I have tried a few versions of roasted fennel and generally find the sweet, tender result quite appealing. But I also find some of the chunks from the outer layers of the bulb stay tough and stringy, the oven not quite rendering them into the gentleness I am seeking. Until I met this fennel dish, meltingly soft, spiked with parmesan cheese and strewn with a crisp, salty topping of roasted prosciutto. If "crisp" and "salty" are emotional hotspots for you, your soul will sing with this rustic Italian dish from matriarch-chef Lidia Bastianich.

The first order of business is the one responsible for the moist tenderness I speak of. You boil your fennel chunks in salted water just until they can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife. After a good draining in a collander, you line the morsels in an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese, along with salt and pepper, over them. Over this goes slices of San Danielle prosciutto, following the lines of the vegetables. Roast for about 25 minutes and you will be rewarded with a hot, savoury casserole filled with sweet flavour and crisp bacon-like notes. Prosciutto undergoes a fabulous transformation in the oven, darkening, shrinking, and thus giving off a more concentrated hit of its essence.

What makes this dish work so well? The fennel is hot, sweet, juicy and tender. The prosciutto is dry, salty, crisp and meaty. Together they sing a happy song, the blissful conjoining of disparate elements creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is one of those kitchen mysteries, where flavours play off each other in a particularly harmonious manner.

Roasted Fennel and Prosciutto - adapted from www.lidiasitaly.com

2½ pounds fennel, trimmed and cut in wedges; 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil; 3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced;
½ teaspoon salt; freshly ground pepper; 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated.

Bring about 4 litres of water to the boil in a large pot. Drop in the fennel wedges and cook them at a gentle boil for 10 to 15 minutes, just until you can pierce them easily with a sharp knife tip. Lift out the wedges and drain well.

Cut the prosciutto slices crosswise into strips, about 1/4-inch wide.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with a splash of olive oil. Lay the fennel wedges in one layer, filling the dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top. Lay the prosciutto in strips over the fennel, following the direction of the fennel. Finally, sprinkle over the grated cheese, covering the whole dish evenly. Bake the dish for 25 minutes or until the top is crusty and golden and the edges of the prosciutto and fennel are also colored and crisp.

Learn from Lidia!

It’s hard to say who was most excited to see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. Carol and I have been going to the movies on opening day for years, but Simon had some Christmas money saved for Honeydukes candy shop! It had been eight months since the park opened, but there were still crowds lined up at 9 am outside the gates. The Wizarding World is part of Islands of Adventure, one of two Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando, Florida.

We stayed at a Universal Studios hotel for ease and early access. Even in January, the slowest time of the year, the shops and attractions were packed by 10 am. Early in the morning is the most magical time. It’s easy to imagine you really are walking down the street of Hogsmeade Village, the snow covered shops which the Hogwarts students visit on special weekends.

It is the detail that makes it convincing. Universal hired staff from England so the clerks sound convincing. J. K. Rowling was rigorous in her demands. For example, she wouldn’t let pop be sold because it would detract from the illusion. Only pumpkin juice and sweet, frothy butterbeer can be found. The shops are full of great detail, such as chained brooms shaking with excitement, wand choosing ceremonies, and a marauder’s map with footsteps running around it.

But first to Honeydukes, the candy shop! There were Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans, Cauldron Cakes, and Chocolate Frogs with wizard cards, all at exorbitant prices. This display shows how licorice is made.

After stuffing your face, a small family rollercoaster called Flight of the Hippogriff takes you past Hagrid’s hut and Buckbeak. Dragon Challenge is two intersecting, high speed roller coasters. The main attraction is in Hogwarts Castle itself. You walk through the boar statues at the gates into Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The walkthrough as you wait in line is an attraction in itself. The ride is a motion simulator ride based on the robots used in automotive plants. Strapped into a seat, you fly through the castle grounds. There’s a combination of specially filmed scenes of the actors and three dimensional sets as you rotate and pivot along a track. It’s absolutely stunning, but can be hard on imaginative kids. They throw everything at you on this ride: spiders, dragons, dementors, and even the whomping willow takes a swipe at you.

