On the first day of the new year I took a walk around the house, smelling the fresh air blowing gently over the hills. It was the first day of my new life.

From January 1, 2012, in fact, I am no longer an employee with a relatively safe job, my contract expired and recklessly believing in my dreams I decided to take a sabbatical year and devote myself to my passion and a personal project: Juls’ Kitchen.

From January 1, 2012, when asked about my job I should answer unemployed if I wanted to stick to the truth, but I’d rather say I am a full-time foodblogger, food writer and food photographer, I organize gastronomic tours in Tuscany and I teach Tuscan cooking classes for foreigners.

It might be not the best moment, due to the severe economic crisis that Italy, Europe and the whole world are facing now, I reckon, but Albert Einstein said: Let’s not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same things. A crisis can be a real blessing to any person, to any nation. For all crises bring progress. Creativity is born from anguish, just like the day is born from the dark night. It’s in crisis that inventive is born, as well as discoveries, and big strategies. Who overcomes crisis, overcomes himself, without getting overcome. I trust him, don’t you?

I want to take decisions, I don’t want to be overcome by the routine, I won’t choose the easy road for the fear of the steep climb, the brambles and rocks. I am a country girl, these are not the things that scare me. Am I reckless? maybe a little bit. Do I dream too big? I’ve always done that.

I want to make it, I’ll make it, not only for me, because finally I could have the life that I dream of, but for all those who believe in me and support me: first of all for my family, who took my decision philosophically, because for them the most important thing is to see a smile on my face, and I can understand them, since they taught me how to smile.

I owe this to my oldest friends, to those who were friends even when I wanted to be a forester, a marketing manager or a sport expert (no, if you ask, I have never wanted to be a model, to be honest). I changed my mind many times, but now I have found my way, and I am ready to follow it.

I owe this to the new friends I met in the last years, to those who are surrounding me with love, trust and enthusiasm, who laugh with me and at some of my foibles, encourage me with their presence every day with light hearted email correspondence and patiently explain the mystical mysteries of technology, listening seraphically to my passionate rants about the difference between muffins and cupcakes.

I owe this to those who share with me the same passion, the same job or the same dream of a job, and generously took me under their wing, showed me a way, weaved their dreams with mine to make them even more real.

I owe this to you who have followed me, leaving a trace or in silence, for almost three years, or maybe who have just found me, and do not understand what all this has to do with a cooking blog.

I’m happy. Happy, happy, happy, because now I can finally devote myself – body and soul – to my projects, even more than before. So there will be more recipes, more Tuscany, more daily life, more Giulia. It almost sounds like a threat…

So let’s start with some news!

• a new about me page, telling who I am now and showing a new haircut (new year, new life.. new haircut for a woman!).
• an up-to-date page with my projects: cooking classes, food tours in Tuscany and a special week dedicated to cooking and gastronomy at Verrocchio Art Centre.
• a video showing me, my strong Italian accent and my projects: Juls’ Kitchen

This is just the beginning: follow me here, on Twitter and on my Facebook page to see how things are evolving and to support my life project. Keep your fingers crossed and send me good vibes… Now more than ever I need to know you are with me in this adventure!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

New year, new life project

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1. Happy New year and connect the dots
2. My 7 links projects: leafing through my on line life

My wish for 2012 is to connect the dots.

Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college, but it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever – because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference.

Steve Jobs

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Happy New year and connect the dots

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I told you last week that I’ve been leafing through my old recipes trying to catch the passage of time and to size the beauty of changing. Well, this was one of the reasons that made me read through more than 2 years and a half of recipes, laughing at some old posts and living again some of the emotions that led me to specific dishes, mirror of a period of my life.

The second reason is that Mayssam from Will travel for food invited my to take part to My 7-links project, an interesting and fun game that it’s spreading into the international blogosphere. Do you know Mayssam? I really loved her speech at this year FoodBloggerConnect: honest, down to earth, precise and brilliant.

So, this is what I found…

My most beautiful post: Lemon and white Chocolate cake

This is the first time I tried to write something more than an introduction to a recipe. The words flowed liquid from my hands, it was a well depicted image in my mind well before I tried put it into words clearly. I touched the magic of the recipe while decorating the simple cake with the most beautiful ruby red fruits of the early summer. Can’t help this: the cake was beautiful and every time I look back at the photo I love it more and more!

My most popular post: Olive oil cookies and some notes on the use of olive oil in confectionery

This is one of the most viewed posts, both in Italian and in English. I can well believe it, it is all due to the crystal clear explanations of Luca Montersino, one of the most brilliant and innovative Italian pastry chefs. Simple, clever and unbelievable good recipe for healthy and fragrant cookies, if you missed it don’t lose the chance to save it now.

