Smooth-talking Salesman

Today we visited the Mercato to see what kind of produce is available now that the seasons have changed. We had only a few items on our shopping list and were almost ready to leave when....

 ...we met this very nice produce peddler at stall/box #76. We had to capture a photo of the guy who managed to charm Frugal Frank into buying 3 overflowing bags of veg and fruit loot!!

 We laughed as we carried our bags of fresh tomatoes, potatoes, onions, clementine oranges, and the most amazing green grapes that we have ever tasted. We also bought some persimmons (called Kaki) to make in to a Persimmon Pie. In addition, the peddler sent us home with ....free of charge...some bananas and a bundle of fresh carrots, celery and parsley for making sofrito or mirepoix as well as a very fun memory. Now that is a smooth-talking salesman!!

"The Most Delicious Fruit Known to Man" - Mark Twain

What fruit might Mr. Twain have been talking about? The Cherimoya! We had the sweet opportunity of tasting it while in Reggio. We had no idea that this very strange, green fruit would turn out to be of such acclaim!.  

It was soft and ripe and inside were multiple pods of soft, white pulp around large black seeds. The flavor was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! We had never tasted anything quite like it. Imagine the combined tastes of pineapple, peach, pear and strawberry. The texture has been described as pudding inside of a skin. Yes, Mr. Twain....the Cherimoya fruit is absolutely delicious! 

Back home in Rome, we hunted for them at the large open-air fruit/veg Mercato, found the only vendor that sold them and bought them all to share with our friends. So, if in your travels, you are lucky enough to run across this strange looking tropical fruit...don't hesitate, buy it, try it and you will agree that it is "the most delicious fruit known to man"!!! 

(FYI: The outer skin and seeds are NOT edible.)
 

Part 5 - Relaxin' and Ramblin' Around Reggio - A Day-trip to Scilla

The Beautiful Town of Scilla

Pictures can't begin to capture the beauty of this gem! Scilla is a 20 minute train ride north of Reggio. 

Scilla is composed of two parts: The beach front with its smooth pebble sands and perfect warm waters that are protected from the chilly currents in the strait. 

The other part of the Scilla sits high above the water with the remains of the Ruffo Castle, from the 10th century, jutting out into the sea. On top is the town center with stores, homes, schools, etc. 

Until recently the only way to get to the top was to walk many, many stairs. Now for the affordable price of 1 euro, an elevator takes you up twelve stories to the top. Well worth it!

Around the bend from the castle is the hidden marina and fishing neighborhood of Chianalea (kee-ah-na-lay-ah). Quiet and quaint and captivating!!

Narrow streets limit motorized vehicles to vespas or mini cars. The sea laps right up to the houses allowing some residents to "park" their boat just outside their front door!!

 The marina is charming! This is where fisherman unload their catch-of-day for the local chefs to prepare and serve at several little restaurants in Chianalea and Scilla. 

We enjoyed a delicious a seaside panini lunch. We loved the Swordfish with Pistachio Pesto and the Octopus with Burrata panino was out of this world!! This ramble to Scilla will be one we remember and relive over and over again.

Part 4 - Relaxin' and Ramblin' Around Reggio - The Cathedral

The Duomo....The Cathedral 

We love visiting churches in Italy. There are over 100,000 of them so we will never run out of visits!

They are all beautiful and unique in some way and the Duomo/Cathedral in Reggio is no exception. This church has been rebuilt many times over the years due to earthquakes and wars.What we see now is from the rebuild of 1928.

Inside is also beautiful and is big and surprisingly bright thanks to the stained glass windows.

Outside stands a large statue of the Apostle Paul who is honored as the originator of Christianity in Reggio. In the Bible, in the book of Acts (28:13), is recorded that he made a stop in Rhegium/Reggio on his way to Rome. 

According to ancient tradition, Paul's landing on the beach of Reggio along the seafront coincided with a large gathering/celebration. Paul was given permission to speak to them until the oil lamp placed on a stone column burned out. The story says that when the lamp stopped burning, the stone column broke out in flames and continued to burn and with its light Paul's was able to continue preaching until the following morning. The "miracle column" is on display in the Cathedral with the inscription: "...So, as the Hebrew flame led the Hebrew people to the Promised Land, you, royal column, lead us to Heaven".  

