Lorna at Vicenza

I've had plenty of sloppy meals in France that looked nothing like art.

I was once served some spaghetti on a plate with a steak on it, like the spaghetti was a veg.

TestaRossa

Somebody else wrote a book like that - Dark side of Italy?? I thought it was trite to be honest. You could tell he was rehashing old opinions without really backing them up with any research, he was British/US journo that found an angle to sell to a publisher - I think it came out around the same time as Gomorra so anything in English that trashed Italy was published even if it wasn't substantiated by direct experience..

Love Ladies detec. agency. Real relaxing reading.

K in Modena

I had generally excellent food in France when I was living there but yes, that's a common thing they do with spaghetti, they don't quite seem to understand it! Might they do it in the UK too, though?

TestaRossa

I do it at home!! Sometimes instead of potatoes or rice, but I can't remember having it like that in the UK, more likely as a cold salad but not hot.

Must admit I've not really had any bad meals in France either, but then the Romans conquered Gaul so I guess much of it comes from Italy anyway!

Lorna at Vicenza

The sloppy meals I had were mostly in the hotel my boss used to put me up in. A little place near Macon.

I think the chef had a passion for sauces because he covered everything in thick sauce.... even a lovely fish. Somebody in that kitchen was also heavy handed on the vinegar. I don't mind vinegar on salads but I learnt to ask for my salads to come "undressed" so I could dress them myself.

K in Modena

I have a recipe in a Jamie Oliver book for "meatballs and spaghetti". Not sure what DH would make of that...

Anderson Council

"The Dark Heart Of Italy". I must say, I really liked it. Very interesting, I thought, on Berlusconi's dodgy past. The same writer, Toby Jones, stirred up some controvery here when he wrote an article about how dire Italian television is. I agreed with everything he said until he went and totally blew his credibility by professing a liking for the films of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (ballerina take note!).

TestaRossa

Did you read the copy that had been updated? It was the updated chapters at the end that made me revise my opinion of the book. Been a while since I read it but I just felt he was printing stuff he'd read rather than researched.

Anderson Council

Nope, haven't seen the updated copy. Saw a documentary on Berlusconi on Current (Sky) today. Wasn't very good though. Lots of critical rhetoric and no real substance.

Lorna at Vicenza

Watched it last night

Lorna at Vicenza

Watched Tea With Mussolini .......

there is a quite a bit of Italian in it so I'm wondering if I got a version without subtitles for those bits.

When some of you watched it, were the Italian bits subtitled?

There is an Italian actor in the beginning who dances with Cher - he since became an actor in an Italian soap opera - Cento Vetrine (crap).

The nice English lady gives Luca the boy bacon and eggs in the film. Where the hell did she get bacon from ????

angeli

Watched Tea with M...some while ago and enjoyed...need to watch again as need a BACON and egg fix...maybe Lidl's were 'Little's' then
Cheeses Fest in local town 'Gualdo' this weekend.....lots of cheeses, sheep and liquorice and more...but no bacon

TestaRossa

Maybe they had an Esselunga??

indiebird

ohh I've not seen Tea with Mussolini... I have a few fave 'English' films that I go back to again and again. One is, and will always be 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' it's like comfort food to me that film... but I guess it is very much a girl film... I also adore 'Hot Fuzz' which I know is silly but it just tickles me and is English to the core. I also have 'Finding Neverland' which was Johnny Depp playing JM Barrie. I know that he was not a Scot like Barrie but I do think he played a good part and again it is very English. I spent a lot of my Yoof sitting up late and watching British films and screenplays on BBC 2 and the brilliant Film Four films too. I don't mind Americany stuff but I still often go back to English films.... '24Hour Party People' is something else I like but mainly for the Music as it was the Music I grew up with... there was a time in the 1990's where you couldn't move for spotty blokes in Parkers with a Manc Accent in the pubs and clubs of Brighton...

angeli

Loved 'Hot Fuzz' and have watched at least 3 times....
One of the best I watch every year is ' Death at a Funeral'..with Jayne Asher and others...good english comedy....Have Avatar still sealed in plastic...have you watched......think I need to concentrate so will need rainy day....oh no, I didn't say that....really !!!