la bambina guida

Between language sessions where I make efforts to learn simple phrases, like, "la bambina non guida" - "the girl does not drive", I chase Smalls (only a bimba, not a bambina yet really) around her play areas - that is when we are not shopping for our next meal...

Yesterday, a much needed (please baby take a nap) neighborhood walk inspired me to try a couple of the local establishments we have been passing regularly.  One, a cafe, located more-or-less at the end of our street.  Seems to be quite popular with the locals, so Smalls (as a captive audience) and I ducked in...  with a beeline for the pastry counter.  I saw the croissants straight off, but then noticed a better option, the notorious sfogliatelle.

There is a flakey layered shell with a custard-like center (this one had orange peel involved).  Not too sweet or creamy.

There was a place in San Diego in Little Italy that we went to on a pretty regular basis to find these tasty treats...  and the Major's mother particularly enjoys them (so much so that she completely missed noticing a shiny new engagement ring when she was presented with a box of said pastry).

Lucky us that Naples is specifically known for this particular pastry.  Rock on waistline!

Down by the beach there is a Mister Ghost gelateria that has also been enticing - and since Smalls decided to fall peacefully asleep in the stroller (thank you), what better motivation to keep on walking than an ice cream in hand...

 

It's a good thing she is sleeping.  We introduced her to gelato recently, and she always eyes mine with expectation, although I don't want to reinforce that habit for her just yet.

We have fun selecting which foods we will introduce her to (anything with tomato sauce seems to be the trick for the time being - fantastic coincidental irony there)...  We have started making some baby food, or rather mashing up some of what we are eating for her - mainly roasted vegetables.  She is still working on swallowing larger pieces of food, and only has just the very beginnings of one tooth to assist her efforts...

So, recently I have been prowling the aisles of Conad, the local grocery store, to see what she might be able to eat.  It's a fine balance between what she might like, and what she might not choke on.

I wander into the pasta aisle, since we have had good luck with that...
I am completely overwhelmed.

Never have I ever...  seen so many different kinds of pasta...

So many different shapes to choose from.

And each with a special purpose.

And once you pick the shape, then you have to pick the size.

There is even special pasta for the kids.  Of course!

The Major has strong memories of eating pastina (the tiny pasta) as a child.

And, at risk for starting a family argument, even something special for the Major's mother.

Since I'm just getting used to all of these new pasta shapes, it is helpful that there are some suggestions for use on the packages...

This one is suggested to be eaten with mushrooms... Perfect.

  

Since there were no fresh porcini, I tried the ones that looked the best - pioppini mushrooms.  

Here they are with la ruchetta (aka rocket, or arugula/rugala).  

This isn't really a good food for Smalls, so we hand her a couple of spears of roasted zucchini, and she has a ball.

It has taken me a few passes through the grocery store to really "see" what is on all of the shelves - there is a so much that is different - or at least translating takes time, so it's difficult to tell if the crackers you see are in any way similar to ones you know, or have some crazy flavor to them that is unfamiliar... 

I pass through the baby section again, to get a little more familiar with what is available since Smalls is stepping up the solids...

I see, for the first time in Italy, something that stops me completely in my tracks.

Oh dear...

Don't get me wrong, we really want Smalls to be an adventurous eater...

However...

I think we'll just stick to roasted veggies for now.