vino della casa

This year my grape harvest was, as I told you before, abundant and of good quality. Having spent summer in my beloved Umbria in the middle of vineyards, my mind wouldn´t let go of the idea of making my own wine.

I searched for recipes and almost got too scared to try. Reading about ferment bottles, siphoning tubes, acidity, percentages and above all, about pests and diseases is not an encouraging way to start something new. A very simple message on facebook pulled me out of the misery just in time.

I had ten kg. of grapes that had to be washed, dipped in sulfite powder and then rinsed. One sentence – two hours of work. The next phrase told me to remove the grapes from the bunches and bruise them. This meant another two hours, but by that time I felt the energy running through my veins. Maybe it was the smell.

I had to prepare a mixture in order to start the ferment. It took some time measuring all the teaspoons and calculating the desired amount of sugar, but I managed and ended up with a bucket full of must that smelled delicous.

Very comforting were all the pictures from wineries in Umbria that appeared in the social media, because my must looked exactly alike. I had to let it ferment for 10 days, stirring three times a day and the smell got better and better.

After that it was time to press and filter the must. Of course this also sounds easier than it in fact was, but I finally had a full ferment bottle, purple hands and a lot of cleaning to do.

The thing to do then was wait until the ferment ended.

In order to clear the wine, it had to be siphoned from one bottle into another and back. That was a very nice part of the job, because I could taste a few drops and they seemed to be just fine.

Finally, I had a clear wine that was ready to be bottled. It took me only ten minutes... and then I found out that the last mile is really the longest. It was impossible for me to push the corks into the bottles but my youngest son came to my rescue and closed the bottles professionally.

So now... all I have to do is wait.  

Bring it to the table

Fortunately I already told you about my second folly so this can´t come as a surprise. My cupboards (and any place else I can stuff away things) are loaded with tableware. I don´t know if this also is a genetical disorder, my grandmother – the one with all the linens – did not suffer from this one. But at least one aunt does, so maybe it is a family secret.

It don´t think I am to blame completely, because with all the tablecloths I own, it´s hard to escape from getting matching plates. Besides, everyone knows that, for example, an orange dish tastes awful from a red plate. One simply has to accept the inevitable.

And all my crockery has its own history or little legend. That is definitely the best part. My daily plates don´t of course, but it´s funny that they were originally meant for dinners al fresco outside or in the gardenhouse. This means I have to buy new for that purpose. Life is hard.

The brown stuff I really like, for they make autumn meals a pleasure. I bought my first piece at a fair, for the salesman said they were suitable for gas as well. They are not. I found out the first time I used it. They got scorched, my kitchen was full of smoke and if I tell you how it smelled, you will get Chinese take away food for the rest of your life.

I like the mugs very much. My sister saw them somewhere so I asked her to get me six and I was going to pick them up and pay her back and thank you. On my way to her place, I saw two matching bowls, so I used the money for those and had to return the week after to give my sister her share.

My aunt (the one that shares this idiocy) gave my the blue bowls for my birthday. They match the tablerunners I was given by my dearest Italian friends exactly. The two dutch antique jars are a present from my neighbor so, indeed, it´s something old, something new and something blue. If I need more, the borrowed thing will be the money.

My all time favorite is the olive set. I saw them in Belgium, bought six plates and two bowls and found out it was rather stupid to buy things like that abroad. You can´t easily get something new when it breaks. Fortunately, I had very dear friends and we visited each other on a regular basis and they helped me to complete the set. I am really very fond of my olive stuff to lay a party table with.

Only the large bowls I bought in Deruta, Umbria, which is the most famous centre of maiolica. It´s practically all hand-made. You name it, they provide it. I think you could even find a maiolica elephant. I wanted one large bowl and went to one of the thousand stores. I ended up with three, but I still think that was a major achievement, for I left all the rest. It was amazing.

The tomato decorated crockery I discovered in a supermarket in Trevi, Umbria. It was the time for canning tomatoes, but from selling tomatoes only there won´t be much profit. So the supermarket sold yars, bottles, grinders, placemats (yes I did) and this tablewear. I could not resist. It looks so lovely on a white tablecloth – but only before dinner. When you fill up the bowls, you don´t see the decoration anymore. But the feeling you get when you look at the table ...it´s worth it.

