Thanks for these Gala Placidia..............to add...........if you see any yellow snow, it is NOT limoncello ! 

S

I know what you mean, Sprostoni...

Anyway, if you are not in the cooking mood, there are some Italian alcoholic drinks that can help to warm you up. In moderation, certainly, as alcohol also dehydrates the person and this is not good, even in winter (we always think about drinking water in the middle summer, but we must be careful during the cold season as well)

Grappa is the first one that we will think of when talking about alcoholic drinks.  Some Italians still distil their own. It is quite a complicated process. Very high alcoholic content; however, many people swear that it is excellent for your health (once again, in moderation).

Another less known drink is Genepy, the herb liqueur from Val d'Aosta. There are two varieties, green and yellow. In both cases, the herb "Artemisa", which grows at an altitude of 2000-3000 m is used, the difference in colour comes from the fact that in the case of the green one, fresh herbs are used. On the other hand, in the case of the yellow one, they use dry herbs.  As for grappa, the alcoholic content is  very high (about 40%).

It is said that those wonderful rescue dogs, the Saint Bernards, used to carry either grappa or genepy in their barrels to help people in trouble in the snow.

"It is said that those wonderful rescue dogs, the Saint Bernards, used to carry either grappa or genepy in their barrels to help people in trouble in the snow."

They never carried brandy. 

According to Wikipedia

"The monks of the St. Bernard Hospice deny that any St. Bernard has ever carried casks or small barrels around their necks; they believe that the origin of the image is an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer, perhaps Alpine Mastiffs Reanimating a Distressed Traveler (which became a popular engraving in 1931 by Charles Landseer).  The monks did keep casks around for photographs by tourists"

Nice story though

Great recipes Gala Placidia - thank you.

For an alcoholic warm you up - how about a hot toddy, whisky with honey, lemon juice and spices like cinammon stick, cloves and grated nutmeg.

Non-alcoholic - large mug of hot chocolate.  I'm just about to make one for myself to warm up.

Though, if you want to spice it up, a dash of Baileys in the hot chocolate is also very warming.

Italian hot chocolate, or "cioccolata calda" is absolutely delicious. Very thick, rich and creamy, it tastes more like chocolate pudding and it is very similar to the one we drink in Spain. It is served in small cups and it is better that way, as I do not want to think about the number of calories contained in those small cups. And our livers must work extra hard!!!!

But it is a real treat and great in very cold weather.

P.S. Thank you for the clarification about the St Bernard dogs, Alanh. Just as you said, it was a beautiful story, though.

Yes - I agree Gala Placidia.  One of my treats when I come over to Italy in the winter.  It is toe-curlingly good.  More like a dessert than a drink.  I always use a teaspoon with mine.

Another great treat in this cold weather are pulses. Now, if you hated baked bean sandwiches, you are not alone... I do too; however, and fortunately, this is not all as far as pulses are concerned.

There is a great variety to choose from and they are a fabulous type of food, low glycemic, good for diabetics and celiacs, help to lower your cholesterol and they also help to lower your weight, which is quite amazing, and an important protein source for vegetarians.

Italians have been eating pulses in a variety of ways, from the beans that go into the classic minestrone to the fabulous lentils of Castelluccio with sausages ("Lenticchie di Castelluccio con salsicce) or with "zampone", a traditional New Year's dish.

Sometimes, they mix pulses with "orzo" as in the "Minestra di Fagioli e Orzo", or they prepare them in a hearty stew called "Jota".

In Italy you can purchase most varieties of pulses, dry or already prepared in jars, great whenever you are in a rush and you have forgotten to soak them the previous day (most lentils do not require that previous soaking).

A very important point is that, after soaking them overnight, you must start cooking them in cold water, all with the exception of chickpeas, which always go into boiling water.

Some time ago, I found this great Canadian web page, which I find most useful:

http://www.pulsecanada.com/uploads/03/dd/03ddfda72f84e3032f5f72ccc1ba2738/Cooking-with-Beans-Peas--Lentils-2010.pdf

It would answer most questions that you would have on pulses. It is not surprising that the Canadians are promoting pulses. They are the biggest producers and exporters in the world.

The nutritional facts stated are all true, and pulses make wonderful meals both in winter and summer. You can eat them in salads and dips and they are delicious. Right in the middle of winter, a bowl of pulses with veggies and meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or just on their own, is a blessing.

Enjoy!