Summer in this corner of Italy

Summer's here!

Lignano beach - Friuli - North East of Italy

Who would have thought it would take this long -mid June!- for it to arrive...
Heat must be indeed a key factor in fermentation: proof is our household that's suddenly bubbling up with news and work and a million little things. Not that I'm complaining!

One of the most important and exciting things that have come up, is that we're about to embark on a pretty big renovation project! The house, soon to become 'our house', is a 19th century traditional 'Friulian' three-floor building: made out of stones and wood and with features like a couple of archways and external wooden staircases it's got a homey feeling as it is. That's if we don't think about the huge amount of work that needs to be done.... I will post pictures as soon as we can call it 'ours', hopefully really soon!

Work has reserved us some surprises too, since I've got the opportunity now to work for a couple of months at a beach resort in Lignano Sabbiadoro and because it's seasonal work, the pay is a bit higher compared to other jobs, which means the house might get an earlier start of its makeover! The other advange is that, in the free time i'll be able to sunbake and swim and enjoy an otherwise impossible (for this year) sort of holiday. Lignano's beach is okay, but nothing special if compared to the Sardinian, Croatian or other mesmerizing coastlines. I find the small fishing ports nearby a lot more interesting, but maybe that's because I am not a fan of beach-only types of holidays. I need to see history, culture, all that makes Italy so unique, so if you're like me, between one swim and the other, you can always take the boat to, for instance, Marano Lagunare or check out the amazing lagoon, where also Hemingway was at home for a while: he called it the 'Florida of Italy'.

Lignano beach (before it gets too crowded)

 
The other great news is that with the scorching sun, our veggie patch has come back to life and we've harvested our first zucchini two days ago! Tomatoes are peek-a-boo-ing under the leaves and I can't wait for them to 'blush'... The funny thing is that, being the season so late this year, the purple peas in our backyard, a spring staple, are ripening only now, too.

On the food side of life, I am basically surviving on ice cream. Not the best diet, I know, but just so you know, I'm not alone: Northern Italy has one of the largest ice cream consumption rates in the world. So if you ever visit it, be prepared to count as many ice cream vendors as paintings of the Holy Mother...one around every other corner.

The best ice cream has to be rich, creamy, but also 'fluffy' and should not contain ice crystals. You should taste the flavour of the main ingredient as if you were biting into the 'original' version (say you like Pistacchio, then it should taste like pistachio nuts and not be a flashy green colour, rather a muddy green. Just think about the nut...) and the sweet aftertaste shouldn't be overpowering or leaving you with sticky lips. The cone should ideally be made by the vendor himself: the polystirene-tasting waffle is, I find, depressing to say the least - why on earth are they still being used??? Finally, the price should be fair: if I pay 1.20 € and they give me a tiny scoop, then for sure I won't go back.
Should you be in the area, I'll be happy to give you tips on where to find the best ice cream vendors in the jungle out there!

Happy heat:-)