Tag: Organize

How to organize a last minute birthday party – Italian Cuisine

Easy, casual, fun, delicious: the next birthday party will be like this. Here are three tips for cooking quick and original recipes

Is your birthday approaching and you have absolutely no idea how to celebrate it? For this time going out to dinner is excluded: if you bet on saving, organizing a birthday party at home is the solution for you. But it is not the only reason. At home you can give us inside customizing the party with a theme, decorations and typical recipes.

If the fateful date is in the middle of the week and you haven't had enough time either to think or to cook, better to use some shortcuts. Get out of work at 6 pm and you only have a couple of hours to do everything: you have to play early or choose very easy recipes, but at the same time greedy and suitable for a party. Imperatives: make a quick shopping and make less pans as dirty as possible.

What to cook? Here are three ideas that everyone will like, for a mouth-watering birthday party at home.

1. Browse, take us to safety

The resolver # 1 of all our problems is the puff pastry ready, easy and quick to prepare. To not lose even a moment longer, fill it with ingredients that are cut quickly and that should not be cooked separately, such as cold cuts and cheeses. Here are some of our quick recipes.

Tired of the usual birthday cake? The pastry is also perfect as a dessert! Here are 10 ideas for one sweet puff pastry.

2. Let's soak!

drench nachos and chips in sauces is fun, but for such an important evening it's important to be original. The guacamole it is perfect: it is different from the usual and is prepared in just 15 minutes. Click here for the guacamole recipe.

Try this one too cheese sauce: Just mix a creamy cheese, like robiola, with sour cream. Season with a few drops of vinegar, salt, pepper and other spices or herbs to taste!

With the caprine or the ricotta cheese you can also prepare tasty mousse savory with tuna, ham, salmon or vegetables, to spread also on toasted bread. See all our tips here.

3. Clouds are raining

The classic of the classics, cannot absolutely miss. Don't be afraid, the sandwiches are not only suitable for children's parties. Just use amazing ingredients: for example, this tropical sandwich can be prepare in advance and it will surely amaze your guests!

What to drink?

We must all agree on drinks too. Can not miss the bubbles! Without being trivial, it is good to focus on something that is not too complex, fresh and suitable for an aperitif.

In gallery at the top, don't miss all the other tips to organize an unforgettable birthday at home

organize the visit and where to eat – Italian Cuisine

In the year of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, we will take you to discover how to organize a visit to the Cenacolo Vinciano and where to eat in the Milan area

Organize the visit toLast Supper (or Last Supper) in the year of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci it is (almost) mandatory. The multifaceted artist and inventor par excellence has left traces of his irrepressible intelligence and creativity in different cities like Venice or Florence, but it is in Milan that we run to admire the Renaissance work. To pay tribute to the Absolute Genius of the Italian Renaissance, we take you to discover how to buy tickets for the visit and where to have a gastronomic break – because even culture makes you hungry!

First, a bit of history

The first testimony of the workLast Supper of Leonardo da Vinci as completed it dates back to 1498, four years after the commission by Luca Maria Sforza known as il Moro. In fact, the Duke of Milan decides to designate the church Santa Maria delle Grazie of Milan as the main place of celebration of its rich family. Leonardo da Vinci is called to decorate the walls of the refectory, taken from his unstoppable creativity, he launches himself headlong into the production of a true masterpiece unique of its kind, of which many copies are made not only in Italy. Although never reaching the mastery of the original work, these proved to be indispensable for understanding colors and shapes as thought by Leonardo da Vinci after centuries.

Indeed, through his peculiar painting technique on table (base of rough plaster, mixture of calcium carbonate and magnesium joined by a protein binder, fat tempera based on eggs and fluidizing oils), Leonardo da Vinci achieves luminous effects and great richness of details. This dry mixed technique on plaster unfortunately does not protect the magnificent painting from the conservative problems linked to the humidity of the walls and the frequent temperature changes due to the neighboring kitchens. The splendor of his work almost immediately begins to tarnish and the interventions of various "artists" over the centuries will sabotage its great value.

The great restoration

It is impossible to let go of such an important artistic treasure, we run for cover and the longest and most challenging restoration project in history begins: from 1977 to 1999 enormous choral work is set in motion among scientists, art critics and restorers from all over the world. Over twenty years it has served to recover the original beauty of the work, tampered with by the many retouches, bringing to light precious details like the feet of the apostles under the table, the face of Giovanni and the hole of a nail planted in the head of the Christ that came used by the artist to trace the perspective of the scene.

Not only: the entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti of Eataly received last May on CULTURE + COMPANY award 2018-19 in Milan for the project "You can't miss a dinner like this! ", approved by Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism. Thanks to the new air conditioning and air purification system, today they are placed daily inside the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie about 10,000 cubic meters of new clean air, against the previous around 3,500. An intervention that will allowLast Supper by Leonardo da Vinci to survive 500 more years and to be seen by a growing number of visitors (+ 30% in the first three years after restoration), without this damaging it due to the fine dust that everyone brings with them.