My most controversial post: Florentine panino al lampredotto

Yes, controversial. Yes, offal. How can it not be controversial? Either you love it or not, it’s traditional, it’s highly Florentine, it’s our typical street food, it’s part of our culture, it’s the panino al lampredotto. Give it a try and, when in Florence, eat like a Florentine.

My most helpful post: La pomarola, the Italian tomato sauce

Ok, I don’t know if it was helpful for you, but indeed it was helpful for me. I had lots of ripe tomatoes, I was alone at home and the tomato week was my excuse to try all the family recipes for tomato preserve and tomato sauce. And if you want to please me, tell me it was somehow useful for you as well!

A post whose success surprised me: Tuscan summer and zucchini with fresh garlic and oregano

Are you kidding? Zucchini, garlic, oregano. Just green and crisp zucchini, fresh garlic and aromatic leaves of oregano picked from the pot. It was just a side dish, yet you loved it. I was so surprised and happy, but at a second look, no wander it was so appreciated: it was the perfect side dish for a summer evening.

A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved: Chocolate and tahini tart

It was genius, com’on, pure and sheer genius! I’m speaking mostly about my Italian blog, where the recipe came out almost unseen. It’s an appreciated combination abroad, but almost unknown in Italy. I was so excited the first time I tasted it, closing my eyes in delight and foreseen how the chocolate – tahini tart would have turned everyone into faithful worshipper of the combination and.. nothing. So, please, just tell me this is just one of the most lavish chocolate tart you have ever seen.

The post that I am most proud of: My big fat Italian meat sauce

This is the first recipe I cooked on New year’s day, a traditional family recipe told step by step by my grandmother, sitting in the kitchen and living again many years of her life through memories and laughs. I am really proud of this recipe, because in many many years I’ll be sitting on a kitchen telling my grandchild how to make the perfect ragu.

These are the bloggers that I’ve chosen to continue this food chain. I love each blogger and blog for many a reason, but essentially I feel we are very similar and I love their honest and enthusiastic love for food. This is your turn, girls!

• Emiko from Emiko Davies
• Valeria from My life, love, food
• Jasmine from Labna
• Marzia from White, Dark, Milk Chocolate

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My 7 links projects: leafing through my on line life

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When a month ago I took the first breath of the evening fresh air and looked at my four weeks of holidays unwinding in front of my eyes, I suddenly felt a child again, full of projects and ideas scribbled down on sheets of notebook paper. The time expanded and I could not see the end of my vacation beyond the map of my journey.

Then, in the twinkling, here I am again, back to the starting point. I am still not completely aware of what has happened between that first night of holidays and this morning, when I left my light dresses and my flip flops for a more appropriate business clothing.

If I had a magic wand, I would like to live again this past month, I would press rewind on a remote control and review a few scenes that made ​​me laugh so much, or moved me to tears. I would savour again my thirtieth birthday cake or the evening green tea in London, the first beer in Germany with my sister Claudia or the sweet idleness of a few gifted days.

We are here, though. And now? now, there is an American saying that I really find appropriate: when life gives you lemons… make a lemonade! That is, when life puts up hurdles along your path, turn them into opportunity, squeeze out the best, just as you would do with a lemon. Isn’t it genius? This will definitely be my motto in the coming months.

Let’s talk about this lemonade, more than recipe a trick to find an immediate refreshment, made bright with the brilliant shades of yellow and turned on by the light note of fresh ginger.

And if I could rewind the tape, this would be what I would live again…

50′s Party

I think I have obsessed till exhaustion friends and relatives to the third degree of kinship with my desire of having a proper celebration of my 30th birthday. I’ve always admitted to have a soft spot for my birthdays, and consequently for all the bells and whistles, including celebrations.

Then the chance to celebrate my 30th birthday with a very dear friend who was going to be 40… it was the perfect opportunity to set up a ‘50s style garden party, with the proper music, atmosphere, dresses and makeup, and especially almost all my friends dressed up as pin-ups, Fonzie, Guys and Dolls and Grease! I have wonderful memories of that evening, mixed with colourful straws, bright lights and rockabilly notes!

Paris

I skipped Paris, you will not find photos of Paris. I was so smart and bright to check my documents just one hour before my departure, just to discover that my identity card was expired 3 weeks before!

So, when life gives you lemons… make a lemonade! I carved out unexpectedly 4 days of old-fashioned holidays, the kind of holidays I used to have when I was a child, made of swimming pool, sofa and TV in the dim light of a fresh living room, a new book and short trips in the surroundings with friends.

London

London, eventually. London, again. My holidays in London! Do I sound repetitive? I was beside myself with trepidation, 10 days to spend with Sarka: it was a year since we started planning what to do, what to eat, what to cook and photograph. We enjoyed that days together with Beth, Joslin and Zita.

