Lampedusa and chicken dumpling soup

Now I am sure you wonder what on earth has the Prince of Lampedusa and chicken dumpling soup in common.  Well this week in Ottawa has been terribly, unseasonably cold, nights near the freezing point and day times full of cold late fall sunshine, a certain crispiness in the air. But wait we have not arrive at the end of Summer yet that only happens after the 21 September. Well if truth be told we have not had much of a Summertime at all this year. It has been cool not hot and many days it was rather cold. So now all too soon it is Autumn, the pumpkins are out ''en force'',  so today I found a new translation of the book of Prince Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa entitled The professor and the Siren. Lampedusa a nobleman of Palermo, Sicily who wrote the famous book The Leopard which then became a famous movie with Burt Lancaster. I have never heard of the Professor and the Siren and am looking forward to reading it. It will remind me of the more temperate and warmer climes of Sicily, a place one should visit and appreciate for its beauty and very rich culture. I am very happy that we had the good fortune to visit the island by car a few years ago. What a treasure trove it was and how unknown it is to most people, maybe it is better this way, it will not be spoiled by mass tourism.

Of course the cold weather has also ignited my interests in winter dishes and in soups and other hearty meals. Will has started making dishes in the crock pot, one being his Bolognese meat sauce which is rich and unctuous. Today I discovered this recipe for Chicken dumpling soup, very easy to make and just the thing to keep you warm on those cold days. I also want to make Parmesan Biscuits, another easy recipe or Pasta al Forno which is easier to make than most think. Will has already made a very good vegetable lasagna.  Because they are still in Season barely, how about Watermelon pudding with Pistachio.

Just thinking that Nicky and Nora enjoy going out now but come Winter with ice and snow, they will not like it so much, with boots and coats to keep warm.  How I am not looking forward to it at all.

So no there is no link between Lampedusa and cooking, but it was just an easy association I made on this chilly evening.