While I greatly appreciate the Dutch mentality (e.g., bicycling, frugality, worship of sunlight, and excellent English skills), I think my soul might be Italian. I loved Rome more than any other trip we've made this year (and not just because Jeff proposed to me there), and I could eat pasta every day for eternity (damn the consequences). Something about Italian sunshine, Italian coffee bars, Italian hand gestures, and the beauty of certain Italian cities makes me extraordinarily happy. And then there's tiramisu.
My acculturation to all things Italian is significantly furthered, of course, by the fact that I am surrounded by Italians. I work for Italians, I work with Italians; we have an Italian neighbor, we have Italian friends. Sometimes I catch myself using hand gestures and I don't even know what they mean (which is dangerous, since most hand gestures - in Italian - mean something rather crass). If only more international organizations were based in Rome...
Add the milk very slowly and continue to mix with a whisk until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and the cheese.
Bring to a (gentle) boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Use with pasta and top (if you wish) with walnuts and parsley.
My acculturation to all things Italian is significantly furthered, of course, by the fact that I am surrounded by Italians. I work for Italians, I work with Italians; we have an Italian neighbor, we have Italian friends. Sometimes I catch myself using hand gestures and I don't even know what they mean (which is dangerous, since most hand gestures - in Italian - mean something rather crass). If only more international organizations were based in Rome...
But for now, I will settle for learning to cook decent Italian food (or, as Jeff will be quick to point out, for encouraging Jeff to learn to cook decent Italian food). Luckily, a good friend of Jeff's from northern Italy once gave him a collection of her family recipes. Here's one we made recently - though fair warning, second helpings can induce instantaneous arterial hardening.
SALSA DI GORGONZOLA – BLUE CHEESE SAUCE
4 tablespoon Butter
½ cup Flour
2 cups Milk
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Warm up the milk, but be careful not to boil it.
Melt the butter in sauce pan. As soon as it is completely melted, add the flour. Stir continuously with a whisk until you smell something like cookies.
Add the milk very slowly and continue to mix with a whisk until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and the cheese.
Bring to a (gentle) boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Use with pasta and top (if you wish) with walnuts and parsley.
Warning: This makes a lot. You might consider cutting the recipe in half unless you have a family of 10.
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