I am now seriously thinking about emigrating. But where to?

[HovaGirl]

and you're seriously telling me all you found was pasta. I've only been to Rome, Florence and Pescara and found plenty of food beyond spaghetti. In fact I arranged to meet a colleague in a restaurant/ bar in Florence which was closed due to local foody convention. The organiser spoke to me as I waited outside and let me and friend in....I stuffed my face with some of the finest food I've had, for free, and not one item of pasta.

I presume you're teasing me.

Of course I am! There's always pizza, but I don't eat pizza. And pasta comes in many shapes, sizes and colours.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

and you're seriously telling me all you found was pasta. I've only been to Rome, Florence and Pescara and found plenty of food beyond spaghetti. In fact I arranged to meet a colleague in a restaurant/ bar in Florence which was closed due to local foody convention. The organiser spoke to me as I waited outside and let me and friend in....I stuffed my face with some of the finest food I've had, for free, and not one item of pasta.

I presume you're teasing me.

Couldn't agree more, have just booked a week in Rome for the 6 Nations next February, can't wait to go back - think I've been to Italy over 30 times now, surely she must be taking the ****?

 

[HovaGirl]

Couldn't agree more, have just booked a week in Rome for the 6 Nations next February, can't wait to go back - think I've been to Italy over 30 times now, surely she must be taking the ****?

I love Rome. Italy is one of my favourite countries and I eat in more Italian restaurants than any other kind. Maybe my (non-existent) Italian isn't good enough to notice stuff other than pasta on the menu? Tell me some other gawjus Italian dishes, please!

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

A Swedish mate of mine from university spent 6 months' language study in Paris (well, that was what it was supposed to be - he actually spent the time boozing and chatting up Swedish girls there), and lived the entire time on McDonalds. While I was house sharing with him, his daily diet consisted of two pieces of bread and jam for breakfast, and ham, scrambled egg and boiled potatoes for supper every night for 6 months, then for the second 6 months Penne pasta and tomato sauce, night after night. Mind you, I have to say when I went to Sweden it was very hard to get a good meal anywhere (this was in a rural area mind you, not Stockholm).

Far as this emigration lark goes, though, part of the problem is we Brits are unwilling to learn other languages; I admit I would struggle with German, though I'd give it a go. Immigrants here are criticised for not learning English (don't worry, I'm not starting a political debate), but how many of the Brits on the Costa del Sol speak Spanish?

 

[seagull_special]

I would go to British Columbia if I could convince the wife. The scenery is gobsmacking and the standard of living is excellent, added to that, my brother lives out there.

So, any advice on how to convince the wife?

weekend in croydon should do it

 

[Nottseagull]

Why do you need English as the first language? Most of the world speaks english as a second language now anyway.

It's mainly because I would miss the witty conversations with subtle humour that I can currently have (even in Mansfield!). I don't think many non-native speakers would 'get' me TBH, and I would like to be able to read the local paper and peruse the country's legislation and regulations etc. for myself.

weekend in croydon should do it

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Couldn't agree more, have just booked a week in Rome for the 6 Nations next February, can't wait to go back - think I've been to Italy over 30 times now, surely she must be taking the ****?

Nice one. Rome is a lovely city, and it's good to spend a length of time there as opposed to going for a weekend city break.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Tell me some other gawjus Italian dishes, please!

polenta and rabbit meat.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Castello Banfi - Recipes - Main Courses

Arista al Forno
Cinghiale in Scottiglia
Fagiano in Scottiglia
Filetto di Maiale al Brunello
Filetto di Sogliola al Tartufo
Stinco di Vitello al Brunello
Stracotto al Brunello
Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mediterranean Vegetables and Rosemary Sauce
Bistecca Fiorentina
Carré di Manzo in crosta alla Balsamica
Straccetti alla Balsamica

... to name but eleven.

 

[HovaGirl]

polenta and rabbit meat.

What's polenta? I would NEVER eat bunny.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What's polenta?

Yellow maize flour. Make it into porridge, let it go cold and congeal. Slice it, fry it. Delicious.

Alternatively, make it thin and use it to stick wallpaper to walls.

BBC - Food - Polenta recipes

 

[HovaGirl]

Castello Banfi - Recipes - Main Courses

Arista al Forno
Cinghiale in Scottiglia
Fagiano in Scottiglia
Filetto di Maiale al Brunello
Filetto di Sogliola al Tartufo
Stinco di Vitello al Brunello
Stracotto al Brunello
Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mediterranean Vegetables and Rosemary Sauce
Bistecca Fiorentina
Carré di Manzo in crosta alla Balsamica
Straccetti alla Balsamica

... to name but eleven.

The pork, veal, beef and lamb sound good, but I wouldn't touch boar or pheasant. Sole is the only fish I'll eat. The ones I like the sound of are just variations of roast, casseroles or steak, but I haven't noticed any of them in any of the restaurants I've been to. Not that they weren't on the menu, just that I haven't noticed them. Next time I go to Italy, I'll take a dictionary! Thanks for the list.

 

[HovaGirl]

Yellow maize flour. Make it into porridge, let it go cold and congeal. Slice it, fry it. Delicious.

Alternatively, make it thin and use it to stick wallpaper to walls.

BBC - Food - Polenta recipes

Have to say, that sound vile!

 

[rcf0712]

Hobart would be a lovely place to live.

or retire to - one of our big holiday plans one day is go on a driving holiday there taking our time and enjoying all the scenery and local produce - looks very idilic with breathtaking scenery, but cold.

 

[NMH]

What's polenta? I would NEVER eat bunny.

Why not? It's just like cat

 

[fork me]

It's mainly because I would miss the witty conversations with subtle humour that I can currently have (even in Mansfield!). I don't think many non-native speakers would 'get' me TBH, and I would like to be able to read the local paper and peruse the country's legislation and regulations etc. for myself.

Most places you go you'll end up with lots of ex-pat friends anyway, and it's amazing how many countries have English language papers as well as their own language. Here in Cyprus for example, we have the Cyprus Mail/Sunday Mail (not affiliated in any way to the Daily Mail!) which is daily and the Cyprus Weekly. The Mail is a semi-tabloid format whereas the Weekly is closer to a broadsheet. Even when I was in Thailand there was an English language paper (The Bangkok Times, I think it was).

 

[Nottseagull]

The pork, veal, beef and lamb sound good...

I would NEVER eat bunny.

You would eat a poor little calf but not an adult rabbit?

 

[HovaGirl]

You would eat a poor little calf but not an adult rabbit?

I've never kept a cow or calf as a pet, but I have had cuddly wabbits as pets. Couldn't eat one. I did once, though. The wicked stepmother fed me one, knowing I had a bunny running around the garden at the time.

 

[Jonno]

Ironic posting, given the author's tipping point was the recent UK crime, which has been mostly in the inner cities and very poor areas...

There's a huge world of difference between British very poor and South African very poor

 

[Nottseagull]

You'll not have a different culture for 7 hours,

Sorry I don't understand that at all.

You also see the food change with the seasons, which is a bit bizarre.

I've always thought that the opposite is true. I well remember being patronised by a greengrocer in Goring-by-Sea in the 1970s after asking for rhubarb out of season!