Italian island cookery, vodka in your pasta and a facial mask that works

News on our radar

iiFlopsi

We have our own homegrown South African flip-flop company. Each pair is handmade with locally sourced materials. They have genuine leather uppers, a leather strap with soft leather lining between your toes for extra comfort, memory foam inserts, and a rubber sole. They also come in a flat or arch style. Check it out.

Europe chokes on overtourism

Three European cities, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Dublin, have been named the worst for urban overtourism in a new study by the sustainable travel platform Evaneos and the consultancy Roland Berger. Overtourism is becoming an issue all over Europe, with locals in popular tourist destinations tired of the impact on their lives, including housing shortages, traffic, litter and pollution.

Spain, Italy, France and Portugal are the countries most affected. These destinations are overrun during the summer peak months of June, July and August. So, if your idea of fun is not to compete for sidewalk space with thousands of tourists decanted from cruise ships and cheap flights, stay away.

Cape Nature introduces the first slow overnight hiking trail

This two-day hike, in the scenic De Mond Nature Reserve near Arniston, is suitable for ages eight and up and all fitness levels.

Unlike other strenuous hikes in the reserve, the two-day route of the Damara Trail features gentle slopes, smooth terrain and scenic rest stops.

On day one, hikers cover a 5 km route (1 hour 45 minutes) to an overnight wooden deck where tents can be set up under the stars.

Day two offers a 11,5 km coastal hike (3 hours 45 minutes) ending on Arniston Beach.

Interpretive signs along the route offer insights into De Mond’s plants, animals, culture, heritage, shipwrecks, geological formations and the famous Waenhuiskrans Cave.

Give a helping hand

Do you have an evening dress or a pair of high heels or fancy shoes that you no longer wear? Or do you have a suit that is gathering dust? Send it to The Princess Project and help young men and women have a dream matric farewell.

Finds of the week

#1 The Black Diamond Laser Treatment is a revolutionary, painless procedure for enhancing the skin’s radiance and promoting a smooth, glowing complexion. The Fomolista who recently had this done is thrilled with the results. It instantly improves skin tone and texture. It is one of the favourite treatments of Hollywood celebrities before red-carpet events. We did ours with Willmien at The Beauty Project in Somerset-West at a cost of R775. It is widely available (Ms Google is your friend).

#2 We also highly recommend the Environ Tri BioBotanical Revival Masque. It is referred to as “facelift in a jar", which is, obviously, over-the-top severe marketing blah-blah – but we love it for how it makes our skin feel smoother and somehow “stronger". We love it as a leave-on nighttime treatment or a quick pick-me-up. Available from Environ online or selected salons, it costs in the region of R1 100 and lasts forever.

#3 Italian Coastal by Amber Guinness is our cookbook of the day, month, and possibly year. 

Welcome to the Tyrrhenian Sea, home to la dolce vita, sun-drenched islands and seaside towns where even the simplest trattoria has an effortless glamour. Guinness travels from the Tuscan coast down through Lazio and Campania via Naples and the Amalfi Coast to northern Sicily, delving into the local history, stories, and flavours.

It's a recipe book, travelogue, and memoir – basically our favourite genre. It contains 60 delicious and achievable recipes that will bring coastal Italy to your table: Zucchini and mint lasagne, tomato linguine with capers, fish with pistachio and almonds, Neapolitan vinegary fried zucchini, potato and caper salad from Salina, raspberry tiramisu, and the ultimate Amalfi lemon cream cake.

What we’re eating

Vodka in our pasta

When Cooks Illustrated tells us to do something in the kitchen, we are all ears. Vodka is flavourless (in cooking) – yet in side-by-side tests, their test kitchen found that savouriness and aroma were consistently more pronounced in vodka-spiked versions of a pasta sauce. ⁠

“The flavour compounds in tomatoes, pancetta, and garlic are primarily fat-soluble. In a sauce without vodka, these compounds dissolve in the fat in the cream. The fat does a fine enough job of dispersing those flavour molecules, but the sauce is less aromatic and flavourful than it could be because fat is not volatile – so the flavour compounds don’t rise as much through your mouth and into your olfactory passages, giving you a retronasal sensation as you eat. ⁠

“The ethanol molecules in vodka, however, change the game. Not only can they dissolve and disperse those ingredients’ flavour compounds, just like fat can, but because ethanol is volatile, it can also bring those flavour compounds into the air, enriching the dish’s flavour and aroma.”

How about that?

Crispy Rice Salad

We were inspired by this Instagram recipe this week.

What we’re watching

Shining Girls on Apple TV+

The series version of South African writer Lauren Beukes' eponymous sci-fi novel with Elizabeth Moss of Mad Men fame and Jamie Bell who we came to know through Billy Elliot. Great acting and a highly original storyline. Absolutely worth it if you like thrillers. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 85%. We do too.

Quote of the week

Video of the week

Die Fomolistas can't stop watching this.

Heard, seen or tasted anything worth sharing?

Please send us your tips in the comments below.

Til next week.

♦ VWB ♦

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