Candlelight

Nobody would call my way of making my own candles artisan, and I assure you I don´t pretend. If you want to make candles the traditional way, there will be a lot of directions on the internet. They will certainly be more beautiful than mine.

It´s just a way of saving time and money. Besides, it will keep you from roaming the streets.

Take your time and don´t try this when your mother in law is going to pay you a visit, because your kitchen will be a mess and really will need a cleaning afterwards.

This is not a season bound activity, you can try it whenever you feel like it so you can start collecting the necessities from now.

You need:

Remains of candles

Candle wicks (you can get them online)

Molds, but instead of buying expensive ones, you can use empty cans, small glasses (heatproof), empty egg boxes (take plastic, those from cardboard don´t serve), empty tea light cups, whatever.

Toothpicks

A pan

A wooden spoon

Baking paper

I sort the remains of the candles by color, but you could try to mix some, adding white candles will provide a pretty pastel effect.

Put the candle remains in a pan an put it on a very low fire to melt.

In the mean time, prepare the candlewicks by cutting pieces at the same length as the mold you´re using. Stick a toothpick through them so you can make it balance on the edge of the mold.

Put the molds on a piece of baking paper, it may save you a lot of work later. When the candle wax has melted, remove old wicks and dirt with the spoon. Then carefuly pour it into the mold, holding the toothpick. Let the candles harden, it does not take very long. The remove the toothpick.

Scented candles:

Add some scented oil to the liquid before pouring it into the molds. Don´t use too much, a few drops will do. I used rose oil and lavender oil. Click here for the way to make them. 

Add a little cinnamon to the liquid if you aleady planned to make brown candles. You can´t do that with light colors, because it is hard to mix it properly and in that case the cinnamon will leave brown spots.

A very nice effect you can reach by coating the mold with slices of dried fruits like apple or orange. I normally don´t because somehow, they always catch fire at my place, but maybe you are more careful.  

To remove spilled wax:

Put a paper towel on the wax and gently press it with a not too hot iron. Repeat until it´s all gone.

To clean the pan and the spoon, remove as many reamins as you are able to and then use abundant, really hot water and a detergent. Make sure the water is really hot in order to prevent your drain from blocking. Don´t throw it in the toilet, it won´t flush anymore. But everyone can make a mistake.

Change of seasons and the change of mood

I will take the risk that you all think I am a freak, because I myself think this is a good idea and I like to share. I believe everybody feels the need to change now and then. And given the fact that weather and seasons always change, why not use the opportunity? 

Of course I would not think of encouraging anyone to buy new furniture twice a year. But when spring and summer come, wouldn´t you like to see the light and bright colors in your home too? And arriving autumn and winter, I can´t imagine anyone would reject the warm feeling you get from terra and brown colors that will make your home a cosy place to survive the cold.

Let me show you how easily you can adapt your interior to the seasons outside without being ruined at once. Let´s start with the poutpourri we made a few weeks ago. If you have chosen te colors carefully, you could use the lavender and rose in spring and summertime, for they will have faded to a quiet pastel color. Put them on a light colored plate, a simple white one will be beautiful. Add a (scented) candle in a matching color and a matching decorated napkin and it will look very nice.

Comes autumn, use the calendula, change the plate for a darker one, change the napkin and the candle and it will be a completely different view, practically for free.

The same cheap solution can be used for stylish decorations with a small wooden box. In spring and summer fill it with some glass ornaments – or take a nicely shaped glass from your cupboard – , a light napkin and/or candle and ready it is. In autumn and winter you simple change the candle and napkin. I like incense, so when I buy it anyway, I choose the boxes in maching colors. There are many possibilities.

The more serious stuff I create by changing table ornaments. I use my own crockery for it, but maybe you have some nice pottery in your garden. Just try to make combinations. This is a little more expensive, but you can use it a few years after another. Because you change them twice a year, there´s less chance that yo will get tired of them.

I know it´s easy for me, because I own that hilarious amount of linens and crockery, but it is worth collecting towels and ornaments in sales or on markets.

Finally, I create the seasons atmosphere by changing my curtains, cushions and table runners. Of course this is the most expensive part of it, but you don´t have to change the cushions completely, just change the pillow cases. The curtains you can achieve on markets where they are cheaper or make your own if you have more skills than I have.

And after that..depending on the season, you only have to curl up in front of a wood fire with a glass of red wine, or relax at your spring-table with a cold white wine.