We have explored every London tube line and colour, from north to south, from east to west, we took advantage of the multicultural choice offered by the city I love the most in the world eating Lebanese, sushi, noodles, and above all we enjoyed ourselves in the kitchen with a glass of wine (they) and a cup of green tea (I). But I didn’t know that there was a surprise waiting for me… a proper English afternoon tea at the Ritz.

We decided to spend the afternoon shopping for the perfect outfit or the fancy accessory that could give you that bit of extra confidence to not feel completely alien in that muffled and far away from everyday life scenery. Then we entered with a beating heart the gleaming lobby of the Ritz. After the second ma’am and lady all my fears disappeared and I felt again a princess, even though only for a few hours. After that dreamy experience crammed with laughter we ran home, but one of my shoes decided to leave a dream, and I almost left my sole. I tried to be a modern Cinderella and leave my slipper on the stairs at the Ritz, but it did not work!

What do the foodies do when they have a free morning? they go to the market! The Borrough Market, twinned with La Boqueria in Barcelona, is one of my favorite places on earth: everything is so fresh, pulsating with life, colours and scents. If you’re lucky enough you could meet Jamie Oliver here, how can I not love this place?

I read Carolina‘s post about Neil’s Yard and I did not want to miss it, a hidden courtyard in London that you discover following a narrow back alley, an explosion of colours.

Portobello Market, Notting Hill. Do I need to say more? I know the film by heart, pauses, accents and looks included. Every time I come to London I like to walk along Portobello Road, because, as Hugh Grant in Notting Hill says…

Notting Hill, not a bad place to be. There’s the market on weekdays, selling every fruit and vegetable known to man. The tattoo parlour, with a guy outside who got drunk and now can’t remember why he chose ‘I Love Ken’. The racial hair-dressers where everyone comes out looking like the Cookie Monster, whether they like it or not. Then suddenly it’s the weekend, and from break of day, hundreds of stalls appears out of nowhere, filling Portobello Road right up to Notting Hill Gate and thousands of people buy millions of antiques, some genuine… and some not so genuine.

… and at the very beginning of the Portobello Market is impossible not to stop at the Hummingbird Bakery, attracted by the sparkle of the windows that makes it look like a jewelry store. Cupcake with rhubarb and custard, or a diamond ring? I assure you that the choice is difficult, and that cupcake was really good!

Fifteen London. Our pilgrimage on Jamie’s footsteps brought us, after Borrough Market, to the Fifteen, one of his restaurants that is definitely more than a place to eat (well), but also a foundation to help young people from 18 to 24 years, to teach them a job and make them discover a passion.

One of the main reasons that brought me to London, along with friendship and love for England and Pimm’s, was the Food Blogger Connect 2011, the first European conference dedicated to the world of foodbloggers. The first time I was there, during June 2010, it opened up a new and exciting world to me and I began to dream a little ‘bigger’, because my dreams and my plans were intertwined with those of other foodblogger friends.

This year, Food Bloggers Connect has been again a major source of inspiration and courage. I had the opportunity to meet and listen with admiration really interesting people who generously told us about their beginnings and the secrets of their work: among many others, Jaden Hair, Babette Bepaj, Fiona Beckett, Jemma Watts and her, the one I was expecting with trepidation, Béatrice Peltre and her Food Photography workshop.

The workshop with Beatrice was surreal, Alice through the looking-glass effect. I was physically on the set of one of her beautiful pictures, and she did everything with measured gestures, with experience, yet remaining a simple and smiling person, willing to explain every millimetric movement of red currant berries in the composition of her shot.

What I will keep in my heart after the London experience are all those we’ll do, we’ll see, we’ll go, we can, whispered in a low voice during late nights in front of the PC with a cup of green tea with Sari, shouted with Beth and Zita on the subway to cover the buzz of other people or scribbled down on a sheet of paper with Emiko during the most relevant and inspiring speeches at Food Bloggers Connect. We can.

Stuttgart

I left London in the morning, bathed in a thin drizzle, well aware that I’ll be back soon because my favourite city and I have still a lot of things to do together, and I flew to Stuttgart for the last stop of my holiday. Claudia was waiting for me at the airport, my little sister in Erasmus in Germany for 6 months.

We spent 3 days together, but this time, when she walked me to the airport, no tear-jerker scenes like last time (and the first time I did it all by myself on the escalator, she was quiet, I am just a too apprehensive elder sister). Why? well, I’m not less apprehensive, she was coming back home after 2 days!

My sister, who is no longer a tiny girl but an independent young woman speaking a fluent German, took me around Stuttgart and showed me all she adored of the city that welcomed her for 6 months. I especially loved the wonderful museum of modern and contemporary art: it was truly exciting to see for the first time, just a few centimetres away from my nose, some masterpieces by Gauguin, Picasso, Mirò and Kandinskji.

