Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: SOB on February 19, 2004, 05:52:17 PM
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My mom is headed to Italy on Monday and asked what she should bring back for me. So, since I'm too clueless to think of anything, what do I need that's unique to Italy?
PS...No, Naso, I won't let you meet her!
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A woman who can cook?
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Where in Italy?
What do you like?
What kinds of places is your mother going to go to ?
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The pope.
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switchblade... very nostalgic
lazs
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Nose hair trimmer.
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Tuaca Liquer. You can find it in the states, but it may be cheaper over there.
-SW
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Originally posted by Dinger
Where in Italy?
What do you like?
What kinds of places is your mother going to go to ?
Around Rome, I think. I like all kinds of stuff. All I know for sure is that she's going to some church cathedral thingies - she's catholic. I think they're also headed to some festival there or something. And stuff.
Since Saur mentioned it, I am all outta popes!
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Originally posted by SOB
Since Saur mentioned it, I am all outta popes!
I bet all the paint wore off and they are stained brown.
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ferrari
or some designer clothes atleast
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Used to ride this for a while. Excellant.
MADE IN ITALY
(http://www.mandarin.demon.co.uk/duck/duck4l.jpg)
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Too bad I didnt own it. Borrowed it from a nice friend. You know everything on this bike costs twice as much as on a japanese bike so I had to be extra carefull all the time.
;)
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I borrowed a Moto-Guzzi from my friend; Gotta admit there's something nice in those Italian motorbikes...
Well not in their electrics; frigging starter gave me gray hairs.
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Tell her to take a washcloth if she likes one to shower with, the hotels I stayed at in Italy didnt provide them. (this include the Hilton)
The best things I brought back were pictures and memories. Its a beautiful country with tremendous history.
dago
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That Duc was a near perfect bike except for the kick stand. You have to hold it down with your foot or it will raise back up and the bike will drop. Near perfect except for that but then thats Italian design for you, they do that on purpose.
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Ask her for a piece of this (http://www.leathercomau.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000335.html). $1.80 a foot! You're good for .90 cents ;)
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See if she can git ya one of them hats that looks like a post-hole digger, one like the Pope wears. That would be kewl!
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Originally posted by senna
Used to ride this for a while. Excellant.
MADE IN ITALY
(http://www.mandarin.demon.co.uk/duck/duck4l.jpg)
Awesome bike, my dad's secretary rides a new 749. Much more comfortable than the older 748's torture rack sitting position.
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If you can't think of anything else, wine would probably be a good thing to start with.
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(http://www.vespa.org/images/v98thef.gif)
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Olive oil from Lucca. Stuff that costs around $20 euros.
As far as wine goes, unless she's knows what's she's doing, it's probably not worth wasting on the diplomatic pouch.
Heck, have her bring you back a pretty girl.
Oh yeah, and the cheapest, finest coffee in Rome is available in the Caffe' attached to the vatican library.
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Originally posted by SOB
My mom is headed to Italy on Monday and asked what she should bring back for me. So, since I'm too clueless to think of anything, what do I need that's unique to Italy?
PS...No, Naso, I won't let you meet her!
:( You're evil.
Something unique...
Well, in this globalized world there is nothings that is really unique and not subject to commerce.
First thing that comes to my mind is an italian coffe machine.
Tell her to have the clerck explain the use, or anyway I'll help via this BBS.
When I have been in the States I have always bringed with me a coffee machine, and it worked well with the Starbuck coffees series.
As for the wine, hear the hint of the sage Dinger, only an expert can make a good choise, since many good wines are exported or even produced in the States.
The olive oil thing is a very good hint.
For her, I can suggest to try a pizza, ther real pizza (I have never found a real italian (neapolitan) pizza in the States, but I guess had looked in wrong places.
The Rome's style in pizzas is different in the base, it is thinner than the original one.
If she wants to try the real Neapolitan Pizza there's a good place IIRC in the vicinity of Via del Corso, it's called something like "Pizza re" and there you can found the Neapolitan style pizza. Via del Corso is a good walk too, full of shops and people.
A friend told me that there's another good one in piazza Navona but dont remember the name.
Another thing she can try is the Mozzarella (really really different from what reach the states), even if in Rome is not the original one (it's produced in Latina zone) is enough decent.
The real one can be found only in my zone.
Other things that she can bring back are easily found in the states (clothes, bikes, Ferraris ;) ).
If you like coffee, the coffee machine it's a must. :)
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Shoes.
Food.
Noisy Wimin.
Not in that particular order.
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LOL Dune. You forgot to post a pic of a lock to go with that badboy.
SOB..check with MiniD for the correct way to ensure proper locking. ;)
Shoes is a good suggestion but be careful if she is buying them in a large city. I bought a pair of Italian shoes before going to Milan last year...everyone thought I wasnuts. Then I saw the exact pair in a store there...$100 more than I paid for them in Bermuda (which is just crazy).
