The one with Curry

Today I was in a mood for something spicy & comforting...my answer: Curry. Curry is a marvelous gift to the world in it's versatility, it can be as sweet or spicy as you want it to be, & can encompass any combination of red meats, poultry, legumes, and/or vegetables. I didn't have the foresight to grab jasmine rice in order to complete my meal, but it was still entirely satisfying.

I settled on a chickpea curry with a base of potatoes. I began by roasting carrots, onions, & cauliflower together with evoo, s&p. Simultaneously, I boiled the potatoes until tender.

Once I had drained the potatoes, I began to saute them in a deep pan along with a chopped onion & 2 tbs butter.

Once the potatoes began browning, I added the chickpeas along with 2 tsp curry powder & 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (for some added heat) & mixed that together for several minutes. The Potatoes began to become more of a base at this point than pieces. Next I threw in the roasted veggies.

After several minutes of letting the flavors cook together, I stirred in the greek yogurt & allowed the curry to cook together for an additional 5-6 minutes, the yogurt has an excellent way of deglazing the pot. Once the mixture is steaming & completely irresistible, mix in the sliced jalapenos & dish it out!

The potatoes melt into the curry mix to bond all the pieces together. One spoonful has a roasted carrot & chunk of jalapeno while the next has cauliflower & a chickpea: the yogurt adds a velvet-creaminess which melts into my tongue & carries me away to a warm land of bright music & vibrant colors....

The one with mercato centrale

I recently visited Firenze, my favorite Italian city. The moment I stepped off the train at the San Maria Novella train station a smile took hold of my face, I instantly felt as though I was where I was supposed to be. I did; however, have to continuously remind myself to slow down as I walked through the city the first day. Life is so rushed normally, as Americans we go at a rapid pace & always have somewhere to be or something to be doing. I reminded myself several times that I had no agenda, & consciously slowed my step to the Italian lifestyle. Taking the time to take in & enjoy the city brought me much balance, I felt more aware, more alive, than I have in quite a while. One of my first stops walking around Firenze was my favorite spot: il mercato centrale. This is the central market, an indoor fresh market which I used to visit daily for my fresh fruit, produce, & bread.

It's within the area of San Lorenzo, & was constructed there as the Florentine population was growing in order to serve as the largest indoor fresh market. Sadly, as supermarkets made their way into Italian society, the use of the market declined; however, tourism as well as Florentines still living in the center have kept the market alive & active. The top section of the market was supposed to reflect that of a train station, there are huge windows lined with red metal & a green sky-lit roof; very sadly, the top portion of the market is currently being restored, but I look forward to the day I go back & it's open, beautiful as ever. The products here are so fresh, so delicious, it's nearly unbelievable: our American produce doesn't hold the slightest flame to it.

Walking through il mercato makes anyone hungry, the smell & look of all the fresh food is so inviting. Here are some pictures I took while strolling through.

I got dried fruit nearly daily when I visited, the Mele (apple) & Kiwi were my favorite!

As Americans, generally ignorant that our meat is part of what was a living animal, are generally scieved out at the display of whole or non-disguised animals. Pear & Pecorino Ravioli, absolutely Delicious!!

Sadly, the fruit vendor I used to go to was on the upper level & I consequently couldn't find him. While I lived in Florence, he would remember who I was, what I usually bought, & would throw in fruits I hadn't bought for me to try. One of my favorites was the little orange shown below. They're green on the outside during the fall, but turn orange during the winter. They're perfectly orange on the inside & slightly sour; they're my favorite orange in the world, & I was glad another vendor carried them.