Hot Chocolate

An appointment with the architect this morning and appointments made for the builder, the carpenter and the plumber and electrician to come to the house tomorrow.

The idea of replacing marble stairs with stone has been abandoned and we will wait to see what the builder says about the spiral stair to the attic.  The bathroom designs are still a work in progress as we really want one where you can actually raise your arms to wash your armpits, never mind risking concussion trying to get to ones toes!

We have asked friends to dinner tonight. This will be a challenge as we just have one induction ring. Managed to make chicken stock and so a hearty tomato soup will be the dish of the day with tuna and borlotti bean salad, a rocket and bresaola (air dried beef) salad with Parmesan shavings and crusty bread.  Slab of Apple streusel from bakery and coffee to finish.  Looks alright written down…

Cooking needs to be kept simple as we have no fridge; but the plastic box in the garden is working well with temperatures still around 4 degrees at night.

Enjoying a hot chocolate while we wait for the shops to re-open. I need a garden fork to plant the tulip bulbs brought from England.  I am also going to plant a rosemary bush and a sage in case the cooking at home extends to a steak or chicken sauté; we can’t really carry on eating out twice a day. Although that would be following in the noble tradition of Rowena, the former resident of our house.

One of the bathroom suppliers came into the bar and paid for our hot chocolates – result.  Hot chocolate in Italy is quite something. It is consumed with a teaspoon as it is so thick, and more like a runny blancmange.