Getting lost can help you find a new bakery.

Looks good, huh? 

Today, I went back to the purse factory and the small showroom floor shop selling purses.   They had lots of new additions of the new spring line.   The song, "IF I were a rich man" was spinning in my head... (ok, with a variation ... "IF I were a rich woman...") as I looked at all the lovely new models and colors.   A room just full of leather purses.  (Sorry for those that think it is wrong to make things out of leather.)

I did buy a basic black leather purse and a red one which is what I had gone there to purchase the last time-- but, I got overwhelmed by all the choices and left the store without my black or red purse.   I did buy a blue and green and a medium brown leather purse though on my visit several days ago.

So, today... I did buy my intended colors.  I stuck to the plan (mostly).   It's a good thing that I did go back because... there were ONLY 3 black purses being sold.  I got the only one that was a solid black.  AND, 'bonus' ... I liked it.  No, I loved it!

And, the other day... while cooking something or other.  I cut into a bell pepper and look at what I found.   Has anyone ever found this cute little thing inside?  It was kind of like opening up the kinder eggs to get the surprise toy inside. 

Today, on the way home from the 'purse' store... I decided to go to a different location, that is near my house, and I put this place in my navigation device.   Oh my... does my 'navigation' device like to take me traveling around.  Even in my limited knowledge of the area... I knew that I wasn't going the right way.

I love the little spiral pepper center.   So, I finally found a place to pull over and wouldn't you know the exact place that I found just happened to be next to a house and my car was partially in front of the wrought iron gate that locks 'driveways' and houses in Italy.   Not a problem 'usually' but, I just happened to glance over and sure enough there is a car 'with a driver in it' and clearly wanting out of his driveway!  Oops.   At this point, I just put in my own little Italian town and drove home.   That was enough excitement for the day.  However, in my 'random route' that the navigation system was taking me on-- I did find a tiny little bakery and I bought a small round loaf of whole grain bread.   I didn't have my camera with me so I couldn't take a photo of the very old building where this tiny bakery was located.  So, the 'different route' wasn't a lost cause because I love home-made Italian bread- especially the whole grain breads.  I just cut the bread open and I added the photos.  The inside is the softest bakery bread that I have ever purchased.   I grabbed some soft local cheese and spread it on pieces of the end piece that I cut off of the round loaf.   So, so, so good... ubbmsuummummm nom, nom...  (that's me eating the bread) *P.S. You can click on the photos for an even larger yummy view.

Announcement: "I LOVE BREAD!"

Whole wheat, with various seeds inside... purchased from the local bakery in my tiny little Italian town.  

Bozano, Italy Christmas Market

Yesterday, I went on the train to the mountains north of here to an 'artist's Christmas Market'... the name of the town is:  Bozano    *This also happens to be where the 'ice man' was found in the area and he is on display in a museum there.  I didn't have time to see the mummy- but, I want to go back in the future because this area was quite interesting and really pretty.  It was much colder than where I live in Italy.  No snow on the ground and very little in the mountains. Across the street from the train station as you walk towards the market area.  You can see how close the mountains are in this photo.   I just noticed that shop says that it is a jewelry store.  I really want to stop in one sometime and see what is for sale that might 'be unique' to Italy.   I always forget because I'm not living in a large town that would have a jewelry store nor do I tend to stop in jewelry stores on a regular basis anyway (it's been years- honestly) so, I guess that it doesn't even register for me when I do see a jewelry store. See the bread shop on the left?  Panifico (that means:  bakery/bread shop/etc.)  I stopped in to see what they had that I might eat for breakfast.  *I had gotten on the train at 6:16am and it is now 9:30am. This is what I bought.  It was full of almonds, dried fruits (apricots/etc.) and seeds on top and a few mixed in the dough batter.  It was also made out of whole grains (my favorite type of bread- I'd rather have it than just white bread any day).  It was delicious.   Soft, flavorful, and just wonderful.  I'd never seen this type of roll in any of the bakeries that I've gone to- of course, I have to remember that the bakeries that I have visited in Italy are on a much smaller scale too.   While walking onward ... I noticed this shop out of the corner of my eye.   I thought that the name choice was a 'bit' unusual?   The clothing looked nice and quite stylish though.   Not things that would be 'out of season' and dated looking too quickly. I didn't have enough time to 'just walk around' in this place.  However, there were some very nice buildings just right where the market was being held.  The upper floors are apartments or homes of the owners of the shops on the ground level. This building had some wonderful paintings on it.  I took a photo of the building and I zoomed a close-up of each of the images.   I'll share the rest at another time.  I loved the 'artist' one... especially, since I am sometimes an 'art teacher' and I like to do many artsy/crafts-y things.   I met some wonderful artists selling their hand-crafted items.  I talked to a few in depth and there were 2 or 3 that had we been living in the same area... I'm sure that we would have become close friends.   You can just tell when there is a 'genuine' connection... not someone being nice because they are trying to sell something.   This was a wonderful Christmas Market.  It was small- but, unique because everything was 'hand-crafted'... I did buy a few items for myself and also some items for specific people and I will save those for the 'future' since I have already mailed my Christmas gifts out for this year.

