The Epicurean Cafe: Troy, NY, (518) 663-8008 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (518) 663-8008 end_of_the_skype_highlighting Chez Daisie : Schenectady, NY, (518) 344-7082
Stop by and get a goodmeal, gift, or check out our latest promotional material!
Join Our Team!
We are a growing and expanding school, specializing in the learning and study of French, Italian, Spanish and newly added Russian and Ukrainian. We are looking for energetic, enthusiastic and talented people to join our team.
We want to welcome our new newsletter recipients and wish you “happy reading”! Thank you to those who have been with us from the beginning until now. We hope that you enjoy reading our newsletter as much as we have enjoyed putting it together and writing for it. October marks its fourth birthday.
We are very excited and proud to be offering to the public a concert of this caliber. Irina Petrik, our Russian Teacher, and professional singer (soprano) will be singing in the concert as well as some of her friends: Kelly Hutchinson, and Vedrana Kalas and Sariah Mae Patrick. They will be accompanied by the esteemed pianist Michael Clement. This concert should not be missed! Tickets are available for purchase on-line or by calling the office at 518-346-7096. Light refreshments will be served.
In November we will be celebrating the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine and in December we will be holding a St Nicholas Day event. These dates and locations will be announced.
Our Beginning Italian class started on September 22nd and will be offered again in late January as will our Beginning Spanish classes. In an effort to create a system you can count on, we will be offering our Beginning Level 1 classes twice a year: September and January. All other classes are on-going and can be joined at any time.
We are now offering Dutch! Albany is rich with Dutch heritage and we are proud to be adding this language to our repertoire of language offerings.
We are moving in Clifton Park, we will be renting space in the Bethany Christian Services Building on 2 Crestmont Drive. So we say goodbye and thank you to St George’s Episcopal Church where The Language Learning Institute rented its first space. We will be holding our Clifton Park children’s and adult classes in this new building.
Late this fall we will be offering our Mommy and Me program which is for any adult caregiver and their child ages 8 weeks to 4/5 years old. We will also be offering our after school program as well. Dates have not been set as yet. Please keep an eye on the site: www.languagelearninginstitute.com
We hope that you are enjoying this beautiful fall weather and we look forward to seeing you all either in class or at one of our events.
Best regards,
Nancy Scarselletta Owner/Developer The Language Learning Institute 518-346-7096
Culture Series – A Tour of France, Germany, Italy and Russia through Classical Music!
NEW!!
Enjoy The Sounds of Music –
A Tour of France, Germany,
Italy and Russia through Classical Music!
Join us for this Marvelous Late Afternoon Concert!
Le Gouvernement et les Nouvelles Françaises
The air is tense this month in French foreign affairs after five French citizens, a Togolese and a Madagascan were taken hostage on the night of September 15 in northern Niger. They were taken from where they worked, a well-known uranium mining site in Arlit.
Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has taken responsibility for this act and the French government is working to negotiate their release. It is believed that the hostages are still alive; however AQIM has threatened the French government that they do not want any French or other Western soldiers on their soil. Although the hostages were taken from Niger, they are currently being held in Mali. France is working closely with Mali, Niger, Mauritania, and Algeria to resolve this crisis. Army chiefs from the African countries will meet to discuss how to deal with the Al Qaida situation in their respective countries.
Unfortunately, kidnapping has been occurring more frequently to French citizens in recent months in the Maghreb region of Africa. In July, the AQIM killed a French hostage. Additionally, on September 22nd, three French nationals and at least one other hostage were kidnapped from an oil industry supply vessel off the coast of Nigeria. This area, the Gulf of Guinea, is well-known for piracy; and boats working in the oil industry are often targeted for kidnapping and ransom threats. A gun battle that lasted over two hours took place during which the naval boats tried to fend off these pirates. One day later, a Nigerian rebel group was working with the kidnappers to negotiate the release of the hostages.
If you’re looking to entertain guests, this flavorful dish is a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients:
2 tsp of olive oil 3 lbs 5 ozs (1.5Kg) skinless chicken pieces-cut into bite sized pieces 1 onion, chopped 1 red pepper (capsicum), chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 4 Tbsp white wine 4 Tbsp chicken stock 14 oz (400 g) can chopped tomatoes 2 Tbsp of tomato paste ½ cup (3 ¼ ounces/90g) black olives in brine, drained 13 ozs (375 g) fettuccine small handful of basil leaves
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat, add the chicken, in batches, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Return all the chicken to the pan and add the onion, pepper and garlic. cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the wine, stock, tomatoes, tomato paste and olives and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the chicken pieces over and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well. Sprinkle the chicken with basil and serve over the pasta.
Dr. Susannah Holt, Healthy Eating Using the Glycemic Index for optimal health, (Murdoch Books Pty Limited, 2005) pg 165.
