We are one week from passing sights like this on our way to and from classes. One week before, however, finds us with To Do lists far from done. It’s been my week to cook, with the proviso that the refrigerator must be emptied and the freezer contents reduced. Each week for the past twelve, an unopened container of mascarpone has made eye contact with us whenever the door opens, so yesterday Google was enlisted to find what could be done with something we’d tasted only in tiramisu

Google delivered the goods. Today we made mango - mascarpone ice cream and discovered the perfect use for three ripe yellow mangoes and a container of mascarpone with an expired “use by” date. You mix the ingredients in the blender, then pour into your ice cream freezer and voila--tangy, super smooth mango ice cream. If you want the recipe, let me know or Google it yourself. Google is my prized source of recipes, but also of all things Italian and more.

Shirley’s find of the day is www.onebag.com. She tells me it’s full of information about the pleasures and perils of traveilng with just enough stuff and nothing more. Tomorrow our suitcases come off the shelf and lists get made and revised. We learned our flight to Rome originates in Houston, so we think it should be our point of origin for this adventure as well.