There were jewelry makers... out of glass, semi-precious stones and metal, or other various mediums.   A few people did sell items made out of wool... either woven or knitted.  I didn't look at them- since, I can knit almost anything that I decide to knit.   I didn't have a lot of time and I didn't want to get distracted by 'knitted items'...  I bought some items for myself and a few things for 'future gifts' for specific people-- since, I had already mailed out my Christmas gifts for this year........ I'll save these items for the future.  I have a place where I store my 'future gifts' so that they don't get lost while waiting to be 'gifted' in the future.

Italian bakery trip 3

When I finally found the Italian bakery in my little town... I discovered that the only day that I could shop there would be on a Saturday morning.   Apparently, they close around 11am so you have to be there early before they run out of fresh baked bread.

Blood orange juice from the local Italian grocery store!

So, I decided to go by yesterday, about 8:30am to see what they had for sale, and it seems that they bake a different variety of things each time?  I only recognized a couple of items that were the same as my first visit.  Here is a photo showing the breads that I bought on my first trip to the bakery.  http://iwouldratherbeknitting.blogspot.it/2013/01/italian-bakery-in-my-little-town-has.html

Look!  Homemade hamburger buns!  I'm going to have to put some of this bread in the freezer!  I got so excited with the bread choices and I couldn't decide.  However, I was disappointed that they didn't have the bread made with the fresh olives this time.

I made breakfast.  I know that the bread isn't your 'typical' breakfast bread... since, it's not toast or a biscuit.  But hey it was HOME-MADE FRESH BREAD FROM THE LOCAL BAKERY!!  How could I resist???    The juice in the cup?  Blood orange juice from the local Italian grocery store.   So good.  Of course, blood oranges are one of my favorite fruits.
 

I remembered a funny little memory attached to blood oranges.   A long time ago, in the late 1990's I was working in Italy for my first time.   I had injured my right hand in an accident when resulted in some serious injuries of severed nerves and tendons.   Of course, I couldn't use this hand at all for  more than a year.   For me personally, that meant:  not being able to write, use knives, peel any fruits or vegetables, or eat with that hand... it was a painful, limiting, injury that was long term.   I had to learn to only use one hand-- my 'not very skilled' left hand.

Well, I heard from a friend, that I'd known at another military location overseas, that he was coming TDY to Italy for a few weeks.   So, since my favorite Italian fruit was in season,  I bought some Blood Oranges from the market and I was going to have him peel me some while he was there.   He peeled the first one for me and then refused to peel anymore... because the juice is just like blood when it oozes out.   The wimp.  He was an Air Force jet pilot and a Lt. Colonel at the time and had had lots of survival training- having to eat bugs and what ever could be found... Yet, he was freaked out by peeling blood oranges and getting the red juice on his hands.   Sigh

Italian Bakery in my little town has been found and VISITED!!

The bread.  I got 3 yeast rolls and 2 small loaves of bread.

I live at the edge of a little town and I had looked around for a bakery and never saw one and there is really only the one main street w/ a few stores/etc.  So, I was beginning to think that the town was just too small to have a bakery?   I finally found one on one of the side streets.   Problem is... I leave for work before they are open and since it is a bakery... they are closed around 1:30 and way before I get off work.   Since today was...Saturday, I decided to make a stop to check it out.   Cute bag, huh?   I cut open the round loaf and was quite happy to discover that it was full of chopped walnuts!  I love fresh walnut bread!   The small rectangle bread?  It was full of fresh black olives!   nom, nom, nom...   I did eat a little of all 3 types of bread with my lunch!   All of this cost less than $3.00!!!   It was soooooooooooo good too!    Darn it... why do they have to have limited hours?  I guess I can get bread on Saturday mornings????

