I was away for two and a half weeks. Physically, I am now back at home. Emotionally, I will keep wandering for a while. At some point, I will say more. For now, I'll write about everyday things.
As a child, I was fascinated by my mother's mezzaluna (literally: half moon). She used it very rarely and I was not allowed to touch it — two facts that contributed to make it even more special to my eyes. I am not sure why I don't own one, considering that I find it not only quite useful, but also efficient and elegant. The mezzaluna in the photos is the one I used to admire from a distance.
The tagliere (cutting board) on which the mezzaluna is resting was part of my parents' first kitchen. Together with two other useful items, namely spianatoia e matterello (kneading board and rolling pin), the tagliere found a place in the new kitchen my mother chose for the apartment where we moved when I was 16. The wooden trio is still there.
The parsley (prezzemolo) I minced with the mezzaluna the day I took the photos contributed to season a simple potato salad. I think I will soon have a mezzaluna in my kitchen: after using it almost every day for two weeks, I miss it. Is there a mezzaluna in your kitchen?
Hear me pronounce the words on the mezzaluna audio file [mp3] or go to the mezzaluna audio page for more listening options.