Another unique thing we noticed are the three sculpted front doors. Each tells a story. This one is of the life of Christ, another door of the life of Paul, and another the story of their sacred effigy. 

We learn something new in every church we visit.

Part 3 - Relaxin' and Ramblin' Around Reggio - People We Have Met Along the Way

 The People!

Places are wonderful to visit, to see, to smell, to taste....but it's the people you meet and interact with that leave the most lasting impression. 

The full-time missionaries serving here have won a place in our hearts this week, maybe because they help us feel close to our grandson Ethan who just arrived and started his mission in Brazil! 

Elder Dahlke from Woods Cross, Utah and Elder Grinceri from Perth, Australia. We have our fingers crossed that while they are serving in the Rome Mission, which covers all of southern Italy, Sicily and Malta, that they just might get assigned to the city of Rome and that we will get the chance to spend some time with them again. They simply shine!

We met Ambrosio in the English class we attended to support the missionaries. He doesn't look like a typical Calabrian but he is! His ancestors emigrated from Norway and brought with them the DNA for blonde hair and height. These characteristic have enabled him to "ho-ho-ho" in several Italian films as a very natural Santa Clause. You can tell by this picture that he is a Jolly Ol' Elf!!

This picture requires the telling of a story about a sandwich that we had on our first visit to Reggio in 2016.  We wandered into a Salumeria shop and asked the lady behind the counter to make us a sandwich, any kind, any ingredients. The results were so delicious that we took a photo of it.  Mortadella, provolone, marinated olives, crusty bread...mmmmmarvelous!

Fast forward to 2023...we found ourselves walking a street that looked familiar and thoughts of that sandwich came to mind. With a little luck we located the same Salumeria and...believe it or not... the same lady was behind the counter. We asked her to make us a sandwich and while she prepared it we told her and her coworker the Story of the Sandwich.  They were delighted to learn that we Americani came back to their little shop. We smiled and laughed together and snapped a picture of a fun sandwich friendship!!

As we got off the train on our day-trip to Scilla, we met Serena and Antonio, and shared a couple hours together chatting and seeing the sights. Their Italian parents immigrated to Australia in the 1950's. They speak both Italian and English which made our time together very enjoyable. They are visiting many parts of Italy during their 5-week vacation. 

Part 2 - Relaxin' and Ramblin' Around Reggio - A Bit of History

The History of Reggio 

Reggio Calabria is located at the tip of the toe of Italy. Some say it looks like it is kicking Sicily! 

It has a long, long history. Stone ruins have been unearthed from the days when the Greeks, Normans, and Angevins inhabited the land as well the Argonese who built the castle shown above. The remains of a bathing complex is evidence that the Romans were here, too. That's a pretty cool oval "hot tub"!!

The Fishing Village of Cannitello

Just up the shore line...about 23 miles....is the sleepy little fishing village of Cannitello. We picked a beautiful cloudy day to take the train and then walk along the sea front to visit. 

Italy has miles and miles of coastline and fishing is a way of life. Most popular are the Swordfish and Bluefin Tuna that swim in the warm waters off the Calabrian coast but that requires using boats. Because the water gets really deep just off the shore, these fishermen don't need to "haul up anchor" in order to catch the main dish for dinner tonight.  

As we walked along the shore we saw many kinds and sizes of ships out on the water making their way out to sea. 

Part 1 - Relaxin' and Ramblin' Around Reggio - The Lungomare

 During the semi-annual temple closure, we took a trip to Reggio Calabria...the toe of the "boot" of Italy. 

This is our fourth visit here over the last eight years and every time we enjoy it even more!  Our favorite views, foods and finds follow.....

The Lungomare... The Seafront

Sometimes called Italy's most beautiful kilometer, the Lungomare is a wide, paved, tree lined path along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. There is an upper path for strolling/jogging and a lower path right at the water's edge for cycling and beach access. 

A Greek style theater is the location of performances. This pier that reaches out into the sea towards Messina, Sicily on the other side of the water. 

