November 13

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It snowed, the morning of the 13th.

Then it snowed harder.

(I never noticed the neighbor getting out of the car, when I was taking the video....)



Walking, later.

My stalwart rose.  Blooming twice yearly, with no care at all.  Even after it's been days since temps were above the mid-30s (F).  Even after it's snowed.....

The last flower for 2014.

The penultimate rose.  I'm not usually fond of the "dead flower" sort of image, but I like the colors and shapes here....

Maple.

The evening of the 13th, my daughter and I went to a tasting of the Italian art of pasta.  This image is the ceiling and the lights (including strings of lights draped on the wall).

I am pretty pleased with this next one, when it's large.  I don't think it shows up, here, as well as I wish it did.  This is the room, set up for the tasting, with white tablecloths and napkins, and eager tasters waiting. 

Here's a closer crop.

I used the "cut out" filter, which I always think I should like more than I hardly ever do.  In this case I like the way it abstracted the faces, making them more anonymous, and I like the few colors it chose, which I also hardly ever do.

Enough about pics; back to the tasting!

We were all there to listen to Gianluigi Peduzzi of Rustichella d'Abruzzo and Rolando Beramundi of Manicaretti Italian Food Importers talk about pasta.

Gianluigi's father was instrumental in starting Rustichella ("Roos tee CHELLLa") in 1924.  This image shows Rolando talking to us, in front of a slide telling us the three most important things about traditional Italian pasta -- it's made from the best semolina, it is extruded through bronze dies, and it dries slowly at a low temperature.

In addition to learning a lot about pasta -- how different kinds of pasta are made, where different shapes may be made, what their names mean, what is traditionally served with different shapes -- we also learned a bit about Italian history, a bit about Italian pasta traditions (finish pasta in the sauce, then bring the pan to the table, rather than ever serving pasta that has grown cold, and do not break the spaghetti by mashing it down into the water as it begins to cook...), a bit about how to pronounce Italian words (a doubled consonant is pronounced -- do not rush over the Ts in spaghetti, but, rather, linger a moment:  "spa GET ti."  You don't say the T twice, but you give it ... presence.  :-)  )

And, of course, we tasted.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  It never occurred to me to take pics of the pasta.  I guess I was too eager to taste.

Luckily, EJ Olsen, who documents goings-on at Zingerman's, did a much better job than I at recording the food.  I hope you'll click through to see EJ's behind-the-scenes pics in the kitchen, as well as the pasta.

It was all delicious.  If you made me choose, I think maybe the linguine and the orecchiette were my favorites.  Mmmmmmm.  I love pasta..........

A very enjoyable and instructional evening.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.



In case you are wondering, my better half was off at a bridge tournament, where he and his team covered themselves in glory.  Another excellent way to spend an evening!

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