Eleonora’s Secret – A Journey through Italian Wine Regions? Piemonte!
This year I would like to take you on a tour of the many wine regions in Italy. We’ll start our journey in Northern Italy in the region of Piemonte.
Located in the northwestern corner of Italy, Piemonte (Piedmont) has much in common with its neighboring countries, France and Switzerland as well as with its neighboring Italian regions of Lombardy and Liguria. It has no coastline, though the southern reaches are just a few kilometers away from the Mediterranean. A varied region, Piedmont has plenty to offer those on vacation in Italy, including great wines, great food and great skiing.
The northern reaches of Piemonte, rise up to the Alps and over the border to France and Switzerland. The name ‘pied monte’ literally means “at the foot of the mountains.” The region seems to have an almost Alpine feel to it, due to its closeness to Switzerland, with many great places for skiing. But its closeness to France can be heard in the local dialects, which still bear strong inflections from the French that was the native language here until the turn of the 20th century. And what about the cuisine? A mixture of French and Italian, with wonderful sauces which use butter instead of olive oil.
One of Italy’s most elegant and cosmopolitan old cities, Torino (Turin) is located in the center of the Piemonte region. The headquarters of automobile manufacturers Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo are all located in Torino, helping to make this a very busy city with an historic past, which can be seen sumptuous baroque building of the city center.
To the west of Torino you’ll find the Chisone and Susa valleys. The most spectacular sight here is the fortified abbey of Sacra di San Michele, perched atop a rocky outcrop, and neighboring is the Roman town of Susa. Head south to see Saluzzo. Lying in the Po Valley, the town had its own court during the Renaissance, and retains cobbled streets and a castle.
To the south and the border with Liguria is wine and truffle country. The town of Alba sits among the Le Langhe hills. This is home to white truffles, more delicate and aromatic than the more common black version. Alba is also home to Barolo, and the lighter Nebbiolo. Neighboring Asti is another big wine town, famed for its sparkling whites of course, and also for its annual Palio festival.
Wind back to the north and we are into the mountains and the border with Switzerland. Pay a visit to the Valsesia valley, which leads up to Monte Rosa. Along the way you’ll see the sanctuaries of Sacro Monte and Santuario d’Oropa a visit. Sacro Monte (sacred mountain) is an extraordinary collection of 45 chapels. Each houses a three-dimensional fresco with scenes from the life of Christ.
The excellent Piemontese wines and a cuisine with flavors of France as much as Mediterranean Italy, make dining in this region a wonderful experience. Fondue is often featured on the menu, especially bagna cauda, with its sauce of anchovies, garlic, butter and cream. Pastas and risottos are often flavored with delicate shavings of truffle, and saffron is another popular risotto ingredient.
So the next time you’re having a plate of risotto, why not consider trying a glass of wine from the Piemonte region? The truffle shavings might be a little hard to come by!
Thank you to all who responded to last month’s “Do You Know?”
In Italy, the Alps form its northern boundary; which mountain range forms the peninsula’s backbone?
Answer:The Apennine Mountains form a giant “backbone” through the Italian peninsula. Their towering height makes it difficult to travel across the peninsula. The Apennines also lack rich soil, so there is more sheep herding than farming on the mountainsides.
This Month’s “Do You Know?”
What city is considered the culinary capital of France?
Thank you for your interest in our school. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone who might be interested in learning about the Language Learning Institute and our programs and events.
Best regards,
Nancy Scarselletta The Language Learning Institute, LLC
“Planning a visit to Quebec province, I decided to attend a set of adult evening classes given by Nancy Scarselletta at a local high school. Her enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, the French language prompted me to sign up for further individual lessons. Over the last two years, I have come to appreciate Nancy’s vast experience –and infinite patience! — in teaching French with her unique emphasis on phonetics which she studied at the Sorbonne. In my opinion, French is not an easy language for English speakers given its unusual rules with multiple exceptions, potential liaisons, numerous irregular verbs, unfamiliar phonics, and plentiful idioms. I’ve appreciated Nancy’s approach and guidance throughout the course. And it’s been fun.”
with its neighboring countries, France and Switzerland as well as with its neighboring Italian regions of Lombardy and Liguria. It has no coastline, though the southern reaches are just a few kilometers away from the Mediterranean. A varied region, Piedmont has plenty to offer those on vacation in Italy, including great wines, great food and great skiing.
The excellent Piemontese wines and a cuisine with flavors of France as much as Mediterranean Italy, make dining in this region a wonderful experience. Fondue is often featured on the menu, especially bagna cauda, with its sauce of anchovies, garlic, butter and cream. Pastas and risottos are often flavored with delicate shavings of truffle, and saffron is another popular risotto ingredient.