I would recommend a good espresso maker. No doubt about it...Italians know their espresso.
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Here is a photo of the Bialetti expresso machine.
This is in blue but the usual finish is metal.
(http://www.oliviero.it/shop/grafica/caffettiera_blu.jpg)
But if you want something very particular, here is the Neapolitan caffettiera, it's not properly a machine, but is the traditional way to make coffee in Neaples and has become rare in use.
(http://www.oliviero.it/shop/grafica/napoletana_caffe.jpg)
Instructions for use:
http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_caffe-nap.html
Other instructions, in italian, but there's an explotion of the single parts.
http://www.caffecaffe.it/preparazione/napoletana.htm
If you can manage to translate, it's very interesting.
More links:
http://www.italiaplease.com/eng/megazine/sugar/2001/07/naples/
http://www.hotelolimpico.it/napoli/caffeeng.htm
http://www.beienannini.com/eng/napoli.html
http://www.espressomadeinitaly.com/sito_inglese/_il_caffe_acasa.htm
http://www.1st-line.com/machines/home_mod/eg/ind_moka.htm
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Maybe I forgot to tell you that I LOVE Coffee.
:D
Check the philosophy behind it:
http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/ftp/global/pub/tenet/alfano/ESPRESSO.ps
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Heh Instructions are as follows:
Put coffee in the middle and the water in the bottom section, water boils... goes up & you end up with a coffee that will make you stay awake for the next 48 years. :eek:
Much better than Turkish coffee... that one makes you stay seated on the loo for the next 48 years...
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Originally posted by AKS\/\/ulfe
Tuaca Liquer. You can find it in the states, but it may be cheaper over there.
-SW
OMG I've never met anyone in the states or in italy that has even heard of that stuff. I tried it in Airzona once and LOVED IT! Its best chilled to near freazing when the liquer poors like molasis!
YUMMMY...I'm goin to the same place in arizona this weekend I'll have to get me some!
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Two words!
MOLINARI SAMBUCA
http://www.molinari.it
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With a well made coffe you can try this:
(http://www.waytuscany.net/rooten/img/ponce_G.jpg)
«Ponce alla livornese»A reinvigorating drink which brings you at peace with the world, this is the «ponce livornese» prepared with coffee, rum and other ingredients ...
50% Strong coffee, 50% strong Rum, add sugar and a triangular piece of lemon (the "sail"). N.B. Must be drunk at very very hot temp.
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got any pictures of switchblades?
lazs
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Come on saw, Espresso, the stuff that comes out of a caffettiera, and middle eastern/arab/turkish/greek coffee are all relatively low on caffeine, and high on flavor. Speaking as someone who has enjoyed a lot of coffee made according to these different traditions, I'll state they all have their merits.
Those stovetop jobs are great (mm... I've got a hankering for getting me one of those), but they're not as simple as all that.
Some rules (this is true for "real espresso" as well):
A) do not pack the grounds tightly. If you do, the vapor passes along the edges and not through the coffee.
B) Espresso does not mean "as fast as humanly possible". This is an error that you run into often in US "espresso bars". Morons pull a shot in a few seconds. In a caffettiera, bring the coffee to a low boil.
C) Use distilled water. Not only does it taste better hot (heating water emphasizes the flavors of the impurities), it leaves a lot less crap on the coffee equipment. Tons of crappy coffee places around here use tapwater, and their coffee tastes like crap.
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and I'll suppress some leghorn jokes.
quality grappa is something that doesn't make its way out of the country very much. Again though, she has to know what she's looking for.
and tell your mom she has to get a Pizza Napolitana DOC, aka Pizza Bufalina. Accept no substitute, for there can be none.
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Thanks for all the suggestions! Out of those, I think I'll go with the Olive Oil...I hate coffee and I'm not that fond of wine. I'll pass on your suggestions on the pizza, and she loves coffee so I'm sure she'll be in heaven. Any particular brand of Olive Oil that would be best?
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Get some marble from Volterra.
Beautiful stuff.
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Ask for some shrapnel from Anzio beach.
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an attractive italian girl who can cook for you
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Might want to pick up some good balsamic vinegar.
Some places sell the 100 year old stuff, but that is hella expensive.
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an attractive italian girl who can cook for you
Interesting:
americano, sul 30, amante dei videogiochi, della politica intervenzionista neoconservatrice, e di dibattere tali argomenti sull'internet, cerca giovine ragazza gagliarda nonche' baldanzosa chi sa cucinare, preferibilmente da buona famiglia ricchissima.
Tell her to put that in the paper, and bring back the prettiest one that answers it.
Olive oil: there are many debates, but the best stuff is made in small quantities, not the brand names. You also pay a premium for it. Extra Virgin is only the beginning. Many wineries produce olive oil too.
Some maintain the best olive oil in italy comes from Lucca.
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"My Mom went to Italy and all I got was this crappy t-shirt"