Answers to important research questions - "Bruschette, Bruschetti, Bruschetta?"

R -



 Back to Italian cooking as we do, given that Roberto has Italian roots.    Do you know that cooking and food are absolutely the main topic of conversation in Italy.  And yes, my questions re Bocconcini  and Bruschetta were considered carefully and responded to, with thought and understanding.  So thanks Bella, from http://www.timeintuscany.com/  for taking the time to do so.  As mentioned in previous blogs, we are fortunate to have spent time with Bella and Bello, terms of endearment,  roughly translated into 'lovely woman and lovely man,'  have enjoyed their wonderful hospitality and 'talking about and savouring fabulous food!'
Qu 2 - What is bocconcini - is it the same as mozzarella?

Bella's answer - Bocconcini is mozzarella in bite size pieces. Bocconcini means small mouth.

Qu 1 - Bruschette, Bruschetti, Bruschetta?
Bella's answer - Bruschette [not bruschetti] is plural for bruschetta. Hope this helps!

One more question please. Is crostini, singular or plural and is it essentially a small bruschetta?

Clara



Bello on the job

ps -  Did you know that Mr Google actually doesn't know everything!  Friends are better and much more fun.  But ............

Research today: - A Yr 7 assignment on health issues,  actually asked

for 2  'other' resources apart from the Internet.  Whoooh!  Big ask!!!   Like, perhaps, an old fashioned idea such as a book, or a newspaper article. 

A lucky solution was arrived at - "Look up the net to find newspaper articles."   Not bad, actually, since a quick perusal of the local paper didn't actually directly answer the assignment question, and newspaper articles are arranged re subjects and published date.  Wow!  But are our kids losing out by having so much information at their fingertips?

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

So pleased that the shuttles are flying again



So pleased that the shuttles are flying again

Hi R
Ooohhh  - feeling very nostalgic -  back 30 years to the days of the Niddy Noddy, where I learnt to weave in your studio / weaving store in Waukasha.  We had such wonderful creative times, weaving 'joy and happy memories', before we were 'liberated.'  You were a great teacher, very dedicated to the process of weaving.  As you say in your post  "I had forgotten how much I enjoy the whole process; winding the shuttles, listening to the rhythmical sound of the harnesses and watching the fabric grows row by row, inch by inch."



The Niddy Noddy


















This poem was given to me by my dear friend, Jane. I have carried it my wallet for many years resulting in the card being soft and fluffy around the edges.

The Weaver

My life is but-a weaving
Between my Lord and me.

I cannot choose the colours
He worketh steadily

Oftimes he weaveth sorrow,
And I in foolish pride
Forget he sees the upper,
And I the underside.
Not ‘til the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly,

Shall God unroll the canvas

and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the Weaver's skillful  hand,

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned.

Anon.

Sadly, life got in the way of my weaving.  Maybe I can enjoy weaving vicariously through our blogs. Just at the time when I will have time, there is nowhere to put the loom, which is in pieces, with the frame under the house.  I need to put it back together and am working on G but it will take a miracle.
Clara
Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

In the Loom of Life

Hi C
In these difficult times with so much unrest, destruction and sadness I find myself more than ever drawn to the comfort of creating. I hadn't worked at my loom for several years, but something was drawing me to it again. I admit I was afraid that the years of neglect would somehow have taken its toll, and I would not be able to weave. But with a little bit of loving care, some drops of oil, and a quick refresher from weaving 101, I was back at it. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the whole process; winding the shuttles, listening to the rhythmical sound of the harnesses and watching the fabric grows row by row, inch by inch. I'm weaving with hand dyed wool yarns in a simple twill pattern. My plan is fabric for a coat, but who knows. At this stage it doesn't really matter. Just the fact that I am weaving again makes me happy. From where I sit, I can see everything much more clearly. In the loom of life may you weave joy and happy memories.




R

Crostini or Bruschette? Is bocconcini the same as mozzarella?

The differences are fuzzy

Hi there
Some vital questions!
Qu 1 - Crostini or Bruschette? Is crostini a small bruschette?
Qu 2 - What is bocconcini - is it the same as mozzarella?



 Qu 1 - Give up? Yes, crostini is smaller and is served as an aperitivo but the correct answer is that crostini is usually made with white bread instead of sourdough but the difference is fuzzy.
The Italians simply grill a half-inch slice of ciabatta, rub it with a cut clove of garlic, drizzle it with oil, and season it with salt and pepper.


My favourite method, being an 'ovenphile' is to preheat oven to 160°C/ 320 F. Line an oven tray with baking paper and bake slices which have been sprayed on both sides with olive oil, for about 8-10 minutes or until golden and crisp. While hot, rub with garlic. Add prepared topping of your choice. For approx 12 crostini, here a few favourites but you can use your imagination and personal taste to create the perfect Italian aperitivo, whether it be a crostini or bruschette.


tapenade with goat's cheese
Intense flavours offset with
goat's cheese and basil


mixed herb crostini
Any mixture of soft herbs like fennel tops, basil, parsley, mint, chervil or thyme leaves, with cherry tomatoes and parmesan over the top.

cannellini beans with garlic Coarse puree with rosemary oil

prosciutto, figs, and mint
Drape piece of prosciutto over hot crostini and squash a piece of fig on top

blue cheese with pear
Salty, sharp blue cheese combined with sweet, juicy pear is sublime.

buffalo mozzarella and chilli
Torn mozzarella, sprinkled with chopped chilli, drizzled with olive oil and finished with basil.

