Summer trends 2011

I made a scarpbook of this summer’s trends.

Here are the pictures-I hope you’ll like them!

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“Pink is the new black”

Is the title I would give to these pictures.

This summer a lot of magazines published shots with models wearing only pink clothes.

As you can see, all the models here look like Barbie!

The are no women with dark hair.

This might probably means that pink  suits especially blondes.

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Summer = Swimsuits, of course.

And the best swimsuits this summer were the colored ones- from bright yellow to range or green.

Also the accessories and the trimmings had to stand out.

Even though not too many accessories should be worn on the beach, and the few you do wear (eg. Sun glasses, watches and nail polish) should be fluorescent.

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According to the “mood” of the above picture, in the city the “in” colors were bright also- from a yellow that becomes light green to a different nuance of purple. And, why not mix different colors in one outfit, like Jim Sandler did?

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A “must have” of this summer was the jumpsuit or/and a very long skirt.

A long skirt is actually very nice when you are visiting a new city, to feel in a “touristic mood”.

And a jumpsuit by night is very elegant if worn with very high heels or jeweled sandals. Don’t ever forget a belt around your waist for your jumpsuit, to empathize the length of your legs!

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As we saw in spring, also in summer the floral prints are everywhere.

If you wear flowers in your hair it will give you a hippie look but also a very romantic look.

Mu suggestion to young people is to wear either a short dress or a very long one with flower prints.

Never a medium length one or you will look like your grandama!

PART 1 OF 2

150th Anniversary of the Birth of the Republic of Italy

Here is a new post published and written by the famous Italian blog Tracce Di Cibo. Enjoy!

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of birth of the Republic of Italy, I thought that the best dish to represent this great moment would be the “Insalata Caprese”.

Let’s look back at some history first. As with all the best inventions, especially the culinary ones like Pasta and Pizza, the Insalata Caprese has undefined origins. Some people say that it was invented by a very patriotic and bon-vivant bricklayer who wanted to put the three colors of the Italian flag all together in one delicious sandwich.

The first historical mention was in the 1920s when the Insalata Caprese appears in a menu of a futuristic dinner at the Quisisana Hotel in Capri.  It was here, in the summer of 1924, that Filippo Tommaso Marinetti , founder of the futurism, couldn’t stand the traditional Italian pasta anymore because it was too “heavy”… I wonder did Marinetti & Co.  know that the Insalata Caprese isn’t as light as it seems…

Also decades later, in the 1950s, the gossip columns of the time reported that King Farouk, at his request for something light but different, to satisfy his afternoon peckishness, was served a mouth-watering sandwich with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.


But where does the Italian flag (the tricolor flag that represents all of us and that has the same colours as the Insalata Caprese) come from? …I found out!….

The Italian flag was created before the birth of the Italian Republic. In fact it was created in 1794 when two Italian students, Giovanni Battista De Rolandis and Liugi Zamboni, tried to rebel against the absolute power that was controlling their city for over 200 years.

The choice of the three colours is connected to the symbol of the three theological virtues: green for hope, white for faith and red for charity. These symbolic and patriotic colours are mentioned more than once in famous literary works - the most famous and prestigious of these being Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” ;in which he describes a scene with these three colors in it. (“così dentro una nuvola di fiori che da le mani angeliche saliva e ricadeva in giù dentro e di fori, sovra candido vel cinta d’uliva donna m’apparve, sotto verde manto vestita di color di fiamma viva.” - Purgatorio, canto XXX, versi 28/33).

The Insalata Caprese is also a map of the territory and culture of Italian cookery, because it contains some of the most symbolic products:

Tomato - vegetable which you can find in half the country in all its varieties: San Marzano, Sardo, Pachino..it’s the main ingredient in sauces and toppings for Pasta and Pizza, which are another symbol of Italy.

Mozzarella: the greatest and most popular Italian cheese! It’s made all over the country but the best ones are the Bufala from Campania and the Burrata from Puglia.

Basil: typical herb from Liguria which unfailingly reminds us of the Pesto sauce.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Last but not least the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which the Mediterranean diet can’t do without, has a historical past that is famous all over the world.

And so here is the delicious Italian Insalata Caprese recipe, which in its great simplicity and sophistication represents the perfection of the Italian soul which may be sometimes a little too overwhelming but is always full of good taste.

Ingredients

·         Tomatoes
·         Mozzarella
·         Basil
·         Extra Virgin Olive Oil
·         Dried oregano
·         Salt

Instructions

Wash and cut the tomatoes in thick slices.
Drip dry and cut the mozzarella cheese into slices or cubes.
Add some basil leaves (torn roughly by hand).
Add a tablespoon of oil, salt and oregano.

Beauty trends Spring 2011

Spring is near and so we have decided to post another article about fashion.



Pink and skin colours are still in vogue. Perfect for this season because the colours are bright but calming.