On the plane back home, I brought with me a notebook, trying to give an order and a priority to the hundreds of thoughts and projects that still occupy my mind, and once home I started to check the list step by step. First, make a refreshing lemonade, because it’s important  to make the most out of these lemons!

Second, give you the opportunity to subscribe to my blog feed via e-mail, as to give you a good morning every time I publish a post with a mini email alert in your inbox. Do you like the idea? So just sign up in the top right sidebar of the blog.

Now, I think I have said all I wanted to tell you, so… let’s start with enthusiasm the new Juls’ Kitchen season!

Speaking about lemonade…

• I love this lemonade made by Claudia from Il Gatto Goloso: we both adore red striped paper straws!
• how not to mention Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks, my favourite blogger at the moment for her honest and true approach to food, life and photography, and her blackberry limeade.

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Ginger lemonade to start again

Four of the freshest eggs of the day: this is what I came home with last week from a visit to an agriturimo near Siena, where we are organizing cooking classes for tourists. Smooth to the touch, of a pinky-white and innocent colour, they were the freshest eggs in my hand in years. What would you do with them? Tomorrow I will tell you what I made for dinner with these freshest eggs.

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Fresh eggs!

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I have always been a romantic girl. I have always loved happy end fairy tales, from Cinderella to The Sleeping Beauty. England has always have a special place in my heart. And I’ve been waiting for my Prince Charming for a while now, even though I must reckon that the electric blue tights are not my favourite outfit for a man! I do prefer masculine torn jeans!

Sum all these factors. Which is the first thing that comes to your mind? Quite simple, William and Kate’s royal wedding. Royal weddings make me shed an emotional tear every time, they allow me to dream for a little while without getting hurt, as when I used to watch Cinderella as a little child from a worn out video tape .

What girl doesn’t dream of feeling like a princess, even if just for one day? Watch out! I used the verb to feel, not to be. It is not necessary to have blue blood or marry a royal scion to feel like a princess (even though, if I had to choose one, I admit I have a soft spot for Carl Philip of Sweden, but I do not think I can compete with his current girlfriend, er…).

Last Saturday I felt like a princess, even though on a very low budget! I enjoyed a high tea at the Florence Four Seasons. It is a fabulous hotel, a Renaissance palace with one of the largest gardens in the city, just a few steps away from the Dome. It is possible to book an English afternoon high tea for just 22 €. It was just the three of us, happy, excited, even slightly intimidated … Here’s how I spent the afternoon with Laura and Emiko. Read the post until the end because there is a tiny surprise for you!

The tea is served in fine Richard Ginori china cups, specifically designed with the hotel park temple. The tea list is rich and could satisfy even the most discerning palates. We have choose a simple yet fresh and fragrant Earl Grey with milk. Immediately after the tea was served, the finger sandwiches came along, impeccable: cucumber, ham and mustard, crème fraîche and salmon and scrambled eggs.

The sandwiches were delicate and refined, but the following sweet moment left us speechless. The scones are served warm, freshly made, with clotted cream and strawberry jam. They weren’t plain, but enriched with candied orange and citron, so soft and fruity that they dissolved in your mouth.

If you have a little empty room left, it’s time for sweet pastries, a riot of colors, textures and unusual combinations. Now really comes out the child in you: my eyes filled with tears and my heart with joy. Every bite was anticipated by trepidation and desire to discover a new flavor. Everything had been prepared specially for us and this, undoubtedly, made ​​me feel like a princess.

Before diving into the Florence White Night, we granted a moment of peace in the park of the hotel (or more practically, we decided to have a walk in the garden to get over all that we had eaten). Raise your hand if you fancy a wedding in that temple: white wooden chairs, delicate flowers … but back to us!

As in the last weeks I have been a bit absent from this spot, I decided to reward you all, who still come here and make me feel your affection, with a tiny giveaway. I have been able to feel like a princess with just 22 €, so I guess relatively on a low budget considered all that was included in our high tea (so to speak, we haven’t had dinner after the tea). What is your favorite way to feel like a princesses, cuddled, loved, important?

I am searching exclusively for low cost tips, because you are a princess in your mind and your heart, money helps but it is not the only way to proudly wear a diamond crown for a few hours! Leave a comment to this post by midnight of Friday, May 13. I’ll be away on a business trip for a few days, but as soon as I’ll be back I will read all your comments – as always -, then I will choose one comment. The lucky girl (or man, maybe there will be someone who wants to feel like William for a day) will receive a tiny little surprise .. we are always on low budget, aren’t we?