I'm just a baby!



 







Qu 2 - What is bocconcini - is it the same as mozzarella?
Bocconcini are Italian cheese balls about the size of cherry tomatoes. They are actually a fresh type of mozzarella. small, semi-soft, white and rindless, unripened, usually made from a combination of water buffalo and cow's milk. Bocconcini are packaged in whey or water, have a spongy texture and absorb flavours.

There are endless possibilities.
For full recipes and more - http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com/
 Clara

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Lawn bowls gets the tick

Hi there


Everyone was in favour - amazing!


















Response  to - 'Will she laugh at me for playing bowls?'-   
Thanks guys - I am encouraged to move in this direction.  Also, since I have invested energy here, it has come back.
And No - they didn't.
Clara xxx
R said,  "Well, I'd much rather think of you as a svelte "bowler" in white than some pumped up weight lifter! I like the concept of outdoor activities, especially those with a purpose.
Kind of difficult to do here unless it involves shovelling and scraping.

Margareto - "Absolutely no laughter!! Good on you.
On the wall of our physiotherapy gym are some classy photos of the Allied Health team playing bowls on a team-building day last year. We had lots of fun at Roseville Bowling Club and no white ants in sight!
Well done


Veronica - Good luck with the bowls! It doesn't matter what the sport is just as long as you're out there doing it!


Wendy - My first response was to laugh. However I'm reminded of a saying - something like "she who laughs last laughs longest" - so I'm not sure what happens to she who laughs first. So I'm inclined to hold onto my mirth - for the time being anyway - and see how the bowler progresses before making any further comment .....

More to come.
Clara

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Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot?

Hi C


I confess, I haven't been great at keeping up with old friends. If it hadn't been for Andrea and facebook, you and I would have never reunited. However, within the past two years, I have found two old friends from my high school days in Fond du Lac and it's been great. Like you, they are women who I enjoy now as much as I did then. As a result of their friendship, I went to a mini class reunion in my hometown last Saturday. About 25 women showed up for lunch at the old Retlaw Hotel, and it was great fun. Many of the women there went much further back in my life that high school. Several of us were in the same catechism class at church and others were from my childhood neighborhood. Driving home, I had to ask myself, what was I thinking waiting so long to do this? Well the old saying goes, better late than never. Ann and Lou Ann ,pictured here are my two friends I mentioned above. I recently found my 9th grade autobiography written at age 14. In it I wrote about them both:


"When I started to take dancing I met Lou Ann King. She has been a good friend of mine ever since. Lou Ann is the outdoor type of girl. She loves swimming and often goes on bike hikes. In the summer she if very active on the playgrounds. I hope to continue being good friends with Lou Ann."


"When I started 8th grade at Roosevelt I met Ann Staley. She is one of my best friends this year. She has a long ponytail that really catches your eye. I think she is one of the sweetest girls I know. We really have a lot of fun together."


Thanks Lou Ann and Ann for a great weekend in Fondy! And for being such good friends. 


Love,


R

Will she laugh at me for playing bowls?



John and me - Lesson 5


Hi R
Yes, it's me - learning to play bowls! 
The game summary seemed to fit into 'Exercise with a purpose' for this gym dropout'

Summary - Lawn bowls is a precision sport that is played for the challenge and competition, personal enjoyment, physical activity, the pleasure of spending time outdoors and for social interaction. It is also a low impact, therapeutic form of exercise. Add to that a few of my own - not too expensive, doesn't take up the whole day, and best of all, not too serious or arduous for this granny.  A few concerns were "Bowling is a game for old people and surely that doesn't include me" and "You won't get much exercise", and the most concerning, "Wearing that white gear definitely doesn't turn me on." Oh and one more serious one,"My friends will laugh at me!"

Mosman Bowling Club prides itself on its beautiful
 old building, gardens and its well maintained greens.

Despite these misgivings, I signed up for the five lessons offered by Mosman Evening College to explore the possibilities.   On Saturday morning I turned up at Mosman Bowling Club which prides itself on its beautiful old building, gardens and its well maintained greens,  to find I was the only enrolled student.  This was somewhat daunting, as an hour's personal tuition could be serious, where I might be called upon to perform.  I actually have really good hand / eye co-ordination - I say to G that I could have been good at something.  And maybe this is it!

John is a great coach - quiet and understated, he delivers his game wisdom well.  I know that if I follow the important points of delivery, then I can expect to achieve consistency. 
So, I am launching myself into the 'Lawn Bowls Scene' - firstly with Mufti Day where you just turn up and play on a Friday afternoon, so I don't have to address most of my concerns yet. Will keep you up to date.
Clara


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Priorities and Confessions of a gym dropout

Hi R

Clara is now a gym dropout and prefers
other exercise regimes

Oh no - not the great unveiling!  I was beginning to feel 'let off the hook' but then thought  my planned trip to Italy and France in May, means I face the same challenges but more so because all will be revealed on the deck of the canal boat.  So I am with you all the way but will limit  exposure of arms and the legs to the end half of both, due to vanity and realism.  

