The Cavolata casserole
The name of this recipe is my husband’s idea. A ‘cavolata’ in Italian is a concept that applies to plenty of situations, but mainly refers to a gross mistake that doesn’t necessarily have very serious consequences, but nonetheless exposes you … Continue reading The Cavolata casserole
Lo Sportivo da Divano – Il Tour de Ski più bello rischia di prendere una brutta piega
Per chi segue lo sci di fondo, Natale e Capodanno portano sempre un regalo speciale: il Tour de Ski, gara a tappe copiata al mondo delle due ruote strette dal circo bianco delle nevi piane e battute. Esattamente come i … Continue reading Lo Sportivo da Divano – Il Tour de Ski più bello rischia di prendere una brutta piega
Moderation is bullshit
We all hear so much about moderation. Moderation is portrayed as a virtue. Moderation is necessary for all things. Moderation is the aurea mediocritas or even a goal to strive towards. Bullshit. I’ve never seen anything worth doing that was … Continue reading Moderation is bullshit
Lo Sportivo Da Divano – Tutto un altro paio di…guanti
Questi primi giorni di freddo vi hanno sicuramente lasciato almeno una volta con le dita congelate. Non intendo infreddolite, ma veramente congelate, roba da “vi prego, tagliatemele”, cosa che personalmente mi riporta sempre alla memoria le battaglie a palle di … Continue reading Lo Sportivo Da Divano – Tutto un altro paio di…guanti
Last-minute ideas for dinner on New Year’s Eve!
Ideally we would always be ready and all of our plans would work out smoothly and we would be wonderful hosts (or guests!). In real life, sometimes we have to come up with quick and easy fixes, which is also … Continue reading Last-minute ideas for dinner on New Year’s Eve!
Lo Sportivo Da Divano – Who the F**k is Petter Northug? Simple answer: the best
Petter Northug jr. ha appeso gli sci al chiodo. Alla veneranda età di 32 anni se ne è andato in pensione. Lo sci di fondo ad alto livello non fa più per lui e dopo una vita a pane e … Continue reading Lo Sportivo Da Divano – Who the F**k is Petter Northug? Simple answer: the best
Strasbourg lock-down
Francesco and I are back in Brussels. We were both in Strasbourg this week and as usual we had rented a place out of the city centre – because it’s easier to go running from there and because we like … Continue reading Strasbourg lock-down
Language-adding test: real life experiences
I’ve given you the facts. But what about the real thing? What is it like, to sit a language-adding test? Between the two of us, we’ve taken 4, over a period of little more than 3 years. We’ve added Swedish and Danish, Slovak and an English retour. I had only met my now-husband once, when he took his test for Swedish (and I had already fallen head over heels for him… just as an aside), so I wasn’t present, but I really like the story he told me about it. One of the hardest things to decide is the timing. How … Continue reading Language-adding test: real life experiences
Language-adding test: what is it?
Language-adding tests? What strange beasts are they? Maybe you have wondered what happens once you have successfully sat your accreditation test. Well, first of all – you celebrate. I remember vividly the high I was on for more than a … Continue reading Language-adding test: what is it?
Fancy (a) pita
There are days when you still want a real meal – no sandwich, no scrambled eggs – but maybe not a full four-course meal, or maybe just something a little different. Have you ever tried halloumi cheese? I first had halloumi at a Lebanese restaurant in London and loved it. Then I ordered it again in Geneva. And in Brussels. And then I asked myself: “What if they sold it in shops and I could make it at home?”. It turns out they do sell it at supermarkets or just even corner shops. Halloumi is a sheep and goat cheese … Continue reading Fancy (a) pita