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

How to feel like a princess with a very low budget

A simple egg to wish you all from the bottom of my heart Happy Easter. Thank you for being here and for make me feel your love and care every day. You are the essential ingredient of any recipe and the right light of each photo.

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Happy Easter

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Tomorrow I leave. I’m going to Germany with my blonde baby bird – if she reads I’m calling her baby bird she will definitely try to choke me. My sister is going to study in Stuttgart for a semester and I want to be with her for her first days there.

I accompanied my sister to the kindergarten, when she used to wear a green checkered smock. I accompanied her to the elementary school, saying ‘blow your nose‘ when leaving, as my mum used to say with me – and how much I hated that! I walked her to the school bus on her first day at the middle school, admiring her courage to go to a new school in a new town. I was with her on her first day at high school, feeling slightly less lost trying to find the right way to her class, both for her and for me.

Speaking about University, she has made all by herself, waking up every day 2 hours before me to go to Florence. Tomorrow we leave and we go to Stuttgart. I will have a short holiday there – I do need a holiday – then I’ll come back home. I won’t say anything more, I’m a bit teary in these days, but let me give Claudia my tips to feel everywhere at home.

Home is a feeling, my guest post at Gloria’s At home in Tuscany.

P.S. The opening picture is my favourite one, the one I chose to open my small photographic exhibition in Florence at Art Bar. There are only fifteen pictures, but it’s a great achievement for me!

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Home is a feeling

In the meantime, I’m proud to introduce you an exclusive video realized by H-art for the Consorzio di Tutela del Grana Padano, to explain in a simple and effective way the various stages of Grana Padano production – milk, curdling, brine, seasoning. Isn’t it perfect and immediate? From now on, every time I’ll Grana Padano, I’ll be aware of this little miracle and the quality process required to have one of the most renowned Italian cheeses.

Take care my friends, talk to you in a week!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

A break and an exclusive video for Grana Padano

This is a special issue. We are all together, from all around the world, to tell you something about our Christmas, being it on the top of a snowy mountain or on a sunny beach, baking cookies with your children or cooking something special for your dear ones, with a crazy and buzzing family or just the two of us… This is Christmas, and this is our gift for you! Enjoy with us G2Kitchen Christmas Edition!

Merry Christmas and Happy passionate New Year!

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G2Kitchen – Christmas Issue

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3. Merry Christmas!

If you happen to pass by Viareggio on Sunday the 28th of November or Wednesday the 8th of December, you can enjoy a whole day of fun and cooking at Lombardi Store with me. Who’s coming? Just write to me for every info you need! I don’t know you, but I’m already feeling like Christmas!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Waiting for Christmas… in Viareggio!

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If it were a color? It would be the fiery orange of the trees leaves.
If it were a flavour? It would be pumpkin, enhanced by some spices to warm up and get us ready for the first cold.
If it were an object? It would be a wooden stick to walk into woods looking for mushrooms.
If it were a time of day? It would be dusk, with oblique light, the sharp shadows, the crisp air and the first stars in the sky.
If it were a sound? It would be the rustle of leaves under your feet and the wind blowing through the branches.
If it were a smell? It would be the scent of first wood burning in the fireplace and the smell of deep woods.
If it were a fictional character? It would be a gnome, busily to stock fruits and roots to hide in hollow logs of wood.
If it were a sensation? It would be the first long sleeve, the first scarf wrapped around your neck and its soft and reassuring warmth.
… and if it were a season? But of course, it would be Autumn! a new beginning, a new enthusiasm, a desire to be creative and be cuddled by the new scents and warm tastes of the most colorful season of the year!

I’m so proud of this first real Issue, full of original recipes from all around the world, but above all, I am proud of the beautiful and warm friendship born through these 108 pages of emotions, flavors and enjoyment! Come and browse with us the Autumn Issue!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

G2K Autumn Issue – Fall is here!

You should be interested also in:

1. G2Kitchen – Christmas Issue
2. Autumn Pumpkin Mac&Cheese

… with G2kitchen ? We are waiting for you.. tomorrow our Fall will be here!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Do we have breakfast together TOMORROW?

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1. G2Kitchen… a dream coming true!

Emotions. Cooking. Passion. Recipes. Photography. Slices of life.
This will be G2Kitchen: the realization of a dream, the technological and graphic evolution of some beautiful friendships made through the blog.
I’m Giulia, better known as Juls, a Tuscan girl with a crazy passion for cooking, photography, English language and my country.
I strongly believe in cooperation, exchange of experiences, impressions, tastes and scents.
For this reason, G2Kitchen will be an international magazine, born by the contribution and the sensitivity of bloggers who live daily different lives, but with same burning passion, guided by the same dreams.
Believe with us in this project, and together we’ll see where dreams and passion can bring!

