There have been major developments in Ms. Foodie's life, the main one being moving to a house. A big house! This is great in so many ways - mainly that now I can indulge my little heart in doing lots of entertaining. I quickly discovered, however, that lots of entertaining means...lots of cleaning up, cooking, shopping, and then cleaning up afterwards! Oh well, it's worth it! Accordingly, let me present the first of my long dreamed-of entertainments - an Italian dinner al fresco!
The long table was set. I have been reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, a wonderful book set in Italy that is nothing like the movie. In the movie, the romance is between two people - in the book, it is a three-way love affair between Mayes, her boyfriend, and a 200-year old villa. And what a passionate affair it is! I am so glad that Mayes renovated the villa, because now I never have to - like any love affair, it sounds exhausting!
She set up her long table under a linden tree. I have no linden tree, but thought this looked charming too.
This photo shows the magic of the whole affair rather better - I put up palm trees all around the lovely big patio, and a Moroccan carpet in the gazebo. I fancy it gives the whole place an exotic feel - all in the suburbs of Ottawa!
All well and good, but what did we eat?? Well, I went simple - a store-bought seafood lasagna, baguette, asparagus, and mussels in white wine and garlic. Simple and yum. The appetizers featured smoked salmon, so we truly ate the ocean that night.
Dining alfresco was so lovely. Truly, Italians do it better!
Buon proveccio!
