Ranunculus

Above: Venetian papers I’m using for some of the items that will soon be available in my online shop. These handprinted & marbled papers are made by two brothers who both have shops in Venice.

Above: One of the most beautiful tarocco oranges of the season, redolent of a sunset.

La Rosa Canina (above & left) is a sweet little plant and flower shop that we pass on Via Monte alle Croci  on the way up to the church of San Miniato.

Springtime on Pitti ‘Beach’

I love the anticipation of uploading digital photos to my computer . . . it’s like the feeling I experience when walking home from the library with a bag full of books, or after a visit to a produce stand or an art store.

I suppose it’s the excitement of potential discoveries—of not knowing what you might find—an image to be considered, perhaps cropped for emphasis or paired with others . . . something to be shared. Photos, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’, have the power to serve as reminders  of emotions, of circumstances, of small details recorded . . . to transport you back to moments in the past.

Below: A few photos of the charming San Niccolò neighborhood, which lies on the south side of the Arno (these were taken in the area near Porta San Miniato). The tiny gelateria shown on the left of the first photo, Il Gelato di Filo, is a recent discovery; their gelato is at once creamy, dense and light—definitely the best I’ve tasted. Funny to think that I never really liked ice cream before coming to Italy, but the gelato artigianale is altogether something else. (via San Niccolò 5r)

A recent evening’s reflection on the Arno (below) reminded me of the gold-tinged scones.

Above: The Arno continues to fascinate me with its rich palette of reflections; here it appears silvery (with tinges of reflected color along the top).

Since posting the scone recipe last November, I’ve been making scones about once a week. Here are a few more notes . . .

- I have found that I don’t need any extra cream beyond the 1/2 cup if I’m patient with pulling the dough together; I just kind of roll the dough around the bowl to gather it all.

- I’ve been heaping the teaspoon of baking powder so the scones rise a bit more.

- While I’m not a big fan of raisins, I do like them in scones; I’ve been stirring in about a 1/2 cup (after working the butter into the dry ingredients, but before adding the cream). Sprinkle a little castor (fine) sugar over the top of each scone before baking, and you don’t even need jam, butter or cream.

- To avoid having to re-roll the dough, I use a knife to cut equal pieces; an alternative to cutting wedges from a circle is to shape the dough into a 7” square and divide into nine smaller squares.