I won’t tell you more… if you want to discover who we are, what we do, what we dream, if you want to read presentations, recipes, surprises.. follow this link and you’ll discover a new and amazing world: www.G2kitchen.com!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

G2Kitchen… a dream coming true!

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3. Summer RoundUp #8: Strawberry sponge cake, Sari {Cook your dream}

Summer 2010 was a special summer, with so many beautiful emotions and new and old friendships  to remember, but also with some heavier moments, less pleasant, which I don’t want to remind right now… I’m working on myself in order to store them with swimming costumes, slippers and sunscreen, it’s a goodbye and never see each other again to sadness, anxiety and lump in my throat. I won’t bring you with me in the golden light of autumn, no. It will be me, and just me, to walk with lightness – of heart and mind – on the carpet of creaking leaves, to reap the juicy bunches of grapes, to dream over the bright orange pumpkins and breathe the first smell of mushrooms and firewood into the fresh air.

So Bye Bye Summer! Fall, what are you waiting for? I am here waiting for you!

My intention, today, is to say goodbye to summer and its a sunny afternoons, to London and Provence memories, with a quick and summery way to present fruit, with two drops of Pimm’s, with whom I fell in love during Food Bloggers Connect in June.

::: Melon with brown sugar and Pimm’s :::

• sweet, small and round melon, 1
• brown sugar, 2 tablespoons
• Pimm’s, 2 tablespoons
• mint leaves to serve
  

Halve the melon, remove seeds and make small pulp scoops with a spoon. Season melon scoops with brown sugar and Pimm’s. Put the pulp back into melon halves and decorate with fresh mint leaves. It’s a perfect fresh dessert with a scoop of yogurt ice cream.

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Bye Bye Summer

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Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Holidays!

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You still do not know it, but this will be a summer to remember. I have this wonderful feeling that lingers in my head, fills my stomach with butterflies and makes my heart beat to the rhythm of drums. It’s like when you feel that something  stunning and very positive is going to happen, when you feel vibes in the air, shimmering with a golden light full of expectations. I am living one of those moments. No, nothing new has happened: I am still the same old single, Bridget Jones’ style, Donna Hay didn’t called me to work with her. No, not even Jamie Oliver, unfortunately. Simply summer is here, and with summer the whole load of great expectations that accompany this season every year!

Every year, in September, I find myself at the end of summer and I can’t even realize how it has happened, but this time I have decided that this will be different. I decided to live this summer moment by moment, so that one day, as an old woman, I’ll look back at this not as a summer, but as that summer. Just like Bryan Adams’ Summer of ’69, this will be my, our, summer of ’69!

Oh when I lock back now
That was seemes to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya – I’d always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life

How can make it memorable? What about traveling?! I know, I know … it is not easy to take your backpack and follow a road to the horizon, savoring the air and the changing landscape that becomes lake, sea, mountain, forest or desert.

Friends will helps us, marvellous new friends I met through the blog, people who live somewhere else, with a daily life completely different from my own, yet intense and amazing thanks to the same passion, food. They are exceptional foodbloggers, with whom I can laugh at stupid things on Twitter, or who may help you and give you wise advices without asking anything in return!

Well, these international foodbloggers (with a national exception currently living abroad) every Friday up to September will present their own idea of summer, their holidays, their recipes, their photos.. it will be a way to travel remaining at the your desk, a way of discovering different places and different recipes that will provide a more international style to our summer! This is also a chance to tickle my xenophilia vein, standing still with my feet in Tuscany!

Tomorrow you’ll find out who is the first guest who’ll bring you on holidays, but for the moment … DLIN DLONG service communications !

• I guest posted on Tuscanycious, Tuscany with gusto: come to discover something more about Tuscan herbs and my passion for foreign countries and later on for Tuscany.
• Last remind, you have time up to the midnight of the 30th of June to send me your recipe for the Hay Hay Donna Day event, take part to the competition and play with pea and mint soup.

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Summer RoundUp… what is you summer like?

You should be interested also in:

1. Summer RoundUp #2: Mowielicious and a summer salad
2. Summer RoundUp #3: Chicago and gardening, Diana from “Spain in Iowa”
3. Summer RoundUp #4: Portugal, Viz from “Desperate HouseViz”

It was the 26th of November, dark and gloomy, outside was raining and my blog was still quiet young, I was a beginner foodblogger and the foodie world was yet unknown: by chance I stumbled upon this post, I was totally impressed by the event and the organization, but unfortunately it was too close to the event to reach London… I bookmarked the website and started looking at it, once in a while (maye a bit more often, I admit!) waiting for the big news: the new edition. And finally, the dates! Don’t think twice, Juls, book the ticket and go! 6 months later, I was one of them, I was at the Food Blogger Connect event!