Since there are so many references to the books and movies, you may wish to read and watch them again from the library before you visit. We have the DVDs on Blu-ray now. One of the treasures of our collection are the bookcds narrated by Jim Dale. An incredible voice actor, he does a great job reading all the characters. In the Deathly Hallows that is 146 different characters!

Another cool thing to check out of CPL is The unofficial Harry Potter cookbook: from cauldron cakes to knickerbocker glory--more than 150 magical recipes for wizards and non-wizards alike. It’s available as a regular or electronic book. Remember Magic Eye books? Now there’s Harry Potter Magic Eye® book: 3D magical creatures, beasts and beings. There are also many books of criticism, translations in different languages, and even The complete idiot's guide to the world of Harry Potter. Get them now, because Harry Potter mania will only increase as we near the release of the final movie July 15.

Next summer, watch for Harry Potter parties at a library near you.

How easy is this? Buy some homemade roasted vegetable ravioli, boil some water and open a can of tomatoes. Voila, you have dinner! I speak the truth. If you live in Calgary, The Italian Store is THE place you must go to, for there is where your dinner awaits you. With a freezer full of many types of homemade stuffed pastas, you can select the shape and filling that speaks to you: Veal tortellini, cheese ravioli, roasted vegetable ravioli, to name a few. I am currently working my way through a 5-pound bag of roasted vegetable ravioli and am loving every moment of it. The usual treatment is a quick boil, drain and then toss with some great canned tomatoes, preferably San Marzanos, also available at The Italian Store. Buy some hard, aged pecorino romano cheese at the same store and sprinkle a generous grating over your cooked, drained, sauced ravioli.

The shelves of The Italian Store are lined with imported Italian pastas in almost every imaginable configuration, including ones you will not see elsewhere. You may recognize brands such as Barilla and De Cecco as well as La Molisana. Prices are great, so I stock up on everything that looks interesting. Sometimes I splurge on an artisinal brand of beautifully shaped noodles, as even at $3.89 a bag, plus a can of San Marzano tomatoes at under $4.00 each, I am still feeding 4 people for less than $8.00! How else can you do that and know you are giving them the best products on earth? This is not a rhetorical question. I would really like to know if you have an answer.

Taralli, fresh pizza dough, lonza, hot pickled peppers, pear nectar, biscotti, Sicilian olives, Rega canned tomatoes, dried Greek figs, prosciutto salami, Savello cheese, fragrant basil, mascarpone, cannoli shells, lupini beans . . . . . . . the makings of a feast await you at The Italian Store. For me, a visit is like a pilgrimage to a holy sight, the temple of Italian food. Take time for a sandwich and a bowl of hot homemade soup at the lunch counter. And then go home with a carload of goodies to share with friends and family.

Celebrate your inner Italian:

We are less than three weeks away from the official start of spring. But as I sit writing this, the temperature is hovering around -26C, make that -36C with windchill. One of the top news stories I struggled to hear this morning, through the blankets piled over my head, stated that we've had snow on the ground in Calgary for 110 consecutive days. February saw 30% more snow than on average, according to Environment Canada, confirmed by the miniature mountain range lining my driveway.

Perhaps I’ve already lost a brain cell or two to hypothermia, but rather than joining the frozen hordes heading south to thaw in the tropics, I have a radically different cold cure: you should go snowshoeing. An enthusiastic hiker/biker in summer, I’ve been spending my winters firmly attached to the couch. But the need to prepare for a physical challenge looming this summer finally motivated me to choose a winter sport. After waffling for years between purchasing cross-country skis or snowshoes, my husband informed me one day this past January that he was going to buy himself a pair of snowshoes that night. I said, “Pick me up a pair too, please.” “Blue or green?” he asked. And thus began our recent addiction to snowshoeing.

