000 plants, crops, orchards, gardens, installations, digital interaction, applications, games, performances; this theme unfolds 8,000 square meters of parkland and eight large greenhouses. Making food available for all without compromising the overall health of the ecosystem is an attainable goal. We will try to give answers to fondamental question: what kind of future do we want? We will have in this sections some guidance all the time, because it is very important that we learn something from this visit. Maybe, some meeting with the researchers who contribute to organise this area.
Day 2
Arts & Foods.
Rituals since 1851 We will have the opportunity to see works of art, drawings and architectural models, films, objects, documents, books, menus, and album covers , in the interior and exterior spaces of the Triennale (about 7,000 square meters, comprising building and garden); this global panorama of the interwoven aesthetics and design of eating rituals that uses a variety of media to offer a view across time, from the historical to the contemporary, of all levels of expression, creativity and communication from all areas of culture will offer us th eopportunity to learn more than in our lives about art. So, it would be better to take part to the work shops organised in this areas, or to meet various artists who did create special bond between the visual arts and the topic of food and of eating together in positive terms, both to reveal rituals and specificity, and to emphasize any idiosyncrasies or problematic areas.Arts & Foods will be organized in chronological order, starting from 1851 up to current times, interweaving testimonies of artists, writers, filmmakers, graphic designers, musicians, photographers, architects and designers. They will range from Impressionism and Pointillism to historic Avant-Garde movements, from Pop Art to the most recent findings, all contributing to how we envision and consume food.
Rituals since 1851 We will have the opportunity to see works of art, drawings and architectural models, films, objects, documents, books, menus, and album covers , in the interior and exterior spaces of the Triennale (about 7,000 square meters, comprising building and garden); this global panorama of the interwoven aesthetics and design of eating rituals that uses a variety of media to offer a view across time, from the historical to the contemporary, of all levels of expression, creativity and communication from all areas of culture will offer us th eopportunity to learn more than in our lives about art. So, it would be better to take part to the work shops organised in this areas, or to meet various artists who did create special bond between the visual arts and the topic of food and of eating together in positive terms, both to reveal rituals and specificity, and to emphasize any idiosyncrasies or problematic areas.Arts & Foods will be organized in chronological order, starting from 1851 up to current times, interweaving testimonies of artists, writers, filmmakers, graphic designers, musicians, photographers, architects and designers. They will range from Impressionism and Pointillism to historic Avant-Garde movements, from Pop Art to the most recent findings, all contributing to how we envision and consume food.
Day 3
The last route for us: Future Food District (located on the south side of the Expo site where there is also the Open Air Theater and the walkway which connects with Cascina Merlata) with some possible scenarios for the application of new technologies at each step of the food chain, to explore different interactions between people and food.
This would be an interesting place for us, where new technologies and natural elements will co-exist and we will have an interactive supermarket experience where everyone can be a producer and consumer at the same time, with the help of professional chefs.
Of course, we would like to have our friends from SLOW FOOD team with us, all these days.
2015/02/22
2015/02/21
Chocolate's Festival in Partanna
The Spanish
invaded Sicily in the Middle Ages and brought cocoa beans from southern
America, and the the Aztecs’ recipe for making it into spectacular chocolate.
2015/02/16
2015/02/15
2015/02/14
2015/02/13
2015/02/10
Exhibition of recycled objects
Exhibition
of recycled objects, with prizes for the best works, at our school.
Here you
can see some photos about it.
One of
the most appreciated recycled objects was a small model of “M.Cipolla High School”,
completely realized with recycled paper.
To do it,
we followed these steps:
We teared
the paper into small pieces and put it a
a pot.
Then we
poured the water until it covered the paper.
We left
it there overnight so as to get the
right absorbtion.
We stirred
the soaked paper with a wooden spatula.
We drained most of the water.
After
that, we added the wheat flour.
We
stirred it more and more, until it
became a smooth dough.
Now,
using the paper dough, we started modelling the shape of our school.
We left
it under the sun .
Once it was completely dried, we painted it!
2015/02/08
2015/02/07
Stop waste!
Monitoring two weeks food waste in our class, we had these following results:
| Fruit | first week: 890g | second week: 390g |
| Vegetables | first week: 480g | second week: 160g |
| Dairy | first week: 350g | second week: 355g |
| Pasta/rice | first week: 440g | second week: 380g |
| Bread/pizza | first week: 190g | second week: 310 g |
| Meat/fish | first week: 280g | second week: 160g |
In the second week, as you can see, there are a reduction at: fruit, vegetables, pasta/rice, meat/fish.
Our plan:
Students and teachers will be involved in modeling healthful eation behaviours to others students.
Let kids preparing themselfs their lunch/snack.
Students groups will be involved in creations of artwork promoting food waste at school.
Composting waste for school garden.
Collaborating with local farmers on composting or food-scrap project;
Students and teachers will be involved in modeling healthful eation behaviours to others students.
Let kids preparing themselfs their lunch/snack.
Students groups will be involved in creations of artwork promoting food waste at school.
