April on the Amalfi Coast

"You may have the universe if I may have Italy."  -- Giuseppe Verdi

TRAVEL

A fun way to travel in Italy is by staying at an Agriturismo.   According to Wikipedia, "Agritourism or agrotourism, as it is defined most broadly, involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch."  One of our favorites is Agriturismo S. Alfonso in Furore, near Positano. ​

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FOOD

Our pick of the month?Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking," considered among many to be the culinary bible of Italian cooking.  
​Additionally, we are excited for the release of the Silver Spoon's new cookbook, "Naples and the Amalfi Coast," on April 17, 2017.  We will be sure to comment once we have a copy in hand.

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ALL THINGS LEMON

Lemon trees are in abundance on the Amalfi Coast.  Indeed, lemons are celebrated and enjoyed in nearly every way imaginable.  Liquor, ceramics, and soap are among the most popular.   We love making this easy but delicious recipe for limoncello to remind us of Positano.  

10 large lemons
1 bottle vodka (750 ml)
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Peel the lemons in long strips with a vegetable peeler and place the peels in a bowl (be sure to remove the pith). Pour the vodka over the peels, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 4 days.

After 4 days, stir the sugar and water over heat until the sugar dissolves.  Cool.

Combine the sugar-water and lemon-vodka mixtures. Cover. Let sit for 1 day.

Strain the limoncello through a sieve, discard the peel, and pour the liquid into a air-tight jar for storage.  Chill for at least 4 hours.
Store in freezer or fridge until ready to drink.  Yum!

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BOOKS

Despite that, "In Other Words," by Pulitzer prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri takes place mostly in Rome, it's our pick for April on the Amalfi Coast as it transports the reader to Italy and the complexity of speaking Italian vicariously through Lahiri's experience.  But, "In Other Words," is far more than a book about speaking Italian.  A review in The Washington Post, states:  “"In Other Words” is the most evocative, unpretentious, astute account of a writing life I have read. In part, this is because Lahiri so unabashedly asks and answers big and vexing questions: “Why do I write? To investigate the mystery of existence. To tolerate myself. To get closer to everything that is outside of me.”"   In our opinion, it's impossible to read this book without learning about oneself. Enjoy!

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"For us to go to Italy and to penetrate into Italy is like a most fascinating act of self-discovery."  
​-- DH Lawrence