Visiting with friends

June 23

It's not the precious hand woven linen towel offered to freshen up with before lunch...

...nor the homemade fried eggplant sauce garnished with slivers of ricotta nor the family's own champagne,

but the reunion around the table with dear friends catching up on the lastest news and sharing once again flashes of each other's lives.

La Tagliata with Arugula salad

June 24 This tender meat was delicious and I can't wait to try it on the grill outside or inside in a very hot skillet. You'll need:
2lbs beef tenderloin, sliced about 1/4" think

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2T each finely chopped rosemary and mint

1 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil

2T lemon juice

1T balsamic vinegar from Modena

6C arugula

1/4C parsley leaves

2 plum tomatoes, wedged

1 thinly sliced stalk celery heart with leaves

Season beef with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rosemary and mint and pour on 1C olive oil. Refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 24hours).

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and slowly drizzle in remaining oil. Just before serving, combine the arugula, parsley, tomatoes and celery in a bowl; toss with the lemon dressing.

Grill the beef, basting it with its marinade, for 2 minutes, turning once. Place a mound of arugula salad on each of 4 plates. Surround with the very tender grilled beef and serve immediately.

The attention to the flavors, perfume and even color made this an elegant meal, but the best part was the coffee prepared and served by 11 year old, Matilde, a former student.

Pasta and Creamed Salmon

Ahh...it's good to be back in Verona, especially because the days are sunny and slightly breezy. Andrea's immediate request was for this summer dish...one we discovered from a friend last year. I was more than happy to offer this as our first meal together. Make the sauce to your desired thickness, by heating up and mixing some creamed cheese, milk and adding pieces of smoked salmon. Serve over pasta cooked in lightly salted water. I like the little bows, but it can be any kind of ribbed pasta that holds the sauce. This recipe can be varied by first sauteeing a bit of finely chopped red onion and crushed garlic in a T of olive oil and garnishing with capers or black olives, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or rosemary depending on your favourite flavors.