What's for tea tonight?!
We'd just settled down last night for a relaxing Sunday evening watching a film when there was a knock on the door. Stefano & the girls were outside with a couple of chickens he'd just been out and shot! He offered one of the chickens to us which Andy decided to accept and there began our exciting Sunday evening! Needless to say the only chicken either of us had previously experienced was the kind in a nicely presented pack on the shelf in the supermarket, one that was still warm & complete with head, legs, feathers etc was definitely something new! We decided to evacuate the chicken to the balcony while we formulated a plan, thank heavens for the internet is all I can say! We found a couple of sites that gave hints & tips on plucking & dealing with chickens so we read the instructions and set too. Not the most pleasant experience in the world, particularly when I'd planned an evening of TV in my pyjamas, but I guess this is what we signed up to when we moved to Italy! We were both very impressed with our handywork by the end of the evening & I am looking forward to our little chicken with thyme, lemon & garlic butter which we are having for tea tonight.
Piccolo Rustico
We have now moved into the little rustico (stone house) between Cortemilia & Cravanzana, which we hope will be our home for the next few months until our own house is habitable. It is very compact & cosy and has everything we need including herbs on the window sill & a tomato plant outside the door, what more could we ask for.
Stefano, Isabella & family have been very friendly & welcoming, we’ve already been for a pizza with them and they’ve brought us one of their delicious torta di nocciola produced at the cascina using their own hazlenuts. The cats have also had their first taste of freedom today, their first in over a month. We decided it was time they went out & met the resident children & animals, their early enthusiasm was dampened by an encounter with one of the dogs & one of the cats so they aren’t straying too far at the moment although Cleo seems to be enjoying sunning herself on the balcony.
Farewell to Cossano Belbo
Friday was our last day in the apartment overlooking Cossano Belbo as the time had come for us to move on to our next accommodation.
We really enjoyed our stay there and Paul & Carole-Anne who own the Cascina and apartments have been fantastic. They have offered valuable advice about restoring a property & life in Italy and we’ve spent a number of evenings enjoying a glass of wine with them and a few great meals as well, we will definitely miss their company.
We'd just settled down last night for a relaxing Sunday evening watching a film when there was a knock on the door. Stefano & the girls were outside with a couple of chickens he'd just been out and shot! He offered one of the chickens to us which Andy decided to accept and there began our exciting Sunday evening! Needless to say the only chicken either of us had previously experienced was the kind in a nicely presented pack on the shelf in the supermarket, one that was still warm & complete with head, legs, feathers etc was definitely something new! We decided to evacuate the chicken to the balcony while we formulated a plan, thank heavens for the internet is all I can say! We found a couple of sites that gave hints & tips on plucking & dealing with chickens so we read the instructions and set too. Not the most pleasant experience in the world, particularly when I'd planned an evening of TV in my pyjamas, but I guess this is what we signed up to when we moved to Italy! We were both very impressed with our handywork by the end of the evening & I am looking forward to our little chicken with thyme, lemon & garlic butter which we are having for tea tonight.
