After ten days of staying with Harald and Renate Zoschke and exploring the sights, sounds, and flavors of Bardolino and the Lake Garda region (view from their house, above), we had to head back to Albuquerque. But not before we threw a Cinco de Mayo lunch party for some our Italian chilehead friends.
The Cinco de Mayo Party
From left, Renate Zoschke, yours truly, Prof. Amedeo Alpi, Italian chile expert Massimo Biagi, as well as Marco and Giacomo Carmazzi (from the chile products company “Mr. Pic”), and Harald Zoschke (photo by Mary Jane Wilan). Harald and I fixed a “Mexitalian” version of chili con carne, which was served with Renate’s excellent spicy cornbread. We also made a fresh pico de gallo salsa using Italian tomatoes and chiles. I fixed some chicken and green chile sauce burritos using chile pasado, dried New Mexican green chile. The visitors from Tuscany brought excellent wine and a lot of tasty chile products. It was a fun time and we all enjoyed Cinco de Mayo, Italiano-style. We can’t wait to return!