Give me some bread.. brown bread, soft bread, chewy, nutty, cheesy bread...

I had to stay late after school today- to make sub plans for some 'training' that I'll have to attend tomorrow. So, when I finally got home.. I didn't have any left-overs and I just didn't want to prepare anything for dinner.

So what is a gal to do? I know.. I could walk down the street to see what I could find to eat. There are a lot of restaurants in my neighborhood.. expensive though.. (after all.. SEOUL IS THE 3RD most EXPENSIVE city in the WORLD and there is an image to keep up, right?) and eating dinner out takes longer than I wanted to be out eating "BY MYSELF." *I'm still a southern gal at heart.. and for some reason.. it is FINE, APPROPRIATE, OK, not a problem to eat lunch alone.. but, dinner out? After all...PEOPLE do stare.. "YES, THEY DO!" I've seen them! :D

So, I thought.. maybe some street food? So, since I needed to pay my phone bill.. I decided to walk by this place:
Now, don't get all excited for me.. you will NOT find a 'Big Slurp' for sale.. and the only thing that they have in common with the ones in the states is.. The sign is the same and you can buy: drinks, snacks, newspapers, etc. HOWEVER.. I can pay my Korean phone bill at any 7-11 (there is another one 1/2 block further on down on the opposite side of the street) and that is a 'GOOD THING' as someone says .. :D

So, after I paid my phone bill, I walked on down the street and saw this interesting item in a window-- and hold on.. but, it looks FELTED.. free form felted maybe?
I'll have to check this out when they are open sometime and see what might be going on behind the wall of 'unemotional and inexpressive' plastic ladies.

I walked on down the block and stopped at this yummy wonderful bakery. This is what I placed on my tray and took to the counter.. a variety of breads.

OK, I admit I did start eating the circular one on the way home. It is a soft bread w/ walnuts mixed in and a cream cheese center. Do you see the cream cheese? This is one of my favorites from there.


The other long one.. all seed and nutty looking.. is going to go w/ my dinner tonight. The small square one is for dessert or for tomorrow? I figure I might need it after all entire day of 'training?

The first word on the little labels in front of the various items for sale in this bakery are in English- so, you at least know 'mostly' the name of the item.
This one said: Apple and sweet potato pastry.

The long flat one? It said cheese bread. I cut off a little piece and it has 'cheese on the phyilo bread. Nice contrast of sweet flaky bread and cheddar cheese.

And, what is my dinner selection? I'm trying a new item from the commissary. It looks like a healthy version of: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. *Ok, I admit it, I bought it because the bunny was so cute.



AND.. since, I seem to be on the 'bread theme'.. it's a complete bread meal.. the pasta shells are made out of: GRAINS..

AND, as I was crossing the street 'at the light' and I was actually mid-way in the crosswalk on a green light for the walkers.. this CAR.. decided to do a 'U TURN' in the middle of the intersection where the people are walking! And, one of those people was "ME!" I hadn't even reached the mid-point of the 6 lane road when he started doing a 'U-turn' in the intersection in front of me.


Sorry, the photo is a little blurry.. but, it's hard to take a photo of a car about to hit you as you are crossing the street.

THEY (Korean drivers) do this a lot. IF their light is RED.. but, no one is currently using the crosswalk.. they will drive through the RED LIGHT.. oh, and they'll do it also.. after you've walked to the mid-point of the 6 lane street. Which is apparently when/why this driver decided to do a U TURN across the crosswalk.. keep in mind that even though it looks like this car- just didn't stop far enough behind the 'crosswalk lines'.. acutally, what had happened was that he had been going in the opposite direction when he started the U-Turn in the crosswalk--- WHILE THE LIGHT WAS RED FOR HIM and people were walking across the INTERSECTION!!! *THE 'blurry red lights' are from the bakery that I had been shopping in..

grrrr *I do yell at them and point to them and the traffic light.. trust me.. if I had a 'cane' or something.. I would totally be raising it up in the air shaking it to the heavens at these cars that do 'not honor the crosswalk!' *Just practicing for when I get old and need to shake my cane at some 'young whippersnapper!' :D

So.. excuse me while I go and chew on some.. bread, bread, bread.. and some more bread for dessert!