Composting waste for school garden.
Collaborating with local farmers on composting or food-scrap project;
Collecting excess wholesome food after mealtimes to donate to charitable organisations.
2015/02/06
2015/02/04
Old photos
Last
weekend I visited my grandfather. He had found some fascinating old photos that
I had not seen before.
I asked him
what it was like to be young after the Second World War, and he answered me
this way:
Grandad: We
were a bit short of money, so life was really hard.
Me: What
did you use to eat?
We used to
eat essential elements that included above all
vegetables and land products. Most foods were homemade and we also used to have
some animals in the courtyard, just like hens, geese, etc…. We only used to be
able to buy small amounts of some food.
Me: Were there any shops where you could buy it?
Grandad: Shops were very small and they only sold
necessary things. We didn’t use plastic bags but only straw baskets that were
filled with different things. From time to time, such sellers as milkmen, greengrocers
passed from house to house to sell their products and we lowered a bucket tied
onto a rope down from our windows or balconies and the sellers put inside it
what they had sold.
Me: How did
you get water in the olden days?
Grandad: There
was electricity in the houses but we had no running water, that had to be
fetched in buckets from an outside public fountain. Sometimes people dug wells
deep into the ground which accessed bore water.
Me:Were
houses confortable?
Grandad: We
had no facilities inside our houses. Many a time, they faced an inner
rectangular courtyard, onto which other houses faced . The closet was nothing
but a walled in door-less hole, in a corner of the courtyard, over a huge
septic tank; when it was full it had to be emptied by hand and you could use the
contents as fertilizer. There was no heating, thus we used to wear very heavy
clothes.
Me: Did you
go to school?
Grandad: Poverty was widespread, thus we were obliged
to go and work when we were very young. I only attended the elementary school.
I remember I had to wear an infantile smock like the rest of my classmates!
Me: What
did you use to do in your free time?
Grandad: We
danced all together in the courtyard. Of course, we didn’t use to have digital
music players….
Me: What do
you think about today’s life?
Grandad: Nowadays,
there are so many electronic gadgets, but I’m not sure that life is easier…
Me : What
do you mean by that? Do you think young people are much more spoilt than in the
past?
Grandad: Maybe,
sometimes…Now children have got so many toys, even electronic toys, while we
only had a doll or something like this. Many a time, we also built our toys by
ourselves!
Me: Didn’t
you use to have a scooter or a car?
Grandad: In
the countryside we used to ride a horse
or we used bikes, carts…
Some rich
families used to have a small car, but it was not usual .
Me: Oh, my
dear, I prefer living these days!
Grandad:Well,
I do not think so at all! These days the world is more polluted than in the
past because of consumerism…
Me: Then,
according to you, which solutions could we adopt to save energy or even go
without it?
Grandad:
Well, use
less, conserve more. Don’t waste make up, toilet paper, printer paper, etc just
to name a few. Maximize: Generally speaking,, get the most out of your
clothing, food, personal energy, resources, etc. Prioritize:
think about what really matters for you. Don’t waste your money and time! Keeping
in mind these principles of simple living will make you live in a better, less polluted world!
Source:
Laboratorio della Memoria: Montevago
2015/02/03
2015/02/02
Have a nice Sicilian meal!
Sicilian Spaghetti Sauce
(Ragu)
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon basil
- salt and pepper (optional)
Directions:
- Add the olive oil.
- chop cloves of garlic and add to the oil.
- sautee and add the onions until they are clear or translucent
- Try not to burn the garlic, as it will become bitter.
- Combine the meat and fry the meat, breaking it apart until it is browned and cooked.
- Add all to the sauce and continue to simmer for 40 minutes or more.
2015/02/01
2015/01/30
Sicilian limoncello
“Limoncello”
is usually served ice-cold after dinner.
Here is its
recipe!
-1 Liter of 90 proof alcohol (90 proof means the alcohol content is 45%, by volume)
-2 Liters of water
-900 Grams of sugar (4 1\2 cups)
-Peels of 6 lemons
1.Scrub and
dry lemons.
2. Use a very sharp peeler to remove the peel from the lemons. Avoid the
white pith – it will make the limoncello bitter. 3. Put the little peels in a wide mouth jar and pour over the alcohol. Close and leave to infuse in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks, shaking from time to time.
4. In a heavy bottom saucepan , mix the water and sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly while boiling until it turns clear. Let cool. In the meantime, filter out the lemon peels from the alcohol.
5.Add the simple sugar syrup to the alcohol and mix well.
6.Close with a lid and leave in a dark place for two weeks.
7.Filter
the Limoncello once more, and it is now ready to be served!
Old pictures
SOURCE: Laboratorio della Memoria-Montevago
https://www.facebook.com/groups/laboratoriodellamemoriamontevago2012/?fref=ts
2015/01/28
2015/01/27
2015/01/26
2015/01/22
TYPICAL FISH IN SICILY
The fish
market in Trapani
( Pescheria ), is a meeting-place where you can buy all kinds of fish and
sea-food.
