La Zucchina Fiorisce

Have you ever eaten zucchini blossoms?

Day 10 of life without a hair dryer and I've solved the mystery as to why the homeless harmonica player keeps hitting on me! We're starting to look alike. I'll bet he thinks we use the same stylist.

My blow dryer died the second I arrived and this town doesn't sell them. Or, so they say. As I look at all of the intimidatingly (is that a word?) beautiful Italian women I'm beginning to suspect this is just a big fat lie. Perhaps they want the token American to look a little ragged.

Heathers adorn the walkways along the river.

My Italian friend has been such a gracious host that I wanted to surprise her by preparing a full-on meal in my teeny tiny kitchen. Hindsight being what it is, this morning I'm giggling at my silliness of deciding to cook Mexican ~ in South Tyrol, Italy ~ where no one's ever heard of a tomatillo.

From now on, I'll default to what they do have to offer, which is a curious array of practical, delectable dishes that had never occurred to me.

Like zucchini blossoms. These pretty, yellow flowers decorate the produce section, still attached to that familiar green veg.

Did you know they're edible?

• Create a batter with eggs, milk and flour, then fry them in hot oil. 
• Or, stuff with prosciutto and Parmesan, dip 'em in batter, and then fry them. 

(I imagine there are healthier ways to serve these, but I'm on vacation so let's not even go there...)

Seeing a little bit of color today.
My baby Hyacinth seems very 
happy in her new home.

* La zucchina fiorisce = zucchini blossoms.  This is my bloggin' diary from Bressanone, Italy where I'm living and working for the month of February.