I would like to able to express with my own words what I feel, but it’s really hard, believe me! No, it’s not the language, it’s not because I’m writing in English! I have inside a volcano of emotions, memories, smiling faces, sweets and drinks – oh yeah, I had drinks! – talks, friends and projects. Besides that, I took far less photos than I expected, too busy talking, exchanging cards and smiles, drinking and eating. So I decided to go random, picking up emotions and memories from my heart as well as projects and snapshots of an unmatched weekend.

Everything has had a sweet and honey coloured beginning: the morning light, sleepy faces but pumping hearts ready to face the day, this was Breakfast at Sari’s, with a delicious cherry muffin, a cup of steaming tea and a truly generous hospitality. Sharing the apartment with Sari, Pam and Tiina has given a hearty touch to the weekend, colouring these days with friendship: choosing what to wear for the day, late night talks and gossips, mind blowing brainstorming and cider (chocolate for me, please!).

Sari and Pam

Tiina, Sari and Pam

And here we are, all together, thanks to Mowie who took this picture (I reckon, I was quite excited, Mowie taking a picture of me! Com’  on, admit it, wouldn’t you be excited? It is Mowie, haven’t you seen his pics?). Everyone with a different walk of life, everyone with her own voice and approach to the blog.

And here we come to one of the most important – at leat for me – moments of the event: the speech of Jamie from Life’s A Feast, Jeanne from Cook Sister and Kerrin from MyKugelhopf about writing style and voice: what did I learn? Be appropriate, avoid mistakes, find your own voice, understand who you blog for and which is the process you enjoy the most in between cooking, writing and socializing. After their words and examples, I started thinking and reached a conclusion… well! don’t be too hasty, soon you’ll see the results!

Saturday afternoon was dedicated to the photographic aspect of the food blog universe: Hilda from Saffron And Blueberry has dissected a camera to explain its basical functions, while Meeta from What’s For Lunch Honey? e Mowie from Mowielicious delighted the audience with their amazing and crystal clear pictures to give some hints for Food styling.

On Sunday Kerrin was the protagonist together with Julia from A slice of Cherry Pie of another deeply inspiring speech: How to get published and get feature work. You could tell from everyone’s sparkling eyes that the matter was really interesting, and our speakers were so easy going, fun and generous of advices that at the end I was so overexcited that I couldn’t help to say a confused and still emotioned thank to a way too kind Kerrin.. into the Ladies Room!

After this interesting approach to the foodblog world, another mind blowing speech: Niall Harbison captured the audience with his fun and witty interpretation of social media: even though he was in Dublin instead of in our venue because of RyanAir, he managed to cast a spell over everyone, giving a step by step approach to follow to act properly into the social media universe.

Here Aoife from The daily spud, Beth from Dirty kitchen secrets and Mowie from Mowielicious. I take the chance now to thank Bethany for the organization of the Food Blogger Connect and for gathering such a beautiful group of people!

Have I ever mentioned that I don’t drink alcohol? Well, I was truly astonished when I discovered that this delicious, refreshing, sweet and fresh drink, known as Pimm’s cocktail, containes alcohol! You must forgive me, but as Italian, I really didn’t known even the exsistence of Pimm’s! Now I have discoverd a new love!

A bit of Italy! I wasn’t the only Italian at the FBC10! Manuel and Jasmine from Labna.it shared with me such an impressive experience: it was nice – and relieving once in a while! - to talk with each others in Italian and see questioning faces around us, or, even better, it was really strange start speaking in English with other people and keep on in English in between us, without any reason!

Again, Beth from Dirty kitchen secrets tasting some of the gorgeous chocolates brought by Julia, blogger at Always leave room for dessert. I will always have room for one of her strawberry chocolates, not to mention the spiced ones!

After twitting, twitting, twitting, I finally had the chance to meet Sarah from Maison Cupcake.

Sweet Anne from Anne’s Kitchen, Sari and smiling Katharine from A girl in Madrid.

A final picture of almost all of us, thanks to Mowie.

After such an amazing weekend, can you belive me if I tell you that I feel like this rasberry, left alone into the dish? I’ve been so happy to take part to this grand event, so proud to get to know some of the best foodbloggers in the world that I read everyday and that are a daily source of inspiration. Now I must learn to manage all this emotions bubbling into my heart, to direct everything into a creative effort. In this moment, a smile is lingering into my face: I’m happy as everyone who has just discovered his goal. I’ve decided to give credit to Niall’s advice and believe in my dreams: follow your passion!