The snowshoe is one of the oldest inventions, traced back 6000 years to Central Asia. People who moved west to northern Asia and Europe favoured skis, while those who migrated east across the Bering Strait embraced the snowshoe. North American Indians refined the design and made many variations for the particular snow conditions they encountered. Snowshoes were essential survival equipment for trappers, hunters and explorers. In recent years, snowshoeing has experienced a resurgence in popularity as an easy, cheap alternative to skiing or snowboarding.

The great thing about snowshoeing is that if you can walk, you can snowshoe! No other skills are required, and this makes snowshoeing a good activity for people of any age and fitness level. And the gear is minimal: 1) snowshoes and 2) warm boots and clothes which you already have if you’ve survived previous winters successfully. Throw a thermos of soup or hot chocolate in your backpack, and you’re ready to hit the trails.

There’s an overwhelming variety of snowshoes available for purchase at all price points. No longer limited to the large, traditional wood and rawhide styles, you can now find a huge selection of narrower, lightweight snowshoes to suit your needs. Rent some first to make sure you enjoy it and to try out different styles.

Virtually any hiking trail can be snowshoed, depending on your level of experience in winter conditions. Before you venture out to the mountains, visit your favourite Calgary park and make sure your gear fits and works closer to home. To avoid avalanche danger and keep you on safe terrain, Kananaskis Country offers a dozen beginner/intermediate trails that are signed and groomed exclusively for snowshoers: Kanaskis Country Snowshoe Trails

For snowshoeing suggestions in the Banff/Lake Louise area, check out the Parks Canada website.

So, although spring is “just around the corner,” that above-average snowfall we’ve had is going to linger a bit longer. Avoid the delicate, sun-seeking crowds fleeing south. Get in touch with your inner hardy Canadian, strap on some snowshoes, and have fun out there!

If you’re a thorough researcher and would like to read up on the history of snowshoeing, choosing equipment, snowshoeing with kids, and winter safety, or are simply concerned, as I was, whether or not you’re walking “correctly” in your snowshoes, check out these Library titles:

Jorlene

I always laugh when I see trips advertising three days in Rome or two days in Paris. What could you possibly do in that short amount of time? A visit to the Louvre alone will kill the better part of a day! In my mind, it’s only worth travelling if you can slow down and enjoy the city you’re in. I don’t want to have to rush from venue to venue, trying to keep a strict schedule; I don’t like to feel that I’m a slave to my itinerary. Besides, two days in the City of Light would mean a huge amount of bus touring, or taxi rides, or some other mode of convenient transportation.

Instead, where possible, I like to do most of my travelling on foot. It’s good for my soul, my pocketbook, and my planet.

For instance, when I went to New York, I made sure to borrow books about self-directed walking tours. That way I could decide where and when to stay or go. I did the same thing in Florence and Rome.

If you’d like information about slow travel, visit your local library branch, or the experts on Central Library’s 4^th floor. Slow Travel isn’t only about walking around in your chosen destination. It’s about finding all sorts of ways to enjoy travelling and the new experiences you’ll have, without leaving a trail of enormous carbon footprints behind you.

Slow Travel could be taking a boat or a train, riding horseback or hoofin’ it on your own. It could mean carpooling or cycling, or even kayaking. Check out some of these titles for ideas about Slow Travel from Alistair Sawday:

Go Slow France: Special Places to Stay, Slow Travel and Slow Food

Go Slow England and Wales: Special Places to Stay, Slow Travel and Slow Food

Go Slow Italy: Special Places to Eat, Stay and Savor by Alastair Sawday with Jackie King

Slow Travel and Tourism by Janet Dickinson and Les Lumsdon

This book is not so much a guidebook as an exploration of the concept of slow travel. It does include some case studies from around the world, promoting travel by train, bus, cycling and walking.

Katherine