Frances Mayes's Journal Travel, Food, Books, People

We’re planning a bonfire this weekend, with a burning of Old Man Winter. This cold has gone on too long but, at last, there’s a bit of balm in the air. The garden is brightening every day and bunches of daffodils grace every room in my house. Tromboni they’re called in Italian, and so I listen [...]

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I always have loved Florida. Not THAT Florida, but the inner , exotic one I’ve discovered over many years. Now, we are back home in North Carolina, where this morning it is an astonishing 14 degrees. Ugly!! But I’ve escape dfor twelve days of blissful sun, turquoise water, palms, and fascinating places–all without a drop of [...]

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If you live nearby, please come say hello at the Goodwood Museum on 2 February and 10:30. I’m speaking there, and the talk is followed by a discussion on farm-to-table. I’m interested to learn about the whole food scene in that area. If it’s like the rest of the South, there’s a fine revolution in [...]

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Over twenty years of living in Italy certainly influence my reactions to American discussion–and fear–of health care reform. “Socialist!” one friend insists. “Doesn’t go far enough!” another maintains. “My payments are going up!” (Haven’t they gone up every year of your life?) “I’m paying for illegals and people who don’t work.” On and on. People became [...]

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Not sure why but I hadn’t made gnocchi di semolina in a long, long time. I served it for a primo  on Christmas night. Just for the luxury, I served the golden discs on either side of a ramekin of garlic flan. Semolina is simply hard wheat flour and I prefer a medium-coarse grind, though [...]

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