Icons

The FIAT 500 is certainly one of the most popular italian icons, I guess, along with pizza and the Colosseum. Launched in 1957, its production ended in 1975. This one dates back 1966. Nowadays it is considered a little family jewel and it is very popular among the vintage cars amateurs. 

Across the road you can see another popular italian name, Agip, the biggest petrol company. But you can also spot one american icon, the big yellow M...

Holocaust Rememberance Day

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day  is the first universal commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. January 27 is the date, in 1945, when the largest Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland) was liberated by Soviets troops (Wikipedia).

Every year, on the 22nd January, this train wagon appears in Piazza Bra. It is quite impressive, rusty red and battered and it bears a dreadful chalk writing saying "54 stucke", the german for "54 pieces". This nightmare wagon was used from 1943 to 1945. It makes me shiver to think that innocent people were treated like "pieces" and shut in this iron box for a long, terrifying journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

Portici #2

This is another little "portici" in the centre of Verona. It's only a few meters long but it is, by far, the most elegant I know. Red carpeted, decorated ceiling, a few very exclusive shops...

Unusual sight

I was walking by the river the other day and I was admiring the bright velvety moss that grows on the trees along the river, when I came near to this huge american car. 

A big 80's (?) Ford, quite a striking presence in the narrow italian streets...

In the photo you can also admire Palazzo Ottolini, a fine XVIII building facing River Adige.

Corso S. Anastasia

Mr President

The sweets shop supports the new President. 

Pasta!

This morning the rain stopped but it's been gray and damp all day. The only good thing about this weather is the mild temperature that allowed me to wear my new coat, rather than my old long black duvet... 

Before going out (quite late in the morning) I quickly prepared the sauce for lunch. It really took me fifteen minutes and out I was, walking down to get a nice coffee...

This pasta is not typically veronese but I think you might like to know how to prepare an easy, quick, healthy and exquisite pasta. 

What you'll need:

- Broccoletti

- one sausage per person

- 4-5 tbsp of extravirgin olive oil

- 1 clove garlic

- a bit of peperoncino  (chilly) - salt (to taste) 

Boil or steam the broccoli, until tender, (if you boil them you can add salt in the water) put them aside. In a little saucepan put the oil, the peeled and sliced clove garlic, the sausage in pieces (I used a typical veronese sausage, the "salamella" which is made of various parts of minced pork meat, salt and pepper). Fry it for about ten minutes, until the salamella is perfectly cooked.

Mix the salamella with the broccoli in a big saucepan and, if needed, add a couple of tbsp of boiling salted water where you are cooking the pasta.

Cook pasta "al dente" and then add it to the broccoli and salamella. 

Enjoy!