Italian organic lemon marmalade!!!!!!

This was the plan B. First plan was to make Lemon-cello but we never got around to it so we decided on marmalade for these beautiful lemons from my hosts friends tree!!!!!!! Here we go, its simple.

Note: Do all this while the lemons are hot to help with the canning/jarring

 Boil the lemons in a pot with water, duh!!!!!!!!!  Changing the water as you see some scum bubbles rise to the top(if there is no scum, don't change the water). Once the scum subsides stop changing the water. When the lemons get soft/spongy, you can stop the boil.  Remove the lemons from the water(keep the water for later) and blend them to the consistency you prefer. Chop up the rinds if needed. Add sugar to taste and stir.  Then add some of the lemon water and stir to get the consistency you like . While the lemons marmalade is hot, place in jars and tighten the tops. Then place them up side down on the counter so they could cool and create a vacuum. It helps if the jar are warmed up too.    

Boil organic lemons

Marco Leopardi the Documentary film maker hard at work!!! Do you see his concentration!
 Check it out his work, films that is!!!!
www.terra.tv.it

Blending the lemons

Chop up the rinds if needed

Add sugar to taste,add water

Stir baby stir!!!!!!!! (what a quick stir)


Try it out and let me know how you like it. They use it on bread, also used on something like Melba toast.

Ballaro Market, Palermo Sicily, Food, food and more food

Oldest market in Sicily, Ballaro Market

I've seen this on TV but never experienced it. It felt like I was in the tv clip. People singing there sales pitch on there produce like the three tenors singing the opera! Fish flying through the air to customers. Vendors trying to lure you to there booths, giving ladies strawberry's (he gave me one also) with whipped cream to coax them to buy there produce and all done with passion and belief that there produce is the best, There were many scents in the air like, espresso, fried artichokes, fresh seafood (i did try the baby anchovies). All in all it was what I expected, what my thoughts had conjured up before this day. I have played this in my daydreams many times. Now its a memory I will cherish. 

So, on to my next memory making adventure.............enjoy the pics!

Master with the knife

Fresh Marlin

Seafood salad

Muscles muscles muscles galore!!!!!!!!

Cheese up the wazooo!

Clams still in sea water

My snack was fried artichoke

These were live octopus

Cooked seafood right in the market

Nice garlic stacks

Who likes Fennel? I do

Hope you liked the show.............................. See you in the next post

Ciao Ciao

Mal

Arucola salad. A quick plug for My favorite salad here!

Ingredients: arucola, fennel, tomato, blood orange, lemon(you could use vinegar if you want), salt, evo oil

60 hours in Florence, Train, food, drink and sites! Part I , Arrival!

Ahhhhhh . They call this the fast train and I agree. 260 kph! From Rome to Florence in 1.5 hours!!!! Comfortable seats, WIFI and refreshments. What more can you ask for. The train arrives pretty close to the center of Florence so there was only a short walk to my B&B.

As I walk to my B&B these are my first sites of Florence. 

PIAZZA SANTA MARIA NOVELLA

Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

Sun clock on the front facade of the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

Piazza Del Duomo

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Duomo,_Florence

Below are just some photo of the piazza which i will get into on my next post and yes, they are as amazing as the pictures look!!!!! 

 The B&B happens to be right next to the Duomo!!!!!

I negotiated this down to 45.00 a night in the center of Florence. You gotta ask for a lower price!!!!! The bed looks nice but needs a new mattress!!!!!!!!

Here are some few more pictures as I walk the town this evening.

This picture is from my room!!!!!!!!

Duomo, This building is enormous and was built around five hundred years ago above some Roman ruins which I will go into later.

Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower)

My mug blocking the view!!!!

I'm heading out to eat. Its really late and not much is opened but I found of all thing a chinese restaurant/takeout place. I did meet some locals there and was recommended a restaurant(husband knows the chef) which I will visit in the next two days.

BTW. the chinese food was not that good. Blah! I miss Chinatown, Boston!!!!

Heading back to he B&B and see you in the morning!!!!!

Till the next thought............................
Ciao Ciao
Malcolm