How to buy tickets for the Last Supper

Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980, theLast Supper (or also Cenacle of Leonardo da Vinci) has always been one of the most visited in Italy: in 2017 it was admired by 416.337 visitors, making it the 16th most visited museum site in the country. Everyone at least once in their life should enter the bare refectory room at the church Santa Maria delle Grazie to remain open-mouthed before the masterful painting, impressive even in size: the work measures 880 cm in length and 460 cm in height!

To visit theLast Supper it is mandatory to book the visit in advance. The protection of Leonardo's masterpiece requires optimal environmental conditions, obtained through the treatment of the air, as well as special procedures for the access of visitors, allowed to groups of 25 people for a maximum of 15 minutes. Keep in mind that the opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, open all day from 8.15 am until evening at 7.00 pm (last admission at 6.45 pm). The fixed cost of the reservation is euro 2.

If you choose the online mode, we advise you to rely on official site of the Cenacolo Vinciano Museum on the platform of the Lombardy Region Museum Complex, which will take you to the purchase of entrance tickets through the official dealer VivaTicket. Tickets are relatively few available compared to the request, you will hardly find availability immediately. Indeed there is a schedule of purchases very anticipated: keep in mind that for example the entrances for October and November were put on sale at the end of July. But do not be discouraged, there is also the possibility of human contact by phone. From Monday to Saturday from 8.00 to 18.30, you can book or buy tickets for the entrance to the Cenacolo Vinciano by calling the toll-free number 800 990 084 free of charge from the landline or by paying the telephone number +39 02 92800360.

Alternatively, but with higher costs, it is possible to rely on third parties as safe agencies or alternative partners recognized in some way by the Region or nationally. For example, the Touring Club suggests to rely on the Musement partner site, which for about 45 euros (against the original 12 euros) ensures the skip-the-line ticket and the guided tour. Another example is Eataly, which in addition to the restoration support, offers the possibility of booking a special formula: access to the refectory for 30 minutes, instead of the usual 15, in the evening and as a closed museum, with an expert who narrates the birth, life, history and secrets of the work, to follow dinner at Eataly.

Where to eat well around the Cenacolo Vinciano

Leonardo da Vinci's great work is preserved on the walls of the refectory inside the premises of the Dominican church Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan in the Magenta area, very close to the Cadorna railway station or the Conciliazione underground stop. The proposals for a gourmet break are different, we offer some:

Fresh Pasta from Giovanni (Piazza Giovine Italia) is a guarantee for those who want to taste first quality dishes. The only problem is the size of the room, very small and with few tables, therefore not recommended for large groups. With a little patience you will find a place, the waiting will be rewarded at the first forkful.

Boccondivino (via Carducci, 17) offers a good wine shop experience through a very rich wine list and a genuine menu appreciated by the customers for a long time now. The bill is also adequate.

The Bottarga (viale san Michele del Carso, 19) is an excellent fish restaurant near San Vittore with Calabrian dishes on the menu. The quality of the raw material used and the accurate preparations make it a popular destination for both Milanese and non-Milanese.

Osteria La Carbonaia (via Carducci, 38) is the ideal place for those who dream of a Florentine without going to Tuscany. In the characteristic restaurant with its textured effect walls and rustic wooden furnishings, you are catapulted into another world made of grill and wine.

Temakinho Magenta (via Boccaccio, 4) for those who want to make a trip to Brazil via Japan: here the two culinary cultures meet for a tasty and surprising result. To try.

how to organize meals of the week in advance – Italian Cuisine

There seems to never be enough time to cook, but there is a method that can help you. The weekend is organized and from Monday to Friday everything is ready!

The meal prep It is a very popular method in recent years that allows divide and prepare the meals of the week in advance in a balanced, organized and fast way so you do not have to be too much in the kitchen during the day. Just get busy a bit 'on the weekend and then have 5 lunches and dinners available for the days to come.

The menu day by day

First, sit down and set up what would you like to eat from Monday to Friday, days when you work and do not have time to think too much about the kitchen.
On Saturday, then, make the food plan of the coming week balancing all the menus so as to have always present all the nutrients that you can not do without.
The vegetables will be present in every meal, the fruit twice a day, lor yogurt, milk, cereals or porridge for breakfast and some snacks.
Meat, fish, eggs, legumes and cheeses they are to be distributed in a balanced way, while i carbohydrates like bread, cereals and pasta will be present in two daily meals.
The breakfast will obviously be prepared day by day, or the night before for the next day if you love porridge or pancakes and the same thing applies to snacks that could consist of a fruit, a handful of dried fruit or a yogurt and chocolate dark. So do it buffer stock of all these things.
As for the lunches and dinners, instead, organize by setting out exactly what you will eat on Monday, Tuesday and the following days and try to respect the plan.
So, for example, Monday at lunch you will eat a cold salad of whole grains with tuna and zucchini and a salmon dinner with steamed broccoli. on Tuesday for lunch of grilled vegetables with grilled chicken and bread and for dinner red rice with hummus and Brussels sprouts, and so on.

