Signs of Hope

By now, no matter where you are in the world, you no doubt have felt the effects of COVID-19. My beloved Italy, the country I chose to live in for its beauty, music, history, art, culture, food and people, has been among the hardest hit. The sadness of losing so many people to the virus is palpable – even though we are still separated by “lockdown” regulations and I only see other people when I go to buy groceries, take out the trash or walk the dog.

Italy has also led the way in displaying resilience – think of all the videos you have seen online of Italians gathering individually on their balconies at a certain time of day to sing together. People started showing solidarity here in other ways soon after lockdown began: Children drew pictures of colorful rainbows with the words “Andra’ tutto bene” (everything will be fine) that were hung from windows. Italian flags started popping up in windows as well. Because I need to walk Bodhi, I have been outside more than many people – for very short walks. During these, I have snapped a few photos of these signs of courage and hope. Wherever you are, I hope they help you feel the optimism I feel when I see them. -post by Judy

Quarantine Cuisine: A Rustic Potato Leek Soup

I didn’t think it would last this long. Two weeks, three at the most, and we’d see the number of new infections and deaths drop in Italy. I was overconfident. Three weeks into our “lockdown” in Tuscany (I’m writing this on March 28), we are (grazie Dio!) seeing the rates begins to come down, but slowly, slowly.  And so we remain safely tucked into our Italian homes, venturing out only for essentials (food, medicine, trash disposal). 

I will be honest - I have good days and more difficult ones. The vibrant social life in Lucca is part of why I love living here and I miss being able to meet for a coffee or an aperitivo. I miss seeing spring unfold around me. I miss people here and my family back home. I sometimes give in to worry or fear. But I have more good days than bad. And I remain hopeful and aware that even in the midst of all of this I have much to be thankful for - a healthy family, good friends, abundant food, music, and the kindness of people, both Italian and ex-pats from around the globe. And church bells - every day I hear church bells ringing. It’s a hopeful sound.

Spring begins along Lucca’s walls - I know it is out there, but I can’t get out and enjoy it right now (photo from 2019).

Cooking Is a form of therapy for me. The movements used in slicing, dicing, mixing, stirring, kneading, seasoning, and tasting are a kind of meditation, a way of centering myself. Preparing food gives purpose.  Even better to cook with some music on in the background. And so, it is no surprise that my kitchen is seeing a lot of action these days. 

Leeks, thinly sliced and ready to sauté, are the base for a lovely potato leek soup.

Yesterday I received two bags of groceries from friends who were heading back to their home in Canada to ride out the virus. 

They rang the doorbell, put the bags inside the entry, and never got closer than 6 feet away. It felt sad not to be able to give them a goodbye hug but the physical distancing is key and we followed the rules. In the bags were staples (pasta, wine) and some fresh veggies that would need to be used the next day - a big bunch of leeks and a bag of potatoes among them.

It was a no-brainer that a pot of potato leek soup would be on the menu.

Classic potato leek soups are puréed to a smooth and creamy consistency. They can be served cold (think French vichyssoise) or hot. Either way they are delicious. I actually prefer my soups a bit more chunky than puréed. So, with that in mind, it seemed a good time to experiment with a more rustic version of potato leek soup in which the potatoes were left unpeeled and a bit of carrot added color.  I also substituted whole milk (which I had on hand) for cream (in these days of quarantine we don’t make trips to the grocery store just for a bit of cream). For seasoning I went with thyme, salt, and pepper, which are used in the classic recipe, and added just a dash of nutmeg. Instead of making the soup into a purée, about half of the cooked potatoes were mashed to add thickness, but the rest of the soup stayed chunky.  The result was delicious - not bad for quarantine cooking using what was on hand!

Rustic Potato Leek Soup

In Italy the catch phrase is io resto a casa ( I stay at home). I hope you too are safely at home and taking all necessary precautions wherever you are. And I hope you are still planning your next trip to Italy. 

Rustic Potato Leek Soup Recipe

3 leeks, white & light green portions only, sliced lengthwise, rinsed, sliced thin (about 4 cups)

90 grams of butter. (3 oz)

2 carrots, diced small (about 1 cup)

750 grams of small white potatoes, unpeeled, cut into medium size cubes  (about 1.5 pounds)

3.5  cups chicken broth (increase to 4 cups if you like a thinner soup)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp finely ground black pepper

Dash of ground nutmeg

2/3 cup whole milk or cream (let’s be honest - cream is better!)

Sauté sliced leeks in butter until limp, about 8 minutes. Add diced carrots and sauté for another 4-5 minutes.

Add chicken broth, cubed potatoes, and spices.