Now, let’s start counting down the days for next year event: an year flows when you have such amazing new friends! Waiting to meet you all, in London, here in Tuscany or wherever our route will bring us, a list with all the attendees: if I forgot someone, or misspelled a name or blog, please let me know!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

London, Food Blogger Connect 2010

You should be interested also in:

1. Food Blogger Connect 2010 and a new layout
2. Fettunta Party 2010 – A few shots
3. Fettunta Party 2010

I was going to make a post full of words, feelings, emotions … but I was overcome by sleep, by too much *delicious* food and too much happiness for this beautiful afternoon, so I decided to leave the task to explain this party to my photos. I think they quite faithfully represent the good atmosphere that has developed between us and the sumptuous buffet that has been graduallyset up, through the contributions of all of us!

First of all, bruschetta, or fettunta, barbecued by Dad, then here’s an idea of what we ate .. not everything on the table was photographed, for example I couldn’t take a picture of the spectacular couscous brought by Stefania, it was finished in a moment!

Savoury buffet:

1. Muffins with smoked bacon and smoked scamorza (firm cheese) (Juls)
2. OPS! a delicios banana and coconut cake baked by Elga (ok, I made a mistake, it was supposed to be in another photo composition, but I was almost asleep!)
3. Lumachelle orvietane (Aurelia)
4. Crostini with liver made according to the Renaissance style  (Corrado)
5. Ferrara Bread (Elga)
6. Salami (Laura)
7. Cake with gouda cheese, savoy and cumin (Chiara)
8. Lasagne (Elga)

Sweet Buffet:

1. Prato cookies (Aurelia)
2. Oat and chocolate cookies (Francesca)
3. Chocolate and Cream puffs (Stefania)
4. Peanut butter and white chocolate cookies (Laura)
5. Sugar cake with walnuts (Laura)
6. Charamel brownies  (Laura)
7. Double Chocolate brownies (Laura)
8. Chocolate drops Muffins (Jasmine)
9. Vanilla, strawberries and white chocolate cake  (Chiara)
10. Lemon curd cream mousse with sautée fruit (Juls)

… And finally Silvia’s masterpiece!

Then a roundup of all of us, intent on talking, eating, exchanging views and experiences … no, ok, I confess! The activity that we liked the most was eating! The food was so plentiful that 20 more people would have enjoyed the buffet as well, not considering the large number of doggy bags we managed to do!

Here a list of partecipants, foodbloggers or foodies:

• Giulia and her family, Juls’ Kitchen (that’s me!)
• Corrado and Annamaria, CorradoT
• Laura and Marco, Tavole e Fornelli
• Jasmine, Labna
• Silvia with her husband and 2 beautiful children, Pan con l’Olio
• Chiara, Cavoli a merenda
• Elga with her husband and 3 delicious children, Semi di Papavero
• Stefania with her husband, La Bottega delle Bontà
• Aurelia with her husband and her son, Profumi in cucina
• Francesca, a tweetie friend and a foodblogger to be
• Sabrina, with her husband, and Cecilia, foodies

Thanks to everyone who was there, thank to those who wanted to come but who couldn’t make it, and thanks to those who’ll certainly be there next time, because that’s for sure, soon there will be a fourth edition of Fettunta Party!

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Fettunta Party 2010 – A few shots

You should be interested also in:

1. Fettunta Party 2010
2. Fettunta Party – The day after
3. Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Mad Hatter Tea Party

It ‘s been almost a year since the last time, but the desire to meet again is great, especially now that days are longer, air is warm and smells of flowers and, above all, now that we can finally breathe a sigh of relief because winter is finally over! So, it is time to announce, with the precious help and cooperation of CorradoT, the date of the Fettunta* Party, 2010 edition:

Sunday, 9th of May 2010, 5 pm, at my house in the countryside between Siena and Florence

You are invited, either foodbloggers, foodies or passionate about cookink. We only ask you to help us with groceries, bringing with you a pound of bread and a bit of good olive oil. If you want, you can bring something else, such as tomatoes and basil. Or wine, or any delicious appetizer will ever cross your mind! Knowing the kind of people I’m referring to, I know that you will bring even more: better! We can make this night unforgettable, as were the others!

It will be a chance to get to know each other, or meet again, but above all to spend time together with friends, in between talks, laughs and good food. The lawn is cozy, but not infinitely large, so we must limit to 30 the number of participants:  if you are interested please register by sending an e-mail to juls1981 [at] gmail [dot] com. But be quick to decide, not to be excluded!

Participants will receive an email with directions to the Fettunta party, and further details.

P.S. I have a dog, I know you know this! Forewarned is forearmed! Those who came in July and September know how good and and cuddly Kira is, but I thought should warn you!

(*) Fettunta is a tosted slice of bread seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt and – if you want – brushed with garlic.

Post di: Juls' Kitchen

Fettunta Party 2010

You should be interested also in:

1. Fettunta Party 2010 – A few shots
2. Fettunta Party – The day after
3. Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Mad Hatter Tea Party