Free days

Saturday and Sunday are the days that you have to keep out of the meal prep both because in the weekend you can also indulge in some mud, and because what you cook on Sunday night is unlikely to arrive in good condition on the following Sunday.
And then, if you have a lunch or dinner out during the week organize yourself accordingly because those meals should not be covered by the program.

Shopping

Once the menus have been established, make a shopping list and buy what you need.
Go to the supermarket only on Saturday (or Sunday), or in any case one day only per week.
Avoid buying anything else, either for not having useless things that you probably never consume, either for not eating and spending (and wasting) more than necessary.

How to organize for the preparation and sharing of meals

You could buy some containers to divide your meals, but we do not want to force you to organize yourself to this point. It will also be good to simply have a mental organization for dividing into portions of the things you have prepared. Do you have a baked vegetable pan available? Divide it into four portions.
Did you cook 500g of cereal? You will have from 5 to 8 servings.
You can put everyone away the meals you will consume in the office and prepare them already portioned so as not to have thoughts during the week, but remember to do not add seasonings of no kind except at the time of eating the meal.
Leave everything you need for dinner in the fridge or freezer, not necessarily divided by portions.
But how are these menus cooked? We explain it, ingredient by ingredient.

Vegetables

Cook them all in large quantities and then keep them in the fridge.
You can prepare grilled vegetables such as zucchini and aubergines, baked vegetables with pumpkin, Brussels sprouts and potatoes, and then you can divide broccoli, cabbage and carrots into different floors of a steamer. You will have so many contours for 5 days.
If you prepare flans with eggs and cheeses, cook them immediately and then put them in the fridge if you intend to consume them in the short or in the freezer if they are destined for the last days of the week.

Cereals

Precisely because it will be difficult to preserve the already cooked pasta without it becoming glue, we advise you from Monday to Friday to consume Whole grains, more practical and with a longer storage time.
You can cook them individually or make a mix of barley, spelled, rice and whatever you prefer.
Once cooked in large quantities, cool them immediately with running water to stop cooking and lower the temperature, drain well and then store in the refrigerator. They remain good for up to 5 days.
Whole grains should always be accompanied by vegetables for a perfect balance of nutrients, but you can also combine them with meat, fish, cheese and vegetables.

Meat and fish

The meat can be cooked and stored for up to three days so if you do not eat it immediately freeze it.
If you want to prepare a stew or other very seasoned seconds, do it, but then freeze them.
What we recommend is certainly the turkey (or chicken) because once cooked it is well preserved and you can add it in many dishes. Also there salted meat it's a great idea and with cold cuts like bresaola and turkey always go on the safe side.
The fish should not be frozen, so, once cooked, consume it as soon as you can.
A slice of salmon or swordfish baked or in a pan is ideal. Obviously avoid shellfish and molluscs. Smoked salmon is a great solution if you do not want to cook fish because it is preserved for a long time.

legumes

Excellent protein alternative to meat, fish, eggs and cheeses.
Buy them if you do not want to cook them, but choose those stored in the glass jar, drain and wash them very well before use.
They are excellent both for preparing hummus-like creams that you can use to stuff a sandwich, or added to cereals for a cold salad. Avoid soups, or keep them in the freezer.

Eggs and cheeses

Boiled eggs are an excellent solution, but be careful with conservation. They can stay for a maximum of two days in the refrigerator as well as the omelette.
The cheeses are instead perfect for the last days of the week because they are kept longer.
So buy some feta, Parmigiano and also ricotta that can be consumed even at breakfast.

Bread

We advise you to buy bread once a week and to portion it.
A little 'you can consume it immediately and a little' will be frozen. Just put it a moment in the oven to make it return fragrant as just bought.

Sauces

If you can not do without pasta prepare the condiments in advance.
A ragù for example can be divided into portions and then stored in the refrigerator or freezer and the same applies to a tuna sauce or pesto for example.
The pasta obviously you have to cook it at the moment because storing it without seasoning is impossible. However, you could think of a baked pasta like lasagna and cannelloni. In that case prepare it, cook it only until half cooked and then freeze it. When you want to consume it, just go back to the oven to finish cooking.

Did we convince you? You are ready to prepare your menus.
Scroll through the gallery to find out more ideas on how to prepare your meal prep