Cook about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft

Add cream or milk

Depending on the consistency you like, leave soup as is, take half the potatoes out and mash them before returning to the pot, or use an immersion blender to make a less chunky soup.   Buon appetito! -post by Joanne

Scenes From Italy

Italy is an inspiration. During the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown, both the Italian people and the beauty of Italy have provided us with hope, joy, and faith in the future. Here are photos of some of the places in Italy that, over the past years, contributed to our love affair with this magical place. We hope they will inspire your future travel plans.

San Gimignano

Lenno, on the shores of Lake Como

Rome

Portovenere

A glimpse of the Chianti region

Pisa, under stormy skies

Venice

Palermo, Sicily

Florence

Capri

Archways in Italy

Arches are found throughout Italy - in the architecture created by humans and the landscape created by nature. In both cases, they’re often enticing, framing what lies beyond but not revealing it all. Here are some of our favorites.

Volterra, Italy

Pruno, Italy

Volterra, Italy

Volterra, Italy

Volterra, Italy

Lucca, Italy

Argegno, Italy

Portovenere, Italy

Italy, the Virus, and Us

As we write this – in the days immediately following March 10 - the whole of Italy is “locked down.” Travel within the country is halted except for purposes of work or medical emergency; public institutions, including schools, libraries, and some municipal offices, are closed; and cultural events are canceled. Bars and restaurants are closed and residents are advised to only leave their homes to buy groceries and other necessities. When we do venture out, we are told to carry a government form self-certifying the reason we are outside in case we are stopped by the police. And when we get to the store or pharmacy, we no longer just walk in with everyone else. 

At the neighborhood grocery store, everyone is required to don plastic gloves and the floor leading to the checkout stand is marked in 1-meter increments - something some people ignore or don’t see, but staff members keep reminding them with a “per favore, mantenere la distanza” (please keep the distance). Luckily, the shelves are well-stocked and we have not witnessed panic buying of food or supplies. (We’ve heard there is a run on toilet paper in the U.S., why we’re not sure, but because Lucca produces most of Europe’s toilet paper supply, there is no fear of running out of carta igienica here). Hand sanitizer gel is the only shortage seen so far.

Baci e abbracci (the traditional Italian greeting with kisses and hugs) are off-limits and sorely missed. People are following the edict to remain at home - and the regulation is necessary to slow the spread of the virus.

Even Florence, usually filled with visitors, is eerily quiet these days.

As far as general mood goes, we can only speak for ourselves. We are following the rules. We will self-quarantine if we show signs of illness. We are sacrificing the hugs and kisses. But we are not succumbing to panic. We trust the Italian health care system and the Italian people. (We have friends in the U.S. who report that they feel more vulnerable than we feel here). It’s not that we are unaffected by what is happening; it is after all a strange feeling to realize that you can’t return to the U.S. for the foreseeable future even if you want to. Living under these restrictions can feel isolating but isn’t difficult – we have plenty of food and water (and wine!), we live in modern times when we can communicate with others instantaneously and constantly if we want, we have access to books, TV, the Internet.  Joanne takes comfort imagining herself as Cher’s character in the movie “Tea with Mussolini” - an American woman detained in Italy during the war. How much harder that would have been! Judy likes to spend time alone anyway so a lockdown isn’t that much of a hardship.

The wisteria will bloom soon, spring will come, and then summer. Hopefully the tourists will also arrive.

Regardless of how we react to the restrictions, we mourn for the people who have died from this virus, who are fighting for their lives, for the health care workers trying to help them, and for the tough economic times that this crisis has caused, the effects of which will be felt for a long time. Italy’s economy is dependent on tourism, and with the numerous postponements, shuttering of hotels for lack of visitors, cancellation of major events (like the final weeks of Venice’s Carnevale), closing of restaurants and shops, the impact is devastating.

And yet - we are still in what for us is the most beautiful country, surrounded by the music of the Italian language (where the word virus is pronounced “veer-ruus” with a lovely rolled “r”), and we are in the midst of friends who vow to help each other through this crisis. We have good Italian food and wine, beautiful vistas, and a sense of hope.

One thing is for certain - this will pass. And when it does, Italy will need visitors to return to help rebuild the economy. We encourage planning a future Italian vacation. In the meantime, we’ll be here, virus or not. Italy is home. –post by Joanne and Judy

NOTE: For the next few weeks, due to our inability to explore Italy as we would like and to help cement in your minds why you should visit Italy in the future, our weekly posts will be of photos from throughout Italy. The writing will resume when the restrictions on our adopted country are lifted. Thank you for all the emails and comments you have sent asking about us. Stay safe!

Roma, 2020