International Day, Venice

Thursday at lunch time, when I returned from shopping, the sky looked like this....rain..rain...more rain.

Wednesday morning 7.30 am not one cloud. It turned out a very hot day. Raphaelle ready for school, is a student at Somerset International School. They organised the Venetian Venue.

I bought a book. When it comes to Italy and books I can't say no.

I bought a Bromeliad "Guzmania" for ML.

Some of the Venetian glass and Pearl jewellery. It was fun and the ladies liked it and bought their favorite pieces. ML has donated a pearl necklace with a venetian glass heart. It was for the lucky winner with the best mask. ( I forgot to make fotos....it was really hot! )

The Flower lady sells Orchids, Gerbera and Bromeliads. In the back my daughter ML displaying her Venetian glass and pearl jewellery.

Recipe for pasta.

250 g unbleached plain flour

2x 55 g eggs

3 egg yolk

salt

Mix flour with one teasp. salt. Make a well and add the whisked eggs. Using a fork incorporate the eggs into the flour. You may need to add 1 tbl.sp. water. Knead the dough until it is shiny and firm to the touch, for at least 10 minutes.

Form a ball, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in four. Using a pasta machine feed a piece of dough through the widest aperture. 8-10 times until shiny and silky, folding the ends in over each other between each rolling. Pass the dough through each of the remaining settings 3-4 times until you reach the second last setting. Run the pasta sheets through your chosen cutters. Cover the pasta lightly with plastic film if you plan to cook it immediately. (What I usually do.) Cook the pasta as you usually do, but this fresh pasta needs only 3 minutes or so.

This recipe is an adaption from S.Alexander & M. Beer's Tuscan Cookbook. (They use double the quantity I use

Handmade pasta is much, nicer than bought one. It is time consuming. For a special treat it is great and also a lot of fun to make.

The three Australian-Italian ladies who made the pasta. They are cool! I heard a lot of, buon giorno, grazie and arrivederci!

Lake Orr, Gold Coast, where the venue was held with an Italian lunch and some stalls to browse.

I have cut back Quisqualis, Rangoon Creeper, to a stump and in a few weeks it is back making more flowers. This is a beautiful climber which can be grown as a standard or draped over a pergola.

Believe it or not. What is a Weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. R.W.Emerson 1803-1882.