Vegeta

The food here is good. Very good. Vegetables and fruits are of exceptionally high quality. I ate a grapefruit the other day that was as good as any I had ever eaten in my life—even in Florida. Where do the citrus fruits come from? Spain. I have no idea if there is a local and organic movement but I do know that eating seasonally has always been part of the European ethos; freshness of produce and meats is expected. I shop every day, which is a rhythm I like. There are small and big markets all over the place and they are amazingly well stocked. What there is not much of is heat-and-serve foods, either frozen or in cans. Canned soup, for instance? Can’t find it, but I can find the basics of soup-making in the veggie aisle—a carrot or two, a bit of parsnip, some savoy cabbage leaves, some parsley, all packaged together and very cheap. Just add onion, garlic, water, a bit of seasoning (Vegeta, an all-purpose mix that I know I’ve seen in Vincenzos), maybe some meat and you have soup. I made such a basic soup with an added poached chicken breast last week and it was excellent. But I worry about that Vegeta--what's in it exactly? 

Remember I’m cooking on a two-ring stove top. No oven, not even a toaster oven. Please send me your favourite recipes for meals that can be made in either two saucepans or one saucepan and a frying pan (these are my only pots). It’s like camping, but with refrigeration. Stir fries, okay, but where is the soya sauce? Pastas, a no-brainer. I’m planning to make Arlequino’s spag bol this weekend, but I can’t find ground turkey so it will have to be with beef meatballs. Risottos, yum, but it’s difficult to warm up any leftovers without a microwave. In fact, how does one warm up food without a microwave? I’ve forgotten.

Soon I am going to write about the university and my work here. I promise. My first touristy week is over, and teaching began today.