Now a self-confessed  'Gym Dropout' since last year, I adopted the idea of 'Exercise with a Purpose' - the concept being that if you have places you need to go, then walk there, or spend time in the garden sweeping my paths and others' paths  in the complex to satisfy my aesthetic needs.  Cutting the hedge, for example, is a great way to exercise the dreaded upper arms and working in the garden definitely helps to restore positive mental equilibrium. I recall one of Jane Fonda's tapes which you introduced me to in the 70s, had one exercise called "PULL WEEDS !  PULL WEEDS!  - She was always so urgent in her requests so I did as I was told.

I am currently writing a book about walks in my area so this also provides many opportunities to get out there and exercise / walk with a purpose along with regular morning walks. Then the 10 minutes of additional exercise  such as some pelvic floor / abdomen stuff, some resistance activities using a stretchy car octopus, and a few basic moves using 2kg / 4lb weights. 

All that is good.  But - while I am in confession mode - I do get up early, yes R, at 6-15 which is early for me, to walk with G.  I really really really want to, but sometimes I really really really really want just a few more precious lifesaving minutes in foggy sleep.  Fortunately for me, G heaps disappointment upon me so being an approval seeker, I do my best.  However, with daylight saving ending soon, it is going to be darker, colder, harder.    Follow my progress! 
Re the 10 minutes exercise - you know what - it doesn't always happen.  One exercise I do religiously, however, redeems  me slightly - ie in waiting for the shower to heat up - with hands behind you grasping the edge of the bath, fingers pointing forward, 20 strong knee bends with pelvic awareness, exercises many essential muscles all at the one time, including the dreaded upper arms I keep referring to.  This is my naked truth!  And the good part is I am still asleep. 

R - I love your new decision -  "I've decided one thing, I'm going to walk before I talk, jog before I blog and stretch before I sit and knit. I've also decided to approach this spring's training in realistic moderation. I plan to feel a "little burn" rather than a big burn out."  The only way I would adjust it to work for me, would be to make it into a mantra - ie "I'm going to walk before I talk, jog before I blog and stretch before I sit and knit,"  because for me, it's all about routine and priorities. 

Clara
ps - rather than the 'naked truth', I love the exercise shirts you showed in the last blog. 



Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Spring Training or Time to Belly Up to the Bar

It's that time of the year again when we all have to face the naked truth. Young or old, male or female, we have to come out of our winter hibernation. The great unveiling! We've had five long months of cover up with big parkas, bulky sweaters, stretchy skinny jeans and Uggs. Ugg! Now we look forward to exposed arms and legs, form fitting clothes and feet in flip flops. I'm no different than anyone, maybe just a bit older and hopefully wiser. I admit I'm perusing the isles for the best tan in a bottle, hauling out all my exercise tapes and weights and cranking up the old tread mill. I have always exercised in some form. In my twenties I was a modern dancer. As I moved into my thirties, Jane Fonda taught us all to "feel the burn". Then there were the years of jumping rope, step routines, weight lifting,  running, cross country skiing, stationary biking, you name it, I've done it. If I could give you one bit of advice it would be, be kind to your body, walk don't run, stretch a lot and relax. But I know that's lost on deaf ears. So look forward to some stiff hips and creaky knees. I've had to really temper what I do these days, and fitting exercise into my schedule still remains a challenge. I admit I let things slide over the winter, but I'm back at it. I've decided one thing, I'm going to walk before I talk, jog before I blog and stretch before I sit and knit. I've also decided to approach this spring's training in realistic moderation. I plan to feel a "little burn" rather than a big burn out. One of my favorite exercise routines is called The 

Bar Method. I like it because it requires no equipment, only some hand weights and a chair, and it reminds me of my days in dance. It's a great exercise to alternate with walking. I modify some of the stretches to fit my body, but for the most part I can get through the whole session. As for my exercise gear, well that's not a pretty picture as I'm in the privacy of my own home and most likely in my pajamas. But I have discovered a tee that really makes me feel great to wear after I'm done! It's called a Skinny Tee and it is just that. We started carrying them at Nextdoor and can't keep them in stock. They're really snug and stretchy, nice and long and don't roll up. You look and feel a size smaller. I'm all for that. They're also much better priced than other similar brands. You can wear them as an undergarment now and as a top later as things warm up. We have them in stock in some nice neutral colors with bright colors on the way. Don't get me wrong, they are not a substitute for exercise but you will get a lift wearing one!

For those of you who like to get out of the house to exercise and live in our area I highly recommend our friends at the Movement Center in Pewaukee. Another great place is Peak Performance in Hartland, where you can take their Skinny Jean Challenge.

shopatnextdoor for skinny tees


For some great "skinny" recipes check out Granny C's blog and website, Fit In Your Jeans Cuisine!

R