“Wild colours” is the key words for this season. Ethnic, wild animal prints and shiny colours are the main theme. No more black or dark blue. No more red or purple.  Green, orange metallic blue are “a must”.



To assert  this idea the brand Gucci created many outfits matching colours like orange-violet, green with gold. Solours are strong and shiny.



Because of this extravagance another new trend are the long flowing dresses. Many of them hide all the female shapes except for the neck. These dresses have a very low neckline to give the impression that the dress is falling on the body just to cover it.    It’s a very casual look.



Stripes are still on track. In spring striped look good on a t-shirt or on a bag. It’s not summer yet so no striped trousers or flats(shoes).



Brown is the colour of the autumn-winter that has passed. It gets darker in these days and it rains a  lot so colours like caramel, leather and especially Khaki are the best choice.



In the last fashion show all Burberry’s models had a biker look. A Burberry black leather jacket and a pair of black Chanel boots (left photo) are two MUST HAVES.  As you can see the photos, hair has to be either very cropped and short or long and messy. Never tied up, no accessories on hair. Hats are in.



“À la Garçonne” in another theme of this spring’s fashion. White and black are the colours you may choose and of course the style has to be masculine but sexy.



For those who didn’t like these last  two images (the garçonne and motobiker look) there is an array of grey outfits which are very pale colours almost like Greek goddesses  on earth. Lace skirts, pearls and discreet accessories create this look. The hair is important. To not look  like a princess but to look prettier but casual do not add any accessories on your hair but just leave it loose (but do comb it!)



To go to a night party for example, S. Valentine’s day red is the obvious choice.

Tiramisù recipe with Traces of Food

Hi there folks! We’ve got special news! We have started a collaboration with a culinary blog which is known in Italy as Tracce di Cibo (Traces of Food). We copied the tiramisu recipe which is published here and we have translated it into English for you. We will publish more recipes from the blog from time to time. Enjoy it and as we say in Italy BUON APPETITO.

This cake was first prepared in honour of the Granduke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de' Medici who one day decided to visit Siena (Tuscany). The chefs wanted to represent the carateristics of this noble man in a cake. It had to be “important” but also had to have basic but tasty ingredients. Cosimo really liked this recipe and brought it back to his court. It is known that his courters used to think that this cake had aphrodisiac properties, whence the allusive name “Tiramisù” (Lift-me-up). Ingredients for 12-14 people:

• Mascarpone cheese 700gr
• Eggs 6
• Sugar 6+1 tablespoons
• Brandy 6 tablespoons
• Instant coffee 2 heaped tablespoons (Black label Nescafé)
• Savoiardi biscuits 600gr (dried ones, not soft!)
• Dark cocoa powder

I start by preparing the coffee so that it will have time to cool. Instead of bothering to use Italian coffee pots I make coffee by putting the instant coffee powder in a container, adding water to make half a litre of coffee. I put the paint in the microwave oven for a couple of minutes so that the water gets hotter and the coffee dissolves. I then add a tablespoon of sugar and four spoons of brandy. I break the eggs and separate the white from the yolk. I beat the egg whites until they are quite stiff, and put aside. Beat the yolks sugar and two tablespoons of brandy with an electric beater until they are soft and light coloured. At this point ,I begin to add the mascarpone cheese, one tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat at full speed with the electric beater. When all the mascarpone cheese has been added in and the mixture has become creamy, I add in the egg white using a spatula or a wooden spoon mixing it always in the same direction from bottom to top, so as not to ruin the egg white. When the egg mixture is ready I take the aluminum container for the cake. I dip the savoiardi biscuits, one by one, in the coffee very quickly so that they don’t get soggy. Cover the base of the container with a layer of savoiardi biscuits and sprinkle with finely sieved cocoa powder. I pour half of the egg mixture over the savoiardi biscuits and spread it evenly. Repeat the procedure, this time I putting the cream first and then, the cocoa powder. The Tiramisù should be kept in the fridge for at least 3 hours. To ensure that the ingredients are well amalgamated I often prepare it the day before.

What is Mascarpone cheese? Mascarpone is a triple-creme cheese, made from a generally low-fat (25%) content fresh cream. It's made from the milk of cows that have been fed special grasses filled with fresh herbs and flowers – a special diet that creates a unique taste often described as "fresh and delicious."
What are Savoiardi biscuits? Ladyfingers -- known in Italy as "savoiardi" -- are sweet, little, fairly dry, finger-shaped sponge cakes. The Epicurious OnLine Dictionary describes a "ladyfinger" as a "light, delicate sponge cake roughly shaped like a rather large, fat finger. It's used as an accompaniment to ice cream, puddings and other desserts. Ladyfingers are also employed as an integral part of some desserts, including Charlottes. Ladyfingers can be made at home or purchased in bakeries or supermarkets."