Seasonal delights

Even in the supermarket you can tell spring is here by the seasonal displays. Yesterday I saw one with asparagus,eggs and Vespaiolo white wine, I m not sure why but its " name comes from the Italian word vespa which means wasp.This was the  inspiration I needed to make  a light lunch to  shrug off the winter layers.

There are two types of asparagus in Northern Italy, the green ones also found in Britain and the white ones grown in the Bassano area, also in France. I chose the white ones knowing that I would please my husband with a lunch like that. Not everyone likes asparagus, it has to be put in risotto with loads of parmesan cheese to get unnoticed by my children.

But today with just the two of us it was a sure success.

A few years ago in England we discovered asparagus grown at Dorney court and English white wine from

Luxters near Henley - on-Thames.They are linked romantically and both well worth a visit.

Entertaining made easy

Whenever my sister-in-law invites you to a party you know you're in for a great time. Everything is delicious and there is always a great buzz and loads of laughs. She likes to serve canapes called "Devils on horseback", that are prunes soaked in brandy and then wrapped in bacon and grilled. She hands them round saying "We like to keep our guests regular".
Apart from that, her entertaining is a very serious business, with lots of forward planning and organisation. Over the years I have picked up a lot of useful tips from her. The most logical one is to imagine what everyone's plate will look like when all the food is served up, whether it is a sit-down meal or an easy-going buffet, then just multiply that by how many people you have invited so you know how much to prepare. She says that good advance planning is essential. Choose dishes that need as little as possible in the way of last-minute attention and, preferably, a few which can be frozen ahead and simply thawed and served on the day.

So here is a party check list that I hope you will find useful, whatever sort of party you are planning.

1. What is the occasion? Is it formal or informal?
2  How many people do you think you will be catering for?
3  How much space do you have? Should you hire a village hall or oratorio,rather than squeeze everyone into your small flat?
4  Think about the time involved in shopping and preparing food, and ask for help.
5  Make sure you have enough equipment, serving dishes, cutlery, glasses, crockery.
6  Don't be over-ambitious, stick to dishes you are confident with.
7  Plan your menu well in advance and spread the work out as much as possible.
8  Don't make anything that will spoil if kept waiting, like risotto.
9  Once you have prepared the food, arranged the table, welcome your guests and make sure the party is going with a swing, then relax and enjoy yourself!

Something fizzy is always welcome at a party

Balloons add colour but beware not to blow them up too much then they won't pop.

Anglo-Italian Spring

Spring and Autumn are the two seasons which are most alike in Britain and Italy. Italian summers are much hotter and the hours of sunshine longer, Italian Winters are much colder than in Britain, even though there is still a lot of sunshine, hence the fur coat and sunglasses look that suits Italian women so well. There are more extremes of climate in Italy. Spring, though warmer on the whole than England  can be temperamental here too. In the morning you can step out in bright sunshine and then suddenly clouds will scud across the sky like children in the playground and there will be April showers here too. In Shakespeare's lively play "The two gentlemen of Verona^ he likens Spring to young love.

Oh, how the spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day!
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun
And by and bye a cloud takes all away.

Two Gentlemen of Verona is the one about Valentine, Silvia, Proteus and Julia. The story is as relevant to young people today as it was then. Moving away from home, falling in love, falling in love with your friend's girlfriend.
So have a lovely day and take your umbrella with you.

Italian blossom

English cow parsley

An original oil painting by the Italian artist Angela Albera, entitled "Spring"