37100

Maizena is a colloquial name for Amido di mais. It is also a registered trademark.

jonwel

About tea: I said some time ago, but no one took any notice, that if you don't mind using a teapot and strainer the Arab (Egyptian) shops (usually butchers) sell a Kenya tea, imported through Egypt, called "El Arosa" in a yellow and red packet. It's very fine, almost a powder, but makes a good strong cuppa. I get a 250g packet for €1.50, which isn't at all bad. Some places charge a bit more, but it's still reasonable.
Pluck up courage, someone, and try it! Tell us what you think!

Twinkle Canelli

Found it in my usual Gigante supermarket. Thank you.... I would never have known what it was otherwise!

37100

I'm on a high today after finding cream of tartar at the supermaket.

Patty

My daughter brings me PG tips from Milan. She gets them from one of those Asian mini-markets near Via Paolo Sarpi. A box of 40 is just 1.60 euros - not bad ey I cant find them here in Turin though.

Engliano

Anyone have any ideas where to buy:

Colemans english mustard or similar
Heinz salad cream or similar
Garam Masala (cant find this stuff anywhere and its an essential ingridient in my perfect indian curries) ?

Thx in advance.

jonwel

Happy hunting!

37100

Coleman's you can get in a lot of supermarkets. I get mine in Esselunga.

Heinz Salad cream I buy in a local Asian store.

Garam Masala. Have you had a look in Eataly? If not, bigger supermarkets or again, an Asian store.:-)) I was once persuaded by a store owner from Pakistan to try their fresh mix.

MarkRD

Check out local Asian or Chinese stores ... I've found a lot of stuff in those, they had salad cream def, but I don't eat it.

malcesine99

I unashamedly copied this from a blog I follow:


One of the lovely things about holidaying in Italy is how laid back everything is. Hanging out at the beach all day without even bothering to read a book. Slow walks in the early evening with no sense of purpose. Long languorous lunches.

Do not be fooled. Although they will humour you when you’re on holiday, Italians are anything but laid back when it comes to rules about food. Here are just a few which would never be transgressed by a self-respecting Italian:

1. Do not have cheese with seafood. If a waiter offers you parmesan for your spaghetti vongole, he is being mischievous and testing you. Look at him with a shocked expression and say ‘Sei pazzo? No grazie!’

2. Do not drink wine with pizza. Beer or a Coke are the correct partners. (Apparently it’s to do with bubbles aiding digestion, but my theory is that the physical wrestling involved in pizza consumption would risk upending an unstable wine glass – better to have a more anchored beer bottle.)

3. Do not drink a cappuccino after 11.30am. From that point it is strictly espresso – yes right until bedtime. Milk in the afternoon is only suitable for the under 3s.

4. It is perfectly acceptable to re-use your knife and fork between courses. But not your plate.

5. If you are served a pasta dish which involves chicken, you are not in a bona fide Italian restaurant. Chicken is a ‘secondo’ which should be eaten on its own. You wouldn’t put a loin of beef or a lamb chop in your pasta would you? Well same thing.

6. Don’t pour wine on wine – ie don’t refill a glass until it is empty, you vulgar beast.

Garbatellamike

Oh damn: now I know that I am a vulgar beast who compounds my vulgarity by drinking wine with pizza - oh the shame

MarkRD

- I think most of that is true, except perhaps for the pizza one ... I used to enjoy a glass or two of red with my Quattro Stagioni .. nobody seemed to mind.

I would also add : "Do not eat bread with pasta" . .apart from being a super-carb diet, it's def an Italian-food no-no. My Dad does it when he's over and it always gets a smirk .. like the post-perandial cappuccino.

MarkRD

Ha! snap Mike!

Garbatellamike

It gets worse and worse, why does no one ever tell you these things it is no wonder I never get invited anywhere for dinner twice

malcesine99

Its a learning curve

I dared to order a cappucino in a pizzeria and the waiter retorted 'un cappicino a quest'ora'!

Its a standing joke now every time I ask for one - I just don't do espresso.