About Italian Food: The Dog Days Of Summer...

Italian Food In the Spotlight | More Topics | Top Picks |   from Kyle Phillips In other words the hottest days, so called because at the time of Ancient Rome Serius (the dog star) would rise and set with the sun, and people thought its red glow contributed to the summer heat. We know better now (Serius no longer rises with the sun and it's still hot), but this is the time of year best suited to cool refreshing foods.   In the Spotlight La Galleria delle Verdure, Revisited The gallery of fruit and vegetable pics taken in Italian outdoor markets continues to grow: I'm up to 64 shots, and have a few more to add next week. Then it will be time to return to Sant'Ambrogio to take more pictures! But I like what's up so far and hope you will too.              More Topics Bollito Misto di Verdure Boiled veggies are wonderful cool Conchiglie al Pesto Rosso A fine pasta salad! Fagiolini in Insalata String beans are perfect in summer Insalata Caprese The simplest of summer dishes Insalata di Riso Different every time you make it Timballo di Melanzane e Spaghetti Eggplant is FANTASTIC in summer A Peach Cremolata What could be more refreshing? Pappa al Pomodoro Pappa al Pomodoro is one of the ultimate summer dishes: Succulent sun ripened tomatoes, simmered for a bit, and then heated through with stale bread. Sounds, and is very simple, and is great food for kids of all ages. Don't expect leftovers.   A Fuoco Vivo: Italian Grilling Grilling when it's hot might seem like a contradiction in terms, but it's not: You build the fire outside, and stand up wind of it, in the shade, while your food cooks. Granted, you do have to choose where to put your grill, but when you bring the food in, the heat stays out.     Sponsored Links   Top Picks - Favorite Italian Summer Desserts  from your  Italian Food  Guide Ah, Dessert. In summer, and especially when it's hot, it should be light and refreshing, and if at all possible cool. Cold even. A peach in lightly chilled wine, macedonia, gelato... All treats to bring the meal to a refreshing close or provide relief late on a hot day. 1) Molly Watson on Catching Slamon Molly does About's Local Foods Site. But she also writes elsewhere, and here is her tale of catching (sort of) salmon, and then enjoying it. 2) Food allergies get curiouser and curiouser An interesting article on how food allergies strike in various parts of the world. In different places people have problems with different things, and those who move can pick up new problems. Interesting reading! 3) In Italian: Grappa Fai Da Te? No Grazie Italy's Lega Nord party has introduced legislation to allow people to distill grappa at home -- up to 50 quarts/year for "home" consumption. Roberto Castagner, president of the Accademia della Grappa, says this is a BAD idea, because an inexperienced distiller can easily make grappa al metanolo, with deadly methanol.   Who's the Cutest Cat of All? Vote for the Cutest Cat About.com's Cutest Cat contest now has 12 furry semi-finalists of all shapes, sizes and stripe. Click here to see their photos and vote for your favorite. Italian Food Ads Food Appetizers German Foods Hawaiian Food Recipe Food Dishes Italian Italy Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Home Cooking Europe for Visitors Italian Language Wine Gourmet Food   Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Italian Food newsletter as ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=italianfood&e=ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.