The Lungomare Falcomatà is definitely one of Frank's happy places!!

A Homemade Napolitano Cena/Dinner

Sweet friends invited us over for dinner on Sunday. We'd like you to meet them and then we will tell you about the fabulous meal they served us along with a fun evening of singing and story telling!!! 

This is Flora who lives in Naples. We first met her while serving at the Swiss Temple in 2017. 

She is the mother-in-law of Ciro, a retired police officer who shares her love of cooking.

This is Flora's daughter/Ciro's wife, Stefania, who lets them do the cooking and she does the clean up. She is being hugged by Delia. 

Delia is from Puglia and just turned 81 and is a delight to know. She LOVES to sing so when Bruno Venturini's music started playing, she started singing!

 

Appetizers of Bruschetta started the meal with four different kinds of toppings (marinated zucchini, pesto, pork patè, sun dried tomato spread). That is what Flora is preparing in the picture above. Delicious! 
Next came the Primo/first course - Linguine with Clams, Razza (stingray) and Cherry tomatoes. Divine!
Then came the Secundo/second course - Chicken in Onion Sauce/Gravy that was indescribably Delectable!

The Contorno/side dishes were Pan-roasted Patate/potato and a tossed salad with cucs, tomato, etc. and one usual ingredient which has a story of its own (*see last picture). Dolce/dessert was an amazing flourless chocolate torte/cake topped with a cocoa powder design of two of the large ocean rocks near the Isle of Capri. Decadent!

Such a lovable group of friends and talented cooks!! It was a Dinner Deliciouso!

*THE SALAD INGREDIENT STORY

 

In this picture, Flora is picking some of the unusual ingredient that she added to the salad she served at Sunday dinner. Last week, she came over to our apartment to "Beth's Hair Salon" for a trim. She got very excited when she saw the weeds that were growing profusely along the sidewalk. After her haircut she asked for a sack so she could pick a bag full of weeds. She knew them as being edible and delicious. We researched and found that its name is Purslane!! Our Italian education continues!! Until Flora came along we saw them as lowly weeds, like the ones that grow like crazy in our very own back yard in Randolph. They have now been elevated to a gourmet ingredient! 

 

Friends in the Mission Field

Eight senior missionary couples met in downtown Rome to visit the apartment where the Apostle Paul resided (see previous post). Afterward we went upstairs to see the beautiful church of Santa Maria in Via Lata. This picture is the perfect souvenir of our unique and special shared time together.  

On another day, a kind friend from the temple, invited us to join with friends from the Ancona, Italy ward for homemade pizza at the Patron Housing courtyard. Eleven of us gathered around the table for a delicious "united nations" meal. Countries represented where Croatia, Venezuela, Peru, Nigeria, U.S.A, and Italy. We laughed and chatted in a variety of languages and had a delightful time. 

Friends truly do make life sweeter!!

14 Beautiful and Special Acres

We just had to save and share this really cool aerial view (screen shot) of the buildings of the   Rome Temple Complex. It is a beautiful and peaceful space. We feel blessed and honored to be there every day. 

Four major buildings surround a traditional Italian piazza. In this image you can see the Temple, Patron Housing (square building to the left of the temple), Visitor Center (directly opposite the temple) and Chapel (to the right of the temple).  Mingled among the olive trees (400-500 years old), palm trees, fountains and stone planter boxes filled with flowers, are multiple piazettas with stone benches for quiet moments. 

The complex sits on an elevated knoll in the northeast of Rome near the beltway and freeway interchange. The property was purchased in the late 1990's. Before any building can be built in Rome it must be carefully inspected for Roman ruins which is done by digging trenches every 10 to 15 feet across the property. The day the Rome Italy Temple property was to be inspected, Church members in Rome held a special day of prayer and fasting. No ruins were found over the entire property, yet an old Roman village was discovered just 100 yards beyond the property boundary line.  https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/rome-italy-temple/

"A temple of God is the most sacred place of worship in the world - a place where heaven touches the earth, a place where marvelous blessings are bestowed, and a place where we can feel closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as we strive to become more like Them."   

(https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/why-latter-day-saints-build-temples?lang=eng)