Here are
the most common fish.
Swordfish
is greatly appreciated by local people and tourists.
Good
sword needs nothing but a simple olive
oil-based marinade. After that, you can put it on the grill for a time and
serve it with lemon, salt and herbs. You should taste it. It is delicious! .
Apart
from sword, you can also buy shrimps,
prawns, sardines , etc…
Here
is a way how to cook delicious prawns….
Spicy
Sicilian prawns:
Put
your prawns in a large bowl together with rosemary, garlic, orange zest,
peppers and oil. Let them marinate for at least 2 hours or over night.
You have to preheat your oven to 450 F/ 230 C degrees. After that, put your prawns on a baking pan evenly, sprinkle with salt. Bake prawns until pink, about 8 minutes. Squeeze the orange juice all over the hot prawns and serve immediately!
You have to preheat your oven to 450 F/ 230 C degrees. After that, put your prawns on a baking pan evenly, sprinkle with salt. Bake prawns until pink, about 8 minutes. Squeeze the orange juice all over the hot prawns and serve immediately!
You
can’t miss mussels. They are very tasty!
Here
is a simple recipe: Sicilian mussels with citrus tomatoes & chili.
Scrub
your mussels clean and remove the beards.
Throw
the tinned tomatoes into a food processor and process until pureed. Juice your
lemon. Finely chop the chilli and put all of them aside.
Heat
oil in a large heavy pot.
Finely chop your onion, garlic, and rosemary.
Throw the onion into the pot and let them cook
for a few minutes until they are soft.
Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the mussels, rosemary, honey, vinegar,
and white wine.
Cover and cook . When the mussels open remove
them from the pot and put them aside.
Add the 3/4
cup of white wine, the pureed tomatoes, orange juice, lemon juice, and chilli
to the pot. Cover and boil for five minutes.
Put the
mussels into the pot once again, season with the freshly ground pepper and
cover simmering for another minute.
Serve the mussels in deep bowls with the sauce poured over the top and
lashings of fresh coriander.
The
province of Trapani is full of old buildings,called
“tonnare” (tuna factories) .Nowadays they are abandoned. On the contrary, in
the past fishermen, after spending few days on the hunt, they went back home
ready to prepare tunas. Trapanians like to call tuna “the sea pig”. Why?
Because nothing of it is wasted !
As a matter of fact, you can eat the tuna fin, the
tuna head , the tuna heart and the liver, etc….. 
2015/01/20
I like pumpkin pie!
For the Romanian recipe, you grate the squash rather than puree it. Also, instead of the actual pumpkin, Romanians use butternut squash. It is sweeter and better suited for the pie. You can also make it with apples if you don't like pumpkin or if you want a different fruit. Enjoy! Ingredients: -2 butternut squashes, peeled, seeded and grated (use the large grating side) or 3 lbs apples, cored (peel on) and grated -1 Tbs cinnamon -1 cup sugar -2 tsp vanilla -1 cup vegetable oil -1 cup warm water -4 + cups flour -1 tsp salt -1/2 cup crushed pecans (optional) -powder sugar Directions: Mix grated squash (apples) with cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Set aside. Preheat oven at 350 F. Prepare the pastry by mixing oil, warm water, salt and flour (a little at a time) until you get a nice soft but not sticky dough. Spray cookie sheet with the baking PAM (the one that has flour in it). On a lightly floured surface spread the dough until nice and thin, but be careful not to break it. Gently place the dough on the prepared cookie sheet. Spread the squash mixture on top of dough. Sprinkle with crushed pecans, if desired. Gently roll the dough like a burrito. Poke it with a fork all over the top (this will help it cook evenly without the dough busting open). Brush a little oil on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool it a bit, dust it with some powder sugar and enjoy!
by Andreea
by Andreea
2015/01/19
THE TYPICAL ITALIAN BREAKFAST
The typical
Italian breakfast usually consists of a hot drink, just like “cappuccino” or
caffè, accompanied by something sweet to eat- cake, cookies, pastries, brioche,
croissants, or toast and jam.
SICILIAN ORANGE MARMALADE
-Ingredients:
1 kg of oranges
1,300 of
sugar
1 l of water
1 lemon
Wash and
cut the ends of the oranges. First cut
your oranges into quarters and then into thin strips. Put these strips in a liter of water and make them stand in water
for 12 hours. After that, put the
oranges with all the water and the juice of one lemon in a pot and turn on the
stove. Cooking takes about two hours and can be divided into three phases. In
the first phase, you have to cook the oranges until the water boils. Boiling
should last 30 minutes. In the second phase, you need to add sugar and start to
stir to melt completely. With the sugar the first boiling ends. In the third
phase, boil again everything and cook for about 1 hour until it has a consistency
similar to that of honey. When you finish cooking, put the jam in jars, then
cork and invert these jars to create the vacuum. After you have done all this,
your jam is ready to be enjoyed. PS:
During cooking, stir several times.
2015/01/18
2015/01/15
2015/01/12
2015/01/11
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